Before we begin this article, I should disclose two things.
First, I am a total Jason Momoa fangirl
Although my own tastes in men tend to skew toward lean and lanky, I’ve been totally bewitched by this glorious beast of a man since I first set eyes on him in Game of Thrones. His oversize stature (which I don’t usually like) and the long flowing hair (which would usually be a huge turnoff) and even the somewhat gruff and dangerous exterior (which, in the past, has typically inspired a huge eye roll) — I’m into it. I’m into all of it and I love all of it and I love him.
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Jason Momoa, I love you.
I’m 33 years old, far too old for this shit. It’s embarrassing, but here we are. I admit it.
Now onto my second disclosure.
I am pro-nudity
I won’t be taking up residence in a nudist colony any time soon, but I feel fine without clothes. While I don’t walk around in the buff all the time, my 4-year-old daughter does see me naked (getting dressed and undressed, heading to and from the shower, etc.), and I think that this is important.
I want her to be comfortable in her own body and that means showing her that I’m comfortable in my own.
Seeing me naked also allows her to ask questions about my body and sets the stage for honest, open communication about the way her body will change in the future.
So, all this is to say that I am not a prudish parent. I have no problem with being naked or talking about bodies or explaining natural processes in a matter-of-fact way without shame or judgment.
More:Should Your Kids See You Naked?
Now, at this point you may be asking, how on Earth do these two disclosures relate to one another? Where’s the overlap in this wildly unrelated Venn diagram?
The answer is this picture:
That’s Momoa’s daughter, whom he shares with Lisa Bonet, 9-year-old Lola posing beside Red Hot Chili Peppers guitarist Flea.
In the caption, Momoa writes, “The one the only Legend FLEA. And My baby girl. Fan boy fucking lost my shit. Tried to keep it together. Didn’t happen but I got this shot. Mahalo dan weiss and Peter. GOT perks. DROGO perks…worth dying for”
And while some Momoa followers joined him in expressing excitement about meeting a music legend, others took issue with what Flea was wearing — or wasn’t wearing — and lost their damn minds.
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“Is he wearing pants?” asked one Instagram user. Another demanded angrily, “I’d like to understand why, as a father, did you post such picture. Flea or not Flea, is still a naked adult next to your daughter. Is it normal for you? Is it a common practice in your family? Disappointed!”
I’ve been thinking about this all morning, and I have several thoughts.
Calm the fuck down, armchair parents
I mean, her terrifyingly huge dad is, like, 2 feet away from her and he posted the picture on his public Instagram account. If something sketchy was happening, Momoa is either negligent, stupid or both.
It might be my inner fangirl speaking (hence the first disclosure above), but I don’t believe that Momoa matches either one of those descriptions. On the contrary, by all accounts, Momoa is a devoted and loving father.
Flea is clearly wearing underwear
After intensely scrutinizing this picture for far too long, I’ve come to the conclusion that Flea is very clearly wearing black briefs. This might still be weird if it was your kid’s fourth-grade teacher or next-door neighbor, but this is Flea. He’s a rock star known for his minimalist wardrobe choices — often performing in underwear or just a charmingly named “cock sock.”
There’s always that one European dude at the pool strutting around in a Speedo — is this really any different?
Would this be happening if it were a woman?
If Lola was posing beside a woman in her underwear, would the public be losing their mind in the same way?
We seem to have developed a deep-seated suspicion of men around children, and I think it’s gone way too far. Calling the police on men sitting alone in parks because we suspect (without any reason) that they may be pedophiles, edging out male babysitters and teachers and imbuing every male-child interaction with suspicion — it’s too much.
I understand the impulse. It’s true that most abusers tend to be male and by acting this way we seek to keep our children (and, apparently the children of celebrities) safe. But we also do considerable harm to our children by painting all men as potential predators. Doing so prevents the development of warm, respectful and appropriate relationships with men, and these are important too.
She does not look the least bit uncomfortable
Look at her face. Does she seem weirded out? On the contrary, Lola looks like she’s having the time of her life. Even at 9 years old, you have an innate sense of whether things feel OK or not. Lola’s body language just doesn’t fit with the suggestion that she’s uncomfortable or views Flea’s attire as inappropriate.
Bottom line, Momoa is comfortable with the situation, Lola is comfortable with the situation, Flea is comfortable with the situation and the only ones losing their minds are strangers on the internet.
Let’s move on, shall we?
Before you go, check out our slideshow below.
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