strut, strut one's stuff, Sheela na gig

"Western civilization, at its root, indoctrinated shame around the feminine anatomy, and by extension sexuality, and we still carry that shame in unconscious ways. The male nude body is so normalized in heroic art that it doesn’t shock or shame. But this is bigger than anatomy; it’s an argument for a way of thinking. The heroic male struts his stuff; the woman, even the sexualized woman, hides hers away."

The lack of female genitals in art is anything but thoughtless

Greek art represented a valuation of male and female roles that codified a...

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strut one's stuff

Definition of strut one's stuff in English:

informal Dance or behave in a confident andexpressive way:tonight you’ll be strutting your funky stuff on thedance floornext season he’ll be strutting his stuff in Europe

 strut

[IN SINGULAR] A stiff, erect, and apparently arrogant orconceited gait:that old confident strut and swagger has returned

verb (struts, strutting, strutted)

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1[NO OBJECT, WITH ADVERBIAL] Walk with a stiff, erect, andapparently arrogant or conceited gait:peacocks strut through the groundsshe strutted down the catwalk

A 12th century sheela na gig on thechurch at Kilpeck, Herefordshire, England

Sheela na gigs are figurative carvings of naked women displaying an exaggerated vulva. They are architectural grotesques found on churches, castles, and other buildings, particularly in Ireland and Great Britain, sometimes together with male figures. One of the best examples may be found in the Round Tower at Rattoo, in County Kerry, Ireland. There is a replica of the round tower sheela na gig in the County Museum in Tralee town. Another well-known example may be seen at Kilpeck in Herefordshire, England.

Ireland has the greatest number of known sheela na gig carvings; McMahon and Roberts cite 101 examples in Ireland and 45 examples in Britain.^[1]

Such carvings are said to ward off death and evil.^[2][3] Other grotesques, such as gargoylesand hunky punks, were frequently part of church decorations all over Europe. It is commonly said that their purpose was to keep evil spirits away (see apotropaic magic). They often are positioned over doors or windows, presumably to protect these openings.

 Sheela-na-gig

Pronunciation: /ˌʃiːlənəˈɡɪɡ/ 

Definition of Sheela-na-gig in English:

noun

A medieval stone figure of a naked female with the legs wide apart and the hands emphasizing thegenitals, found in churches in Britain and Ireland.

Origin

From Irish Sile na gcíoch 'Julia of the breasts'.