Verity Johnson: Go nuts with those hooters, Madonna - you're still sexy

When Madonna starts waving those heavenly hooters, everyone cries, "think of the children!"

Clearly, there's something special about boobs.

They're hanging out in every major art gallery in the world. They've got a global, multi million-dollar lingerie trade devoted to them. They've got more nicknames than even the police.

They've clearly got something that keeps the world gossiping.

So Madonna's nipple-freeing photo shoot this week was always going to spark conversation. Like every artist, poet, or drunken heckler since time began, we are drawn to a bountiful bust.

I've heard a variety of responses. Someone described how her nipples were the colour of a perfect sundried tomato hummus. But the more prevalent response was the sigh, "Oh for God's sake, put them away. You're 56 - and a mother of four!

I had so many opinions I could have written a B Grade Victorian erotic poem. But there was one major thought that stuck with me.

This backlash just shows how we don't let older women be sexy.

Madonna is a fiery and tenacious woman. She knew exactly what she was doing. Nine-year-old supermodel Kristina Pimenova might not understand how her career is unfolding. But Madge has been there, done that, and got the cone shaped bra T-shirt. She understands.

Her understanding implies she's fully conscious of each career move. This implies that she actively controls her career. Which suggests that she'll do things she enjoys. Now, I don't think it's too much of a stretch to suggest that she enjoys seeing seductive, beautiful photos of herself.

After all, we live in a visual society. We're surrounded by images of sexy women. Our society has made being seen in a cute photo a way to affirm your own attractiveness. (Who doesn't count Facebook likes?)

So yes, some women will get a kick out of seeing themselves pictured as sultry goddesses. We should be fine with this. We're liberal.

Ever since the 1986 homosexual law reform act, NZ has been taking a step back from moral policing. Now, we argue that as long as it's legal, do whatever you want in the bedroom. So we should be cool with women getting sexual fulfilment from taking hot photos of themselves.

Back to Madonna. She's getting a kick out of these photos. Cool. Kim Kardashian is doing the same thing.

What's the difference between them? The reaction they get.

When Kim strips down to a pearl necklace and covers herself in goose fat, everyone goes, "Hot damn!" The responses to her are always flavoured by conversation on how attractive, fearless and bold she is.

When Madonna starts waving those heavenly hooters, everyone cries, "think of the children!"

She's a mother, just like Kim. She's attractive, just like Kim. She's doing racy photo shoots, just like Kim. But while we confirm Kim's feelings of attractiveness, we don't confirm Madonna's.

We used to agree she was hot.

What changed? She got older. She still stays attractive, but our responses started ignoring this. That shows we have a problem with admitting older people are sexy.

What's more, as she aged, she refused to tone down her sex appeal. This made her "irresponsible".

Why can't older women be sexy and responsible? Celebrating your great boobs doesn't make you a crazed woman who runs around throwing fish fingers at children and flashing the neighbours. So get out your boobs, Madonna. Go nuts.

On Twitter Verity Johnson: @thebumbleveee