Robert Mapplethorpe, Self Portrait 1978
This photo by Robert Mapplethorpe is controversial because of its lewd nature. The controversy comes from the debate of whether it should be displayed or not. The first amendment gives the right of free speech so this photo should be allowed to be displayed, even if it is kind of pornographic. However, the Ohio obscenity statute makes it illegal for any person to “Promote, display…or exhibit… any obscene material.” There is nothing explicitly obscene about this photo as you cannot see any genitalia. But the message is clear. He has blurred out the explicitly obscene part of the photo but you can still see he is holding an attached tail.