The amount of violence we allow in films under lesser ratings now never makes much sense compared to how little tolerance the "system" has for viewing the human body unclothed.
You are spot-on there! I am quite disturbed by how violence in film and TV seems more acceptable than sex and nudity. Just look at the furore and bible-belt bannings of 'Brokeback Mountain' and I don't think it was even graphic (I've never seen it so I don't know). But you can bet that if it was two cowboys killing each other instead of loving each other, it would have never received the publicity it did.
I'm also quite bothered by all the crime shows on TV, particularly SVU, which nearly every week have a storyline regarding a woman or several women being raped. Even though it isn't depicted, it is sometimes described in graphic detail in police reports, courtroom evidence etc. and it's considered acceptable for 8:30/9:30 pm. But try to depict
consensual sex, there's public outrage! I think Jack Nicholson once said, "If you cut off a nipple, it's rated M but if you lick a nipple, it's rated R"
Here in Australia, I've noticed a disturbing 'new conservatism' regarding sexuality and nudity, not just in TV, but society in general. There was a time when you would infrequently see nudity in Aussie films and TV shows (Alvin Purple, Number 96, Chances) in the 70s, 80s and early 90s but once the Liberals got into power - I should point out to non-Australians that I'm referring to Australian political party Liberals who are actually more like US Republicans - right wing religion and ultra conservatism raised it's ugly head. Any expression of sexuality - especially gay and lesbian sexuality - was often repressed. One of the more bizarre examples is the MA rating given to Kylie Minogue's 'On a Night Like This' video-clip from 2000. The reason? She is topless in a scene - a scene where she is walking AWAY from the camera! Apparently even a woman's bare back is too much for some people! But if you 'step back in time' - a lame in-joke for all my fellow Kylie fans - to 1988, her video for 'I Should Be So Lucky' was - and still is - frequently shown unedited even though she is wearing a backless top but no bra and you can clearly see side-boob.
Even though the Libs were voted out a few years ago, there is still some conservatism about because the current government is filled with weak-willed crawlers who are too scared to stand up to immigrants from Islamic countries who want to enforce their conservative beliefs on everyone else.
I hope my long-winded/worded post hasn't bored anybody to death - I do tend to get carried away sometimes...