Bestselling author, cover girl, and all-round master of the digital wink, Liv Arnold, explains why posting thirst traps can be a great form of self-empowerment when approached the right way.
Liv Arnold
People say magazines like Playboy, MAXIM, and FHM are made for the male gaze.
But isn’t it a little... antifeminist to tell women what they should and shouldn’t do with their own bodies?
I’ve been on the covers of those very mags, and I enjoyed the experience. The photoshoots expressed my creativity. I grew up shy—the kind of girl who avoided eye contact and apologised for existing. It wasn’t until I met other women unafraid of their bodies (and society’s opinion of them) that I started coming out of my shell.
If you can be barely clothed and confident, imagine feeling like a boss when you're fully dressed.
Fast-forward to now. I still face the same question—only now the topic comes with filters, captions, and an internal monologue that kicks in every time I open Instagram:
“Should I post this thirst trap?”
Closely followed by,
“Is this empowerment… or just a cry for attention?”
Answer: It can be both.
Welcome to the modern dilemma of being a woman online.
So… do thirst traps actually work?
Depends on your goal.
Want attention? You’ll get it. Possibly more than your DMs can emotionally support.
What about from weirdos? 100%. One minute it’s “You’re stunning,” the next it’s “I like this feeling of spiritual attraction which gives my body new sensations of well-being.”
Want a man to help you figure out Ikea furniture? A guy reacting to your story with fire emojis or liking your third photo in a row doesn’t mean anything unless he follows it up with words. Or better yet, actions. Watching your stories isn’t flirting. It’s loitering.
Is it feminist to post thirst traps?
Ah yes, the age-old debate: Is showing skin empowering or objectifying?
The answer depends on who’s in control of the camera.
If you chose the angle, the lighting, and the fact that your left leg is strategically positioned to look 17% longer—then congrats, you're reclaiming the narrative. Remember, men post shirtless gym selfies all the time and no one writes think pieces about it.
Your body. Your vibe. Your grid.
As a romance author, I thirst trap with words.
While my Insta might feature the occasional bold pic (tastefully thirst-adjacent), my real thirst traps live on the page. I write about fingertips grazing inner thighs, breaths catching in throats, kisses that start soft and turn devastating. That’s my seduction.
Romance authors be like: “He gently grazed her arm.”
Me: thinks about it for three days straight.
I believe in the art of the slow burn—both online and on the page. I believe in desire, in confidence, in choosing how and when to show it—whether it’s lace lingerie or a line of dialogue that makes someone blush three chapters later.
Should you post the thirst trap?
Let’s simplify it:
If you’re posting it to feel great? YES.
If you’re posting it because your hair was on point? Absolutely.
If you want compliments from people who can’t form full sentences? You’ll get them. (The three fire emojis is not a conversation, sir.)
Call it a thirst trap. I call it digital manifestation.
Let them thirst. You hydrate.
Liv Arnold is a critically acclaimed author and internationally renowned sex advice expert who has featured on the covers of Playboy, FHM, and Grazia, among many others. Her books have garnered widespread acclaim from the media and from a string of New York Times bestselling authors.