Main post for 1/21

Some women say taking off your clothes and participating in raunch culture is empowering. If it’s so empowering, then why aren’t men also taking off their clothes to attain “power” for themselves? —I believe this is one of the most profound statements Levy makes in the Introduction and first chapter of Female Chauvinist Pigs. Men aren’t “parad[ing] around in their skivvies as a means to attain power,” (32) so why are women? Levy uses perfect examples that would get any reader thinking: Janet Jackson exposes her breast on live TV while Justin Timberlake stands completely clothed. Both are equally powerful, famous musicians—so why does Jackson feel the need to expose herself to attain more fame? Jay Leno “sits floppy faced and chunky in a loose suit behind is desk” (32) while guest, Katie Couric wears a low cut top and flaunts her legs. Both are equally successful at their television careers, so why does Couric have to show sex appeal? Jackson and Couric already have power and it infuriates me that they feel the need to be “sexy” to keep that power and seem “fun.” Even Oprah, one of the wealthiest and most powerful people in the world learned how to do the “stripper walk”—I saw this episode, and let me tell you, it was APPAULING. Women like Jackson and especially Couric, and Oprah are supposed to be role models--wow, they are setting a great example. I’m guessing that straight men would not take pleasure in a naked man spinning around a stripping pole…so why would straight women want to watch another woman doing that? (34). Is indulging in this raunch culture empowering to women? —No, because who is benefitting the most from this? Men are.

There is a HUGE difference between the sexual culture of our generation and the one before us. Perhaps Levy will explain why this change occurred. One of the main causes, as I learned last semester in my US Women’s Rights History class, are the changes in free speech laws. Before the 60s and 70s, pornography was illegal—it was not considered an expression of free speech because it violated the sacred bodies of others. However, with Supreme Court Cases in 1973 and 1974, that drastically changed and pornography was ruled as a part of free speech. Dramatic changes in porn laws were implemented. Pornography which was once a bootleg, seedy, hidden industry is now commonplace. With technology and media becoming more advanced, should we readdress pornography as an element of free speech? Levy comments that people have different views on what is beautiful or sexy. I’d have to disagree with her. I feel that, with the widely spread porn industry, more and more people, sadly, have a single view of what a woman’s body and face should look like.