Veronica Shields

Honors English 10

Summer Journal Entry

Frauenholz                                                       

Sexuality: Repression by Performance Pressure?

Or so I pondered to myself one rather mundane afternoon as I sat at my computer, my mind a dawdling stream of ideas, interests, and inquiries about the world around us.  In light of my monotony, I decided to see what wonders the Internet world had decided to hand me this time in my e-mail addy.  Hmm…let's see, message from friend Alex, directions to Maureen's house, a heads up on a new e-mail address, and…AH!  My favorite!  The all purpose porn message exclaiming that I am missing some of the hottest girls on the web.  Thank you Mr…well, I think we can live another day without spreading that soubriquet throughout the world, right?  Oops!  What do you know!  By happenstance, I have deleted the message!  Silly me!  Oh, and here's another favorite of mine: an e-mail promising a definite enlargement of a manhood that I—as a woman—lack so dearly.  Excuse me while I visit my block sender button.  There, finished.  Won't be hearing from her any time soon.  I'm sorry; I can't help but find these e-mail safaris to be one of both an enlightening and rather entertaining nature.  However, through all this erotic muck and delusion, I can't help but wonder if by pressing this supposed need to go all out with the opposite (or, in some cases, even the identical) gender are actually doing less in their quest for complete sexual domination.  In fact, in years of having to burn my way through the vague haze of prominent sexuality that has henceforth taken over not only our television and internet, but every other aspect of our society—including music, clothing, radio, speech, entertainment, and even literature—I can't help but say I'm rather turned off by all of it.  That's right, you're average, stereotypical, hormone-driven teenager finds all of this not in the least engaging.  Considering the amount of people who are beginning to take voice against the spread of such material, I'm not the only one whose stomach turns at the sight of an e-mail promising real live images of nude teens.  (Hey, why pay for it when I can turn on my television and see Britney Spears moving up from Mickey Mouse Club to strip club on the MTV Video Music Awards?  Oops!  She took it all off!)  In notion of this, I consider: does the supposed need for open sexuality really improve our society, or are we just fooling ourselves, hiding primal instincts beneath a veil of "social change," once again manipulating a revolution into an oozing pot of melting ambition?

Everywhere one turns, a magazine, person, television sitcom, or even  an article of clothing is pushing me to blossom into the true feminine mystique I could be.  Key word in this matter is "could."  Thank God for the almighty right to choose.  Come to think of it, was there ever a time where a woman's breasts weren't her most captivating feature?  Were men ever judged on a level beyond size?  Was there ever a time where the word sex was taboo?  Did people ever see beyond the façade of vacant beauty to the true person within?  From the looks of medieval literature and history's lesson., there was once rumored a time where qualities beyond the well-endowed were once held dear.  Of course, I'm not saying humanity has regressed to a primordial ooze of sexual need; in fact, I'm willing to say that by expressing that which we once so repressed, we've matured to an extent as a whole of people.  Nevertheless, there is an obligation to be met with such a maturity, and, quite frankly, I believe America has failed in that aspect.  At one point or another, the once sharpened line between artistic expression and outright obscene behavior has blurred into a backdrop of American pop culture, teen idols, and higher expectations.  Where once the stages of the MTV Music Awards were donned with the sensual performances of Madonna's "Like a Virgin" or Cher's "If I Could Turn Back Time"—both of whom opened the doors and paved the way for other female artists to express themselves in a more risqué fashion as their male counterparts had been doing for years—they are now stained with the packaged teen pop star pack, complete with plastic wrapping and a pretty pink bow.  And let's not forget the various commercials we "innocent" viewers are being subjected to when we choose to take a look at Comedy Central ("College Girls Gone Wild" comes to mind.  Ever seen that commercial?  It reminds one what not to do when one goes to college.) or even the once clean UPN and its phone sex commercials.  (Wow, you're eighteen.  Big deal.  A good portion of America's at that age, and they aren't showing their bare bottoms to all humanity.)  Personally, I'm rather insulted by all of it.  Not only is it corrupting certain moral values—children should learn about sex from their parents and some school at a decent, not from Christina Aguilera dressed like a whore, or Ricky Martin educating us on how "she bangs, she bangs" at six and seven—but it creates a stereotype and expectation for teenagers today that, if you don't live up to the said objectives, you're an outsider.  Well, I'm sorry I'm not a size zero, boy-crazy, ditzy cliquey of a girl, but I do have plans for my future, and blowing it all on a few minutes of orgasmic pleasure or popularity is not part of them.  Point is, thanks to America, my world is one of extremely high expectations, ones where anything above one hundred and twenty is a "fat ass," and any girl that won't "put out" isn't worth a second glance.

An important fact to note, however, that through all this obscene body exploitation, there are some positive repercussions in this sudden upshot of expression through sexuality.  As a community of people, we are now more aware.  There's been a nationwide attempt to incorporate safe sex education into schools and spread awareness on the dangers of teenage pregnancy, STDs, and AIDS.  Plus, that's only the physical and scientific benefits that have occurred.  Artistic expression of human sexuality has allowed us to reach out and grasp concepts once forbidden to the public eye.  Sexuality is no more an alien habit then sleeping, eating, or drinking are.  What was once the most inconvenient and uncomfortable of topics to speak about, sex is no longer a feared word between peers.  Teenagers may now speak freely on topics once far too taboo for us to even poke with sticks.  Not just teenagers have benefited from this swing in behavior; former minorities such as homosexual and AIDS communities have gained a higher level of understanding and tolerance among the rest of America.  While there is still quite a bit of prejudice out there, at least some resistance against the annihilation of such communities has begun appearing in the form of movies, specials, and series.  For example, HBO's highly acclaimed series "Queer as Folk" (the follow up to smash hit "Sex in the City," a show portraying female sexuality in an affirmative and often thought provoking light) and NBC's "Will and Grace" include several gay and homosexual members within the cast, and within the show, their characters are often represented in a light that proves itself to be not only positive, but also common.  Yes, certain aspects such as comedy and sometimes exaggerated situations are bound to be found, but what these series do is show their viewers that these people are no different then those who are heterosexual, and, therefore, should be an accepted part of society.  On another level, you could even say that sexuality has helped to overcome racism in some aspects; being that sexual desire is something that all people, no matter color or nationality, can relate to, perhaps certain bridges have been crossed with the introduction of such a standard.  Hey, who can't say rapper Tyrese isn't just a bit attractive or that Lenny Kravitz isn't at least interesting to look out?  (Well, I think he' more then interesting, but that's just me. ^_^)  In any matter, public sexuality has helped us, in some aspects, to improve ourselves as a society; however, in order to remain that way, we must keep our maturity level at a medium.

So what exactly is my point in all this?  What kind of change am I looking for?  My demands are simple: I want a society where I can turn on my television and spare myself the sight of Britney Spears in a diamond studded thong, but at the same time, one where a newly pregnant woman can enter a room without a "hush, hush" to follow.  One where children can still giggle at the forbidden "s" word, yet when they're older understand the concepts of it all.  Basically, I'm asking America to stop acting like a fifteen-year-old boy in the throes of puberty.  Shape up or ship out, America, and while we're at it, grow up.