More than just a hymen
My mother sent me this link today - she thought I'd enjoy seeing people agree with me (well, yes, who doesn't enjoy that)
The comment both fetishes a woman's virginity and reduces her value to the presence of a hymen, to the unpenetrated state of her vagina. Why is that the greatest gift a woman can give someone? What about her mind? Her actions? Dare I say it, her soul? If I were one of Abbott's daughters I would be furious to have my value reduced to the state of my hymen. Is that really the greatest gift you can give? And if it is, what does this say about relationships between men and women? It's a pretty superficial exchange.
Somewhere here there is an important discussion to be had, about Western capitalist society's obsession with sex (so gently explored in Sarah Watt's recent film My Year Without Sex), about the exploitation of women's bodies as marketing tools, about the rise of raunch culture, about the pressures on young women to live up to ''porn-star'' stereotypes, about the differences between lust and love, about respect, and how to safely explore one's sexuality, when one is ready to do so, not when one's peers or politicians say you are ready to do so - but it is discussion to be had for both genders
It's a great article.
The comment both fetishes a woman's virginity and reduces her value to the presence of a hymen, to the unpenetrated state of her vagina. Why is that the greatest gift a woman can give someone? What about her mind? Her actions? Dare I say it, her soul? If I were one of Abbott's daughters I would be furious to have my value reduced to the state of my hymen. Is that really the greatest gift you can give? And if it is, what does this say about relationships between men and women? It's a pretty superficial exchange.
Somewhere here there is an important discussion to be had, about Western capitalist society's obsession with sex (so gently explored in Sarah Watt's recent film My Year Without Sex), about the exploitation of women's bodies as marketing tools, about the rise of raunch culture, about the pressures on young women to live up to ''porn-star'' stereotypes, about the differences between lust and love, about respect, and how to safely explore one's sexuality, when one is ready to do so, not when one's peers or politicians say you are ready to do so - but it is discussion to be had for both genders
It's a great article.