In the modern era, sex and sexuality are socially explained as private matters. However, sex and sexuality subconsciously (or sometimes consciously) dominate and dictate our society and the past, especially in terms of illustration female sensuality and sexuality. Sex and sexuality holds a double-standard. On one hand, women are supposed to keep sexual encounters on the down low. On the other, sexual experience and display sexuality are defining characteristics of individuals that should be displayed and then judged by society (such as labeling a woman who is more conservative in her display of sensuality a "prude" and a woman who enjoys the opposite a "slut"). However, in today's culture, sensual display of female sexuality is fluid and accepted (for the most part), yet stigmatized and defining of an individual's personality, character, and moral values. Although these acts and desires socially reflect the make-up of an individual through stereotypes and misconceptions, the ability for individuals to openly (or even privately) admit to these acts and desires without (much) physical or social backlash illustrates a relative degree of progressive thought and general feelings of acceptance directed towards feminine sexual display. Yes, there is backlash to groups and individuals who defy the social norm pertaining to the degree of display of sexual acceptability, similar to every other socio-cultural group who goes against the grain of social acceptability in any sense. Yes, the patriarchal argument that women who openly display and embrace their sensuality are "asking to be raped" is an argument frequently used against female victims. However, relatively compared to past societies, the social scrutiny that arises from the majority towards the minority is minuet. In the case of rape (male attacking female), the rapist becomes stigmatized socially in today's culture. Rape (male attacking female), socially scrutinizes the attacker.
Personal and public female display of sexuality and sensuality is seen as acceptable and empowering. As a woman, I believe this to be extremely true. Women, overall, can express their sexuality through clothing, actions, and art (through dance and burlesque, in particular) without any extensive repercussions. The simple fact that our society, socially, allows for the open display of feminine sensuality without common, severe repercussions illustrates that our society is and is becoming more and more sexually progressive relative to past social acceptability and norms of feminine sensual and sexual display. As the modern era is birthed from centuries of sexual repression and sensual oppression, I believe that it is fair to say that our society is growing more and progressive in the terms of open sexual engagement and display. However, I also believe that our society has a bit to go before fully accepting all forms of sensuality without any form of social scrutiny or physical repercussions. However, similar to defeating racism, the social and political acceptance of all forms of female sexual and sensual activity will be near impossible for any society to achieve, as the result would be fictional utopia.
I agree that society has certainly become more lenient regarding promiscuity in its entirety, but I have to respectfully disagree with the point about women being able to have promiscuous outlets without repercussions, specifically pertaining to burlesque and dance. Assuming that this encompasses stripping, we have to look at the severe amount of backlash that these women (and men, but let’s focus on the female sphere for now) face as they earn their living.
ReplyDeleteIn the Sexuality and Society course that I took last year, we spent an entire section discussing erotic dancers and the societal repercussions that face them. The stigma alone can be crippling. In a documentary called Strippers: The Naked Truth, several women in the business are interviewed and asked about the troubles that they face. A common theme that is brought up is the impact that the business can have on their love life.
Many strippers have a difficult time getting into and maintaining worthwhile relationships, especially with men, because of the stigma surrounding their work. One girl stated that the reason her boyfriend left her was because countless other men had seen her naked, so it didn’t feel special to him anymore. Another woman had had a man (a patron at the club she worked at) walk out on her because he said he felt as though he had to give her monetary compensation every time that they had sexual relations, even though she had never engaged in prostitution. Many of the women had been turned down for dates because the men that they approached were afraid of contracting a venereal disease. Essentially, these women are seen as “dirty” or “used”, despite the fact that many clubs prohibit touching. All that these women are doing is dancing and receiving money for it- they just happen to be wearing slightly less than your average backup dancer. Yet due to the environment that they work in and the audience that they cater to, they are viewed as something less than human.
Outside of the romantic sphere, women who work in the industry and want to pursue a different career later in life have to face the stigma against strippers in the employment sphere. If a woman was paid through the club and not exclusively through tips, she will have tax forms that most likely connect her to the business. An employer might see this during a background check and decide that they do not want a former stripper to work in their business, which happens quite often according to the documentary. Women who have been in the business have a very difficult time moving up and out due to the stigma against them, and are often forced to remain in the industry until they are deemed too old by their employers.
It is true that our society has become more open sexually, and that women are allowed, and often even encouraged, to be promiscuous at times. However, some examples of female promiscuity are still heavily stigmatized, and people often face extensive repercussions for doing something as simple as dancing for money.