The post-feminist movement is in full swing today. Ariel Levy, in Female Chauvinist Pigs, discusses the new notion of the perception of women in society that has emerged in approximately the last fifteen years. I think the “18-25 age group” can strongly relate to her message regarding popular culture and the new societal norms for a successful woman. Today, mainstream Americans see a successful grown woman as having the brain of the forty year old that they are, but the physique of a twenty-five year old; this woman has kids at home and balances a high-power and successful career, all the while being thin and polished. The liberation that the feminist movement of the 1970s was working to achieve has been reached – women have more opportunities professionally, are more independent. However, I think every person who has any connection to popular culture can safely say that sexuality, and the “raunch culture” Levy discusses is before our eyes at all hours of the day. It is part of the stereotype of an empowered woman today. Girls Gone Wild is in fact, a common household name. With the advances in technology and changes in family structure taking place today, more children are exposed to things at earlier ages, and parental supervision has decreased. The pornography industry, once in “back alleys” is now on primetime TV. Just like anything else, sex and image are businesses in America. It is what the general public craves, a source of entertainment and leisure. The feminists of the 1970s, those women who the masses looked to and admired have become the sexualized over-achievers we see today that are the looked to and admired ones. We increasingly place vanity and sexuality above intellectual capacity and personality. I think saying that pornography is everywhere may be over-exaggerating a bit, but it is not uncommon for normal females to engage in risqué behavior, if you will. Women are constantly seeking approval, both from other women, and men. However, it would be a mistake to leave out the approval men seek from other men, and women also. The macho-ism men experience is equal to the sexual image a woman wants to achieve. Power relations, as we discussed in class, play a large role in the new image of females. The interaction of men and women has led to this behavior, where women feel the need to be “one of the guys” in order to climb the corporate ladder or what have you. Levy is right, women do not want to face exclusion. Christie Hefner is just one woman in the entertainment industry who is promoting the sexualized image of women. However, her ideals are drastically different than what one would initially think. She stands for the promotion of women’s rights, and for the personal success and confidence for each individual hard-working woman. To her, the Playboy Bunny is a means for women to express themselves. “Sexiness” should not have to connect to a woman’s perception of herself, but if that is an aspect a woman sees in herself, she should be free to do so, and not criticized. Unfortunately, part of the obsession with being sexy is the result of massive media campaigns and the lifestyle in the twenty-first century. I think every woman should feel free to express her sexuality, just as men do, without criticism. However, we will run into trouble if all women begin believing that sexuality should and needs to be a main component of her humanity.
I was also particularly intrigued by Levy's discussion of Playboy Enterprises. On page forty-three, Levy says, "There are some women who are probably genuinely aroused by the idea or the reality of being photographed naked. But I think we can safely assume that many more women appear in Playboy for the simple reason that they are paid to. Which is fine. But 'because I was paid to' is not the same thing as 'I'm taking control of my sexuality." Soon after, she questions why women can't be sexy and frisky without being commodified. Much of the chapter addresses the issue of sexuality versus sex, and more importantly, what it means to be sexy. The word is loaded with positive and negative connotations. Levy seems to be pushing for a new kind of sexy, one that leaves the negative connotations far behind. Like Levy, I find the concept of "sexy" difficult to define, especially because it is usually generalized. Yet what is sexy to one person may not be sexy to another. I think that everyone, men and women, should be able to express their sexuality... but how they go about doing so is clearly controversial. Levy argues that Playboy undermines the female sexual liberation, but if the women in the magazine feel liberated, are they wrong? delusional? confused? I am not saying that exposing one's body through pictures in a magazine is liberating, but I don't know if I can say that it isn't because I have never done it. Nor have I felt the need to. There may not be a right answer, but Levy's book certainly forces us to think about these issues on a deeper level.
ReplyDeleteThe “raunch culture” referred to by Ariel Levy has exponentially increased its presence in society over the past several decades. As Katie points out, examples of this objectification and sexual innuendos are found throughout all aspects of America today. Such demoralizing phenomena are not only perpetuated by men, but also by fellow women. While posing for a magazine or wearing suggestive clothing may seem innocent enough on a surface level, this sort of behavior has significant impacts on our culture. In order to fully express this point, Levy provided several convincing examples.
ReplyDeleteTo do well in today’s world, many women are under the impression (not necessarily unfairly) that in order to succeed one must use her sexuality for advancement. Even Katie Couric, “America’s morning TV sweetheart,” has objectified herself through actions such as sporting an overwhelming amount of cleavage or being sure to show off her calves. The example I found most intriguing, however, was the matter of the Olympic women athletes who posed for Playboy. Levy presents a series of convincing arguments as to how this action is demeaning and backwards for women. While I was convinced by the majority of the author’s assertions, I feel as though Levy’s arguments are sometimes muddied by her direct and aggressive approach. Her sarcasm frequently adds a witty or humorous twist to her information, however several statements such as the athletes potentially feeling as though they were “trading up” a higher standing to “bimbos” make her difficult to relate to.
- Teal Kratky
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteNice work on these initial posts. You've all done a nice job of articulating Levy's argument, and raising some interesting questions about the extent to which her points are valid. Great pictures, too!
ReplyDelete[sorry about the above comment -- I was in the wrong account when I did it]