Nelly Furtado, Female Sexuality and Double Standards

[kat_4eva2]

Just saw this, its actually more about female sexuality and stuff, but i thought it was interesting so... yeah


05 February 2007

Nelly Furtado, Female Sexuality and Double Standards


The music video for Nelly Furtado's song

"Promiscuous Girl," the pop hit

about casual sex and promiscuity,

continues the argument of female sexuality

ignited by the revolution of the 1960s

For many, the line of what is acceptable is blurry



"If a guy is a sexaholic, he is considered a playboy,

and that's considered to be cool in a way

Yet, if a woman expresses too much sexual desire,

she is called names [such as] slut, tramp, whore

And those are ways of depriving women of their sexual needs"

In the music video for Nelly Furtado's song "Promiscuous Girl," Furtado stands against a blue chrome wall and shakes her pelvis to pulsating beats. Her thick neon-white belt glows and sticks to her bare stomach.

Lifting her arms, she turns around, pops her lower back and says, "You expect me to just let you hit it / but will you respect me if you get it?"

The pop hit about casual sex and promiscuity continues the argument of female sexuality ignited by the revolution of the 1960s. For many, the line of what is acceptable is blurry.

"If a guy is a sexaholic, he is considered a playboy, and that's considered to be cool in a way," said Junior David Bolivar. "Yet, if a woman expresses too much sexual desire, she is called names [such as] slut, tramp, whore. And those are ways of depriving women of their sexual needs."

Sophomore Natalie Soto also thinks women don't have the same sexual liberties as men. While she feels it is acceptable to have premarital sex, "whether it is accepted by society is a difference case."

Many argue that liberation of female sexuality, at least in America, was ignited in the 1960s.

The sexual revolution instilled changes in the sexual norms and behaviours of women. Words such as premarital sex, the birth control pill, legalised abortion and casual sex became associated with female sexuality.

"In the United States, the advent of the birth control pill meant that for the first time in history, women's reproductive capabilities became separate from the sexual act of pleasure," said Lois West, a professor of sociology.

But according to West, the sexual revolution has left more than the freedom to have a good time.

"The so-called 'sexual revolution of the sixties' was that women adapted to men's sexual standards," she said. These sexual standards were the "'Hugh Hefner, playboy standards,' [which] unlinked sex from marriage and relationship commitment, making sex for fun more important than sex for marriage."

West argues that the lasting effects of the revolution are still one-sided - women are branded with labels for doing the same things men do.

"The sexual double standard still stigmatizes women who like a lot of sex with men without relationships," West said.

Author Leora Tanenbaum in her book Slut! Growing up Female with a Bad Reputation, writes about the characteristics of those who judge sexually active women:

"Slut-bashing is a cheap and easy way to feel powerful. If you feel insecure or ashamed about your own sexual desires, all you have to do is call a girl a 'slut' and suddenly you're the one who is 'good' and on top of the social pecking order."

West indicated that male dominance and economic inequality in the 1970s are the reasons why the sexual double standard still exists today.

"Men began to suffer decreasing wages which forced more women into the labor force and changed their negotiating power with men for the better and worse," West said.

West continued by describing what a true female revolution should be, describing it as one "without sexual violence, economic need and the stigma from the double standard."

Some feel, however, that a double standard for sexuality is less of a problem than the misuse of it. Soto feels that women are being objectified in the media and entertainment industry. Instead of being sexually liberated, she argues, they are being sexually exploited.

"Modern women are becoming dehumanized in the media and culture products of the entertainment industry. The trend now for Glamour Magazine is an exploitation of sexuality," Soto said.

Soto added that women should love their internal beauty and accept themselves rather than let society dictate what is sexy for them.

"I don't have to expose myself to feel sexy," she said.

The goal of expressing one's sexuality is to "always have a balance," according to Soto.

For her, the extreme of being sexually over the top or being too sexually conservative is not healthy. She argues that for society, balance is the key to sexual freedom.

"Modesty is lacking in society, morals are lacking, character is lacking," Soto said. "Society is at an extreme - there is a lack of balance." Veronica Suarez @ The Beacon

Jo Swift

source http://joswift.blogspot.com/2007/02/...ality-and.html

[syrialovesnelly]

ohhhhh, thanks it is very interesting

[Do-Rithm]

Thanks for this.

[Jose_XO]

thanks for sharing !

[Nel]

Originally Posted by kat_4eva2

"If a guy is a sexaholic, he is considered a playboy, and that's considered to be cool in a way," said Junior David Bolivar. "Yet, if a woman expresses too much sexual desire, she is called names [such as] slut, tramp, whore. And those are ways of depriving women of their sexual needs."

yup, it's great to be a man!!

[Klaazzjuuh]

Thnx for posting

[Loosen Up]

Originally Posted by kat_4eva2

Just saw this, its actually more about female sexuality and stuff, but i thought it was interesting so... yeah

ummmmmmm u either 1. have a lot of time on ur hands or like seacrhing up about nelly.... lol

[Nat]

it's so .... whoa!

thanxx for posting

[taylor]

intereseting... thanks for it!

[Icescape]

That's nice, it's pretty cool to have her as an example in a serious article like that. And they took notice of that "will you still respect me part" which, even if Promiscuous is a bit questionable, makes it conscious about men usually having the upper hand in these songs - actually always.