**** shaming, as it is called, implies that a woman's body is public property. When the word to describe a woman who is sexually active and fulfilling her own sexual needs to her liking has a negative connotation, it implies that what a woman does with her own body is an issue to be discussed publicly, as it is OBVIOUSLY a concern of those who do not possess that body. The important thing to note here is that there is nothing genuine about the idea that **** shaming is a mode of helping women respect themselves. Though de jure it is used as a way to keep women "modest" and "self respecting", it actually has a much more covert function de facto. In layman's terms, it's a trap. Culturally, women are viewed as sex objects. We're hypersexualized in advertisements, on television shows, and even in books so that products get sold and this culture can survive. Entire corporations have cashed in on this because they know it works. So now here's what we have: a culture that oversexualizes girls and women alike while simultaneously warning those same girls and women that their sexuality is innately shameful. See the issue?
This is the trap: we're taught that our value as sexual objects is the extent of our value as human beings, but when we dress in ways that show pride in our bodies, we are called ****s. The trap gives men a sense of entitlement to our bodies when we are "being/dressy/acting ****ty". This is rape culture. When a sixteen year old girl goes to a party in a short skirt with her midriff showing and is raped that night, it's her fault. She should've known not to dress like that because dressing like that is a sign of self hatred rather than pride in her body. In a culture where rape is taken nowhere near as seriously as it should be, these ideas that a girl could ever be "asking for it" are pernicious lies that function as nothing more than excuses for the boys that have a sense of entitlement to the bodies of other human beings. This lack of proper respect for women's bodies is an issue all around the world, as it has been for centuries.
Bo$$ dares young women to be independent in a world that doesn't want to tell them they can be proud of their sexuality as well as their independence. The music video is a testament to this message. All five girls are dressed in outfits that make them feel confident in themselves, as member Camila Cabello noted in a twitcam she streamed a few days after a teaser for the video was released and controversy surrounding the girls' outfits arose:
"This society has a lot to say on what should make a woman feel good and what does look good and what doesn't look good, and they think that they have a right to tell us as women what should make us feel confident in our own bodies. And whether that is, you know, being covered up and wearing a long sleeved sweater or, you know, showing a body part that maybe you would like to show off, at the end of the day, we are the only ones that are entitled to our bodies, and you're allowed to wear whatever makes you feel good and whatever makes you feel confident, and that [the clothes worn by Fifth Harmony in the music video] made us feel confident in the video. We're not encouraging anyone to dress like that or to dress in a certain way; we're encouraging all women to dress how they would like to dress..."
There is also obviously a massive difference between the ways in which we view male sexuality with the ways in which we view female sexuality. Male singers are very often scantily clad in music videos–– shirts off, pants barely on–– but it would never happen that the comments sections of these videos would be filled with accusations of prostitution or the questioning of these artists' morals and talents as the comments section of the Bo$$ music video has been. At the end of the day, women just want to be treated as equals to men. Why is it that a man gyrating with his shirt off won't get called a **** but a girl dancing sexually with short shorts on will?
Unfortunately, many of the authors of misogynistic comments are women and girls themselves. This only furthers my point that what Fifth Harmony is doing is not only important but also essential to the progression of the feminist movement. This music video and the reactions which it has elicited foster discussions about the current state of the condition of female sexuality in modern society and culture. When a girl group are proud of their bodies and able to express their sexuality, it causes an uproar. This is because nowadays that's how utterly revolutionary it is to love and express yourself as you'd like. Now THAT's the real issue that we need to be talking about.
Yes, the source is a twitlonger but that doesn't make the "article" any less respectable.
Yes, they use BO$$ as an example, but that's not why I'm sharing this.
"**** Shaming" is getting worse and worse. We've come to the point where a female is not allowed to feel confident with what she's wearing because it may be a too revealing and "asking for it". It's totally ridiculous that women have to accomodate themselves to this sexist society.
I mean, even girls/women badmouth about other girls/women because they're wearing something revealing instead of admiring and praising those people for being confident enough to do that! I wish every girl (and also boy) would take notice of this topic! Don't let society tell you what to do! Do what makes you feel happy and confident!
Let's not get carried away, it's not "getting worse". If our grandmothers dressed at our age how most girls dress now, they would have faced serious adversity. We have a long way to go, but as a society, we've made a lot of progress and we shouldn't be disparaging that.
Let's not get carried away, it's not "getting worse". If our grandmothers dressed at our age how most girls dress now, they would have faced serious adversity. We have a long way to go, but as a society, we've made a lot of progress and we shouldn't be disparaging that.
in my parents time there is no selfie or sexting and grindr so people literally exposed themselves IRL
I think it's more private now
So you want people to walk around half naked to show confidence? So that's what the world needs to focus its attention on is exhibitionism? People not liking scantily clad women is a issue when it's all we see in the media. Ok I get it now
So you want people to walk around half naked to show confidence? So that's what the world needs to focus its attention on exhibitionism? People not like scantily women is a issue when it's all we see in the media. Ok I get it now
women should be free to wear whatever they like. if people dont like it or sexualise those women without consent thats their own problem
I'm not going to let anyone pass judgement on who I sleep with. If people owned their sexual choices more often there wouldn't be any room for '**** shaming'. The only people **** shaming are the ignorant prudes who probably *****d around themselves back in the day. That's my point. Don't let people make you feel bad for YOUR life choices.
I agree with you, but not everyone feels that way. Some people feel bad about being called something so "negative", and they shouldn't have to deal with that tone and connotation if they're uncomfortable with it.
So you want people to walk around half naked to show confidence? So that's what the world needs to focus its attention on is exhibitionism? People not liking scantily clad women is a issue when it's all we see in the media. Ok I get it now
That's not what they were saying. What's being said is that women should be confident and comfortable in whatever it is they choose to wear without being treated as an object of sex.
And the damage is done so exhibitionism is totally inappropriate however no one is supporting exhibitionism... and actually, exhibitionism is not sexual, lustful, promiscuous, evil, bad, etc...
A girl could wear a fish net dress if she wants and she could do it without being sexual at all... when people like you sexualize her and make her body a sex object, it is now YOUR fault and YOUR problem.
It's always the ones "**** shaming" that make girls into ****s.
so true
