When it comes to most things, I'm fairly progressive (the evil "L" word) - whether it be in the realm of politics or arts and entertainment. I've seen the likes of Alice Cooper, Marilyn Manson, and Kiss perform live if that tells you anything. However, when it comes to the topic of sex, I'm a bit more moderate or even slightly conservative (as far as the literal definition goes, not the political one). I've never been tempted to live a promiscuous lifestyle, have never accepted a woman's proposition for a one-night stand (and I've received several), and don't find myself attracted to women whom engage in this kind of behavior or reveal more cleavage than clothing with the outfits they wear.
That brings me to the much discussed Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke performance at the MTV Video Music Awards a couple of nights ago (why MTV still has a VMA show is beyond me considering they show about as many music videos as the Hallmark Channel shows Oscar-winning films). I've heard two main groups of people respond to Cyrus' controversial performance: 1) Far-right individuals - "She should be ashamed of herself! She looked like a hooker! She's no role model for kids! She's how old? I bet her parents are proud!" and 2) Far-left individuals - "You go, girl! Strut that stuff! Be proud of what you got and make women all over proud!"
Oddly enough, I don't share either group's opinion. In response to the more conservative individuals' response(s), I just have to say that the performance wasn't very shocking. These kinds of things have been done time and time again, and with increasing frequency over the past 10 years, it seems. Remember Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and Madonna? Adam Lambert? Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake? The list of extremely sexual moments or performances at awards (or halftime) shows could go on for quite a while, so it's not like the Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke act from a couple of nights ago was the first of its kind. Also, I get a little tired of celebrities being seen as role models. They're entertainers first and foremost. It's not their job to take care of parents' kids. That's the parents' job. Miley Cyrus and Robin Thicke are in the business they're in to draw attention to themselves and their work, entertain, and through that, make money. If parents don't like what they hear or see from them, it's their job to talk to their children about the matter should it ever arise.
But while I don't share the opinion of the more conservative individuals on this matter, I also don't share the opinion of the more liberal individuals either. Do I think there was anything immoral about Cyrus' performance? No. Also, would I admit that sex sells? If we're talking about tickets, CDs, movies, magazines, books, or something of the like, I'd say it often times does. However, while sex might sell as far as making Miley Cyrus and other artists money, it doesn't earn women respect, and this is what bothers me, not just about this one performance, but about the seemingly growing trend of female entertainers increasing their sexuality while decreasing the amount of clothes they wear (or how much the clothes cover them).
Let's face it - science shows that men are typically very visual people. Also, when asked what the most important trait about a partner of the opposite sex is, men's number one answer is being physically attractive. So, on one hand, it's very understandable for female entertainers to want to use their physical attractiveness to their advantage by wearing next to nothing, being quite sexual, and drawing men's attention and with that, their money. However, women still have yet to garner equal rights, and with that, equal respect, in this country. Women are still only making 75-80% of what men make for performing the same job. A woman has still yet to be elected president of this country. Of the 535 members of Congress, only 98 are women (18.3%). So while I can understand some women feeling a sense of power and liberation through being sexually desired via showy clothing and sexual performances, in the end, I don't feel this is the way they're going to earn equal rights and respect, especially from a certain percentage of males. It's been a long, uphill battle for many women in this country through the years, and one reason for that is that they weren't respected as equals by many working men because these men viewed them as nothing more than sex objects. While that percentage has decreased some through the years, there are still men in this country whom view women in that same manner, and I don't think the way to earn these men's actual respect (equality and equal pay as well) is by making oneself appear as the sex object men had earlier envisioned. So while some may have felt that many women should have been proud of Miley Cyrus' performance (and others like it), I tend to think in the direct opposite fashion. These types of performances (and clothing choices) are prolonging many men's sexist misconception that women are nothing more than sex objects, and because of that, it becomes difficult for such men to grant women equal rights, equal respect, or equal pay. Women deserve better than that. Women are better educated than men, deserve equal rights as men, and are more attractive than men. Wearing nothing next to nothing tends to distract men. Women don't need to try very hard to attract them.
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