Women Exploring their Sexuality
This past week we have been learning about women and birth control. Birth control is a well effective method that stops women from conceiving. Contraceptive pills have also given women more sexual freedom. This new found freedom has made yet another double standard for women. A woman who remains chaste may be seen as a respectable, good-matured woman, while a woman who takes the time to explore her sexuality is labeled a whore and many other degrading names. These adjectives have been used to characterize women for centuries. A woman’s virginity was a bargaining tool for her parents and was used to decide her fate. Even with all of the forms of birth control in society, the double standard still has not changed. Unlike women, Men may be praised for their promiscuous actions. This double standard is pushed by the media and seen in many TV shows. One show I watch called The Tudors, takes place in England during King Henry VIII reign. King Henry has a friend named Brandon who is a real ladies man, he is attractive and very charming. The amount of women he sleeps with is ridiculous. Even when he is married, he continues to have affairs. Brandon is simply praised for having “the finest women”, but these women’s reputation can be tarnished forever.
I know personally as a young woman growing up I’m told to be aware of my surroundings, I should not be in a secluded area with a guy. I’m told to save myself for marriage, that I don’t want any of the bad effects of premarital sex. I am taught the do's and don’ts while my male cousins are presented with condoms and told to be responsible. This article Double Standards Between Men and Women correlates my feelings on the way sex is discussed. I feel as though this double standard has no chance of ending in the nearer future. I understand that sex is not something to be taken lightly. Sex between two people who love each other is a beautiful thing; Sex can be even better in marriage because the relationship is more secure. Exploring your sexuality does not mean you should constantly switch partners, but sexual education should be taught in the same manner for male and females. As teenagers in a sex centered world, both genders should be educated in the do's and don’ts of being sexually active. Everyone should be taught about the dangers of STD’s, STI’s and the risks of teen pregnancy. Everyone should understand the emotional toll sex can have on you if you do not take it seriously. I want to know what you think about women and men exploring their sexuality? Do you think a better education of sex would help men and women of all ages? Do you think it is possible for this double standard to cease?
It's funny that you bring up this double standard in male and women because me and my friend was talking about this Saturday. We were talking a girl in her school and how promiscuous she is and how she needs to slow down and such. I believe that it is not okay to be out here having sex with anybody whether you're a girl or guy, but in society it seems like the male will always get the pass and praised for having "hoes. where as women constantly get called home wreckers and sluts for exploring her own needs and sexuality. In that conversation my friend was agreeing with this idea that men can do it but the girl can't. At this point I knew that this double standard probably will never go away since it's still relevant to this day. Maybe if girls and boys were told the same thing about sex in the sense that women are told to stay virgin till marriage and guys get condoms and are told to stay safe, then this will have some type of change to the double standards. This all goes to the same topic of the need in complete equality between the two sexes.
ReplyDeleteThis double standard thing bothers me so much. I understand that we are supposed to wait to have sex & to be cautious. But it bothers me when guys feel as though they don't have to worry about anything. I say this all the time a guy can secretly have sex with girls & never get caught by his parents, but as soon as a girl has sex one time, boom she's in trouble. Parents usually take it ligh on boys about sex. Girls on the other hand get long lectures & looked down at. Why can't it be the same? I think thats why boys think it's okay to have multiple partners. They feel like they won't get caught or there parents won't be too upset. Parents should be stress on both sexes not just one.
ReplyDeleteI hate this double standard that exists in our society. Men are automatically given a pass for being permiscuous while women are slut shamed.
ReplyDeleteThis was a very good blog! I feel that double standards are very annoying. Yes, it is important to educate females to be careful with their bodies, but the same advise should also go to males. Women having to wait until marriage while men can have sex whenever he wants is unacceptable. What really gets me fire up is when a girl who is sexually active is called "whore" while a boy is the same status is praised for sleeping around. It was never a cute or acceptable thing to be praised for sleeping around. Disease can come someone's way if they decided to do that. It should not be left only to the woman to protect herself; it should go for all genders. Parents giving advice to there children show give equal advise to both sexes. A girl should have just as much freedom as a guy to explore sexually if she decides to and not be judge for it. Although it is not good for someone to be sexually active out of marriage, it is still not acceptable for only the women to be targeted.
ReplyDeleteGreat job Paris! I think it's unfair that women are expected to be chaste. I think it is up to the individual to decide whether or not they want to remain a virgin before marriage. Therefore if a woman has had sex before marriage she should not be considered unworthy. On the other hand if a woman is still a virgin before marriage she should not be viewed as weird or i don't know..she should not be viewed differently. Be it a virgin or not our sexuality does not define as entirely. It's what we can contribute to society's wellbeing that's most important or that emphasis should be layed on rather than if a person is gay, or a virgin, or black, or white. That's just a little part of who we are. It doesn't or it shouldn't define our future or decide how we should be treated. No one deserves to be allienated on these basis. I feel being a virgin or not should be the individual's choice and that their decision should be respected and women shouldn't be expected to be virgins. It's our choice.
ReplyDeleteI used to think that sex ed should be taught differently gender-wise because we have different parts, but then again I have come to the realization that by teaching both gender the same thing then both gender we have an understanding towards each other and maybe would learn how each perceive sex, which is very important because knowledge is power. Therefore, I think that by learning about what sex is for each gender then, both genders will learn to appreciate the other.
ReplyDeleteThis was a great post, honestly there should be no double standards in general for what men and women do with there sex life. Men and women should be equal in this situation and its sad that till this day we still praise men on how many women they have slept with, but, for women we see them as sluts or whore or any other degrading words. When will this cycle end that no one is the bread winner in the situation and no one should be classified or categorize at all personally that is my opinion
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