I think that over time American society has diverged into two different views on morality and the sensual lifestyle of women. I think that the life of the media has accepted the “promiscuous girl” and given her a sophisticated lifestyle. For example, I can’t help but think of the television show, Sex and the City. I do have to say, this show is one of my favorite shows. Even though I do not live a lifestyle like any of these women, the show is still entertaining and intriguing, which thus, proves my point. This show is completely about the lives of those four women and the different sexual relationships they have with many different guys almost promoting that this is the life of the independent and successful women.
Comparing to the women of TCU, I think especially in the south because it is more conservative, there is a stigma that comes with that girl who “sleeps around.” She becomes known as the “shacker” amongst the other girls when she comes back with the guy’s clothes on from the night before. I think once a girl becomes known as that, gossip spreads, and she is considered a “slut” or “whore.” It’s just so ironic the polarity that existed between the stigma towards the “easy” girl and the guy who constantly sleeps around. Just as in the past, men are not nearly stigmatized the way women are today.
Even though women are not punished the way they were back then, they still have to battle the names and reputations that are given to them by people. In today's society I think that it is more of a reputation battle that a woman has to fight. If she wears something rather low-cut, it assumed that she is probably "slutty" or "easy." I think one way that women might be stigmatized is also being pregnant out of wedlock, most people usually ask, "who is the father? " and "when are you getting married?" And if you don't, it is almost frowned upon, even if words are not said, it is that social stigma that I think is still carried with society from our past. I am not saying it is always like this, but many times, this seems to be the case from people that I have known and things I have seen.
3 comments:
Hi, Stephanie,
I really enjoyed reading your post. When thinking about this prompt, television shows like Sex and the City came to my mind, as well. I agree that the media has embraced the promiscuous woman and glamorized her. Maybe that doesn't reflect society's general attitude toward the real-life promiscuous woman, but it does show how easily entertained and intrigued we are by her sexual exploits. Also, I didn't think about how the geographical divide affects our perceptions of this behavior. But I think you make a good point that living in the conservative South, we may be quicker to stigmatize "slutty" behavior.
Hey Stephanie,
I also thought about Sex and the City when reading this prompt. I think it is interesting how we all find that show so entertaining, when none of us live actual lives like that. Maybe its the fact that we don't live like that which makes us so so interested in the show. Who knows. Also, I really agree with the with what you said about living in the South makes people even more likely to frown upon that kind of behavior in women. (And less frowning upon that behavior in men.)
You raised some really good points that I agree with. I liked your comparison to Sex and the City and how the media has accepted the “promiscuous girl” and given her a sophisticated lifestyle. It's funny how people find that so entertaining, I mean I love that show too. Also, I liked your point about the girl who sleeps around being called a slut and when a guy does the same that is not the case. Some things have definitely not changed from back then.
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