Well it would appear only mom and Darrell like to comment...that, or I'm just too impatient (it hasn't even been 24 hours since I posted that entry). Anyway...first, the background:
Yesterday I was walking to the campus store to buy bus tickets when I walked by a group of firefighters outside the radio station and thought "hmm, what are they doing here?", then I saw the calendars.
My thoughts:
I fully support charitable causes and like my mom pointed out, the profits of the sale of the firemen calendars goes to help burn victims and their families-great cause.
What bothers me more though is how women's rights groups get all tempermental about how guys are exploiting women all the time. For instance, Sports Illustrated calendars. So, why then, is it okay for women to exploit men (if thats in fact what people are doing when they're posing for calendar pics), but its not okay for men to do the same for women? Granted, I don't think the sale of SI calendars go to support any reputable charities (or any charity for that matter), but why the double standard? (And yes, I am a woman getting worked up about other stupid women.) It's just that everywhere I look people are saying one thing and doing another, and double standards make me mad!
More than anything though, I'm just really disgusted with the overt sexual nature of the world we're in. It leaves nothing to the imagination, leads children into promiscuity earlier and earlier and it HURTS PEOPLE. I guess I just can't help but be bothered by the oversexed society were in.
niki
Ahem... I would go with the first option, viz. that you are just too impatient, because I wasn't online yesterday! :p
ReplyDeleteAnways, I could try to think of more reasons why there's that double-standard, but I'm lazy, so here's just one:
Society looks at least somewhat favourably on any prejudice that seems to tip the balance. For example, right now it's ok to make fun of Christians more than other religions because they've been the "oppressors" for so long that even though it's a double-standard, it seems to balance things out. So with the firemen, it seems to balance the sexism aginst women for so long, so "it's ok"
That's the short reasoning at least.
On a side note about sexuality in society, ever watch older movies (early 60's and back)? They often have sexual references in them, but they're so much more subtle and intriguing. It's there like a wisp of fog, not "THIS IS SEX. YOU SHOULD WANT IT!"
Wow... long post, and I thnk I was too serious, so "POOP!"
ReplyDeleteAren't you lucky to have a mom willing to share her opinion, so here's more. The Sports Illustrated calendar is definitely about sexy models, well, I guess the firefighters are good looking too, but it's different in that generally women don't get too excited about pictures of sexy looking guys, not that we're so saintly, but we don't get affected the same as men. Men are more visual, what they see can really affect them. That's why a lot of strong Moslem countries require women to cover them self, so men won't be tempted. We just expect people to have some self control. But you're right, that often there are double standards, like women have gyms for only women, but men can't exclude women from a club. This could be a long discussion!
ReplyDeleteGood point, Kristine!
ReplyDeletewhy would people buy the calendars if not to look at the firefighters? You could just as soon donate the money w/o purchasing the calendar....but there must be something about those firefighters ;) I don't think they're wrong, AND I don't think that all pictures of female models posing are wrong either. There is a line though, but i don't think firefighter calendars cross it. Also, there is a difference between admiring someone's looks and lusting after them.
ReplyDeletei love the input...and those are some really good points.
ReplyDeleteanyone else? (i particularly like the interactive-ness of blogging as opposed to just plain old journal writing)
A couple of weeks ago I had the opportunity to buy a calander, but I decided not to. I thought that even though the money would go to a good cause, and the guys were nice looking, it didn't feel right to buy one. I'm saving myself for my husband, whoever that might be, and if my husband wouldn't like me looking at them after I'm married, and I wouldn't feel comfortable after I'm married, why should I look at them now? I guess I could have given some money to the cause.
ReplyDelete