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She is the embodiment of sex appeal, and as Dariya put it in her blog post, she's a "teenage sex object who apparently has no brain, only a pair of breasts and a vagina." She's a walking sex toy who mainly worries about her appearance and how others (namely men) perceive her.
However, there was a way she was described that was very interesting to me: She's proud of her sexuality.
Of course, the midriff is horribly toxic for teens and young girls all across the nation. She teaches them that the most important thing about them is their body and how others perceive them, as well as that sex is the most important thing you can do to get a man to love you.
Those of you who know me well would know /exactly/ why I take such a large issue with that second half; as an asexual, there's literally nothing I want less than sex. I just cannot comprehend why so many people find it so important and necessary to a happy relationship. But I digress.
There is something almost admirable about the Midriff, in my opinion. You see, the media is torn between glorifying and condemning sex. Young girls are told that sex is important and you need it in order to have a happy relationship, but then immediately after are told that they should feel bad about themselves if they assert their sexuality in any way. If they do, they're a slut or a whore. And that's exactly what most people assume about the Midriff. The thing that I admire about her is that even in the face of people who will degrade her for her hypersexuality, she is /proud/ of it. She is /proud/ to be hypersexual.
To sum this up: yes, the Midriff has many flaws. She is incredibly toxic for the entirety of young girls who are vulnerable to the media and its effects. However, she could also be viewed as an example for those who, like her, are hypersexual: your sexuality is yours, and no one can degrade you for it. Be proud of who you are.
More to report.
-M
I really enjoyed the new perspective this post took on the subject of the Midriff. I love that you quoted Dariya's blog, she's the bomb, isn't she?
ReplyDeleteI think, though, that while it is admirable that the Midriff owns her sexuality, she doesn't really have control over it. Sexy and sexuality are not defined by those women who play the part of a sex toy. They are tools of a male-dominated industry to create young women in that image. If they were truly beacons of their own sexuality and what they thought was sexy, they would not be in the mainstream media, because of that widespread ulterior motive.
Conversely, if that is how those women wish to act, they can own it! If she is comfortable with this concept of hypersexualization and finds strength in sex, more power to her. But as a big picture, it is far more than the surface issue of owning one's sexuality or being a bad role model for the youth.
I apologize if I came off too harsh. I definitely enjoyed this post, which is why I had such a reply.