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Thursday, January 18, 2007

Sex in the Media: Power Cocks Under Power Suits

filed under: We Are The Sex Media by Lux Nightmare

While flipping through the Thursday Styles section of today’s New York Times, I came across the following headline: “Speaking Chic to Power: Rewriting the dress code for influential women in Washington.”

I didn’t even have to read the article to know it was going to piss me off.

I didn’t have to read the article, but I did, and now I’m pissed off.

Here’s the thing: any time a woman comes into power — or even just wants to be taken seriously — there is an inevitable conversation that arises around her style of dress. Is she too sexy? Not sexy enough? Has her lust for power destroyed her femininity and made her hardened, or is she all girly looking and about to cry when she doesn’t get her way? Are her tits hanging out? Because, you know, tits give women an unfair advantage by distracting men from the important arguments and issues.

And so on.

And it doesn’t matter what field it is: be it politics, athletics, business — any time a woman enters a traditionally “male” field, her attire is brought up for discussion, is scrutinized down to the last little thread (and she doesn’t even have to be a real person — remember all the uproar-slash-obsession around Ally McBeal and her short skirts?).

The discussions, in and of themselves, would not bother me so much were it not for the fact that you never (or, almost never) hear anyone giving even half as much attention to the clothes that men in power wear, and how they reflect on their sexuality.

I thought about this for a while, and it finally clicked for me: it’s not that men are somehow innately better at keeping it in their pants, or that they hide their sexuality, or that it’s somehow not an issue. The crux of the matter is this: male sexuality is not viewed as being in conflict with power. When men play up aspects of their sexuality, they are viewed as more powerful. Remember the photos of George W. Bush in the flight suit, and the ensuing attention that was brought to his package? Jokes about stuffing aside, the implication was clear: a male politician with a big, thick cock is just the kind of leader we need.

Try to imagine a female politician getting a similar reaction by sporting some double Ds.

I wish I had the ability to draw some sort of uplifting conclusion, to end this post in some sort of inspiring way. But I don’t: I am angry and frustrated about the double standard surrounding men, women, and sex, and I don’t really know what to say. So I bring this to you, dear readers: am I wrong? Am I missing out on something? Why are aspects of female sexuality unprofessional and weak, while aspects of male sexuality are just business as usual?

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