Raunch Culture (Discover Your Inner Slut!) Presentation by: Robyn Dennett & Matilda Wood

“ Raunch culture” is described by Ariel Levy as a culture that is: “over-sexualised” and objectifies women in the belief that it is also “empowering” them, (Levy, 2006, p. 6)1 Raunch Culture specifically targets women, particularly young and the not so young. Raunch Culture

Raunch culture – a conflict between the women’s movement and the sexual revolution (Levy, 2006). Ita Buttrose - (editor in chief of “Cleo” and “Woman’s Weekly”). What was the idea of the women’s movement? What does “Raunch culture” set out to achieve? (Levy, 2006)

Feminism – 1960s Raunch culture – conflicting the women’s movement and the sexual revolution (Levy, 2006). What does Louis Nowra writes about Germaine Greer’s fantasy? Nowra also states that “Germaine Greer was wrong about women – their attitude to romance, beautifying themselves, wielding power, if they could.” (C. Overington, The Australian, March 1, 2010)

Feminism to Raunch Culture 40 years on from Feminism, it is now misrepresented as “Raunch culture”. Sports Lifestyle Clothing

Generational Impact: on Young Girls Young girls feel the pressure to dance the way that is seen in film clips. 7DkM&feature=related Having material possessions and owning toys like “Bratz Dolls” (see right) Watch television programs like:

Celebrities: Women/ girls who have got in trouble.. Stephanie Rice Miley Cyrus

Other troubled Celebrities.. Lindsay Lohan Paris Hilton

Music In today’s society we are used to hearing songs that have lyrics such as: “Skeet, skeet, skeet, motherf****r!” and “We like to see a** and t*****s. Now bring yo a** over here h*e and let me see you get low”. (Lil Jon- Get Low) “Me like the way that you kiss my … Me like the way that he put it on me Me like the way that he push up on me Me like the way that he goin' down” (Nicole Scherzinger – Right There) Is this really representing the true principles and values we want to have for women in the western cultures?

Music Film clips Not only is Raunch Culture portrayed in the lyrics but even more so in the film clips to go with the song and the lyrics. Rihanna – S & M: Sneaky Sound System - We Love: Ben Benassi – Satisfaction:

Further manifestations of Raunch Culture : The Branding of Playboy

The perception of the “new empowered woman” is:- Wearing a “Playboy” bunny as a talisman; Pursuing casual sex like sport; Taking off your bra to win favours from the boys; Music videos featuring strippers on a pole; Olympic athletes parading their Brazilian bikini waxes in “Playboy” G-strings marketed to pre-pubescent girls. This is a “distorted” form of feminism (Levy, 2005). A “sexualised stance” is adopted, inferring an expression of one’s “personal autonomy”. A “sexy body” becomes a woman’s key source of “identity” (Gill, 2003).

Advertising

Behind the lights and glamour what is really being advertised?

Influence of technology on Raunch Culture Sexual information more accessible and less regulated (McNair, 2002). The rise of “Raunch Culture” – increased openness and accessibility. Some see this as “liberating”, others as a “profitable industry” (Genz & Brabon, 2009). That fact that pornography is so readily accessible has made men believe that women are sexual objects and reinforces the idea that the acts seen in pornography is considered “normal”.

Video games that reinforce Raunch Culture Raunch Culture now encroaching into video games, female characters portrayed as having the “perfect body” – wearing highly sexual attire. Perfect Example: Princess Peach from Mario Kart

In the new face of beauty.. Raunch Culture is “narrow” and “unrealistic”. The negative impact seen in increase in eating disorders etc. (Funk, 2006). What did the feminist movement aim to encourage? Negotiating consensual and pleasurable sex. Raunch Culture a “sexuality” modelled on sex and pornography industries. Result – greater control and choice in sexual relationships still remains a major issue (Powell, 2010).

Ideal

Slut Walk – June 13 th 2011 An international demonstration – shaming and blaming of sex crime victims. Origins – police officer telling university students “If you want to avoid rape, don’t dress like sluts”. Resulting Action – Criminals continue to refuse responsibility for their evil. This allows criminals to still refuse to take responsibility for their evil doings. Ramnifications – many women are still trapped, stuck between two oppressive stereotypes, frigid or being a slut.

The Minorities: People with Disabilities People with disabilities (pwd) viewed as “asexual” or sexless, not allowed to reveal that they are indeed “sexual”. “Innocent/cherub like” – core values of society not accepting of pwd. People with disability should not reproduce. qTNg4ohttp:// qTNg4o

The Minorities: Homosexual In society we see people who are homosexual as over sexualised. Their ways of sexual expression are considered “gross” or “so gay”. They are also perceived as have raging hormones and if someone of the same sex walks past any “ordinary” person, they think the person who is homosexual will try and “pick them up”.

Relationship between : Raunch Culture and Ethics Society must have agreed core values to allow people/women to behave in this manner. Is this was society wants? If this is not what we want as a society then we must harden our resolve to overturn the perception of being over-sexualised. The public domain need to find an equilibrium in sexual expression and overly sexualised behaviour.

Sexual Expression The different perspectives Ridiculed - personal quirk Condemned as immoral Punishable by crime A disease or disorder “Sexual Deviance/ difference is defined in : moral, legal, or medical terms. It becomes a matter of concern for the church, the courts, or the medical profession. The result - the deviant a sinner, needing to be saved, a criminal or patient. (Magnus Herschfeld Archive for Sexology)

Example of the Ethical Considerations A modern non orgasmic woman may be asked by her therapist to masturbate frequently in order to become "fully functional". The Church sees this as “sinful” masturbation. Her choice being healthy or immoral or moral / sick. Whatever the choice – a violation of the “sexual” norm. The professional stance of the therapist under scrutiny. Recommending masturbation, could be breaking the “Church’s” law. Professional ethics may demand that encouragement to do so is the safer option. In short, his choice is between being either law-abiding and immoral or moral and criminal. Sexual expression as well as conformity are relative terms, and their concrete meaning varies with the social context.

The professional ethical response to raunch involves parents and educators to:- Model healthy and respectful relationships, appropriate clothing and style - reflects beauty and modesty and above all, a positive self-esteem/self-worth. Challenging media and fashion leaders to alter the image of “raunch culture”. Support more appropriate quality programs and media publishers. Engage young women and men in challenging a culture that offends traditional moral values.

HOW DO WE END RAUNCH CULTURE? Citizens must scrutinise the way they regard gender. Objectification – rooted in disrespect, condescending views of the opposite gender and power struggles. Men must fundamentally respect women. Woman then realise that they have power to present themselves as “empowered”. Raunch Culture may moan its last and final faked orgasm (Funk, 2006)

Bibliography & Additional References Eller, T.S. (2007). The Rise of Raunch Culture: What's a Christian woman to do in today's hypersexed culture? Downloaded from Funk, L. Sex and the Stupid Girl. New Humanist Vol 121 Issue 4 July/August Downloaded from Genz, S & Brabon A. (2009). Postfeminism. Edinburgh University Press. Edinburgh. Gill, R. (2003). ‘From Sexual Objectification to Sexual Subjectification: The Resexualistaion of Women’s Bodies in the Media’. Feminist Media Studies Vol 3(1) pg Levy, A. Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture McNair, B. (2002) Striptease Culture: Sex, Media and the Democraticisation of Desire. Abingdon: Routledge. Neill, R. March 13, 2010 Feminists in anti-raunch-culture revolt. Downloaded on 14/07/10 from Powell (2010). Sex, Power and Consent. Youth Culture and the Unwritten Rules. Cambridge Press, Melbourne. retrieved on 10 September, retrieved on 10 September, retrieved on 10 September, be-asking-for-it/story-e6frg6zo http:// be-asking-for-it/story-e6frg6zo retrieved on 10 September, 2011 Overington, C. (2010). The Australian, March 1, 2010.