Sex In The City 2 ~ Diminishes Female Sexuality
June 4th, 2010 // 10:43 pm @ Janine Elias
It’s time we take a stand and make our voice heard!
I was thrilled at the announcement of the May release of Sex In The City 2. It was perfect timing for me, I had been working nonstop and needed a break, a reward, and a pleasant afternoon of fashion and sex talk for all of my dedication to my projects.
I took the morning off to attend a matinee. I couldn’t believe my eyes, at the end of the movie I sat there momentarily stunned! Seriously! I was astonished at what I had just witnessed. I was not only disappointed but I was pissed off! I walked around for a few days mulling over the events in the movie talking to myself about them and even posted my disappointment on my FaceBook page. I got a few replies but there was no meat to the conversation. (I have taught the psychology of women at Pierce College for the past 3 years and while I was teaching that class the following evening it occurred to me why I was so upset about the movie.)
Sex In The City 2 was diminishing female sexuality! Hear me out, I’m not a hater of Sex In The City, I’m actually a devoted fan ~ or at least I was. I was first introduced to the series by my sister on a trip to the east coast. She began talking about the show and how the series had ended and she wanted my take on the ending. I told her I had heard of the show but hadn’t see it (I don’t have cable ~ I would never leave my house with that many options of things to watch). She went on and on about how good the series was and that I would absolutely LOVE it!
Well I might not have cable but I do have Netflix! So I proceeded to rent every episode. I fell so in love with the show that I would run home to my mail box to see if the next episode had arrived, when it did I would barricade myself in the house and turn off all the phones so no one could interrupt my 30 min of fun and relaxation! I connected to the show on so many levels I saw my friends in the characters, as well as seeing myself and my personal mistakes being made right there before my eyes on my TV set. The show was raw, inspiring, and fashion forward!
The thing I liked most about it was that it celebrated female sexuality. It talked about what women were really doing. Because there is such a double standard surrounding male and female sexuality women are fearful to fully express their emotional and physical needs. Hell half, if not more, of the female’s in the U.S. aren’t even aware of their needs let alone able to express them. Not to mention how oppressed women are all around the world, especially in relationship to sex, sensuality, and their bodies.
The reason I was so appalled was how the writers treated Samantha’s character. (Before I get started I would like to state I realize it is a movie and that there are areas that are exaggerated for visual and emotional effect as in all film projects.) Samantha’s character is an incredibly powerful woman who is very wealthy. She has been in the biz for at least 30 years and they made her out to be a complete idiot! Samantha has had lifestyle changes in the movies, in Sex In The City 1 she had lost her personal identity living her life for Smith, gaining weight, and losing touch with what was important to her putting his needs and his career before hers. How many times have you done that ladies?!
What I would have liked to see in Samantha was a woman coming into her own after that experience not reverting back to the same behavior of her 20′s and 30′s. The movie showed the change in fashion over the years and allowed the other characters to evolve, Miranda had a complete character change but Samantha.. the one character who openly expressed her sexuality, far more then the others, they turned her into an embarrassing emotional lunatic! The movie completely disrespected the realities of menopause and tied the vast majority of her outlandish behavior to taking away her hormones!
They put the women into a insanely dangerous environment ~ the middle east ~ which is incredibly dangerous for women expressing any type of body awareness or sexuality and then made her act like a college kid on girls gone wild. It was so insanely unrealistic that it was almost comical but why I became so upset is because there are impressionable young women watching this show who are going to make either conscious or unconscious association that when expressing your sexuality you are a whore and out of control of your senses, that woman and hormones are bad and every aspect of the reproductive cycle is basically a prison sentence, from my biological clock is ticking to times up no more kids!
You might think I’m reading too much into this and that is was just a movie. But it isn’t just a movie, Sex In The City is a cultural icon for women. It is the first show that has celebrated and allowed women to openly and freely express their sexuality and now it is diminishing the experience of being a woman. The change of life is a powerful experiences. (I will write more detailed blog posts on this in the future) It is not something to be feared or that demonstrates a woman has lost her value because she no longer produces young or may not be seen solely as a sexual object.
Another thing that really enraged me was her acting like a lunatic in the market place in Abu Dhabi, those women would not have made it out of there alive had they behaved that way and that diminishes a very real threat that woman face every day in other parts of the world where they are not allowed self expression let alone sexual expression. And don’t even get me started on all the things wrong with them meeting those women that had high fashion under their Abaya. Again diminishing the lack of self expression allowed in the culture, making it light hearted and fun. PLEASE! (No disrespect intended to the Muslim culture and their choice of dress, the problem for many is that it is not a choice)
I was thrilled with the concept of Sex In The City the movies however have been a disappointment. Sex In The City 1 was ok but not as captivating as the series and Sex In The City 2 was insulting to my womanhood and my intelligence! Women we are allowed freedom of speech here and there are billions of woman all around the world that are not given the right that we often take for granted.
Another thing we do not acknowledge is our spending power! Ladies we are main contributors to the economy, we pay double what men pay for clothes and toiletries. We get paid less for the same work and we are disrespected in advertisements and media. Why are we experiencing these discrepancies? Because we don’t speak up and money speaks much louder then words! We need to stop spending our money supporting sources that are not supporting us. We need to use our voice and our advanced relationships skills and talk to each other and support each other in taking a stand! The media/movie industry will continue treating us like emotional idiots if we let them! Use your voice and take a stand! Begin here by sharing your experiences and insights!
Janine Elias
Generally I don’t read post on blogs, but I wish to say that this write-up very forced me to take a look at and do it! Your writing taste has been amazed me. Thank you, very nice article.
Just a smiling visitor here to share the love (:, btw outstanding layout.
Aw, this was a very nice post. In idea I wish to put in writing like this moreover – taking time and actual effort to make an excellent article… but what can I say… I procrastinate alot and by no means seem to get one thing done.
Pretty element of content. I simply stumbled upon your site and in accession capital to say that I get actually loved account your weblog posts. Any way I’ll be subscribing in your feeds and even I fulfillment you access constantly rapidly.
Hello.This post was really fascinating, especially since I was looking for thoughts on this issue last Monday.
Interesting facts that it has shared. People will surely get attracted by this information.
I don’t even know how I ended up right here, however I believed this post was good. I don’t know who you might be however certainly you are going to a well-known blogger for those who aren’t already
Cheers!
hello!,I like your writing so much! share we communicate more about your post on AOL? I need a specialist on this area to solve my problem. May be that’s you! Looking forward to see you.
Hi if you would like more information contact me via the contact page or call 818-888-0191 I’m happy to help you overcome any problems you might be having… Look forward to talking with you soon.
Janine
Thank you for the support!
Thanks a bunch for your awesome post. I really like the site and decided that I’d tell you!
Thanks!!!
I simply want to tell you that I am just all new to weblog and absolutely loved you’re web blog. More than likely I’m likely to bookmark your blog . You definitely come with beneficial articles. Thank you for revealing your webpage.
I have to confess that I sometimes get bored reading the whole thing but I feel you can add some value. Bravo !
Pingback: Pufy Sako
Many thanks for posting this, It’s just what I was looking into this on yahoo. I’ve been lookig at opinions from different people, rather than an organization internet page, that’s why I like blogs so much. Many thanks!
Fantastic beat ! I wish to apprentice at the same time as you amend your website, how can i subscribe for a blog web site? The account aided me a appropriate deal. I have been a little bit familiar of this your broadcast provided bright clear concept
You are really a good webmaster. The website loading velocity is incredible. It sort of feels that you are doing any unique trick. Furthermore, The contents are masterwork. you’ve done a great job on this topic!
I like this weblog very much, Its a really nice place to read and incur info . “From now on, ending a sentence with a preposition is something up with which I will not put.” by Sir Winston Churchill.
I really like your blog.. very nice colors & theme. Did you make this website yourself or did you hire someone to do it for you? Plz answer back as I’m looking to construct my own blog and would like to know where u got this from. appreciate it
What a great resource!
Pingback: LED String Light bulbs
This has actually sparked up an idea in my mind. This really is a superb weblog article.
I gotta favorite this web site it seems very useful extremely helpful
I just want to say I am beginner to blogging and truly enjoyed this website. More than likely I’m planning to bookmark your website . You surely have incredible stories. Appreciate it for sharing your blog site.
I just want to mention I’m new to weblog and certainly liked this web blog. More than likely I’m going to bookmark your site . You definitely come with exceptional writings. Many thanks for sharing with us your web site.
Pingback: makan apa aja
Nice read, I just passed this onto a colleague who was doing a little research on that. And he actually bought me lunch since I found it for him smile Thus let me rephrase that: Thanks for lunch! “Love is made in heaven and consummated on earth.” by John Lyly.
I dugg some of you post as I cerebrated they were invaluable handy
Your welcome hope you enjoyed your lunch!
I just want to mention I am new to blogging and certainly loved your blog. Almost certainly I’m likely to bookmark your website . You amazingly come with exceptional well written articles. Thanks a bunch for revealing your webpage.
This is the right weblog for anyone who needs to find out about this topic. You understand a lot its virtually laborious to argue with you (not that I actually would want…HaHa). You undoubtedly put a brand new spin on a subject thats been written about for years. Nice stuff, just great!
I gave you a link back on one of my pr4 pages, I hope this is ok.
So very true….Thanks for blogging this….
Hello, i read your blog from time to time and i own a similar one and i was just curious if you get a lot of spam feedback? If so how do you prevent it, any plugin or anything you can suggest? I get so much lately it’s driving me mad so any assistance is very much appreciated.
I just want to say I am beginner to blogs and honestly enjoyed this blog site. Very likely I’m likely to bookmark your site . You actually come with great articles. Thanks a bunch for revealing your blog.
There are plugins to help with this, I can’t tell you which one is working for me because I have several plugins that do multiple things but if you do a plugin search for anti-spam you should find something that works… I still get spam myself but it doesn’t automatically post… not sure how helpful this is…
Thanks Gregory!