We all know the tale of ‘stolen’ sex tapes that have first tarnished and then catapulted the careers of Pamela Anderson, Paris Hilton, Kim Kardashian and Kendra Wilkinson. It seems a bit unfair in retrospect that these ladies get so paid for playing the innocent in this ridiculous display of sexual ‘its not my fault’ theater. I mean, why do they get all of the rewards for doing something that our values as a culture supposedly frown upon? That’s a confusing message isn’t it? But the confusing message is exactly why it works…
Other than Pamela Anderson I would bet the farm (and yes I actually do have one to bet) that Paris, Kim and Kendra played an active role in releasing and promoting their sex tapes. The reason it ‘works’ is because a woman can play the ‘I was in love with my boyfriend’ hand and pretend to be absolutely heartbroken over the scandal. Yet, all the while they successfully BURN into the collective consciousness how hot, steamy and sexy they can be behind closed doors– doors that accidentally were opened for us all to peak through.
I like to call this the ‘OOOPPPPSSS you saw my Hoo-Ha!!’ Sharon Stone started it in Basic Instinct with that infamous leg crossing moment and gosh darn it, women have been accidentally showing the goodies with reckless abandon ever since.
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I am a proud feminist. Yet, these days I have both a proud and a pissed off position through which I let the sexuality of women marinade in my mind. A huge part of me loves that women can play on their sexuality, can profit from their sexuality and can be bold and free to their personal comfort level with their sexuality. Though as a feminist I also know that empowered sexuality isn’t always the driving force behind the flashing of hoo-ha. Some hoo-ha flashes are empowered, others are victimized. What’s the difference of one from the other? Well let me echo a famous phrase from Justice Stewart Potter and say ‘I know it when I see it!’
One thing that’s a bit bad a** about the release of Montana’s tapes is she is taking full credit for releasing them herself. She’d not crying ‘I trusted him and he’s releasing these tapes without my consent!!’ For that fact I might– with my feminist hat on– give Montana credit for being strong and empowered.
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But I just can’t do that here. All I can think is how confused we’ve become as a culture and how compass less we’ve become as women.
There is nothing strong and empowered about any of this and I’d bet the farm once again that Montana will not receive the type of benefits that Pamela, Paris, Kim and Kendra did. The whole state of affairs for women these days makes me concerned for where the strong feminist voices are to put all o
