Raunch Culture

The feminist revolution of the 70s is over. Today women have gradually become part of the highest levels of the workforce, go to college, are athletes and can even become secretary of state. However, this educated hard working woman, equal to men is not the image of a woman put out by the media. The media portrays overly sexual scantily dressed women. Many argue that this is their form of liberation. Levy identifies this shift by stating, “Only thirty years (my lifetime) ago, our mothers were “burning their bras” and picketing playboy, and suddenly we were getting implants and wearing the bunny logo as supposed symbols of our liberation” (Levy, 3). When Levy interviewed the female CEO of playboy about the playmates she stated, “It’s an obvious I’m taking control of how I look and the statement I’m making as opposed to I’m embarrassed about it or I’m uncomfortable with it” (Levy, 38). However, this image of a lust provoker is not taking control of one’s sexuality. It implies all women must enjoy being in playboy, and if you are not you are embarrassed and uptight. There is no choice. Levy says it best when she states, “Raunch culture isn’t about opening our minds to the possibilities and mysteries of sexuality. It is about endlessly reiterating one particular – and particularly commercial – shorthand for sexiness” (Levy, 30).

What I found particularly interesting about Levy’s piece was her acknowledgement of the rise of conservatism and the right alongside raunch culture. Clearly the morals people claim they value are starkly different from those they live their life by. This reminds me of a recent pop culture event where Carrie Prejean, Miss California, spoke against gay marriage with her strong ties to conservatism and religion. Prejean later had both nude photos and a sex tape leaked into the media. This is a prime example of Levy’s point. Do people like Prejean really wish for a more conservative America while embracing raunch culture? How is this dichotomy possible?