- (You all know I’m a big Lady Gaga fan – thanks for your patience. I think her nipples are gorgeous!) The outrageous hitmaker – whose songs include Just Dance – sported nothing but a sheer body stocking and tiny studded thong while cavorting at a fashion industry event last night. Lady GaGa’s Lust Dance at fashion bash (The Sun, above)
- This post’s headline is strong because we desperately need to see proof that Demi Moore, with her considerable influence and wealth, knows the difference between sex work and human trafficking. Demi Moore to Host CNN Report on Human Trafficking in Nepal (NYTimes.com)
- “You know how 17-year-old kids are getting slapped with sex-offender charges, simply because they’re texting each other naked photos? Think that’s bullshit? Me too. And so do a handful of states that are customizing their laws to be more lenient on teens who go overboard with the sexy-texts.” Pols Get the Memo That Teen Sexters Are Not Sex Offenders (good.is, via Dr. Charlie Glickman)
- [San Francisco] supervisor Malia Cohen is baring her teeth to go after misleading information from crisis pregnancy centers like First Resort or Alpha Pregnancy Center in San Francisco. The (…) centers often advertise counseling and medical care for women without actually offering anything more than an anti-abortion spiel. Crisis Pregnancy Centers on the Hook for Misleading Ads (SFist)
- Like I keep saying, fantasy is the cornerstone of human sexuality: “These findings indicate the importance of cognitive dimensions in men’s sexual desire. It appears that maintaining attentional focus and erotic thoughts really contributes to men maintaining desire.” New Study: Predictors of Men’s Sexual Desire (Kinsey Confidential)
- A new epidemiological study challenges data on rates of sexually transmitted infections for adult industry performers: The data is relevant because it is at the center of a debate over enforcement of mandatory condom use on production sets for adult films in the state of California and fundamental questions about industry-appropriate standards for protecting adult entertainment performers from infection. Report: L.A. County Public Health data on porn industry STI rates flawed (Examiner.com)
- “The Home Office published a report last week, entitled ‘Sexualisation of Young People.’ It was trailed on the radio, along with some of its radical recommendations, which include relegating ‘lad’s mags’ like Nuts to the top shelf. It’s an entirely worthy subject, and as the mother of a young teenage boy and a preteen girl, I was pretty interested in what it had to say.” 63% of poll results are entirely made up (The Human Element, via Dr. Petra Boynton)
- With the Bailey Review, as with other recent sexualisation reviews academic concerns over simplistic, moralistic approaches/ignoring evidence/critical thinking have been largely ignored. Unpacking the Bailey Review on Commercialisation and Sexualisation of Childhood (Dr. Petra Boynton)
- A study out of British Columbia called “A John’s Voice” surveyed a large number of purchasers of sex workers and asked specifically whether or not they have discussed this behaviour with their partners. Would you confess to visiting a sex worker? (Dollars and Sex | Big Think)
Good to hear about the sexting thing being less freak out and more ‘of course’. What the heck right? If I was a teen and could score some hot phone action, I would have. Ha.
Good round up and stuff even I can get my head around.
Cheers,
@tojosan
Most of the recent reports on sexualization have been in a ‘protect’ frame, citing the increasing sexaulization trends in marketing and advertising at younger and younger ages. Some reports have done better at addressing genuine developmental concerns, others have not and have relied on more moralistic grounds. Unfortunately, when considered together they can emphasize a position of anti-sex – which is, unfortunately, anti-health promotion – and may end up teaching kids a message at odds with learning how to make healthful decisions about their own body.
Abstinence of media isn’t the answer in this either. It’s about developmentally appropriate messages that encourage healthy decision making for girls and boys – whether for sexual health, mental health, or other physical health. It’s a shame that gets lost.
The article on confessing to paying for sex was very interesting. First, because johns/punters/clients are always the shadowy ‘Other’ in debates about sex work (or at least the cash-waving giant lizards of anti-sex work campaigners). I’ve come across far more articles about sex workers (but not necessarily by them) than about (let alone by) their clients. Secondly, is the ‘stigma’ about being found out or about the kind of sex involved (i.e. paying v non-paying)? It seems that male reticence in this area has been the easiest weapon to use by prohibitionist campaigners.
Hi Violet and greetings from nutty Nevada – thought you would be interested to see that despite the way the wingnut anti-taxers are destroying the state, the perverse streak of libertarianism that weaves in and out of Nevada’s character resulted in 3 bills supporting transgender equal rights and treatment passing the legislature (although with stiff Republican opposition) and were recently signed into law by our Republican governor. Here are links to several news reports:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/may/24/sandoval-sign-bill-today-protecting-transgender-wo/
http://www.hrcbackstory.org/2011/05/gov-brian-sandoval-signs-transgender-employment-protections-in-nevada/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/may/24/sandoval-sign-bill-today-protecting-transgender-wo/
Here are links to the bills themselves:
AB211: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Bills/Amendments/A_AB211_560.pdf
SB331: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Bills/SB/SB331_EN.pdf
SB368: https://www.leg.state.nv.us/Session/76th2011/Bills/SB/SB368_EN.pdf
So Sharron Angle and transgender equality both in the same state….go figure!
Thanks for the information, as always it’s a good idea to read your blog.
Two things:
Is it a nipple “slip” if it’s deliberate? I can picture Lady GaGa showing off her breasts (they are quite nice) for publicity.
As far as the Cal/OSHA hearings, I’m torn. While I see that the current proposed regulations are WAAY overboard, I have to wonder what the real effect of mandating condoms would be. Of course then I think that the partial measure that mandatory condom use would be would be a figleaf. So, I’m on the edge, I think that there would be a benefit to mandating condoms but I know just condoms aren’t safe sex, they’re just part of the story.
The news that the study is flawed makes me feel a little better, I guess I’m just going to have to trust adult performers to determine their own fate.
Have been vaguely following the daftness of the Bailey Review. Admittedly I don’t have t/weens so I may not be qualified to get too much into the specific recommendations; but regardless of their validity or otherwise, the whole thing is rendered implausible by the links – official or otherwise – to a faith-based organisation.
Yay! Thank you, thank you so much.
I am especially glad to see the tide changing about teens and “sexting” – I helped break the stories years ago (Hearst/Chron) and was just devastated by the whole thing.
As always, a round-up of interesting and important info … thank you, Violet … for example and in particular, it’s very good to see that common sense is over-riding vogons with ‘Pols get the memo that teen sexters are not sex offenders’.
However, I just really, really wanted to say that I think Gaga’s nipples are beautiful too ~ as gorgeous as her entire package :-) So thank you!