SapphireLibra3 Rants: Violence VS Sexuality · 7:13pm Jul 31st, 2016
So I was checking out my yahoo account yesterday and I found an article of on Bina Ramesh. Apparently she was going to Six Flags on her birthday, but after being admitted earlier, when she had to step out for a bit, she wasn't allowed back in because essentially "her top was too sexy".
Now, I thought that was silly yes, but then I did something really stupid. I checked out the comment section, and I saw essentially stuff that didn't really surprise me. A lot of people claiming that she was seeking attention, people agreeing that her top WAS too sexy (which is wasn't) and essentially defending the parks decision to deny her entry on those grounds.
That's not the thing that triggered me though, because if they want to say that her top is too sexy then that's their prerogative. What triggered me, thus this rant is the idea that her top showing too much cleavage was a problem because "kids were there" and we don't want children to see that.
Let me ask you something. In what world is this inappropriate, but this is considered okay? Really think about that? TV, videogames, movies, music, even books and fanfictions all get a pass for violence, and yet the second something gets sexual people have a problem with it.
Just take a look at the Sonic franchise, and these two characters.
Shadow the Hedgehog
and Rouge the Bat
Take a wild guess which one people had more of an issue with. If you guessed the sexy bat with breasts instead of the black hedgehog carrying the .45 MM pistol, then you guessed CORRECT!
When these characters were introduced, Shadow hadn't started carrying a gun yet. Rouge was already sexy though, and there were complaints about the character being to sexual, hence her redesign in Sonic Heroes, which turned out to be even SEXIER. When Shadow got his own game though, and SEGA decided to give him firearms and a more violent story to contrast between him and Sonic, complaints were made about the idea, but they were centered more on the idea of how silly it was for a Sonic character to carry a gun. Now, this may seem like the same thing, but keep in mind that no one actually COMPLAINED about Shadow carrying a gun to SEGA, where things got so bad for Rouge that SEGA felt a need to CHANGE HER APPEARANCE out of risk of being labeled. Also, keep in mind that the rating of Shadow the Hedgehog was E-10, meaning that KIDS AGES TEN AND UP were allowed to play this game.
Are you seeing the issue here? We're sending the wrong message. Sexuality has never harmed anyone unless used to actually cause harm. This is the same as EVERYTHING ELSE IN THE WORLD! You can use positive things to hurt someone. Violence is always bad though. Even when used for entertainment, we're watching two or more people beat the ever living shit out of each other, and things can get bloody.
Have you ever seen WWE? Next time you're watching it, look into the crowd and see how many little kids are there, watching people bash each other with chairs, slam into tables, break noses, and punch and slam their opponents until their bloody in the face. Yet the Women's Division was told to tone its sex appeal down.
Also, anyone remember this?
This show was the truth. We all watched this when we were kids. Yet something no one really thinks about is that while the show was extremely cheesy, funny, and over the top, it was also incredibly violent. Power Rangers has only gotten more violent as later seasons come out. RPM anyone? And the japanese version, Super Sentai, is even more violent at times.
Yet here's another show that a lot of us watched.
And some parents complained about the show and didn't like their kids watching it. Why? Because the girls' skirts were so short when they transformed, and that the actual transformation scenes showed simulated nudity. See compilation below.
Finally, the issue with this is that sexuality is actually a normal aspect of our being human, while violence goes against that, as much as people try to say otherwise. And it's not just the extremes. Imagine a park where there are two couples at two different ends of the park. One couple is having an argument and screaming at each other, while the other is against a tree making out. At the point where both start to get serious, the couple making out will be told to "please not do that in front of children" while the arguing couple will get a longer pass.
My point in all of this is that if you're argument is going to be "not in front of kids" then you need to think about what you would rather kids see, because kids are impressionable. Don't make violence more graphic Mortal Kombat but censor Cammy and R. Mika because their outfits are "too revealing". Don't rate a movie that's super violent PG-13 but rate a movie with more sexual content R. Don't show people fighting on national TV in the daytime but relegate more suggestive content to prime time where only adults can see it. Don't let your kids listen to rap music that screams obscenities and hate but complain that Ariana Grande is becoming "too adult" because she decided to sing more sexual songs.
Essentially, don't shield children from sexuality and allow them to view violence with no problem. All that does is tell them that sexual content is unnatural and wrong, but if they want to punch someone in the face that's perfectly normal. If that's the message your trying to send, then good job. Message received.
I'm Victoria,
and I need a glass of water.
Pfft that Lily reference there. And I have to agree I mean if a women is sexy then they're in the wrong but if a game nothing but gore in it then it's alright? That's bullshit.
Honestly, the world needs to grow the fuck up. Sexuality is part of life. So unless those people who complain about this shit can find a way for humans to reproduce asexually, then someone tell them to quit pissing and moaning about it because nobody fucking cares. That aside, for Miss Ramesh's top, no clue what that's about, but the way I see it, if it doesn't get her arrested for public indecency, then it's legal, and if it is, then who cares? If she wants to feel sexy, let her, if it ain't illegal and if it doesn't go against common sense, then let her. Doesn't hurt anyone. Last I checked, a sexy top is not considered a weapon. Though if there'a video game where that IS a thing, I'd probably laugh WAY too hard.
4124835 Exactly. Honestly, as long as she wasn't fondling her breasts n public, there isn't a big deal. Also, some women are really top heavy, and can't wear tops and it not look sexy. What are they supposed to do? Avoid going outside because they're inappropriate? Well then, f*ck biology for making me top heavy!
*holds up a glass of water* .___.
The reason violence is cool here while sexuality is not (and by extension why the reverse is true in Europe) is because the roots of our nation are the Puritans, who would gladly stone people to death but God forbid you show skin! A great example of this is the book "The Scarlet Letter" which is actually pretty good and I recommend.
If you ask me, I think it's because these people who bitch and moan are to insecure and don't like to be shown up.
*Passes flask over table.* I think you might need something a bit stronger than water.
But I do personally agree with you on the the sexuality thing. Not so much on violence, but... Let's not go there.
4125759 *takes flask* Thanks. Hell, I'll take both this and the glass of water.
Oh, and don't worry. At least you see what I mean about Sexuality. That's the main issue. In terms of violence, I'll admit that I'm a bit of a pacifist, so that makes my opinion a little biased.
4126015 and I'm the opposite of a pacifist, so my opinion is pretty biased as well. Blame it on where I was brought up.
Honestly, the only problem I have with sexualization in media/culture is that it mostly happens to women. I mean, where them dicks at, you know?
4127968 Mm, Men are sexualized too, it's just slightly different. Women have more things to show off, and their bodies are made to be sexually appealing. Men's bodies are meant to be strong, but their appearance can still entice people. Remember Hot Ryu from Street Fighter 5?
It really comes down to the fact that breasts are sexualized for some reason. They're just sacks of fat on our chest, and their used for feeding children, but that's it.
4128047 True, but it really comes down to personal taste, I think. Yes SFV Ryu is super hot (and should definitely have a nude mod, just saying), but I don't like muscle-bound bods like that. I'm more into cute or feminine looking guys. Like Riku from Kingdom Hearts or Link from Zelda. I'd like to see more of that sexualized. But that's just me I guess.
4128073 Hey, I'm into nerdy looking guys (like my current boyfriend), but I know what majority of people are wired to like. Majority of men are wired to like women with a particular figure, but there are some who like super skinny women and some who like really fat women.
4128047
I think breasts are sexualized mostly due to an instinctual part of our minds.