I have kind of a different perspective on this, as I’m kind of on the outside looking in. I’ve never listened to a single Britney Spears song, nor Christina Aguilera. And although I became aware of some of Madonna’s music due to having it basically shoved in my face, I never sought it out and would never have considered buying one of her albums at any point in my life. I’ve always been far too punk for any of that pop music stuff I guess (he he) and I suspect that also informs my perspective on women’s sexuality and how it’s expressed. As someone who’s spent years of my life in combat boots, I see women prancing around in these stiletto heels and all I can think of is that it’s the modern corollary to the old practice of foot-binding.

I asked the question earlier, what ever happened to “smart is sexy”? I would add to that, what about “strong is sexy”? I know all the men I’ve ever been with (and there have been no shortage so I must be doing something right) have been the sort who want to be with a strong, independent woman, and they find that sexy. And I’ve had the good fortune to have never been hit, verbally abused or so much as been called a bad name. I wonder if the Britneys of this world can say the same?

I know I’m coming across as some sort of uber-feminist here, which I’m not actually. I especially have little time for the humorless variety of uptight feminists, but they do make some good points! Wake up little girls, chances are your breasts are just fine the size they are, and you’ll only end up regretting it if you get drunk and show them to the whole world for a baseball cap or a t-shirt.

I remember a time in music when women weren’t sexualized so much. It seems that went more into the mainstream with Madonna. She sort of pushed the envelope on sexualization of young, female entertainers.

Think even of the late 80s teen-pop girl singers (Tiffany and Debbie Gibson come to mind) — they weren’t promoted as “jailbait” that I can remember. Not like 15 y/o Britney in “Hit Me Baby” or even Christina Aguilera’s “Genie in a Bottle” — lots of midriff showing and suggestive dancing (not to mention lip-synching).

For the good that Madonna did pushing women to take control of their music, their image, their promotion, she also put out that expectation that you won’t be paid attention to unless you show plenty of skin.

Unfortunately, now it’s gotten to the point that you don’t even necessarily need talent, just show as much skin as you can and you’re good to go.

Sad really. One step forward, two steps back.

FTR, I am of the opinion that Yoko did NOT break up the Beatles. John and Paul were already moving in different directions, musically as well as politically — so it was only a matter of time.

HA!! If you ask her, she probably thinks Def Leppard is a cheetah that can’t hear.

Heh! A long time ago, when she was dating JT, someone made a reference to Yoko Ono (referring to Brit) and she had no clue who Yoko Ono was.

I’m sure my resident boy racer can though, I wouldn’t even want to get him started on the subject of 80s metal bands….

Gah, I feel old!

Anyway, Britney is of course the obvious example of a “sexy” celebrity (I hesitate to call her a singer - maybe “performer” is the best description) who based her entire career around being sexy and has now lost that…unfortunately she has nothing much else to offer, although she may be pursuing a new career track as a smutty haiku performance artist, apparently. (I’m still dumbfounded at that quote from her yesterday!)

It’s sad that women’s sexuality is still being defined in popular culture in terms of this slutty sexbot look…the high heels, the short skirts, the makeup, the false eyelashes, what do they have to do with reality? In real life people do want the people they’re attracted to to have some substance, men and women both. At least the ones I know do. And whatever happened to “smart is sexy”? They say that young men who are growing up with readily available, mass-marketed porn on the internet become unable to form lasting connections with real women, as they increasingly consume images of airbrushed, “perfect” plasticized women. And young women increasingly turn to plastic surgery in their attempts to attain the illusory goal of sexual perfection. It’s sad, really. But as I said above, I think one day these young women are going to take a look around and realize the myth they bought into brought them very little of lasting value, and just chewed them up and spit them out again once they got too old, too fat or too interested in their families. Hopefully we’ll see some changes then.