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The most important issue concerning the representation of
sexuality in the media is, whether human dignity is being
honored or not. Respect has many forms and those forms have
many layers, and really there is no one else but ourselves to
be the judge of the way we are being treated. Yet when and
where basic human rights are not granted, the feeling of
being deeply rooted in one's dignity (if not entirely
unimaginable) is but a dream. This world is certainly not the
best of all worlds and there is always a battle to be fought
and battles will have to be fought again and again. Some so
mean and savage that they can only be fought by those
prepared to go till the end.
Strictly speaking, sexuality belongs to the personal
sphere and even within the personal, it belongs to the realm
of the night and to the night as a metaphor; and all that
happens between those engaged in the sexual act, happens "in
secret". Yet, we must speak about sex and sex must speak
itself, even though the quality of representation will most
probably not be universally "dignified". Knowledge must be
brought into the metaphorical daylight, into the open,
transformed into accessible information - temporarily and in
quotation marks - and these will be the pixels of a hopefully
better picture. We can all work best on our own bit.
Details of personal choices, likes and dislikes construct
love, and above all, details make physical love interesting,
details as diverse as life is diverse. I mentioned human
dignity at the beginning of this text and emphasized that we
are the judge of what is respectful. Other's affairs are only
of concern to us if we are invited to be involved, with the
one exception of those that cannot speak for themselves.
Mass media traditionally represent the moral majority, and
thus mirror a narrow, discriminating world.
Commercial television, as the main source of information,
nowadays (at least in Holland) seems to show a world where we
can talk about all and gradually show absolutely everything.
Not at all discriminating. But it all means absolutely
nothing. The pictures, the texts are just there, take it or
leave it. The judgmental, sour face of the church's god has
been removed, but it has not been replaced by a human face or
concern. Showing all, undiscriminately, results in a nihilist
cavalcade, recklessly going about destructing the value-
system representative of our cultural traditions.
The Internet, public access television, local radios and
televisions, community papers are the media, the platforms
where we can enjoy the freedom essential to speaking about or
experiencing s.e.x. in public. No blame, no shame, important,
current issues and above all - FUN.
When we speak to our own people, we can do so without
being scared about how we offend or bore an otherwise
faceless public with our particular desires, phantasies and
practices. Out there, in the world of money and morals we are
not able to care about how our show blasphemes, not even,
when we do not intend to show disrespect.
In the circle of her friends, the exhibitionist can dance
her solo just because she wants to dance and not because she
is stigmatized and cornered. In his own surroundings he can
be as shy as he likes to be or as his friends like him to be.
The inner dynamism of the particular community will
automatically shape a response, honoring our efforts.
Undoubtedly, there are many important human rights issues,
also on the field of sexuality, that are to be fought still,
but perhaps these must be fought by others than the people
that just like to be lighthearted and even frivolous about
s.e.x.
.
Everybody has a strong opinion about sex, but only a few
will say:"I don't know, I am a catholic" or "I don't know, I
am politically correct". The fact that two nice people
basically agree on humans being equal etc. does not imply
that they also agree whether making a little extra money with
sex is exploitation and undignified or super-extra-mega-fun.
TO BE CONTINUED