Why is a woman’s sexuality so controversial?
Illustration by Zoë Luis.
Jalyn Thomas, Contributing Writer
One thing that has stayed consistent throughout society is how women’s sexuality is viewed. Unlike men’s sexuality, it is always talked about. Whether it’s about how it shouldn’t be judged or when others are judging it, it’s unfortunately always in the spotlight.
Sabrina Carpenter, a pop star who is open about sex with her music, recently received backlash because of the sexual poses she does during her song “Juno” on her “Short n’ Sweet Tour.” During her second night in Paris, she did a new pose themed after the city.
This caused an uproar, and one post on X that I deemed notable, called Carpenter “male-centered” and “hypersexual.” These terms are thrown around a lot — especially toward women who are open about their sexuality.
Carpenter mainly has female backup dancers and the crowds are filled with women. In the song “Slim Pickins” the singer confirms that she is not gay, so it makes sense that she would do “Juno” poses with men.
Men talking about sex is a lot less controversial than women talking about sex in our society. Carpenter has emphasized the idea that sex is fun and feminine — that everyone can enjoy it. Men could sing about sex as much as they want and it’s rare to hear any critiques.
The public has a long-standing issue of shaming women for embracing their sexuality and expressing their desires. If we want a sex-positive future it can’t be just for men, it needs to be for everyone.
The internet also loves to label women and their sexual preferences — whether it’s a derogatory term or simple words like “hypersexual” or “prude.” Women can never label themselves even if it is just simply saying they’re interested in sex.
I have dealt with the judgment of being a woman who has shown interest in sex and it’s hurtful. It has never once made sense and it got to a point where I didn’t know how to respond to judgment.
There’s a lot of work that needs to be done to fix the issue of shaming women for how they express their sexuality. It’s not just one thing that can be done, but we can start by not automatically assuming a performer is hypersexual.
Give women the space to talk about their preferences without judgment. It’s not an easy thing to change, especially when it’s been a long-standing problem in the world. However, the little things could help create a change.
