In her article titled “Is Sex the Only Pleasure That Matters?”, Joyce Garity explores the notion that certain individuals view sex as the sole means of experiencing pleasure. The narrative centers around Elaine, who resided with a married couple and their children for several months. Throughout this period, Elaine was expecting her second child while her first child remained in foster care. Her initial pregnancy was unexpected, and she harbored uncertainties regarding the father’s identity due to engaging in sexual activities with multiple partners.
When Elaine met Garity, she asked about her personal life. Garity questioned Elaine’s decision not to use birth control and made her feel ashamed. She explained that it is not a romantic choice, but rather one that requires genuine care. Later, when Garity was away, Elaine thought about this conversation while visiting a salon and reading beauty magazines. It suddenly occurred to her how these publications promote sexuality with every enticing page. She observed how women show their bare legs and choose not to wear lower body clothing.
As she moved on, she turned the couch page and came across models who were naked, advertising their fragrance while also wearing nail polish in bed. The reason she remembered all this was because Elaine used to have a fondness for these magazines, and everyone enjoys looking at them too. By looking at these magazine images and soap-opera heroines, she gained a great idea of how she could be like Claiborne’s, seeing it as the way her life should be. Elaine views the world through a lens of sexuality and playfulness. People don’t concern themselves with problems like birth control and instead spend a lot of time contemplating other matters or deciding whether to act on their sexual impulses.
Years of exposure to the media’s portrayal of sexuality has influenced Elaine to align her own image with those sexualized ideals, which ultimately led to her becoming pregnant. Elaine is not the only person who has capitalized on their sexuality to sell products such as underwear. In fact, using sex as a marketing strategy and asserting dominance through demand is common. This article suggests that young people have been immersed in sexualized imagery since a young age, and highlights that 75% of high school boys losing their virginity is seen as a shameful reminder of their childhood.
Girls now wear lace legging and crop tops to attract boys, a behavior that used to be covered in sex education classes which discussed topics such as birth control, sperms, eggs, and condoms. It is crucial for teenagers to receive accurate knowledge through sex education courses. The article highlights the lack of guidance that Elaine received in her life. After reviewing and summarizing this piece, I can’t help but feel saddened by how individuals exploit themselves and resort to using sex as a means.
In the past, people paid attention to people’s style and clothing. However, currently, clothing is being ignored and nudity is receiving the main focus. I have previously expressed my disapproval of nudity in fashion and have been labelled as a prude. Nonetheless, my objection is actually towards the excessive and unnecessary nudity, and possibly sexuality, in the fashion industry. Presently, it seems that many young individuals are misguided, with society emphasizing solely on sex, drugs, and alcohol.
The world has never been perfect, but currently, individuals are exploiting and trivializing sex as if it were a game. In truth, sex is intended to be a unique connection between two people who are profoundly in love, and it should only begin within the confines of marriage. It ought to symbolize affection for one’s partner and a longing to create a family together. Nevertheless, in recent times, sex has become linked with alcohol, partying, and casual meetings, resulting in a rise in teenage pregnancies. This state of affairs reveals the distortion present in our world.
