So, out of morbid curiosity, I watched the train wreck of the VMAs so many people are chatting about. I was reminded why I don't ever watch the VMAs.
I was deeply saddened by the whole terrible performance. Primarily, I am distressed that under the guise of sexual freedom and "grown woman" confidence, that child (yes, she is still a child, 20 is very young) and so many young women like her are enslaving themselves to a role of world wide sex toy. It is not confidence that makes a girl/woman throw herself out there like that, it is a deep need for attention and validation that she will never ever find if she remains on that path.
In her effort to shed her "nice" girl, Hannah Montana image she has debased herself. She has, however, accomplished her mission of never again being someone young people should look up to or idolize. She has joined the ranks of Lindsey Lohan as the butt of jokes. I am sad for her.
And I am sad for young girls everywhere being bombarded with the message, not just from Miley, that their sexuality is the only thing they have of value AND that they should give it away freely and indiscriminately.
I realize I sound like an old-fashioned biddy. I may be, but this nonsense is not what the women who came before us worked and fought so hard to give us.
My step-mother didn't don the gray suit and sensible pumps and push the boundaries of what the BIG 6 accounting firms expected of a woman, especially from a single mother, so young women could aspire to be party girls. She didn't break through the glass ceilings so girls could dance on glass stages in their underpants. She and others like her forced a male dominated corporate world to recognized the value of smart, driven and talented women so that women like myself could walk into job interviews with confidence that our education, work experience and skill sets, not our gender and cleavage would be the measurements by which we are judged.
Now a society that claims to value women has actually set us back to the days of harem girls and concubines. I suppose one could suggest the "advancement" of this age is that everyone, not just the rich and powerful, can "enjoy" these toys. Very egalitarian.
I am very worried for my girls--the media of today--TV, print, internet, movies--are all conspiring to diminish them. But I will do all that I can to provide additional messaging. They will spend many years hating me for not letting them wear age inappropriate clothes, make up, shoes or jewelry. They will be annoyed by my constantly reminding them how bright and competent and valuable they are. And they will be bored by the regular refrain about true beauty comes from within. And with a little luck and prayer, some of my messaging will sink in a provide a shield from or at least a good counter to this new era of inequality that paints women just objects of amusement.
