The Sexually Active American Teenager
In almost every article on young female sexuality that I've read, the question continually posed is "Where have all the feminists gone?" As in, why aren't feminists speaking up against the objectification of teen women? Why aren't we protesting and picketing, and trying to change the situation?
Most of these articles are addressing depictions of teen girls overly sexualized and/or pregnant. Good examples include television programs such as The Secret Life of the American Teenager on ABC Family and teen pop idols like Miley Cyrus and Lindsay Lohan. Many people object to these symbols of femininity, claiming that their sexuality is inappropriate considering the high standards that we hold young women to.
Where are all the feminists? Well, we're still here, objecting and fighting and putting in our 2 cents whenever we can. And we're still being ignored, as we always have, when we say that certain programs/movies/language/actions/traditions are misogynist and patriarchal.
It is not the responsibility of women to undo the damage caused by sexual oppression. Sexually active young women are victims of a system which rewards sexuality while simultaneously denouncing it. Obviously, young women AND men have been sexually active for quite some time - it is puberty, after all. At least society is finally accepting that young women are interested in sex and are often willing participants. The fact that sexually active teens are looked down upon seems a bit hypocritical, and it seems that the next step after acceptance is support and encouragement. This is why networks such as EmpowHER are so vital to female sexual health - they provide a safe, positive environment in which to learn about sexuality.
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Shaina Gaul is a feminist and freelance writer living in Iowa. View more of her writing at http://www.toasterbyte.com.
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