The more things change, the more things stay the same. But, not really.

I remember a while ago, it was a hot summer, and one of what i believe to be Naked News (Warning: as the name implies, it's not work safe) took off her top (as to be topless, which is legal in Ontario, and started interviewing students from the University of Toronto. Naturally, it made the front page of the campus newspaper. When asked why she did what she did, she said that it made her feel empowered to do something like that.

I showed my article to my friend at the time, and his reply was a sarcastic, "Yeah, right." He didn't believe for a moment that nudity could be empowering.

There's a review of Ariel Levy's Female Chauvinist Pigs: Women and the Rise of Raunch Culture that sort of hits the point. The point is that young women nowadays are not being coerced or forced to do these things. They are choosing to do these things out of their own free will. Like in the article, the girl who has "slut" written across her chest doesn't necessarily mean that she's sleeping with whoever comes along. Rather, she is declaring herself to be free from society's expectations, refusing to adhere to implied monogamy, and is empowered by being able to make that choice. Just like the woman who was able to have the choice to go topless, and was able to do so. I think this is why she feels empowered.

My question is: Is this really empowerment? In a way, it is. Women in modern society have the ability to do a lot of things that were not possible several generations ago. We know a bit more about pregnancy, contraception, and society has changed as a result. Women have the economic power to remain independent from marriage, if that is what they wish, and they have many more opportunities and ways to express themselves, to express their feelings, and to express their sexuality. On the other hand, with the advent of Naked News and "Girls Gone Wild" (i don't think i'm going to put up a link for that one ...), are we simply playing into the hands of chauvinism and perpetuating the "dominance" of male desires?

I don't have an answer to that. But my feeling is that it is, but not because the guys want it, but because the girls want it. But, it doesn't mean that guys can force it upon them. Only when girls want it.