Sexy Demonstrations and Celebrations

Sod the SlutWalk! I’ve just come across something far more arousing.

Don’t worry girls. I am only joking. As I have commented before on this blog, I am totally in support of the celebrations that took part in London on Saturday and wished to goodness that I had been able to be there. I was, however, disheartened by the amount of coverage this got in the press. Take the Guardian, for instance. It had spent the month prior to the SlutWalk talking it up in the paper, commenting on it at least 20 times within the month. And when it came to looking at the Observer on Sunday morning, there was barely a comment, other than a small photograph and a factual statement that the event had taken place.

This is probably the best of the bunch as far as recent articles on the matter, but note that this was written before the event and the photograph featured is of similar action in Glasgow not London.

http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/laurie-penny/2011/06/women-sluts-woman-erotic

I have to say that there are some issues with the SlutWalk. Perhaps the absolute reason for the rally has not been made clear. I mean is it a walk against rape? Is it a re-appropriation of words that have negative undertones for female sexuality? Is it about empowering women in their right to be sexual beings? Is it simply a celebration of the female form by females? Is it an amalgamation of all of these, and if that is the case, what is the key message that the organisers want to portray to the awaiting world?

I would like to think that the SlutWalk was the start of many such celebrations and demonstrations about a woman’s right to choose, a woman’s right to display their sexuality, a woman’s right to be a sexual being. This may be a wholly inappropriate comment but perhaps its message might have been clearer if they had removed the rape issue. One would hope that everyone in society could accept that rape is abhorrent, even dear old Clarky boy. No does mean no and sartorial provocation should not make any difference to that fact. Clearly we have not yet won this argument but everybody knows that it is there.

Perhaps, the SlutWalk would have gained more coverage and more following had it concentrated on this whole realm of celebrating female sexuality. That in itself covers the issue of rape. If women are seen as more confident about their sexuality then perhaps rape might diminish, especially if you couple this with some proper sex education for men and women (Nadine Dorries – are you hearing?).

Please note that I am not for one minute suggesting this is the simple and only answer. There are some fuckwits out there, and far too many of them, who seem to think that if a woman dresses in a certain way then they have the right to impose their arousal on the subject. That is wrong, clearly wrong. But should we not look at it all in a different way?

Empowering young, middle aged and old women to know their sexuality and to celebrate its ingenuity and delight has to be the way forward. If women feel in control of their sexuality, they are more likely to be assertive, and abusive, infantile men will see that this female sexuality is a force that is far greater than they could ever have imagined. Isn’t the celebration of sexuality, therefore, one of the most positive ways of letting the world know that abusive and unwanted sexual behaviour is not ever, ever to be tolerated. Yet simultaneously, women have as much right to celebrate, enjoy and delight in their sexuality than a man with his stiffie in hand.

And I cannot stress enough that I am not wishing to remove anti-rape messages from this or any other demonstration. But the issue is within that word; demonstration.

This word implies something to moan about rather than something to celebrate. I will happily and readily march and protest about any laws that diminish the rights of the victim in rape cases. Rape is rape, and yes there are differences in different cases, but it is still rape!

But this event was supposedly responding to a stupid man saying stupid things about how a woman dressing in a slut-like way could in some way invite inappropriate sexual advances. He was dismissing a woman’s right to dress how she wanted. He was not saying anything specific about rape, although it was implicit. He knows that rape is a crime. But maybe the organisers should have responded directly to his stupidity whilst also keeping the rape issue implicit but not the main purpose of the walk.

Ultimately, as Laurie Penny quite rightly points out, this is not about sex, it is about sexism – according to her. I would go a step further and say it is about sexuality, and it is time that such events were repeated all over the world once more with women dressing how they like, using words like ‘cunt’ and ‘slut’ in the most positive of ways and reclaiming their right and value and fortitude in being sexual beings.

.................................................................

But what of the other event that caught my eye? How I really do wish I had been in London to excite my other naughty part of my sexuality – that of voyeurism.

And in some ways this does link to the issue above.

There was a naked bicycle demonstration. I hear you ask, how can a bicycle be anything but naked, as an inanimate object with no apparent sexuality other than a bar to hurt your balls?

Well it was a naked bike ride, protesting about the lack of courtesy and indeed space to ride freely and safely in our capital city.

And apparently, this isn’t the first time it has happened. This event was a repeat of one held at a similar time last year. How did I miss it?
I totally applaud the demonstrators’ determination and guts. I also applaud their stance. I, for one, would happily cycle around much more frequently if I felt safe in doing so.

 And what a fantastic way to get noticed.

But there is also an element in me that would have been hugely aroused by seeing all these naked bodies. I confess to being impressed with the male and female form to the point that seeing lots of them together tickles my fancy or fanny quite significantly.

I appreciate, for instance, that Spencer Tunick is an artist but I also love looking in detail at his work. I adore the fact that we are all so different in form and seeing a mixture on naked bodies together really does turn me on as well as the fact that it is something of aesthetic beauty.

I love nakedness. I love looking at uncovered tits and dangling cocks, even if the collective gathering is not supposed to be for the benefit of my libido.

And here is the issue. Just seeing all these beautiful bodies does not give me any inclination to jump and ride a bare buttock or two. Just seeing a collection of naked tits does not make me want to reach out and touch them; touch myself, yes, but not them. Just seeing a load of cocks of different shapes and sizes does not make me want to reach out and grab their balls for a rumble and a tumble. I am simply enjoying looking.

I am simply enjoying the simplicity of the nakedness. I am simply looking and I am simply delighted in the bravery of these people.

And let us also face facts, some of the naked bodies aren’t particularly pleasant, just as there are some faces that are less attractive than others.

So are they being provocative in what they are not wearing? Should they shy away from the fact that there will be other people out there who are looking in a slightly lascivious manner?

No! Like it or not, they are displaying their sexuality, and I embrace it. Even if they do not think of themselves as sexual beings, it is there for others to see that they are, even if they are not active or actively aware of it.

They are wearing nothing and they should be able to do so without fear of suffering inappropriate sexual advances. And I personally do not think a controlled bit of voyeurism is inappropriate sexual behaviour.

And guess what, the same applies for women. If a woman wants to display their sexuality, they should do so without fear of suffering inappropriate sexual advances whilst also recognising the fact that there may be some people out there who delight in the beauty of their sexuality. There is a huge difference between getting aroused at the sight of someone and behaving inappropriately because of it.

Everyone ought to be capable of containment at some point in their sexual lives but it does not stop them being sexual and acknowledging their sexuality.

Had I been there on Saturday, I would not have been the only one ogling. Perhaps I might have been one of a small percentage of people who were prepared to admit that they were enjoying an eyeful but that is because I feel free to openly embrace my sexuality and do not have any concerns about telling the world that I am a sexual being, and quite frankly, it might seem rather odd if I was not aroused by such a delicious sight.

Through all of this there is a giggle. Dear Victoria Coren, through Twitter announced, “Too far away from the exact vehicles, but that’s the last time I’m using a Boris bike without a packet of Wet Ones”.

I’m still giggling. So funny.

But Victoria has, feasibly subconsciously, made an important point. The cyclists themselves may have been rather aroused in seeing all this nakedness. They didn’t pop off their bikes for a quickie. They just celebrated their nakedness and possibly their sexuality whilst also ‘using’ their sexuality to make a very important point about other vehicles ensuring that they are aware of the passing cyclist, even when they are fully clothed.

But excited they might have been, and Victoria has realised that they could have been so, and that there is nothing wrong with that, and that there might even have been some juicy emissions from such an arousal.

Clothes or no clothes, we are sexual beings. It is about time we recognised the fact and lived with it appropriately, imaginatively, honestly and with respect to everyone for who they are.