That Girl from Derwent dwells on the value of religion this Christmas.
That Girl from Derwent has learned a few more things about prejudice since moving up North.
That Girl From Derwent reckons if you're going to be offensive, you should find a better reason.
That Girl from Derwent considers why it is that some words have wider implications than others.
Porno V is just about to rear its uncontested head, and I think this is the time to think about some things that worm their way in to our consciousness, without us having any idea.
That is to say, sexualised women.
We live in a society that relies on half naked women as the most powerful advertising campaign. If there is a way to post an image of a woman in fewer clothes than normal, it will be done. If it were possible to have a semi-nude woman eating cat food to sell it, I’m sure that someone would do it. And yet who are they advertising for?
If it were possible to have a semi-nude woman eating cat food to sell it, I’m sure that someone would do it.
Our Derwent Bar Reps are advertising the St. Patrick’s Day bar quiz with the image of a severely out of proportioned woman, in tiny green pants and a drooping green top. This greatly confused me. Will she be there? Will there be suggestive women reading out the questions? Or worse, is it possible that she could be the prize? I really do not think so.
And so my next point of query. Do they not want me there, as a straight female? Is this quiz specifically for straight men and lesbians? Do I need to attach a penis onto my body to be allowed in? Again, I came to the conclusion that this is probably not so. And so what is her relevance? She is possibly a great fan of St. Patrick’s Day, and she may even enjoy the odd bar quiz. But this tells me personally nothing about why I should attend.
I think that it is down to a severe lack of imagination on the part of advertisers to rely on the bodies of women. But it is rather offensive that as a straight female I am kept completely out of the loop. It feels like my presence is unwanted unless I choose to dress like she is. Possibly I will be allowed in if I wear nothing but a pint of Guinness on my head.
The advertising for Porno V at least makes sense in the way that it is relevant to the theme. But, unless I have been tricked into believing this, the event is about safe sex. Porn does not encourage safe sex. The participants often suffer from STIs, partly because condoms reduce the appeal for a lot of people. A condom bukake may not work. If you know what that is, you will know why.
And apart from a little snippet at the end of the YUSU page for the event, saying, rather inconspicuously, almost as if to avoid detection, “...and remember, use protection”, there is nothing about safe sex, only lots of it and with the most scantily dressed people.
This is closely followed by the screamingly uninventive “CUM ON DOWN”... Right. Firstly, ‘come’ spelt ‘cum’ refers only to men. Secondly, I’m aware that this is a joke. And yet the advertising cannot be called a joke. It is not funny. I do not see anything amusing about a woman’s backside. It seems that at the heart of this seemingly tongue in cheek night, equipped with bucking cock to ride, there is the very real notion that women are the sexy ones in porn, boring unless they constantly have their skirts hitched up.
And to have fun if you are a woman, you must be that sexy woman. There are no other roles for women featuring in the event. There are awards at the end for the ‘kinkiest dressed’, and I’m positive that girls will feel the need to dress sexily and revealingly, whereas the guys will dress to get a funny reaction. This is the incredibly serious distinction. It is acceptable for men to dress as revealing or conservative as they like and still fit into the theme. They could go as Hugh Hefner. And any costume that a girl chooses to wear will have to be sexually attractive. There is no other option, unless they choose to not go, or do not go in costume. And I think this is crucial: should the university be encouraging and supporting events that potentially make people feel so physically inadequate that they do not attend?
A major cause of concern for me at the moment is the amount of young women in education who strive to be glamour models. There is an abundance of Facebook groups started by these entrepreneurs, asking people to vote for them in various ‘Nuts’ competitions. And yes, it is nuts! Most of these young women are at university. Does our society tell them that the glass ceiling is still there, so just lie back, have your photo taken, and think of England? Is this what the suffragettes went on hunger strike for? I do not know enough about psychology to say this and uphold it fully, but I think that they are really lacking in confidence. It may sound like a cliché, but confidence in your mind and personality is much harder to sustain that confidence in your breasts. Surgery can fix it for one thing.
So, at universities where women can be educated into holding top positions for leading companies, can begin their political careers, can become doctors, we have naked women selling things, and students becoming those women. How depressing.
Absolutely brilliant, everything I wanted to say to the sellers of porno v tickets, yet didn't as I was gibbering with anger!
Fact. Porno V will sell out without a doubt.
Fact. No one forces anyone to go.
Fact. If one does not go to this one, there is another 30 odd events one can go to throughout the year.
"should the university be supporting events (insert anything that people want)"?
To me that is a yes.
Just because there is a choice of events on campus does not mean Porno V is a good idea.
I completely agree with Hannah's points. If people took a proper look at the negative impacts of using sex to sell has on the whole of society they might think twice about pushing it at young women.
Although I do think there is a lot of truth in this article, I definitely thinks it sees the matter far too strongly.
Some girls, and some guys, like to dress sexily/provocatively/scantily to attract the opposite sex. The fact that some of these are intelligent people shouldn't come into it. Yes, PORNO V does encourage this dressing, but it doesn't force it. Nobody is being forced to go, and of those who chose to go, nobody is being forced to dress up for the theme. Yes, there is a prize for the best dressed, like there is at any event, and yes this happens, due to the theme, to be kinkiest.
I actually think that the high level of sex in advertising in the normal world is far more potentially damaging than sex being apparent within the University sphere. Within Uni, we all have the brains to go 'yes, if I want to, I'll use my body and feminine wiles to my advantage, but I know I don't need to, and I know when to stop'. Even those girls I know at Uni who sleep around do it because they want to, and if you're going to jump on the feminist bandwagon, then surely that is a good thing.
It isn't just scantily clad women who grace advertising - there are a large amount of attractive topless men too. It's just a fact of life that sex sells. That isn't to say that I agree it should, but it does, and it isn't true to say that that necessarily causes harm to women.
Given the rather analytical response to 'cum on down', what does the bucking penis represent? More masculine dominance, a huge phallus towering over revellers like a cock-shaped Christ the Redeemer? Or perhaps this fun feature is targeted more to straight females than the pathetic "straight men and lesbians" so easily swayed by sexual advertising?
Have we forgotten what fun is? no-one is saying that if you go to this event you have to wear next to nothing, pull some random guy and go back to his room and have unprotected sex all over the floor- you point out that we are educated women- if we are so educated then maybe we can see past the title of 'porno V' and just see a good event that will be fun..
also- on the idea of patriarcy- men are like goo in your hands when a women is dressed in a provocative manner- so in a way it is sexual exploitation of men that we should be concerned about to some extent...
I really think that students will have sex with or without events like porno V. As long as the people running the event give out condoms and do encourage safe sex then whats the big issue really? surely its better to make sex less of a taboo by getting everyone to have a laugh about it.
I'm a women, and I have been to a porno V event in the past- i rode the bucking penis- it was fun.
I also went home with my housemates and went to bed alone that night..and I was dressed up a bit- I just have the ability to say no!
as to #5's comment above me here- are you being serious about what the bucking penis represents? it doesn't really resemble anything as far as I'm concerned- its hardly viable to make a bucking vagina that can be used like a bucking bronco for a party now is it?
"Firstly, ‘come’ spelt ‘cum’ refers only to men."
Women can 'cum'.
You can have fun in so many other ways and I'm pretty sure that was a major point of the article. The point also seems to be that, yes you don't have to wear next to nothing, but from my experience people enjoy dressing up and overtly sexual themes seem to be alienating certain students from events they would like to go to.
Moreover, the argument that women dressing in a provocative manner turns it into the exploitation of men is totally unfounded. By dressing in such a way you are doing what men want! Men aren't being exploited when they read Nuts or watch porn. I completely agree with the author that when men participate in themes such as Porno V, there is a whole different stigma attached (more comedy, less sexual).
The article isn't condemning sex, far from it, rather it condemns the method of sexualising women in order to advertise. Yes men are sometimes used in the same way, but there is a world of difference.
If the theme of an event was racial stereotypes and general intolerance (I am well aware that this wouldn't be allowed...) would you still say that we should 'see past the title'? Because all in all this does boil down to sexism and stating that it's too embedded in society to do anything about is just an example of apathy at its most vulgar, especially when in reference to a centre of education.
ciao
Fact. Listing a bunch of facts makes you look silly.
I think stating that it is going to sell out or that people aren't forced to attend is beyond the point. If it were entirely privately organised by students but off campus without any support from yusu/uni/colleges, this would be a fair point (and lets be honest, this isn't just off-putting for women, I too can think of better ways to spend my evenings). However, this is done by elected people, representing us, indirectly funded and supported by us, on our campus.
What if I were to organize Slavery V, where you're expected (not forced..!) to dress up according to your skin color (or some other event with a more recent racial issue)? I doubt this would even get allowed by Yusu, or it would receive a lot of criticism. But both in Porno V and Slavery V, people diverging from the propagated image are made to feel uncomfortable or pushed towards accepting their role - a role based solely on what they were 'born into' (black/white, female/male) and not on any decision on their part. Just because you have gotten used to a lot of gender stereotypes and been told racial stereotypes are bad, shouldn't make the former more acceptable.
Again, just like you wouldn't expect anything like this from your government, this shouldn't happen anywhere outside the private sphere, and really not inside a publicly funded university, organised by elected students representatives.
There are enough ways to have fun, without doing it at the expense of others. If you really want to have a touch of misogyny, racism or other prejudice in your socials, go ahead. But please, leave the rest of us out of it.
Oh and also, how many people do you think read this article because it said 'porn' and 'sex' in the title, and because of the picture used (why btw?)?
I'd like to say, as the person who wrote this blog, that the picture being used was not my choice, and yes, it does fall into the old 'sex sells' trap. The good thing about it is that it might make people ask why it was used, which is the main point of the article.
comment deleted by the author Maybe you should go to P.O.R.N.O. tonight and find out how to have a good time. I can guarentee you'll have a great ride if you just let your hair down!!!
I don't think you'd say the same to a black person who complained about images of gollywogs...
PORNO sells out. Men and women both organise it, and men and women go and enjoy it.
Personally I've never been and I won't be going this year. It's just not my thing. Nothing about being a straight man, more to do with not appreciating the debauchery that goes on! If I want to meet a woman, I'd much rather go somewhere a bit more sophisticated than a dining room with a giant cock.
I agree with some of the article, but to turn it into a gender or sexuality issue is a bit of a leap too far. Lots of lesbians, gay men and straight women will be of the same opinion as me - it's just not their scene. Yet some people do enjoy wearing very little and riding a giant cock. There's nowt wrong with it if it's what you enjoy.
But you're spot on about porn itself and safe sex. They really don't go together well. But I dont think vanbrugh ents are encouraging people to be porn stars - it's just a bit of fun.
I simply find it disappointing that the student body of York which prides itself in creating an uproar re: unethical merch, organises divestment campaigns and submits UGM motions to "stop the humanitarian crisis in Gaza" would have no scruples in not only engaging, but CONDONING and ORGANISING events such as PORNO V.
I rarely think of myself as a feminist, but I hate the double standards that lie at the heart of this event, and the blind acceptance of prescribed gender roles and endorsement of patriarchal constructs, surely York, YUSU and JCRCs can do better.
well as a JCRC member i know how hard people work to try and give students a better time at university. We often ask students for feedback and ideas for events and receive no reply.
Allow me to retort...
The picture chosen for the St. Patrick's day Bar Quiz (Tuesday 17th 8:00pm onwards) was not chosen to degrade or encourage degradation of busty ginger women.
The woman in the image is not even real. She is a computer generated image much like Pikachu or the Mario Brothers. It looks alot like the work of an artist named Lorenzo Sperlonga if anyone is interested. I enjoyed this article but think the attack on my choice of picture was unfair.
If anywhere on the event page there were comments being overtly sexist or implying this was an event aimed at just straight men and lesbians then fair enough, however the event is open to anyone of any sexuality, race, nation, colour or indeed gender. I am sure the event will still be well attended by both men and women as our quizzes always are.
If, however, Hannah does attend wearing just a pint of Guinness I can personally guarantee bonus points.
Sexuality....let's see;
Ryan Bennett, Ex Vanbrugh Chair, gay, helped to organise the first PORNO V.
Ent Reps last year; mixed group of girls, boys, straight and gay, organised PORNO.
This year, Dani Fill, Vanbrugh Chair is female and has once again, allowed the event.
I'm pretty sure this level of diversity on the committee means that there would be no form of discrimination or subjugation against any minority groups.
Love Kate Taylor
Vanbrugh Female Welfare Rep!
I;m sorry, but since when are gay men and women exempt from being sexist?
You must log in to submit a comment.
Report