We are over the cliche ‘sex sells’ paradigm in the media

> It is time we normalize sex and stop comparing ourselves to celebrities

Alexis Zygan Staff Writer

A: this point, we are familiar with the cliche saying “sex sells.” For that reason, advertisers continue

to draw on the efficacious marketing formula. First witnessed in 1871 when Pearl Tobacco designed a sultry Venetian woman for their label; the rest is history.

Feminist theorists object to the sexist undertones of this staple marketing tactic. They argue that the outcome of portraying women from a heterosexual male gaze is objectification. That the subliminal messaging in the media strips women of their autonomy by presenting them as objects designed for male pleasure. And manipulating lustful imagery to receive a response from men sustains heteronormativity in the media and reinforces heterosexuality as the default sexual orientation.

Despite these advertisements’ regressive nature, sex in the media can be advantageous by normalizing sexual urges, allowing people who grew up in an environment that demonized intercourse to feel comfortable acknowledging their sensuality. However, there is a limitation that hinders pleasure outside of sex. And the prevalent taboo that sex belongs on screens, not in everyday discourse, impacts how youth uncover sensual intricacies. According to a 2014 study from MediaSmarts, 23 percent of youth between 13 and 17 are accessing pornography.

People Magazine ranks men and women based on their sexual appeal, awarding the winner with the title Sexiest Woman Alive and Sexiest Man Alive. Kate Upton won the Sexiest Woman Alive award in 2014 and later appeared in “Who am I,” an advertisement for the mobile app Game of War, which premiered at Super Bowl XLIX. The 30-second clip depicts Upton gracefully emerging from a bath while a group of women drape her in luxurious fabrics before she suggestively rides a horse amid a battle scene. Upton parallels a Greek goddess

figure. According to a Los Angeles Times article, installs of the app skyrocketed after the premier. “Who am I” served to profit the game’s developer, Machine Zone, while adversely impacting viewers. According to Social Comparison Theory, people determine their worth by measuring their attractiveness up against others. This innate urge to evaluate sexiness based on the Sexiest Woman Alive, Kate Upon, likely resulted in poor self- image in the everyday woman. Keep in mind, Upton isa supermodel who sat in a makeup chair for hours before filming the commercial.

Creating an award for the Sexiest Person Alive is detrimental to self-worth and not an accurate representation of what the masses find attractive. Rather, it is a subjective perception of beauty from the lens of a celebrity magazine that has received scrutiny for photoshopping cover models and depicting an unrealistic standard of beauty. Instead of rewarding people for their appearance, People Magazine should award empathy and compassion.

Sex appeal is a cliche and sexist marketing tactic. More progressive campaigns have gone ahead and featured sexuality from a different lens. These new advertisements also push boundaries by resisting heteronormativity. In 1994 Ikea made headlines when the Swedish-based furniture company featured a same- sex male couple in their advertisement. The ad stirred controversy by receiving backlash from the Christian organization One Million Moms. After gay marriage became legal in the United States, queer couples became commonplace in the media. Critical changes are also happening on the small screen with TV show Sex Education teaching teenagers about sex.

Eliminating sex as a taboo allows for open-minded conversations about sensuality at the dinner table or in classrooms, where youth can learn about the spectrum of sex, gender, and sexuality. After watching a sexy ad, the absence of titillation may be because an individual belongs to the ace community. Discourse normalizes

Photo by Billy Bui

» The cough that killed the booty call

Matthew Fraser Opinions Editor

M2?” adults and every social

conservative have been fearfully warning against premarital sex for decades. Explanations given compared girls to chewed bubble gum and second- hand underwear. It was proposed that promiscuity was a sign of or led to low self esteem and a lack of self respect, when all that didn’t work it was called an attack on “traditional values.” But none of the lamentations or righteous indignation could slow the hordes of horny teenagers and their perpetual sheet shaking. The world was graced with historic levels of out of wedlock births, followed by music openly glorifying sexuality, and six seasons of 16 and Pregnant. It seemed that battle against the pre-conjugal poke had been lost and that the forbidden polka had prevailed. Alas, all things change through time and the newest generation has learned to behave themselves. Studies have determined Gen Z to be the least sexed generation and COVID-19 has done to hookup culture what Ben Shapiro hoped

to do by trash talking J. Cole’s song “Wet Dreamz.”

The potential end of hookup culture has been brought about in no small part due to the discouragement of meeting new people. Afterall, hooking up revolves around sexual novelty. With clubs closed and bars severely limited, the weekend prowl has been greatly dampened. Not even dating apps can provide opportunities, as Tinder, Bumble, and all their competitors are collectively recommending virtual or socially distanced dates. And there is no such thing asa socially distanced bedroom bonanza. Even if these apps were not successful in discouraging forays, most users are likely heeding the public directives against expanding outside of their circles, even if it’s toa glory hole.

In many ways, the cost of intimate encounters has changed in a manner not seen since the AIDS epidemic. All the schooling about Chlamydia and HPV have not stopped those two STIs from rising to the top as the most commonly shared infections. Suddenly, the prospect of catching the ‘Rona has kept Willies

in a seductive costume that accentuates her bodacious

The death of the hookup

at home better than they were previously kept under wraps. Though the protests against mask wearing hold no parallels in anti-condom demonstrations, I think it is likely that those who refuse one refuse the other. If the risk of a burning sensation and emergency penicillin shots didn’t scare people, the thought of respirators and hospitalizations seems to have done better.

So, will hookup culture survive the pandemic? Well according to US News, both new marriages and sexual activity have been decreasing year over year, moving the world slowly towards a population dwindling, celibate nightmare. I believe this social push away from in person contact, coupled with the economic

that no sexual attraction is as natural as feeling horny.

Photo by Billy Bui

damage of continued lockdowns will certainly decrease the number of people actively participating in the casual encounters market. However, social isolation and the sense of connection that most people desperately miss might motivate people to pursue long term and more stable relationships after the pandemic runs its course (provided people are financially capable). It might be time to switch from Mad Cobra to Luther Vandross.