Really. It's distasteful.
But it is, and on so many levels. I've been a little frustrated lately with the way people around me have been conducting themselves of late in regards to sex.
Personal opinion: sex is a serious topic. Good education about safe sex and safe, healthy relationships is sparse. If we're going to talk about sex, let's talk about it in a constructive, educational way which benefits everyone.
I understand that it is, in all, a cultural thing. My own discomfort with sex as a topic of casual conversation marks me as an American. Honestly, though, I just don't think that these kind of jokes are funny after a certain point. I can laugh about subtle innuendo, but when someone grabs someone else and begins an elaborate sexual pantomime--what is that? Really, what even is that?
I had someone say to me today: "Want a blow-job for support?"
No, frankly, I don't. I understand that it's a joke, but it's not in good taste. Especially not for an acquaintance, especially not for a coworker.
And sex jokes segway straight into rape jokes. And rape jokes are a direct result of The Patriarchy. Rape is a violation which occurs primarily against women. Rape jokes are made primarily by men.* Jokes, in general, are a way to normalize uncommon or unaccepted behaviors. After all, a joke's purpose is defined as being to "reduce the emotional impact of anxiety-provoking situations". A violation of that sort is no doubt anxiety-producing, both for victims and the average person for whom social norms cause rape to be a subject of tension--but do we really need to reduce the emotional impact of rape? Or by reducing that emotional impact with jokes, do we normalize rape to the point that it eventually becomes a part of our everyday life?
How can anyone justify, then, making these jokes? Are we--are we really--at a place as a society where we are ready to normalize not just rape but sex in general into our casual dialogue?
And, considering the potential implications of a culture of overt but undereducated sexuality: Do we actually want to?
________________________________________________
*In my own experience--feel free to comment.
But it is, and on so many levels. I've been a little frustrated lately with the way people around me have been conducting themselves of late in regards to sex.
Personal opinion: sex is a serious topic. Good education about safe sex and safe, healthy relationships is sparse. If we're going to talk about sex, let's talk about it in a constructive, educational way which benefits everyone.
I understand that it is, in all, a cultural thing. My own discomfort with sex as a topic of casual conversation marks me as an American. Honestly, though, I just don't think that these kind of jokes are funny after a certain point. I can laugh about subtle innuendo, but when someone grabs someone else and begins an elaborate sexual pantomime--what is that? Really, what even is that?
I had someone say to me today: "Want a blow-job for support?"
No, frankly, I don't. I understand that it's a joke, but it's not in good taste. Especially not for an acquaintance, especially not for a coworker.
And sex jokes segway straight into rape jokes. And rape jokes are a direct result of The Patriarchy. Rape is a violation which occurs primarily against women. Rape jokes are made primarily by men.* Jokes, in general, are a way to normalize uncommon or unaccepted behaviors. After all, a joke's purpose is defined as being to "reduce the emotional impact of anxiety-provoking situations". A violation of that sort is no doubt anxiety-producing, both for victims and the average person for whom social norms cause rape to be a subject of tension--but do we really need to reduce the emotional impact of rape? Or by reducing that emotional impact with jokes, do we normalize rape to the point that it eventually becomes a part of our everyday life?
How can anyone justify, then, making these jokes? Are we--are we really--at a place as a society where we are ready to normalize not just rape but sex in general into our casual dialogue?
And, considering the potential implications of a culture of overt but undereducated sexuality: Do we actually want to?
________________________________________________
*In my own experience--feel free to comment.
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