SEX: Hypersexualization in Human Society
Persuasive Essay
Karyn Attipoe
September, 2015

In human society the body is oversexualized to the point where most people feel that there is something flawed with how they look and/or act. Hypersexualization in society causes people to put themselves and others into unrealistic sexual roles which can then affect the way they interact and see themselves on a race, gender, and orientation level. In order to combat this, different social justice movements use the media and personal experiences to connect with the general public and help them understand the socialization happening in everyday life.

This can make people insecure and unsure of doing what they feel is right. How can we live in a world where people are afraid to leave their house, because what they want to wear draws an unwanted kind of attention. Women of any race could fear being raped because what they chose to wear was too revealing. Men of color could be considered a criminal or shady because of their clothes. The phrase “the clothes maketh the man” comes to mind when talking about sexual portrayal of clothes. In reality these pieces of fabric are really just symbols, but we as people have assigned different meanings to these symbols; low cut shirts and hot pants are inherently sexual on both men and women, for men more so because it has the added connotation of being gay, which in western society is closely tied to sex (Nelson). In our society we seem to be so hung up on sex and being sexual, but also villainizes those who do give into society’s pressures, so much so that the 1985 film The Breakfast Club even discussed it; “Well, if you say you haven’t, you’re a prude. If you say you have you’re a slut. It’s a trap. You want to but you can’t, and when you do you wish you didn’t, right?” This applies primarily to females, because in American society men are considered manly when they have had sex. This creates a double standard that is unfair and puts young girls into a complicated position.

Understandably, sex is a complicated topic that not many people want to discuss. It makes them uncomfortable, because it is such a taboo subject. Add in the factor of race to an already uncomfortable situation and people just shut down. A quick look online or at the TV and one can see that races are treated differently when it comes to sex and sexual behavior. Online there are advertisements for Asian mail order brides (Ren), on TV black traits are adopted by white models to advertise makeup or perfume. A glance around our surroundings and you can clearly see how people dress and act based on what social groups they feel they belong too. Comparing this to the media and the line between what’s portrayed in different forms of media and real life becomes almost nonexistent. This leads into the question; how do different aspects of human sexuality shape the way we look at different genders and races?

The definition of sexualization is “Sexualization is to make something sexual in character or quality, or to become aware of sexuality, especially in relation to men and women.” According to the Collins English Dictionary. An example of this in race relations would be the different sexual roles women of different races are put into. Black women are assumed to always be aggressively sexual, Latina women are obnoxious and show off their cleavage (Vargas), and Asian women are submissive and sexually open minded (Ren). These stereotypes are almost the same for their male counterparts, with a few differences; Latino men obviously aren’t showing off their cleavage, and Asian men don’t even register on America’s scale for attractiveness.  These sexual scripts that men and women are expected to take part in affect youth as they begin to develop their sexual identity. And really, what are they supposed to do? Deviate from the social norm of what their social groups expect them to be, thus being labeled a slut, whore, prude, or gay? Or do they conform to a behavior that they may not agree with personally. They shouldn’t have to make a choice between being who they want to be, and who other people expect them to be. It is ridiculous to think that everyone is the same and how they see sex is universal. Finding someone who shares the same views should be more important than changing someone else's views to fit your own when creating a relationship with someone.  

The act of being sexual is not inherently bad or good, but social media and mainstream media have a huge influence on how we view being sexual. Certainly this is affected by race. Just look at Nicki Minaj and her music video for her song Anaconda; she is unapologetically sexual and takes ownership of the body she has, which in turn encourages women with similar body types (or any body type outside the norm) to accept and celebrate their bodies and sexuality (Lam). The response to the video by some fans was less than positive, those who considered her ownership of her body dirty and ghetto were super vocal. But when you compare the actions of Nicki to the actions of someone like Miley Cyrus who also twerks, one can see the issue that arises. Nick is considered ghetto and trashy for twerking, while Miley is considered as ‘acting black’( which can be synonymous for ghetto and trashy), but also as the ‘inventor’ of twerking. This is unfair to black women, and other women of color this happens to. Things people of color have been doing for centuries, either by choice or naturally, are only okay once they are depicted by white people who are then credited with ‘creating’ those trends.

As stated before, certain races have different expectations sexually. For black people those roles manifest as being aggressively sexual. Society has created these sexual scripts for different races to fulfill. Sexual scripts are schemes used to categorize norms regarding appropriate sexual beliefs and behaviors. For black girls those scripts take the form of the Diva, Gold Digger, Freak, Dyke, Gangster Bitch, Sister Savior, Earth Mother, and Baby Mama (Stephens). Each one is a specially designed role based on male desire. Black male scripts are more of a stereotype than a role they have to fill. Black men are expected to be hypersexual, but also be lazy and bad parents, making them undesirable to partner with. This is a damaging belief for both men and women, these scripts and stereotypes prevent society from seeing people as they are, and prevents people from achieving their true ambitions.

Latino/a sexual roles are divided by gender; men are portrayed to be strong, aggressive, and dangerous. The perfect exotic ‘Latin Lover’ (Vargas). This doesn’t leave a lot of room for diversity in personality, they are all expected to be a certain way and those who don’t fit that mold are ridiculed for their perceived weakness.. Women are yet again forced into a double standard. They are portrayed as the virgin/whore, the mother/prostitute, or the ‘homewrecker’. They are sexually playful and primitive (Vargas). Once again women are viewed as sexual objects to fulfill the male gaze. Those who step outside these norms are wrong and socially outcast.

As a chinese woman in the UK, Yuan Ren has witnessed first hand East Asian fetishism, also known as 'Yellow Fever'. She argues that this is primarily seen in Caucasian men who desire a wife who is more sexually open, but socially submissive. This is supported by interviews with various women of Asian decent, and the number of dating websites online dedicated to getting men 'submissive Asian wives'. Ren doesn't seem to be asking for change, only understanding. Countless women are affected by these sexual stereotypes of Asian women, and if no one understands this, nothing can change. East Asians (and Southeast Asians) are one of the least represented group in Western Media, and in a society that focuses more so on how Blacks are treated, than any other minority race, it is helpful to have pieces describing what is happening in other parts of the world, to other races. While Asian women are seen as sexually submissive and open minded, Asian men are seen as gangsters or nerds, neither one is sexually appealing. This means that while other races are sexualized in some form or another, Asian men are desexualized to the point where anything is better than dating an Asian man for anything other than money.

All of this information just proves that hypersexualization is a problem and does have an affect on how people portray themselves. They think that they have to act a certain way because society says they have too. People should have the freedom to portray themselves as they see fit as long as they aren’t hurting or infringing on anyone else's beliefs. The world could be a much more open and welcoming place if society stopped worrying about what everyone was doing all the time. If they did, then we could focus on the things that really matter.

Work Cited

Vargas, Deborah R. 2010. “Representations of Latina/o Sexuality in Popular Culture.” Pp. 117-136 in Latina/o Sexualities: Probing Powers, Passions, Practices, and Policies, edited by Marysol Asencio. New Brunswick, NJ: Rutgers University Press. Reprinted by permission.

Nelson, Kris. "You’re Not Broken If You’re Not Interested in Sex – But These 3 Social Lies Probably Make You Feel That Way." Everyday Feminism. Everyday Feminism, 01 July 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Ren, Yuan. "'Yellow Fever' Fetish: Why Do so Many White Men Want to Date a Chinese Woman?" The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 01 July 2014. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.

Lam, Amy. "Nicki Minaj's Unapologetic Sexuality Is Not a Crisis." Bitch Media. Bitch Media, 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.

Stephens, Dionne P., and April L. Few. "Hip Hop Honey or Video Ho: African American Preadolescents' Understanding of Sexual Scripts." Sex Matters: The Sexuality and Society Reader. By Mindy Stombler. Third ed. Boston: Allyn & Bacon, 2010. 97-99. Print.

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Annotated Bibliography

Dennis, Justin. "Yes, the Concept of ‘Friend Zoning’ Is Harmful – And Here’s Why." Everyday Feminism. Everyday Feminism, 31 Aug. 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

Justin Dennis lays out exactly why the "friend-zone" is a harmful idea, and how the expectations of society place women into these roles of sexual objects. Dennis argues that this idea that women exist just to please men is a viewpoint held by young men who have yet to be told otherwise. In order to create understanding she reverses the roles so that the situation becomes clearer for those who may not understand. She urges young men to change the way the perceive women, and what true kindness actually is. This transcript is helpful in identifying one of the effects hypersexualization has on relationships between men and women.

Hooks, Bell. "A Feminist Sexual Politic." Feminism Is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. Cambridge, MA: South End, 2000. 85-92. Print.

Famous feminist, bell hooks, talks about the Feminist Movement and it's approach to sexual freedom and understanding. She describes the history of the movement and how different points in time affected women's views on sex. The clear explanation of the pros and cons of the second wave feminists mission towards sexual freedom provides insight into how things used to be, and allows the reader to compare it to how society views sex in the present time.

Lam, Amy. "Nicki Minaj's Unapologetic Sexuality Is Not a Crisis." Bitch Media. Bitch Media, 28 Aug. 2014. Web. 02 Oct. 2015.

Associate Editor at Bitch Media, Amy Lam, looks at the reaction the general media had to Nicki Minaj and her music video for her song 'Anaconda'. How Minaj's ownership of her own body and sexuality is received and shamed because her body does not fit the commonly accepted standard of mainstream media. From YouTube comments to open letters, Lam, deconstructs the almost racist reactions of the public and uses Minaj's own words to show why they are, simultaneously, wrong and proving her point. She highlights the double standards between how society views black women, and white women, when it comes to ownership of their sexuality, providing a bases to look at other instances of the same problem.

Nelson, Kris. "You’re Not Broken If You’re Not Interested in Sex – But These 3 Social Lies Probably Make You Feel That Way." Everyday Feminism. Everyday Feminism, 01 July 2015. Web. 30 Sept. 2015.

This article highlights what is obvious to those affected by this issue; that 'queerness' is synonymous to sex. That, in western society, to truly be 'queer' one must have sex, and lots of it. Nelson argues that this isn't, and shouldn't be, the case when it comes to sexuality. Because there are so many different sexualities coming to light, it is damaging to use sex as proof that their sexuality is real, and not just a statement. Nelson thinks this shouldn't have to be, and that the only validation someones sexuality needs is their own word. In a society that subconsciously revolves around sex, consciously saying 'no' to that mindset is difficult to achieve in a short period of time.

Ren, Yuan. "'Yellow Fever' Fetish: Why Do so Many White Men Want to Date a Chinese Woman?" The Telegraph. Telegraph Media Group, 01 July 2014. Web. 09 Oct. 2015.

As a chinese woman in the UK, Yuan Ren has witnessed first hand East Asian fetishism, also known as 'Yellow Fever'. She argues that this is primarily seen in Caucasian men who desire a wife who is more sexually open, but socially submissive. This is supported by interviews with various women of Asian decent, and the number of dating websites online dedicated to getting men 'submissive Asian wives'. Ren doesn't seem to be asking for change, only understanding. Countless women are affected by these sexual stereotypes of Asian women, and if no one understands this, nothing can change. East Asians (and South East Asians) are one of the least represented group in Western Media, and in a society that focuses more so on how Blacks are treated, than any other minority race, it is helpful to have pieces describing what is happening in other parts of the world, to other races.