And now for a rant only tangentially related to abortion

Women and girls are constantly both pressured to be very sexual and demonized for it. Here is a story that really makes me irate: CNN calls young women who send naked pictures to their boyfriends "sex crazed teens". http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/bestoftv/2008/12/04/pn.cheerleader.trouble.cnn?iref=mpvideosview



They were kicked off their school cheerleading team for this (no mention of any consequences for the guys involved). Their parents are suing the school. GOOD FOR THEM!!! We need strong people like that who defend women, girls and the right to privacy. I am behind these families 100% in their efforts to defend thier duaghter's rights. Yet everything in this "news" clip is about how crazy, sick and wrong the parents and girls are.

"Is there just no shame anymore for girls?" Asks judgemental jackass from CNN. Psycholigist makes many excuses for the sexual pressure and negative influences in the girls lives, which may or may not be true. I don't know them, so I cant say. Most girls do have a lot of pressures and bullshit to deal with. But my answer to judgemental jackass would be, "Actually, jackass, women are choosing empowerment over the shame-based morality that patriarch's like you have been hoisting on us. So deal with it. You will be seeing more and more women who are not ashamed because you say they should be for being sexual. Why don't you go cry about it? Also, why is your shirt so shiney? That's a really weird shirt."

There are lots of reasons I can think of not to send naked pictures. Mostly, I would worry they would end up on the internet after a fight or breakup (oops!). But fearing being kicked off a sports team, or punished by a school, employer or what ever else should never EVER be a reason a woman or girl chooses not to express or enjoy her body and sexuality. Taking a picture could have been caving to pressure from the boyfriend, as the psychologist proposes, but maybe it was just fun. Maybe she was feeling really good about herself, and wanted to share something sexy and fun with her boyfriend. There is nothing wrong with that. Kicking someone off a team because they make personal choices different from what most people think they should do IS wrong.