Feminism & Sexuality & Law

I continue to laugh and also think hard about the double standard that this sudden rash of women fucking young boys has displayed in our culture.

Seems like ever since Mary Kay Letournau had her thing with the kid, whom she subsequently had a kid with and married, there has been a huge increase of women getting busted for having sexual contact with men usually in high school, but some even in middle school.

In general, I laugh and I think what I'm sure most guys thing...boy are those guys lucky, and...where were these teachers when I was a kid, damnit?? In retrospect, there were rumors within our graduating class of a girl who ended up marrying one of her middle school teachers, but they were apparently discreet enough and quiet enough to evade detection. But, still...

Along with the massive number of undergraduate classes I've taken in my college tenure (almost enough for 3 separate majors...don't ask), were some of my favorite classes that I'd gladly take again. I took two political science classes that looked at the law and how women were affected positively and/or negatively by it. I looked at the jurisprudence of women and the law and how court cases in the past and decisions written by previous justices.

I generally consider myself to be a feminist. However, in my view, that doesn't mean anything until you delineate what type of feminist you are. Based on my limited experience/knowledge, I find there are generally two tracks feminists go in:

1. First track: This is the track that says women should utilize their mind, educate themselves, and not flaunt their sexuality, as it engenders a general acceptance in society that allows men to degrade women purely on their sexual hotness. They believe words like 'bitch,' 'cunt' are awful and shouldn't be said.

2. Second track: This is the track that says education is a good thing, but women should also celebrate and utilize their sexuality and power over men to control them in some respects and not let men's attitudes and societies bullshit norms affect their ability to enjoy life, love, and happiness. This could include things like, using sexual dress to work their way up the corporate ladder, garner favors, and do the whole "bat your eyelashes and give him the pouty look" thing to get what you want from men who are unable to control themselves sexually. Moreover, they encourage women to embrace their sexuality, embrace their orgasm, and they embrace the use of the word 'cunt' because they find it to be beautiful and not a dirty thing to be ashamed of.

Just because these women did what they allegedly did, it doesn't mean they are the number 2 type of feminist.

I'm trying to flip the situation and see how I and society would react if this was men and the girls were young teen aged women. Clearly, the reaction by society would be infinitely harsher than it has been on these women, as they have been barely noticed on your late national news. This would be front page, tabloid-style news on all the big 3 networks and the country, if not the Presidential race, would be abuzz about it in between bouts about I-raq.

I can honestly say that if the sexes were flipped in these stories, I'd have the exact same reaction for the most part about the men being lucky sons a bitches. My question is not whether there is a double-standard, but IF there should be.

According to everything I recall about adolescent development, girls are "more mature" than boys at a faster rate in general, so one could argue the boys in these real stories were grossly emotionally immature (if fact, they are in most cases). But, by flipping the roles, the girls would be more emotionally mature than those boys and then would the "crime" be less damming?

While not putting a value judgment on this phenomenon in this post, no one can argue about the influence of pop culture and the television has had on your young ladies. Between that and, what is believe to be caused by growth hormone in the milk/food we ingest, young women are growing breasts faster, are getting their hips earlier, and are sexually aware at an earlier time line than older women were when they were at the very same age: I think it's safe to say that any possible man in the flip scenario would be crucified, but I'd argue he shouldn't be. At least no more than the women in the real cases. Several of these women are being put on "administrative leave," while the school/district "investigates."

Make no mistake about it. Any man accused of said action wouldn't just be put on administrative leave, especially with the possible epidemic we are seeing with these women. Schools would be much quicker to fold on these hypothetical men.

During my teaching prep classes, I was in a fifth grade classroom (and even before this I knew I wanted to go no higher than 3rd) and just walking into that classroom I could tell you couldn't pay me enough to go in there full-time as a teacher. One girl was just as tall as me, and had clearly started developing her breasts...had to be a big A cup, or perhaps even a small B. This told me, I was out of my league. Dealing with the girls at that age nowadays with all the ways they are dressing and not to mention the attitude, I clearly foresaw a situation where I gave a girl a C, she says I sexually harassed her by starting at her underwear that would obviously be plainly visible when she sat down or bent over to pick up a pencil...and I'd be cooked. Not matter if you get proven innocent on ALL accounts, even if she completely recants her story, you could never work anywhere in that area again.

For the record: I am a mix of those feminists profiles. I love a smart woman who can compete in a good intellectual debate, but I also support the female sexual liberation. Women should be free to display their sexuality as they please, as I should be allowed to look. I don't look down on women who enjoy sex and have it frequently and openly. To me Paris Hilton is not trashy because she has sex the way she does...she's just stupid and sad for needing the attention to let it all get out.