Well...in a handbasket

I'm not a recluse.

I like music. I like clothing. I like fashion. I read PEOPLE from time and time and generally am a wealth of pop-culture knowledge. And for my husband's sake, I'm fairly well-versed on the Geek front...also, another post.

I say this because even as a Christian (living in the world, but not being of it) - not much shocks me. You know, truly shocks me and shakes me to the core and bothers me. In fact, I would probably have to confess that the majority of things that get under other people's skin seem to run past me (or saunter by) unnoticed.

But this afternoon, I was watching some television. Someone referenced this song "Blurred Lines." Not being a top 40 aficionado, I googled it and watched the video on Youtube.

HOLY. CRAP. okay...not so much "holy," but definitely crap. For real. Naked. Ladies. IN A MUSIC VIDEO. That KIDS see. I ended up looking into Robin Thicke (the artist who recorded this song and video) and watching a few interviews that he has done on the subject. He said that they (the dudes behind the video) thought it would be "funny" and that his wife even came up with a lot of the ideas for what the girls should be doing. Which include running (topless), holding farm animals (topless), sitting on a goat (wearing plastic), riding a bike (topless), getting their hair pulled (by men while topless)...

So my question is...."Funny" to WHO?

Maybe it's funny for the prepubescent or pubescent boy that now thinks that women as objects is okay and better than okay completely acceptable and normal.

Maybe it's funny for the prepubescent or pubescent girl that now thinks - "Oh, that's how I am supposed to act." Oh, and if a guy treats me that way it is completely acceptable and NORMAL?!

Maybe it's funny for...

Nobody.

At least it shouldn't be. We should all be appalled and deeply concerned for a culture that thinks the devaluation of the majority of it's population is "funny." We should think it horrifying that in a Westernized country (where the reality for women is not at all as bad as in places like the Middle east, Asia, India, and Africa) the mocking of such inequality & abuse of women is seen as "trendy," "hip," and (oh, my) "funny."

It is a tragedy. It is so very heart-breaking.


So, today - I will be opening my eyes to these cultural norms of ours - and instead of letting them saunter by me unnoticed...I'm going look them in the eye and tell them exactly where they can go.