When is R-A-P-E Hot?
September 26, 2007 by Tracee Sioux
Filed under Parenting
Well according to the new Gossip Girl television show the producers as the view, which happens to be teenagers, to believe that rape IS sexy. Producers of the ultra-glamorous and oh-so-risque hot new show use intentional edits to try to blur the distinction between getting raped and consenting to sex. They glamorized rape, not once but twice, in Sunday night’s episode.
The rapist is depicted as a sexy bad boy and of course he gets away with it. Why wouldn’t he? Gee, I wonder why boys think it’s okay to rape girls? I wonder why girls think they can’t stop boys from touching them without permission?
I’m disgusted by it obviously, and you can read more about why at So Sioux Me. Later this afternoon I’m sending my column to advertisers too, asking them to withdraw funding from this kind of glamorization of violence against girls that serves only the perv, molester and rapist members of society. Way to be the “new CW” you misogynistic sickos.
This is not on HBO this is on at 8 p.m. on a mainstream television station being directly marketed to teenagers. What the hell?
Thanks for writing about this. I had taped this show for my 11 year old daughter at her request and she watched it on her own this week. When I asked if I should continue taping it for her she mentioned casually that it was a bit inappropriate (thank goodness). I skimmed the episode tonight and decided it was not a show for her. I did not realize it was much worse than I thought. After reading your post I have decided to stay away from the CW network, and to never let my kids watch a show for the first time without supervision. Networks keep pushing and pushing and try to get away with more and more each year. As much as I enjoy the show Rules of Engagement and enjoy the writing on that show, even they go too far sometimes with extremely adult material.
Dear Alan,
Thank God you’ve decided to make some changes about how you let your daughter watch television. They keep pushing the envelope – which is appropriate on HBO with an adult audience – but television marketed to teenagers should be appropriate FOR teenagers. This show is absolutely NOT.
Certainly there are appropriate ways to address very real issues like Date Rape or Rape with 11 year old girls. Gossip Girl is NOT doing that. Gossip Girl is trying to make it hot and confusing and asking for their audience to be aroused by it. Completely unacceptable.
I’m not familiar with Rules of Engagement.
this country is going right to hell
I have to disagree – the show doesn’t make the rape look ‘glamorous’ – if that’s what they were trying to do, don’t think you that Jenny wouldn’t have been so unhappy, or that Dan wouldn’t have punched Chuck, or that Serena wouldn’t have yelled at him?
Clearly, they are showing that harassing the girl was not the right thing to do. The only thing that led her to that situation was her naivete, and that is also made quite clear on the show.
I agree that this show is not appropriate for 11 year olds to watch, but at the same time I do not think it is perpetrating the idea that rape is cool/sexy/glam.
PS. He didn’t actually rape her.
thank god you dont agree w that dumb show! how in the hell could anyone think that rape could be glamouros in anyway…
i never seen this show but now it seems interesting. i would like to point out that rape isn’t at all sexy nor cool, unless the girl likes the guy to be in control
i don’t get why you people think that just because they showed a rape sence on this show you think they are saying it is glam and everyone should be ok with it. you are obivously putting words in the people’s mouthes. they are clearly pointing this to real life. you shouldn’t always censore your children from every bad thing out there. they need to learn what is right and what is wrong. that is why there are rapist and victims out there now, because they were never taught right from wrong and what to do in this situation. you might think that it will never happen to you but it can.
First of all its not the cw’s fault that you let ur 11 year old daughter watch a show intended for TEEN audiences, or that you let them watch a a show you had never seen. That is no one’s fault but your own. Second of all, they didn’d “glamourize” it at all, as someone else mentioned, unhappiness and punches in the face don’t really say its okay. Instead of whining about a show which is inappropriate for your 11 year old daughter, how about you turn on the family channel, or watch the shows before you let your daughter view them. Rape is something that occurs in our society, and putting it into the show in that way, shows that it is real. Stop blaming tv stations for showing ur daughter inappropriate shows. How about you do your job, as a parent, and know what your child is watching, and let the cw, which is not a child’s tv station, do its job and show programs for teenagers and young adults!!
Your right Kirsten, it was my fault that my daughter watched the program and it’s a mistake I won’t repeat. The CW network isn’t the only network producing junk. Pornography, pedophilia, and graphic violence is also something that occurs in today’s society, should TV be encouraged to show that to younger audiences? Though I’m not going on a crusade against broadcast tv showing any adult material, I can have an opinion and comment that I wish TV didn’t pander so much to societies ills.
I would add, Kristen ,that this show is completely inappropriate for teenagers.
According to the scientific evidence provided by the American Psychological Association, http://traceesioux.blogspot.com/2007/09/apa-reports-sexualization-of-girls.html, television shows like Gossip Girl influence teens very negatively. Teens are sexualized – feeling their primary function is sexual – by watching this type of culture.
Not only does this type of culture glamorize date rape (which does occur, but doesn’t need to be produced in such a way as to make it appear hot and sexy), it also refers to women saying they can be “purchased or owned.” Not to mention the inappropriate binge drinking, self medicating, drug abuse, and mean girl behavior.
Sexualization results in eating disorders, depression, early drinking, unsafe sex, low self esteem and even suicide.
Date rape is real, but so is sexualization of girls.
My point is this: we don’t want to pay such a high price (our young adult and teen age girl’s sense of self) for entertainment.
Here is a report you should read if you are interested in what kind of effect this type of entertainment has on girls like yourself: http://traceesioux.blogspot.com/2007/09/apa-reports-sexualization-of-girls.html
I do agree with you Alan that Pornography, pedophilia, and graphic violence are also something that occurs in today’s society, and it is disturbing. Everything for kids today would have been geared towards adults years ago. It is disturbing to see so much of it in media today. I agree with u completely. However, Tracee, my sense of self is just fine. I do not binge drink, in fact my parents do not allow me to drink, and even though it is no one’s business but my own, I have not and am not sexually active, and I have watched this show, and many other shows where this occurs. I am not saying that media doesn’t influence children, teens, young, and old adults, because i agree whole heartedly with that. HOwever, all of this media has not influenced my health or sense of self in a negative way, because my parents talked to me. THey taught me what was right and what was wrong. They taught me how to behave and how to act, and showed they cared. And unfortunately mean girl behaivour happens all the time,in schools everywhere, taking it out of tv isn’t going to stop that, talking to teens will. I feel that it is unfair to say that watching these shows causes teens to behave sexually or participate in substance abuse, when I have watched these shows, and my sense of self is fine.
I do apologize though for being somewhat rude in myfirst statment. It is not my place to judge others. There is so much on Tv now that is inappropriate for children today, that it is hard to keep up. You obvioulsy have discontinued viewing of the show u find inappropriate so that is all anyone can do. THere is no use crying over spilt milk! I do feel that there are parents today who don’t care about what their children watch or see, so it is reassuring to see that some still do. SO thanks! And once again it was not my intention to offend anyone!
You seem like a very well adjusted person Kirsten and your parents may be model parents. The number one thing I hope to nurture in my daughter is confidence and a comfortable sense of self as well. As you said, values should be taught and modeled at home, not left up to the media. The best I can hope for is that my daugher will be prepared to navigate through the hard choices she will have to make, because I know I can’t shield her completely from what’s out here.
Unfortunately, we may be the exception. Many parents are sadly not involved, TV is not monitored, and kids WILL be influenced negatively by what they see.
Here in Texas, there is controversy about our Governor making the STD vaccine for girls mandatory. Many are furious and feel it is circumventing a parent’s perogative. The most compelling argument I’ve heard for his actions, however, are that only by making it mandatory will girls from disadvantaged homes have the opportunity to get the vaccine because their parents are uninformed or uninvolved.
Yes, i have heard about the controversy, however i am not quite sure where i stand. As of now i am looking into the vaccine, and trying to find out as much information as i can, before i get the vaccine. However i am not sure whether or not making it mandatory is a good idea or not. I do agree that making it mandatory will give girls from disadvanted homes the oppertunity to get the vaccine beacuse their parents are uninvoved. I know it is not always the case, but girls from these homes are more likely to become sexually active at younger ages, and potentially sexually promiscous, however at the same time who are we to force someone to get a vacicnation. One of the arguements that i find completely ridiculous opposing the vaccination, is that getting the vaccine will tell kids or give them permission to have sex and not to worry about. I don’t think that this true either. However, I also agree with it being the parents choice until the child reaches 18. I think that potenitally making it available at school, and sending home forms to send back if you as a parent do not wish for your daughter to recieve the vaccination may be a potential idea. This way, the vaccine is available to almost everyone, people will not be inconvienced to go to the doctors 3 times, as some may feel, yet if a parent does not wish for their daughter to recieve the vaccination, then it is not mandatory. But I am still not sure how this conrtoversy will end, and really which way i feel in the situation.
it is better for women to wear chastity belt rather than expose themselevs to the dangers of the modern world
Is it?
In this specific case I would say this is not exposure to dangers – but glamorization of dangers.
Hollywood and the media has always said and done things that are not right or true to reality. Its up to us as the parents and teachers of our children to teach them what is right and how not to be easily “brainwashed” by the media. It is sick that something so disgusting and wrong and criminal could be packaged as something fashionable and trendy or even cool. Where I used to live there were several incidences where teenage girls where being attacked and raped at parties after they had gotten a little drunk. Evidently a group of 6 or 7 cowardly guys would wait until a girl was tipsy and then force her into a vacant bedroom or bathroom and commence to gang rape her. A guy at one of the parties heard what was going on and broke the door down to get her out, later that same guy was beat up by that same group of boys, knocking out a bunch of his teeth in the process. Of course the guys got away with it, by saying the girls wanted it and after threats from the boys most of the girls recanted the story. It was so sickening, me, the boy who had gotten beat up and his father, a very good friend of mine, went to the police station to ask why nothing was being done. Lack of evidence and the girls all changed their stories to much or completely took them back. Great, a group of punk kinds win out and its because of shit like this that more and more young men are growing up to become rapists, not less.
So, it’s kind of late I guess, I just chanced upon this site. I am a 17 year old who has avidly watched this show for the past 2 years. First of all I understand a parent’s concern when their 11 year old child has heard about this new show that’s really cool and sexy and they want to watch it, but it highlights inappropriate situations such as rape or underage sex or whatnot. However, in the show’s defence – and it’s not just me saying it – ask ANYONE who watches the show they do NOT show rape as cool or sexy at all or glorify it! Chuck, the bad boy did try and force himself on Jenny, but it was not portrayed as sexy in anyway! She was asking him to stop, Dan punched him, Serena shoved him and yelled at him. I do understand that rape is not something you want your 11 year old child to be exposed to but it’s a show for teenagers (13 and up) and that age I think it’s important that teens are exposed to it because it has become an almost common occurence where some people live. It’s sad but it’s the truth. Gossip Girl shows teens the reprecussions and consequences of rape, or underage sex (with the pregnancy scare), of drinking ( possibility of date rape), of drugs ( death) and lying or cheating ( not achieving your dreams). As a teen I can tell you that someway or another your child WILL be exposed to rape, drinking, underage sex – in most cases they will be given the chance to choose to do it or not. Most times there will be peer pressure invovled and they would be to scared to admit to a parent and will give in. I’m not saying all will! I’m saying some will and if every generation continues to get worse than at sometime most will! You can’t stop your child from every exposure but a show like Gossip Girl, that highlights the horrible consequences, the importance of family and friends and trying to become a good person is the least of any person worries. Watch the show for 4-5 episodes straight or even better the two seasons, they tackle any issues a child might face, and show the consquences underage sex, rape ( which as only been shown twice, neither time has it occured, the second time the girl kicked the guy in the crotch – even this I think had a moral. Serena was almost raped by her childhood friend – teaches teens that to an extent you can’t trust anyone with the exception of your family), being homosexual – the pressures it causes and how to overcome them, underage drinking, hazing a teacher, putting out false rumours, drugs amongst others. Forbidding this from your child will do nothing but raise their defiance and curiosity, Have a little bit of trust in your teen and if you’re so worried – talk to them about the issues. Honeslty you might even appreciate what GG teaches.