I don't know how many of you sharp feminists out there watch the CW's Gossip Girl, but those of you who don't missed out on a rarely televised occurrence last night: female masturbation. Last night's episode opened with a scene of teen queen Blair Waldorf masturbating to a fantasy of bad boy Chuck Bass performing oral sex on her. When interrupted by her housekeeper, Dorota, Blair said she has to "finish something" before school, and she ducked back under the covers to, well, finish.
Now say what you will about the evils of Gossip Girl (and this Washington Post article says plenty), but I can't think of another teen show that would portray a young, female, protagonist taking her sexuality into her own hands, so to speak. Sure, Gossip Girl promotes consumerism, unhealthy body images, and just plain teen nastiness, but it is also telling young girls (and boys) that it's okay to masturbate. I mean come on, Blair is cool and she does it, so why can't they?
I am racking my brain to think of another teen queen masturbation scene (see how that rhymes so nicely?) on primetime television, but I am at a loss. I can't imagine a scene like this happening on Gossip Girl's predecessor, Beverly Hills: 90210. Is this a first for teenage television programming? Is this a good thing, or should masturbation be kept out of the primetime television lineup?
If you ask me, masturbation is healthy, fun, and risk-free, and the more normalized it becomes for teenaged television-watchers, the better. What do you think?
7 Comments Have Been Posted
I am so grateful for this post
Harris replied on
This perfectly took the edge off of today.
And, of course, it's true!
xoxo.
not so iffy anymore
Anonymous replied on
I watch the show each week because it is on right before one tree hill, allthough addicting, i was still sort of iffy about whether i liked the show or not, after seeing that scene i decided..DEFINITELY, i was like shocked and amazed.This post is the second thing to completely make my day, after Obama winning<3
I've become less of a TV watcher over time ...
Anonymous replied on
... but hearing about this did indeed made me smile. Perhaps it will repeat??
Jocelyn Elders was right. Teens SHOULD and MUST know about things such-as sexual honesty, which masturbation in one aspect of. Unfortunately, the deeply hypocritical Clinton Administration had to censure her on that (and dismiss her as Surgeon General). Hopefully the new Obama Administration won't be so hypocritical in regard to discussions of medically and socially accurate sex information. But as someone who voted for either Nader or McKinney yesterday (I would prefer refraining from divulging my exact choice), I'm not holding my breath on it.
Note: Obama supporters and celebrants need to be mindful that there were other candidates <i>Bitch</i> readers and site visitors voted for yesterday. Respect, please. Let's move on to make a better, more diverse, honest, kinder, equal, respectful, inclusive, and such, country and planet that doesn't feature corporate advertising messages and celebrity "gossip" (pardon the pun) encroach our every waking second. Thanks. :)
I definitely think this is a
Gina replied on
I definitely think this is a good thing, especially since it seems like all we see nowadays is who got pregnant. I'd rather see someone on TV exploring and appreciating their own body rather than what celebrity is "knocked-up." Granted, both are part of our sexual nature, but it's just so refreshingly scandalous to see someone go that far on their <i>own</i> on television ;)
Love it, love it, love it!! <3
Have You Noticed - When It's Perfect, It Stays Perfect
Henotic replied on
WE ARE NOW - NO, - - - NOW - No, Wait - not yet . . . part of the future ?
iamchuckbass.com
Briar Levit replied on
<p>I had to put a shameless plug for my close friend's Gossip Girl website: <a href="http://blog.iamchuckbass.com/" title="http://blog.iamchuckbass.com/">iamchuckbass.com</a></p><p>Written from a male point of view (2 obsessive GG viewers), they bill themselves as 'The Modern Man's Guide to Gossip Girl'</p><p>Check it out!</p><p> </p><p> </p>
even beautiful, white teenage girls masturbating is not enough
Anonymous replied on
Equating women's equality with their ability to express themselves sexually is a good way to sell tv shows. Read SATC and now Gossip Girl. I'm grateful for it, but it's not enough. These shows still lead women to unhealthy ideas about their bodies and finances. Let's see fat girls masturbating. And black girls with dreads masturbating. And women over 40 who look their age masturbating.
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