Many of you may have noticed (and/or read) a post I wrote earlier this week about our daughters’ discovery of one of D’s Playboy magazines. The girls later snuck off with Daddy’s phone and took photos of themselves (both nude and clothed) imitating the Playboy models’ poses. Disturbing, to say the least.
Even more upsetting perhaps,was my husband asking me to delete the post and take it down. Which I did, because he felt strongly about it and there were a few sentences that embarrassed him. I apologized to him and am doing so publicly in this post because some of what I wrote was easily misinterpreted and I regret that. Regardless, I resented the censorship because I’m a writer. It’s what I do (yes I am saying it here and now so shutup and listen to me!). My life and things that happen to me at home and out in the world are what fuel me. While I’ll try to be more careful in the future, please understand that writers write from life experiences and this topic—is HUGELY important. More important than my husband, many men, and perhaps even other women realize. Even women themselves have become immune to it. It’s so common now we don’t even blink.
The bottom line(s):
- I don’t care that my husband gets Playboy magazine except that it makes me feel like shit about my own body (i.e. watch video below).
- The post I took down was NOT about my husband; it was about my daughters and how concerned I am about their premature awareness about these kinds of things—women’s bodies, what we’re supposed to do, look like, act like, smell like, etc.
- The post was about OUR DAUGHTERS. YOUR DAUGHTERS. YOUR NIECES. YOUR GRANDDAUGHTERS. YOUR COUSINS. YOUR GIRLFRIENDS AND THEIR DAUGHTERS. WOMEN AND GIRLS EVERYWHERE.
- My new twitter friend, Julia Munroe Martin (@Wordsxo), is the one who told me about this video series, Killing Us Softly, which I watched yesterday for the very first time. And I cried. For me, my daughters, and for women all over the world. Because this video is exactly what I’m worried about, the point I was trying to make in my previous post. And if you don’t watch it you’ll miss the whole thing and go on about your life completely clueless. So sit your ass down for 20 minutes (yes, it is 20 minutes long, but worth every damn second) and WATCH IT. Really listen and pay attention. I promise you will come away from this with a lot of feelings and I’d love to hear about them in the comments.
- Censorship sucks. I will be more careful from now on and warn my husband before something is published, but this is my blog, my space, and my writing. It’s mine. No one can take it away from me. I will never again take down or delete a post.
Now go watch this.
Video on YouTube by Jean Kilbourne. **There are several videos in the series, but this is the only one I’ve had time to watch so far, thanks to a Twitter friend, @Wordsxo.** Please go onto YouTube and search “Killing Us Softly” and you’ll find the other videos in the series. You can find Jean Kilbourne on Facebook HERE.
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