Sexing up Women - Part 2

I wrote an earlier post about men sexing women up for selling everything - from cars, shaving creams to coffee. Read it here Can men do anything without sexing us up? So when I saw this ad, I just had to put it up and see if people could spot what these gorgeous people are selling. And the fact is, they are selling something as mundane as forks and spoons! Yes, this is true and I haven't made it up. Just look at the ridiculous way the woman is holding up a spoon, so she can wear lipstick while looking at her reflection in it.

And just a few months back, people were making such a ruckus about mannequins displaying lingerie. Seriously, people were writing editorials and articles for and against a topic which was a no-brainer. Victoria's Secret positions live models displaying lingerie in their New York storefront windows. And while we don't do anything like that in India, we have enough celebs showing off so much skin anyway, that almost nothing is left to the imagination.

One of the more intelligent ones, Gul Panag, wrote a column in Indian Express and she retweeted every bit of praise about it, sent to her by her fans and hangers-on. I read her column and she sides with her maid and her Bihari Man-Friday in disapproving this kind of lingerie display. I was surprised to read her point of view and I said so to her. After all, everyone has the option of looking away, if they don't like to see something..don't they? I told her that male specimens especially would do the exact opposite. They will ogle even though they can't afford the stuff, and then ofcourse pretend to frown at all of this. Ms Panag never retweeted my opinion.

Then a few days later, I happened to be at Oxford bookstore and was browsing through the magazine racks. And there was Ms Panag on the cover of a magazine in bridal wear. The choli of her outfit was so low- cut that she was literally popping out of it. I don't know many brides outside of a Hindi movie who would dress like this. And certainly didn't expect it from a person who was against plastic mannequins from displaying lingerie. But money is money..and we all know that celebs like her make tonnes of it just doing these kind of photo shoots, especially when movie roles are few and far between. I've posted that magazine cover picture from her Twitter profile itself, so take a look. 

And yes, I made a point of asking her about this on Twitter too. I asked her how is it okay to write that kind of article and then pose for this kind of picture? Well..no answer was forthcoming. I guess skin shows by live models are fine but mannequins are objectionable! 

For that matter, Indian women as a rule, don't go around with their cleavages hanging out of even a sari blouse. Only these showbiz-Page 3 types do it. They help men sexualise us, as if they ever needed help with this to begin with! Well to each his/her own, but preaching one thing and practicing another is not on.