I’m a Prude
I had this written, sitting in my drafts box, waiting for the perfect time to post. And then the Superbowl Halftime show completely shook the nation. So here it goes.
Most people will read this and make their mind up about who I am through these words. And that’s fine. Call me a prude.
Here’s the thing, in my opinion, a topless woman does equal nudity. A provocative romance novel with elaborate sexual descriptions is equivalent to pornography. And erotic dancing in barely there ensembles is a trigger that feeds into the world of sex-trafficking, sexual abuse, and pornography addiction.
Call me stuck-up, call me a prude. I’ll be a prude with pride if it means that I eliminate movies, music videos, commercials, etc I used to watch and/or that conform to the worlds unhealthy expressions of sexuality.
My job is to protect myself from sin by TURNING FROM IT, fleeing it. Protecting myself, my husband shielding himself and therefore, us protecting our sons means being highly intentional with what we input into our minds.
I’ve heard it said that what I look at doesn’t really have an affect on me long term. But images of pornography will forever be glued to the walls of my memory cortex because of what I saw at SIX YEARS OLD. I’d say that’s an effect. And me willingly looking at what was unhealthy and inappropriate as an 18-19 year old adult can also come flooding back if triggered by something provocative which is also a lasting effect.
Sometimes, the overly sexualized culture we live in makes me the bad guy. I’m the prude because I don’t want to watch shows with nudity. I’m the kill joy because I think it’s inappropriate for the cabaret billboards to show as much skin as they do. I’m stuck up because I don’t want our sons to be subjected to the intimate images pasted all over the Victoria’s Secret store we pass in the mall.
There was a time that I was upset with being the bad guy. Now, I know I’m shepherding a next generation of men. I am thankful for a husband that wants accountability in his effort toward pursuing purity in his mind. I’m also thankful for a healthy and quite frankly very exciting sex life. You may think I’m a prude but my husband doesn’t.
TMI?
Sorry, not sorry!
We are an era of people fighting for the rights of those enslaved in the sex trades, but paying our hard earned money to support pornography. Hollywood fires the men accused of harassment and abuse toward women, and rightfully so. But then they turn right around and push the degradation of women.
I don’t think a woman having to show off her talents with a pole dance, bare skin, and seduction is powerful. Christ does that, makes you powerful. I believe women are beautiful whom God made to do incredible things. Like, women can do WAY more than men can… I’ve never seen a man deliver a baby, feed them with their own body and then still turn around and do all the same things a man can do, only in heels. But what is powerful about being sexy. What is powerful about using your body to manipulate, coerce, or accumulate attention?
I used to use my body to provoke attention from the opposite sex. (And wanting attention is never the same as wanting to be abused.) But I thankfully heard a God who told me I was worth much more than what they could offer me.
I, 100% think every person is responsible for his or her own actions. Meaning a person is not responsible for being sexually abused because of what he or she wore. However, in saying that, if I glorify an industry that magnifies sexuality then should I be surprised when daughters grow up to use their bodies as a bargaining chip or our sons grow up to degrade those women? And if I preach to our boys how important it is to treat women fairly, with respect and kindness but then I turn around and watch movies or television (or the Superbowl Halftime Show) that objectify those same women then aren’t I being a hypocrite?
So, I am careful what I consume. I teach my boys the ways to treat others (women included). My husband is more careful with where what he views. And overall, our home is filled with a lot of basic PG-PG13 TV and family movie nights are almost always G. That might make me a prude. And I am perfectly content with that.
I hope you join me and become a prude too.
