Here are 5 American sex norms Europeans think are crazy

[BigBearJohn]

https://www.rawstory.com/2018/02/5-american-sex-norms-europeans-think-crazy-2/

Europeans tend to see a lot of American ideals and behaviors as bizarre. In particular, they aren’t wild about our politics and our food (though they love our television and our movies). And when it comes to sex? Well, Europeans tend to view us as the land of the free, home of the batshit crazy. Below are some of the biggest sexual WTFs Europeans have about America.


1. Extreme violence in the media is fine, just don’t show a nipple.

According to reports, the average American child will see 200,000 violent acts and witness 16,000 murders on TV by the time she is 18. Not only that, but the violence is getting more brutal and sadistic, and it often goes unpunished. In video games like Grand Theft Auto, players can run over sex workers, and the violence inCall of Duty has been linked to teen suicides. While this is considered fine and normal, showing the naked or partially naked human body on TV is considered extremely taboo. When Justin Timberlake accidentally ripped off a piece of Janet Jackson’s costume during the Super Bowl halftime show, revealing her nipple for a fraction of a second, this not only caused a moral outrage that lasted for days, but the FCC tried to fine television network CBS $550,000 for broadcasting “indecency.” The FCC ultimately failed, but not first without going all the way to the Supreme Court. The nip slip incident became the most-searched-for thing on the Internet in 2004, and CBS actually forced Jackson to apologize to Americans. “I am really sorry if I offended anyone, that was truly not my intention,” Jackson said.

A Dutch friend who now lives in London also remarked on this disconnect between violence and nudity: “The movie Frida with Salma Hayek is rated R in the U.S. because of nudity, but in Holland it was 6 (for children 6 and older). But many violent movies are 16 in Holland and PG/PG-13 in the U.S. Why are boobs worse than death? How do boobs affect people negatively? Are they scary? Do they make people do bad things? I wanna know!”

2. Our puritan prudery.

Sex is everywhere. We can’t even sell a cheeseburger in the U.S. without overtly bonerrific images that are, frankly, confusing. Are we supposed to eat our food or have sex with it, Carl’s Jr.? And yet, we’re also so prudish that Attorney General John Ashcroft once spent $8,000 of taxpayer cash to cover up a statue’s breasts. We have spent billions on abstinence-only education programs that spread misinformation and shame teenagers into thinking sex is dirty and will ruin their lives forever. And instead of curbing the number of unwanted pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections, the opposite happens. Compared to European countries, most of which boast comprehensive sex ed, easy access to birth control and universal healthcare, the U.S. has alarming teen pregnancy rates—41.5 per 1,000 people, as reported by the United Nations in 2009. By contrast, the Netherlands had a teen birth rate of 5.3 per 1,000, Switzerland is 4.3 per 1,000, and Germany is 9.8 per 1,000. Europeans also have have lower STI rates, and far lower rates of HIV/AIDS.

[Orrex]

1. I wish that we had solved all of our societal hang-ups, like Europeans have done.

[brooklynite]

12. Europe is happy to have nude (or semi-nude) women in bulletin board ads...

Try that here and the liberals would be just as offended as the religious right.

[bobbieinok]

2. French mags in ForLang dept at conservative church school: nudity in ads blacked over

Was very weird. Secretary would go thru new mags, blacking out as 'necessary' before putting then in student areas.

[demmiblue]

3. I learned a new word: dong-snuggies. n/t

[procon]

4. America's backwards attitude on nomal human sexualty must be a significant

factor in sexual harassment, sex crimes, porn, sex workers, domestic violence, sex trafficking, as well as teen pregnancy, and STDs. The whole War on Women boils down to sex, who has it, who wants it, and how to get it. Our confusing mishmash of Bronze Age religious stigmas and taboos, politically motivated stupidity, and the dirty side of capitalism that profits off of everything that peddles sex as a selling point, keeps us locked into this neanderthal culture.

[Orrex]

7. Sex is a major factor in European marketing as well

For that matter, sexual harassment, sex crimes, porn, sex workers, domestic violence, sex trafficking and STDs are common worldwide.

It seems odd to claim that these are uniquely potent in our culture or that "America's backwards attitude" has much bearing on the world's shitty attitude toward women.

[procon]

8. The article cited in this thread references the stark contrast between

American's puritanical attitudes on sex and those of other European countries. If you disagree, take your opinions to the author or the publisher, perhaps they will find your POV more relevant than I do.

[Orrex]

10. If the author of the article posts here, then I will certainly do so

Also, I said absolutely nothing at all about America's puritanical attitudes on sex, except to say that these attitudes do not drive the world's anti-woman sexual agenda. Further, Europe somehow manages to exhibit pretty much all of the horrors that you listed (sex trafficking, abuse, etc.) that you attribute to America's backwards attitudes, so I'm interested in how, exactly, that might work.

When you post in an open forum, you invite response, even if you would prefer your audience not to question you.

[MountCleaners]

9. I think it's a chicken and egg thing

I wouldn't take my clothes off in a unisex sauna, because there are too many men who would view it as sexual. So women cover up more because of pervs. On the other hand, maybe we wouldn't have so many guys making a big deal about boobs if they were generally no big deal. How to stop the whole cycle, I don't know. Until then, I'm keeping my shirt on.

[Orrex]

14. Your concerns are 100% reasonable and well-justified

And IMO you've stated it exactly re: chicken/egg. Men would likely view it as sexual, so women are (entirely understandably) not inclined to push the envelope, which perpetuates the taboo, which leads men to view it as sexual, ad infinitum.

Further, if a woman were harassed or assaulted in such a context (e.g., disrobing in a sauna with an unfamiliar man) she would absolutely certainly be accused of "asking for it," because society is an asshole.

None of this is news to you, I know. My point in rehashing it here is (I hope) to express understanding of your concerns.

[SFnomad]

5. They are so much more relaxed in Europe ...

A number of years ago, I was vacationing in Berlin. My gym membership had a reciprocal agreement with some gyms over there, which was nice.

So after my workout, I went to hit the sauna / pool area which was co-ed. I head to the sauna and a couple of guys were in it, sitting or laying down, unclothed. I sat down and was relaxing ... the next person to enter was a woman, in a towel, who stripped down and laid down not far from me. And my inside voice was saying ... yeah, that wouldn't happen in the United States.

[leftstreet]

6. Is there a lot of male nudity in European media?

Films, ads, etc?

When these articles talk about media "nudity" in the US it's very gender specific

"What's wrong with nudity?" Is actually "What's wrong with seeing naked women while we continue to hide male genitals?"

[crazycatlady]

11. can't speak for current times

But if you have ever taken an art history course, there's a lot of male nudity in art.

Case in point-- Michelangelo

[eppur_se_muova]

15. Especially in classical sculpture, when nudity was the ideal.

(OK, this is actually from the 18th century -- Antonio Canova, Hercules and Lichas -- and while Herc is sporting a fig leaf, the other guy's junk is pretty awkardly displayed)

[octoberlib]

13. Does Europe even have evangelicals? These fake christians are the bane of our country.

Actually, it. probably all started with our puritan ancestors