When a bunch of Christian kids come to a Christian school in hopes of pursuing an education with a Christian perspective, discussing sexual matters is often taboo.
Our RAs and SLAs, Pepperdine Sex IQ’s and the Counseling Center may advocate their availability for conversation. But are these discussions popular or relevant enough on campus?
I’m a Christian kid. Yes, I attended Pepperdine in hopes of pursuing an education with a Christian perspective.
When sex or sexual expression is the hot topic in our lives or in the media, I find it difficult to identify or feel comfortable with the Christian ethic in our community.
My difficulty arises because of the rareness of conversations that aren’t seemingly corny, cheesy or perceived as unwelcoming.
Ultimately, difficulty may arise due to the fact that we live on a campus where sexual expression is discouraged, while the world rampantly promotes liberated expression through sex, lust and power.
Actually, discussing sex may never be comfortable; nevertheless, it’s a discussion that needs more attention on campus.
If Pepperdine doesn’t find a way to address the ever-changing mainstream sex culture, then Beyonce or Nicki Minaj will drive this conversation on their own terms.
When comparing Beyonce’s sexually-fused content versus her non-sexually-fused content, viewership and engagement varies drastically; Beyonce’s “Drunk in Love” garnered 218,965,309 YouTube VEVO views in comparison to the 60,800,394 YouTube VEVO views of her mid-tempo love song, “XO” (both released simultaneously).
Similarly, Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda” generated 248,314,958 YouTube VEVO views in comparison to her tamer “Pills n’ Potion’s” 72,998,851 YouTube VEVO views.
I am not condemning Beyonce’s or Minaj’s freedom in their sexuality or their expression, I’m questioning the subsequent impressions of their expressions.
I find it disheartening when society promotes the limitations of objectification versus the limitlessness individuals may achieve.
If Pepperdine doesn’t popularize healthy conversation about sex further, are we comfortable with potentially having the above phenomena characterize women here on campus?
Finding ways to further promote Pepperdine’s avenues for conversation about the truths and the lies about sex, the sexual expressions, impressions and constructs in today’s popular culture will lead to constructive dialogue.
It can transform the perceptions of women here on campus assuring them that, for instance, women are more than the objects the music at parties hype them up to be and that women are humans with limitless potential to change America and the world.
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Follow Joshua Gray on Twitter: @theJoshuaGray
