My husband told me about this site and I'm not sure how I feel about it yet.
The premise seems to be that people send in amateur videos of themselves stripping and for every view each video gets clothes or money for clothes is donated to those who need them. I am always in favor of helping out others in need but this seems to be the PETA approach to bringing attention to a cause. They claim to screen the videos so i wonder how many end up not being posted and why? I haven't looked at the videos yet due to a slow internet connection right now but i'm going to make some guesses: most videos will be of women and most of the women will follow conventional beauty standards.
I get the MTVing of good causes my making them hip and cool but I wonder if the ends really does justify the means in this case. I have nothing against stripping and kudos for the girls that are doing this to help a good cause. I'm more concerned about whether the people viewing this are doing to help a good cause or to get to see girls strip. I just don't think I can fully get behind the objectication of women to promote something, even a good cause.
Am I over-reacting? What do others think?
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Personally, I drooled a bit watching the guys strip, but alas, I am only human.
But the way they are going about the fundraising makes me raise an eyebrow. I'm honestly not sure I like it.
Well, the top video on their site was a dude (though he was mostly conventionally pretty), just as a note of interest. Apparently, he's a musician, but I don't recognize him.
I feel like it's an odd combination. It rubs me the wrong way a little. The people don't have to show their faces, it seems (as there were a few videos with the faces obscured in one way or another), but very little body diversity. There was some pretty awesome dancing, though.
In the end, I think it's all right. Most of this seems to be self-directed (and consented to), and it helps people. If it turns out they're racist or sexist or weight bigots or something, then they should probably be told something. If not, then I suppose it's no big deal to me.
hmmm
I suppose the argument could be made that there is a lot more to stripping than objectification.
I suppose it could be liberating for some of the folks sending in the images.
It's not the way I choose to raise money for charity, but, I wont blast the folks who have gone that route
if
they are actually supporting the cause they claim to support
if
they are not choosing which video's get posted based on antiquated, prejudiced, mainstream media views of what is or isn't attractive.
I also wont support it by going to the site and adding another hit to their count.
I think this is typical for PETA, unfortunately.