Letter to the Editor: Idea of censorship of sexuality unwise

In Response to “Sexual Content in Media in Need of Censorship” by Shedwin Eliassin:

The idea that we should apply more censorship to sexuality in the media is a misguided one. First of all, who would decide what should be censored and what should not? While there are lines regarding moral behavior, I do not feel it is proper for one person to impose his or her moral code upon anybody else.

Morality is subjective and is directly linked to an individual’s personal beliefs. The type of censorship you speak of would be indirectly imposing on people’s beliefs.

Secondly, should such censorship occur, where would the line be drawn? While it is wrong to objectify women, what is wrong with celebrating the beauty of the female form? Women are beautiful! To censor female beauty is just as undermining to an aspect of their humanity.

Would you prefer that all women in media wear turtlenecks and other form-concealing attire? Perhaps we should make it a standard that women in media wear veils or masks—after all, a beautiful woman’s face can be just as sultry and arousing as her breasts or rear-end.

On another note, why is everybody so up in arms when it comes to sex in the media? Sex is natural. Sex is a part of what makes us human beings. Sex is a good thing! Why attack sex when media is inundated with violence? Bringing harm to another human being is much more wrong than sexuality, yet it is infinitely more pervasive in our media.

Just do a quick recap of the movies and television programming you watch, the video games you play, even some of the music you listen to! It’s all rife with violence!

In my opinion constant exposure to violence is much more detrimental to the minds of individuals (let alone impressionable children), yet there are significantly fewer calls to censor such material.

Lastly, the censorship of sexuality opens the door to more media censorship. What’s to say those on the hypothetical “Censorship Board” are partial to some political or religious organization? Who’s to say the censorship won’t extend into other aspects of the media?

An overly censored state is an ignorant state. Its people confined to what those in power deem acceptable. No thank you, Ms. Eliassin. I’ll keep my sex.

-Chris Lazaga, Senior, Journalism

1 Comment on "Letter to the Editor: Idea of censorship of sexuality unwise"

  1. “Why attack sex when media is inundated with violence?”

    Because sex is more dangerous than violence. I find this all very amusing.

    But, there is a rational concern here. Those who are advocating censorship are looking to have the world comport to their views of right and wrong. They want to live in a society that is in accordance with their beliefs. As such, they don’t want to see certain things on television.

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