On sex, violence, and kids.

Ok, I lied. I do still have internet access until tomorrow, so I'm going to post another blog.

It's time for another one of my lengthy, disjointed rants about our culture and some of the idiocy that abounds in our society.

Would someone please explain to me why sex is worse than violence?

Example 1: I knew a woman whose 6 year old loved slasher movies and horror movies. Now, my initial reaction is, "Who lets their 6 or younger watch such movies in the first place?" But it gets better. She took her 6 and 12 year olds to see "Hostel". Yes, "Hostel". A movie I -- a 20-something year old with a strong stomach -- refuse to see. I knew what it was about, and just like I refuse to see movies like "Saw" and "Touristas", I refuse to see "Hostel" because I think it's disgusting to watch human beings get their rocks off by torturing others. But, she thought it was perfectly appropriate for her daughters, ages 6 and 12. I was stunned to hear that she would do it, but it gets even better! As anyone who has seen the movie in question will tell you, "Hostel" starts out with some serious smexing. Well, my friend didn't know this. When it started, she was horrified, and walked out of the theatre with her kids.

So, to review: 6 year old. 12 year old. Both perfectly ok with slasher films and horror movies. But sex is the deal-breaker for "Hostel"? Whiskey Tango Foxtrot, Over?

Example 2: Grand Theft Auto and its various incarnations. Now, I'm not exactly conservative, but I do find it unsettling to watch kids playing GTA. I won't play the game myself, mostly because it's just not my cup of tea, but when I see elementary school-aged kids playing it, that just doesn't sit right. Yet I know plenty of parents who were fine with it...until they found out about the cheat code that allows you to pick up a silver vibrator for some extra points, and about some sequences in which the character is shown having sex. Seriously? You have no problem with your kid playing a game in which they shoot cops, steal things, shoot innocent people, run people over, and destroy property, but the implication of sex, or a sex TOY, is a problem?

Example 3: (and much thanks to Ms Papercuts for mentioning this when, unbeknownst to her, I was writing this blog) "Breaking Dawn", the craptacular vampire novel that concludes the "Twilight" series by Stephenie Meyers, is taking a beating because of implied pedophilia. For those unfamiliar with the series:

--- SPOILER ALERT ---

When the stupid human chick and the 108 year old virgin vampire sparkly dude finally do "teh deed", he knocks her up. When the baby is born, one of the characters is a werewolf, sees the baby, "imprints" or whatever and bonds with the baby, knowing he'll marry her 7 years later. Vampires and other such non-human creatures mature much faster than us mere mortals, so when she's 7, she's effectively an adult.

--- END SPOILER ALERT ---

Anyway. Bottom line, you have an adult drawn to a child who, in very short order, will no longer be a child because vampires and such mature at a faster rate than humans, which just adds to the mystery and stupidity of Edward "not gonna smex yet" Cullen being a virgin for over a century...but I digress. There are some people freaking the fark out because -- ZOMG!!! -- an adult is drawn to an under-18 child. Which, ok, I certainly don't condone pedophilia, but in this context, it really isn't pedophilia.

And the bottom line? The books are about vampires. There is violence, killing, etc. But is anyone up in arms over that? No...they're basically taking something out of fiction, applying it to our society's rules, and FINDING a reason to be upset over a technicality...because in their warped little minds, Dude wants to to bang a first grader.

Now, does such a thing warrant a raised eyebrow? Sure. Just think critically, realize the context is different, and it's not as bad as it initially sounds. But my point here is that no one is doing that with regard to the violence in the very same series. I've heard more people get upset because Edward "holy hell I'm finally getting laid" Cullen manages to bruise Bella "OMG I think I'm a fainting goat" Swan during sex, so obviously he's abusing her. HEADDESK. Bruising during sex = abuse/bad/etc. Killing people = entertainment.

With those three examples, do you see where I'm going with this? We lose our freaking minds over sex in books, TV, and movies, but violence isn't that big of a deal. We truly have become desensitized to violence, but I think we are hypersensitive to sex.

I've heard parents get their panties in a wad about seeing Kate Winslet's naked breast -- in an extremely tasteful and quite beautiful scene -- in "Titanic", but they didn't seem to mind a bunch of innocent people frozen to deadsicles in the Atlantic or some guy's body bouncing off the ship's propellor. The backseat scene in the same movie offended people, but I didn't hear many people objecting to Rose's fiance being abusive during the breakfast scene. A whole ship full of people dying a terrifying, horrible death, but you're pissed off about a woman asking a man to draw her naked. Sure, people. Okay.

Do I think children should be watching sex? Of course not. But I don't think they should be watching violence either. It is a warped double standard when the graphic violence of Grand Theft Auto is "no big deal", but a vibrator is enough to warrant taking the game away.

Sex is not offensive. It's not dirty, vulgar, or filthy (well, it is if it's done right...but you know what I mean...). Violence is offensive. Most kids will grow up to be functioning adults who have sex (yes, parents: your children will one day have sex)...fortunately, very few will grow up to be car thieves, serial killers, and vampires. So why do we shield them from something that is healthy and normal, while at the same time saturate their minds with blood, gore, violence, and depravity?