I remember the first time I saw this advert for the TV mini series, The Tudors. I did a double-take. When I realized that this was not a deeply affectionate embrace–part of me recoiled.

I have now officially seen this image too often around town and on-line, most recently from the train on a huge billboard last Friday after attending Hillary’s speech. Maybe it was the contrast between seeing a woman as a serious Presidential candidate then seeing this image that brought my tolerance to an end.

Does this image bother you? Cause any difficult feelings or discomfort?

Well, it bothers me.

Of course, some violence is implied here, Henry VIII alone had 6 wives murdered (which must have secured his place in the Misogynist Hall of Fame) and monarchies have, historically, ruled violently. However, I think this is supposed to be, ultimately, a hot image: a ’sexy swoon’ with two beautiful people in some throes of passion, yet that hand at her throat makes MY breathing shallow so imagine what she’s feeling!

Call me some-kind-of-inhibited if you must, but his hand about to squeeze off her jugular is just really ‘unsexy’ to me. It’s forced violence which plays into a male fantasy that women ‘like’ to be forced and raped, not just play-acting but ‘really’. Then there’s her spilled wine, looking, gee, alot like blood to me…

One aspect of Ms. Magazine that I have always appreciated is the “No Comment” section at the end, where they display ads from various sources, brought to their attention by readers, that represent insulting, violent, humiliating and other variations on misogynist images of women.

Ms. doesn’t, pardon my phrasing, ‘dick around’ (obviously) with questions like, “Is it Art or is it violence?” I think when a message in any form simply echoes or promotes an aspect of suffering, instead of bringing it to our attention for consideration–using degradation of and violence against women to sell a TV series, shoes, clothes, bathroom fixtures, perfume, homes–the message is that this is OK and this is the way things are–and no, it’s not Art.

It IS approval of disrespect of and violence against women.

Simple test: do any great works of art come to mind that look like a misogynist advertisement?

Didn’t think so…so we probably wouldn’t lose anything, culturally, if such images ceased to be created. Of course, there are violent images in Art, however they transcend selling laundry detergent and lingerie.

So, this question of Free Speech is a tricky one in our culture, isn’t it. Neo-nazis and gay bashers want free speech. Vigilante groups want the right to practice maneuvers and build and stockpile homemade bombs.

Somehow, I think that the authors of our Constitution were thinking of a more positive and functional society when they advocated free speech as a human right, (along with ‘bearing arms’ in times of war…not ‘everyone can have 5 Uzi’s in his basement!’).

But our current society is ‘illin’, yeah, we’re sick! We need healing. People say and do and create sick things.

Just a fact. So pay attention.

What is censorship, where does it go on, and does it have a role in our society?

Since we’re on the subject of The Tudors, a few weeks ago I saw movie: The Other Boleyn Girl. Power, violence and sex all DO seem to show up together, don’t they? The movie showed this quite powerfully and to its credit, did not fully romanticize them.

The bright light did not glimmer until the end–in the form of a simple historical footnote that, after all the violence that resulted from Henry’s quest to have a son, it was Anne Boleyn’s red-headed daughter, Elizabeth, who became the next monarch of England and ruled for over 45 years. Elizabeth I, the Virgin Queen, she was called by some. Um, right. She surely did not lack for companionship…and she surely was not waiting to see of any lover was going to send her to the executioner’s axe.

So where does this leave us? With, as usual, more questions to be answered–about the true expression of free speech and its responsibilities in the form of Art, eroticism, governance, communication, Capitolism, media.

About our responsibility towards our own and the suffering of others.

About what we see and how we choose to respond to it.

About violence, its nature, and its place in a society.

Whilst pondering these matters, do remember to get some sleep, so thou shalt live to ponder another day ;^).

~ peace and love ~

Ms. SpinC