In solidarity with Women’s Space, I have decided to take her advice and call this post “Britney Spears’ Crotch” and add that link to her post of a similar name. This is partly to eff up (in deference to the owner of this blog) search engines for those particular search terms (I didn’t realize that was a common search…). Also partly as a forum for a feminist rant: objectification of women, especially of women in the spotlight.

Now I will be the first to admit that Britney Spears is hardly a clarion for feminism world-wide. I will probably be among the last to admit that I like her music (<shiftylook>which I really really do…</shiftylook>). But, at the same time, I respect her for her courage to be slutty…which kinda sounds bad when I reread that. So often, women’s sexuality is coopted by men (apologies to feminist men in the room) and women who control their own sexuality are looked down on. It took me a long time to realize that sexuality was “okay” and “normal”. And to me, that is indicative of a really effed up word.

When I was in highschool, I started really liking the Spice Girls (another admission I’m generally loathe to make…see how lucky you people are?); in fact, I’m currently obsessed with the Girls’ current works outside of the group. Geri Halliwell has done really well, Mel C. less so but still has some great stuff…but I digress. I was attrached to them as a young (”budding” as my father would no doubt say) woman because they exemplified feminine power. Although my parents never, ever indicated to me in any way that, because I was female, I might be restricted to certain fields, there was a certain assumption that marriage and children would be involved. My mother, in fact, in addition to having 6 children, has a neurotic desire to contribute to the family income at all times. In any case, at this point in my life, I was realizing that I could be aCatholic (in the Greek sense of “a”) and still be a good person. My best friend had a copy of a book called Our Bodies, Ourselves which seemed to me to hold secrets that Catholics were not privy to. And dating seemed a distinct possibility. The Spice Girls, Britney Spears, Anouk, and 20 Fingers were women who were in control of not just themselves, but the men around them. Perhaps militantly, at times. This role-reversal was dangerous, attractive, and within reach. Now I have Destiny’s Child, Christina Aguillera (though I thought she was Michael Jackson when I heard “Fighter”), and, perhaps weirdly, Evanescence.

*ahem* back to Britney Spears and her crotch. While I was disgusted by the recent statue, mostly because of it’s purported use and it’s seemingly latent pornography, I respect her for bringing birth into the mainstream. (although her reaction to it may be rather telling…) I respect her ambivilence to traditional marriage and, to some extent, share it. I admire her courage to act like a man in relationships and to send her partners packing when she’s done. These are not necessarily actions I would like to emulate, but certainly they are no worse than a man doing the same. I mostly, however, admire her desire to be a mother; and a single mother at that. Now, she may not have gone into this desiring to be a single mother, but she has the means to be a successful one. And perhaps she will help bring to society’s attention to plight of those struggling as single mothers. At least, attention which will help them rather than simply marrying them off.

So here’s to Britney Spears: a strong woman in the public eye who makes mistakes, succeeds, and does her own thing without fear of the ridicule of the media. And here’s to her crotch: site of a magical event, birthplace of her son, much-maligned object of desire.