MASTURBATING MIRROR
When I look at the media, (TV and movies) I notice how open society is about men masturbating. The playboy magazines and porn settings all imply very heavily The media reinforces that men are naturally very sexual and pleasing themselves are apart of puberty. If you go by our media, women don’t masturbate.
The first story I saw of women masturbating on screen was in the indie coming of age film, Towelhead. A young middle eastern girl is finding her sexuality as puberty hits with a very inappropriate and intense relationship with her neighbor. It was very eye-opening for many reasons. For one, she was young. She was obsessed with pleasuring herself. There aren’t many movies or shows in today’s media that highlight female masturbation.
You have to search high and low to get a representation of women “doing their own thing,” even during my own research it was very scarce. You can find articles on how to masturbate which is becoming more encourageable, thankfully. Yet we need more representation and not just on women doing it when they are stressed and lonely but rather, as apart of self-care/love.
Why is masturbation healthy? And why is representation important?
The release and high from sexual intercourse are found in masturbation, probably more intimate and intense because it’s just you, and all your love. The endorphins are released just as they are with any feel-good interaction. Masturbating is great for keeping you level-headed and clear minded. No one else is involved (unless you count porn or visualizations of intercourse with another person during the solo act).
Representation, for women especially, is very important due to the reason women need to embrace this form of self-care. Men have us beat by a long shot (no pun intended), we have not been encouraged to discover ourselves on that level of intimacy, it’s truly taboo, even in this day and age to some degree. To see, read and hear of women who indulge in masturbation share their experiences and journey is encouraging enough to want to further explore our own without judging ourselves. We are not alone, although the act is.
As someone who has embraced masturbation as apart of self-love, I can tell you not seeing women on tv engage in masturbation definitely delayed my journey of self-discovery. I used to think masturbation was just dildos and penetrations and was turned off by the idea of it. Finding articles on it, were rare a few years back but with magazines like cosmopolitan, their articles sparked conversations and opened up a new world, mainly on social media. I did my own research and tested out what felt good to me. I felt more balanced and at ease. A sense of empowerment surged through once I realized I was in control of how I reached orgasms and I didn’t necessarily need a man to do so. There are so many forms of masturbation, finding what works for you is key.
I stumbled upon many articles during my research below are the two that intrigued and educated me the most. The power of seeing women masturbate on TV and What 60 years of research say about masturbation. Definitely, worth the read, very interesting perspectives and data collected. These two articles shed light on two important aspects: how far the masturbation of both genders has come in 60 years and the power of representation of women masturbating on TV. I know with the conversation becoming more common and less taboo, the media will soon reflect how tolerant our society is towards masturbating women.
How do you feel about masturbation? Share your story and perspective in the comments below.
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