Vajazzles and other depressing forms of commodified patriarchy

"It's a sexist world. We just live in it. For women in this world, the choice not to convert our bodies into a tool for the beauty industry to exploit is the one that's seen as odd, different, and weird. For us, the simple choice not to invest the time, money, and concern into shaving our armpits is the one that marks us as somehow less of a real woman. But really, the choice not to shave is the one that requires more energy for women, because we stand to be dismissed as dirty, masculine, man-hating hippies if we abstain. When the "woman's choice!" advocates argue that deciding to Vajazzle or not Vajazzle—for that truly is the question—is just a matter of personal taste, they are putting their fingers in their ears and talking really, really loudly in an attempt to deny the culture in which these choices are made."

Sexuality has been an essential battling ground for human society. The definition and conception of gender (and it's relation to sexuality) is a prime way of deriving conflict and inequalities between large groups of people. The cultural and social evolution of gender and gender roles helps determine the balance of power between genders (or even if there is a conflict generating a struggle making the concept of a "balance of power" operative). This battle has taken different forms over different societies and different time periods. Since the origins of capitalism (which is controversial but can be placed to around the late 14th century), this battle hand entered a new battlefield: the area of commodities. Within this context, it is very logical for capitalists to generate products that are derived from and reinforce gender inequality.

From hair products, to salons, to beauty products and the differences between gendered clothing, gender is something that is sold and resold. It is also highly profitable. In addition, the people who make the business decisions surrounding the production of these products have an interest (besides economic) to reproduce these inequalities (or the process of moving through the hierarchy of a corporation has weeded out any desire to confront these issues). Products that directly relate to sex have been very popular since the sexual revolution of the second half of the twentieth century. One could almost view it as a reaction to feminism and the kind of sexual revolution feminists were originally discussing.Things like "waxing" one's genitalia is something that has gone from exotic, to something that is "expected" in many quarters of our society

A new product that threatens to go through this transformation is "vajazzling". a prerequisite of this product is "waxing". Essentially, this is simply adhesive attaching jewels to one's crotch (see the picture above from the vajazzling website). It only lasts a maximum of 5 days and may start causing irritation and such if your hair grows back quickly. As with the beginning of many of these products, it has gotten a huge reaction from woman and has been denounced widely (see the newspaper blog cited above for example). It is also, however popular with some people (and even has a celebrity endorsement). Notice how this product, like many feminine products, involves the performance of femininity rather then being masculine (which usually involves no action eg. growing body hair out). This product, like many products reinforcing gender inequalities threatens to become more ubiquitous, and thus more difficult for feminists and anti-sexists to deal with.

Works cited.

Hess, Amanda. "The Problem With Defending The Sacred Choice to Vajazzle." Washington City Paper. Web. 01 May 2012. <http://www.washingtoncitypaper.com/blogs/sexist/2010/03/15/the-problem-with-defending-the-sacred-choice-to-vajazzle/>.