'Femail' writer objects to the recent glorification of female masturbation

A British columnist decries the popularity of female masturbation in the media, claiming that it's a step backwards for women and that by agreeing to appear in films like Shortbus the actresses become "no different from either exhibitionists or porn stars."

It's hard to know where to begin. I would think that you wouldn't become an actor if you didn't have some comfort with exhibitionism. I dislike the implication – which is strong, when you read the whole piece and see the quote in context – that while she writes "no different from" she means "no better than," as if exhibitionists and porn stars are inherently less than other women.

I appreciate her making herself clear that she doesn't object to masturbation in general, and that she doesn't think "empowering women" means "make women into men."

And yet, the assumption that women should not be "complicit" in bringing female masturbation out of the closet makes me a little sad.

"Because however high-minded your justification for exposing your private parts to public scrutiny, you still wouldn't be doing it unless either you enjoyed it or you were paid for it," she writes.

What's wrong with enjoying it? Or being paid for it? Who wouldn't be delighted to be paid for doing something enjoyable?

Which is why this latest rash of explicit offerings on the TV and cinema screen fills me with such a profound sense of disappointment and unease.

For when misguided dollies are persuaded to prove their 'liberation' by letting it all hang out in the most public of arenas, who do we think they are appealing to? Not other women, that's for sure.

No. All they have done is turned themselves into sex objects, there for the salacious pleasure of priapic men, to be exploited and gawped at and belittled by those who get their kicks from peeping at women's naughty bits.

They can call it science, education or art if they like. All they've really done is got their kit off for the dirty mac brigade.

I guess I don't think of it as that important, not "heavy" like liberation, science, education, or art. Not everything has to be imbued with Deep Meaning.

And I fully support women's freedom to provide pleasure to men when and if they feel like it. What, I'm going to dance around in heels and slip my hand down my g-string for myself? What fun is that?