Unit D - Blog 25

Sexualized behavior has many pros and cons. Being sexual can have benefits, rather if it is at work or not. Many women can exploit this to get ahead, some men are able to as well, but it is much more affiliated with women. Is it right to flirt and be sexual to gain advantage over others? No. But many people do. If women have the opportunity to use it as a weapon, then that gives them an easier opportunity to get to places they have struggled to get to because they are women. I don’t think it is ethical, but it certainly happens. I was trying to think of analogies when considering this topic and the one that stuck out to me the most wasn’t in the work place. The most common and exploited use of sexualized behavior as a weapon is at the bar. I can’t tell you how many conversations I overhear at ASU and bars where girls are talking about talking or flirting with a guy to get a free drink. I have even had female co-workers that I have gone out with and had them flirt with a dude to get a drink, and then they hand it to me. This is a pro because they are saving money. You can relate that to work and say that this type of behavior would be beneficial because they would earn more pay, or have lower work expectations, etc.

The cons are pretty obvious. It is demeaning to women. It isn’t ethical to gain advantages based off or looks and sexual behavior. In one of my classes I learned about the “myth of meritocracy.” Meritocracy basically means that the individual with the most merit, and most deserving based off of performance and accomplishment, will be the individual that will receive the benefit, or position. This is called a myth because our society doesn’t work off of that. There are individuals that can have sexual influence, there are prejudices, biases for friends, and many other things that influence who will receive the benefit and reward of positions and promotions.

The strategy of sexualized behavior in the media is everywhere. Hospital and doctor shows usually display sexual affairs between doctors and nurses. These reality TV shows where many women are fighting for one man’s love, and vice versa, are always about the contestants trying to get their 12 seconds of fame. These shows have now transformed into who is really there for the cause, not there for the fame. This type of thing is all over the media from dramas, to reality, and everything in between. These media examples are what socialize this type of behavior as acceptable.