Gender Representation and the Silence of the Men

Over the course of reading everyone's (well, most) posts, I have been surprised by the absence of a male perspective on gender representation. The often cited video clips of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera and even Madonna, not to mention almost every 'mainstream' female music star there is, do contain an excessive amount of sexual activity and suggestivity. And criticism of this is justified. Yes, the objectification of women is a negative thing, but not solely because it exploits the women in front of the lens. In an equal capacity, it assumes certain traits about men, stereotyping them as much as it does women. When I see a billboard, TV advertisement, music video or magazine that presents women in a sexual manner, I am being interpellated as a straight and incredibly horny man with no self-control or respect for the woman in the media object (let alone respect for myself). Now, I am a straight man, and I am insulted by the pervasiveness of explicit sexuality in the media, this mindset that says "We know how to get your money, and we will get it, damn it!" The present situation is empowering to no one (unless your name is Murdoch or Packer).