U.S.A. Today features this terrific op-ed by Los Angeles writer Elizabeth Sandoval (hat tip: Dawn Eden):
“I don’t want to have sex. Clarification: I do want to have sex, but only with my husband. And I don’t have one of those yet.
“No, I am not an ultraconservative who is cohabitating with a houseful of cats and TiVo’ing Lifetime movies. I’m a middle-of-the-road 32-year-old who likes tattoos and loud music. And yes, I am cute (I’ve been told by friends and strangers alike). So you can put aside the notion that I’m bitter about not being offered the chance to have sex.
“What I am is a neo-feminist. Definition: ‘One who respects her body so much that she won’t allow it to be used as someone’s playground.'”
Says Sandoval:
“Members of the ‘Sex is Natural and Fun and If It Makes You Happy, It Can’t Be That Bad’ club want sex so badly that they willingly and repeatedly live out the following scenario: Things go ‘great’ for a month or two. Sex quickly becomes a part of your interactions. Maybe he even meets your parents. And then, well, things just change. He dumps you or you dump him.
“Regardless of why the relationship died, you are now one of many women whom he could point out on the street. ‘See her?’ he can tell his buddies. ‘She’s cute, huh? Yeah, I had her.’ I never want to be ‘her.'”
As might be expected, the rad-fems who believe that falling into bed with every guy you meet makes you “powerful” are livid over this piece. Just for starters, check out the multiple apoplexy fits from the grrls at Feministing and Pandagon.