Selling Sex
Girls & Women on show.
In 1987 the British tabloid ‘The Star’ began a countdown. It was not to Christmas, the Queen’s birthday, or the release date of Rick Astley’s eponymous (and may I say brilliant) hit, ‘Never Gonna Give You Up.’ No, nothing so unexciting. The countdown was, in fact, to the 16th birthday of Natalie Banus. Why, you may ask so much excitement for the previously unknown London teen’s sweet sixteen?
As millions of other girls celebrated with a trip to the local ice-rink or a cinema trip to see Superman IV, Natalie was preparing for great exposure, in every sense of the word. Before she had time to open her presents, put the cards on the mantlepiece or slice the cake, millions of people would be admiring her ‘assets’ over tea and toast before setting out for the day. She would appear topless to the nation.
In todays climate it seems almost unthinkable that this would be a normal story to run, but things were very different then, to a point, but I’ll get to that later. The sexualising of children just seemed normal, because it was, well, normal. In film, televisions and newspapers. ‘The Sun’ was probably the most famous of all for its Page 3 ‘lovelies',’ Sam Fox being the most prominent (every other word seems to be a fnarr fnarr moment here). I certainly didn’t think anything of it, it was everywhere, not least in my dad’s clipping collection where Jilly Johnson loomed large (see, another one).
If I’m honest, at 16 I would have gotten my boobs out for the nationals on promise of a glittering career and a golden paved life in ‘that there’ London. It’s normal for human beings, male and female, to desire status through admiration. If you can’t be famous for your singing voice, your writing or your acting talents, then ‘getting them out for the lads’ might seem like a great alternative as a path to money and fame.
Let’s not forget at this time there was also a very famous rock star in his late forties was sleeping with a fourteen year old girl and everybody knew about it. He went on to marry her (how chivalrous, it must have been love then…expect it didn’t last and she suffered multiple mental health and physical issues for years afterwards).
In the same year Natalie appeared topless, the film Rita, Sue & Bob Too premiered in the UK. A film that now we are aghast at, and probably would never be made even though it has incredibly strong artistic and cultural merits. Two fifteen year old girls having it off with the much older dad they babysat for. In a car, while the other waited… ‘Is it my turn yet?’ teen two calls from the back seat as she watches on, impatiently.
Rita, Sue & Bob Too was written by Andrea Dunbar, a young girl writing from her own life on the Buttershaw estate. Andrea was an incredible writer who had her work produced against the odds. Encouraged by a teacher, her work went on to be performed at The Royal Court. Andrea wasn’t writing for titilliation (and so it goes on), she was writing what she saw and experienced, and it was a tough life. That’s the difference, it should have been a wake up call. Sadly Andrea, who struggled for many years with alcoholism and the derision of those living on the estate who resented the portrayal, died in a pub before her thirtieth birthday. A huge talent gone.
Another film that year was the brilliant ‘Wish You Were Here’ starring the hugely talented Emily Lloyd and based loosely on the early life of the infamous and much loved brothel owner, Cynthia Payne. Another tale of a young girl used by an older man, which ended in pregnancy and her ousting from polite society.
So that was then and this is now. We are surely more aware of the potential pitfalls of sexualising young girls? Well generally I think so. What women do in their twenties and onwards is up to them. Any negative consequences that may arise are presumably expected, or at least they will be in a place to deal with them. But today we have social media and the likes of Only Fans. Instagram is awash with what the kids call Thirst Traps. A phrase to describe those grid pictures or posts (not just by young women, but highly educated, professional ones too) that garner the most attention by being overtly sexually in dress or pose, often described as a humble ‘Saturday Selfie!’ but in reality, there to gain likes for attention and validation.
But I only worry about the young girls, even though I understand it completely, and as I said, I would have done it in my teens had I not had probably the worst body and self esteem issues at that age. If your only choices are working in a dead end job for peanuts, or taking scantily clad photos for payment or the hope of a better life, then of course it’s an attractive proposition. But nothing is ever completely gone from the Internet, nothing, and that’s hard to comprehend in the confetti of a thousand ‘likes’ and fire emojis.
On researching Only Fans I read a very poignant piece (by a male writer) about the platform. It’s last line is as pertinent now as it was in the 80’s…
‘It does feel like as long as a woman exists, there will be a lonely man on the internet willing to pay for her.’
Sex always has, and always will sell in all its forms and for the most part, where consenting adults 25+ are concerned, that ok. Let’s just make sure these young girls are protected, and go into the arena fully aware, so that if the raging lion of regret comes bounding along, it doesn’t tear them apart.
Sally-Anne x
I write female led thrillers, two of which have been published by Joffe Books (a third out later this year!). If this is your kind of book then you can buy here.
