Rose

Above is the link to my Tumblr that begins with the two images I will now discuss which I have found in ladies room stalls. I have seen images such as these many times in my life in many a bathroom stall, we all have. As a female-bodied individual who identifies as such, I have not witnessed such things written in men’s restrooms but have been told by peers that images of the like do exist.

These images share a common ground: both attempt to police female sexuality and adherence to acceptable female gender roles. How does this reflect society’s expectations when it comes to acceptable female sexuality? What follows is my short analysis of each photo, but I really want to hear your thoughts.

‘Standard ASU Female’ was found in a ladies room on ASU campus in Tempe, Arizona. The initial defacement to the “How to examine your breasts” instructions was the Girls Gone Wild reference. The first thing that has been accomplished with this “tag” is the turning of something about the health of female bodies (in this case an instruction for how one can examine one’s own breasts for any abnormalities that could be indicative of cancer) into something sexual. This furthers the gaze of the female body as a purely sexual object to be ogled. This is tied perfectly to what Girls Gone Wild represents: uninhibited (often by intoxicative substance) display of female sexuality for male viewing pleasure. This portrayal ...