What is the Point, Christina Aguilera?

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month. It is also Domestic Violence Awareness Month as well as more than a dozen other designations:

  • Adopt a Shelter Dog Month

  • American Pharmacist Month

  • Apple Jack Month

  • Awareness Month

  • Breast Cancer Awareness Month

  • Clergy Appreciation Month

  • Computer Learning Month

  • Cookie Month

  • Domestic Violence Awareness Month

  • Eat Country Ham Month

  • International Drum Month

  • Lupus Awareness Month

  • National Diabetes Month

  • National Pizza Month

  • National Vegetarian Month

  • National Popcorn Popping Month

  • Sarcastic Month

  • Seafood Month

I’m not quite sure who determines each “official” month designation, but it’s sad that something as important as domestic violence awareness has to share the stage with National Pizza Month, Eat Country Ham Month, National Popcorn Popping Month and International Drum Month. Susan G. Komen has done a great job of bringing awareness to breast cancer and rightly so. According to the American Cancer Society, “The chance of a woman having invasive breast cancer some time during her life is about 1 in 8,” with over 226,000 new cases of invasive breast cancer in women being diagnosed annually.”

These are difficult statistics, especially if, like me, you have had a loved one die of breast cancer. But consider this:

According to the CDC, 1 in 4 women “have experienced domestic violence in her lifetime.” (HAVE EXPERIENCED, not the 1 in 8 that have a chance of being diagnosed with invasive breast cancer,” as the statistic shows above. And, measure the over 226,000 cases of new breast cancer diagnosis every year, against U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) estimates that between, “960,000 incidents of violence against a current or former spouse, boyfriend, or girlfriend to 3 million women who are physically abused by their husband or boyfriend per year.”

THAT IS CRUSHING! DOJ statistics also note that “Women accounted for 85% of the victims of intimate partner violence, men for approximately 15%.”

My point in putting these two issues side by side is to make a point about Christina Aguilera’s new song, “Your Body.” Here’s some of the lyrics:

Came here tonight to get you out of my mind,
I’m gonna take what I find. (uh oh, yeah)
So open the box, don’t need no key I’m unlocked.
And I won’t tell you to stop. (uh oh, yeah)

(Hey boy)
I don’t need to know where you’ve been,
All I need to know is you and no need for talking.(hey boy)
So don’t even tell me your name,
All I need to Know is whose place,
And let’s get walkin’.

So, she doesn’t care who she picks up, doesn’t want to know his name, just where to go to have sex. There are so many things wrong with this scenario and no woman should ever think this is a good idea. In addition to diseases, rape and murder also come to mind – 1 in 4 “have experienced domestic violence in her lifetime.” – and some believe this number is low since many women refuse to prosecute.

I suppose that Aguilera might argue that her music video shows that she’s in charge because she apparently has sex with the strangers and then kills them. I don’t get it.

Let’s raise the bar for our daughters and talk to them about any thing that degrades them and any one.

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