Hall of Shame - Angelina Jolie's Leg

I was not one of the many people watching the Oscars on Sunday night, but I have heard about Angelina Jolie's right leg.  

This picture (along with thousands of others of Jolie) is evidence of Jolie's status as a sex icon in our society.  But she is not just a sex icon, she is a loving and caring mother.  There are also thousands of pictures of her with her kids.

Jolie embodies our society's conflicting message about female sexuality.  Women and girls constantly see images of women dressed provocatively.  These images set the standard for what is sexy in our society.  But then women and girls also receive messages about being "good girls" and may be labeled as a slut based on their clothes and/or behavior.  

These conflicting messages - the virgin vs. the whore - are incredibly confusing for women and girls.  It is important for each of us - male or female - to think about how these messages about female sexuality impact us and our own sexuality.  It is also important to continue to have a dialogue about the contradictions and bring light to the fact that women and girls are increasingly sexualized but are not punished and judged when they act on their sexuality.