While trolling for news this morning, I came across Catherine Townsend’s blog at The Independent/UK.  It seems Ms Townsend is the “sex and dating” columnist for the paper.  She was blogging about a debate she had participated in at Cambridge Union:

Tonight, I’m due to partake in a debate at the Cambridge Union on the motion “This House regards Jordan as a Feminist Icon” along with, among others, Edwina Currie and Abi Titmuss. Depending on whom you ask, she’s either an evil, amoral slapper who corrupts children and is bringing on the downfall of civilisation, or a modern-day heroine.

Sadly, women can often be the most vicious misogynists. Men are historically brutal and competitive, but at least they are honest about it.  [emphasis mine]

more here

I didn’t have any idea who “Jordan” was so I went looking.  It turns out that Jordan is an alter-ego for the very high-priced and successful model, Katie Price.  On her website, Katie describes herself thus:

I’m well known for my frank, direct views and bold statements on issues that concern me. My no-nonsense approach has earned me the status of ‘thinking man’s crumpet’ as well as making me a strong, realistic female icon for many ordinary girls and women. [my emphasis again]

Townsend lost the debate.  But she loved participating and concluded that

For the record, I do think that Jordan is a feminist icon. Everyone may not agree with her choices, but she’s done everything on her own, and feminism is about the right to choose one’s own path. Besides, icons can be both loved and loathed, and this debate about women who use their sexuality to advance their careers is nothing new: we were having the same argument about Madonna in 1991.

Since Townsend believes she is in a position to decide who is a feminist and who isn’t, I guess she would stake that territory for herself as well.  I guess her definition of “feminist” would be something along these lines: a woman who does whatever she wants, including valorizing men for “brutality and competitiveness” and insulting women, painting them as [universally?] dishonest, vicious, manipulative.  Also, someone who elevates another woman to the status of “feminist”, that woman being someone who takes primary pleasure from being “the thinking man’s crumpet” and thus an excellent role model for girls and women.

Townsend claims to be a “sexual adventuress” and delights in publicizing her exploits:

Until I met James, my injuries during sex were pretty much limited to carpet burns, the odd bite-mark, and, since my skin is pale and tends to blacken on impact like an overripened banana, no small amount of bruising. 

But on our last date, right after several martinis and a very energetic session between the sheets, I felt intense pleasure – followed by a shooting pain in my right eye.

“Baby, the room is spinning,” I said, panicked. 

“Yeah, I know, that felt totally amazing to me, too,” he said, taking my hand in his.

“No… everything is out of focus. I can’t see!” 

So our romantic evening ended in casualty, where I was wedged between a guy with a hacking cough and a woman with three feral children trying to choke each other. I read an out-of-date magazine with my good eye and tried not to freak out. 

Finally, it was my turn, and after a brief chat with the nurse I was sent to see a young, fit doctor. After asking what medication I was on, he got to the, “So, do you have any idea what caused this?” question. 

I blushed, before blurting out that it happened when I had an orgasm. “What I think you have here is a popped blood vessel,” he said, “it’s not that uncommon, so you shouldn’t be embarrassed.” 

Even in my humiliated state, I found it seriously hot that this man was taking charge.

more here if you can stand it

There’s an awful lot of embarassment and humiliation going on here for someone so sexually liberated.  The whole scenario could be a scene from a trashy Victorian porn novel – blushing woman in a compromised position swooning [almost] in the arms of virile but sensitive rescuer.

I thought that, perhaps, there was some cultural thing going on here that I had failed to understand.  Till a little more digging revealed that Townsend was born in Arkansas and lately wrote for New York Magazine.

If being a feminist means caving to the power of the male gaze and the objectification of women as sex objects, then I’ve gotten too old.  If women were defining their sexual behaviour in ways that somehow fell radically outside those parameters, and some women I know do, then I might understand …

But then I don’t think this is what feminism means to most feminists.  My day is saved.  Time to strap on my Birkenstocks and get some air.