Our view: Miss America Pageant made the right choice

By Herald editorial board Today at 6:25 a.m.

Herald editorial board

In 1982, Pulitzer Prize-winning editorialist Jack Rosenthal of the New York Times wrote that every era needs a taboo.

Rosenthal noted that in the Victorian age — the 1840s through 1900 — the taboo was sex. Meanwhile, death was discussed constantly.

That's probably because people of the Victorian era were constantly around death. They died at home, and often their relatives were charged with preparation and burial. The dead lay in state on dining room tables in parlors and living rooms. Sometimes, families would pose for one final group portrait with the deceased.

Today, death usually happens in hospitals and hospice care. Preparation for funerals is done behind the scenes at businesses designed for the task.

Because of that, few people openly talk of death, and death always catches us by surprise — at least much more so than it did our Victorian ancestors.

So in the 1800s, death was discussed freely and sex was never mentioned in polite, refined circles. This has been completely reversed in the past century, and today it seems few talk openly about death, but sex and pornography is apparent at every turn.

That's worrisome, since studies continue to find links between pornography and violence. A website called "Fight the new drug" lays out a strong case. It notes that research has confirmed that those who consume pornography are more likely to support statements that promote abuse and sexual aggression toward women and girls.

Sexually explicit images and pornography won't be going away anytime soon, either. Formerly confined to magazines and backroom movies, sex has become more mainstream thanks to the internet and, especially, cell phones.

A website called dosomething.org — which touts itself as a global movement of young people making positive change online and off — claims 24 percent of high school-aged teens and 33 percent of college-aged students have been involved in some sort of nude sexting.

If so, that's one in four high school students and one in three college students. It boggles the mind.

At the same time, non-nude — yet still provocative — photography on cell phones is everywhere, thanks to Instagram and similar sites.

It's why we're glad the Miss America Pageant last month announced it will end its swimsuit competition, proclaiming it therefore will no longer judge its contestants on physical appearance.

Pornography, sexting and provocative, explicit photos continue to entice American youngsters. It's good to see an organization like Miss America take a stand and, hopefully, make a point with young Americans.

Sex is now mainstream. We suppose there isn't much we can do about that.

But as adults, we see opportunities for reminding young people about the dangers of pornography, sexting and fixation on image. The Miss America decision is a good example of someone finally showing that looks — and sexual images and appeal — aren't everything.

We wouldn't mind a little of that taboo coming back en vogue.

http://www.grandforksherald.com/opinion/editorials/4468351-our-view-miss-america-pageant-made-right-choice