What does it mean to be a sexually liberated woman in 2012? According to Monday's story in the Daily Mail, sexual liberation can be measured by how many sexual partners a woman can find whilst on holiday.
Focussing on results from a poll held on MissTravel.com, the Daily Mail story highlighted that 10% of women who go on holiday admitted having five or more lovers during a week long break. The CEO of MissTravel.com, Brandon Wade commented on the findings saying: "It is clear that women become much more sexually liberated when they are out of their comfort zone"
Although the statistics foccussed on only 30,000 women, a small proportion of the total women who travel, an immediate train of questionning ran through my mind. It questioned Wade's comment regarding the legitimacy of measuring sexual liberation by the number of people a woman fornicates with whilst on holiday. It endorses the fallacy that us women can somehow "f**k our way to freedom."
So, how can sexual liberation be measured? The concept of liberation is centred around the notion of freedom. In this case, it means the freedom to control who you have sex with. It refers to consciousness, knowing the decisions you wish to make about your body and having the freedom to act upon it.
Each of us have different perspectives, attitudes and desires when it comes to sex. Some wish to pursue their sexual identity with those they feel an emotional connection with whilst others are content in exploring casual sex with one or more partners. Then of course there are those who wish to preserve their sexual identity for their marriage partner, perhaps for religious reasons. These people in their own right are sexually liberated for they are conscious of the reasons for preserving themselves.
Adopting any one of ideologies and defining it as sexual liberation is not progressive. Liberation stands alongside understanding each individuals' right to make their own decisions, regardless if they differ from our own.
Hence it is dangerous to imply sexual liberation can be achieved through promiscuity. If anything, ideology is equally oppressive, just in a more lascivious manner.
Nightclubs and bars were the scene 48% of the men were picked up. Well-known nightclub resorts in Ayia Napa, Ibiza, Magaluf, and Kavos are popular holiday destinations for young women. No doubt this implies that these young women choose to go there out their own free will.
Though initially the idea of a woman my age having more than five sexual partners in a week seemed incomprehensible to me, but at the same time was I really surprised? Inevitably the over-sexualisation of women found everywhere from the lustful perfume advertisements to the third page of the UK's most popular newspaper will have a profound impact.
Ex-Labour MP, Clare Short attempted to pass legislation to remove topless models from newspapers. In 2004 the Sun responded by posting her face on page 3, branding her as "fat and ugly." It is clear that those who try to oppose this sexualisation are ridiculed or labelled prudish.
And it is within this, a stigma can be identified. It says if you do not adhere to this culture, you will be rejected. It is painfully similar to the stigma that used to say, if you have sex, you will be rejected. So can we truly say we live in a sexually liberated society?