The chairperson of National Commission for Women (NCW) Ms. Mamta Sharma's observation: “Don’t feel offended if someone says you are ‘Sexy’, Rather take it positively”.
I think it would not be proper to write off the opposition saying that this hue and cry is made by the shrewd or illiterate politicians for an illiterate and uncivilized electorate as some would have us believe. Rather it is the socially literate, culturally alive, sensitive and considerate family man who is feeling uncomfortable with this pseudo modernism being advocated by non other than the chairperson of National Commission for Women (NCW), Ms. Mamta Sharma herself.
And as for the meaning of the word 'Sexy', not any unreliable and un-acknowledged but the famous "Merriam-Webster Dictionary" defines it as:
"Definition of SEXY
1: sexually suggestive or stimulating : erotic"
It further lists 'bodacious', 'desirable', 'dishy', 'hot', 'luscious' and 'toothsome' as its synonyms.
Any family using the word 'sexy', with these connotations, as a 'positive complement' has really very different family values. And it is a matter of concern for any social person.
It is matter of cultural and social and family values and not that of literacy and modernity. It is neither socially nor grammatically correct to use 'sexy' as a complement for a decent lady, what to talk of one's own family members.
And see what are alternatives with us. We have a whole lot of words to use here like:
beautiful, attractive, beauteous, comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, likely, lovely, lovesome, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored, aesthetic, bonny and our own sundar, khoobsurat, achchha etc....
The issue really deserves to be seen in its right perspective.
26 February 2012
Does one refute the meaning and synonyms given in "Merriam-Webster" Dictionary? There is no other explanation for the word.
26 February 2012
But without getting into semantics lets go for the spirit behind the word. Sexy is not by any means an alternative to beautiful. Sexy is merely sexually attractive. And that's not a good word to be used at all the places under all circumstances.
26 February 2012
Moreover my Hard Real World Oxford Dictionary defines the word sexy as:
And as for the meaning of the word 'Sexy', not any unreliable and un-acknowledged but the famous "Merriam-Webster Dictionary" defines it as:
"Definition of SEXY
1: sexually suggestive or stimulating : erotic"
It further lists 'bodacious', 'desirable', 'dishy', 'hot', 'luscious' and 'toothsome' as its synonyms.
Any family using the word 'sexy', with these connotations, as a 'positive complement' has really very different family values. And it is a matter of concern for any social person.
It is matter of cultural and social and family values and not that of literacy and modernity. It is neither socially nor grammatically correct to use 'sexy' as a complement for a decent lady, what to talk of one's own family members.
And see what are alternatives with us. We have a whole lot of words to use here like:
beautiful, attractive, beauteous, comely, cute, drop-dead, fair, fetching, good, good-looking, goodly, gorgeous, handsome, knockout, likely, lovely, lovesome, pretty, ravishing, seemly, sightly, stunning, taking, well-favored, aesthetic, bonny and our own sundar, khoobsurat, achchha etc....
The issue really deserves to be seen in its right perspective.
26 February 2012
Does one refute the meaning and synonyms given in "Merriam-Webster" Dictionary? There is no other explanation for the word.
26 February 2012
But without getting into semantics lets go for the spirit behind the word. Sexy is not by any means an alternative to beautiful. Sexy is merely sexually attractive. And that's not a good word to be used at all the places under all circumstances.
26 February 2012
Moreover my Hard Real World Oxford Dictionary defines the word sexy as:
sexy adj (-ier, -iest) (infml) 1 of or about sex: a sexy book/film, make sexy suggestions. 2 (a) causing sexual desire: you look very sexy in that outfit (b) feeling sexual desire: I stopped feeling sexy after having the baby.
Well I think Oxford has further clarified the issue.
26 February 2012
By "I say I need a sexy collection of bags" I would surely understand that its not beauty or aesthetics that is in speakers mind. Rather it is arousal of sensualities. Not always a healthy feeling.
26 February 2012
That's the point I am making. It is recently becoming a 'popular' word. But by whom? Why should we always discard family values in the name of 'new' or 'popular'.
26 February 2012
Shall we discard all dictionary meanings, social and family values just in the name of neo-moderns?
26 February 2012
We need to see this whole affair in its right perspective. Whom did Ms Mamta Sharma seemingly address when she made her by now famous comment?
Did she refer to,
(A) a neo-modern girl who feels elated on being addressed as 'sexy' or (B) to the girl who has faced eve-teasing or harassment in the hands of some goons who use the word 'sexy' to derive sadistic pleasure by making sexually explicit comments towards girls?
And is this comment meant only for the girl who is feeling harassed and embarrassed or it is also meant for the boy who is using this word to harass her?
Chances are the boy is not using the obscure second meaning of the word 'sexy'. If he is using it to harass girls then sure he means the first and widely accepted meaning of the word having sexual connotations.
Here is a very peculiar situation. The guy is using the dirty meaning of the word to harass the girl, the girl understands the dirty meaning and is complaining against the use of the word, but here is our Chairperson of NCW saying that both of them should get 'educated' and learn to speak English, and should know the other meaning of the word.... The boy should NOT use THIS innocuous word if he wants to harass girls and the girls should become,..... I don't know what...., and instead of complaining should feel proud of being addressed as sexy by a stranger.
Very unfortunate. It is not a matter of being 'educated' and well versed in the use of English language. It is about social values. I hope tomorrow she doesn't come up with same weird defence of other nasty words like 's****', 'm***' etc.
9 March 2012
One has mentioned how Lord Rama, Lakshamana or Hanumana used to describe Sitaji's beauty. But important is how they addressed her. And here lies the difference. Your words and the way you speak them make a lot of difference. None of them ever addressed Sita by any word which can be equated with the word 'sexy'.
Again, discussing sex is different from addressing someone as sexy.
Further you have added:
"Even the word “Pretty” is used in a very disgusting way to offend women. Just ask to those girls who face eve teasing. Meaning differs with the facts “when” “where” and “how” we use a word."
Under these circumstances is it correct on the part of a lady to tell all the girls that you don't feel bad about these words? Did she consider the plight of a girl who has faced eve teasing? Did she consider “when” “where” and “how's” of it?
She seems to have made her comment without giving it a proper thought. Without considering its impacy on the eve teasers and girls being teased.
But it is surprising that you accept that even 'Pretty' is used in a very disgusting way to offend women but you refuse to accept that the word 'SEXY' is also used in a very disgusting way to offend women.
Any way dear it was nice discussing the topic with you and some of your spirited friends on this post. Since you have already elaborated your points for the last time, it may also be considered my last comment on this post unless someone wants to discuss it further.
Thanks.
11 March 2012
Well I think Oxford has further clarified the issue.
26 February 2012
By "I say I need a sexy collection of bags" I would surely understand that its not beauty or aesthetics that is in speakers mind. Rather it is arousal of sensualities. Not always a healthy feeling.
26 February 2012
That's the point I am making. It is recently becoming a 'popular' word. But by whom? Why should we always discard family values in the name of 'new' or 'popular'.
26 February 2012
Shall we discard all dictionary meanings, social and family values just in the name of neo-moderns?
26 February 2012
We need to see this whole affair in its right perspective. Whom did Ms Mamta Sharma seemingly address when she made her by now famous comment?
Did she refer to,
(A) a neo-modern girl who feels elated on being addressed as 'sexy' or (B) to the girl who has faced eve-teasing or harassment in the hands of some goons who use the word 'sexy' to derive sadistic pleasure by making sexually explicit comments towards girls?
And is this comment meant only for the girl who is feeling harassed and embarrassed or it is also meant for the boy who is using this word to harass her?
Chances are the boy is not using the obscure second meaning of the word 'sexy'. If he is using it to harass girls then sure he means the first and widely accepted meaning of the word having sexual connotations.
Here is a very peculiar situation. The guy is using the dirty meaning of the word to harass the girl, the girl understands the dirty meaning and is complaining against the use of the word, but here is our Chairperson of NCW saying that both of them should get 'educated' and learn to speak English, and should know the other meaning of the word.... The boy should NOT use THIS innocuous word if he wants to harass girls and the girls should become,..... I don't know what...., and instead of complaining should feel proud of being addressed as sexy by a stranger.
Very unfortunate. It is not a matter of being 'educated' and well versed in the use of English language. It is about social values. I hope tomorrow she doesn't come up with same weird defence of other nasty words like 's****', 'm***' etc.
9 March 2012
One has mentioned how Lord Rama, Lakshamana or Hanumana used to describe Sitaji's beauty. But important is how they addressed her. And here lies the difference. Your words and the way you speak them make a lot of difference. None of them ever addressed Sita by any word which can be equated with the word 'sexy'.
Again, discussing sex is different from addressing someone as sexy.
Further you have added:
"Even the word “Pretty” is used in a very disgusting way to offend women. Just ask to those girls who face eve teasing. Meaning differs with the facts “when” “where” and “how” we use a word."
Under these circumstances is it correct on the part of a lady to tell all the girls that you don't feel bad about these words? Did she consider the plight of a girl who has faced eve teasing? Did she consider “when” “where” and “how's” of it?
She seems to have made her comment without giving it a proper thought. Without considering its impacy on the eve teasers and girls being teased.
But it is surprising that you accept that even 'Pretty' is used in a very disgusting way to offend women but you refuse to accept that the word 'SEXY' is also used in a very disgusting way to offend women.
Any way dear it was nice discussing the topic with you and some of your spirited friends on this post. Since you have already elaborated your points for the last time, it may also be considered my last comment on this post unless someone wants to discuss it further.
Thanks.
11 March 2012
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