Eugene, Oregon, my home for the past seventeen years, is known for its Track and Field history, its population of aging hippies, and its gem, the University of Oregon. So I couldn’t hide my surprise when my brother told me that Girls Gone Wild was coming to Taboo, Eugene’s downtown nightclub.

Girls Gone Wild epitomizes objectification. It promotes sex as a commodity, takes women's bodies for granted, and degrades, dehumanizes, and disrespects girls my age. I could go on a rant expressing my disdain, disgust, and frustration with Girls Gone Wild. Instead, I let my friends do it. I sent out a text message asking girls and boys, gay and straight, “If you had to describe your impression of Girls Gone Wild in one word, what would it be?

As I expected, responses started flowing in immediately: the presence of the Girls Gone Wild van parked downtown had much of South Eugene High School riled up (whether in excitement, bewilderment, or displeasure). Here are some of my friends’ and classmates’ responses:

Desperate. A disgrace. Inappropriate. Revolting. Wrong. Annoying. Experienced. Insecure. Adolescent. Skanky. Slutty. Degrading. Trashy. Out of control. Sick. Drunk. Naked. Ridiculous. Exploitation. Sad. Pathetic. Regret. Gross. Depressing. Scandalous. Outrageous. Foolish. Dehumanizing. Cheap. Embarrassing. Absurd.

The amount of responses I received dubbing GGW as “slutty,” “sluts,” or “skanky” does bother me-- but that's fodder for another blog.(Actually, check out this recent Amplify post!)

The responses that I found the most intriguing were those that delved a little bit deeper.  Yes, they exceeded my one-word limit, but I cut my friends some slack.

One friend of mine, a budding entrepreneur, first classified GGW as "ambitious." I asked him to explain. He wrote, "The owner...forgot his name.  Worth alot alot of money. Maybe change the word to enterprising."  True, I suppose.

Another classmate chose the word "empowering."  I didn't agree, but I wanted to hear more. He explained, "It makes girls feel special and pretty and in turn raises their self-confidence and then they live happier lives.  So it's empowering."  

Oh boy, where to start.  Yes, being photographed sans shirt may feel momentarily empowering for young women as they drunkenly accept free Girls Gone Wild merchandise.  But will they feel empowered the next day?  Will they feel empowered in ten years when a prospective employer finds the footage online?  Will they feel empowered in fifteen years when their son checks out old GGW tapes and sees his mom wildly flashing the camera?

Some argue that prostitution should be legalized, and that choosing a career in the sex industry can be a form of empowerment.  The sex industry can be more lucrative than many low-wage jobs, and who is to say that women can’t make decisions about their employment for themselves?  I see the legitimacy of this argument, but Girls Gone Wild cannot fit into this category.  Women who work in the sex industry do just that.  They work.  Women who volunteer to flash their breasts on GGW do not receive full name recognition or a wage of any sort.  Yes, they are giving enthusiastic consent, but behind their consent often lays exploitation and cunning that goes hand in hand with GGW’s mass marketing efforts. 

Ironically, Planned Parenthood of Southwestern Oregon hosted a sexual health awareness party at Taboo Nightclub just two months ago, featuring free resources, condoms, games, and information.  Sadly, Girls Gone Wild drew a larger crowd than the Planned Parenthood event.

However, there is hope: friends of mine who attended Eugene GGW event reported that whooping, cell-phone camera-wielding men far outnumbered women that night.  Sick?  Yes.  But at least this might indicate that women are valuing their self-worth and dignity higher than GGW producers expect.

But these same friends also told me about one overweight woman who approached the videographers.  Upon lifting up her shirt, the men in the crowd booed her away.  There is obviously work to be done.

One of my friends texted me saying, “I want more respect than that.”  Until men stop treating women and their bodies as commodities and give women their full respect, the Girls Gone Wild van will continue to make its way across the country in search of “The Hottest Girl in America.”  I know one thing for sure: this “Hot Girl” won’t give in to exploitation by taking her shirt off for GGW this year.