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Sexy Monday: Between Sexual Expression and Censorship

Categories: Latin America, Ecuador, Citizen Media, Freedom of Speech, Media & Journalism, Women & Gender

(All links are in Spanish)

David Troya writes [1] for Gkillcity about the Ecuadorian Superintendence of Communication's sanction on the newspaper Extra for its cover picture of model Claudia Hurtado and headline: “Start the week off right with your hot and sexy Monday. Damn, what a hot babe!”

Troya reflects: 

If religious morals repressed our sexual desire and Extra opens the door to its enjoyment, why would we have censured it? For one simple reason, it has more to do with a woman's respect and protection versus the freedom of sexual expression. If we grow up validating a woman's worth predominantly on her ability to cause an erection, showing how voluptuous her butt is or how suggestive her breasts are, then it's going to be hard for us to value a woman for her intelligence or her honesty when we have the chance. 

I should be noted that Diario Extra's “Sexy Monday” is a tradition that has been around for many years. On Mondays, it publishes pictures of a girl dressed in little clothing. 

Mónica Mancero writing [2] for the paper El Telégrafo [The Telegraph] gives a feminist-based opinion: “Debates generated by the subject of censorship should go beyond the strait-laced and reductionist view, which ends up victimizing a woman that supposedly needs to be defended and spoken for.” 

Meanwhile Twitter user Andrés Vergara comments: 

The new Sexy Monday model is going to look like this (see pic) as to diminish machismo in Ecuador. Good living.