CDs, Sex and the Goddess

In browsing women's music on the Internet, it is becoming more and more common to find sex and the Goddess as a lure to women's music sites that contain sexually graphic, or should I say pornographic, photos of women.

When searching with words like Goddess and music, one may be taken to what one thinks is going to be a women's site containing ethereal sounds and images only to be shocked by finding photos that in all honesty, are nothing more than pornographic photos. Words from ancient Celtic mythologies and Goddess religions are strewed about right along side words like nipples, sex and boobs.

The concept of goddess represents many things to many women; each unique and viable in her own eyes and having that right, that freedom is what it's all about. But in our push towards women's rights, equality and freedom of expression (all of which the Goddess represents) are we not taking a step backward by using these Goddess and ancient concepts combined with pornographic exploitation as gimmicks with which to attract . . . who? The male listener that is only concerned with a woman as a sexual plaything? But then that might mean more cd sales.

The rising of women's music means just that; the women are rising, the music is rising. Let your music stand on its own. Isn't one benefit of being an indie artist to have the freedom from corporate sexual exploitation of ourselves and our music as self for commercial gain? Then from a logical, business perspective, why do to ourselves one of the very things we are trying to avoid by standing as an indie artist?

And speaking of perspectives, there is a religious perspective to all of this. Would we say we were Catholic if we were not? Would we say we were Jewish if we were not? Would we say we were a Satanist if we were not? Would we use these religious identities to promote our self within these groups to sell more cds? The Goddess, her ancient words and her magic are sacred. She has finally managed to emerge from a two-thousand year patriarchal suppression. Please, let's give her the dignity she deserves, give ourselves the dignity we deserve because we do deserve it. We have unique talents. Let's not be afraid to show that to the world and let those talents stand on their own.