Glenda Jordan makes money by being sexy, and dancing on stages in a form of adult entertainment. But that doesn’t mean that she is merely a sex object, or that she gives up her humanity to do it. So what’s the difference between objectification and empowerment?
In this conversation with Bart Campolo, Glenda talks about how the female body is seen by males from the early stages of a woman’s life, the attention women get whether they want it or not, physical safety as a woman, and social conditioning in men.
But at the very center of the conversation is a simple message: sexuality is about context, and there are both appropriate and inappropriate contexts in which to look at, enjoy and – yes – sexualize the female form. Glenda sees her work as an example of one such appropriate context, where she is in control, where she’s getting paid for it, where she is empowered to perform and works hard at it, and where she has chosen to express herself in a sexualized way.
Where are the lines? How should men behave around women they find attractive, generally? Is cat calling ever okay? When is it wrong to look, and is there an obligation to look away, too? And is common sense around this subject really all that common?
Glenda lives in Las Vegas and works full time as a model, performer and dancer. She moved to Vegas after graduating with an art degree from the University of Tennessee. Being raised fundamentalist Southern Baptist and transitioning to atheism helped her develop a deep understanding and appreciation of feminism and social justice. Follow Glenda on Instagram.
