Journalists and critics remain strikingly uncomfortable noting the sexual aspect of MJ's charisma for so many fans. MJ remained an object of lust worldwide to his last day; the media continues to ignore this 800-pound gorilla in the room.
Here's a comment I just posted at a major newspaper.
Here's a comment I just posted at a major newspaper.
"As a dancer, Jackson nailed some perfect -- as in platonic -- idea of sexiness."
"Platonic"? Just type in the words "Michael Jackson" and "sexy" in Google and YouTube, and you will encounter millions of X-rated comments and videos concerning the, um, activities fans would enjoy pursuing with him.
As MJ's spectacular beauty faded, it became nearly impossible for a media fixated on looks to acknowledge that his sexual appeal yet remained for countless fans who lusted for him.
Without his disease of vitiligo and the depigmentation it forced him to undertake, his plastic surgery, though of course a failure, would have worked far better. There was no radical facial change after his Bad tour, when he was considered gorgeous by the world, other than depigmentation.
The growing media contempt for him was in part based on a contempt for one who could not maintain beauty due to disease. There is also a pervasive contempt for those in the public who are able to see past the superficial and still find depths of sexiness. This is bigotry on many levels; there are aspects of so many "isms" here: sexism, racism, looks-ism, and "able-ism".
It's time for the media to transcend its bigoted discomfort with the unconventionally sexy, and honestly report on MJ's sexual charisma, and the major cultural phenomena it created.
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