Unscrewed: Women, Sex, Power, and How to Stop Letting the System Screw Us All

In our journey to understand women's sexual empowerment, we first confront a difficult truth: what looks like freedom often isn't. This is the era of fauxpowerment—a dazzling, seductive illusion where women are portrayed as sexually liberated, yet the systems around us keep us constrained. Imagine a woman standing before a mirror, her reflection fractured into many images, each promising power and freedom. But the glass is cracked, and faint chains bind her wrists, symbolizing the invisible forces that limit her true autonomy.

Consider the story of a high school teacher who sent a private nude photo to her husband, only to have it stolen and shared by a student, leading to her dismissal. Or the tragic case of a woman who declined unwanted advances in a bar and was fatally attacked. These examples reveal that sexual expression for women is often met with punishment, fear, and violence. We live in a culture that sells the idea of empowerment as an individual achievement, while ignoring the systemic forces—economic, legal, cultural—that keep women vulnerable.

Fauxpowerment is everywhere: in advertisements featuring 'real women' who are still objectified, in pop culture that equates sexual transgression with power without addressing the risks involved, and in political rhetoric that praises individual choice but supports laws restricting reproductive rights. This illusion requires constant upkeep, distracting us from the real work needed to dismantle oppressive structures.

Yet, recognizing this illusion is the first step toward genuine liberation. It challenges us to look beyond surface images and ask: what does true sexual power look like? How do we create a world where women can freely explore and express their sexuality without fear of retribution? This understanding sets the stage for exploring the economic, political, and cultural dimensions that shape our sexual lives.

As we move forward, we'll uncover how money, media, religion, education, and technology all play roles in either perpetuating fauxpowerment or paving paths to real empowerment. The journey is complex, but it is one of hope and possibility.

Now, let's delve deeper into how economic forces shape women's sexual autonomy and pleasure, revealing another layer of the system that keeps us unscrewed.