Opinions - Joye Ritchie Greene
Exposure we can live without
By Joye Ritchie-Greene
May 3, 2008 - 1:57:59 AM

There is a radio advertisement for Kalik beer that has been playing on the airwaves for the past few months that I find very offensive. The scenario is one where two males are talking about a woman in a club and they refer to the woman as “that.” However, what is even more distasteful is that this female responds positively to these two men.

While it is not unusual to hear men speak so disparagingly of women in certain songs, it is an all time low to hear it in radio advertisements. Yes, I know that women’s bodies have been exploited in various advertisements since time in memoriam, but as a woman, it really hurts quite deeply when women choose to allow themselves to be debased.

After listening to this borderline lascivious advertisement, I looked at the front page of a local tabloid and saw the scantily clad wife of a Premier staring back at me. Then I realized that no matter how offended I may become at women exposing themselves for money, fame and fortune, it will continue to happen as long as there is a market for it.

Not too long ago this column addressed the issue of scrutinizing individuals who hold a certain status in their communities. So, I can only imagine what the good citizens of The Turks and Caicos must be feeling to see their “First Lady” baring almost all her “privates” to the world.

The April 24^th issue of The Punch bares a meagerly clad picture of LisaRaye McCoy-Missick, wife of the Premier of The Turks and Caicos, on its front page. She is posing on the cover of the magazine SMOOTH, which bears the tagline: “The Right Moves for Today’s Man.”

Anyone who has followed LisaRaye’s career will know that she has bared much of her body before. In fact, she played the role of a stripper in a popular urban film of the 1990’s in which she was almost completely naked. However, after raising herself to another level where she now dines with kings and queens and leaders of first, second and third world countries, one would expect her to cover herself more tastefully.

The irony of Mrs. McCoy-Missick’s expose is that she views herself as the spokesperson for that little island country. In an October 2006 interview with Kevin Revolinski, Mrs. McCoy-Missick said of herself in response to a question about the new advertising campaign for The Turks and Caicos that she is “the walking billboard for T&C right now.” Well, after baring herself to the world, she is a bit more than a “walking billboard.”

The irony continues when she tells the local media back in 2006 that while she is adjusting to her new life, she is trying to remain private. She went on to say that she didn’t “want them to see too much of me.” Oops!

In the midst of all of this, her husband, the Honourable Michael Missick, has been accused of raping an American woman, who was a visitor in their home. Once again, holding a certain position in community requires that you conduct yourself in a certain way. Whether or not Mr. Missick raped this woman, negative views towards him have already been raised, and frowns have been formed across the faces of his citizens and those in neighbouring countries.

Yes, LisaRaye has to right to pose however and wherever she wishes. And, yes, advertisers have the right to write scripts that degrade women. But we women who hold ourselves at a higher level have the right to speak out against these women who serve to destroy what many have worked so hard to achieve.

For centuries, women have toiled for equal justice, equal pay, and equal opportunities. Yet, there is still a faction that only sees us as sex objects to be used for their selfish purposes. And, the unfortunate truth is that many of us allow ourselves to be used, thinking, while being used, that we are in control.

The sad truth is that we are not in control, but rather we are shackled to the materialism of the world. And, as such, we have given up our right to be queens. We have enough females walking around doing and saying whatever they please. It is now time for the women to step up and expose the world to the essence of womanhood, because if we fail to do this, we will forever be subjected to the likes of the “Kalik girl” and the antics of Ms. Lisa Raye.

About the author: Joye Ritchie-Greene is an Educational Consultant, Writer and Martial Arts Instructor. She is the owner/operator of The Bahamas Martial Arts Academy; president of Time-Out Productions; and is also a columnist for the Freeport News. She has a B.A. in English and an M.S. in Human Resources, resides in Freeport, Grand Bahama with her husband and enjoys playing tennis. Joye can be reached at joye_hel_ena@hotmail.com  

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