An Invite To THE Mansion!

My friends and their band have an opportunity that doesn't come around that often. In fact, for most of us it doesn't come around at all. It's an opportunity that has sparked some interesting discussions between friends of both sexes. My friends have been asked to play the Playboy Mansion. Yep, Hef's place! Half naked women, The Grotto, pajamas. My first reaction when I heard was "How cool? Not a lot of people can say they have been to "the mansion", yet alone perform there". I didn't think, initially, about all the mansion is perceived to represent: the sex, the objectifying of women, the debauchery. It wasn't until some of us started talking that I realized that my reaction was not really in the norm among my female friends. Oh....did I tell you the date of my friends big gig? Valentine's Day.

Women in our circle of friends say "Hell no, not on Valentine's Day, not at all". The guys say "What can I do to go? Carry equiptment? Whatever it takes". This started me to think: Why is the Playboy Mansion threatning to us as women? Is it what happens there or the woman that work there?

I was asked if given the opportunity, which thankfully I wasn't, would I go? As a person who loves new experiences, especially those that are unique, I would! But then after thinking about it I wondered how I would feel once I got there. Me....the born again Christian who is slipping off the virtuous wagon! The overweight woman who wouldn't fit into a bunny costume if she didn't eat for a year, that's me! What would someone like me be doing at the mansion?
That's when it dawned on me: the bunnies at the mansion are like standing in front of one of those mirrors at the fair. You know the ones, the mirrors that distort how we look, make us look humongous when we aren't. That to me is what I think of when I compare myself to a Playboy Bunny! They are young, fit, gourgous....all the things I am not! But should that be a reflection of me? I could be things that they aren't: smart and funny. That's not to say that the bunnies are dumb, that would be falling into the stereotype! But women, bunnies or not, need to be so much more than boobs and a tight outfit. Sure, you might have a great view but what happens when the view gets old, literally and figuratively?

In my opinion, women need to get over being about what they look like, myself included! We need to feel comfortable with who we are, what we are and to stop comparing ourselves to an unobtainable ideal, be it supermodel, actress, playboy bunny! If I had a boyfriend that wanted to go to the mansion, I would say GO! Have that experience that not many have, look and drool all you want as long as that is all you are doing! As long as he comes home and appreciates me and all I am, I am ok with that! Just as long as this experience isn't taking place on Valentines Day!