Sex scandal
Encyclopedia
A sex scandal is a scandal
involving allegations or information about possibly-immoral sexual activities being made public. Sex scandals are often associated with movie star
s, politician
s, famous athletes or others in the public eye, and become scandals largely because of the prominence of the person involved, perceptions of hypocrisy on their part, or the non-normative
nature of their sexuality. A scandal may be based on reality, the product of false allegations, or a mixture of both.
Sex scandals involving politicians often become political scandal
s, particularly when there is an attempt at a cover-up
, or suspicions of illegality.
While some commentators see sex scandals as irrelevant to politics, particularly where "professional performance [does] not seem to be impaired", Gene Healy
of the Cato Institute
views them as not just "great fun", but a reminder "that we should think twice before we cede more power to these clowns."
Scandal
A scandal is a widely publicized allegation or set of allegations that damages the reputation of an institution, individual or creed...
involving allegations or information about possibly-immoral sexual activities being made public. Sex scandals are often associated with movie star
Movie star
A movie star is a celebrity who is well-known, or famous, for his or her starring, or leading, roles in motion pictures. The term may also apply to an actor or actress who is recognized as a marketable commodity and whose name is used to promote a movie in trailers and posters...
s, politician
Politician
A politician, political leader, or political figure is an individual who is involved in influencing public policy and decision making...
s, famous athletes or others in the public eye, and become scandals largely because of the prominence of the person involved, perceptions of hypocrisy on their part, or the non-normative
Sexual norm
A sexual norm can refer to a personal or a social norm. Most cultures have social norms regarding sexuality, and define normal sexuality to consist only of certain legal sex acts between individuals who meet specific criteria of age, consanguinity , race/ethnicity A sexual norm can refer to a...
nature of their sexuality. A scandal may be based on reality, the product of false allegations, or a mixture of both.
Sex scandals involving politicians often become political scandal
Political scandal
A political scandal is a kind of political corruption that is exposed and becomes a scandal, in which politicians or government officials are accused of engaging in various illegal, corrupt, or unethical practices...
s, particularly when there is an attempt at a cover-up
Cover-up
A cover-up is an attempt, whether successful or not, to conceal evidence of wrong-doing, error, incompetence or other embarrassing information...
, or suspicions of illegality.
While some commentators see sex scandals as irrelevant to politics, particularly where "professional performance [does] not seem to be impaired", Gene Healy
Gene Healy
Gene Healy is an American political pundit, journalist and editor.Healy is a Vice President at the libertarian think tank Cato Institute, as well as a contributing editor to Liberty magazine...
of the Cato Institute
Cato Institute
The Cato Institute is a libertarian think tank headquartered in Washington, D.C. It was founded in 1977 by Edward H. Crane, who remains president and CEO, and Charles Koch, chairman of the board and chief executive officer of the conglomerate Koch Industries, Inc., the largest privately held...
views them as not just "great fun", but a reminder "that we should think twice before we cede more power to these clowns."
See also
- Casting couchCasting couchThe casting couch, casting couch syndrome or casting couch mentality is a term which involves the trading of sexual favors by an aspirant, apprentice employee, or subordinate to a superior, in return for entry into an occupation, or for other career advancement within an organization...
- Celebrity sex tapeCelebrity sex tapeA celebrity sex tape is typically an amateur pornographic video recording involving one or more celebrity famous person which has been, intentionally or unintentionally, made available publicly....
- Deviancy amplification spiralDeviancy amplification spiralDeviancy amplification spiral is a media hype phenomenon defined by media critics as a cycle of increasing numbers of reports on a category of antisocial behavior or some other "undesirable" event, leading to a moral panic...
- Heidi FleissHeidi FleissHeidi Lynne Fleiss is an American former madam, and also a columnist and television personality regularly featured in the 1990s in American media. She is often referred to as the "Hollywood Madam"....
- List of federal political sex scandals in the United States
- List of international political sex scandals
- List of state and local political sex scandals in the United States
External links
- Beaucoup B.S. - Christopher Hitchens