Sasanya tackles double standards in dancehall

Dancehall artiste Sasanya is ticked off at the sexual double standards that exist in dancehall and, by extension, the Jamaican society.

She believes that recent developments show clearly how the double standard is enforced in the society.

"When Ishawna spoke about Equal Rights, everyone was ready to give it to her, and when Dexta Daps dropped that video, the same men who criticised Ishawna were praising Dexta Daps. There is a sexual double standard, where society holds a woman's sexual exploits and expression of her sexuality against her, calling them unpure and unclean, while if the man does the same thing, he is celebrated as a stud," she said.

WEIRD DOUBLE STANDARD

"It sticky. It is a double standard, especially when it comes to oral sex and just sex in general. It is unfair. You can't hold women to one standard and men to another. We are all human beings. If I want to do oral sex to a man, I should be able to. Is a weird double standard in Jamaica, but all over the world, no one cares. Still, I believe though that women must just respect themselves. We can't do what men do. It's a biological thing. It is not a competition. Woman a the root. We bring man come here. The bag a man thing no mek it," she said.

Sasanya believes that artistes may need to censor themselves as well because the recent raunchy videos that are freely available all over social media may warp the values of the society.

"I believe that sex is a normal function. Everyone is beautiful in their own way. It is nature, but we have to be careful how we portray it. The kids are watching, so we need to be careful how we depict sex and explain sex to them," she said.

"Kids are not as experienced, so artistes have a broader responsibility because of how they are viewed by the wider society, which loves musicians and artistes. But families also need to step in and police their kids, especially online."

Sasanya recently released singles Girlie Girlie, Zum Zum, featuring South Block, and I Like It, featuring Fambo. All singles are released on the Cottage9 Records imprint.

Also an avid track and field and football athlete, Sasanya was a notable cabaret singer in the tourist industry before getting married and migrating to Paris, France.

She returned to Jamaica in 2010 and got back into the cabaret circuit. She even entered 'Digicel's Rising Stars' and made it to the final eight. She later got divorced, and is now ready to embark on a career in dancehall.

"Sometimes, you have to fall back to move forward. Now, I am getting up and pushing forward. You are a sum total of your experiences. Life builds you. You fall and get up stronger," she said.