She will always be a powerhouse singer and the voice of a generation, but lately, Christina Aguilera has also been tackling the issue of women embracing their sexuality, telling ADWEEK (per People) that she doesn’t want women to be “shamed” or “scrutinized” for it.
The Grammy winner appears on the cover of ADWEEK’S February issue and opened up about working against double standards in society—and how her sexual wellness brand Playground is attempting to do just that. “This has been a very comfortable and natural space for me to enter because [sexuality] has been such a big part of my life, my world, my music,” Aguilera said. “I’ve experienced firsthand the double standards [put on women], and I’ve been shamed for being open, for expressing myself sexually and trying to own my body, and for trying to empower other women. People are afraid of that.”
Playground soft-launched back in June 2022 before Aguilera was revealed as the brand’s cofounder and chief brand advisor last year. Aguilera said she wanted to create a “safe space” in the sexual wellness market for women, as she felt it was largely comprised of products “made and packaged towards men, or for men and ‘their women,’” she said.
“[Women] go through a lot with their sexuality,” Aguilera said. “We’re shamed, we’re labeled, we’re scrutinized. It’s time for all that to end. That’s the future of this brand. It’s about opening doors for new conversations, [encouraging women] to take better care and have awareness for their bodies and themselves.”
Aguilera, who has a daughter, Summer, and a son, Max, said “I want [my daughter] to grow up not feeling any shame or stigma and feel comfortable as a woman,” she said. “I want my son to understand and appreciate women’s struggles and what they go through, and to feel part of the conversation as well.” She told People “At this point in my life also as a mother, it’s really important for me that I open up this conversation to my daughter and make sure that she feels empowered early on in her life to feel good about asking me any questions. Simplifying the information and just making it very matter of fact. This is not something that we should be scared or ashamed of.”
She added “I really try to make sure it’s done very matter-of-factly and to always know that their body is their playground. That is for them to decide how it should be used, how it should be treated, how it should be respected, ultimately.”
