So, this blogger over at
The Honest Badger has this kind of beef with Robin Thicke regarding his new song and music video "
Blurred Lines." The lyrics are suggestive in a college frat boy kind of way, and the women are scantily clad in the video (and in the unrated version, topless and wearing nude thongs). She describes it as a "disgusting display of misogynism" (I'm getting the squiggly red line, so is misogyny the proper term?). While I agree that it's not the best representation of women, here's why I'm not going to throw stones in my glass house.
1. Robin Thicke is known for his sex mantra. Ever since he changed his stage name from just "Thicke," Robin's been all about the ladies. I'm pretty sure on most of his albums, a majority of the songs revolve around sex, pleasuring women, and crooning beautiful sexy things. He's got a theme, and it works for his beautiful self. Just like Taylor Swift is known for writing songs about being a young woman, while also playfully bashing her ex-boyfriends, it works for her and she sticks to it. You go girl!
2. As you can see from that previous bullet-number-point, I objectify him. Robin's got beautiful blue eyes, great style, and a sexy voice. I also objectify many celebrity males (and females), mainly Ryan Gosling and Justin Timberlake. I've never had an intelligent conversation with either of them, and I don't know their personalities in real life, but I definitely have topless photos of them on my laptop wallpaper, my phone, and
maybe taped to the wall inside of my closet. And I would totally bang either, or both, of them if the opportunity presented itself (at least in my mind, I would).
Most, if not all, of the women I know, self-declared feminists and non-declared feminists alike, have objectified both celebrities and non-celebrities (male and female) based on their looks alone. Now, I know that we as women aren't equally represented in society and are often objectified and expected to be sexy and look our best, and therefore it's
so degrading; but my argument is, do we not do the same?! Do we not ogle at Ryan Gosling's six pack abs, beautiful arms, and great style while making disgusted faces at Kevin Federline's beer gut and wife beater tank tops? I am in no way saying that it is more acceptable for men to objectify women, but what I am saying is that both sexes do it. Men just do it more publicly and sometimes to their advantage (like making hit songs of the summer). Therefore, it's time for the women to take note and do the same! Unless you're looking to shift the focus of the entertainment business from sex to smarts, which realistically would just be too big of a battle, and honestly, ain't nobody (me) got time for that.
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| The Big Bang Theory has both! |
To some people. I probably sound ignorant, anti-feminist, and all for a male driven society in which the women stay home and the men provide; my views are quite the contrary, but this is how my mind works. It's the entertainment business; with every Playboy magazine out there, there's also Playgirl. For every "Blurred Lines," there's a "How Many Licks?" by Lil Kim. "Blurred Lines" doesn't and shouldn't compromise my, or any other woman's, personal drive and ability to be a strong independent woman out in society, so I'm not going to make a big deal out of it. That's not to say I don't care, but I kind of....don't care.
If there's anything my liberal arts education has taught me, it's to think independently. Yes, I think women and men should be represented equally. Yes, I think women are more objectified in media than men. No, I don't think there's anything I can personally do about it. Heterosexual men think women are sexy, and heterosexual women think men are sexy; it's a fact of life. And because I believe that, I live my life as a confident woman who respects herself and enjoys the entertainment business for its face value. I wouldn't call it ignorant or idiotic, just a lifestyle choice that I feel works for me.
Now, feel free to objectify, without judgement, the men whom I also objectify on the daily (but it's your choice):
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| Ryan! |
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| Justin! |
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| Adam! |
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| Zac! |
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| Francisco! |
Blurred lines has had a lot of controversy around it and I am on the fence. I agree in some ways the song come off as very rapey (the I know you want it line, like really did she say it?) But then another person discussed it as not rapey but rather a cocky asshole thinking he is so hot every girls wants him. Also an interesting view (since he then later "puts the ball in her court" with the come on get at me line)
ReplyDeleteIn other words I dunno how to feel about the song, part of me likes it and wants to sing along and the feminist in me wants to hate it. What's a girl to do?
I think the difference with objectifying men versus women though is men are paid more than women. Men are seen as leaders. Men are more than objects. Women are still very often ONLY seen as objects. Soo all in all it's very confusing haha