Music is one of the greatest, most common forms of expression, letting people display their emotions and thoughts on their everyday lives. During the 1960’s the hippies expressed their thoughts on war and desire for world peace through music. In the 1920’s music began to change, reflecting how humankind was starting to move on from the traditional values. Now, women are constantly objectified in music and other mainstream media. After all this misrepresentation some people still have the audacity to say there is equality between the genders! If there was equality, women would not be degraded in the media as much as they are.
One song that is extremely shameful is “Blurred Lines” by Robin Thicke. In the music video Robin Thicke is surrounded by practically naked women; he himself in a full suit. He is portrayed as a “big strong man” while the girls in the video are not represented as humans, but as objects. And if this isn’t disgusting enough, the song is about the so called “Blurred Lines” between yes and no. Lines like “But you’re an animal, baby it’s in your nature,” “Just let me liberate you,” and “I know you want it” are intolerable. This should not be in mainstream media, let alone any media! These are not the values you want children to be exposed to. It poisons their minds and destroys their character. Everyone should know there are no blurred lines when it comes to consent! Promoting rape culture is unacceptable and disgusting. And to make it worse, in an interview at GQ Robin Thicke said, “What a pleasure it is to degrade women.” Pleasures like this should not be in mainstream media; they make people think that things are just when they are very, very wrong. To think that any man or woman could say such horrible things is repulsive and misogynistic.
Many music genres, such as Hip Hop often degrade women. Some rappers and singers are constantly reducing women to nothing but objects which is unacceptable! Many of the vocalists that do not degrade women are not as mainstream, so their voices go unheard by many. People, such as impressionable children, may start to believe that bringing down women and harassing them is okay!
If women are going to be truly equal to men, then this has to stop. Being portrayed less as people and more as objects is destroying women’s role in society. “Women should be in the kitchen jokes” are suggesting that they are nothing but servants, designed to cater for others. Women are not less than men, and men are not less than women; they are equal. If men (or women) believe that women are less, then they may begin to treat women harshly (e.g. harassment, abuse, etc.).
The oversexualization of women is getting out of hand in this day in age. Women have come so far in society and this is no time to take a step back. Society as a whole has to fight against the demonization of women, and it is time for women around the world to speak up against patriarchy. Songs like that bring down all that we have worked for to have equality between the genders. So I encourage you, dear reader, to act out against the inequality.
