This is my first blog post in 2 weeks! My apologies for the unexpected absence but I am definitely back now and alongside my return comes a little rant and rage – someone please explain to me what the hell has happened to pop music videos???
Probably not since I was sixteen have I spent an evening amongst friends with TV music channels playing in the background but at the weekend this is exactly what occured and it has left me disturbed and angry. I know I may end up sounding like an old maid but I don’t care. The music industry is going too far and it makes me genuinely worry about the effect it has on the younger generation.
There’s no denying it, practically every music video in the Top 40 chart is sexually charged and motivated. Sex is the widespread theme and dressing provocatively is pretty much guaranteed. And yes I do understand that sex is a very effective marketing tool, no matter how much it annoyed me it was incredibly difficult to ignore video after video of more and more half naked nonsense on screen. My eyes were continually drawn these sexual scenes so it’s no wonder the industry harnesses sex as a selling point. It is an obvious and easy option to take in order to attract people’s attention and the more provocative and shocking a video can be creates more hype in wanting to see what all the fuss is about.
But at what cost? My personal feeling is that it has gone into overload. The music industry probably doesn’t care because it’s getting what it wants but what they’re doing is rapidly progressing music videos into soft porn and this is dangerous. I worry about how these videos make younger people of both genders feel, I worry about how it can affect their thinking about their bodies, how to behave around opposite members of sex as well as their ideas about sex itself. I am also extremely concerned about what these videos are doing for women in general. Maybe I’m turning into a complete feminist but if female pop stars think that rolling around in their underwear is empowerment then I think they’re sorely mistaken, in fact I think they’re being detrimental to all women. And there is completely obvious gender inequality in music videos that drives me crazy: whilst women danced around half naked titillating the camera, where was the man? Oh yes fully clothed objectifying them. Glass ceiling anyone?
I worry about what they are doing to others because I know after a few hours how they made me feel and it was a mix of emotions. Firstly I felt inferior because I didn’t look like nor do I behave like the women in these videos. They were being portrayed as superior, desirable objects which in turn spurred feelings of inadequecy in myself. They made me feel bad about my body, I compared mine to theirs, listed the reasons why they were perfect, counted all my failures and told myself what I needed to improve so I could look more like them. However this was soon replaced with feelings of anger and outrage because why was I falling for the music industries tricks? Why on earth should I feel the need to emulate them when they are completely degrading to women?
The scary thing is I’m nearly 30 and watching these music videos made me feel this way. What about a teenage girl? What the hell is she going to learn by being exposed to this? That the only way to be attractive and seek the opposites sexes attention is to behave and dress like girls in a music video? And what, like me, their self-worth is lowered, feel bad about their bodies and learn from an early age to be dissatisfied with themselves and never feel good enough?
And just as equally important what messages are boys receiving? That women exist purely to be objectified, merited for their bodies and nothing else? That it’s acceptable to make sexual vulgar comments about women in these videos? That sex is the be all or end all? Sex is an important, enjoyable part of life but the pop music industry behaves as if it is the only thing that matters and I’m for one sick of it. It’s relentless, its completely unsubtle, literally in your face onslaught of near pornographic material is exhausting. It’s not original, it’s not creative, it’s only purpose is to stir up controversy to sell the music and I feel the industry is in danger of getting to the point where pop artists feel this is the only thing they can do to get their videos in the spotlight.
Women have a hell of a lot more to offer than just how good they look in a bikini but if the younger generation are subconsciously or consciously learning that sex and dressing your body provocatively is of high value then there needs to be proper education to counteract whatever damage music videos are capable of. Not only that but I feel the stars of the videos need to start taking responsibility and start getting some original ideas for their music videos that don’t include glamorising the ability to take your clothes off to attract attention – because if your song is good enough it should sell regardless. I know she’s an easy target but my example is going to be Miley Cyrus. Wrecking Ball is a good pop tune but it is completely undermined by the fact that most people probably cannot think of that song without a ridiculous image of her swinging around naked and licking a hammer for no logical reason other than to gain a whole load of hits on You Tube. Well done, you earnt a lot of attention but where’s your integrity and what are people going to remember you for?
I don’t have children, nor do I intend to but if I did I would be anxious of my child being exposed to the amount of overly sexed videos because there is no let up. Each video seemed like another copycat version of the one that went previously to it and if this is becoming normalised I dread to think of the consequences.
Maybe I am turning into a total feminist, I don’t know, but what I do know is that I was crying out for at least one female pop star to dare to be different and not rely on sex and a skimpy outfit to gain popularity. I would’ve instantly liked and respected that artist. And before you start thinking it, I’m no prude either, I’m not saying you should be covered up head to toe – what I am trying to say is that there needs to be a balance. Prove you have a brain and creativity, not just a toned body. Stop relying on sex to sell your records and realise that you are not doing women any favours by portraying them as sex objects. Or at the very least make it equal and for every half naked female there needs to be a half naked man. Somehow I think the latter is much more unlikely!
Danielle Stewart
My name is Danielle Stewart and for almost 10 years I have suffered on and off with eating disorders. It is a subject I am extremely passionate about, especially living in such a body conscious and appearance obsessed world which I believe is very dangerous to how we view and think about ourselves. I feel that eating disorders are an epidemic waiting to happen and possibly already begun. Since they are incredibly secretive and isolating disorders, it is difficult to ever know the true number of people affected. Therefore my blog is dedicated to sharing my own personal thoughts and experiences, discussing the psychology behind eating disorders and spreading the word on articles of interest. The more we start talking more openly and frequently about eating disorders, the more help and action will be generated as well as reducing the fear of admitting and seeking help for this mental illness. If nothing else, I want you to know that you are not alone in what you're going through.
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