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Representation of Women in Music Videos By Magda Gaik

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1 Representation of Women in Music Videos By Magda Gaik

2 Examples of how women are represented
We have all heard the saying "sex sells". We see it in advertisements for clothing, beauty products, cars, you name it there is usually something seductive to sell it. Mainstream magazine covers look more like Playboy or Hustler covers. These are the images that gain attention, therefore these are the images that are out there. Everyone of them trying to push the limits farther than the last. The music industry is no different. In music videos women are being sexualised and represented as objects just to please the males eye. Most of them are simply accessories to these men and play no part in the actual musical aspect of the song. In some videos they are portrayed as strippers, in others they just happen to be going about their day half naked. Keep in mind these videos are all readily available on regular television, for people of all ages. Female artists are selling the message that women are nothing more than accessories. Women are only of value as sexual objects. Women are taught to conform to this narrow sexualised, unhealthy norm. The message is incessant. Boys grow up believing girls are really only here to be a boy’s “new thang”. Girls accept that if they’re to be valuable to someone, they better be “sexy”.

3 Introduce Blurred Lines
Real Video I hate these blurred lines! I know you want it But you're a good girl! The way you grab me Must wanna get nasty Go ahead, get at me What do they make dreams for When you got them jeans on What do we need steam for You the hottest bitch in this place! I feel so lucky You wanna hug me What rhymes with hug me? Hey! OK, now he was close Tried to domesticate you But you're an animal Baby, it's in your nature Just let me liberate you You don't need no papers That man is not your mate And that's why I'm gon' take you Good girl! Shake your rump Get down Get up Do it like it hurt, like it hurt What, you don't like work? Hey! Baby, can you breathe? I got this from Jamaica It always works for me Dakota to Decatur No more pretending Cause now your winning Here's our beginning I always wanted a Good girl! I know you want it You're a good girl! Can't let it get past me Me fall from plastic Talk about getting blasted I hate these blurred lines! But you're a good girl! The way you grab me Must wanna get nasty Go ahead, get at me Everybody get up You're a good girl! Can't let it get past me Me fall from plastic Talk about getting blasted I hate these blurred lines! I know you want it But you're a good girl! The way you grab me Must wanna get nasty Go ahead, get at me Hey, hey, hey If you can't hear, what I'm tryna say If you can't read, from the same page Maybe I'm going deaf Maybe I'm going blind Maybe I'm out of my mind OK, now he was close Tried to domesticate you But you're an animal Baby, it's in your nature Just let me liberate you You don't need no papers That man is not your mate And that's why I'm gon' take you Good girl! I know you want it You're a good girl! Can't let it get past me Me fall from plastic Talk about getting blasted One thing I ask of you Lemme be the one you bring that ass up to From Malibu to Paris, boo Had a bitch, but she ain't bad as you So, hit me up when you passin' through I'll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two Swag on 'em even when you dress casual I mean, it's almost unbearable Honey you not there when I'm At the bar side let you have me by Nothin' like your last guy, he too square for you He don't smack that ass and pull your hair for you So I'm just watchin' and waitin' For you to salute the truly pimpin' Not many women can refuse this pimpin' I'm a nice guy, but don't get confused, you git'n it! Parody This parody video perfectly shows the real meaning behind the song Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke.

4 Analysing Blurred Lines
“I know you want it.” Thicke sings “I know you want it,” a phrase that many sexual assault survivors report their rapists saying to justify their actions, as demonstrated over and over in the Project Unbreakable testimonials. “Do it like it hurt, do it like it hurt, what you don’t like work?” This lyric suggests that women are supposed to enjoy pain during sex or that pain is a part of it. The woman’s desires play no part in this scenario  -   Its only about whatever he forces onto her . Another parallel to the act of rape: Sexual assault is generally not about sex, but rather about a physical and emotional demonstration of power. “You’re a good girl.” He further sings “You’re a good girl,” suggesting that a good girl won’t show her desire for sex(if it exists). This becomes further proof in his mind that she wants sex and that when “good girls” say “no” it really means “yes.” The implication in Blurred Lines is that because the woman is not responding to a man’s sexual advances, which of course are irresistible, she’s hiding her true sexual desir. Thicke is singing about forcing a woman to perform both the good girl and bad girl roles in order to satisfy the man’s desires. Thicke and company, say they will give her what they knows she wants (sex), even though she’s not actively consenting, and she may well be rejecting them. “Nothing like your last guy, he too square for you. He don’t smack your ass and pull your hair like that.” This lyric suggests that a woman doesn’t want a “square” who’ll treat her like a human being and with respect. She would rather be degraded and abused for a man’s amusement.

5 Introduce Hard out Here
It's hard, it's hard, it's hard out here for a bitch It's hard, for a bitch (For a bitch) For a bitch, it's hard It's hard out here for a bitch It's hard out here A bitch, a bitch, a bitch, bitch, bitch (Bitch) A bitch, a bitch, a bitch, bitch, bitch Inequality promises that it's here to stay Always trust the injustice 'cause it's not goin' away Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say I'll go ahead and say them anyway Forget your balls and grow a pair of tits It's hard (For a bitch, for a bitch) For a bitch It's hard, it's hard out here for a bitch It's hard, it's hard out here (Bitch) I suppose I should tell you what this bitch is thinkin' You'll find me in the studio and not in the kitchen I won't be braggin' 'bout my cars or talkin' 'bout my chains Don't need to shake my ass for you 'cause I've got a brain If I told you 'bout my sex life, you'd call me a slut When boys be talkin' about their bitches, no one's makin' a fuss There's a glass ceilin' to break, uh-huh, there's money to make And now it's time to speed it up 'cause I can't move at this pace Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say I'll go ahead and say them anyway Forget your balls and grow a pair of tits It's hard, it's hard, it's hard out here for a bitch It's hard, for a bitch (For a bitch) For a bitch, it's hard It's hard out here for a bitch It's hard out here You're not a size six, and you're not good lookin' Well, you better be rich, or be real good at cookin' You should probably lose some weight 'Cause we can't see your bones You should probably fix your face or you'll end up on your own Don't you want to have somebody who objectifies you? Have you thought about your butt? Who's gonna tear it in two? We've never had it so good, uh-huh, we're out of the woods And if you can't detect the sarcasm, you've misunderstood Sometimes it's hard to find the words to say I'll go ahead and say them anyway Forget your balls and grow a pair of tits

6 Meaning of the Lyrics 1 Lily supposes that she should explain what she is thinking, which is what she does in this song. Bitch is a term used by some artists, usually in a derogatory way, to refer to women. In this song she changes its negative connotation to a more positive one to show that she is in charge. 2 She is working, in a studio not in a kitchen like a particular band of misogynist men would expect or demand. 3 Lily sees no point in showing off what she owns i.e. she is not materialistic as is the norm in modern music. 4 She picks brain over brawn on any day and she will not strip down or dance for any man, after all she does not have to, if she uses her brains. 5 Lily says that when girls have active sex lives they tend to be called sluts among other colourful terms. It is even worse if the women talk about it. 6 She says that when boys share the details of the active sex lives, they are generally seen as heroes of sorts. This just goes to show that even in the twenty first century, these double standards are still applied. 7 The girl has an agenda and its to break these stereotypes, while making money. 8 She thinks people or the industry is slowing her down when she has work to do, fighting these stereotypes. 9 She gathers her courage to say what she is thinking, in the past she has been quite vocal about issues that she stands for and has been known to use strong terms to tell off people that she did not agree with. 10 Generally when one needs courage, they are told to grow a pair of balls but for women life is harder and balls are simply just inapplicable so she suggests instead that people grow a pair of tits, to mean its more of an achievement or a stronger show of courage. It can also be a construed as a challenge for men to try empathize with what women have to face. 11 Lily knows that for women who are trying to make it that life can be very very tough, more so in the entertainment industry. This is a sentiment that has been repeated over and over by women who have broken the glass ceiling. 12 This is one of the preferred body sizes for women in careers like modelling or in the entertainment industry, being larger spells doom but the smaller or skinnier one is the better their options are. 13 Lily shows other options that women are given just so that they can make it or have a man. 14 Lily uses another line popular with misogynists, the way to a man’s heart is through his stomach. 15 She and many other women have at one point faced pressure to shed off some weight and even after just giving birth, women are expected to shed the weight immediately. She herself has been a victim of Katie Hopkins on the same subject. In some circles, having visible bones suggests that one fits perfectly into the entertainment scene. 16 Lily talks of the advice that women receive and the pressure to look good which has resulted in plastic surgery for some women. 17 She asks women to look closely at their choice of men or rather what they are looking for in relationships. Lily is asking women if they want to be valued for who they are or to be reduced to mere objects. 18 These are some of the lines that are commonly heard in some pop and rap songs. It is a question to females if they have decided who will have them sexually, only in a violent way. This line also appeared in Robin Thicke’s song ‘Blurred Lines’ in the line “I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two.” This song was said by some to be a response to Blurred lines and Miley Cyrus’s twerking all over the place. 19 Lily sarcastically says that women are happy in the roles that they are portrayed in and things have never been better. 20 The word bitch is also used to define, an annoying woman, a woman with a bad attitude, a woman who has made it or even a woman who complains a lot. These are all things that Lily Allen is doing, probably just to rub it in. 21 She concedes that change is not an easy thing to come by and the inequalities and injustices perpetuated against women are hear to stay.

7 Analysis of Hard Out Here Video
“Hard out Here” is a synthpop song with lyrics revolving around body image pressures in the entertainment industry. At the beginning of this music video this message shows up warning us about this video using explicit content. Lily Allen's trying to send a strong, feminist message to counter jerks like Robin Thicke, because sexism is a real problem that needs be be called out forever. The only problem with Allen’s video is that it undermines its own message. In the beginning, we find Allen stretched out on an operating room table, silently protesting criticism about her weight from her old white manager. Then she fights back, singing, “I suppose I should tell you what ‘this bitch’ is thinking/You’ll find me in the studio and not in the kitchen/I won’t be bragging ’bout my cars or talking ’bout my chains/No need to shake my ass for you cause I’ve got a brain.” Here is an image of Lily getting Liposuction, this clip shows the negative impact of music videos on women and how they feel pressured into looking a certain way for example being a size 6. Lilys Manager “how can somebody let them get like this” Doctor: “Its lack of self discipline” Lily : “I had two babies” This shows that no matter what happens you have to be skinny because otherwise you wont be accepted. Pale/ Male/Stale Old White Male

8 Representation Theory
The male gaze theory by Laura Mulvey The concept of gaze is one that deals with how an audience views the people presented. For feminists it can be thought of in 3 ways: How men look at women How women look at themselves How women look at other women. Laura Mulvey invented the term ‘Male Gaze’ in She believes that in films the male gaze occurs when the audience is put into the perspective of a heterosexual man. A scene may focus on the curves of a woman’s body, putting viewer in the eyes of a male. However it is only the male gaze theory if these curves are highlighted with specific conventions such as slow motion, deliberate camera movements or cutaways. The theory suggests that the male gaze denies woman human identity and presents them as objects to be admired for physical appearance. The theory also suggests that woman can more often if not only watch a film from a secondary perspective which is a males perspective. Often in films the female has no real importance herself, its only about how she makes the male feel or act and thats the importance. The male gaze leads to HEGEMONIC IDEOLOGIES within our society. Hegemonic means ruling or dominant in a political or social context. Mulvey argues that as women in media are presented from a males perspective females start viewing and objectifying themselves but also other women as a male would. She also states that the role of a female in a narrative has two functions 1)As an erotic object for the character within the narrative to view 2)As an erotic object for the spectators within the cinema to view Only 16% of media creators are Women The theory also has the same meaning in music videos but also in real life.

9 Conclusion In conclusion the trend of objectification of women in media looks to continue because it is profitable and entertaining. However, this media practice is harmful to society for physical and mental reasons. Women are stuck trying to perfect their bodies exactly how the media presents the 'ideal body.’ Women are faced with depression and eating disorders due to fitting into the media's image of beauty. It is clear that objectification of women in media has its negative impacts on society, but what can be done when as a society we are buying into this? Our culture is accepting the media's portrayal of dating, romance, and sex, so the negative effects will only continue and progress. These reasons suggest there is a strong impact made by the objectification of women within society.   However sexualising and objectifying woman could be viewed in two different ways. Some women might say that its not a right thing to do as its presenting women as ‘erotic objects’ who are there to please the males. However other women might see it as being powerful and having an advantage over men. Showing off a females body could also mean self love and not being afraid of showing it to the public.

10 Representation of Women - why like this?
Women are represented like this because ‘sex sells’. There definitely is sexism in the industry as 84% people working in media are males. Sexism wouldn't happen as much if the society was against it however products which include something sexual tend to sell a lot quicker and a lot more. The impact from both videos The impact that this has on the audience is huge. A lot of young girls but also women are pressured and feel the need to look like all the women in music videos which leads to depression or eating disorders however the worse thing is that they think about themselves as object who are just there to look good and be their mans ‘thing’.


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