I was watching CNN today and I saw something that actor Rashida Jones who I love, especially her performance in the hit show Parks and Recreation. She spoke up on a topic that needs to be addressed. She talked about this generation of pop stars dressing like “whores”. I as a man understand that sex sells and most men don’t like to see a fully dressed women, but it is getting to the point that if you are not considered “sexy” you are not as successful as women who are considered “Sexy”.
Should their Successfulness be judged by how sexy they are, or by their talent, ability and performance ?
The actress wrote:
I understand that owning and expressing our sexuality is a huge step forward for women. But, in my opinion, we are at a point of over-saturation. It’s like when TV network censors evaluate a show’s content. Instead of doing a detailed report of dirty jokes or offensive words, they will simply say, ‘It’s a tonnage issue.’ One or two swear words might be fine; 10 is too many. Three sexual innuendos is OK; eight is overkill. When it comes to porn imagery and pop culture, we have a tonnage issue.
Jones also argued that she doesn’t want to shame women for their sexual choices, but she does want to start a dialogue about the over-sexualization of pop culture and the ways in which female celebrities impact their fans.
“Let’s at least try to discuss the larger implications of female sexuality on pop culture without shaming each other,” she wrote. “There’s more than one way to be a good feminist.”
Jones took issue with accusations of of “slut shaming,” or judging women’s sexuality according to sexist standards.
“I consider myself a feminist,” she retorted. “I would never point a finger at a woman for her actual sexual behavior, and I think all women have the right to express their desires. But I will look at women with influence—millionaire women who use their ‘sexiness’ to make money—and ask some questions. There is a difference, a key one, between ‘shaming’ and ‘holding someone accountable.’”
Yet, there is a certain type of artist Jones is pinpointing. Rihanna, Nicki Minaj, Miley Cyrus, Ke$ha, and even Lady Gaga — with her new R. Kelly duet “Do What U Want” — are all black, or have borrowed heavily from urban culture to develop their mass appeal.
I know we have heard the saying “You are what you dress like”
They also have a propensity for baring — or popping — their backsides when the time comes to promote an album.
Artists such as Katy Perry, with her breast-bearing routine employing everything from whipped cream to fireworks to draw attention to them, by contrast gets a pass.
Women of color: Judged more for sexy images
Does race make Perry more respectable, even though she is also hypersexualized?
Some say women of color (and by extension black culture) are held to a double standard when it comes to sexual expression.
“The rules are different for WoC [women of color], especially BW who have been the subject of specific, pervasive, racialized myths that have devalued our sexuality,” wrote one commenter on Jezebel.comabout the judgements Rihanna faces for a sexy image. “You cannot judge a black woman’s sexuality by the rules of white femininity. You just can’t do it.”
When artists such as Rihanna bring attention to their rears, a staple move of urban eroticism, their race might make them a scapegoat, because black women are typically undervalued.
The line of decency
In comments about Jones’ Glamour essay, it has been noted that she, too, has used her sexuality to promote her career, notably posing in lingerie for men’s publications.
The irony of Jones criticizing other women for similar acts raises questions about where to draw the line of decency. Yes, Jones has posed in a bra and panties, but not a thong. Does that make her superior? That is certainly worth debating. At one point, posing in underwear was transgressive, pointing to the relativity of these boundaries.
The bigger consideration is the way urban ways of expressing sexuality are a greater burden for women of color and women who adopt such styles. While Madonna and Katy Perry are celebrated for their top-heavy way of being sexy, Rihanna tends to be lambasted for her bottom.
Of course, Rihanna’s thong is not a big deal. But the interest spurred by this controversy is vital. Hopefully, through considering these and related questions, we can come to a place in which women artists — and women in general — will cease to be judged differently based on their race, and purely on whether their expressions advance our culture.