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The hot new video that my students are showing me features a sexy undulating woman in a cage. She is wearing a flesh-colored body stocking; it looks as if she's naked, except for the black leather belt and requisite black high heels. In this video, particularly during the cage sequence, there is a lot of dyed-blonde hair-flipping. In addition there is panting and growling. Fifty years of the women's movement, and this is what we've got: a girl on her belly in a cage in a sort of "Girls Gone Wild" meets "Animal Planet" scenario. I'm so proud. Read More
Not a colon perhaps?
I'm wondering if the pink cave is a metaphor for female genitalia and not a colon?
In control
Do you not find it the least bit clever that she is using this video as a means to con, manipulate and control people by playing toward base desires, all with the eventual outcome of making herself ridiculously wealthy? If I possessed a technique that could make you immediately and unwaveringly forfeit your wallet to me, I would be a fool to not employ it. Buyer beware, Shakira is playing on and exploiting mens' weaknesses to grow insurmountably wealthy. If men were to exploit a weakness common amongst women to fill their bank vaults, the outrage would stem from the wrongness of exploitation of women, however, in this instance, the outrage appears to stem from some perceived exploitation of Shakira...misplaced, thus a double standard exists. Hypocrisy. Men find that because women do not aggressively ask for more money, they can pay them less, thus they exploit this; women find that because men lose self-control when sex is apparent, they can charge them more, thus they exploit this. If one is wrong, the other is also wrong.
Indeed
When you look across the globe, the most porn permissive and raunchiest societies are also those that are the most feminist.
Likewise, the most porn intolerant and raunch free are the most patriarchal/religious/traditional, because they don't want women free to brazenly exploit their sexual power over men. One can't help but chuckle at Regina's apparent slight drift back towards the traditional on this one. I'm sure it's only temporary and she'll shortly come back to her senses.
But what she seems to fail to grasp is that the cage is not really a cage, but a pedestal designed to keep the animals out, while drawing them irresistibly to her -- the ultimate carrot-on-a-stick tease. Whats-her-face is safely out of reach and therefore free from actually having to do anything to satisfy what all her gyrating certainly is meant to provoke. She gets the heavily coveted male attention, and all that money, but doesn't have to deal with any of the yucky consequences. She doesn't have to interact with the window shoppers as actual human beings, or have any of the concomitant feelings herself. It's not difficult to see how this might be the ultimate wet power dream from some young women.
What's funny and interesting is how much this schtick parallels that of the early MTV video "I Know What Boys Like", by the one-hit-wonders The Waitresses, whose lyrics ("I got my cat moves...") one should certainly look up and review. As usual, the retread version isn't anywhere near as good as the original (written way back in the Dark Ages of 1977). Ah, the more things don't change, the more things stay the same. It seems self-evident in retrospect that when you liberate women, you liberate them to become skanks and hos as surely as you liberate them to become CEOs and Senators. Their choice.
The second wave feminists of 30+ years ago certainly chafed against the imposition upon them of that fake-ish, lady-like, Betty Crocker-ish and Mrs. Cleaver mask of niceness, chastity, and all the rest which got them so reliably lathered up. It was almost as if they had an inner stripper/pole-dancer just yearning to get out and be set free to tear up the world, except it's their ideological descendants who have the actual cojones to realize the dream.
Whereas young women used to learn their genitals were both dirty and valuable, now they learn they're just valuable. Most would see this as some sort of an improvement, though it might have been better to have done away with both altogether, since they seem to go together hand-in-glove, however much this goes against our deeply ingrained sensibilities.
When girls are taught that their genitalia and bodies are the basis for their superiority, there is no reason why they should have to restrain their use of said genitalia and bodies in any way. When men are forbidden from oppressing women by putting them on pedestals, women will sometimes make their own and put themselves up there themselves.
In control?
Some prostitutes also make a lot of money. Does that mean they're to be admired for manipulating the weakness of men? Is the idea that a woman who becomes rich by exploiting men's uncontrolled sexual desires is in complete control? Plenty of women earn lots of money in other ways--there are even some fabulously rich female singers who write great lyrics and are free to roam the stage while they dance.
No, I don't find Shakira's caged performance particularly clever.
And about the men being wrong--well, duh.
IN CONTROL?
Some prostitutes also make a lot of money. Does that mean they're to be admired for manipulating the weakness of men? Is the idea that a woman who becomes rich by exploiting men's uncontrolled sexual desires is in complete control? Plenty of women earn lots of money in other ways--there are even some fabulously rich female singers who write great lyrics and are free to roam the stage while they dance.
No, I don't find Shakira's caged performance particularly clever.
And about the men being wrong--well, duh.
She-wolf, et cetera
That a woman is exploiting herself for profit does not negate the fact that she is exploiting and debasing herself. After so many years of struggle towards civil rights and gender equality, women (and all society) have not grown towards self-respect or self-worth, not a dollar value.
Oh dear
Shakira has been cracking me up for years, and this just adds to her weirdo persona for me. Remember that stupid boob-thrusting move in one of her videos, and how she writhed around in mud for another one? I don't understand it, but it amuses me.
Hilarious article... Thank
Hilarious article...
Thank you!
Let's campaign for free range chicks
instead of chickens
Shakira
Regina, I think it's obvious you have a lot more work to do with your fellow woman and sisters, than you do with men.
In other words, if you want to advance the cause and status of women, it would help if women weren't all flying off in different directions.
In other words, if you want women to not be treated as sex objects, then you need to convince half of them to stop acting that way. If you want women to be respected for their brains, then you need to convince half of them it's OK to use theirs.
You certainly do have your work cut out for you.
So do you
If you want men to stop killing people, conning people, robbing people, lying to people, exploiting people, starting wars, refusing to pay health insurance, offering sub-prime loans, taking bonuses after fleecing the government, chasing ambulances, having affairs with younger women, drinking too much, littering, making cruel remarks, or behaving in any unkind, unwise or foolish manner, you will have to convince half (only half?) of your fun-loving buddies that it's okay to be nice and play well with others.
So do you
If you want men to stop waging useless wars, conning people, robbing people, lying to people, exploiting people, starting wars, refusing to pay health insurance, offering sub-prime loans, taking bonuses after fleecing the government, chasing ambulances, having affairs with younger women, drinking too much, littering, making cruel remarks, or behaving in any unkind, unwise or foolish manner, you will have to convince half (only half?) of your fun-loving buddies that it's okay to be nice and play well with others.
Comparisions
Most of the above vices you mentioned, however, do not apply solely to men.
It is true that many women scream for feminism and female empowerment, yet many women like to dress and act like sex objects to get more attention from the men themselves. Such hypocrisy.
Interestingly enough...
Interestingly enough, this past weekend, I was visiting a male friend who decided that my three girlfriends and I absolutely had to see this music video. As I was the only one who had seen it, I prepared myself for the horrible dancing (Did she actually paid a choreographer for those kicks and strange arm moves?). The masculine vote was that she is “hot” and “being sexy to sell the video.” My girlfriends remarked that her body stocking reminded them of Britney Spears’ “Toxic” video, in which Britney twists around wearing nothing but diamonds and a tiny pair of underwear. Sorry Shakira, but you know it’s bad when you’re compared to Britney.
Stupid Video
As a women, I find this video an embarrassment as well. But I cannot say that empowerment for a woman would be the same as empowerment for a man. Women act this way to get recognition from men, and the reason they do this is simply that - they are women, and feeling wanted by men is an empowerment for them. Women and men are different by nature, and that's the problem with feminism.
There's nothing wrong with feminism
The dictionary definition of feminism is 'a doctrine that advocates equal rights for women.' PULEEEZE....do not trot out the old chestnut that feminism means women want to exploit men, demand their attention, are willing to do/wear anything to achieve their goals and then cry 'foul'. The video is wretched in and of itself and the subject is the single topic that will generate the greatest number of sales. The people (both men and women) who created it are out to generate revenue and the thought that they're considering anything else is absurd. They sell videos affirming stereotypes of women as coniving, dishonest and willing to do anything for what some people call'empowerment'. It is insulting to all women and girls in its tedious concept that the sole thing they want in life is to be fucked by some lonely guy jerking off in his parent's basement.
Based on the photo and the
Based on the photo and the discussion, I don’t even want to give Shakira the benefit of my “clicks” to see her in action. Sounds like the song & video are not only de-basing but also dumb! Moreover, though I’m a homebody and prefer small spaces, a cage is too tight even for me, geez what was she thinking – IF she WAS thinking! I’m on-board for the free-range chicks campaign!
Many of these posts frustrate
Many of these posts frustrate me in their negative views, although i am too busy to post my opinion atm, i feel inclined to return to this post within the next few days to add my rebuttal.
I agree Boar
I am shocked at the amount of negative comments here as well. If the woman wants to dance in a cage, well then that's what she is going to do. Am I wanting to be her protege, no. Not in the slightest. But I am also not going to say that I'm surprised by her behavior. Is it feminist? I think that depends. Maybe I'm wrong, but I think that part of the ideology of feminism is to eradicate the patriarchy. If a woman is enjoying her sexuality, and expressing it in her own way, well then go for it. But if her motivation is to contribute to the patriarchal values we live in, well then I would say she is not.
Personally I think it would be more productive (for feminism) for her to be sexy in a different way. Sexiness isn't a crime. And dressing provocatively isn't either. But again, I think it's all about where your mindset is. And by the way, thanks for all the usage of the words hos, skanks, etc. Very helpful. And again, if the patriarchy didn't exist, there would be no demand for "sex objects". Feminism, and women do not exist in a vacuum.
I think the whole point of
I think the whole point of the feminist movement was to give women the right to make choices with their lives. The right to do porn if they want. The right to dress, sing or represent themselves in a way that they are happy with.
Wanting women to behave in a way that suites you defies the whole objective. We all have the right to live our lives the way we want to and that is the point. I think its time women stop being judgmental of each other and just accept that we are all different and we all see things differently and have a right to do so. Its all a matter of perspective and who's to say whether yours is better than mine. Just live and let live.
If you don't want your girls turning out that way then educate them differently. Spend time enforcing your beliefs to them but also give them strategies to cope with different people with differing perceptions. Being exposed to something does not mean that they will turn out that way.
Featured!
This weblog entry is being featured on Five Star Friday - http://www.fivestarfriday.com/2009/10/five-star-fridays-edition-74.html
Great one-liners
The song with the coffee pot lyric comes from the same woman who debuted in the music industry with a song that crooned, "Lucky that my breasts are small and humble so you don't confuse them with mountains." I expect very little Shakespeare from her.
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