Blurred Lines

I am a feminist. This entails being against the objectification of women; the positioning of women in society as sexual playthings. Only an idiot would publically say otherwise. I disagree with strip joints, lap dancing clubs, page three and prostitution. If this is starting to seem dry and you’re tempted to stop reading, don’t. A big ol’ but/t is coming up. Not yet though. Music and music videos often cash in on the female form, whether the artist is a woman or not. Half naked ladies prancing about is not an uncommon feature, neither are lyrics referring to them as bitches etc. My feminist values tell me that I should disapprove of this sort of thing. What if a child saw these sorts of videos and thought it was how women do, or should, behave? Wont somebody please think of the children?!? But… (there it is) I don’t always disapprove. I enjoy the songs, I enjoy the videos. It used to be Hot in Herre by Nelly. At the moment I have what is bordering on an addiction to Blurred Lines by Robin Thicke. I consider it to be guilty pleasure. But should I?

No, after some thought I’ve decided I shouldn’t. I feel like there is a misconception about feminism/feminists. The issue is with sexism and women being considered and/or treated as if their primary purpose is to serve the carnal desires of men. Sex itself is not a problem. Women enjoy sex. That is a pretty important pillar in my own particular brand of feminism. The idea is to establish that women are not just brainless sex objects, not to rinse them of desire. Female sexuality should, in the right context, be celebrated, not swept under the rug lest it be deemed un-feminist. Caitlin Moran echoed the sentiment, or rather I’m echoing hers. She is talking about porn, which I’m not suggesting theses videos actually are but they’re in the same ballpark: ‘The act of having sex isn’t sexist so there’s no way pornography can be, in itself, inherently misogynistic’  And this is where I find my permission to watch the Blurred Lines video on repeat.

The video, (there are two versions, I’m talking about the more explicit one) is Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams and T.I. standing against a white back drop while three models dance around them. The girls are wearing nothing but flesh coloured thongs; about as close to naked as it’s possible to get without actually getting your vadge out. They stand next to Robin looking seductively at the camera while he sings ‘I know you want it’ into their ears. It’s a very sexy video. It is easy to watch and brand it sexist and exploitative. The women are sex objects. But here’s the thing. In certain contexts, women are sex objects. So are men. Humans are sexually motivated creatures. The line ‘you’re an animal, baby it’s in your nature’ is making that point, it’s about innate female sexual desire. The song is about sex and sex, as Caitlin Moran pointed out, is not sexist.

The fact that the women are pretty much naked while the men are fully clothed is a difficult one it get round. I don’t want to feel like I’m making excuses. The fact the women are so exposed, it has a sort of honesty about it. There’s no shame. There’s no skimpy outfits. There’s no split seconds of girls writhing around in glitter a la Britney. The models strut about exuding uber-confidence. Aside from the confidence and honesty I think the video has a modicum of parody, as if it is mocking videos in which women wear tiny outfits, by just having butt-naked girls. The scene in which the phrase ‘Robin Thicke has a big dick’ is shown spelled out on the wall with huge silver balloons, proves the video is not taking itself too seriously. Or at least you’d hope not. And even if the balloons speak the truth (you can’t help but wonder), Pharrell Williams tells a sheep its the hottest bitch in the place, so that’s some definite humour right there.

I think perhaps it’s due to the slightly postmodern tone that this video in particular has struck a chord with me as not something that should have Emmeline Pankhurst spinning in her grave. There are some videos where the women bounce their asses in the men’s faces and I find it kind of disgusting, because it’s being done too seriously. The context of some videos, in a club or a house party, they’re too set-in-the-real-world. Blurred Lines isn’t really set anywhere; a white room scattered with random props. It’s not meant to be a snippet of real life. I also think the subject of the song justifies the nakedness. You often see female singers dressed in next to nothing but not really singing about sex, as if skimpy clothes is just the default dress code for a music video.

I mentioned in the first paragraph the concern of children watching this video or others like it are having ideas planted in their innocent little heads. This something the concerns me. But then you have to hope the children have other influences, other templates of the male-female dynamic. I think it is more worrying that a child might see a piece on the news about British politics and notice that it is dominated by men. Then hear a report on how there is still a pay gap. And besides, this video is for adults and adults, you’d hope, have minds of their own. I can a watch a music video featuring naked women and explicit lyrics and still know that I’m an intelligent person with more to offer than just my lady parts. I don’t become convinced that I’m all I’m good for is strutting around naked for men’s enjoyment, not that any men would necessarily enjoy that. I enjoy the video for what it is, an expression of sexuality, then get on with my day. Or watch it again.

I am not trying to say that women being objectified is a concept that should flood media and mainstream society. I think women should be afforded more roles of authority, and that progress towards that will only be hindered if the idea that women are just sexual playthings is perpetuated. But that is not to say that we should pretend that men don’t lust after women, that women don’t lust after men, that women are devoid of sexuality; that is just as harmful. There is a time and a place and a way of doing it, and I think Robin Thicke got it right.