More Revenge Music Videos. May 16, 2007
Posted by ajaramillo in Aventura, betrayal, Blu Cantrell, controversy, domestic violence, Ethics, Female Power, morality, music video, Power, video.1 comment so far
I wanted to continue Melissa’s point about the popularity of the “revenge narrative” in music videos, yet a complete avoidance of domestic violence issues. It made me think of Blu Cantrell’s video “Hit ‘Em Up Style.” It is exactly how Melissa explained it: Blu’s man cheated, so therefore it’s OK to get back at him by destroying his property. Not only does she damage all of his possessions and spend his money, she encourages other women to do it too! It becomes a catchy girl power anthem.
Unfortunately, I also couldn’t find any other videos with women addressing the issue of domestic violence first-hand. However, it seems that we hear about women’s struggle from an unlikely source (more…)
The fight over the veil May 7, 2007
Posted by Wasik in bodies, careerwomen, controversy, fashion police, Female Power, feminism, ideology, in the news, iran, islam, morality, nationalism, politics, religion, the state, The Terrorist, Uncategorized, women and war.add a comment
[This started out as a comment to sindhub’s post on Women’s Bodies and Ideology, but then quickly became very long so now it is a normal post. But sindhub– thanks for bringing this topic up!]
The debate about traditional islamic dress for women– loosely referred to in Western discourse as ‘the veil’– is probably the most complicated, intricate and endlessly controversial way in which, as you mention, nationalist and religious (though the two are often inextricably tied) movements use women’s bodies to enforce ideology.
In Western media and popular culture, the issue is often presented very one-sidedly, ignoring the nuance involved which has perpetuated this debate for so long. I distinctly remember one episode of “Seventh Heaven” in which taking up the veil was seen as an absolute tragedy to be lamented; throughout the episode, Mrs. Camden was haunted by visions of her daughters veiled and oppressed, and the end of the program featured many of its actors speaking out against the treatment of women in states under sharia law. (more…)
women’s bodies and national ideology May 4, 2007
Posted by sindhub in bodies, Ethics, fashion police, ideology, in the news, iran, islam, modesty, morality, nationalism, new york times, politics, Power, religion, the state.add a comment
There’s an interesting article in the New York Times today about the ‘fashion police,’ quite literally, in Iran. Ever since the 1979 Islamic revolution that made Iran an Islamic state, there have been certain policies about how women should dress in public (modestly, in the chador) that are enforced by the police. I think it’s important to note that before the 1979 revolution, Iran was an avowedly secular state, which meant that women actually weren’t allowed to publicly dress in ‘modest’ Islamic clothes. I think this just goes to show that in a state that has a lot of power over its citizens, women’s bodies are one of the tools used to enforce its ideology, no matter how seemingly ‘repressive’ or ‘liberal’ that ideology is.
Here are some of the bits from the article that I found particularly amusing: (more…)
Morality and Sexuality May 1, 2007
Posted by jenniferlewk in alias, james bond, morality, sexuality.add a comment
In response to Linda’s morality comment in class–James Bond does not have to be moral for him to be the good guy and to be well respected, whereas Sydney in Alias, Jordan in G.I. Jane and other strong female characters must show the utmost morality in order to be granted the same agency as their male counterparts–I would like complicate this idea of morality with the idea of sexuality. James Bond loves sex. Women love him, he loves them, and every movie reveals his latest sexual conquest. We as viewers, however, accept this hyper-sexuality of Bond because for us, part of what makes Bond powerful is his heightened sex appeal. Saving the world is a sexy adventure, so he should get some side benefits as well. Moreover, because of the historicity of sexuality and women’s place in the world of sexuality, women can not be as sexually liberated and as sexually motivated on screen as a male can. If they are, they are immediately viewed with distrust. Indeed, instead of being viewed in a positive light, these women would no longer be possible role models, strong female characters, or committed to their jobs. They would be criticized for their overt sexuality, called weak because of yielding to their emotional side, and considered irresponsible and not fit for the job. I find it interesting that even though we know Sydney, for instance, is a sexual creature, her love affairs thus far have been monotonous and ones that have a future (instead of Bond’s glorious one-night stands). Thus, I think that very much tied to the idea of morality is sexuality, and I doubt that this tie will break soon.