Women & Rock Music: A Narrative of Activism and Misogyny

L E T ’ S T A L K A B O U T S E X I S T T R O P E S I N T H E M E D I A

MISOGYNISTIC MEDIATROPES

by Laasya Babbellapati and Yawen Xue

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Mainstream media is full of these tropes—recurring characters, plots, and other elements of storytelling. The woman who says romance doesn’t interest her but gives in to a male pursuer in the end, the girl who “isn’t like the other girls, ” the woman who dies in a horror movie for no apparent purpose -- the books we read and the movies and TV shows we watch are full of them, and they contribute to a misogynistic social dialogue. Time and time again, research has shown that the media has a significant impact on people’s perception of themselves and each other, and it’s even more blatant on youth. Misogynistic TV tropes can cause society to normalize various aspects of sexism. It can cause women to internalize gender roles and romanticize misogynistic scenarios. In this article, we’ll examine the harmful impact of several categories of sexist tropes.

THEFAIRYTALES THATHARMUS

The Misogyny Our Childhood Stories Teach Us

Perhaps the most well-known trope that recurs throughout the decades in the media is the girl who ’ s “ not like other girls ” — her defining characteristic is that she does not prescribe to traditional femininity. . Usually, this girl hates stereotypically feminine hobbies, such as wearing makeup, shopping, partying, and instead differentiates herself through being interested in “ unconventional” hobbies like video games and reading books. The “different” girl is typically the main character and is portrayed as relatable and genuine, as compared to the other shallow female characters. To males, she is seen as a “ cool girl” with sex a T ppeal. wiligh S t, o S me no targirl t f able rom exa the mples novel include Stargirl, Bell and a Swan Arya St from ark from Game of Thrones. This trope effectively degrades women who do enjoy traditionally feminine activities and portrays any female who partakes in them as girly, vain, and ditzy. Furthermore, it discredits the vast majority of women who indulge in both traditional and unconventional hobbies, which reconfirms gender binary stereotypes in separating “ girls ” hobbies and “boys ” hobbies. While it is great that the media gives attention to girls who may feel like they don ’t fit into mainstream society, the trope pits young girls against each other by antagonizing the differences among women. In reality, all women are complex and have a character beyond stereotypical interests—and no woman should be degraded based on what they enjoy.

Moreover, the negative depiction of femininity suggests a much larger idea – it associates femininity with weakness. By portraying more feminine girls as bullies, “dumb blondes, ” or seductresses, children who watch these tropes on television may come to associate femininity with a lack of intelligence and individuality. The misconception that feminine characteristics, such as delicateness, sensitivity, affection, and feminine hobbies, like cosmetics, fashion, and arts, makes a person inferior to others is used as a justification to withhold women from positions of power. It also prevents men from embracing stereotypically feminine characteristics which exacerbates toxic masculinity

Destroying Female Solidarity & Independence

Media tropes that devalue women ’ s independence also include the strong, independent woman who eventually gives in to a male protagonist’ s relentless pursuit and engages in a romantic relationship with him despite displaying no prior interest. This is a common theme in Hallmark Christmas movies — the soulless, capitalistic, ambitious woman falls in love with a small-town man and quits her money-making job because she learns the “true spirit of Christmas. ” This devalues women ’ s choices, romanticizing the idea that no does not mean no, and that dogged pursuit of a sexual relationship despite rejection is a successful and admirable strategy. In reality, that is non consensual.Furthermore, this trope reinforces the idea that a woman needs a man to be happy, ignoring the fact that many women, regardless of their sexual orientation, are completely fulfilled without prioritizing romantic and sexual relationships with men. Sexualizing Women

The objectification and sexualization of women is another recurring theme in media. An American Psychological Association study, for example, reveals that the media portrays girls in a sexual manner much more frequently than they do boys. Advertising also frequently depicts women as sexual objects. Sexualizing women is a glaring problem in the film industry. Movie posters depict scantily-clad women while directors argue that giving men the same treatment would be impractical for their protagonist roles. On-screen, in movies including the blockbuster franchise Mission Impossible, women are shown naked and in sexual positions much more often than men are.

While some argue that it’ s empowering to normalize female sexuality, objectification in media does not accomplish this. The same movies that sexualize women often depict them negatively, as “ promiscuous ” or a “ slut’ just because she has an active sex life. The sexualization of women in media sends a message that women ’ s value lies in their sex appeal to men. Many female characters are portrayed as subjects of attraction rather than real people with real personalities, and as a result, characterization is often lackluster. Many female leads are depicted as attractive and perfect characters with little flaws. This portrays women as objects of desire rather than people with human struggles and flaws, contributing to the narrative of objectification. Combined with the fact that most women play supporting roles to male protagonists in such movies and that most directors are male, this devalues women ’ s worth as individuals with their own values and goals and reinforces the patriarchal idea that a woman ’ s role is to please men.

Yet another common trope in the media is that young girls are forced to appeal to the audience by seeming more grown-up. In Stephen King ’ s novel It, Beverly Marsh is the only girl among the group of preteen main characters. She is the only one who is not described as childish or funny, rather as very pretty and mature for her age. Eventually, Beverly becomes the love interest for everyone in the group. This trope perpetuates the social standard that girls must be more mature, more perfect, and loved by men.

Devaluing Women ’ s Lives Directly tied to the objectification of women is the devaluation of women ’ s lives. A lot of visual media gratuitously and carelessly portrays violence against women without depicting any consequences, normalizing and desensitizing us to it. Since these crimes go unchallenged in fictitious worlds, real-life incidents of rape and violence against women cease to generate shock or outrage. A common horror movie trope is the pointless death of or extreme violence against a woman in the very beginning. She is often conventionally beautiful and sexualized, and her death also does nothing to advance the plot. Instead, they only serve to “ set the tone. ” Even worse, many of these deaths are painted in a vaguely sexual light, which not only normalizes but also sexualizes violence against women. In movies, scenes of outright sexual violence against women are also common and fail to acknowledge the lasting damage sexual violence causes. They are there for cheap shock value at best and come off as a distasteful attempt at fanservice. A related trope is romanticizing relentlessly pursuing a woman even after she says no, a theme that occurs in much more mainstream movies targeted to a broad range of audiences. This dismisses women ’ s right to decide what to do with their own bodies and lives, perpetuating the patriarchal attitude that men can make decisions on women ’ s behalf. This contributes to both patronizing attitudes and the belief that it is okay to ignore women ’ s personal boundaries. It also contributes to the normalization of abuse and violence. Far too often, media tropes perpetuate misogyny, causing people to internalize it. Film and TV show giants such as Hollywood do little to dispel these misogynistic ideas in their products. To avoid creating a societal discourse that normalizes sexism, it’ s vital to have media with characters and themes that challenge these misogynistic notions. The good news is that there is increasing positive and empowering representation of women in media. Single women who stay single and are happy, as well as TTropes such as the independent woman who stays independent and traditionally feminine characters who become strong protagonists without losing their femininity give girls inspiring examples to look up recent teen movies, such as th I’ ve Loved Before franchise, ex to. In fa e To All plore a ct, th po more e Boy sitive s dynamic between the female protagonist and her bully. It took me a while to recognize the misogyny that I’ ve internalized as a result of media tropes and social constructs. However, after years of dismantling these thoughts, I have grown profoundly to identify confidently with my womanhood.

WOMEN & ROCK MUSIC: A NARRATIVE OF ACTIVISM AND MISOGYNY

FEMINISM & MISOGYNY THE DUAL NATURE OF ROCK MUSIC

WHAT ROCK MUSIC TELLS US ABOUT FEMINISM

WRITTEN BY YAWEN XUE

Speaking out against the “ establishment” — the prevailing social and ideological beliefs embedded in our society — is a common theme in rock music. As a result of this tendency to push boundaries, rock music has become a vehicle for breaking down social barriers and challenging deep-rooted patriarchal ideals. However, music has the potential to act as not only a tool of rebellion but also a perpetrator of cultural beliefs, reflecting the way our society treats women and making the industry a breeding ground of misogyny. From artists who advocate for social equality and vehemently condemn rape culture to songs that openly speak of taboo subjects such as menstruation, female sexuality, and effects of gender-related trauma, rock music is filled with both antimisogynistic social commentary and celebrations of femininity. The Riot Grrrl movement, an underground punk movement that promoted feminist ideas in the 90s, quickly spread from the US Pacific Northwest to the rest of the world. Bands associated with the movement, such as Bikini Kill, L7, and Joan Jett & the Blackhearts, were groundbreaking in their direct addressing of patriarchy, domestic abuse, sexual violence, and female empowerment in their songs. Eventually, the Riot Grrrl movement evolved into a DIY, female-focused and LGBTQ-supporting subculture that encouraged women to artistically express their identity and individuality. The movement reinvented punk rock in a way that empowered women and normalized “taboo ” topics related to femininity. Today, many rock artists such as Kathleena Hanna and Alice Bag continue to challenge misogyny through loud, bold, and obscene art. Siouxsie Sioux, one of the pioneers of the post-punk genre and perhaps the most well-known female gothic rock artist, has been praised for her onstage presence and androgynous self-expression, both of which challenge traditional femininity and encourage girls to have confidence in their autonomy. Lyrically, she has openly sang about female sexuality and her own sexual trauma in songs such as “Candyman. ” As role models that many young girls look up to, these musicians show us that women, too, can openly express themselves and advocate for others even in a predominantlymale music genre.

However, in a culture steeped in gender roles and sexism, rock music is not immune to sexism. In the controversy-hailing punk and industrial genres, extreme misogyny coexists with ardent activism. A common lyrical theme of hypersexualizing and attracting women, which is present in almost all mainstream music genres and especially apparent in ‘70s classical rock such as AC/DC and Van Halen, both reinforces toxic masculinity by perpetuating the idea that women can be reduced to sex objects. These same songs that glorify promiscuous men often demean promiscuous women, imposing a double standard. In many rock music videos, women are scantily clad and depicted in a sexual manner far more often than men are, contributing to a discrepancy in how society views men and women. Internalized, this practice normalizes objectification, which lowers girls ’ self-esteem and can even increase sexual violence as society continues to subconsciously view women as less than fully human.

Shock rock is a genre that utilizes imagery society considers to be obscene to convey artistic messages. While it can be a tool for challenging established social order, far too many musicians use it as an excuse to gratuitously portray violence against women through lyrics, music videos, and onstage performances. Often, the victims are sexualized and the violence is mingled with sexual themes. For example, sexual violence is a recurring theme in Lindemann ’ s Frau & Mann album, particularly in the music videos. While some of it does contain meaningful social commentary, its primary focus on the violence itself rather than the circumstances. Additionally, its impact on the victims eventually makes it jaded and exploitive. Exposure to both sexual and nonsexual violence against women in music desensitizes audiences. As a result, when they encounter real-life incidents, they view it as a normal occurrence and don ’t express as much indignation to this issue as they should.

“Art should comfort the disturbed and disturb the comfortable, ” goes the famous saying by Cesar A. Cruz. So why is portrayal of violence against women such a grave issue? Many argue that these shocking portrayals provide an aspect of grim realism and sometimes even raise awareness to the ordeals women go through. However, a pattern of gratuitous depictions of objectification of and violence against women does not empower anyone. While many musicians graphically portray objection of and violence against women, they shyflinch away from showing the aftermath and the gravity of the situation. This shows that they use these tropes for cheap shock rather than any real attempts at social commentary. Some musicians make art graphically depicting trauma they have experienced as a result of the objectification and violence they face. This is viewed through the same veil of controversy and obscenity. However, done well, this kind of artistic expression can be cathartic for victims with similar traumatic experiences. The difference is that it has a clear intention to destigmatize conversations about their trauma, not to exploit it for aesthetics or gratification. Misogyny in rock music is exacerbated by the industry: as a male-dominated music genre, many performance and lyrical elements appeal to toxic ideals of masculinity. This contributes to the exclusion of women, and even when they are included, they are often sexualized and serve to elevate male musicians ’ status. Furthermore, the industry sometimes pushes female musicians to dress in revealing clothes and act in sexualized ways in an attempt to appeal to an audience that is often predominantly male. While mainstream portrayals of female sexuality can be liberating, it’ s only empowering when it occurs by intrinsical choice. When an industry pressures women to sexualize themselves, it, once again, sends the message that women ’ s worth is based on their sex appeal. Despite the mountainous shadow of misogyny, rock music still has a legacy rooted in feminism and is continuing to break barriers on the front of gender equality. By supporting artists who advocate for equality and being aware of problematic aspects in rock music, we can increase the impact of feminism in rock so that it prevails loud and clear over the misogyny.