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January 14, 2005 Take Back the Dignity
Myrna Blyth's latest NRO column, "You Go Girl!", discusses the recent protest by Essence Magazine against the offensive way in which black women have been portrayed in lyrics and music videos. "Essence" is of course the largest and most successful magazine geared towards black women (and might I specify liberal and "sexually liberated" black women). Although, in the past they've managed to publish a column or two on abstinence. Essence Magazine's new campaign called "Take Back the Music" came onto the scene with a big agenda and a flashy new webpage. In spite of my tendency to want to place my hand on my hip and roll my eyes, the year-long campaign does have some promising aspects. One being an upcoming study on how young girls who watch hours of music videos are affected. Organizers have made it clear that facts, not just feelings, are necessary to prove to people how dangerous degrading lyrics can be. As if the arrests, killings, stabbings, and fights during award shows hasn't been evidence enough. Another ray of hope is the campaign's partnership with well-known historically black women's college Spelman (almost went there). Many may recall last year when some Spelman College women protested the on-campus performance of rapper and licensed misogynist Nelly, causing him to cancel his performance. These are all great strides. I even have great faith that the effort of Essence Magazine will spur some to action and create a stir amid the numbness. But as always, there's a "but/butt". I know I run the risk of becoming that jerk who always comes into the room you just spent all day painting and proudly declares, "hey you missed a spot", but I must say, I'm not the least bit impressed with these latest "stop the men from being ignorant" tactics; especially when the tactics are being endorsed by the likes of Ms. Magazine, the hub of the new age feminist movement. Sounds really great and all, and I'm sure this "take a stand" thing will catch-on for the moment. Correct me if I'm wrong, but weren't we the ones taking off our clothes and dropping it like it's hot? Did we not call ourselves female dogs on more than one album? Was anyone being held hostage and forced to don dental floss and red pleather with rivets? When was the last time you had to twist some girl's arm to become a video ho? And are we not the same women that allow our children to watch BET and all its filth? This entire "Take Back the Music" effort will be in vain if the mirror doesn't get pulled out expeditiously. And might I suggest we use a little Windex too? The creators of the "Take Back the Music" movement gave this opening statement on their website: "We are mothers, sisters, daughters and lovers of hip-hop. We’ve emulated the sexy confidence of Salt-N-Pepa and the toughness of MC Lyte. We’ve wept over Tupac Shakur’s visceral poetry and marveled at the lyrical dexterity of Notorious B.I.G. When Nas said, "The World Is Yours," we believed him. And today we stand at the forefront of popular culture: independent, talented and comfortable with the skin we’re in. We are really feeling ourselves. Perhaps that’s why we’re so alarmed at the imbalance in the depiction of our sexuality and character in music. In videos we are bikini-clad sisters gyrating around fully clothed grinning brothers like Vegas strippers on meth. When we search for ourselves in music lyrics, mixtapes and DVDs and on the pages of hip-hop magazines, we only seem to find our bare breasts and butts....he damage of this imbalanced portrayal of Black women is impossible to measure. An entire generation of Black girls are being raised on these narrow images. And as the messages and images are broadcast globally, they have become the lens through which the world now sees us. This cannot continue.Well cry me the Nile River. Does anyone honestly expect a declaration against misogyny that includes the phrase "we've wept with visceral tears over Tupac Shakur's poetry" to be taken seriously? For. Crying. Out. Loud. I mean really people, let's at least pretend we have a clue. If we believed the delusional "Nas" (a rapper so confused he can't decide if he wants to be "conscious" or a "thug") when he said "The World Is Yours", then we were just plain stupid, and chances are, we need therapy. Should the men in the music industry be held accountable to properly represent women? Absolutely. As leaders, protectors, heads of households, and fathers, they should be ensuring that women are treated with the utmost respect. Men certainly hold a great deal of responsibility in this whole female image disaster. Women however, should not be without standard. Of all the talk I've heard against Gangsta Rap's foes (and it should be noted that Gangsta Rap in and of itself is one gigantic foe), rarely do I hear the flip side of the coin discussed. Granted, there is clearly some mental slavery that needs to be broken in our thinking, but no woman is being forced to partake in or support the dog and pony show. Still, the issue is greater than just some song lyrics and music videos. Other publications have covered the story on Essence's campaign. One article in the CS Monitor came to a most excellent conclusion: "Of course, hip-hop is hardly the first, or only, form of contemporary music to portray women in an unflattering light. In the 1970s, and even more so in the 1980s, it was the spandex-clad, heavy metal crowd whose lyrics, videos, and album covers portrayed women as sexual objects.Now we're cooking with gas. This isn't just a "black problem". Once we realize this, our problem solving tactics will kick in with force. It doesn't exactly help that the conquistadors of hip hop are completely blasé about the way women are portrayed. In her NRO article, Blyth was none too pleased with Russell Simmons's following defense of the industry: "Although these records and videos are offensive, young girls can learn a lot about the mind-set of the young guys they're going to school with. Now that the truth is out there more, young girls can learn how to deal with guys."Seems like old Russell "I'm too rich and stubborn to have my speech impediment fixed" Simmons must be smoking the same mind-altering substance his wife was a few months ago. Still, I bet we wouldn't see Aoki Lee and Ming Lee (Simmons's daughters) shaking their behinds on high definition television. Then again, considering the output of Simmons's wife Kimora Lee Simmons's hootchie-mama clothing line, Baby Phat, which she markets to pre-teens, I could be very, very wrong. The attack on self image is a much bigger problem than a genre of music. When I wrote about singer Christina Aguilera a few months ago, it took me about 30 minutes just to find a photo of her online that was decent enough to post. Quite simply, the girl is not a big fan of clothing. All over the world, women are whoring themselves in and out of the limelight. It's a statement about the values of our culture. Fifty years ago, girls wouldn't get away with half of what they're currently wearing. Today one has to wonder, "is that a shirt, a skirt, a belt or a headband?" It's all the same size. Modesty and propriety are but a vapor. The good news is that carnality gets old and eventually, women will get tired of feeling cheap, and music will come full circle. That isn't a license to shrink back. Taking back our dignity is a process that beckons more than just some chastising of the music industry. We must also cultivate an atmosphere where women can be taught to see themselves properly and take responsibility for their bodies and their purpose in this life. This peep show and the degrading names are the truest form of identity theft. Comments Posted by: Beau at January 14, 2005 5:43 AM Nice sentiments. The editors might begin with their own cover- or at least the one featured on NRO. The one with Viveca A. Fox in outfit and pose typical of Cosmo or Glamour or other such high-gloss stuff. Might want to insist that cover persons button up. Nice to have summit at Morehouse College. Will certainly work on nearby Peachtree St. Or North Phila. Or the radio stations pumping out this stuff left and right. Otherwise good luck and so forth. Posted by: Gerard E. at January 14, 2005 5:45 AM "carnality gets old and eventually, women will get tired of feeling cheap" Hm. What's the world's oldest profession, again? Don't hold your breath, Ambra. I think this is a worthy campaign because this is probably the most effective way to tackle the problem right away. Namely, by tackling the producers of the smut. To mount a campaign of 'awareness' or some such, like mebbe a don't drink and drive thing costs a LOT more money and would take a much longer time to have any tangible effect (if at all -- you only need one or two Kitana or Esther Baxters to do the video. Even if it's a tiny minority of women who feel comfortable eaglin and wot not, if all the directors use the same pool, it's the same effect). What kind of check-the-mirror campaign would you suggest, A? p.s. ticklish of them to mention Biggie, innit? Posted by: memer at January 14, 2005 5:54 AM Welcome back Ambra. I've missed you! Not to excuse the behavior of men, BUT... We are responsible for our own behaviors and we should reap their concequences. However, women have always been responsible for civilizing us. I don't intend to oversimplify the situation, but it always has boiled down to a business deal. Women trade sexual favors for civilized behavior. We have even institutionalized this behavior in marriage. Now everyone is surprised at what happens when women start acting like men. Again, I don't make excuses for the behavior of men, but we aren't the ones who changed or gave up our role. We're supposed to be the leering, lecherous ogres! Yahweh gave us the sex drive and he gave women the power to control it.
Posted by: Scott at January 14, 2005 6:41 AM Welcome back Nykola! Actually, I had not missed you because I only learned about your blog from Michelle Malkins post. But I am truly glad I found you site. I loved your description of the South as a place where a black and white could sit at the same table and eat a bowl of grits! I will be a frequent visitor, but an infrequent poster. I go by the rule that you can be silent (not write) and let people think you are stupid, or speak up (write) and prove their thoughts. God bless, Ron Posted by: Ron Pass at January 14, 2005 7:58 AM "Now everyone is surprised at what happens when women start acting like men. Again, I don't make excuses for the behavior of men, but we aren't the ones who changed or gave up our role. We're supposed to be the leering, lecherous ogres! Yahweh gave us the sex drive and he gave women the power to control it." OMG!!! So God made men animals with no self-control? What this illustrates is that the US is one of the few countries where men are able to get away with this legally. You know, in other countries women have no rights, have to cover up from head to toe and are still property ... all because men can rule the world but cannot rule of lower parts ... Can you say copout? Grow up please! Chew some gum and try to walk! Posted by: Qusan at January 14, 2005 8:56 AM Television tells-a-vision; and the youth of today, tommorrow, and yesterday have accepted it and are running with it. The problem with hip-hop is that it's image may be growing up, but it's persona has not changed. No matter how classy you dress the women they will still be referred to as b-witches. It all ultimately falls back to the past [and present] failures of the church and the breakdown of family and community values that came with those miscarriages. Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2005 9:46 AM ---------------- Scott said: However, women have always been responsible for civilizing us. Me: I'm not sure where you get this notion from. In the distant past women were subservient to men and quite frankly they had no say in the matter. Scott said: Women trade sexual favors for civilized behavior. We have even institutionalized this behavior in marriage. Me: You sei to be looking at this from the point of view in which the woman is subservient. My understanding is that both parties submit to each other, with the man as the covering. This, coupled with a covenant seal creates the synergy that is called marriage. We are so different, so unique, yet so much the same. It is an unreproducible pairing like no other. Scott said: Now everyone is surprised at what happens when women start acting like men. Me: Women start acting like men because of a faulty covering. Whatever is the covering is usually transferred to what it covers. i.e.When I minister (witness) I could probably be mistaken for my pastor, even if just a tinge of him is noticeable. Likewise, if the covering is bankrupt of moral values and confused, the one being covered will partially (if not wholly) receive these traits as well. Scott said: Yahweh gave us the sex drive and he gave women the power to control it. Me: I'm pretty sure I can control my own sex drive. Patience, temperance--both are concepts that are lost on this generation. I'd be real careful if anyone has the power to control you. Control implies ownership. ----------------Posted by: Alex at January 14, 2005 10:22 AM Ambra .. glad your back. Keep your headup.
Posted by: BH at January 14, 2005 10:51 AM Essnece=Essence ... (Alphabetically challenged am I) Posted by: BH at January 14, 2005 11:07 AM Good post. Unfortunately, we're up against the ol' addage that "sex sells." I mean, who would listen to a pop-tart like Britney if not for the fact that she dresses like a New Orleans hooker? I must take some exception by Scott's post defining marriage as women trading sexual favors for civilized behavior on the part of a man. A man who is a beast will continue to be a beast whether he's wearing a ring or not or whether his wife / woman is giving him all sorts of sexual favors or not. I'm sorry to say that legions of beaten women - and children - can attest to this. I take a more positive view of marriage, best expressed in the Book of Common Prayer (1662): "First, It was ordained for the procreation of children, to be brought up in the fear and nurture of the Lord, and to the praise of his holy Name. Posted by: docjim505 at January 14, 2005 11:41 AM Well here's a novel concept -- Hey! Parents! TURN OFF THE (removed) TV AND MAKE YOUR KIDS READ A BOOK INSTEAD. Jeez -- what kind of world have we created when the junk on television is being debated? Turn the thing off, or get rid of it. And who in the world actually watches BET anyway? Posted by: Carol at January 15, 2005 9:45 AM What I find sad is how black rap & hip-hop performers put down black women as just dumb sluts. The rest of the entertainment industry portrays sexy woman as good and women dressed more modestly as prudes. But it doesn't seem to degrade women in general. It is perplexing that an ethnic group that so desperatly and rightfully wants to be considered equal would constantly throw their woman into the gutter. It is time for these woman to fight this, they deserve to be treated much better. Posted by: J in Kitsap at January 15, 2005 11:36 AM Whoa, hold on there, J! I mean, you have watched MTV once or twice, no? There's lots of white bands out there who use the "New Wave Hooker" look too. It seems to have been especially popular with Metal bands. And let's not forget the original "Boy Toy," Madonna. This isn't a "black thing;" it's a "moral thing." What cracks me up is that the same groups who usually stand as typical women's rights advocates are also usually the same folks who accuse conservatives of repression, or censorship, when said conservatives object to the explicit sexualization of women. Posted by: Casey Tompkins at January 15, 2005 11:29 PM While I don't completely agree, Scott has a point. In Western civilization, the notion of "chivalry" set up a code of how one should act. This included treating women as more than possessions. It is with this code and other ideas that the West went on to outpace the world. We are ALL responsible for our own actions, and men are a BIG part of the problem. Alex reminded me of a sermon I once heard from Dr. Tony Evans: "Feminists of the more aggressive persuasion are frustrated women unable to find the proper male leadership. If a woman were receiving the right kind of love and attention and leadership, she would not want to be liberated." --Tony Evans. That said, women are among the most powerful creatues on earth. They have the power to say "no." (Think about it.) Posted by: Steven J. Kelso Sr. at January 16, 2005 7:44 AM It took people long enough to finally get mad at this trash that's been happening for years. Well, better late than never I suppose... Posted by: Jade at January 16, 2005 11:39 PM The feminist movement has hopped on this bandwagon before; I can remember protests at my college in the 1970s over the band "Crown Heights Affair" playing because their big album (and the poster for the concert) featured a scantily-clad woman in a kneeling position. They never stick with it when it comes to black artists because the "oppressor/oppressed" paradigm doesn't work as easily as it does when it's white bands and scantily-clad women. And of course, they're conflicted about women making money with their sexuality. Posted by: Brainster at January 18, 2005 2:45 PM I wish I'd engaged this dialogue awhile earlier...I'll pick it back up sometime next week. Posted by: Ambra Nykol at January 20, 2005 12:41 PM |
 "...playful philosophizing" Dan Leroy, National Review Online
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I've often stated my complete contempt for the demeaning tripe being passed off as "creative" in these modern-day music videos. Currently, hip hop is probably the biggest repeat offender in this arena. Now it seems that a few sensible and grounded women have decided to wage war against hip hop's misogynistic undertones. Much of hip hop doesn't just have misogynistic undertones. It has misogynistic under, over, all the way through, up, down and around tones. It is safe to say that the "tones" are ubiquitous.
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Thank you, Ambra.........and welcome back. I, too, will believe it when I see it - all this friggin yappety-yap, gum-flapping goin' on. hen in the last 40 years have we put morality over money in our community??? My condolences, mainstream liberal negros....we aint got that history, dawg.
The black church could be a place to start to see (at minimum) a gross lack of black moral clarity, and at best, straight-up replacement of the good Lord by dead presidents & horny preachers. Can I say horny?
And don't ya love the 3:00 a.m. disclaimer - the arrogant sounding sister just prior to a smutty hour of BET Uncut videos.........warning the responsible parents that are up at 3:00 supervising, that (paraphrasing): You should consider your kids not be allowed to watch this "Black Entertainment" show because some of you MIGHT be offended.
Might? Right, right. Who could possibly hate all that junk in da trunk generating black dollars thru hip-hop sales? Right, Russell Simmons - king of double-talk?