Madonna broke into the music industry in the 80’s, when it was dominated by males. She used her music and the power that came from her life as a celebrity to fight for equality for women. Madonna pushed boundaries and opened new territories in order to promote womens sexuality. She released controversial songs and music videos, which identified and discussed issues women could relate to about their sexuality and desires. The issues Madonna talked about had never been discussed in the media. Before Madonna women had been left on their own to figure them out. Madonna fought against societal norms in order to change the way women were allowed to express their sexuality. Women were not supposed to talk about their sexual desires, they were expected to be pure and to always act and dress feminine.
I interviewed my mother, Susan Michal about her experiences and opinion of Madonna while growing up and how she feels now about what Madonna did to change gender stereotypes in relation to sexuality. Susan was not a big fan of Madonna, but enjoyed listening to her music on the radio. Susan grew up with conservative parents, who were religious and not very understanding of people who did not fit in with societal norms. I chose to interview my mother because I was interested in her view as a female watching another female
…show more content…
She did not care what people thought of her. A lot of people were uncomfortable with a women talking about sex, like Susan, who said, “I was taken a back by her, because of her sexuality and surprised that a women was talking about sex.” Madonna helped make this change by not caring about what people thought of her for not fitting in with societies expectations of a women. She helped change gender norms by allowing women the right to express themselves. By doing this she helped women be able to dress more provacatively, talk about their sexuality and sexual
Firstly, what does the Madonna/Whore complex even mean? According to Gottschall, it is defined as how “men and/or society divide women into two binary types: virgins and whores.
They did not challenge gender norms or ideals. Nor did they aim to usurp the position of the man. Rather, they supported the overarching mentality that women were to be submissive, strive to fulfill the needs and wants of men, and aim to please their male counterparts. (Kallen) Importantly, none of these women or representations of women exhibited any physical attributes that the dominant culture would view as masculine. Instead, they all displayed quintessential feminine characteristics and traits. Moreover, they were not valued for their brains or accomplishments; they were judged solely based on the degree to which they conformed to the male-dictated status quo. Marilyn Monroe and other sex icons of the 1950s were portrayed as dim-witted, naïve, childlike, and vulnerable, which was the polar opposite of society’s picture of the strong, smart, witty, and brave male. There was nothing about these women that challenged male superiority or threatened the overarching worldview that it was a ‘man’s world’ and women’s purpose was to make this world more enjoyable for the men who ruled it. (Meyerowitz
As the "Queen of Tejano Music", Selena served as a very important representation of Latinos. As mentioned before, she was known as Mexican Madonna for her dance moves and nice looking outfits. After winning Best Female Vocalist and Performer of the Year for nine times in a row it seems impossible to forget the legacy that she has left for us. Selena was a person who stepped out of her comfort zone to succeed, as well as, never let money and fame get into her way. Selena became an inspiration not only to girls who shared her dream but to the many Latino people she represented. Through her music people have and still continue to unite and relate to. As a representation of the Hispanic and Latino culture, Selena has the touched the hearts of many who till this day remember and keep her legacy
8. Tilton, K. N. J. ed. (1997) Contexts of Dialectic: Constructivism in the works of Madonna. University of Oregon Press
The second wave of feminism starting in the late 1960s presented new ways of thinking about female rights and roles and gave greater attention to the issues affecting the various groups of women in the feminist movement. One of the essential topics that rose was the debate over female sexuality. From this point on efforts were made for changes in how women were expected to express their sexuality, which was controlled and adapted to the standards of men . These changes were also seen in the music area of which women sought to control their own representation and agency. Women began to challenge any models forced upon them based on preceding gender norms and traditions, and began to express their own identities according to their own comforts . The shift from traditional industry to the new media age in the 1990’s was a period of rapid transformation regarding female representations, of which females have claimed the freedom of expression through music, mainly seen through the sexual appearance of the female body. Nevertheless this achievement has been debated over most predominantly between liberal and radical feminists. This Essay will discuss the distinct views of radical and liberal feminists regarding the development of women’s freedom of expression and opportunities over time. Liberal feminists believe that women are in control of their own sexuality and have the right to express it in any way they choose. In contrast, radical feminists believe that female artists who expose their body in a sexual way and believe they have full control over themselves, are actually still trying to satisfy their predominantly male audience, therefore giving them control . To exemplify the different views on female development over time this es...
When looking at the music industry today, it is clear there is an imbalance between portrayals of men and women. Usually one is used to seeing female artists prance around in tight little outfits showing all parts of their body, while the looks of men do not matter. Many women feel they need to fulfill sexual roles in the music industry. Perhaps female artists dress in a provocative manner to get noticed and to make it big in the industry. However, in Ann Powers’ article, she mentions that Klein states, “I want to see more images of women showing audiences what’s in their hearts and minds; I want to see less of what’s on the outside” (2). I agree with Klein. In fact, female artists do not have to fulfill pre-determined sexual roles because it is the talent that should shine through and not their outer appearance.
Nicki’s apparent feminist agenda through her music and identity is being distributed to her wide audience, which covers a massive array of hip-hop and pop music fans. Her wide reach and continual influence has the potential to lastingly correct the anti-feminist, misogynistic tone of the male-dominated genre and culture. Despite her hyper sexualized image and defamatory lyrics, she is arguably a positive, albeit controversial, feminist role model, which is evident in her motivation for success, lyrical discourse, and use of and meanings behind her alter egos.
Madonna was born in Bay City, Michigan on August 16, 1958. Her born name, Madonna Louise Veronica Ciccone, was inherited from her mother, Madonna Louise Fortin, although they liked to call her Madge. Her mother was an x-ray technician and a dancer while her father, Silvio “Tony” P. Ciccone, was a defense engineer. They were strong willed Catholics who raised their children under strict rules. Madonna was the middle child of a total of six children. Madonna was introduced with a big impact on her life when her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer while being pregnant with her youngest child. Since she was pregnant, she had to hold off on her treatments, but she grew even sicker. Madonna’s mother died on December 1, 1963 when she was only thirty years old, and when Madonna was only five. Madonna’s father remarried their housekeeper, Joan Gustafson. Madonna was very angry and rejected her religious background. Furthermore, Madonna was known for her perfectionism and high-achievement. While attending college at the University of Michigan, she received a full scholarship to their dance program. While studying, she got an offer to go and dance at the Alvin Ailey Theater in New York. She was such a profound dancer, that she got a once in a lifetime offer to be choreographed by Pearl Lang. While she was here, she found out how much she loved to dance, and therefore, she dropped out of college. She was faced with ...
like what she does. To conclude I would like to quote Madonna herself in order
To start the video off, it showed a women being raped by a group of men without them caring about her at all. It also shows Madonna herself as a sex object by the way she dresses and dances. It shows her wearing very low cut shirts with camera angels that make the viewer look at her breasts. She dances in a very sexual ways throughout the video and looks at the camera as if she would look at someone that she is having sex with. When Madonna is in the church looking at the black saint she is sliding her hand up and down the medal bars. Her bra strap is also hanging down her arm and not on her shoulder through the video while she is in the church. She sings throughout the song, “I’m down on my knees, I want to take you there.” These lyrics can be taken sexually very easy but can also be taken in a religious way. This shows the constant battle that some people have between sex and religion. People want to do what is fun and feels good but always want to have morals and do what their God wants them to
First explaining the Madonna of the past as a cultural icon. Madonna was supported and idolized by feminists, because she portrayed herself as a very independent, strong, and powerful woman, unbounded by sexism and a system flooded with patriarchy. By transgressing the boundary of a sexist society, she showed us that a woman could be strong, independent, sexy, powerful, and just as good as any man, if not better. Over time, bell hooks explains, Madonna has changed, being more accepted by the patriarchal and sexist society, neglecting her previous advocation of feminist images.
For my oral history I decided to interview my mother. My mom’s life is filled with so many interesting stories and they always take me to another place. I chose her because I wanted to more, I wanted to see if my mother was more like me when I was younger. Mother was a straight A student in high school and involved in many clubs. She was born and bred in Cleveland, she grew up in a different and exciting time; it was the eighties. Here is my mom in not so many words :
Many of the things I admire in Madonna are things that I strive to be and do myself. As mentioned above, Madonna is strong, hard-working and ambitious. She is also very driven and focused on accomplishing all that she can. She has never apologized for being herself and expressing her opinions. She believes in having no regrets. Instead of regretting her mistakes, she learns from them an moves on. Perhaps the thing that I admire most about her is the fact that she has managed to have and do it all. That is, she has had a very successful professional career and a very full personal life as well. She manages to hold it together as a mother and wife even with the high demands of her successful career and business.
Gender is a sociological factor which is a set of relationships, attributes, roles, beliefs and attitudes of human. On the other hand, sexuality can be referred into two traits. First is Biological; second is Physiological. Biological trait is about the difference of sex organs, the production of estrogen or testosterone. Physiological trait is about the difference of facial features, size of bones, shoulders, muscles, fatty issues. According to American Psychological Association, gender and sexuality impacts and is impacted by cultural, political, legal, and philosophical aspects of life. As popular culture is the culture of today, which is always based on universal activities, it is effortless to alter the mind of human so the concept of gender and sexuality would be easier to change. Therefore, this essay is going to discuss about how popular culture affects gender and sexuality in human's attitudes.
Madonna was interviewed in 2009 by Rolling Stone where she stated: "a message song that everyone is going to take the wrong way…” and "It just fit right in with my own personal zeitgeist of standing up to male authorities, whether it 's the pope or the Catholic Church or my father and his conservative, patriarchal ways" (Song Facts, n.d.). The infamous line "I 've made up my mind, I 'm keeping my baby," caused anti-abortion groups to praise Madonna and abortion-rights groups to criticize her (Song Facts, n.d.). All of the controversial media attention kept this pop song at the top of the charts and a hit that has been remade by