In “The Human Situation: A Feminine View” Valerie Saiving discusses some of the identity implications resulting from biological differences between men and women. She argues that women are innately aware of their femaleness because of some of the biological “events” that happen throughout their life time. Men however, are constantly feeling the pressure to prove their maleness. She states, “In a sense, masculinity is an endless process of becoming, while in femininity the emphasis is on being(Saiving)”. But does this affect our expectations of each sex in the real world? Pop culture would say yes. And though women thought the ability to “have a good time” seemed worth fighting for originally, this prevailing ideology has caused women to take an enormous step backwards in the fight for equality.
One of the prevailing forms of pop culture today is music. It is in our cars, computers, and iPods. Perhaps one of the best gauges for what is considered popular music is what is played on the radio, as it is a direct function of what people listen to. When we turn on the radio, we are shown a reflection of the precepts of our society. When the music is examined, it is clear that the belief that women are passive has infused itself into modern culture. For example the lyrics to Enrique Iglesias’ new song Tonight read:
“Please excuse me I don't mean to be rude But tonight I'm loving you Ohh you know(Iglesias)”
In this song there is absolutely no input from the woman. Enrique Iglesias states “tonight I’m loving you” as a fact. Clearly, this conveys the image of a woman who is passive in the relationship. Another example of passivity would be Rihanna’s song Rude Boy:
“Tonight I'ma let you be the captain Tonight I'ma let you do your thing, yeah(Rihanna)”
Not only does this song portray the woman as passive, but it also plays on the idea that men must prove their maleness.
“Come here, rude boy, boy, can you get it up?(Rihanna)”
This is a perfect example of how the biological differences that lead to “being” versus “becoming” still influence modern society.
How does this impact the drive for equality today? If this is considered the norm, why would we expect anything different from men and women in the work place? Women are consistently turned down for jobs or promotions because they are seen as passive. This is very apparent in the jobs that require assertive, almost aggressive behavior. For example, only 15 of the fortune 500 companies have women as their CEO’s("Women CEOs"). And though women make up half of the population, there have only been 39 women total to hold senate seats ("Women in the Senate")! These portrayals of each sex in the media are (in the very least) not helping the push for equality. Popular lyrics such as these are not simply a reflection of culture, but a means of shaping it. For the majority of men, being classified as assertive has lead to success in the job search. However, for women, the association between having passive biological features and being passive in other contexts has unfortunately resulted in a huge step back in the drive for equality.
By: Hannah Breckenridge Iglesias, Enrique. “Enrique Iglesias: Tonight Lyrics.” Metro Lyrics. Accessed March 7, 2011. http://www.metrolyrics.com/tonight-lyrics-enrique-iglesias.html. Rihanna. “Rihanna: Rude Boy Lyrics.” Metro Lyrics. Accessed March 7, 2011. http://www.metrolyrics.com/rude-boy-lyrics-rihanna.html Saiving, Valerie. “The Human Situation: A Feminine View.” In Womanspirit Rising: A Feminist Reader in Religion, edited by Carol Christ and Judith Plaskow, 25-42. San Francisco: Harper and Row Publishers, 1979. “Women CEOs.” CNNMoney.com. Last modified May 4, 2009. http://money.cnn.com/magazines/fortune/fortune500/2009/womenceos/ “Women in the Senate.” United States Senate. Last modified 2011. http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/common/briefing/women_senators.htm
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