thinking of women

[Yael Harlap]

hey-

i'm not putting NoJoCo on this because even though it isn't directly joni content, it derives from the conversations of joni's representation (or lack thereof) in rolling stone magazine and other media outlets...

and i just want to suggest that there are better ways to critique britney/madonna/christina a - both their music and their marketing - than labeling them as "sluts" and "whores" and "bimbos".

my general rule is that if a disparaging word is gendered (ie: only is ever used to describe people of one gender), i avoid using it.
it is disrespectful to women. ie: bimbo=assumption that women who use their sexuality are dumb and "easy"; "whore" and "slut" = promiscuous behavior is seen as negative in women which wouldn't necessarily be a problem except that it is lauded in men - aren't men who have lots of partners "studs"? there's a double standard for you.

it is unfortunate that our societies are structured so that the thing that makes women "successful" more than anything else - and what is seen as the most appropriate role for women (who aren't domestics) is selling their bodies and sexuality. one's body/sex in exchange for independence and strength. its sad that although men's strength, independence and success are not tied to their sexuality and their bodies, women's are, traditionally... and as we can see both through the way britney/christina/etc are marketed AND through people's reactions to that marketing (eg: calling them "sluts" for how they choose to allow themselves to be marketed), we are still mired in those traditions.

-yael, once again atop soapbox.