Feminism: A movement to end sexist oppression

EmilyRose Dion
Professor Santos
Women, Music, & Power
29 January 2016

Feminism: A movement to end sexist oppression

Prior to reading Feminism: A movement to end sexist oppression, I, like many people, didn't have a true understanding of what the word "feminism" really means. Instead of attempting to understand it, many suppress the idea and dismiss the notion. It was surprising to me that so many people look down upon it, like it's a bad thing. But everyone has their own definition of the word feminism, which is why I think people have so many different reactions towards it. The author of this article states, "A central problem within feminist discourse has been our inability to either arrive at a consensus of opinion about what feminism is or accept definition(s) that could serve as points of unification. Without agreed upon definition(s), we lack a sound foundation on which to construct theory or engage in overall meaningful praxis" (17). I got a better understanding of what feminism actually means. Many people (especially men) automatically think feminism is women wanting dominance or special treatment. But thats not what they're after at all. Feminists have a common goal. That goal is to "establish equal political, economic, personal, and social rights for women". "Feminism is the struggle to end sexist oppression. Its aim is not to benefit solely any specific group of women, any particular race or class of women. It does not privilege women over men" (26). When people think of feminism, they automatically think of women who don't wear a bra, don't wear makeup, and don't shave their legs, because they want to be treated like men. But thats not what it's about. It's about equal rights in politics, their job and so on. I didn't realize that even women are afraid of being affiliated with the term feminism. It's rather sad. "Even though such women often acknowledge that they have benefited from feminist-generated reform measures which have improved the social status of specific groups of women they do not wish to be seen as participants in the feminist movement." (23). Women are isolated if they believe in feminism. That's why it is so important that powerful figures and celebrities who are able to influence society are willing to proudly identify themselves as a feminist. People like Emma Watson, John Legend, Taylor Swift, Beyonce, Ashton Kutcher etc. More people should educate themselves to understand the true definition of feminism and maybe it will be more widely excepted. 

Music, Power, and Practice

Neida Charles
Eng 003
January 29,2016
Entry #1
Professor Santos

                         The article Music, Power, and Practice by Maureen Mahon   highlight the impact power  has in the music industry. In the article, the author uses great rhetorical questions to  make her point. One great question she brought up  that made me think is  who has creative and economic control?” (Pg 328). Artists have a bunch of people that are guiding them but sometimes that is not to their advantage.  In most record label  there is  the chief executive who is in charge of the whole company then you have the president who looks over the affair of artists, then the artists need the support of  AR department and such. These people View their artists as their product “Extra-musical factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, class, nationality”(pg 328) influence how they are being marketed and what genre they are put into. For example, Rihanna is from Barbados she is black and during the beginning of her career she was put into the R&B Category and  her music wasn't as sexual. Her music slowly transitioned into pop.Her new identity was "bad girl” . Most of her lyrics are very sexual. Especially the songs from her album” talk that talk” were very raunchy. Songs such as suck my cockiness aren't as  meaningful.She became more sexualized.Which is a pattern in the music industry.

I believe a lot of the people with  high power are men and view women as an object so therefore, of course, they are going to make their artists put out sexual content.Feminist just want equality among gender.It is possible that if there are more female with high power in the music industry many female artists would be marketed differently.  Is it possible that Rihanna wants to put our more meaningful content but her label thinks it won’t sell so they make her choose  other content? Yes

So many people have dreams of becoming a rapper, or singer or just to be part of the music industry but are they willing to alter their personality to fit the category being given to them. Are they willing to give up their power as an artist? These are a lot of questions most people don’t think about. I believe that the music industry is a cut-throat many records label  see  their artists as products.They are always looking for the best next products most artists come with  expiration dates. After a while they get too old or if they are not willing to do what the record label want. They are drop and  if they don't  have a loyal fan base. They become forgotten, or a “ one hit wonder”. 

      I remember the R&b boy band in the 90s  Soul for real and their song " candy rain" which is one of my favorite songs. Their record label claimed they took a break? It's been 20 years what artist for  a two-decade break?  I saw them being interviewed by madam Noire  and when she asked them why they haven't been putting out music. The answer was " we were drop". Most of them went back to the hood and any of them went to jails and just became another statistic. Most artists are there temporarily because they fit the current image.

  Feminism: A movement to end sexist oppression

After reading “ Feminism: A movement to end sexist oppression" I gained a much better understanding about what feminism really is, and also how other people perceive it to be. I shockingly came to realize that most people see “feminism” as something that has a negative connotation to it. I believe that this is true because I feel as if some people don’t even realize what feminist’s beliefs are. “Feminism is the struggle to end sexist oppression” (26). It is not the goal to have power over men or to get special treatment, it is the desire to have equality and to not be looked at or treated differently just because we are women. It is not a lifestyle, nor is it an identity or role. It is a belief. Unfortunately, some women are afraid of associating themselves with the belief in feminism. It was written that “the term ‘feminist’ makes many bright, ambitious, intelligent women embarrassed and uncomfortable. They simply don’t want to be associated with it” (23). These women shouldn’t be afraid of being a feminist. I personally believe that the women who are uncomfortable with feminism just do not fully understand feminism and what it is all about. Another thing that I found very interesting was that some women who are “from oppressed ethnic groups dismiss the term because they do not wish to be perceived as supporting a racist movement; feminism is often equated with white women’s rights effort” (23). I had no idea that some people saw feminism as something that had to do with the color of your skin. When tying in the theme of feminism with music, I still see that sexism is very much still existent. The rap genre is predominately male artists. Nicki Minaj, a very popular artist, is one of the very few woman rappers. I think she is just as an amazing rapper and any other male rappers, but it had come to my attention that any time I had talked about Nicki Minaj around my male friends, they all seemed to have the same response. They would make a comment about how she’s “awful” and “she’s a girl, she shouldn’t rap”. Any gender should be allowed to sing any genre without being reprimanded. There is no rule saying that only men can rap, or only woman can sing love songs. These sexist thoughts need to be eliminated and this world needs to stop judging people by their gender, but instead by the person that they are inside.

Blog #1

Kayla Leland

Professor Santos
ENG 003
January 29, 2016
Blog Entry #1

Ethnomusicology

 

 

This week in class we have discussed issues regarding feminism and the role music has played in everyday life. One particular reading that stood out to me was “Music, Power, and Practice” written by Maureen Mahon which discusses ideas linking to ethnomusicology. My first thought when reading this article was, what even is this word ethnomusicology that the author makes so important. It was not until reading the full paper till I found out that it came to mean the study of music. The author makes a point that music industries today “assign artists to the categories they deem appropriate” based off of race, ethnicity, etc. Why should they have the right to decide what category a musician should be in? Many artists have an amazing voice but the industries choose to cover this up with monotone and extra sound effects taking away from the artist’s capability. Woman who do not write their own lyrics are controlled by the music industry on what is played or the lyrics they feel just to make more money. I found this to be ironic because many artists’ who have the capability of writing their own music end up performing other people’s work.

 

 I personally find it is more meaningful for an artist to have lyrics they have written personally to tell a story. Although monotone and sound effects in a song may sound cool it is the overall meaning of the song and how relatable it is that matters. Most music is only popular due to the amount of times it has been played on the radio not necessarily based off of talent. I also believe that the age group the song is intended for has to do with the success of the artist. Many musicians such as Billy Joel and Neil Young sing about certain events that may have effected a lot of people. Right away this reminded me of a report I did in high school on the song Louisiana 1927 by Randy Newman. This song tells the story of the Great Mississippi Flood of 1927 which was the most destructive river flood in the US. This was meant to bring awareness of the issue on the flood and bring one another together. Similarly, in one of the other readings the authors Peter Dreier and Dick Flacks explain how during war music was used to “spread their message of one big union”. These songs served similar to propaganda in order to spread their message. Overall, these talk about uniting one another to gain acknowledgement or protesters on the issue in which many viewers can relate to.

 

     In Maureen Mahon’s article Music, Power, and Practice I found it interesting to see that she finds it important that artists and their audiences use their music to express their identities. As we mentioned in class, the recording industry experts put musicians into categories they feel are appropriate and not necessarily even the category the artist wants to be in. With this you also don't tend to see artists switching categories, they tend to stay in their own genres. 

     Music is a way for people to express themselves, their identities, values, and even what they believe in, both as a musician and an audience. People connect through music and are able to unite under common interests. This is why artists should be able to freely express themselves and partake in whatever category of music they want. As an artist they shouldn't have to be fit into a certain category based on appearance or what record companies think would best fit the artist. An example that was brought up in class is that rock and roll artists tend to be white males, who play an instrument, usually the guitar.  Anyone should be able to sing in any category or genre they want to. Another example talked about in class was how T-Pain is actually a very good gospel singer but is really well known as a rapper this is because of his look the record labels put him into the category of rap. The music industry chooses the genre of the artist that they feel will make the most money and will gain the most fans instead of what the artist really would prefer to do. 

     In the music industry you don't tend to see many artists switching categories they are in, they tend to stay in the same genre throughout their careers. I find this interesting because artists like Taylor Swift, Darius Rucker, Miley Cyrus, and even Bob Dylan who have switched their genre of music have still done considerably well and still have a huge fan base. If you have a passion for more than one category of music and want to switch genres artists should be able to. They shouldn't have to be restricted to the category of music that the music industry puts them in. 

     I found that Mahon’s article made very good points, she talked about how it was important to consider the ways artists and audiences use forms like dance, literate, film, visual arts, and music to express their identities and beliefs, to advance critiques, to evoke emotion, and to encourage action. For the music industry to limit and categorize artists on their looks and what will get them and the artist the most moneys is not what music should be about . The focus should be on the passion for music and what the artist loves to do and not what category that the looks of the artist best fits . 

Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression

In this article one thing that stood out to me the most was how all women wanted to end sexist oppression. Women don't want to be treated better than men, but equal to them. Thats what confuses most men they think Feminism is away for women to obtain better rights then men. Since the beginning of time women have always been treated like a lower class. For example, at one point they weren't able to vote and they protest against that and eventually they over came it. Feminism is a way for women to express to men all the disadvantages that women have compared to men. Another thing that this article talked about how all humans should be treated equal no matter race, gender, ethnicity. I really agree with this point because giving fair treatment to only white women would not be fair to all the other women.

To me feminism means treating all women with respect and equality. Women should not be payed less for doing the same job that men do, it doesn't make sense to me. Feminism is away for women to chase their dreams against all odds.I think that one day in the future women will be treated as equals to men. The more protesting they do and they more awareness they spread will eventually catch on.



      

What does Feminism actually mean?

       The article, "Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression" explains feminism in different definitions, about the problems, and how people may feel toward the issue. What I found really interesting, while reading this article was a comment by Carmen Vasquez saying, "Feminism in  America has come to mean anything you like, honey." I believe that this quote is saying, there is no actually meaning of feminism, it all depends on what an individual person want it to mean. Not only does this quote stand out to me, I also agree with it.

       To many people, feminism may mean differently to each person, whether it is personally or not in their own unique way. Feminism can mean following your dream without being stopped, power of women, being equal to men, having your own beliefs, being whoever you want to be, or equality, it all depends on the person who consider them selves feminist. As the article mentions, there is not an exact definition for feminism.

       Feminism is a big thing in the United States rather the meaning of it is different for everybody or not, and to many it is a big problem. All feminist want the world to knowledge how men and women are not treated the same, and the disadvantages they get. Even though there have been many changes in the past years toward feminism, there are still  few ways feminism plays a role in our world today.

  While reading “Music, Power, and Practice” by Maureen Mahon, I was struck by an overarching theme of the seemingly “dark” world of marketing in the music industry. Many of the musicians that we know and admire today, were, at the beginning of their career, placed into a category or genre. Which to most listeners, is just a normal part of being a musical artist. However, it appears that very few people truly know how an artist is formed and molded into who we come to love.
  It you were to stop and think about the genres of music that you listen to, what would come to mind? As we discussed in class on Thursday, different genres have different distinctive qualities. When rock and roll is mentioned, we often think of male singers who also, most likely play the guitar or some other instrument. On page 328 of Mahon's article, she states that when it comes to placing an artist into a genre, "Extra-musical factors, such as race, ethnicity, gender, class and nationality influence which genre an artist is slotted into” (Mahon 328). She also goes on to say that the “genre shapes the way in which an artist is marketed to audiences as well as the creative parameters within which an artist is expected to work” (Mahon 328).
  In class, another student made a comment about how the rap artist T-Pain had a quite soulful voice, versus what we tend to hear through his popular auto-tuned music. She also made a point about how, even though he has the ability to sing and not just rap, he was placed into the rap genre because of his external factors. Which goes back to Mahon’s statement about how the industry places artists into categories. I truly found this interesting, so I searched Youtube in the hopes of finding T-Pain without auto-tune. Sure enough, I found a video and actually found myself enjoying it. Which, when it comes to rap artists, I rarely say.
I believe that the music industry, in a sense, is warped. I think that as human beings and as artists, we should be allowed to express ourselves freely. However, the limitations put on the industry and people within it, make such a goal, hardly attainable. Below, I attached the video of T-Pain performing without auto-tune. Take a listen, and then think about how different the music industry portrays him.

T-Pain: NPR Music Tiny Desk Concert

Hard Times with Good Intentions

A thing that really jumped out at me while I was reading the article “Feminism: A Movement to End Sexist Oppression” was that women don’t enjoy being associated with the word feminism due to many different ideas of what the actual meaning is.  This article is targeted to spread awareness of feminism and to hope eliminate the “absence of clear definitions.” I believe the article does a good job getting across points of how feminism is viewed, socially and politically.

The author starts the article telling the reader that we do not have a common ground or a set in stone definition of feminism which makes us “lack a sound foundation” of how to approach feminism.  It is a big hole in the forward progress to end sexist oppression.  When people start to “fear the word ‘feminism’ because they shun identification with any political movement” then that’s when you really have to wonder, is feminism a political movement?  If it is a political movement, it is not present in the “new terms that have no relationship to organized political activity” and people who are asked do they support feminism try to hide behind the fact they don’t engage in politics.

Socially, women have evolved having an identity.  When we think of dominance, males are to point the fingers at.  Feminism is hard enough to accept from a white women.  Throwing race and class status on top of it, the women cease up and want nothing to do with it. These women of different race “find themselves isolated if they support feminism.” So women don’t only worry about equality between them and men, but race and where they financially stand reflects them as well.  That’s a tough situation.  What do they approach first? One thing at a time or take it all as a package deal?

A lot of people coming together can change how society views feminism.  Accepting that “feminism is a struggle to end sexist oppression” is when all humans should come together and find an even distribution of equality no matter gender, race or social status.