violenceisntsexy

It’s no secret that Rihanna was a victim of domestic violence herself, as much of Hollywood figures and followers are aware of this widely publicized situation that took place in 2009. In 2010, Eminem released a video featuring Rihanna, titled “Love the Way You Lie.” It features Megan Fox, a well-known and drop-dead gorgeous actress, men would probably argue she is one of the most beautiful women in the world, only adding to the sexy persona the video upholds throughout the duration of the story. From the start, Rihanna sings the lyrics in the background, “Just gonna stand there and watch me burn/But that’s alright, because I like the way it hurts” Fox and the male character are seen spooning in bed together and then proceed to roll around the bed fighting and hitting each other, the male taking extra force by pinning her down to the bed (kinda looks like they are just having aggressive intercourse…), eventually taking their fight outside of the bedroom into the living room.

They sit on the couch together staring into space, pondering life I’m assuming (??) and break out into an argument once again. But the slapping, hair pulling, and pushing against walls seems to turn them on as they aggressively make-out and grope each other while trading spots of being pinned up against their living room wall. As this may seem to be a sexual fantasy (don’t lie to yourself and say you haven’t thought about this…), the violence that occurs in the video, between both characters, leads up to a sexual encounter. And even though it looks super sexy, especially because Megan Fox is the female character, the overwhelming violence that takes place in the video is discomforting, especially because it seems to promote the domestic violence cycle. The characters fight and leave each other, and then come back to each others arms, drinking vodka from the bottle, a terrible brand may I add, and excessively kissing each other, practically licking each other’s faces. Gross.

Why promote this cycle? Eminem and Rihanna were able to make this such a success 1) because Rihanna was a victim herself, 2) because Megan Fox is hott af (as fuck) and makes even the worst shots of the video look good and, 3) because who doesn’t love a collaboration between Detroit’s own Eminem and a stunning Barbados chick. However, this list gives no acceptability to the sexual violence that occurs and as catchy as this song is, the video illustrates an everyday experience for many couples in this world.

This video is popular, don’t get me wrong. But it is not sexy. 

Yes, her butt is huge. Like ABNORMALLY huge, and that could make her seem somewhat sexy to a wide majority of men. But this instagram post…. what the ???? Okay yeah, many people may like it because of her, once again, abnormally sized ass. Her shoes are gold, her hair is curly, her tattoo looks pretty badass and her makeup is done, but the accessory that she is holding, is it sexy?

Her caption for her post reads: “Aint yellin cut wen it’s shootin time. SIGN UP ITS RECRUITIN TIME 😊 FUQ WRONG WIT DEZE HOE NGGAZ? Don’t do coke Ion blow niggaz. Ion tell niggaz I show niggaz and it’s…. Know a cpl niggaz dats down 2 ride for a homicide wen it’s drama time. 😘” Is that even English??

The combination of the large shotgun that she’s holding with her behind bulging out of an army green bodysuit thong, promotes this violent theme and I guess was intended to promote her “Only” music video too, featuring Chris Brown, Drake and Lil Wayne. It did in fact promote the video, as I even watched it after seeing her progression of Instagram photos (this one included) during the end of January. But adding the gun into the picture just looks bad and looks like she agrees with no only the freelance of guns, but sexual violence (and obviously posing practically naked).

Celebrities who have such a high fan base, young fans included, like Nicki Minaj, are able to get these hidden messages across and even if they don’t actually mean what people perceive these images and songs to be, they bring about many perceptions that could be damaging to their identity as an artist. The fact that their lives are so public and that social media is used to promote their character and talents, many things may sometimes be taken out of proportion, but this is crossing the line between “okay” and “not okay.” Now if I dressed up in what she is wearing, exposing myself while holding a gun, (LOL, let’s just take a second to say that I would never!), but if I did, even I would be promoting this sexy violence idea, so obviously Nicki doing so is 100 times a bigger deal (clearly).

Flashing her ass in a thong is nothing new for her, but holding a gun WHILE flashing her ass in a thong, exposes this sexy and intimate feel to violence. Not okay Nicki, not okay.

“Bikinis and big booties y’all. That’s what it’s all about!…”= the caption to my instagram of me and my roommates dressed up as spring breakers for halloween. No judgements please. Please. Pretty please.

        

Besides the fact that this is one of the weirdest, creepiest movies, it has become an inspiration for halloween costumes due to its sexy and violent reputation (trust me, I thought it through when we decided to be it for halloween this year). I am a culprit myself and I am mad about it. While watching the movie, one may think they are on drugs. Not the actors, like actually the audience themselves. It takes place in St. Petersburg, where four girls spend their week drinking, snorting, sniffing, kissing, robbing, laughing and eventually crying. Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Ashley Benson and Rachel Korine, many of whom were disney stars, flaunt their boobs, butts and pretty faces as they engage in sex, drugs, alcohol and ultimately killing.

My friends and I were not promoting the sexy violence theme, yet the fact that there have been many halloween imitations of girls carrying brown bagged alcohol and water-guns while dressed in bikinis, shows the perception that came from this movie. The girls become infatuated with main character, James Franco’s, wealthy and bizarre lifestyle. The guns and practically naked bodies promotes the sexy violence theme that has become dominant in the media world (look at previous blog posts).

They carry guns around with them while making out with each other in beds of money. They hold guns up to their heads and pointed at other people while wearing barely any clothing, and they gaze into each other’s eyes (yes, the girls stare at each other too) and make-out in the pool. James Franco makes out with all four (that’s some ABC Bachelor shit, where’s Chris Harrison?) Their toned bodies, crazy desire for sex and adventure and exposure to gun violence leads this movie to glamorize violence overall. And even though my friends and I decided to dress up as them (let me just say that it was last minute and we used all the resources we had without spending a ridiculous amount of money on a costume… just backing myself up a little), this movie eccentrically makes violence look sexy. From Disney stars to chicks holding guns in bikinis, SpringBreakers may be the creepiest most legendary movie. Spring break forever ever ever bitches. 

Springbreakers. Dir. Harmony Korine. Perf. James Franco, Selena Gomez and Ashley Benson. 2013.

Okay before I write this, let me just say that I did read Fifty Shades of Grey, but I refuse to see the movie. I honestly did enjoy the book, like the majority of the women on this planet, and I think the reason why I liked it so much because of all the hype that the book and eventually the movie, received. I made myself like it before even starting the book. But now that I think about it and now that I hear about how awful the movie was, the message that comes along with the movie and even the book is decently violent and once again promoting this sexual violence theme that has become more and more prominent, more prominent than Madonna’s “Justify My Love” video.  

The S&M, the good looking actors, the danger, the sex, the nudity and the mystery made this book and movie so hyped up that you would think it was going to be an Oscar nomination. Well, word on the street is that the movie was terrible and nothing like the book. But even though the movie may not have received great reviews, it widely promotes violence in the bedroom.

Yes, S&M is something that goes on in our world, some people find it thrilling, others, including myself, find it quite crazy. But the idea of using whips, chains, blindfolds and other S&M techniques, gives the idea of the women being a victim in the bedroom and as if they did something wrong. Ouchie, not fun.

It suppose to “bring the intimacy and passion,” but the use of violence is rather discomforting and disturbing to the women being victimized. Christian Grey lures Ana into his mysterious life and controls her, in everything. Many women find this behavior attracting and may fantasize about it, but there are women in her situation and dealing with horrors of living with these men.

This story shows that this relationship is somewhat normal and that every girl should want to be Ana and give in. But no!!! Us strong women should not give in to controlling men! We are not pieces of meat and victims in the bedroom! This type of behavior may be extremely enticing to many, but this type of pornographic, violent, rape-like sexual action should not be promoted on the big screen, even if the actor looks like Christen Grey….

Fifty Shades of Grey. Dir. Sam Taylor-Johnson. Perf. Dakota Johnson and Jamie Dornan. 2015. Film.