Here's something you don't see every day: a popular actress slamming popular culture.
On Friday, Parks and Recreaction star Rashida Jones took to Glamour magazine to call out pop divas such as Miley Cyrus, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, and Rihanna for their crude public displays that in her view made 2013 "The Year of the Very Visible Vagina":
I don't know when the pornification of pop stars became so extreme, but as Robin Thicke's "Blurred Lines" video played in the background—naked fantasy women bouncing around and licking things—I realized that the lines were not really blurry at all. They were clear. A new era had arrived.
If 1994 was the Year of O.J.'s White Bronco, 2013 was the Year of the Very Visible Vagina. [...]
Every star interprets "sexy" the same way: lots of skin, lots of licking of teeth, lots of bending over. I find this oddly...boring. Can't I just like a song without having to take an ultrasound tour of some pop star's privates? [...]
I understand that owning and expressing our sexuality is a huge step forward for women. But, in my opinion, we are at a point of oversaturation. It's like when TV network censors evaluate a show's content. Instead of doing a detailed report of dirty jokes or offensive words, they will simply say, "It's a tonnage issue." One or two swear words might be fine; 10 is too many. Three sexual innuendos is OK; eight is overkill. When it comes to porn imagery and pop culture, we have a tonnage issue. [...]
What else ties these pop stars together besides, perhaps, their entangled G-strings? Their millions of teen-girl fans. Even if adult Miley and Nicki have ownership of their bodies, do the girls imitating them have the same agency? Where do we draw the line between teaching them freedom of sexual expression and pride in who they are on the inside? Are we even allowed to draw a line?
Great stuff, yes?
Now if you aren't familiar with Jones, you might think she must be a middle-aged woman or even older to express what by today's standards are rather prudish views.
Guess again.
Jones is only 37, and grew up in a very liberal environment as the daughter of famed music producer Quincy Jones and actress Peggy Lipton.
Not what you'd expect for someone with such - dare I say - conservative views. And she wasn't done yet, for the wise beyond her years actress made some requests for the coming new year:
Record execs: When you market young pop stars, can you please try to apply some of your own personal moral parameters? (I'm just going to assume you don't take off your suit midmeeting and do a selfie with a whipped-cream bra.)
Women: Let's at least try to discuss the larger implications of female sexuality on pop culture without shaming each other. There's more than one way to be a good feminist. Personally, I loved the Lily Allen "Hard Out Here" video—a controversial send-up of tits-and-ass culture. She helped start a conversation. Let's continue it.
Men: WHERE ARE YOU??? Please talk to us about how all this makes you feel. You are 49 percent of the population; don't sit around and let women beat one another up while you intermittently and guiltily enjoy the show. Speak up! We care what you think!
And finally, pop stars: Please stop saying you don't want to be role models. Because, guess what: You are. You want to sell millions of albums? You want to sell out a tour? You depend on the millions of people who adore you. So maybe just consider some sort of moral exchange program, in the same way that carbon credits make people feel better about driving an SUV. Go ahead and make videos in which your ass cheeks slap water around in slow motion; go ahead and tweet pictures of your undercarriage. But perhaps every eleventh song or video, do something with some more clothes on? Maybe even a song that empowers women to feel good about some other great quality we have? Like, I don't know...our empathy, or childbearing skills, or ability to forgive one another for mean tweets?
Wow!
I don't know this woman, but I sure wish there were more like her willing to stand up against the hyper-sexualization we're seeing in our culture.
Brava, Rashida! Brava!
