RESISTANCE: WOMEN WHO DEFY
It is unfortunate that not many women in music are able to recognize the gender stereotypes placed upon them. Perhaps many do recognize it, but choose to follow along in order to garner their record sales. Some women, however, don't go along so easily and instead make music that challenges those same gender stereotypes. Below you will find two great examples of women who decided enough was enough and made music voicing their opinions. Both women operate in different genres, and use their popularity within these genres to make a statement.
VIDEO EXAMPLES:
EVANESCENCE - "EVERYBODY'S FOOL"
In Evanescence's "Everybody's Fool" singer Amy Lee finds herself filling different gender-specific stereotypical roles such as housewife, perfume model, barbie doll, and cola advertiser. The video shows that she is the same woman throughout, and shows her inevitable breakdown after too much media pressure. In several interviews Lee discusses that she was trying to portray the life of a pop star, a woman driven by sex and money rather than her vocal talent.
In the bridge of the song, Lee is in an elevator with two other women who identify her as the model in many of the ads, and they exclaim "She's so much older than I thought she was!" This jab at female consumers shows that they believe Lee is only about her image, and that once her beauty is gone, so too will her advertising power be. "Perfect by nature/Icons Of Self-Indulgence. Just what we all need/ more lies about a world that. Never was a never will be" |
P!NK - "STUPID GIRLS"
Pink - Stupid Girls from axel on Vimeo. In this video P!nk works to challenge gender stereotypes in women, she even makes a nod toward women in music when she states, "What happened to the dreams of a girl president/she's dancing in the video next to 50 cent". |