With 4 chart topping hit songs, an undeniably unique sense of fashion, and more TV appearances than you can shake a stick at, musical artist Lady Gaga has become a household name. Some love her, and some hate her, but its impossible to avoid her. Known for her skimpy pants-less outfits and raunchy songs, Lady Gaga is making an impression on the musical industry and the youth. Is it a good thing, or is she promoting what some view to be a bad life style?
Though her songs and music videos usually depict lyrics and images of sex, lust, and risque activities, I don’t believe she is glorifying any of it-in fact, the presence of sex is made so casual that she turns it into what sex has become to much of today’s youth- a natural and common act.
The songs Just Dance and Love Game are both about being young, partying, and engaging in no-strings-attached sex. Some may say that by broadcasting casual sex in such a manner is glorifying it-but I disagree. A large portion of teens between ages 15 and 20 engage in casual sex, and while many people choose to ignore it or condone it, there are few who give comfort to teens (especially young girls) and educate them on casual sex. Lady Gaga comes forth in her songs and talks about -gasp- actually enjoying sex! Casual sex is something that is simply not going to go away, no matter how much education or punishment is put toward it. Though artists like Kanye West and other rappers talk about having casual sex, it is all from a male point of view, sometimes referring to women in their songs as “easy” or “hoes”. To have a white, young, female artist come forward and say, “I have casual sex, and so do you” is incredibly empowering to today’s female youth, and sends a strong message that they are not alone in their decisions.
Aside from her music, Lady Gaga has been blasted for her fashion choices, being called everything from “eccentric” to “ridiculous” to “slutty”. Her signature look of a leotard, fishnet or opaque stockings, boots, and sunglasses have made many deem her as a hooker-look-alike. The internet gossips sites were a-buzz when she was seen wearing tape over her nipples under a sheer t-shirt, however fellow singer Rihanna was called fashionable when she did the same. Lady Gaga has said that she embraces her body, and has never had any plastic surgery done to change her features. She’s appeared semi-nude in magazines, however not once has her nudity been the focus of an image. She wears leotards or bikini bottoms in public and is called “whoreish”, while Beyonce and Britney Spears wear the same, if not raunchier, outfits on stage and no one blinks an eyelash.
So, is Lady Gaga a good role model? My answer is yes. She isn’t posing in playboy like The Hills star Heidi Montag, or wearing booty shorts and pole dancing at age 16 like Miley Cyrus. She isn’t singing about blaming obvious rape on alcohol like artist Jamie Foxx. Lady Gaga hasn’t been seen leaving a night club completely intoxicated, or snorting coke in the back of a bathroom, or committing adultery.
She is writing her own songs, performing her shows, and experimenting with fashion. Last I checked-isn’t that what most parent’s encourage their children to do? Find their own style, work with their talents, and do what they love?
What do you think? Is Lady Gaga a good role model?
Blaming The ‘Other Woman’
By Dr. Sangfroid on April 15, 2010
This entry is filed under Commentary, Girl Talk and tagged Celebrity, cheating, infidelity, marriage, michelle mcgee. | 2 Comments
Recently, Michelle “Bombshell” McGee (the woman Jesse James, Sandra Bullock’s husband, had an affair with) stopped posing with swatiskas to say:
Okay, well let’s break this down into two parts: She’s kind of wrong, and kind of right.
On one hand, no, we should not stop ‘taking it out’ on the mistresses. Affairs involve two people, and when both are very aware of the affair, its both their faults. Also, men are not getting off scott-free. Jesse James and Tiger Woods’ images have been tarnished, definitely, but the difference is this: the other woman is usually a ‘nobody’, only famous for sleeping with a married man, while in most cases (Clinton, Spitzer, Woods) the man already has a prominent career and can continue on working in the spotlight. This is why the women are called nasty names, what can we redeem her for when her life was insignifacant to us beforehand? The men’s indiscretions can be pushed aside in favour of what they were famous for in the first place.
But McGee does make a huge point-too often, in and out of the tabloids, we place a huge amount of blame on the other woman. We place the labels of ‘whore’ and ‘slut’ on women who had sex with a man who happened to be married. Is it the woman’s fault that the man sought after another woman? Did the woman lure him into her vagina with magic spells and withchery? No. By immediately attacking the other woman and labeling her a dirty whore, we are only reinforcing the disgusting stereotype that men cannot control themselves and it’s the temptation women purposefully provide that cause them to commit infidelities.
She makes the point that society goes along with the boys will be boys notion, expecting women to hold the control of what a man chooses to do. Since the Tiger Woods’ affair, I’ve heard many, many people say, ‘Who cares? He’s good at golf, a lot of men cheat on their wives and its not my business‘. But I haven’t heard a single, ‘Who cares? Michelle McGee is someone I don’t know and its not my business’. These same people who have justified Tiger’s actions are also the same people who turn and call women sluts. Double standards much?
Sure, its pretty unethical to sleep with an attached dude, but she didn’t take the wedding vows, what responsibility does she have to respect them? Why is it that when men cheat, its labeled as ‘sex addiction’, but when a woman does it, it is her just being a whore?
No doubt, boning a married guy is what most would deem whorish, but has our society tipped the scales too far in favour of forgiving the man? Afterall, he was who made the ultimate decision to cheat. What do you think? Sound off in the comments, Twitter, or on Facebook.
[Note: This post is only in regards to the recent splash of cheating men in the news. Before any of you jump down my throat, I am very aware that women also cheat.]
[Note 2: I am also very aware that McGee's argument is a little hypocritical, as she ran to the media to tell all about the affair and is now unhappy with the response she has gotten.]