It is rather ironic that I have spent much of the night (now into the wee hours of the morning) reading great articles on The Feministing while listening to Lady Gaga's song BoysBoysBoys. Ooohhh... Irony! I love this song because they played it at my prom (which was yesterday... will tell you more about it later) and several of my guy friends had choreographed a dance to it which they had practiced for weeks. It was amazing to watch, everyone cleared the dance floor for them (needless to say all their girlfriends, dates, and friends were very proud of them)!
On one hand I love Lady Gaga (and clearly this song) but on the other hand I feel that sometimes she contradicts herself. But then I am reminded, don't we all contradict ourselves once in awhile? Shouldn't I cut her some slack? The lyrics and the way BoysBoysBoys is sung is just so catchy. Yet, at the same time isn't it reinforcing what society is telling us, "we like boys in cars, boys boys boys, buy us drinks in bars, boys boys boys, with hairspray and denim, boys boys boys, we love them!" That we are defined by our gender? That boys ought to like cars and buy girls drinks? It seems to me that both genders, men and women, shouldn't feel pressured into feeling like something is wrong with them if they don't like automobiles or shopping (or whatever else we are told to buy into). Yet, at the same time we need to encourage each other that it is okay to like automobiles if you are girl, or shopping if you are guy (both which are stereotypical for certain genders). Once this happens the idea of gender roles will have been broken down even more. It will lead to greater equality because we will not be defined by our gender but by who we really are. Sorry if this post isn't very comprehensive but in my defense it is two-thirty in the morning! Hopefully I was able to convey some of my point. So what do you think, about Lady Gaga and gender roles?
Jem
I love Lady GaGa. She's got some dainty second degree humor. Not given for all.
ReplyDeletei really hate how rigid gender roles can be! this is why if i ever get around to having children one of these days, i absolutely do not want to know the gender before the kid is born otherwise people will be buying pink & dolls for a girl, blue & sports things for a boy. how silly it is that a boy who likes feminine things is considered strange & vice versa!
ReplyDeletewhile i tend to love typical "girlish" things, i grew up a bit of a tomboy. to this day, i still love getting messy, exploring, veering off trails, it's just that now i am sometimes inappropriately dressed for the occasion.
i don't really like people who are very passive so in friendships & relationships, i tend to be drawn to people who are more take charge & do what you want to do. definitely not people who are into cars & although i appreciate anyone who will buy me a drink, it's definitely not something i expect simply because someone is a boy. when i'm dating someone, i like to treat them too!