"(Un)feminist Guilty Pleasures"

So I read this article today on Feministing and it resonated with me because, as you can tell from a lot of my blogs, I focus on pop culture, especially music, and the degree to which it reflects how we see ourselves as people and as a society.

(Un)feminist Guilty Pleasures: Taylor Freaking Swift talks about Taylor Swift's music and how, even though it portrays a great deal of misogynist, heterosexual, patriarchal, un-feminist views, the writer still continues to enjoy her music.


And while I enjoy ripping apart certain songs for their complete objectification and degradation of women - I, too, do still enjoy some songs that contain lyrics that do this (although I'd like to think those lyrics are  more subtle than calling women "bitches" and "hoes" and comparing them to cars). I can't help it! As Kelsy likes to say: "We need to look at ourselves before we start pointing the finger at others". And she's right. So I am taking this as an opportunity to look at myself and question some of the music (and other pop culture/media) choices that  I make. And I do. I do on a daily basis. For example, I thoroughly enjoy watching Jersey Shore. And there have been times where I watch it and see the "characters" say or do things that I think are completely ridiculous, degrading, and the like. I ask myself, "Why the fuck am I watching this garbage?". But I enjoy it. It's a guilty (un)feminist pleasure. And as long as I am aware of  this - that this show portrays un-feminist views and messages that I downright disgree with and oppose - then I can justify it to myself. I sort of take it as a learning experience.

As Shahida Arabi noted in the comments section of the article:

It’s always important to challenge the music we listen to–even though as a feminist it can get frustrating always identifying things we “should” not like, but do–I say, continue with our guilty pleasures, but stay mindful of the messages music sends.

And I think she hits the nail on the head. It is okay to enjoy movies and music and the like - even though they may objectify women or send a negative message - but as long as we are constantly aware of these messages and are learning from such mediums then watch or listen away! It's when we let these things fly over our heads or go in one ear and out the other that creates a problem. When we start to exemplify, accept, and condone these behaviours and messages without acknowledging their impact or effect on others or ourselves - that's when we have a bigger issue.