Analyzing the Music Industry through Feminist Theorists
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CriticalResponsePaper2.docxErmani Stafford
Critical Response Paper #2: Experience
Experience is something that you never forget and something you can not take back. Feminists around the world have different stories, some of which are rooted through experiences in their culture and some, like the rest of us, from the things in society we see on a day to day basis. It’s important to understand that everyone’s journey does not look the same. Revamping the world, in which we see every day and the different things that are pushed on everyone in order to fulfill a certain role in life, is not only a want but a desperate need.
In “Multiple Mediations: Feminist Scholarship in the Age of Multinational Reception” by Lata Mani her main argument seems to be that our knowledge on things depends on the location that we come to be knowledgeable on certain topics. “Feminists have called for a revised politics of location—…but fraught with history, contingency and struggle. (Mani, 454) Some of the evidence she uses throughout is quotes from other respected feminists and her own research on sati. Using so many other respected people’s work that aligns with her views on the politics of location, along with her own research helps me to understand what she is trying to explain to us as readers. I completely agree with these points, because I think it’s important that we as people don’t automatically make assumptions based off the things, we think we know.
In “Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Existence” by Adrienne Rich, her main point is that women being lesbian can be liberating for all women because it goes against the way of life. Some examples that Rich uses are books written by other authors, pornography, sexual assaults, etc. Using the books help her argument and help readers believe her to be a more credible source while reading. Her choice of using examples that many people can relate to helps her paper then become intriguing and keeps readers wanting to read because they are relating it to their everyday lives. “Neglecting the covert socializations and the overt forces which have channelled women into marriage and heterosexual romance, pressures ranging from the selling of daughters to postindustrial economics to the silences of literature to the images of the television screen… a "preference" or "choice" which draws women toward men.” (Rich, 636-637) I completely agree with Rich’s points, because these ideals are circulated everywhere not giving much room to think about other things unless exposed. Lesbians and gays basically say fu-- what the world is saying. Not to say that everyone needs to be homosexual, but I do believe that people need to be more comfortable with challenging the social norms that have been forced upon us.
In the music industry we see a lot of times people make assumptions about artists without ever knowing any background. We also see many artists constantly fighting to break down these barriers put in society so they can be themselves. For example, Lil Nas X, once his record became a hit, he finally told the world that he was apart of the LGBTQ+ community. He lost a lot of fans after that, but the big question is why? What does his sexuality have to do with his music and how good it is? But, many men and women are faced with this and they feel like they have to fit this stereotype but into society in order for them to succeed in their craft. People also make assumptions about these celebrities without knowing anything about them or their background. We often love these rappers and singers but don’t know the experiences they have faced, are facing, and will face while doing what they love. It probably won’t stop today, but if the conversation was had a little more that would be a great start.
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