A - plus writer

"I look and behave like an ordinary guy, but my parents have no idea I'm gay." The first time I went to a Gay Straight Alliance meeting back in high school five years ago, I was perplexed with the array of people that gathered there. Gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, unsure- it didn't matter- openly they shared their sexual orientation and the struggles they faced with gender and sex. With the support of one another they dared to challenge everyday stereotypes placed on men and women. Little by little I saw that people from GSA were wearing and behaving what they felt most comfortable with, showing people there was a lot more to simply being a boy or girl. In a similar but far more extreme way the musical group, The Prodigy put gender standards to the test. The Prodigy spewed up much controversy to what their true intentions were with the music video to their song "Smack My Bitch Up". In the visual text Smack My Bitch Up, directed by Jonas Åkerlunda various sets of images are used to crush everyday stereotypes used against both males and females. Throughout the video women are constantly being abused in various ways, but the social expectation of the viewer is eliminated when they see that the abuser is a woman. Unflattering images of women being sexualized and sexually assaulted are used in a way to show people that not only men are guilty of such violations. As a whole most people would think that only a male would be capable of thinking and acting this way simply because they are of a certain gender-man. Lorber explains in an excerpt from "night to his Day: The Social construction of Gender", gender is merely a way we as a society group people that look like one another. (Find quote) The Prodigy is reacting to this negative stereotype that has been placed on males in hopes of showing people that not everything is black and white. Females are also capable and susceptible to being abusers and engage in the sexualization of women. Likewise, The Prodigy used "Smack My Bitch Up" to debunk another stereotype used against men scenes of drug and alcohol abuse. The visual text shadows the main character through her eyes and from the beginning of the video we see the consumption of narcotics. After seeing the main character is female the viewer is taken aback. It is said in Shari Roan’s article that, “Decades of surveys have shown that male alcoholics outnumber female alcoholics by about 3 to 1. And many more men undergo treatment for problem drinking than women. Based on these facts, both media images and scientific studies of problem drinking have tended to focus on men.” The expectation of men abusing alcohol is most definitely shown across media; further reinforcing it is naturally a man’s thing to do. The Prodigy wants to show people that it does not have to be this way. Both genders are affected by narcotics and men should not be unjustly labeled as narcotic abusers or drunkards. On the other hand, some can argue that this video promotes drugs with the constant disorientation in the video, and demotes women to a low status with the repetitive line "smack my bitch up". This idea can be taken this way, or upon further review rage viewer can realize that The Prodigy was trying to do the exact opposite. The visual effects used in the video are hard to watch and for that reason is supposed to make the viewer turn away from drugs and alcohol. They are cast in a negative light, most especially when the woman throws up blood in the sink. This creates a sickening feeling just by watching it, not glorify it. As for the repetitive phrase in the song itself Liam, leader of The Prodigy explains in a recall of Reading 1998 (musical festival) that, “I know a lot of people got offended by 'Smack My Bitch Up', but that wasn't my intention. It's just an old-skool phrase meaning to 'sort something out'… in my head it didn't mean what other people took it as”. It was not the Prodigy’s intention to demote women. Also a in the music video at the very end where the main character’s face is finally revealed the audience can clearly see a face of disgust. She is disgusted with herself for doing the things she had done to people around her under the influence of drugs and alcohol. If this song and visual text were to praise the demotion of women her face would have been one of self-confidence or a smirk, where in the video the viewer sees a face that looks barely human and full of self-loathing. Word Count: 805