Tuesday, September 28, 2010
I don't know what to think about this...
Okay so in the past I have spent a lot of time scrutinizing videos like this one. Generally, 7-year-old girls in a hyper sexualized environment is something I would deem bad. The thing about this video is that the girls, aside from the skank outfits and unwarranted "O-faces", are super talented dancers. Further, I like Beyonce's song and I REALLY do enjoy watching babies, men, and amateurs on the internet dance to it (possibly my favorite pass-time).
“ Single Ladies Single Man Beyonce Mashup ” video at DanceJam.com
I, of course, take issue with the first video because it is perpetuating a cultural myth that young girls should be sexy but not sexual (see Jessica Valenti's The Purity Myth). However good dance (says I, and my SYTYCD fan girl authority) is good dance. And hell, if I were one of those girl's parents I would be pretty damn proud of them. However, I would probably have a good long conversation with their wardrobe designer.
When is it okay for a young girl to start expressing her sexuality? Note "her"... the issue with this video is that the 7 - year -olds are embodying Beyonce's sexuality... but for whatever reason, for me, when I see a baby do it- its cute. A guy - it's awesome. An amateur - well that's just relatable.
What do you ladies think?
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3 comments:
and let's face it, if I were to exploit my spawn it would look a little more like this..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gEHPRwNJU8c
"When is it okay for a young girl to start expressing her sexuality? Note "her"... the issue with this video is that the 7 - year -olds are embodying Beyonce's sexuality... but for whatever reason, for me, when I see a baby do it- its cute. A guy - it's awesome. An amateur - well that's just relatable."
So, to tackle THIS. I just watched the first video 3 consecutive times and have concluded that this girls have no idea they are being sexual/sensual or really even sexy. I don't think "sex" is really understood until later in life, when one is exposed to it or makes a series of conscious decisions that lead to some sort of defining of it. The problem is that we read certain manners of dancing, clothing etc as mature, sexual/sexy...so of course 7 year old girls want to show off and feel like Beyonce! but I see that differently. Beyonce can really wield the sexyness that she embibes.
When should a girl start to express her sexuality? Good question. "Should" depends on her culture, family, surroundings and, a some point, herself. Expressing in terms of flaunting, well, I would say never. But that is just me (haha...) and I can only hopefully say that whatever girl begins to "express/explore her sexuality" is prepared to do so. In the sense that she/we knows that there are always answers, of some sort, when we ask questions.
But the amateurs are fantastic. They do what I never have the guts to do AND they publicize it on top of it all!
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