media's sexual bias
Sep. 22nd, 2011 11:09 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
elionwyrThe year is 2004.
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake are performing at the Super Bowl and a choreographed move wherein he is to reach over and pull on part of her costume, revealing a red lacy bra, goes awry and her right breast is exposed.
Much much MUCH mayhem ensues. That moment is plastered all over the media; apologies are made; law suits are threatened; in short, America loses its damn mind over a few seconds of seeing a breast on prime time non-cable television.
Two quotes worth noting:
Ian Wade of BBC commented "Stupid Americans decide to sue everyone involved for the distress caused and Janet Jackson is suddenly the most despised woman on Earth."
- BBC Review
... Timberlake also told MTV that he "probably got 10 percent of the blame", later explaining that "America's harsher on women" and "unfairly harsh on ethnic people", referring to the backlash suffered by him and Jackson.
- MTV News
Jump forward to last night.
A male contestant on "The X-Factor" decides that, for his audition on this talent show, he is going to sing a self-composed song and, during the chorus, drop his pants and expose himself to the judges and the audience. He does so rather flagrantly, including giving everyone a good side view of his crotch.
In theory, the performance may be seen here - no actual genitalia is visible.
Now, in the aftermath of what became known as "Nipplegate," there was apparently a longer time-delay insisted upon by the FCC for live broadcasts. I'm not clear on how much of that performance made it to the air. But what I find appalling is this:
Janet's breast was exposed for roughly 4 seconds and was partially covered by jewelry.
Geo Godley's penis was exposed for..I'm going to guestimate that it's about a minute total, because he is not removed from stage. He is allowed to get through the chorus of his song, pull up his pants, sing the second verse, and then drop his pants again.
At this point, Paula Abdul gets up and leaves. Although all four judges react negatively, she is the only one to leave. (Some audience members leave as well prior to Paula's departure.) No one removes the man from stage. It is only when Paula leaves that Geo says, "I think I'm in trouble," and the performance ends.
What the frig?
The judges read him the riot act. He offers to sing another song. (One only wonders what one of his proffered slower songs might have inspired act-wise..) He never seems to understand that what he did was wrong.
And a scan of the news media today shows that the big story is that Paula left the studio and was sick.
...?
Let's recap.
A woman has her breast exposed on TV for 4 seconds and is reviled by a nation.
A man exposes himself on TV twice for a fairly long period of time and..the woman that reacts is the one that's criticized.
What the HELL is wrong with people?
Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake are performing at the Super Bowl and a choreographed move wherein he is to reach over and pull on part of her costume, revealing a red lacy bra, goes awry and her right breast is exposed.
Much much MUCH mayhem ensues. That moment is plastered all over the media; apologies are made; law suits are threatened; in short, America loses its damn mind over a few seconds of seeing a breast on prime time non-cable television.
Two quotes worth noting:
Ian Wade of BBC commented "Stupid Americans decide to sue everyone involved for the distress caused and Janet Jackson is suddenly the most despised woman on Earth."
- BBC Review
... Timberlake also told MTV that he "probably got 10 percent of the blame", later explaining that "America's harsher on women" and "unfairly harsh on ethnic people", referring to the backlash suffered by him and Jackson.
- MTV News
Jump forward to last night.
A male contestant on "The X-Factor" decides that, for his audition on this talent show, he is going to sing a self-composed song and, during the chorus, drop his pants and expose himself to the judges and the audience. He does so rather flagrantly, including giving everyone a good side view of his crotch.
In theory, the performance may be seen here - no actual genitalia is visible.
Now, in the aftermath of what became known as "Nipplegate," there was apparently a longer time-delay insisted upon by the FCC for live broadcasts. I'm not clear on how much of that performance made it to the air. But what I find appalling is this:
Janet's breast was exposed for roughly 4 seconds and was partially covered by jewelry.
Geo Godley's penis was exposed for..I'm going to guestimate that it's about a minute total, because he is not removed from stage. He is allowed to get through the chorus of his song, pull up his pants, sing the second verse, and then drop his pants again.
At this point, Paula Abdul gets up and leaves. Although all four judges react negatively, she is the only one to leave. (Some audience members leave as well prior to Paula's departure.) No one removes the man from stage. It is only when Paula leaves that Geo says, "I think I'm in trouble," and the performance ends.
What the frig?
The judges read him the riot act. He offers to sing another song. (One only wonders what one of his proffered slower songs might have inspired act-wise..) He never seems to understand that what he did was wrong.
And a scan of the news media today shows that the big story is that Paula left the studio and was sick.
...?
Let's recap.
A woman has her breast exposed on TV for 4 seconds and is reviled by a nation.
A man exposes himself on TV twice for a fairly long period of time and..the woman that reacts is the one that's criticized.
What the HELL is wrong with people?
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no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 03:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 03:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 03:40 pm (UTC)And considering that, in shots of the audience aired previously, it showed that there were MINORS in the house, why this man wasn't hauled off in handcuffs is beyond me.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 03:43 pm (UTC)http://blog.beliefnet.com/gospelsoundcheck/2011/09/the-x-factor-premieres-and-im-totally-sucked-in.html
In particular:
"
The next hour of the show moved to Seattle, where the auditions opened with a 43-year-old blogger named Geo Godly who has the honor of being the first contestant to make Paula actually throw up. Godly sang some ridiculous song he wrote and dropped his pants midway through the tune. It was so horrifying Paula actually left the judges table and went into the bathroom and barfed.
What a freaking great show!"
I really don't get people.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 04:04 pm (UTC)I have to admit, it was like watching a train wreck... horrifying, but I. Just. Couldn't. Look. AWAY! :-(
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 04:07 pm (UTC)The article at that link is written by someone who is writing for a purportedly spiritually uplifting website, and the author critizes "American Idol" for being trashy and "X Factor" for being a better show.
I don't know how "American Idol" would handle this sort of thing, but "trashy" is a good start for a description of this particular airing of "X Factor."
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 04:10 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 04:15 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 06:37 pm (UTC)Stop the world. I want to get off.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 06:47 pm (UTC)And again Timberlake wins points with me for addressing the issue of racial and gender privilege.
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 07:17 pm (UTC)accidental exposure of breast = oops, try to avoid it happening again
dropping pants on purpose = scorn of the entire country forever
no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 07:25 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-09-22 08:09 pm (UTC)