If you've been reading this blog over the last year and size up the pop culture we live and breathe, then you know there's been an increasing infiltration of stripper fashion and pornography that's seeped into the mainstream.
For some people, it's not a problem. But for me it is. And it's not because I am a prude or don't believe that women's sexuality is an important feminist issue. I believe it TOTALLY is... I just don't think that the way the whole stripper-as-liberated-woman-who's-objectified-because-she-wants-to-be-objectified paradigm (grad school word!) that plays out in our pop culture is particularly nuanced or empowering.
Then it came to my attention that the CW show called The Game (which is a dramedy about being the wife or girlfriends of a pro-football player, and stars Tia Mowry, who was once a teen star on the show Sister, Sister) has a story line where some of the female characters are involved in a story line about pole dancing in the bedroom for their husbands. AND that Brittany Daniel, a female character on the show ADVOCATED for this story line.
According to a Zap2it.com article:
"I went to Mara (Brock Akil), who's the creator of the show, and said, `(Kelly and Jason) are very much in love and are a really sweet couple, but they also have this sassy side,'" Daniel says. "'I feel like they'd have a stripper pole just for fun, one of those retractable ones because nowadays that's so popular. When they're trying to spice up their relationship a little bit, they just pull the pole out.' A couple days later (Mara) came to me and said, `We're writing it in.' I was so excited."
WHOA. I GET IT that for some this is a sexy way to spice things up. But in the context of a mainstream, national TV show, I disagree. I think it limits the female characters and plays outs (bolsters, even) the tired theme of hot, well-paid sports star deserves wife that is as sexy as a stripper. If this were to play out in someone's real life, with real bodies and real salaries, I might feel differently. But in this context, I just get the heebie geebies from feeling like his worth comes from his sports talent (and is well compensated) while hers comes from being as sexy as--and looking like--a stripper (and all the conforming to today's beauty standards that that entails).
Not to mention that Daniels' comment is so idiotic it made me laugh out loud. Retractable poles in people's bedrooms are so popular these days? On what planet?
Not to mention that the rest of the article (describing two characters, Kelly and Melanie) goes on to say
"Kelly's back story is that she was going to law school, but she dropped her education and career to take care of her man. She really wants Melanie to be able to balance (her relationship) and her dreams of becoming a doctor."
and
"She really makes sure to breathe life into the love and the excitement into the relationship," Daniel says. "So many relationships fall apart or they die because they're not feeding that aspect of it. They get caught up in their career and their kids. I think she's trying to show Melanie that, `You know what? There are women who are going to try to steal your men. You need to make sure your relationship is thriving at all times because it's easy for another woman to come in and fill that void.'"
****
Gosh darn those women who get caught up in kids and careers and don't make the time to act like a media-created, unnatural male fantasy! What's the matter with you? Don't you think it's about time you ladies buckled down and started planning how you'll keep the beeyotches of the world from stealing your menfolk?
Really... such a grim grim message going on here. I've got my hands full with my book and writing and all, but can't some other DBTH readers head to Hollywood and infuse these shows with some more positive messages?
I'd be most obliged....
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