Women's Interpretations of Music Videos Featuring Women Artists
Date
2010-03
Authors
Boosalis, Elizabeth McKenna
Golombisky, Kim
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Texas State University, Center for Diversity and Gender Studies
Abstract
During six focus groups of mass communications majors viewing three music videos featuring women artists, women read the videos critically for gender. But their critiques relied on problematic "girl power" versions of feminism that resulted in incomplete or ineffective arguments. Although participants rejected what they perceived as unrealistically beautiful and hyper-sexualized representations of women's bodies, participants' interest in critiquing the videos was limited to what the artists looked like. Participants did not name the visual production techniques that objectify women's bodies and did not discuss industry sexism or power relations unless prompted. Instead, participants blamed women artists for exploiting "sex sells" in their videos.
Description
Keywords
music videos, mass communications, women artists
Citation
Boosalis, E. M., & Golombisky, K. (2010). Women's interpretations of music videos featuring women artists. <i>Journal of Research on Women and Gender, 1</i>(1), pp. 22-44.