WARNING : This video contains explicit content
- for those with small stomachs for objectification
- for those with small stomachs for objectification
This music video was made for Jennifer Lopez's song I Luh Ya Papi, and was released on the 13th of March 2014. The video begins with Jennifer and her two friends discussing possible music video idea with a representative of the company. As the representative pitches ideas to the three ladies, it becomes clear that the ideas are not what the three girls had in mind. The two friends of Jennifer then go on to criticize the ideas and compare them to what would be shown to a male. They then go on to talk about how men always tend to degrade women, so why can't women do the same, then the video begins.
As a young female adult watching this music video did not empower me in any sense but made me feel ashamed as a female. I believe in equality and also think that men degrading women is wrong, but the solution is not to then go and degrade men. I believe that this music conveyed the message 'Men degrade women, so we'll degrade them to make things fair'. In the words of the Great Gandhi ' an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind', by doing this we not only objectify men, we also do exactly what we have asked them not to do.
Although many young women, like myself, don't agree to this videos message, there could always be young women who feel this is empowering. To these women I would like to point out that the second French Montana appears the whole purpose of the video seems to dissolve. In the music video he can be seen clearly degrading women, in a video thats supposed to speak out against that. With this in mind I feel as though this music videos true layout was based on sex sells.For the young women out there did you feel empowered through this video? Did you feel degraded? How do you feel towards the theme? Also to the young men reading, how did it feel being on the other side of the issue? Did you feel uncomfortable watching all those barely clothed men? Did you feel a sense of insecurity in your own appearances? And lastly to all readers how do you feel towards this video and would you like to see women take more of a stand?
In the beginning of the music video, I did find this music video a bit empowering when Jennifer Lopez and her friends were talking. They stated that why is it that in the men's video's there are always girls in little clothing dancing around them, while the men are in power and gawking over them. Seeing a change in the music video was different, but it didn't feel bad. On the other hand, as you stated, when French Montana appeared, the purpose was kind of gone, since it re-enforced the stereotype how women are portrayed in media, as items.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this music video does show society how, since men degrade us, we will degrade them, which is not the right way to convey a message if women want to be heard. Doing the same thing that men do in music videos just makes us the same as them, contradicting ourselves.
To answer your question, I do find it degrading when I watch many music videos such as Eminem’s song “Ass like that” as you can view it here https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dm6hNnWYPP8&oref=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DDm6hNnWYPP8&has_verified=1. As I see music videos like that, it makes me feel disgusted and degraded as women. Famous figures like Eminem make songs without knowing that they are insulting and enforcing the stereotype that all women look like supermodels and that they have no other job than to degrade themselves with little to no clothing in front of others. The correct term to classify the women in music videos like these would be “slutty” which is not how all women are. Do you think that media is moving away from portraying women as items you can buy?
I did not feel empowered at all in fact I don't agree to this at all. It's like saying you have to fight fire with fire in order to win the battle but how much flame can the forest take before it all burns down. This kind of "empowerment" isn't telling younger generation "Women and men are all equal" but it could also be creating an environment were young teenagers will look up to this kind of thing and might do the same exact thing that Jennifer Lopez has in her video. I condemn this idea very much because yes you are fighting for equality in a very strange way but its still not changing anything. The theme was really not helpful at all because lets be realistic who is going to go out and assault men to prove equality. This isn't how the message should be presented. You've mentioned the "eye for an eye turns the whole world blind" idea and I do believe in it. Instead of fighting fire with fire, try fighting fire with water.
ReplyDeleteits kind of funny how all the lyrics literally contradict with the idea of this music video. i don't think that a woman calling their significant other "Papi" or Daddy/Dad is "equality." The lyrics of the song talk about catering to a man and giving a man all he wants and asks for. I find that very hypocritical for a person with an "eye for an eye" approach. Not to mention the degrading verse and lines of French Montana to ruin it even more. She seems to be trying to play to an audience to empower women but there are too many things that contradict her idea and diminish the message of the song making it just a "catchy" song rather than an "empowering one"
ReplyDeleteThis video was actually very amusing to me because of it's clashing idea's and overall failed attempt to address such a big issue like the objectification of woman in the media. At first like everyone else I was thrilled the idea that Jennifer Lopez was finally talking about such a huge issue in the music industry however as the video progressed the more I was getting more critical of her specific way of speaking about it. I have to say though I respect her for bringing it up and not being complete silently but I feel as though she did in the most light way as possible because without scantily dressed women many of her fans would not be as interested. I feel as though she was the mocking the idea of female objectification but then ended up clashing with her idea and eventually mocking herself. I felt in no way empowered by this video but kind of disappointed in J-Lo for being so childish about such an important issue.
ReplyDeleteThis video made me chuckle for a second or two. it just does not make any sense, a lot of things in this video contradict one another. even if the lady is the lead in this video and men are the one being demeaned i even find it further demeaning for ladies because the ladies are still in a way submitting to men, (Papi, Dad). i find it super hypocritical because not all men are demeaning women and making videos of them with bikinis drinking vodka and dancing erotically, then Lopez starts to make a video empowering them makes no sense. Women ask for men not to do that, not for other women to make a video demeaning men. nonetheless I find it a tad bit hilarious.
ReplyDeleteThis obviously isn't equality. This is a women stooping to the lowest level. That's like two wrongs do not make a right. Men exploit women so then women should exploit men? That doesn't sound right. Jlo should have just shown women in a positive spot light, because she made women basically look dumb and idiotic. She should uplift women not belittle them.
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