Living in a time in which it seems natural for a President (to be) to brag about him to “grab them by the pussy” (Jacobs, Siddiqui 2016) solely because of his fame and without paying attention to whether women give their consent or not one tends to believe that women will never be respected and objectified forever. How could one criticize this pessimistic point of view which I share too, as long as Tom Ford positions a bottle of his fragrance on a woman’s shaved vagina or between her breast – in both cases one cannot see any other part of the woman and the perfume bottle or the models’ fingers cover only the parts which have to be covered – and presents this as advertisement for perfume for men? Where is the context? Does the newest fragrance smell like a vagina or does it develop a special scent if it is rubbed against women’s breast? Having advertisements like this, men in higher positions boasting about women or women like Kim Kardashian who achieved her big breakthrough due to a sex tape consequently on my mind, in my opinion women have been completely sexualized and objectified, hopelessly lost in a world in which they are devices to sell products by using their bodies. Given that, the seminar “Pornification of Culture” caught my attention and appeared interesting since it was not only the topic that is the most tempting of the whole module but it is also up-to-date and seemed to be related to feministic subject matters. Just by reading the course description I realized that the objectification does effect both women and men and that most of the described phenomena which have become common in our society are not only accepted but also may be desired by both genders, for instance being considered “fuckable”. In consequence I thought about how much my opinion would change by attending the whole course if solely the course description has been able to make clear that I may have put women in an all-time-victim role in which they are sexualized and objectified by men without even considering that women may want to be sexualized or that men may be victims of sexualizing and objectification, too.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
1.1 Initial Position
1.2 Writing Approaches
2.1 Carmen Rios’ Nicki Minaj’s Feminism Isn’t About Your Comfort Zone: On ‘Anaconda’ and Respectability Politics
2.1.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text
2.1.2. Review and Questions
2.2. Jess Butler’s For White Girls Only? Postfeminism and the Politics of Inclusion
2.2.1. Impressions before and while Reading the Text
2.2.2. Review and Questions
2.3. Michael Winkler’s Wo denkst du hin, Hengstin?
2.3.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text
2.3.2. Review and Questions
2.4. Gail Dines’s Visible and Invisible: Growing Up Female in a Porn Culture
2.4.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text
2.4.2. Review and Questions
3. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This reading journal aims to critically explore the intersections of feminism, sexuality, and cultural representation, specifically focusing on the "pornification of culture" and how media impacts societal perceptions of women. The author seeks to move beyond biased stereotypes and develop a personal, nuanced understanding of feminist activism.
- The role of sexuality in contemporary feminist movements.
- Critique of postfeminism and its exclusionary tendencies.
- Analysis of media portrayals of women, including music and television.
- The impact of porn culture on identity formation and social norms.
- The dichotomy between sexual liberation and the risks of objectification.
Excerpt from the Book
1. Introduction
Living in a time in which it seems natural for a President (to be) to brag about him to “grab them by the pussy” (Jacobs, Siddiqui 2016: n.pag.) solely because of his fame and without paying attention to whether women give their consent or not one tends to believe that women will never be respected and objectified forever. How could one criticize this pessimistic point of view which I share too, as long as Tom Ford positions a bottle of his fragrance on a woman’s shaved vagina or between her breast – in both cases one cannot see any other part of the woman and the perfume bottle or the models’ fingers cover only the parts which have to be covered – and presents this as advertisement for perfume for men?
Where is the context? Does the newest fragrance smell like a vagina or does it develop a special scent if it is rubbed against women’s breast? Having advertisements like this, men in higher positions boasting about women or women like Kim Kardashian who achieved her big breakthrough due to a sex tape consequently on my mind, in my opinion women have been completely sexualized and objectified, hopelessly lost in a world in which they are devices to sell products by using their bodies. Given that, the seminar “Pornification of Culture” caught my attention and appeared interesting since it was not only the topic that is the most tempting of the whole module but it is also up-to-date and seemed to be related to feministic subject matters.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: The author outlines her initial perspectives on feminism and the "pornification" of culture, highlighting how media sexualization influenced her decision to explore this topic.
1.1 Initial Position: The author reflects on her background as a Turkish Muslim woman in Germany and expresses her goal to understand the definition and implications of pornification.
1.2 Writing Approaches: The chapter details the methodology of the reading journal, focusing on a reflective, text-based analysis of the seminar materials.
2.1 Carmen Rios’ Nicki Minaj’s Feminism Isn’t About Your Comfort Zone: On ‘Anaconda’ and Respectability Politics: This section examines the controversy surrounding Nicki Minaj’s expression of sexuality and argues for diverse, intersectional variations of feminism.
2.1.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text: A personal reflection on how the author’s perception of Minaj shifted from focusing on her physical appearance to understanding her as an empowered performer.
2.1.2. Review and Questions: The author discusses the coexistence of different feminist styles and affirms the right of women to express their sexuality.
2.2. Jess Butler’s For White Girls Only? Postfeminism and the Politics of Inclusion: An analysis of Butler’s argument that postfeminism is primarily centered on white, heterosexual, middle-class women, thereby excluding other identities.
2.2.1. Impressions before and while Reading the Text: The author explores the theoretical nature of Butler's work and reflects on the necessity of diverse representation in feminist media.
2.2.2. Review and Questions: The author evaluates the historical impact of feminist movements and the complexities of achieving true equality.
2.3. Michael Winkler’s Wo denkst du hin, Hengstin?: A critical response to Winkler’s article, which challenges the feminist intent of the band Jennifer Rostock due to the singer’s nudity.
2.3.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text: The author critiques Winkler’s focus on the singer’s body rather than the lyrical content and message of the song.
2.3.2. Review and Questions: A reflection on the resistance against feminism and the author’s disagreement with the specific neologism "Hengstin".
2.4. Gail Dines’s Visible and Invisible: Growing Up Female in a Porn Culture: Dines’s work is reviewed for its analysis of the pressure on women to conform to hypersexualized beauty standards.
2.4.1 Impressions before and while Reading the Text: The author discusses the pervasive influence of pornographic content on media and identity, supporting Dines’s critique of societal expectations.
2.4.2. Review and Questions: A final reflection on the ubiquity of sexualized imagery and the distinction between individual choice and systemic coercion.
3. Conclusion: The author synthesizes her learning, noting how the seminar successfully challenged her biases and deepened her understanding of various feminist approaches.
Keywords
Feminism, Pornification, Objectification, Postfeminism, Representation, Sexuality, Nicki Minaj, Jennifer Rostock, Gail Dines, Media Influence, Gender Equality, Hookup Culture, Empowerment, Intersectionality, Identity.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the core focus of this work?
The work is a reading journal that explores how the "pornification of culture" influences societal perceptions of women, sexuality, and the validity of different feminist expressions.
What are the central themes discussed?
The key themes include the intersection of sexuality and feminism, the critique of mainstream media's sexualized depictions of women, and the challenge of establishing diverse representations in feminist discourse.
What is the primary research goal?
The primary goal is to move past personal stereotypes, evaluate diverse feminist texts, and determine how these perspectives contribute to the author's own evolving understanding of feminist identity.
Which scientific or analytical methods were used?
The author employs a reflective reading journal method, combining summary, personal experience, critical analysis, and synthesis of theoretical perspectives to evaluate the assigned texts.
What does the main body of the work cover?
The body consists of detailed responses to specific texts, including critiques of cultural commentary on artists like Nicki Minaj and the band Jennifer Rostock, as well as theoretical insights from scholars like Jess Butler and Gail Dines.
Which keywords characterize this document?
Major keywords include Feminism, Pornification, Objectification, Intersectionality, Postfeminism, and Gender Representation.
How does the author analyze Nicki Minaj's work?
The author moves from an initial view of Minaj as a merely provocative artist to viewing her performance and overt sexuality as a strategic and valid form of feminist empowerment.
Why does the author disagree with Michael Winkler's critique of "Hengstin"?
The author argues that Winkler focuses exclusively on physical attributes and nudity, ignoring the lyrical content and the band's intent to highlight women's agency.
What conclusion does the author reach regarding postfeminism?
The author agrees with Jess Butler that postfeminism has historically marginalized women of color and diverse groups, acknowledging the need for more inclusive feminist research.
What is the author's perspective on "hookup culture"?
Influenced by Gail Dines, the author identifies "hookup rape" as a critical, often ignored issue in modern dating, emphasizing that true sexual liberation requires defined boundaries and mutual consent.
- Quote paper
- Talia Baskaya (Author), 2018, How I Found out about the Importance of Sexuality for Feminism and How I Developed My Own Variation of Being a Feminist, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.hausarbeiten.de/document/536578
