Sunday, February 5, 2012

Response to Douglas

I thought it would be interesting to start off my post with the lyrics from Alanis Morissette's Hand in My Pocket, which was quoted by Susan Douglas in her chapters: 


I'm broke but I'm happy
I'm poor but I'm kind
I'm short but I'm healthy, yeah
I'm high but I'm grounded
I'm sane but I'm overwhelmed
I'm lost but I'm hopeful baby
What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be fine fine fine
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving a high five
I feel drunk but I'm sober
I'm young and I'm underpaid
I'm tired but I'm working, yeah
I care but I'm restless
I'm here but I'm really gone
I'm wrong and I'm sorry baby

What it all comes down to
Is that everything's gonna be quite alright
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is flicking a cigarette
And what it all comes down to
Is that I haven't got it all figured out just yet
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is giving the peace sign
I'm free but I'm focused
I'm green but I'm wise
I'm hard but I'm friendly baby
I'm sad but I'm laughing
I'm brave but I'm chickenshit
I'm sick but I'm pretty baby

And what it all boils down to
Is that no one's really got it figured out just yet
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is playing the piano
And what it all comes down to my friends
Is that everything's just fine fine fine
'cause I've got one hand in my pocket
And the other one is hailing a taxi cab

I was struck by the conflicted feelings women during the age of Riot Grrrl felt about their status in society and gender relations. This new wave of women rejected the femininity of most mainstream teen magazines and hyper-sexuality, so often encouraged in sitcoms such as 90210 and Melrose Place. The media was reluctant to show the obstacles reality posed to women, such as racism, sexism, homophobia. For example, Susan Douglas brought up the example of the "token black woman" in 90210, who was somehow insulated from racism and discrimination.  The ironic viewing that is present with shows like the Jersey Shore and Real Housewives was also very prevalent with 90210 and publications like Seventeen magazine, where the focus on femininity, consumerism, and improvement of domestic were so extreme that they were almost laughable. Producers showed that while the Beverly Hills teens were allowed enormous spending power, unrestricted consumerism could both corrupt and alienate. They intended to mock the narrow Cosmo ideal of beauty while still using its appeal to attract millions of viewers. Riot Grrrl sought to liberate women from the demoralizing portrayal of women without encouraging violence.  Alanis Morissette's lyrics are an example from this movement, and demonstrate the desire of these teen women to have many different aspirations, characteristics, and feelings, rather than be pigeon-holed into the feminine female form.  Riot Grrrl sought to erase all pre-existing standards of beauty and addressed topics that others were too scared to address, either because they feared losing readers/viewers or because they feared promoting rebellious behavior. 

The message that has continued to today is that it is alright for women to be successful in business, be in powerful roles, as long as these changes do not alter the dominance regimes in place.  While sexual dominance over men has been sensationalized as a part of the feminist movement, this sexual power does not alter the deep-seated gender roles and only encourages male obsession with the female body as a tool for male arousal. 

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