The mid 90’s witnessed an emergence of the underground music scene which focused on social commentary most notably featuring the hardships of the black community evident in the east coast vs. west coast gangster rap, and apathetic angst-filled grunge rock. With the exception of R&B and dance pop, the music of the 90’s was male dominated but it wasn’t just the boys who had something to complain about.
No Doubt, a California based band released “I’m Just A Girl” in 1995, an upbeat ska sound, very different from the average gloomy grunge of of the time, written by singer, Gwen Stefani about her resentment for female stereotypes. The title of the song alone is packed with animosity. Rather than saying, “I’m a girl” which in reality embodies a variety of qualities, saying, “I’m just a girl,” is like trying to justify the classification of all women into one certain type. “Just” a girl is degrading. Simply using the word “just” in the title exemplifies how women are thought of as a “typical prototype.” The word “just” embodies Stefani’s sarcasm used throughout the song and the catchy tune demands to remain in your head.
The lyrics in the first verse introduce Stefani’s complaint that “this world is forcing me to hold your hand,” meaning that as a woman, she cannot be fully independent. The chorus is sarcastic, saying, “I’m just a girl, little ‘ol me/ Don’t let me out of your sight/ I’m just a girl, all pretty and petite/ So don’t let me have any rights.” Her sarcasm makes fun of the male notion of having to protect women as if they were all frail and fragile beings unable to fend for themselves.
“Oh...I’ve had it up to here!/ The moment that I step outside/ So many reasons/ For me to run and hide/ I can’t do the little things I hold so dear/ ‘Cause it’s all those little things/ That I fear.” These lyrics portray the warnings women constantly hear. Women are taught to be afraid of doing casual things alone because being female, according to men, somehow makes one more vulnerable to the supposed dangers of the world so women couldn’t possibly leave the house without the threat of trouble.
“I’m just a girl, I’d rather not be/ ‘Cause they won’t let me drive/ Late at night. I’m just a girl/ Guess I’m some kind of freak/ ‘Cause they all sit and stare/ With their eyes.” In an interview with BAM Magazine, Stefani said, “I wrote that because my dad got mad at me for going to Tony [Kanal, No Doubt bassist]'s house and driving home late at night. I mean, c'mon, I'm, like, going on 30 here! I wouldn't trade [being female], but I really don't think guys understand what a burden it can be sometimes.”
Throughout the rest of the song, Stefani states that girls are “typical prototypes” because “that’s all that you’ll let me be.” By the end, Stefani leaves sarcasm behind and calls out men with full force repeating, “I’ve had it up to here!” shouting along with the fast paced music like a pissed off girl who is done with being treated like a porcelain doll. The progression from a slow, catchy tune and relaxed, mocking voice to shouting, repeating, and faster music depict Stefani’s decrease in tolerence and she has finally exploded.
While American girls can easily identify with the song, No Doubt’s music video speaks more to the personal struggle Stefani has faced being the only female member of a rock band. The video begins with the band packing up cars to presumably go on tour with Stefani shown in the backseat between two band members. Further, the band is shown in a hotel where two rooms are separated by a wall. The men are packed in one room while Stefani is alone with two bodyguard-like maids in the other. Quick flashes of the rooms depict the symbolic differences between males and females. The men's room is a dark and gray restroom with urinals on the back wall and Stefani’s room is brightly colored and has beautiful bouquets of flowers and fruit baskets.
The men take out their equipment and begin playing together while Stefani sings alone. Eventually, the men's room becomes a party with dancing and socializing and Stefani remains alone until quick flashes of women applying make up appear and later join Stefani in her room. The video ends when both parties collide and men and women are playing music and dancing together.
In the male dominated music scene of the mid 90’s, especially within the rock genre, Stefani had faced the difficulty of being seen as an equal to men. “I’m Just A Girl” uses sarcasm to poke fun of the male-mindedness in rock, exposes women’s exasperation over gender stereotypes, and helped paved the way for future female rockers.
November 27, 2011
November 13, 2011
TV Analysis- Parks and Recreation
It’s pretty commonly known that blonde girls are ditzy, black guys are great rappers, Asians are geniuses, white men are nerds, Latina women are tough, and gay men can and should make-over your house and your wardrobe. Right? I mean, I see it all over TV so it has to be true, right?
Television and media in general exploit all kinds of stereotypes to help tell a story because stereotyping is a great tool for the audience to understand a character’s “type” without actually having to explain it. The problem with typecasting roles and stereotypical characters is it blinds audiences to the complexities of the regular human personality. This encourages the general public to apply misleading stereotypes in real life which can possibly lead to discrimination. Gender stereotyping, for example, is evident throughout television history because the roles we constantly see women portraying are one-dimensional; meaning, women are often seen as a family member, a victim, a love interest, desperate for love, or a force in the workplace, where those are their one and only characteristic.
In 2009, NBC launched a new comedy, Parks and Recreation, destroying any racist or sexist stereotypes there could possibly be all while bringing the audience knee slapping laughter. Shot in a single-camera mockumentary style, Parks and Recreation is set in Pawnee, Indiana, and focuses on the employees of a branch office of the city government.
Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, a highly ambitious and hardworking woman whose ultimate goal in life is to be the first female president of the United States. Leslie is clearly a feminist with something to prove to “politics as usual.” She takes charge, she is highly organized, she is the go-to-girl to get things done. Poehler plays Leslie’s character as an overachiever however, the writers of the show have not succumbed to the feminist stereotype allowing Poehler to portray Leslie also as an endearing woman who cares about her friends and her town. Leslie is a woman, like any other, with insecurities and interests outside the workplace that Poehler exposes in a hilarious way.
In perfect contrast to Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman, is a mustache wearing, wilderness loving, manly man. Ron, the director of the Parks and Recreation department is a libertarian and believes in as little government as possible. The irony of this character is further portrayed by his relationships with women. Ron Swanson can eat all the bacon and eggs you have but when it comes to his ex-wife, Tammy number one or his other ex-wife, Tammy number two, he is whipped. Ron and Leslie’s friendship is an example of crushing gender stereotypes throughout the series. Ron has no problem with strong women, in fact, he is attracted to them while Leslie is not intimidated by Ron’s masculinity but she isn’t too proud to seek his advice either.
Parks and Recreation dedicated the majority of one recent episode solely to address the issues of gender equality by overdramatizing Leslie’s feminist ideals and Ron’s masculine standards. In this episode, the two characters are leaders for a boy/girl scouts-like group of children. Ron and the Rangers boys are focused on learning survival skills and how to live in the wilderness but much to the boys dismay, they are not having as much fun as their counterparts, the Pawnee Goddesses who work together to earn badges for best blog or for cooking a homemade meal, making s’mores and having pillowfights.
Leslie created the Pawnee Goddesses because girls were not allowed in the Rangers and when one of the boys opts to leave the Rangers to join the Goddesses, Leslie turns him away. The girls question their leader and request a public hearing discussing Brown vs. The Board of Education. The result is that the boys are allowed to join the Goddesses and in the end, a new group is formed: the “most hardcore wilderness group,” for boys and girls who “march to the beat of their own drum, and made the drum themselves.”
“This episode revealed some revolutionary concepts in the backwards world of girls on television: Girls can fish and play in the woods, and girls can throw a puppy party and a s’more competition. They can be smart and silly, tough and sensitive. They can be a Goddess and a Ranger. And boys can too—one of the best parts of this episode was that the boys weren’t afraid to join a group of Goddesses if it meant they could eat candy and hug puppies and hang out with their new friends. There was no flirting or rampant cooties, just kids having fun together” (Moshenberg).
The writers of Parks and Recreation shatter sexist stereotypes with clever irony and humor within just these two characters Ron and Leslie. What is so impressive about Parks and Recreation is that while it is a scripted, fictional sitcom, the characters showcase more easily identifiable traits than seen on most Reality Television, the mainstay of the mediums productions and the supposed mirror of ourselves. Not only does this show give you a belly full of laughs but it allows the audience to learn that people do not simply fall into a “type.” It is admirable and refreshing when someone can watch this show and be fully entertained while exposed to the complexities of individual personalities.
Television and media in general exploit all kinds of stereotypes to help tell a story because stereotyping is a great tool for the audience to understand a character’s “type” without actually having to explain it. The problem with typecasting roles and stereotypical characters is it blinds audiences to the complexities of the regular human personality. This encourages the general public to apply misleading stereotypes in real life which can possibly lead to discrimination. Gender stereotyping, for example, is evident throughout television history because the roles we constantly see women portraying are one-dimensional; meaning, women are often seen as a family member, a victim, a love interest, desperate for love, or a force in the workplace, where those are their one and only characteristic.
In 2009, NBC launched a new comedy, Parks and Recreation, destroying any racist or sexist stereotypes there could possibly be all while bringing the audience knee slapping laughter. Shot in a single-camera mockumentary style, Parks and Recreation is set in Pawnee, Indiana, and focuses on the employees of a branch office of the city government.
Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, a highly ambitious and hardworking woman whose ultimate goal in life is to be the first female president of the United States. Leslie is clearly a feminist with something to prove to “politics as usual.” She takes charge, she is highly organized, she is the go-to-girl to get things done. Poehler plays Leslie’s character as an overachiever however, the writers of the show have not succumbed to the feminist stereotype allowing Poehler to portray Leslie also as an endearing woman who cares about her friends and her town. Leslie is a woman, like any other, with insecurities and interests outside the workplace that Poehler exposes in a hilarious way.
In perfect contrast to Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman, is a mustache wearing, wilderness loving, manly man. Ron, the director of the Parks and Recreation department is a libertarian and believes in as little government as possible. The irony of this character is further portrayed by his relationships with women. Ron Swanson can eat all the bacon and eggs you have but when it comes to his ex-wife, Tammy number one or his other ex-wife, Tammy number two, he is whipped. Ron and Leslie’s friendship is an example of crushing gender stereotypes throughout the series. Ron has no problem with strong women, in fact, he is attracted to them while Leslie is not intimidated by Ron’s masculinity but she isn’t too proud to seek his advice either.
Parks and Recreation dedicated the majority of one recent episode solely to address the issues of gender equality by overdramatizing Leslie’s feminist ideals and Ron’s masculine standards. In this episode, the two characters are leaders for a boy/girl scouts-like group of children. Ron and the Rangers boys are focused on learning survival skills and how to live in the wilderness but much to the boys dismay, they are not having as much fun as their counterparts, the Pawnee Goddesses who work together to earn badges for best blog or for cooking a homemade meal, making s’mores and having pillowfights.
Leslie created the Pawnee Goddesses because girls were not allowed in the Rangers and when one of the boys opts to leave the Rangers to join the Goddesses, Leslie turns him away. The girls question their leader and request a public hearing discussing Brown vs. The Board of Education. The result is that the boys are allowed to join the Goddesses and in the end, a new group is formed: the “most hardcore wilderness group,” for boys and girls who “march to the beat of their own drum, and made the drum themselves.”
“This episode revealed some revolutionary concepts in the backwards world of girls on television: Girls can fish and play in the woods, and girls can throw a puppy party and a s’more competition. They can be smart and silly, tough and sensitive. They can be a Goddess and a Ranger. And boys can too—one of the best parts of this episode was that the boys weren’t afraid to join a group of Goddesses if it meant they could eat candy and hug puppies and hang out with their new friends. There was no flirting or rampant cooties, just kids having fun together” (Moshenberg).
The writers of Parks and Recreation shatter sexist stereotypes with clever irony and humor within just these two characters Ron and Leslie. What is so impressive about Parks and Recreation is that while it is a scripted, fictional sitcom, the characters showcase more easily identifiable traits than seen on most Reality Television, the mainstay of the mediums productions and the supposed mirror of ourselves. Not only does this show give you a belly full of laughs but it allows the audience to learn that people do not simply fall into a “type.” It is admirable and refreshing when someone can watch this show and be fully entertained while exposed to the complexities of individual personalities.
November 7, 2011
No Doubt- Just A Girl
Lyrics
Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed
And it's no big surprise
Don't you think I know
Exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me
To hold your hand
'Cause I'm just a girl, little 'ol me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights
Oh...I've had it up to here!
The moment that I step outside
So many reasons
For me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things
That I fear
'Cause I'm just a girl I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive
Late at night I'm just a girl,
Guess I'm some kind of freak
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes
I'm just a girl,
Take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype
Oh...I've had it up to here!
Oh...am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world...
That's all that you'll let me be!
I'm just a girl, living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Makes me worry some
I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
What I've succumbed to Is making me numb
I'm just a girl, my apologies
What I've become is so burdensome
I'm just a girl, lucky me
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison
Oh...I've had it up to!
Oh...I've had it up to!!
Oh...I've had it up to here!
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