So Damn Easy To Love

[redbrunja]

 

"Why Don't You Love Me" - Beyoncé from Beyoncé on Vimeo.

Conforms to damaging sexual norms/feminist critique of the most common ways women try to please men and their inherent fail? Discuss.

Comments

[mewsrissicat.livejournal.com]

Gut level says that it's both pastiche and critique, not reinforcement of socio-sexual norms.

The pastiche is of the book the spawned the Anti-Feminist movement, "The Total Woman". (If you haven't read it, you might recall the gist of it from the movie Fried Green Tomatoes. My step Mom gave it to me to read at 16.) Effectively, the upshot of the book is: See to his every physical need, and be his every sexual fantasy, and your man will love you. Neglect him, and you're the one to blame if he strays. Talk about damaging... subsume everything you are or need to validate someone else's existance... *grrrr*

I also noted as I watched that the chirpy housewive's expressions occasionally slipped and drifted into surly.

Ultimately, though, despite the sexy-perky act... she's angry that he he doesn't love her despite all she gave up "for" him. The futility of trying to force someone to love you by shoe-horning yourself into the fantasy sex roles couldn't be clearer.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Effectively, the upshot of the book is: See to his every physical need, and be his every sexual fantasy, and your man will love you. Neglect him, and you're the one to blame if he strays. Talk about damaging... subsume everything you are or need to validate someone else's existance... *grrrr*

Oh, hell no.

I also noted as I watched that the chirpy housewive's expressions occasionally slipped and drifted into surly.

Yep, the vid provides an enhancement of the themes already faintly present in the song. However, the way Beyouncee is so sexualized makes me feel she's undercutting her own message.

[mewsrissicat.livejournal.com]

I remember reading it and thinking, "What? WHAT?" Because even at 16, I knew that a good marriage (something my parents certainly did NOT have) wasn't made by turning yourself into your man's door mat.

I'm sure that the book was written as backlash the feminism movement. But, WHUT...

Is she undercutting it? Because as hyper-sexualized as she appears in the vid - she still ends up broken on the floor.

[meganbmoore.livejournal.com]

And consistently more miserable and "ragged" throughout the video. It's very much a steady, constant wearing down and destructive spiral.

[mewsrissicat.livejournal.com]

Yes, exactly. There's a not so subtle undercurrent of anger and despair at the concept of using sex and sexuality to to hold onto someone... (domestic whoredom, anyone?)... and ultimately failing.

[redbrunja.livejournal.com]

Well, I think so, but clearly not everyone agrees. And as I rewatch, it feels more and more feminist.