I have to admit that I’ve watched John Legend’s “You &
I” video and Colbie Caillat’s “Try” video a few times [read: about a hundred.]
Legend’s video features a series of many women staring in the camera as if it
is a mirror and occasionally fixing something about their appearance.
Caillat’s
video is similar in that it features a series of women singing and slowly
removing layers of their make-up and hairdressing.
Everyone seems to love these videos and their underlying
message of body-positivity and I would count myself among that number. I love
that these videos and artists are acknowledging the immense pressure put on
women to look a certain way. I also love the true diversity of the women in the
videos, particularly Legend’s video which includes cancer survivors, a girl
with Down’s syndrome, and trans actress Laverne Cox. Additionally, the videos
feel very genuine. I believe that the artists believe in what they are singing
about. I really don’t think that either video is faux feminism used as a marketing
ploy. John Legend and Colbie Caillat are the real deal and, after watching the
videos, it’s hard not to get their message: All women are beautiful as we are.
So why do I hate the way these videos make me feel, just a
little? Well, even though I love the genuine sentiment of body-positivity and
the diversity of the women included, I see a problem in the videos: The women
are still reduced to simply their bodies, their physical appearance. And women
are so much more than that. I want
songs and music videos to reflect that. Forget “you don’t know you’re
beautiful” What about you don’t know you’re smart, articulate, important, wise,
creative, funny, brilliant?
Beauty is only skin deep, but confidence is not, so if you
want to build confident women tell us and show us that we are kind and
intelligent and witty and innovative and wonderful. Sing to us about how we are
good at math, how we are talented artists, how we are masterful poets, and how
we are excellent leaders. Tell us we are beautiful, but also tell us we are
powerful and unique and hilarious. Compliment our outfits, but also compliment
our work.
These videos are obviously a huge step forward from videos
like the infamous “Blurred Lines” video where women are just overly-sexualized
props, but I find myself still hoping for more from the music industry. Women
are so much more than images of our faces, with or without make-up. We are
fully fleshed out human beings with talents, dreams, ambitions, and flaws. Please,
sing about that.
