Gender in the Media

Assignment

Numerous popular songs have explored what it means to be masculine or feminine in our culture.

Find a song, yourself, that you feel does a good job exploring masculine and feminine themes and explain what you think the song is saying.

Be sure to submit the lyrics of the song and a link to a video (if you can find one) along with a brief (a few sentences per question is fine) analysis of the song using the 5 Key Questions as your guide. Try to draw on relevant points from Killing Us Softly 4 (Kanopy) to support and illustrate your deconstruction and interpretation of the song.

Media Deconstruction

I selected this song primarily for the video because the video captures some of Jeanne Kilburn's criticisms of media driven gender expressions (Wikipedia). The lyrics break down the idea that gender expressions in the binary of masculinity and femininity box people in, and at the end of the day we want to be free. Additionally, the distribution of the song further shows the nuances of today’s advertising and was likely emerging at the time of the documentary. I will attempt to peel back the many layers in this new media of advertising.

Montana Tucker - Be Myself ft. Todrick Hall

"Be Myself" Times Square Flashmob!

1. Who created this message?

   Montana Tucker ft. Todrick Hall. According to healthyceleb.com, Montana Tucker began her career as a model at 8 years old. In Kilburn’s critique, this would have been attributed to advertising effects. Montana Tucker is a singer, dancer, actress, model, social media personality, and YouTuber.

   Todrick Hall is managed by Scooter Braun who is the person behind Justin Bieber and Carly Rae Jepson. Hall is known for video-driven projects, more than music, and has been seen in commercials for Fiat, MTV, and McDonald's, according to healthyceleb.com.

   Additionally, in the YouTube description, there is a long list of people involved in the creation of this media.

2. Which techniques are used to attract my attention?

   This is a pop song with a positive message and the majority of the video is shot in a storytelling manner. In fact, it is broken into two separate stories showing two different childhood tales of growing up. If the upbeat song doesn’t catch you, then maybe watching the story unfold might. Additionally, the lyrics and video incorporate a choreographed dance to accompany the song.

3. How might different people interpret this message?

   The song carries a strong LGBTQ+ Pride message, just look into the comment section. The song also addresses bullying and other negative behaviors that have been instilled through negative interpretations of femininity and masculinity. As Kilburn pointed out, advertising has placed emphasis on marketing a certain look and behavior for different genders. Those who don’t meet those expectations may build deep personal trauma from how others view them, also noted by Kilborn. In this case, the video goes a step further, than print media, and shows shaming and aggression as a result of this dominance and oppressive behavior.

4. Which lifestyles, values, and points of view are represented -- or missing?

   This song is for the marginalized members of the community who have been forced to feel it is not acceptable to be themselves. I have included a second video of a Flash Mob gathering in Times Square to celebrate the identities and expressions that the song evokes. It is inclusive of multiple body images, genders, expressions, races, and ethnicities.

5. Why is this message being sent?

   The messaging likely is serving multiple purposes. First, Tucker’s and Hall’s message is about empowerment and breaking free from the stigma of social expectations, including masculine and feminine expressions.

   The second is a bit cloudier, as Tucker endorses products on social media. So this could also be tied to building a self-brand and bringing more advertisers in.

   “Montana Tucker has done endorsement work for a number of popular brands which include the likes of Ovaltine, Sketchers, BMW, and Wendys. She has also either endorsed or promoted a variety of brands through social media which include the likes of DIOSA by Seco, Dolls Kill, FILA, ADINA’S JEWELS, BFYNE, GO GET GLITTER, SugarBearHair, White Fox, REVOLVE, Harley-Davidson, Forever21, H&M, Moschino, Bumble, and good hYOUman” (n.d., [healthyceleb.com)(https://healthyceleb.com/montana-tucker/)].

   Third, this song features Todrick Hall and is closely connected in developing the empowerment message. Speculation, they may be building a future for more collaboration or supporting each other's artistic careers.

   Fourth, this song is gaining traction as a number of YouTube Zumba videos are appearing. This is due to the integration of a choreographed dance (in the video and lyrics), further promoting the song's message and branding.

   Lyrics from Musixmatch

   Don't know which road to take
   It's been one of those days
   I get in my own way
   I'm my worst enemy
   I go left and I go down
   I stay in and I go out
   I don't care who's watching now
   I'm proud, I'm proud, I'm proud
   I go left and I go down
   I stay in and I go out
   I don't care who's watching now
   I'm proud, I'm proud, I'm proud
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   I don't wanna be nobody else
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?
   I'm gonna show you confidence
   Let my hair down while I do my dance
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   So whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna?
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?
   So when you're lost in the dark
   And you forget who you are
   Baby, you'll find your spark
   Shining among the stars
   You go left or you go down
   You stay in and you go out
   You don't care who's watching now
   Stand proud, stand proud, stand proud
   You go left or you go down
   You stay in or you go out
   You don't care who's watching now
   Stand proud, stand proud, stand proud
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   I don't wanna be nobody else
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?
   I'm gonna show you confidence
   Let my hair down while I do my dance
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   So whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna?
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?
   Me? Ima be fabulous
   Ima be glamorous
   Ima be posin' when they show me where the camera is
   Ima keep strutting my stuff
   If I'm being myself
   Then it's more than enough
   My girls from Florida, I'm from Texas
   We eat sticks and stones for breakfast
   Don't let hate affect us
   Love your scars and freckles, love your body
   Look in the mirror and remember Montana and Toddy said
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   I don't wanna be nobody else
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?
   I'm gonna show you confidence
   Let my hair down while I do my dance
   I'm gonna, I'm gonna be myself
   So whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna do?
   Whatchu gonna?
   I'm gonna I'm gonna be myself
   What about you?