One day after a few conversations surfaced about a couple different topics, there seemed to be this running theme and continuous thread in them.... MEN. As much as we want to at times be independent of them and find ourselves as women, we seem to find them integrated and rooted in the fabric of our subconscious. I find certain things in our lives are molded and fashioned after them or in reaction to them. Some many not agree with my views or perspectives on this, but in the simplicity of my mind's eye, it makes sense to me or at least worth bringing to the table of discussion.
I will take a few examples that I feel my discussion can lean on to carry some weight. Female Emcees, Pro choice/sexuality and the Gay and Lesbian Lifestyle. I will take them one by one. Won't go into length about them but touch on them just enough to give some food for thought. The first are Female Emcees.
Let's speak on Niki Minaj. Perhaps she's a worn out topic of discussion these days. She's both well loved or well hated on. She is known as our "black barbie" Recently, some beef arose with her and Little Kim and there are constant rumors of the distaste other female Emcees may have in their mouths about her. Definitely, there is the debate of her abilities and content in her lyrics and I am sure we can say her image is highly critcized. Full figured, crazy comparable style now being called the Lady Gaga of Rap, Bright lipstick and eye lashes for days. She's bubble gum cute and sassy. Yet what came to my mind when these feuds came up and looking over other female Emcees and what seemed to come out of everyone's mouth was.. "it's hard to be in this game as a WOMAN" as to compared to who I had to ask? hmmm... OHHHH as compared to a MAN. Ah I get it. I started to think. So are we comparing the content of lyrical genius and talent in relation to how it compares to a man? When did men become the standard for Rap? Bigger question is why can't there be a discussion about the world of female Emcees without there being this comparison? is there no success of a female emcee if it's not acknowledged by a man? I started to even recognize that other female Emcees would be hard on another not necessarily cuz of just lyrical content but how the content seemed to emulate the perhaps roughness and rawness of a man's. If it wasn't along that lines.. it didn't seem to carry weight. I started to think about alot of our admired ladies and I had to ask.. hmm is it necessary for her to feel she has to grab her crotch, show her goods like she trying to say she a woman, but then deliver lyrics with vulgarity. One may debate and say. "well hell men do it, why can't I!" And there in itself proves my point. What do we have to do with them when it comes to our validity in any arena of life. The world I know, makes it hard, but is it safe to say while we all try to praise woman's rights, feminism and individuality men are to us as darkness is to light. You can't have one without the other. It's all relative to.
Pro choice. Someone posted a amazing spoken word piece on this topic. One of the amazing hard hitting points made in this piece was how a man seemed to be the one delivering the verdict of what a woman is to do with her body when it came to child bearing. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mOV7RyHjl5c (the video link) Once again the debate and battle has arisen not out of the solo mouths of women who do not believe in choice but seems to be sparked through an undercurrent of protest from men. Women have had to allow their rights to be lobbied on capitol hill in response and rebuttle to a male dominated government. You ask.. how did this debate arise? You wonder as you listen to this spoken word piece who is this REALLY protecting? Where are the men in the responsibility of this picture? Why is it that WE as women must have rights taken so that some MEN can irresponsibly deny their part in conceiving? Again.. we are always having to respond as women as a "reaction" to the role and presence of a MAN. Our sexuality is always up for scrutinty and debate. A while back I posted the double standard of Ciara's "Ride' video being banned off of BET while Trey Songz could practically have sex in his video and he be praised. While I praised Ciara for having the guts to put it down like a "MAN" would, I have to ask myself even now.. why does she even have to make a video as such to prove a point? Or make the song " Like a boy" and the list can go on of women making these response songs as comebacks to a man.
Lastly, the Lesbian and Gay Culture. Primary focus, lesbian women and some of the manifestations of their characteristics being "male" in nature. This point has been debated upon with me as I am not as knowledgable in the lifestyle. I have been more and more exposed as my
diversity of friends have included this culture and lifestyle. So for me as a heterosexual woman, I see things with an eye of simplicity when I observe Lesbian women. There is this undeniable presence of masculinity that is expressed in a good population of Lesbian women. In my mind's eye I have had to ask, if some women chose to live a life in which they only like women, why are there so many that seem to portray the characteristics both outwardly and inwardly that are male? In genetics and in ourselves we are both male and female in energy. Ying and Yang. There is a possibility that we may express more masculine traits. Very understandable. For me I simply still say.. it's fine if your preference is a woman, but why is there this need to dress, act and emulate a man? I think there is more that makes a man other than the way he dresses or his mannerisms. I personally can feel as if I can have strong masculine inclinations in areas but I don't feel I have to dress or act as a man. So there poses the thought of why is there such this catergory that seems to arise in distinction of a very masculine woman and a feminine woman? Or even roles then seem to surface. Fact of the matter we are influenced by a very gender role set society. We all seem to fall in a catergory whether we like it or not. I feel that there many lesbian women that consciously choose to express themselves by choosing to dress and act as a male. Why are we so infatuated and fascinated in making their traits an option? Again we seem to "react" to the influence around us of the male presence. Even when there is this seperation of preference that a woman wants to be with a woman, somehow a MAN plays a very strong role.
So in the end this closes my thoughts that a reoccuring word I have brought up in this blog is "react or reaction" As well as viewing the role of Men in regards to us is as light is to dark. Women find it very challening to create a dialogue of debate, viewpoint, accomplishment and list can go on without the "reaction" to the influencing part of the MAN. It can be a cry for a cause in "spite" or "despite" of a MAN. Yet where do we stand alone as WOMEN? These are just random interesting thoughts that crossed my mind one day and perhaps they have crossed yours or maybe not about our relationship to men.
With Soul,
Artistic Soul
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