I’m tired of misogynistic songs

On Friday, DJ Khaled’s song ‘I’m The One’ became number 1 on the Official UK Charts.

Jason Derulo’s ‘Swalla’ was at number 6. Both share in common misogynistic lyrics that objectify women as sexual commodities, with the latter exclaiming ‘all you girls in here, if you’re feeling thirsty, come on take a sip ‘cause you know what I’m servin.’ All bets are off that it’s water…

These songs are not the first to contain such lyrics. Derulo’s ‘Wiggle’ reduced women to their body parts for the pleasure of men, One Direction’s ‘Steal My Girl’ posited women as possessions who ‘belong’ to them, and Flo Rida’s ‘Whistle’ brazenly okayed non-consenting with the lyrics ‘permission not approved.’

Why is it okay that songs that objectify and condone non-consent are at the top our our charts?

And its not just the songs themselves. Watch the video for Calvin Harris’s ‘Summer’, Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’, or DJ Khaled’s new one, and you’ll find women whose sole purpose is to gyrate, scantly clad, for no apparent reason.

‘What’s the big deal?’ I hear you say. Sex sells. It always has. It always will. It’s an integral aspect of human life that’s always been portrayed in some medium or other, whether that be in painting, literature, film or TV. The big difference is exactly how its portrayed. Films such as ‘Titanic’, or literature such as ‘Lady Chatterley’s Lover’ emphasise consent, care and trust. The women in them aren’t presented as objects, but people. In these modern pop songs, they’re not.

What exactly was Emily Ratajkowski’s purpose in the ‘Blurred Lines’ video?

I’m the older brother of three younger sisters. For me, it’s disconcerting that men who are supposed to be role models, and who have the power to discuss any issue in their songs, choose to use it to objectify women and condone their abuse. And because of their catchy beats, we stream the songs in our millions, sing along in the shower, and encourage more like it to be created. It’s simple supply and demand.

Cambridge University recently changed its sexual harassment policy after it was revealed 68% of women had experienced some form of it whilst studying here.

I’m not saying that these songs are the sole cause of harassment, nor am I saying that boycotting them will solve all the issues associated with it. But its not difficult to believe that, through repeated exposure, the behaviour they condone is surreptitiously entering the developing minds of today’s youth.

Now that ‘absolute banger’ the DJ plays in Cindies is a little bit harder to dance to.