The blurred lines debate: the lines have been drawn

It’s either yes or no – it’s difficult to see how the lines can be blurred when deciding whether or not you want to have sex with someone.

Yet Robin Thicke begs to differ, he hates ‘these blurred lines’ and he knows you want it really.

‘I know you want it’…really?

Of course there are far more overtly misogynistic songs than Thicke’s offering. However, and this is the core of the controversy, he never intended to be outrageous. In R&B, such lyrics are par for the course and it’s worrying that artists and producers believe that this casual sexism is acceptable.

That well known chat up line: ‘I’ll give you something big enough to tear your ass in two’.

The popularity of the song allowed it not only to remain at number 1 in the UK charts for five weeks, but also for it to become the target for student unions in many UK universities. Instigating the ban has allowed King’s to become part of a nationwide movement. Our student body has displayed solidarity with a new wave of feminism. The University now stands with other institutions whose students believe that gender equality is something worth highlighting and striving for.

Want a girl to sleep with you? Blow smoke in her face.

Yet, in enacting this ban we have not just blindly followed the crowd. I’d say that the majority of students here seem to care about equality and liberty. Hence, amongst other things, the petition to remove Lord Carey’s picture from outside Strand campus, the attempt to prevent the creation of the pro-life society and the campaign to provide the living wage to all KCL staff. It seems to me that the Blurred Lines ban is just another example of our progressive identity.

In simple terms, I don’t believe the ban was about ideology, morality or censorship. I believe it was about giving that the student body of King’s an opportunity to demonstrate a rejection of engrained values and stereotypes.

Feminist points for spotting what’s wrong with this image.

Outside the university’s venues students can still listen to Blurred Lines whenever they wish. Although you’re better of listening to the song Thicke ripped off, Marvin Gaye’s Got To Give It Up which is just about having fun dancing. I’d like to think most of us would choose dancing over sexism any day.

So don’t dismiss this ban as ‘censorship gone mad’. Hopefully it has and will continue to provoke the student body to think deeper about gender equality and not to lament the removal of a ‘top tune’ from the DJ’s playlist. Anyway, with awareness of the song’s highly dubious message can many honestly say they’ll miss it?