Women and Pop Culture Entry 3

Alexandria Scudder

13 February 2015

Entry 3

Music in the 1970s

            In the 1970s many women music icons took a stand in some type of feminist movement.  Some feminist women from the 1970s are Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, and Cher.  As most people read that Dolly Parton had anything to do with feminism they begin to think that there is no way.  With Dolly Parton’s flashy views including her love for plastic surgery and her very well know breast implants no one would think that Dolly Parton would have anything to do with any feminism movements but throughout the 1970s she was an active supporter.  Dolly Parton does not feel like her plastic surgery should offend anyone because has the procedures to make herself look as beautiful on the outside as she feels on the inside.

Another presentation I found interesting was about advertisements and feminism.  Throughout this presentation the discussion of body image was brought up, which we had also talked about earlier in the week. Many people can see that the media is using the feminist movement as a sales pitch when feminist movement is supposed to be something uplifting and powerful for women and many media icons mock this.  By using the feminist movement as a sales pitch it is rather frustrating because it makes people that could be supporting this movement more reluctant.  With women being portrayed as sexual beings in the media all the time it allows us to be looked down upon not only by men but by women also.  Most people that find the feminist movement threatening are men.  I could understand men taking the feminist movement as a threat because it is allowing women to advance.  Men who have been the "alpha-sex" for so long are intimidated because they have never had to work to claim their spot on the social spectrum.

I think there has been such a backlash in the media and pop culture in the 1970's and still now because, as I said in my last response, men feel intimidated by women.  For the first time women have been standing up for their rights and fighting back at skewed views of women and men do not know how to fight back.  For so long women have been restricted and by fighting back I believe men are intimidated that women may become the "alpha-sex".

I do not feel like advertisements have changed.  The biggest change that I have seen in today's advertisements is the support of more plus size models.  Stores have been adding more plus sizes allowing for plus size women to be viewed as beautiful instead of being looked down upon all the time by men.  Although some stores and magazines have been incorporating plus size models into their ads there is still the pressure of sexuality and women.