Blurred lines...of sexual assault

This past week we talked about rap and hip hop songs, and how incredibly degrading they can be to women. It teaches young men that women can and like to be treated like sluts, essentially. This really resonates in today's society because we have a president that says things like "grab em by the pussy" and has affairs with porn stars and acts like all of this is perfectly acceptable. I'm not saying that everyone has to be perfect, but I do believe that people in power, especially our president, should be held to a higher standard. This is already true in women with power. How they conduct themselves outside of work is just as important as how they conduct themselves at work. Shouldn't men be held to the same standard? But, I digress...

I thought a lot about the music I listen to and how even from a young age I sang these songs without even fully realizing what they all meant. I remember growing up and listening to Christina Aguilera, and she came out with a song called "Dirty". People were calling her a slut because she talked about wanting and enjoying sex. Another song was by Jessica Simpson called "Sweetest Sin," also about sex. People were flabbergasted. They were supposed to be role models and they were women talking about enjoying sex! The blasphemy! However, men- especially rappers, can talk about sleeping with multiple women in one night, violence against women, and sexual assault and that's fine because "boys will be boys?" I'm not having it.

Here is a song I have always hated, and here is why.

https://youtu.be/yyDUC1LUXSU

Robin Thicke "Blurred Lines"

In this song, he sings "I hate these blurred lines, I know you want it, I hate them lines, I know you want it, I hate them lines, I know you want it, But you're a good girl, The way you grab me, Must wanna get nasty, Go ahead, get at me."

Let's discuss. Does he really hate them blurred lines, or just he just want to know for sure he can take you home so he doesn't have to waste anymore time and/or money on you? Also, this is basically sexual assault. I have actually had men say to me several different times they could tell I wanted it. I guess its common enough to make a whole song out of it. As a woman, if you tell me I want it, even if I did, I now don't want it even a little bit. When he said "the way you grab me, must wanna get nasty" is nasty. Can a girl dance with a guy and even touch him without wanting sex? Yes, the answer is yes in case people don't know. Men assuming things can definitely lead to sexual assault. In the song Thicke is also talking about getting drunk and "blasted." How does this song end? If she is blasted, she probably cant give consent.

There are so many songs like this out there, and it allows men to blame rape on "blurred lines" and the ability to blame how they were having fun and drinking together so she must have wanted it.

Just because the lines are blurry does not mean the lines don't exist. 

Thank you for coming to my Ted Talk.