Christina Aguilera is "Still Dirrty"
Christina Aguilera’s song “Still Dirrty” is a prime example of the interactions between the “temptress” and "good girl" types Lieb talks about in their Ted Talks video on gender and sexuality in the media.
The general statement that Christina is making through her lyrics is: even though she may not seem to be as dirty as she used to be, she still is, in fact, "dirrty," and if you have a problem with it, then you should check yourself. Through this statement, she is addressing two audiences: those who say she isn’t sexy enough (the male gaze), and those who say she is too sexy (other women). Although the video is fan-made, the creator does a wonderful job of addressing this through their use of real and hypothetical newspaper headlines. The beginning sequence of headlines are hypothetical, reflecting the idea that Christina has lost her sexual appeal by becoming a “good girl” type. The headlines read:
“From Crude to Clean”
“Are Her Dirty Days Done?”
“From Naughty to Nice: Christina Sweetens Up”
“From Nasty to Chastity”
Because of her beginnings as a Mickey Mouse Club “Mouseketeer,” Christina Aguilera had to leverage her fame on the transition from “Good Girl” to “Temptress” very early in her career. Even though years had passed since her “Good Girl” days, she utilized this transition in her "Still Dirrty" music video by drawing on themes of ‘naughty or nice;' even if she dresses or acts modestly in public, that doesn’t mean she isn’t a bad girl on the inside. Aguilera was smart to draw on childlike innocence to maintain sex appeal, as perverted as it is (i.e. words like ‘naughty’ and ‘nice,’ ‘chastity,’ etc.), because it kept the intrigue alive and prevented people from becoming bored of her sex appeal.
One of the video’s comments from a user named Aryana Kurillo says, “strong woman of Independence. I love her for that!!” As I first watched this video and analyzed these lyrics, I struggled to conclude whether this is true. Can Aguilera advocate for women’s power over their own sexuality while also leveraging it to succeed in a sexualized industry? Although my mind is conflicted on this, I must answer “yes,” simply because I am tired of people discounting artists like Christina Aguilera for using their own sex appeal. Although it concerns me that the industry has forced her into the “temptress” role, I fully support her and other women for using that stereotype for her own personal gain. In my opinion, women should use the flawed systems of sexism on which our society is built for personal gain in any way that we please, even though it will never make up for what we ultimately lose.
Artists like Christina will always lose, because the industry does not only sexualize women for profit, but it also pits women against each other to maintain power. In a single song, Aguilera must address people who don’t think she’s sexy enough...
“They say I'm not the girl they used to know
'Cause I don't always wear revealing clothes
But don't be fooled: the moment I get home
I'm letting loose, giving a private show”
…And those who think she is too sexy.
“There's some women out there who talk and stare
Who never seem to let down their hair
Like to past judgment, but they're just scared
And don't know what they're missing; so they better beware”
It’s no coincidence that she refers to her haters as “women.” The dirtiest part of sexism in the industry is that, while men sexualize women from a young age for profit, they also create a stigma around female sexuality that prevents women from taking control over their own bodies and making personal decisions about their sexual identities. After all, if women began to support one another in their decisions on whether to be sexual or not, misogyny would no longer have power in the music industry.
This is too big of an issue to tackle in a short blog post, so I will conclude with a “kudos” to Christina Aguilera. She has built a multimillion dollar platform from an industry that has been out to get her from the start. In the process, she’s taken control of the sexualization that was forced upon her at a young age to create a brand that serves her.
