Hey KPOP Fandom, wanna stop throwing the slur “slut” around?
Okay, guys. We seem to have a really big problem with calling every “scantily-clad” women a “slut”. And don’t even get me started on words like “bitch”, “whore”, “ho” etc etc. That’s an issue for another time.
What exactly does everyone think the word “slut” means? What is this word and why do we feel the need to throw it around every time a certain female doesn’t meet our standards of approval.
When we call someone a women or girl a slut, we are shaming them “for being sexual, having one or more sexual partners, acknowledging sexual feelings, and/or acting on sexual feelings. Furthermore, it’s “about the implication that is a women has sex that traditional society disapproves of, she should feel guilty or inferior” (Alon Levy, Slut Shaming)” (Finally Feminism 101).
I hope everyone sees the problem here. I’m bringing this up because of two reasons: a) the recent debut of a female band Rania, who are being slut-shamed like I’ve never seen a female band be slut-shamed before and b) the recent nonsense in the A+ fandom, wherein some fans for expressing their sexual feelings are being told that they’re ruining the fandom. In both instances, what we are seeing is slut-shaming. In the former, it’s directed at the band itself and in the second, without even calling them sluts, we are accusing the “pervy noonas” (as they’ve dubbed themselves) of being sluts. The word may not have been used, but the intention is all there. They’re being told that by expressing that they find their idols sexually attractive and by not being afraid to be horny, that they’re ruining the fandom. That’s something we should be concerned about.
But I will break it down between the two now:
Rania
The issue here that a lot of people have is that these girls are too sexy for Korea. The impression I’ve been getting is that the lyrics are too suggestive, the clothes that they wear in their MV, and the choreography in the same MV are provocative, have too much sex appeal, and are “slutty.” That these girls are “bitches,” “sluts,” “trashy” and not sexy but are just Westernised. I’m even at wits end with one commenter on this MV who has repeatedly used the n-word to express her distaste of Teddy Riley, since he’s produced the band.
But, before you wonder about my inner workings, you should think about pain and suffering I have to endure because of these niggers and nigger like mother fuckers introducing all kinds of trashes and now even decided to export them to korea.
Like, I don’t even know what to say to this individual anymore. Could their ignorance and oppressive language get any worse? And it’s not just this individuals comments but quite a few others who have taken to calling the girls “sluts,” to just hump the floor using a dildo next time etc etc. The nature of the comments is all the same: it is derogatory and hurtful and oppressive.
The MV may not fit the usual standard we get from other female artists, but does that mean that we should directly go to labeling the artist group as “sluts.” If your only reason for not liking an artist is because they’re not afraid to be sexual, than quite frankly you have no foundation to stand on. There is nothing wrong with being sexual, with expressing sexual feelings etc etc.
Next, let me provide a little compare and contrast between Rania and Lee Hyori. If we watch Lee Hyori’s MV for U-Go Girl you’ll be sure to notice what she wears as well. For half the video she basically wears a bikini, for the other half clothes that are provocative and suggestive. This is exactly what Rania is doing in their video. This is not new to Korea. This idea that they’re showing too much skin. Korea is not immune to women showing their skin. Moreover, have female artists like SNSD and After School also not shown a lot of skin? If anyone watches SNSD’s video for Gee, wherein they wear short shorts, we could accuse them for showing too much leg. If we watch After School’s music video for Bang, we could accuse them of showing too much midriff, leg, and moreover, for dressing a couple of girls in the same clothing. So someone please tell me how Rania’s outfits are TOO provocative? Showing skin isn’t new to Korea, especially not in this day and age.
Moreover, how about we take a good look at the boys on KPOP, hmm. Can someone please give me one MV made by 2PM, MBLAQ, BEAST, Rain/BI, Taeyang etc wherein they haven’t shown off their “chocolate abs.” Is it okay for us ladies to scream, “WAAAH!!” at them when they’re shirtless and dancing if we’re going to turn around and accuse Rania for wearing provocative clothes? Tjink about the double standards here, ladies. Just think. This is really nothing new.
As for the lyrics, some of the lines being pointed out are: “Strap me down into my chair” to which I point to Yoochun’s rather delightful declaration that he “really wants to touch [himself]” in TVXQ’s Purple Line. And I’d like to add that there is nothing wrong for a woman to express that she wants to feel good. This is a societal norm that we internalise. For a woman to be provocative, and open about her sexual feelings is wrong and dirty and she needs to feel guilty about this. WHY? Because men need another way to make women feel inferior. Call them all sluts, and they’ll feel guilty for being horny. We live in a world where men are told that they need to exert their power and what better a way than to oppress women through language?
This isn’t just about you disliking a band because they don’t meet your own standards of what is acceptable. It is about you using language that is oppressive, that only helps to support patriarchy and male privilege. Come on ladies, we can do better than this. We don’t need to call each other sluts when we don’t like what someone is doing. If you honestly do think Rania is too provocative, then please, just say that they’re too provocative and too suggestive. There is no need to accuse them to being sluts.
Lastly, the issue with the choreo. Again I point to the MVs of most male groups in KPOP. Has anyone seen Lee Joon do a “sexy wave”? Anyone seen Taemin do a hip thrust? Anyone seen Taeyang hump the floor shirtless? Anyone seen Kikwang dance suggestively? I rest my case.
Let’s stop perpetuating double standards, using oppressive language and generally failing to question why we don’t have an equivalent slur for men for word “slut.”
MBLAQ
Okay, this is a little bit more straight forward.
Ladies who think the pervy noonas are too much, stop implying that they’re sluts with your continued accusation that the fandom is being spoiled of its innocence because there are some ladies who prefer to express their love for their idols with statements that are sexual, and which express their own sexual desires. You are shaming them and while you may think you are the only one suffering here, you’re making them feel bad as well.
That’s pretty much the big thing I wanted to point out. There’s nothing wrong with being sexual. The MBLAQ boys are all 20+. They know what sexy is, they know what being horny is, they know what porn is etc etc. If we’re terrified of ruining their innocence, then I think we can rest assured that they’re probably not all that innocent. Whether you chose to accept this is your prerogative but I doubt they’re innocent at their age.
(P.S. This issue over OTPs: there are fandoms in KPOP that are waaaay more aggressive over OTPs and pairings. Be thankful you’re not in them and facing the same ridicule those fandoms throw out.)
(Source: bibumbulge, via brogigay0)
