There Are No “Blurred Lines”

Mary Marvin mmarv339@uwsp.edu

Recently, schools in Europe have banned the song “Blurred Lines” from their campuses. I think that’s absolutely wonderful and we should consider doing the same. Let me tell you why.

Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” is admittedly catchy, however, it’s also a sleazy song that spreads a terrible message.

People are in a tizzy over the song and the video that showcases models strutting around topless. There are shots being fired from both sides, with some supporters saying that it’s liberating and empowering to women, and the women in the video promote body positivity with their confidence.

It’s not about body positivity. Those women are gorgeous – they’re models. Of course they’re confident.

If you think it’s about naked women, you’re missing the point. It’s the way that the men are behaving towards the naked women in the video and, more importantly, it’s about the message of the song.

Let’s talk about the video first. I can handle topless women. I have no problem with topless women. In fact, I think we should work toward topless equality for everyone, but that’s beside the point. The issue here is the way the men act with the women.

At one point, there’s a stop sign on one young lady’s behind. I don’t know if you can get any clearer, here. It’s a literal stop sign. Yet the singer keeps saying she must want to get nasty, and that he can give her something to tear her in two.

There is an outreach project called Project Unbreakable where rape survivors write what their rapists said to them during the act. The results are far too close to the lyrics of “Blurred Lines.”“I know you want it.” “You’re a good girl.” When heard as words from a rapist’s mouth, they become much more chilling.

If you think people are too sensitive about these things, maybe you’re part of the problem. You can work towards being part of the solution. Instead of complaining about people overreacting to it, maybe you should look into why they’re so upset in the first place. Try to understand where people are coming from. “Blurred Lines” can be very triggering for a rape survivor.

The whole point of the song is that consent can be confusing, but in reality, it never should be. You should always be sure your partner is 100 percent okay with any physical contact.

Here’s a handy guide if you’re wondering about consent – Is he or she passed out? That’s a no. Is he or she too drunk to function? That’s also a no. Think you can help yourselfjust because they are your significant other? Think again. Did he or she promise to make sweet, dirty love to you when you got home but changed his or her mind? Say it with me – that means no.

Anything that is not a perfectly clear “yes” is a no. If this is a confusing concept to you, please reevaluate the way you treat your significant others.

Men are more than what “Blurred Lines” make them out to be. Men are not the source of the problem. The problem is the patriarchal society, which is reflected in the media. This is not just a women’s issue and we should be working toward change. That is what feminists are fighting for, and that is a topic for another article.

What do you think about “Blurred Lines?” Would you sign a petition to get it off air? Want to debate about it? Send your thoughts in to the Pointer and let’s talk about it.