"Because we have determined that all empowered women must be overtly sexual and because the only sign of sexuality we seem to be able to recognize is a direct allusion to red-light entertainment, we have laced the sleazy energy and aesthetic of a topless club or a Penthouse shoot throughout our entire culture (26)."
Lady Gaga’s music video for just dance is a current example of how sleaziness and pop culture do not just coexist but have intersected. The video begins her entering a wild house party and is interspersed with scenes of the day after (hangover, lost keys). There is a sense of desperation to the female sexuality displayed in this video. The females are either buzzed and sloppy or aggressive and desperate acting with shots of them hooking up and rolling on the floor. This video is significant due to its popularity with mainstream audiences (140 million Youtube views).
Several examples of Raunch culture stand out in the clip:
- Gaga humping the plastic dolphin in the mini pool (3:05)
- Gaga taking her shirt off
- shot of girl with legs spread on couch (2:45)
- Trash everywhere
- Shots of people hooking up in the hallways, showers, and living room
- line "I love this record, but can't see straight anymore."
There's an intentionally disoriented feeling to the video due to the random quick shots of various people, which produces the feeling of being drunk. Ten years ago, a video such as this could not be made and played on channels such as MTV without controversy. As, videos such as this one become more commonplace, it sets the threshold for shock value (drug use, portrayal of recklessness, darkness) higher for future acts who seek the same level of attention. The usage of sex to become a pop singer is no longer preferred but mandatory for up and coming pop singer/ dance divas. These have connotations not just for female pop entertainers but for young girls absorbing the messages that these videos portray. In today's culture the construction of a woman's public identity requires them to negotiate their sexuality. There is an expectation that to be a strong confident female you must openly engage with your sexuality, this comes from media sources. A female who chooses NOT to engage in these discourses, is isolated by their peers in a sex-dominated culture.
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