Paula Patton, left, and singer Robin Thicke attend the 2007 MTV Video Music Awards held at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas, Sept. 9, 2007. (Lionel Hahn/Abaca Press/MCT)
by Sabrina Redlingshafer
If you have listened to the radio at any time during these past three months, you have probably heard Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines.”
The R&B/Hip Hop single hit Billboard’s number one and has been a worldwide phenomenon, topping the charts in 14 countries, including Canada, Australia, the United Kingdom and Germany. The track hit the Billboard Hot 100 for twelve straight weeks and was the US’s second best-selling single of 2013, having sold 4.614 million copies. “Blurred Lines” broke the record for radio audience and is now before Mariah Carey’s “We Belong Together” of 2005.
Yes, Robin Thicke’s name comes before Mariah Carey’s on a list. No, I am not okay with this.
Despite the world’s acclaim of the single, Thicke’s misogynistic lyrics leave me angry.
I don’t know if it’s the line about “liberating a good girl by showing her what she wants” or the incredibly eye-opening music video that made me initially question Thicke’s respect toward women, but I finally realized that the only lines that are blurred are those of Thicke’s views on sexism and misogyny.
However, Robin Thicke and I can agree on one thing: we believe his video and song are degrading to women. In an interview with GQ Magazine, Thicke said, “We tried to do everything that was taboo…and everything that is completely derogatory towards women. Because all three of us are happily married with children, we were like, ‘We’re the perfect guys to make fun of this.'”
Caricature of popstar Robin Thicke
Yes! What a perfect group of guys to make fun of women! It only makes sense: if you have a wife and are happily married, then you are absolutely qualified to degrade a woman.
No, wrong. Thicke’s upsetting statement says that if you “respect” women, then it is okay to publicly demean them.
“People say, ‘Hey, do you think this is degrading to women?’ I’m like, ‘Of course it is,” Thicke said in his GQ interview. “What a pleasure it is to degrade a woman. I’ve never gotten to do that before. I’ve always respected women.'”
Oh, Robin Thicke I am so glad you had the pleasure to degrade the entire womanhood, because it brings me oh so much pleasure to in turn publicly demean you and your discriminatory song.
Everytime I hear “Blurred Lines” on the radio, Thicke’s interview responses loudly rehash over the many “hey hey heys” and “woohs!” In listening to the lyrics to Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” and watching the music video, it becomes ever so clear that he is a pompous, arrogant misogynist.
Robin Thicke, you’ve lost my respect.
