JAZZ HISTORY-MUSIC 114

Bell Hook: Black Women Sexuality, Media Representation and Popular culture

Bell Hook’s exposed how society used to ignore black females sexuality as popular culture and his article argued against the idea that femininity and womanness are totally personified by whiteness. Most of Hook’s context tried to display how black females would be identified in ‘civilized Europe’ as important people, unlike in the past where they were seen as a commodity in the slave trade. He also presented how racist notions tend to be biased against the “black” community and, in the end, resulted in a feminist movement that fought particularly on black women’s space and identity. Hook was also against the “representation of black female bodies in the contemporary popular culture” (Hooks, 123), which he believed shaped the perception of sexualization. He let us understand that black female bodies were forced to serve as “an icon for sexuality in general” (Hooks, 123). The author brought an argument that black female bodies got into music acts and films as an attempt to challenge racist assumptions that “black” skin is a sign of inferiority. The best way to reach the most audience and expose his ideas was through media representation. Everybody would like to comment about the “Selling Hot Pussy- Representations of black female sexuality in the cultural marketplace.”

Bell Hook’s ideas seem valid, and I support his argument that black female artists are not getting enough space and identity in the audience of popular culture. The racist notions used in the early representations of black female sexuality within society remain the major nuances to the current media representations of black women artists. A good example was the performance of Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B’s 2021 Grammy performance of “WAP,” which they received a dozen of Conservatives and the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). The big question was, why would the FCC saw the artists as club stripers performing with pornographic outfits? I think the complainants were against the performance because the artists are among the best and popular black women artists in the music industry. Megan Thee Stallion and Cardi B wore outfits that exposed their bodies, especially the protruding “butts” and “breasts,” but some fun assumed the performance as sexual acts. This scenario exposed Hook’s critique of the representation of black female bodies in contemporary popular culture. I did not see any problem with the two artists protruding their buttocks with pride and glee. It was a good sexualized sign that would suggest an identity for black women’s sexuality, challenge racist assumptions and create space in the popular cultural marketplace. Hooks saw it coming and how it will shape perception in the current media representations of black women artists (Hooks, 123).

Works Cited

Hooks, B. (1992). Selling hot pussy. Black Looks: Race and Representation, 122-132