Blurred Lines Should Not be Crossed

ANGELA YANG
Staff Writer

Amidst the countless pop songs on the radio, there is one that stands out, and not in a good way. Although the song is catchy, the lyrics to Robin Thicke’s “Blurred Lines” are extremely questionable. They perpetuate rape culture, and the lines between rape and consent should never be blurred.

Thicke’s lyrics echo many rapists’ excuses. The use of the line “I know you want it” undermines a woman’s agency to consent, automatically assuming that a woman wants to have sex with someone merely because she talks to or dances with them, and regards her as “owing a favor.”

The line “you’re an animal” reduces a woman to nothing more than a piece of meat for pleasure without any consciousness of consent. However, she is not an animal and should not be reduced to one; she is a woman who deserves respect and should not be subjected to unwanted advances.

Another problematic lyric is “you’re a good girl,” assuming that a woman rejects a man’s advances because she is shy rather than because of her lack of interest. This reiterates society’s appreciative attitude toward virgins and its disgust of women who are sexually active. The lyric maintains sex as something for women to be reserved about, whereas it is a point of pride for men.

When asked about the nature of his song, Thicke responded, “What a pleasure it is to degrade women.” It has been made evident that Thicke, despite being married and having children, does not seem to believe a woman’s consent is important in the act of sex and that women are subordinate to men.

“Blurred Lines” is vexing due to its lyrics promoting rape culture, reinforcing society’s double-standard of sex and the sexist intentions of the song. These lines should not be anything else besides clearly defined.