Sexual violence in Rihanna video

[Cheeseandhamtoast]

I've just posted about this in AIBU, but the general consensus was that IABU to be bothered about this. So I thought I would give it a go here.

I'm not going to link, but I am absolutely disgusted at the new Rihanna video. Especially coming from Rihanna who has been a victim of domestic violence herself. Who would make a video like this?

I just despair at what is becoming mainstream. For example, Sam Smith has just tweeted a link to it to his 3 million followers, many of which will be young teenagers.

That's interesting. I do think that some (many?) women (whether feminists or not) might well have a less visceral reaction to images of a man being tortured

I mentioned using a male victim, but thinking more I'd probably be as uncomfortable with it if it were a man; certainly if it were a young and pretty man (which of course it would be) it'd be no more acceptable.

That came out wrong - beating up old and ugly men wouldn't improve it.

Possibly because men being brutalised with a sexual component is not generally shown on mainstream tv, same as showing an old woman like that (topless etc) would be shocking and upsetting. Most people would find it very upsetting to see imagery of a child being treated this way I think as well. The sexualised imagery of brutality/ loving depictions of sexual violence are mainly saved for girls and women who are in their reproductive years and reasonably or very attractive.

Like I said though we all have our own focus and hence I said many or most. The writer of the blog eg is female and she would have different reactions based around color rather than sex.

The focus thing would explain as well why so many men can't see the problem with imagery that many women complain about or are uncomfortable with, they aren't subconsciously identifying with the female in the picture.

In fact I said some or many, not many out most!

I bothers me that the focus is on how Rihanna had to get her money back rather than the fact it was stolen in the first place. I doubt this was her first move, rather that she tried several times and was left with no other choice. I watched the video and saw an exasperated woman who was determined to right a wrong.

Seeing white feminist tell black women they are doing empowerment wrong is fucking patronising. Maybe they should focus on not exploiting black women in the first place.

Helen Lewis wrote an article in the New Statement which was both lie and abusive. She then went on gaslight a black woman on twitter for critizing it.

I am getting sick and tired of feminist who don't recognize that they use the same tactics and men to silence women. White feminist have dismissed the racial element only acknowledging that it may play a small part. In the same way men will acknowledge some parts of sexism to appear reasonable but for it not to effect their unearned privilege.

Imagine if instead of kidnapping the accountant’s wife, Rihanna and her crew kidnapped his brother? Would White Feminists™ be so upset?

I've not seen the video, but why didn't Rihanna kidnap the accountant if he's the target of her anger? Could it be because women are seen as belonging to men not as people in their own right? Or because a woman is seen as an easier target?

innocent they both wronged her. The wife spent Rihannas money on a lavish lifestyle.

mediadiversified.org/2015/07/04/so-were-still-all-talking-about-rihannas-bitch-better-have-my-money/

Whirlpool is right, it's about who you identify with. When I see a half naked murdered woman in a back alley on TV I feel slightly afraid because it subconsciously registers that this could happen to me.

When Patrick Jane (The Mentalist) described how Red John would creep into women's bedrooms at night and wake them up so he could see their fear, I ran around checking the locks for nights!

There's something gratuitous in TV's obsession with female fear, it's like killing young women is more likely to push our buttons and it's odd that in RL men are statistically far more likely to be murdered than women but I'm sure if you tallied the no. of tv murder victims you'd find it the other way round.

(Just to back up BreakingDad's pov I felt exactly the same about hip hop. I used to be really into it early 90s because my boyfriend did and it was super cool then, but couldn't square my burgeoning feminist principles with the attitude to black women - hoes, bitches and goldiggas - in its songs)

It's all for publicity... she, and her record company, know this is wrong but sex and violence sells. By producing a shocking video, even if it does eventually get banned, has projected her profile. Everyone will be talking about her and this video, everyone will be logging on to youtube (or other source) when someone says "have you seen Rihanna's new video?!" ...whether they agree with the content or not it will be a topic of conversation online, on TV, on radio and between us all. We're all talking about, listening to, and watching Rihanna.

Publicity stunt success - job done!

But fwiw no YANBU, it's disgraceful she feels the need to promote sexual violence in order to remain at the top. I feel like certain female entertainers are taking major steps backwards after women fought hard to stop being objectified and be taken seriously as equal human beings

I like a lot of Rihanna's music but this video makes me very uneasy. When people say 'it's no worse than Tarantino,' I think, 'well, Tarantino films aren't aimed at teenage girls, are they?'

Because whoever Rihanna thinks makes up her audience, it's definitely more school-age people than adults.

But when people say "it's no worse than Tarantino" do they think that feminists approved of that? I still remember hating the scene where Patricia Arquette is all bloodied up with her chest hanging out. The only good part is that she saved herself.

I hate all violence whether the victims are male, female, black or white of course but they are portrayed differently. With women of any colour it is portrayed in a more sexual way which makes it disturbing in that it is supposed to be titillating and in the case of Rhianna's video the use of a rich white woman is supposed to convey that she deserves it.

But Rihanna is making loads of money put of it so I guess she's happy.

But I hated Tarantino for that violence too. The bit where Patricia Arquette is all bloodied up with her chest hanging out is awful. The only good thing is that she saves herself. And the body count in Kill Bill was insane. I hate it all so that means I can complain about Rhianna's too I assume.

I hate all violence for show whether the victims are black, white, male, female. But it's portrayed differently. Female victims of any colour are more likely to be portrayed in a sexual way and in this video the fact that the victim is rich and white is supposed to denote that she deserves it.

But Rhianna's making loads of money so I'm guessing she's happy. I just wish she would challenge the world where money and violence are Gods rather than buy into it. Because then I wouldn't have to watch that garbage or worry about our kids watching it.

Sorry for double post phone playing up today

And why take it out on the accountant's wife?

I'm surprised it wasn't banned. I can't believe anyone thinks it's ok to have a naked victim hanging upside down being tortured.

Horrible.

The accountants wife enjoyed the fruits of her labour. She is not innocent.

This is a moment of on-screen acknowledgement of the historical erasure of women of colour by white women who – as a group – have benefitted from both white supremacy and colonialism. It also highlights a long history of women of colour serving and enabling the exaltation of white femininity, with their service – coerced and enforced – as slaves, maids, ayahs, nurses, and cleaners rarely recognised. The sequence is also a nod to the many, many screen representations of an affluent white woman – often clad in white and with blonde hair to further emphasise whiteness – whose attractions are highlighted by contrasting her to ‘lesser’ non-white female bodies that surround her but remain in the background. Think of Miley Cyrus, Daenerys Targaryen, and pretty much most film, music video, television programming.

But definitely more innocent than, um,the accountant himself, no?

"exaltation of white femininity". But white women and especially feminists never asked to be exalted. The exaltation of the perceived aspects of femininity (delicacy, beauty, frivolity) is a bone that has been thrown to us throughout history whenever we ask for real power, and is one that harms us more than benefits us. So no, I don't benefit from this "exalted femininity" although I fully acknowledge that black women have been made to feel shit for not being considered part of that ideal.

Besides which, in RL the vast majority of white women are far far removed from that privileged, beautiful, thin, rich woman that is being portrayed. We are being hated for what we are not and misrepresented into the bargain.

I would argue though that the female beauty ideal has expanded now to include mixed race women although darker skinned women are still left out and that's shit.

Ultimately what needs to happen IMO is not for the beauty ideal to be extended to give women of all colours / body shapes more crap to worry about but for it to be gotten rid of entirely and just for all women to feel happy with what they are.