For those of you who don't already know, teen "heartthrob" Justin Bieber took a "stand" against abortion in a recent magazine interview. He was asked (for some reason) how he felt about abortion. Why was he asked anyway? Why was a teenage boy, who thousands of teenage girls and even preteen girls adore and love asked about something so vital to women's health?
I remember being 12 - I remember having "crushes" on teenage heartthrobs and celebrity doods. If one of those doods, who I, for some reason thought was the be-all-end-all of crushes, said abortion was "killing a baby" even if a woman's raped (although Bieber added "all things happen for a reason") I would have become confused. When boys that are in a place of significant social power, aka...living in celebrity land, tell women and girls what is right and wrong for their bodies then patriarchy dominates yet again.
This is not to say that it is inevitable for all girls to take to the heterosexist, consumer-culture "crush" thing, but considering the fan-base of Bieber, it's hard to suggest it doesn't exist. Girls are socialized to worship men. Since this crush-culture does exist, it's important to dissect the messages that these kids are getting - like that abortion is bad and males somehow understand that. Society is at it yet again, informing girls about their bodies through a male-perspective.
It's heartbreaking how irresponsible Bieber's comments were, even if he's 17 years old. He should understand how his words will affect his fans, particularly his female fans and their perceptions of choice and bodily integrity.
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I can just see this kid running for office one day.
ReplyDeleteReposting my comment from RH Reality Check... I've often thought that saying you don't "believe" in abortion is rather like saying you don't "believe" in hydrogen atoms. It's all around and very common, but you can't see it and the people who really know about it don't want to discuss it with you because you are unwilling to listen and learn.
ReplyDeleteHere from anti social butterfly's place. Always good to see more anti-pron fems, it warms the cockles of my blackened, misandric heart.
Oh.my.notgod. What the hell does he think he's doing??? From the interview he said, "I've never been in that situation." Damn right you haven't, shut your trap! He also said everything happens for a reason. I'm pretty sure he was talking about the pregnancy, not the rape, but it really sounded like he was referring to the rape. The next time he gets raped and forced to carry his rape baby to term... oh wait.
ReplyDeleteThis might come as a shock to you, but there are people out there that do not share your opinion on abortion. The simple fact that they disagree with you does not make them evil conspirators against women's bodily possession. There are valid arguements against and for abortion. Your refusal to look at the other side of the argument limits your reasoning. Bieber is a teenage hearthrob whose popularity will not last his fanbase's first menstrual cycle. Sure he is in a position of great influence, but does that mean that everything that comes out of his mouth has to be politically correct, or in step with what you and the rest of the feminists find acceptable? No. The problem you should be addressing is why people, in particular prepubescent girls, idolize this little doofus. Why is it that we humans are willing to take to heart and follow what people in the popular media do and say?
ReplyDeletePeace
-Mike