One of the first classes I ever took as a journalism major was called Strategic Communications, or Strat Comm for short. It was basically a really fancy title for “Advertising.” We had a really bright professor, a Hispanic woman named Maria Len-Ríos. And on the first day of class she showed us images from several print advertisements from huge companies. In each of the ads, companies like Dolce and Gabanna, Gucci, Vogue, Skyy liquor and even Sunglass Hut featured women in sexual, subservient, subordinate or silenced positions.
Seeing them all together, in the way she flipped through that slideshow of images was disturbing.
These days things are a bit better. Women, with the help of the internet, speak up and out more when they don’t like something. But every once in a while, you’ll come across an image that reminds you that we still have a long way to go when it comes to accurate and non-sexist or non-misogynistic representations of women.
Enter the cover for Miguel’s soon-to-be released new album Wildheart.
I saw the cover yesterday and literally felt nothing. Because, as you can see from the images above, I’ve seen this same type of defenseless woman at the will and whim of a man type of trope before. Nothing new, nothing provocative. Just whatevs. Instead, I was in a hurry to listen to the single “Coffee.” (Which I enjoyed.)
My feminist/”that ain’t right” radar didn’t go off at all. It wasn’t until one of my coworkers asked me about it, saying that she really didn’t like it, that I really looked. When she asked, I told her that Miguel had been doing several interviews where he spoke about his level of freaky. But she said her distaste for the image wasn’t about the sexual implications. It was the subordinate ones. And when I looked again, closely and critically, this time. This image does rub me as problematic. This woman, with her body curled, almost in a fetal position, and her eyes completely covered, seems to lose a bit of her personhood, while Miguel sits above her, projecting control and power.
And if this one weren’t enough for you, here’s another.
Amazing photo quality and certainly artistic. Plus, I would be naive not to acknowledge the women who happily and willingly like to be dominated by men in the bedroom. Y’all read 50 Shades. But can we also admit that this gets very few innovation points?
I get it. Miguel is singing about sex on this album. But it would be nice, every once in a while, for men to depict women as an equal participant in sex acts, or dare I say even dominator.
What do you make of this image? Are you offended by it? Is it business as usual or do you actually like it?
