Is Blurred Lines a Rape Anthem?

No, I don't think this song is about rape at all. At all. Like...at all.

My interpretation: The singer describes how the girl was in a past relationship where her guy tried to "domesticate" her (I assume the stereotypical mellowing out and staying good and proper), but can tell she's not that kind of girl, so it didn't work out. But now she's used to being proper, or whatever.

He talks about blurred lines, because she's been playing the good girl for a long time, but is really a bad girl inside, holding back, not letting that side out. Still in her shell from the last guy she was with. "I know you want it," is like asking a hesitant person if they want the last potato chip in the bag (of course they do! You can tell by the way they're looking at it and drooling! The same verbs might apply to this song, too, honestly.)

The blurred lines are her giving the dude mixed signals. He thought she was a good girl, but now she's puttin' on the nasty moves/flirts. It's a flirtatious tango, with her playing hard to get and giving off mixed signals, and him into her and pursuing, confused.

This is a pretty common situation that occurs in real life, in my opinion.

EDIT: Oh, and sort of as an aside, something tells me that if this song was being sung by women about a man, there would be no controversy at all. The new "feminism" is ruining everything.

So how do we know that the proper, good girl....isn't what is the right thing to be......how do we know that we as women haven't been pushed by men who want it to make us feel that we need to let the bad girl out & that the good girl is wrong.

The problem is that society has so many blurred lines now & say that nothing is right or wrong & not only does everything that was bad or wrong in the past now needs to be tolerated & accepted. The problem is, the farther we go in that direction.....the harder it will be for anyone to hold onto their values without someone trying to push them into believing they are wrong......& thus making what would have been rape.....pushing them into being consensual because they don't know any more what is right or wrong for them.

Our society needs to be very careful as to the direction it's going in.....because it is opening up the door to very dangerous ground.

I don't really like the idea of compartmentalizing a girl as good or bad. In addition to the problems that eskie mentioned, like compromising values, it's also.. just... so limiting... Seeing her as bad verses good in this context is like seeing her as sexual verses a prude. It's sending mixed messages about sexuality. That sexual women are inherently bad, which I'm pretty sure we all know how well that works out for one's mental state... But it's a double-edged sword, because prude also has negative conotations. Women just can't win and they've been dealing with this for years. And this song just continues this divide between good and bad.

And for me personally? Even if this was sung by a woman, I'd still find it extremely annoying and wouldn't listen to it. I would also stand by my opinion that no one should tell anyone else what they want. I am well aware that there are women who rape, both men and women, and I think I would interpret the song the same way.

The song is disgusting and clearly promotes rape culture. Even alluring in a line that drugs were used on the girl (of which he is singing about) asking if she can breathe.

As a survivor of multiple sexual assault, a lot of words I heard in this song was something I had said to me by my abusers. "You know you want it", "you're an animal", "you're a good girl".

Not to mention blurred lines is usually described as the lines between yes and no. He is singing about hating the "blurred lines" because this girl looks good, shes flirting, so clearly that means he is entitled to sex with her even if she says no. People get angry and say someone is too much of a feminist when feminist are willing to look into the context of the song or a song or a piece of media and reflect societies attitudes and apply it into a proper context for understanding.

I hate the "too much of a feminist" argument for that reason. I am a feminist, and if I see something that supports rape culture which is a social institutionalized construct, then I am willing to call in out even if someone cries "you're looking to far into it!" has anyone ever thought, maybe you're not looking far enough into it?

No, because that might lead you to see that which is being concealed. We like people to just follow along and go with it.

Funny I never heard this song, and I somehow feel like I never will.

If a woman hates feminism, well I guess you could go back to not being allowed to vote because you would not be considered a person with citizenry rights, you would not have gotten an education beyond maybe elementary if that. And you would get to choose from only a few occupations...that is if you do not want to marry or have children. But at least you might come with a lovely dowery. Forget about reproductive health choices like birth control, if you're lucky you won't end up with a wife beater because that wouldn't be a crime but then again neither would rape. You couldn't initiate divorce , you would not be allowed to enter into most contracts or own property, not that you yourself would be likely to have money to do so anyways.

That's just some of what feminism has given us. I'm not willing to give it back. I appreciate what women before me have faught hard for ..risked lives for..that I could have some freedoms. Too bad we only glorify war and soldiers. I can not understand hating on that.

Many feminists also understand, respect and support male liberation from sexism. Feminism doesn't support inequality.



How quickly we sometimes forget our sister suffragette's.

(Oh and as an aside ...doesn't seem to fit the definition of "new feminism" either. ~ to the person claiming new feminism is ruining everything. )

"new feminism" focuses on society that we live in currently. There is nothing wrong with feminism growing and expanding, as that is what the suffragette's fought for. They wanted women to have rights, women to live safely, women to be treated as equals.

Issues now are rape culture, the glass ceiling, women of color being imprisoned for ridiculous amounts of time for protecting themselves against their abusers, gender roles that suffocate not only women but men. Do you think the suffragettes would be disappointed?

A bit dissapointed...yes. perhaps they would be dissapointed with some of the lack of progress. Maybe they would be dissapointed that feminism is still a dirty word. Dissapointed that many women have forgetten, and or don't care but yet enjoy the freedoms. All women who have faught for equality even before them might be a bit saddened. And yet I am sure they would also be pleased with many things.

Teen I was replying to a post earlier up thread. Not critisizing new feminism. I dont think it's "ruining" everything. And I was being a biy cheeky. I probably should have made that more clear.

I am little puzzled by your response, if it is to me since we seem to be on the same page. My post was not directed at you or anyone. I am a firm supporter of feminism.

Should we look futher ...yes.

Back to the song (cause I just read the OP), I didnt think rape when I read the lyrics. And I dont find it offensive either. Rape is a VERY sensitive subject for me & usually I have easy triggers. But this song didnt affect me personally, in any way. It sounds like a good girl gone bad kind of story. Shes married all buttoned up but has an inner bad girl in her. And the guy wants to get with her & she does him too but shes shy about it.

There are many song that can be inturpreted like that. I guess its all up to the listener.