Tate McRae is a unique and prominent figure in current pop culture. As a female pop musician, McRae's career has been developed around TikTok, showcasing her skills as a thoughtful artist and performer, using her emotional vulnerability as a promotional tool. In relation to McRae's public persona, there are many issues we encountered in our readings on the interconnections of beauty, gender, and power. From a feminist standpoint, McRae's success exemplifies the dual nature of contemporary pop culture in relation to the conflicting roles ascribed by the system of patriarchy to women and their empowerment.
In Beauty and the Patriarchal Beast, Walsh notes that beauty functions as a form of discipline operating under the system of patriarchy, rewarding those women who conform and punishing those who resist the patriarchal system. In relation to McRae's public image, her rise in the pop culture scene has been accompanied by her music, but also by her looks and performance demeanor. We can describe McRae's looks and performance as youthful, svelte, and emotionally engaging. At first glance, McRae appears self-reflective and assertive. Although her visibility is the product of a system that is centered on the patriarchal beauty standard and the objectification of female forms, her success perpetuates the system of beauty, creating the illusion that women can have cultural influence in society without conforming to the patriarchal beauty system.
Sellnow's feminist theory is applicable here as well. Feminist critique encourages us to interrogate power dynamics in media texts and how they construct and normalize certain depictions of gender. In many of McRae's songs, such as Greedy and You Broke Me First, a young woman expresses emotional agency, anger, and self-awareness. These stories push back against the expectation of women being passive, forgiving, and silent about the pain others inflict. The lyrics of these songs tell stories of women asserting their anger, yet the marketing of these songs is heavily reliant on sexualized imagery, reminding us of the parameters around which 'empowerment' is offered in popular media.
McRae exemplifies what some feminists have termed a 'double bind' to a remarkable extent. She is praised for emotional authenticity and candor, yet she must be visually 'palatable' and must conform to standards of beauty, desirability, and femininity. This contradiction is what has struck many regarding the surface-level promotion of feminist themes within popular music, only to find, upon deeper inspection, that these songs and their associated aesthetics are the products of and deeply entrenched in patriarchal systems.
Tate McRae's career can be seen as an example of how success and media power work/function. McRae's songs evoke emotion and connection. Her image, however, represents the pressure for women to be beautiful and talented. Instead of simply viewing McRae as empowering or oppressive, we can analyze the work of feminism and see the duality in the situation.
In what ways does Tate McRae illustrate emotional vulnerability whilst demonstrating the oppression of aesthetic standards? Can this be seen as standing up to the standards instead of giving in?
I like your post and I have many thoughts as I am a big fan of Tate McRae.
ReplyDeleteTate McRae has had a complex relationship with the media. She has been hyper sexualized even though she has shown great emotion and vulnerability through music. She wrote “Purple Lace Bra” about her complex relationship with the media and public perception. She explores feelings of being sexualized and misunderstood despite the content of her music. Instead of pretending she’s confident all the time, she lets those messy emotions show. Her honesty points out how exhausting and unfair aesthetics standards can be, especially for women. Being so prevalent in the pop world in the pop world Tate McRae is calling the pressure out by talking about how it actually feels.
I also believe that Tate McRae is exploring and embracing her femininity though her music. Through her lyrics as well as her music videos, which some may view as too explicit or suggestive, I think it is admirable to embrace her feminism as a woman. In turn she is inspiring individuals to embrace their seductive side as well as individualism. Navigating adulthood and success through the lens of media while trying to encourage others to embrace themselves instead of shying away from it is quite hard in the public eye. I agree that her success seems to be because her music provokes emotion, personal connections, a sense of intimacy, and individuality.
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