So Rashida Jones is still frustrated with women in the music industry.
In Glamour, she’s now written a full-blown essay calling out Miley Cyrus, Nicki MInaj, and Rihanna.
“If 1994 was the Year of O.J.’s White Bronco, 2013 was the Year of the Very Visible Vagina,” the 37-year-old actress wrote, criticizing “the Miley Cyrus cross-continental twerk-athon and Nick Minaj’s Halloween pasties. With the addition of Rihanna writhing on a pole in her ‘Pour it Up’ video and Lady Gaga’s butt-crack cover art or the song that goes ‘Do what you want with my body,’ I was just done. I’d had enough.” Read the full essay HERE.
It all started about a month ago, when she went on Twitter to vent her frustrations.
“This week’s celeb news takeaway: she who comes closest to showing the actual inside of her vagina is most popular,” she wrote. “#stopactinglikewhores.”
Well this caused a little bit of a backlash with people accusing Rashida of being self-righteous.
In her Glamour essay, she writes, “I’m not gonna lie. The fact that I was accused of “slut-shaming,” being anti-woman, and judging women’s sex lives crushed me. I consider myself a feminist. I would never point a finger at a woman for her actual sexual behavior, and I think all women have the right to express their desires. But I will look at women with influence—millionaire women who use their “sexiness” to make money—and ask some questions. There is a difference, a key one, between “shaming” and “holding someone accountable.”
(Big sigh) …. When I saw this essay, I thought to myself, “are we still talking about this?”
Is this essay about Rashida’s ego being bruised or her truly wanting to generate a change? So here’s my rebuttal….
Dear Rashida,
I’ve read your essay and I agree with some of your thoughts. Yes, I have noticed an over-saturation of sex within pop culture and agree there’s needs to be more thought into what images are put into the universe. I even agree that like it or not, those in the spotlight are labeled as role models. The title of role model will always be thrust upon the famous. However, they have to choose whether to accept it. No amount of Twitter or journalism-shaming will change that.
In fact, I feel like it does quite the opposite.
I don’t have a problem with you expressing your opinion. It’s a right. I’m obviously just as opinionated.
But as the wiser of the bunch, I feel like you too have a responsibility.
I see that you are aware that you have a voice of influence. My only issue is the way you choose to deliver that voice.
The list of women you’ve named are indeed the most influential. However, some of these girls are in their early twenties. They’re still developing themselves. Remember that time of self-discovery? That time when you were trying to figure out who you were, what you wanted, but at the same time you were still battling issues of insecurities. It was a period of oxymorons. Famous or anonymous no one wants to feel singled out – especially at that time.
There’s no way that publicly name dropping the culprits will result in some sort of epiphany. It’s going to create the same sort of “us” against “them” scenario that the Twitter message created.
I like your points, but I think there’s a better way to make them.
I’ve mentored young girls for years. And although in most situations my experience outweighed their thoughts, there was a right and wrong way to deliver that message. When I truly wanted to help them and transform a situation, I had to put my self-righteousness on the back burner and figure out a way to create the change I wanted. Never mind what people thought of me. The change was my goal, not making my point public.
Pulling them to the side and discussing your thoughts … Yes! Perhaps making your points without calling anyone by name …. Yes! Finger-pointing in a national article …. No ma’am. That’s not the way to evoke change.
You are in the entertainment industry – accomplished actress, writer and when all else fails Quincy Jones is you dad. I’m hard-pressed to believe that you actually attempted to reach out to the women you personally name-dropped.
Is this article really about a true issue or is it about you setting the record straight and defending yourself?
If you truly want to make a difference – as opposed to proving your point – pick up the phone. Last I checked they still work.
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