THE POP CHALLENGE: FEMALE ROLE MODEL

By: B -- 3/18/05

This article will be featured in an upcoming issue of Industry Magazine

When my editor asked me to write an article about woman role models in the pop culture planet, I nearly threw up in my mouth. Hollywood is churning out fewer young female role models than they are Jude Law-less movies, so why waste my time?

While there are several female celebrities worth emulating - Natalie Portman, Alicia Keys and Scarlett Johannsen come to mind - the challenge set forth by my editor concerned only the young women in the tabloids. Is there any female in that group young women can learn from?

Britney wears lingerie while performing on the Disney Channel, can’t handle being single and enters truck-stop restrooms shoeless. Avril can’t pronounce “David Bowie.” Lindsay’s two weeks away from her first treatment center visit, Mary-Kate and Ashley would get blown over from an aggressive ceiling fan and Paris looks like she’s been squeezed from a canister.

After careful consideration, I decided to focus on two women at the opposite ends of the pop culture decency spectrum: Christina Aguilera and Jessica Simpson.

Christina first hit the scene as an innocent 16-year-old belting out forgettable love songs. She soon reinvented herself as a pseudo-slut who wears chaps without pants and uses a “blackcent” for an accent. Christina’s recent fashion choices alone have rightfully earned her the extra letter in Dirrty.

Christina’s eventual polar opposite made a tiny splash soon after with her oh-so lame single “I Wanna Love You Forever,” tailor-made for the receptions of nerdy Christian couples with no personalities. Jessica, with her high-necked sweaters and proud claims of virginity, toiled around in B-level Celebrityville until she became so desperate for attention she chose to invite cameras inside her home for the MTV show “Newlyweds.”

Of these two women, one is a much more suitable role model for young women.

I just hope Christina is ready to take on the responsibility.

That’s right; Christina Aguilera is a much better role model for young women than Jessica Simpson. The fact that I’m in the overwhelming minority on this opinion is mind-boggling, especially when actually defining each celebrity’s star qualities.

Women love Jessica because she’s seen as a “one of us” type living the life of a Hollywood starlet. As young women look for a celebrity to identify with, she’s practically a savior. She’s not afraid to go out in public without makeup, she’s close to her family, she wears sweatpants almost constantly, she’s married, her boobs are real, she spends ample time on her couch, she’s afraid of spiders…I could go on all day. All these factors make Jessica seem approachable; someone young women can connect with.

But the main reason for Jessica’s popularity is that she’s confident enough to say whatever silly thing that pops in her head. She knows almost nothing and isn’t afraid to publicize it. I’ve heard countless women say, “Jessica proves that even celebrities say stupid things once in a while. It’s refreshing to see a female who doesn’t feel the need to act perfect all the time.”

Refreshing, sure. Role model? No way in Hell.

Jessica is famous for two reasons: she’s beautiful and she’s helpless. Her popularity alone may push back the “women’s equality” movement an entire generation (well, her and the WNBA, but that’s a story for another time). She relies on others to drive her around, write her pop songs, clean her house, choose which movie roles to accept, even explain the goddamn difference between chicken and fish. The fact that most of these decisions are made by her father make her popularity all the more frustrating.

Jessica is the woman feminists hate. She’s a 1950’s housewife who’s getting paid to be beautiful and stupid.

In the opposite corner is Christina, a tiny spitfire with a booming voice and the worst wardrobe this side of the Neverland Ranch. Most people visually grimace when hearing her name, but when challenged reluctantly attribute their distaste to her fashion choices. Christina’s not a slut (she’s had a steady boyfriend for years), she’s a fashion victim; and her worthy qualities far outweigh her whorish wardrobe.

First, and most important, she has talent. Her voice is arguably among the best in the industry, and she’s even taken to writing her own songs. Second, she doesn’t need to publicize her love life exploits.

For Christina, the music - love it or hate it - has always spoken louder than the trivial personal escapades. That aspect is inspirational in its own right. And the fact that she’s become famous with minimal gimmicks makes her celebrity status that much more deserved.

Christina, for all her fashion faux-pas and sporadically racy lyrics, represents Woman Empowerment more than any of her über-celebrity cohorts. In a society still dominated by men, a female persona that screams independence, taking chances and authenticity is more important than ever. I’m not saying she’s a hero – we’re not talking about the second coming of Susan B. Anthony here – but I’d take her over her competitors.

In short, I’d prefer my 15-year-old cousin take after the independent yet “blackcent”-addled Christina than the cutesy, helpless Jessica Simpson. To me, it’s a no-brainer.

Unless my cousin starts wearing ass-less chaps. Then, we’ll talk.

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