In the reading ‘Music Video in Black and White: Race and Femininity’ Railton and Watson dive deep into ideas of the intersection of race and sex, contrasting the ways society views black and white women differently. Dating back as far as Victorian era Europe, where black women were viewed as more ‘primitive’ and ‘sexualised’, whereas white colonial women were seen as ‘pure’ and ‘asexual’.

Railton and Watson observe these connections between 19th century ideologies about race and sexuality and music videos of the current era, with artists like Tina Turner, Grace Jones and more modern performers like Rihanna and Destiny’s Child “explicitly using animal/animal skins in the presentation of themselves as sexual women”. And on the other side there is the modern representation of white female performer such as Kylie Minogue who still embody these old values, where in her most famous music video “Can’t Get You Outta My Head” she is dressed all in white in a completely white room.

This is an area I’ve never really explored but the more I read it the more I notice how a lot of performers are being portrayed and it truly is saddening that us as a culture still have maintain these centuries old ideologies about race and sexuality.

 

“Parents and schools should place great emphasis on the idea that it is all right to be different. Racism and all the other ‘isms’ grow from primitive tribalism, the instinctive hostility against those of another tribe, race, religion, nationality, class or whatever. You are a lucky child if your parents taught you to accept diversity.” –  Roger Ebert.