Synopsis:
The 2012 song "Whistle" by Flo-Rida features a music video in which takes advantage of sexualizing women for the purpose of obtaining a larger, more interested audience. The video includes multiple scenes in which women are in revealing bathing suits at a beach, and the camera shows clips close-up of the women giving seductive expressions such as movements and facial expressions. The scene then changes to a party in which the women are fully clothed, yet they wear tight dresses which gives exaggeration to their bodily curves. During that time the camera also tends to show multiple women at a time. The singer, Flo-Rida, also sings lyrics in which intend sexual interaction which can be related to many points that Kilbourne made in her article "Two Ways A Woman Can Get Hurt"
Female Submission:
The video has scenes in which intend to project the notion that a man has power over a woman. The choreography in this situation is especially what portrays the idea of male dominance. The first half of the video is in a place which shows a beach and ocean down below full of half-naked women frolicking in the water while the male singer appears to be atop a cliff overlooking the beach. Height normally means dominance. For example, some companies prefer a tall building overlooking others to assert that their practice is better than others. In this situation, the male is way high up on a mountain looking at the "inferior" women down below. Kilbourne states in her article, "...ads that encourage men to be forceful and dominant, and to value sexual intimacy more than emotional intimacy"(Kilbourne 4) This is clearly shown in the video because he only looks to be interested in the women in relations dealing with fornication instead of a deep, emotional connection with them.
Male physically above showing dominance over lower areas (Women)
Revealed women frolicking in the lower ocean
Close up of clevage
Emphasis on the women's bodily curves
Showing woman's body in revealing clothes
Revealing Women:
There are two settings which are featured in the video. The first half is conducted at a beach and in the ocean while the other is at a nighttime party. Both scenarios have examples in which the women are put in subjective situations in revealing clothing. At the beach, the women are wearing bikinis which only cover their privates and show some privates such as cleavage and their butt. While the nighttime party has the women fully clothed, it consists of very tight dresses which reveal the women's "curves" and bodily shape for sexual attraction. The camera also only focuses on their explicit body parts such as their butt and boobs which is an obvious indicator of sexual exploitation. Kilbourne states in her article, "All women are vulnerable in a culture in which their is such widespread objectification of women's bodies, such glorification of disconnection, so much violence against women, and such blaming of the victim"(Kilbourne 31). These examples of showing women's bodies gets into the public to create this perverted world in which lives off women sexualization. This video is a good example of such.
Underlying Meanings:
The lyrics of the song also contribute to the sexual content in the video. The whole song is based off the metaphor "Can you blow my whistle baby" which can be translated into the vulgar sexual act which goes along with that. This shows Flo-Rida only has sexual intentions with the women. He also says, "You just put your lips together and you come real close." This can also be taken as the women not having a say in the matter because she should keep her mouth shut. The camera also pans into showing the mouth region of the woman to indicate these sexual encounters. Although the lyrics don't immediately look to mean much, there are in fact many ways they can be looked at which all point to a sexual connotation when looked at metaphorically. Kilbourne states in her article, "Men are also never to take no as an answer. Ad after ad implies that girls and women don't really mean "no" when they say it, that women are only teasing when they resist men's advances"(Kilbourne 8). The music video is one of these ads in which women don't really have a say in what men can do to them. The song also says, "I bet you I'm guilty, your honor" which can be interpreted that what he would do to the women would get him in legal trouble such as rape and he is admitting he is probably guilty. This shows he is willing to say he would rape and sexualize a woman.
He has the power of the "Whistling"
Visual representation of "Whistling"
Conclusion:
Media such as this is everywhere. Most songs and music videos have explicit sexual content wither in the lyrics, in the video, and in most cases both. Not only do music videos use such tactics but also advertisements. Sexualization is typical because it does get the audience interested. The audience sees these sexual fantasies and acquires a lust for it. As Kilbourne stated, "...products never can fulfill our sexual desires or meet our emotional needs"(Kilbourne 3). This is a reason why the video for "Whistle" has around 500 Million views because people enjoy to watch these sorts of things because sex sells. Not only did the video reveal women's bodies, it encouraged sexual engagement without consent as well as how submissive females should be. All of these are what can easily point to a clear effort to objectify and use women which leads to a gender oppressive world.
References:
Kilborne, Jean "Three Ways a Woman Can Get Hurt" Rereading America. Eds. Colombo, Cullen, Lisle. Boston: Bedford/St. Martin's P. 2013.
Rida, F. (2012, May 24). Flo Rida - Whistle [Official Video]. Retrieved October 21, 2020, from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cSnkWzZ7ZAA