“Entertain me.”
“If you play too hard to get, then it’s just like, ‘Oh, she doesn’t even like me,’ but if you play easy, then it’s just like, ‘Oh, she’s a whore.’ Find a balance.”
“Wax, shave. It’s the worst when there’s hair.”
Wait, stop. I’m sorry but last time I checked it wasn’t the early 1900s and women don’t exist solely to appease men. And yet if comments like these in Nash Grier, Cameron Dallas, and JC Caylen’s video “What Guys Look for in Girls” is any indication, there are still young men around today who didn’t get the memo.
This video was made several months ago, but I just recently saw it and since it has received over 3 million views, I think it’s worth discussing the list of problems my feminist peers and I with this video.
- “Entertain me.” This one line stuck out the most throughout the video. I’m sorry, but women and girls are not objects of enjoyment. We do not exist to serve. The fact that it’s 2014 and people still say things like this disgusts me. We are human beings, not things to be ordered around. Ugh.
- Slut-shaming city over here. So according to these three teenagers, if you are too suggestive that you want to have sex (too much being arbitrary of course) then you’re a “whore.” Girls should be able to express their feelings however they want without the fear of being labeled a denigrating term. Once again, women are not here to appeal to you based on your own elusive standards.
- The list of unrealistic expectations that make me want to bash my head into a wall. First, it goes on and on: Curl your hair, be playful, be on top of me, text me first, don’t be obnoxious and loud, don’t over-do it with makeup. The list keeps coming. Who are these boys to set impossible standards for apparently all women? Further, you have no right to tell us what we can and cannot do and then have the audacity to say “But go for the natural look and be yourself” Come on! I don’t know what your definition of a beautiful women is Nash, Cameron, and JC, but in my opinion every woman is beautiful and should not be told how to dress, look, or act. It just reinforces the idea that men are superior to women which is obviously a major no, no.
- His “no filter” attitude. These three boys have an audience of millions worldwide. They can reach people globally, yet they post sexist videos like this one as well as videos featuring homophobic slurs. It would be great if these boys could instill their audience – primarily composed of young teenage girls — to bring about positive change in their community rather than to degrade women. With an audience that size comes great responsibility and this group clearly does not take it seriously.
- Nash Grier’s tweeted apology.Just so you all know girls are most attractive when they’re themselves! I thought I made that pretty clear in the end of my video!— Nash Grier (@Nashgrier) December 23, 2013Let’s be honest: after everything you said, and everyone urging you to apologize, you choose to defend yourself rather than actually acknowledge what made this video problematic? When you mess up, the best thing you can do is turn the experience into a learning opportunity for everyone – not try to sidestep the issues altogether.
And that concludes my rant about this video. And to be clear, while I have focused on this single video, it’s just one example of many sexist videos on YouTube. YouTube star Sam Pepper recently uploaded a video of himself squeezing random girls’ butts…and currently faces charges of sexual assault. I can only hope that our generation can stop supporting teens who spew sexist standards and instead try to give people who are fighting for equality an equally (if not more so) visible platform.
