March 24, 2009
Rihanna
The highly disturbing Rihanna and Chris Brown scandal has been all over the news recently. It’s completely disgusting and inexcusable to hit a woman, and CB deserves to go to jail. And Rihanna should not take him back – but I am not willing to call her names for doing so. She is a confused young woman with psychological trauma. Another bothersome piece of the problem involves the dispute between those who say she’s a bad role model, and those who say she isn’t a role model. It doesn’t set a good example for young girls for her to take back her abusive boyfriend. And whether or not Rihanna “should” be a role model for young girls, she is one. Role models aren’t determined by who has the characteristics to be one, or who individuals would choose as ideal role models. Role models aren’t chosen. They are created by visibility in the media and by gaining the positive attention of impressionable young people. Rihanna is a beautiful, successful, famous young woman. She sings catchy, danceable songs and had a famous, attractive boyfriend. Her days seemingly consist of traveling the world, performing, recording, and talking to/being photographed by glossy magazines. At 21, Rihanna seemed to have it all – who wouldn’t look up to her? Like most celebrities, people did look up to her, and now she – and society – has to deal with the consequences of her imperfections and her fall from favor.
(Maybe some of her songs even indicated that her life was not as perfect as it appeared – Disturbia, particularly the video, is pretty, erm, disturbing. Breakin’ Dishes, while a very enjoyable song, does not have a very happy message. And Take a Bow is about the demise of a relationship.)
