It’s all about the bass – Year of the Butt?

Let me start off by saying that I know this may not be what I usually blog about but I thought I’d give it a shot. That being said this post does relate to YouTube so it’s not exactly completely off topic. This is a semi-serious, post as I do touch upon some serious issues/outcomes as I felt there is a need to mention it. However, because this topic is kind of funny to talk about it’s hard not to find it funny (the non-harmful stuff I’m talking about). I do have a fascination with YouTube phenomenons and social behaviour so here goes my rant or random thought process in play.

This year is essentially about the butt. Music has depicted that woman especially in music videos need to have a healthy round butt (I’m laughing as I write this, don’t worry I know this is a strange topic but hold on). If you’re Nicky Minaj or Jennifer Lopez/Iggy, you’re telling girls, women and I guess men too that if you have a big derrière (let’s see how many synonyms I can come up with for butt) it’s something to be proud off and that it’s considered beautiful opposed to a small or flat bum (ok that’s 3 synonyms so far).

 

Women in the Media

I’m all for the healthy image of women, I really don’t think it matters if you’re lean, curvy, voluptuous or straight up bootylicious (thank you Beyoncé for that terminology) it’s about appreciation of what you’ve got. In different cultures beauty is viewed in different ways, so essentially everyone is considered beautiful in some part of the world right? However the media really likes to warp that view, they are there to sell stuff to you and through some sort of marketing research they come up with idea that this is what you want or want to be. Let me tell you that the media is wrong, they’re goal is to sell a product or service so if you find yourself not like the girl on TV that’s ok you don’t need to be.

Depicting Lyrics

Lets get down to the music. Artists such as the infamous, pink lipped, posterior proud (that’s 4) Nicky Minaj emulates not only through her music but her whole image of the big buns (that makes 5). “My anaconda don’t want none unless you’ve got buns hun” ok so maybe she doesn’t rap/sing this but it’s in her song that takes snippets of Sir Mix-a-lot’s “I like big butts”. I don’t have to sit here to tell you what an anaconda is a euphemism for (or do I? Just google it if you’re struggling) so this is about what the opposite sex is attracted to. People found this shocking, just watch Teens React to Nicky Minaj’s music video you’ll see they’re uncomfortable faces while watching it. However, they don’t take it seriously they laugh it off, in our day and age it’s shocking yet but for what 5 minutes? Then it’s the next thing that comes along to shock us.

Then you have more subtler side of music where “it’s all about the bass, about the bass no treble” where “bass” is reference to the big behind (that makes 6) where Meghan Trainor sings about how it’s ok to have a big arse (oh that’s 7, I don’t think I’ve got enough synonyms left who’s idea was it? Oh right mine…) and her mum says it better to have it on the larger side.

Popular Sayings

Even beloved Youtubers have made comments about this booty (that’s 8 right there) trend. Pewdiepie hilariously makes comments like “dat ass though” in many videos. But it’s used in a comical sense, so I really don’t think it has an impact.

You must check out Ryan’s Higa’s parody “Sweet Wholesome Girl” (SWG) which debates the idea of songs that go against hip hop tracks’ usual content of the bad girl who has a big backside (that’s 9).

Squatting

Soon as I wrote that sub-title I started thinking about something else, but what I’m talking about is the exercise suppose to firm/enlarge those juicy doubles (thank you Sir Mix-a-lot, that’s 10). This Instagrammmer made huge waves of followers with hers by showing different poses/exercises that got her her now infamous bottom (that’s 11). Yes I’m guilty of trying these exercises but it’s not what you think! It does a lot for your body strengthening legs muscles so it’s not just about image (at least that’s what I tell myself :p).

Is it worth it?

To conclude this random rear-athon (that’s 12) I don’t think media has made this an unhealthy issue, unless women feel the need to start doing buttocks (that’s 13) injections which can be dangerous. There was one story of a woman in Thailand who went to a bit of dodgy doctor who injected her and she later met her demise due to a bad reaction. It was sad as she felt this was something she needed to make herself look beautiful but the tragic part is that this kind of treatment is expensive so often these girls will find “doctors” who can give a cheaper deal which is very unsafe. Filler and implants are a quick fix to those who are unsatisfied by what they have naturally. Girls just don’t do it, nothing lasts forever including what they’re putting into you. Only recently there was a story of a British woman who had implants in Thailand who suffered from a bad infection which she did not survive. Botched beauty regimes are not uncommon.

I do suffer from low self esteem at times especially when I compare myself to those in the media but it’s a normal thing to do. We always want what we don’t have but often overlook of what we do. My advice is to not to take the media too seriously as most of it is photoshopped and a warped view of the truth. I’m not preaching, lecturing or telling you what to do. If you think it’s going to make you happy then why not right? But just give it a second thought before you do anything drastic k?

Hope you enjoyed my random rant. What are your thoughts on this? Think I covered all the butt synonyms? Lol.