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Queer Representation in the Music Video Industry

What do you think of when you hear the words “music video”? Do you picture a male artist surrounded by women in sexy clothing? Or perhaps a female artist surrounded by people in sexy clothing too? What types of dancing are the people doing? Odds are that regardless of what you picture, it is going to be sexual in some way or another. This becomes even more prevalent when it is a queer person represented in the video. This blog aims to address the problem of oversexualization in the music video industry and examine the impact it has had on people, especially those in the queer community. This blog will look at which artists are breaking this stereotype, contemplate what music videos can do differently, as well as address some of the many opinions on this cultural issue. One cultural production that is essential to this blog is the music video “Queendom” by AURORA. It is a primary example of the type of change this blog hopes to bring to the music industry. Other artists this blog will address include Hayley Kiyoko and Young MA. One important thing to note about this blog is how I am using the word “queer”. For the purposes of this blog, queer means a person who is not heterosexual or heteromantic. I used this term because many queer people, including myself, are comfortable using it and it is a more inclusive term than “gay”.

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AURORA and her Queendom

Singer and songwriter AURORA released a song named “Queendom” in 2018. The music video for this song showcased something truly unique: queer love shown in a soft and gentle way. The music video features a group of many genders dressed in rather comfortable looking clothing participating in loosely choreographed dance. The video also features kissing as well as gentle caressing. I remember being taken aback by this music video, as it was the first one that I’d seen that showcased queer love in a non-sexual way. In that essence, it was groundbreaking. AURORA emphasizes how the gentle side of queer love needs to be just as represented as the sexual side, and how important queer representation is in the music and music video industry. “People may misunderstand you if you love a person of the same gender, if they don’t understand why you’re quiet, if you’re sensitive or a bit strange. We can gather in this world and be outcasts together” -AURORA. I think this quote showcases how the sensitive side of love is often overlooked, disregarding the many people that prefer (or in some cases only feel) sensual or romantic love rather than sexual. Queendom isn’t the only music video of AURORA’s that showcases a more sensitive approach to music and life in general. In an interview with NME she is quoted saying “If people don’t understand your sexuality or sensitivity, my Queendom is for you”. Most of her music and music videos are “untraditional” in the sense that they break away from industry norms. It is also worth noting that the song Queendom is a part of her album “Infections Of A Different Kind - Step1”, in which all the songs are about changes AURORA wishes to see in the world. 

Source: Trendell, Andrew “AURORA: “If people don’t understand your sexuality or sensitivity, my Queendom is for you.” NME, (https://www.nme.com/news/music/aurora-queendom-lyrics-video-meaning-sexuality-outcasts-2393976) Accessed 1 February 2022

[maddeststarfish]

People may misunderstand you if you love a person of the same gender, if they don’t understand why you’re quiet, if you’re sensitive or a bit strange. We can gather in this world and be outcasts together.

AURORA 

[maddeststarfish]

Music Videos and Queer Love

Queer love, like straight love, can be showcased in many different ways. So what can music videos do differently in order to accurately showcase the many types of queer love? Famous singer Hayley Kiyoko puts it simply: “There were artists that I loved, and I connected to their music, but it was never my exact experience. My fans have given me the extra push to really embody and share my own experiences because there aren’t many artists covering these topics, and it is so refreshing to be able to be like, “Oh, this is exactly what I’m going through.”” I agree that the best way to showcase queer love in music videos is to show what it’s actually like. Life experiences can impact art in many ways, and when queer artists draw from their personal life experiences, it resonates so much deeper with a queer audience. Growing up can be a very confusing time, especially when you are a member of the LGBTQ+ community. Things become so much more confusing when different identities aren’t represented or showcased in their entirety. I knew I was “bisexual” around the time middle school came around, but I was always so conflicted about it. Not because I thought it was wrong, or because I thought I’d be judged for it, but because all the media I was seeing tended to showcase bisexuality is almost a completely sexual way, and I didn’t connect with that. I would always ask myself “Am I really bisexual?”. I didn’t figure out until many years later that I am asexual (sexually attracted to no one), and those “bisexual” feelings I had were those of biromanticism (romantic attraction to more than one gender). Those years between knowing I was bi but not knowing I was asexual were some of the most frustrating years of my life, and I can’t help that think that maybe if I had seen more of the romantic side of bisexuality 

Source: Source: Lewis, Rzachel “Finally, Music Videos Are Showing Real Stories of Queer Girls in Love.” Glamour,(https://www.glamour.com/story/finally-music-videos-are-showing-real-stories-of-queer-girls-in-love) Accessed 1 February 2022

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[maddeststarfish]

My fans have given me the extra push to really embody and share my own experiences because there aren’t many artists covering these topics, and it is so refreshing to be able to be like, "Oh, this is exactly what I’m going through."

Hayley Kiyoko

[maddeststarfish]

The Paradox of Empowerment

Many people argue that the sexualization of the queer community in music videos is empowering, but can empowerment still contribute to objectification? I would like to state that the purpose of this blog isn’t to condemn all sexualization of the queer community in music videos, in fact showcasing sexuality can be a very positive thing. What this blog is aiming to address is the oversexualization, and how finding other forms of queer love in music videos is quite rare. Where the sexualization of the queer community becomes problematic is when it appeals to a straight audience rather than a queer one. It is my opinion that queer music videos should be made for a queer audience. What often happens, however, is that in order to appeal to both a straight and queer audience, queer music videos conform to the patterns of mainstream straight music videos. It is understandable as to why, after all it guarantees more success and money, but the impact this can have on the people watching the videos is detrimental. If members of a straight audience, who had never been exposed to a queer relationship before, were to watch most queer music videos there is a high probability that they might view these relationships as purely sexual. This can also affect how the queer community views the queer community. This outlook can even cause members of the community to exclude or ostracize other members of the queer community, mainly asexual and aromatics. This is a problem. This outlook also reinforces negative stereotypes about the queer community in general. Young MA, a gay female rapper, shares that she aims to destroy the idea “that being called queer and a woman is the absolute lowest cut down” and that by showcasing her sexual desire she hopes to “cut the insult off at the knees”. As you can see, it is apparent that there are many takes on this issue, and many artists are addressing the issue in the way they best see fit.

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A Bright Future

The oversexualization of the queer community in music videos is a cultural issue that needs to be confronted. By examining what has been done to make changes, who is driving these changes, as well as considering the many points of view on this topic, we can begin to understand how to address this issue. One positive takeaway is the fact that many queer artists are striving to make changes in the music video industry, so perhaps in the near future all types of queer love will be showcased in a meaningful and accurate way. One important thing to remember is that you can also make a difference. By listening to queer artists’ songs and watching their music videos, you are helping support their platform and allow them to continue making change in the industry. In the end, even by doing the simplest of things you can potentially create a big difference in the music video industry and help positively impact the queer community.

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