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John Nikko Manalastas

Professor Granillo

English 103H

20 October 2018

It’s Hard Out Here For a Feminist

Throughout history, women have been given a different viewpoint when it comes to how

they act and dress. This gives the issue that women are not able to speak their minds and do

things their own way. The thoughts and opinions of feminism can vary from person to person,

but the definition of feminism stays the same. Equality among men and women is what feminism

is known as and should be, but as time passes by, the meaning somehow started to fade. Many

women today are trying to prove that women are still being discriminated by men which creates

somewhat of a border between women and men, when the whole point of feminism is to be equal

with each other. Musicians, politicians, and celebrities have all made publicities of arguments

about the discrimination of women and how to fix the problem. The song “Hard Out Here” by

Lily Allen expresses the definition of patriarchal ideologies throughout the music video. Through

the feminist concepts of traditional gender, patriarchal objectification, and social

constructionism, Lily Allen demonstrates the struggles of women in a patriarchal society; thus,

Allen should continue to perform this music so that women can be aware of their coercion.

Singer and songwriter Lily Allen promotes the song called “Hard Out Here” which

address the oppression on women. Allen focus on the problem with women being told what they

should do or not to do, such as being skinny and knowing how to cook. Being a pop star and a

mother of two children, it does not bother Allen to go big and bold. Allen is a strong feminist and

believes in equality for women. For her music video, she wanted to show how women in our
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society are easily objectified. Since the song is a catchy pop genre, it is easy for it to be caught in

the viewer’s head. The whole song explains and shows the different examples of how hard it is to

be a woman in this society. Being called names, making fun of their weight, and repressing their

occupation are all examples of the oppressions seen in the music video. An editor from “The

Guardian” newspaper, Suzanne Moore shares her opinion about Lily Allen that “She is funny

and that all-purpose word "feisty". She speaks for all women who have "baggy pussies" and

bodies changed by birth, and the Robin Thicke haters. She has got a brain, balls, tits and babies.

She really has it all” (The Guardian p. 1). Moore explains that Allen is someone that knows what

she is talking about. Since she is a single mother of two with a feminist mindset, Allen has gone

through the rude comments of how she should look and act. With Allen having the ethos and

experience of oppression as a women, she makes a huge impact to the females in the society with

her music about feminism.

What cultivates the belief that women are inferior to men is the masculinity status that

they supposedly lack, which is based on biological difference identified with having a penis. In

society, this feature symbolizes aggressiveness, dominancy, and independency. When on the

other hand, women are popularly recognized with the traits such as being pretty, having large

breasts, being emotional, and sensitive. While men’s traits are typically known as smart, strong,

and powerful. However, there can be a male that can exhibit the same traits as a women, they are

vulnerable into facing criticisms such as being called a ‘queer’, ‘bitch’, and ‘pussy’. For

example, in Tyson’s chapter of feminism she states that, “Men, and even little boys, who cry are

called “sissies” (p. 84). Usually people see emotions through women, so when men or boys start

showing emotion, it takes down that thought that they have feminine characteristics. In this case,

men are in a similar manner as their female counterparts. In today’s society, feminist put so
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much attention on the discrimination of women, that they are forgetting that men can be

discriminated just as much as women can fall victim to the patriarchal standards.

As developed by society's deeply rooted gender expectations, Tyson explains this typical

ideology as traditional gender roles which “[c]ast men as rational, strong, protective, and

decisive; they cast women as emotional (irrational), weak, nurturing, and submissive” (p. 81).

This creates the idea that women are not able to do all the hard and dirty work that men can do.

By creating these stereotypes, women are objectified to know that they are too emotional and

weak to do anything but men are strong and decisive which gets the job done. On the other hand,

women’s actions are strictly evaluated by the society in order to keep them inside the patriarchal

ideology. In the song, “Hard Out Here” by Lily Allen, she conveyed the message of what are

considered to be gender norms, “If you’re not a size six, and you're not good looking, well, you

better be rich, or be real good at cooking” (Hard Out Here, 1:11 - 1:19). Allen explains that in

order for women to please men they have to look a certain way and have certain things they are

good at. Allen wants to address the problem of the typical woman, and make it known that not

every women is going to be like that. Women have such a high standard to live up to that they

never know if or when they will be accepted as who they naturally are. This shows that in order

to be viewed as a women, they have to fit a certain criteria. Allen goes on to show more

evidences of traditional gender roles in her music video to emphasize this problem in the

workforce.

Another feature of traditional gender role is seen at the beginning of the music video. In

the beginning of the music video, Allen is being operated by two male surgeons and one female

surgical nurse (Hard Out Here 0:05-0:15). Men already have the bigger appreciation so it is no

different that the men are above women. Having the women be the assistant, it shows that
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women are not capable of doing the dirty work and being in charge. The female nurse creates the

image that they are weak and nurturing which is why the nurse would be unable to perform the

surgery. Tyson sets an example of the discriminatory factors of traditional gender roles, “such as

excluding women from equal access to leadership and decision-making positions… and

convincing women that they are not fit for [certain] careers” (p. 81). In this case, the woman is

unable to be the surgeon which is anticipated to be a male’s job. Instead the woman is brought

down to be the surgeon’s assistant nurse. If women were able to become a surgeon, they would

gain more respect because it is a highly admired occupation. Male surgeons would then give

more respect towards the female surgeons during their surgeries. Not only are women looked

down upon in the workforce, they are also objectified to be something that they are not.

Through the feminist concept of patriarchal objectification, Allen exemplifies the

advantages and disadvantages of women. The patriarchal ideology consists of men having the

power and authority and women are expected to act accordingly. Allen expresses how women

are easily objectified when she sings, “If I told you 'bout my sex life, you'd call me a slut, When

boys be talking' about their bitches, no one's making' a fuss” (Hard Out Here, 00:26 - 00:29).

This creates the stereotype that if women do anything that has to do with their body or with

someone, they are automatically a slut and are viewed at differently. This gives the men an

advantage on having all the power over women and are given more leniency on their actions.

According to Tyson, “‘bad girls’ violate patriarchal sexual norms in some way: they’re sexually

forward in appearance or behavior, or they have multiple sexual partners… patriarchy objectifies

both “bad” girls and good “girls” (p. 86). The typical girl, is the one that follows the rules that

were specified by men. Bad girls are seen to have a more sexual behavior towards the opposite

sex which gives the men an easy access towards the bad girl. Relating this back to the recent
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lyrics, when it comes to people’s sex lives, women are mainly the ones criticized for the amount

of guys they have slept with. Yet, typically when men talk about their sex lives, there are no

feelings of negativity regarding the amount of women they have slept with. The way people view

society, can change the way people view feminism. Nevertheless, Allen suggest that people

should not be judging others by the way they look.

Feminist and social theorist, Simone de Beauvoir was a great influence in the rise of

feminism. According to Beauvoir, “[b]ecause a man does not understand the “language” of

women, instead of considering what her basic human needs are as an individual, he considers her

objectivity” (qtd. In Prof. Granillo Feminist Criticism). Men do not fully understand what a

women is feeling or how she is doing, so they look straight upon how they act and look. This

goes to the point that men are unable to be patient and actually listen to women’s feelings and

emotions. Allen shows that women are easily objectified due to their actions being seen as

alluring. Additionally, patriarchal objectification is seen in the music video by having the male

teach the girls how to twerk which is considered as a sexual desire (Hard Out Here, 1:45-1:50). It

creates the image that in order for a woman to catch a man’s attention, they have to perform

provocative things such as twerking or any other sexual interaction. Women are being objectified

by how they dress and act. In the music video, the women are wearing tight outfits that show

their glutes and breasts. This is translated in the male’s mind as the women trying to seek for

their attention. Allen also makes this point that men and women can have similar viewpoints on

particular ideas and subjects.

Many people may have different views of how they see society and the way they see

feminism. It creates a different aspect in how a society can become such a big impact of ones

identity. Tyson defines social constructionism as, “[w]omen are not born feminine, and men are
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not born masculine. Rather, these gender categories are constructed by society” (p. 82). The sex

males and females are dictated solely by their sex, however, males and females are in control of

their gender. Males and females are able to control what they decide to be, but they may feel

frightened by society for being an outcast. Social constructionism shaped society where males

and females are required to fit a certain principle in order to earn their rightful respect from the

society. In Allen’s music video, she states in her song, “Forget your balls and grow a pair of tits

(Hard Out Here, 1:27-129). Allen explains that men should put themselves in a woman’s point of

view on how they see the world and are treated from society. If men put themselves through

women’s perspective, it might change how they treat other women because of how much they go

through with society. This creates the multiple reasons why women look on the topic of gender

roles since it is such a huge impact with the differences and similarities between men and

women. There is still a lot room for society to understand the meaning and reasoning of

feminism, but it starts with society understanding the influence of feminism first.

Men and women may disagree on some subjects about social constructionism, but are

able to accept and relate to ideas as well. Beauvoir states that she is “concerned about social

depictions of women, and how those socially constructed ideas cultivated the identity of all

women. Thus literary works (mostly written by men) created myths about women their identities,

functions, intentions, etc” (qtd. In Prof. Granillo Feminist Criticism). Both sexes are focused

upon themselves so much that there are standards that are put upon for males and females. In

Allen’s music video, she emphasizes her message that “It’s hard, It’s hard, It’s hard out here for

a bitch” (0:51-1:10). It explains that for anyone who sticks up for something that they believe in,

that they are considered as a ‘bitch’. The society constructed the word ‘bitch’ as a woman who

fails to please the desire of a man. With this connotation being thrown around to females, Allen
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wants to prove that women can be successful without the presence of a man. Assuming that men

are always right, it gives the women more reasons why they want to be equal to men. By

showing that women are able to be successful without the help of men insures that there will be

equality. However, if women and men worked together to fight the social constructionism,

gender equality will occur.

Consequently, feminists tend to look over majority of gender roles and the sexual

differences men and women may have. In order for society to understand feminism, people have

to understand the influence of it. If people focus too much on the history, politics, and culture

then people would be making arguments and complaints far beyond feminism and as a result, no

change occurs. Someone may rely on the universal text of feminism and see that men have

always been the highest while women are right below them. Feminism can be defined differently

amongst each person, but it can still have similar meanings. Allen pursues the feminist concepts

of traditional gender, patriarchal objectification, and social constructionism. With traditional

gender roles, she examines the characteristics that are given to women from men. In patriarchal

objectification, Allen explains the disadvantages of being a women and how women are easily

objectified in the society. Allen then pursues social constructionism as a belief about the working

of the gender differences in societies. Of course many people around the world want equality

between men and women, but it starts with the people that have a problem with it. The

Patriarchal Ideology is the main cause of the rise of feminism. By ensuring that men be open

towards women and accepting them regardless of how they look and act, this can be the start of a

new beginning. On the other hand, the patriarchal ideology does not only work against women,

but also go against men. Given that the audience may be women or men, they will be able to

relate and reflect with what Lily Allen says in her song and how Lois Tyson describes the
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elements of traditional gender, patriarchal objectification, and social constructionism. The

ideology of patriarchy can be justified between men and women, but in order for that to happen

the people have to make a change in their thoughts and actions towards each other.

Works Cited

Allen, Lily. “Lily Allen | Hard Out Here (Official Video - Explicit Version).” YouTube,

YouTube,

12 Nov. 2013, www.youtube.com/watch?v=E0CazRHB0so.

Moore, Suzanne. “Lily Allen Says Her Video for Hard Out Here Isn't to Do with Race. She Is

Wrong | Suzanne Moore.” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 13 Nov. 2013,

www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/nov/13/lily-allen-hard-out-here-racism.

The Norton Anthology of Theory and Criticism. New York: W.W. Norton &, 2001. Print.
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Tyson, Lois. “Critical Theory Today: A User-Friendly Guide.” New York: Routledge, 2016.

Print.