[Script Info]
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[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.23,0:00:09.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s that time of year again when regardless of whether you celebrate, enjoy, participate
Dialogue: 0,0:00:09.66,0:00:16.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or even care about Christmas you’re constantly inundated with painfully cheery, sappy and repetitive Holiday music,
Dialogue: 0,0:00:16.88,0:00:21.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,everything from the Bing Crosby classics to the latest pop star’s rendition of jingle bells.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:21.80,0:00:26.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Every store you go into, every mall you enter, and all over our television screens and radios
Dialogue: 0,0:00:26.66,0:00:30.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,these songs are stuck on repeat for a solid month, if not more!
Dialogue: 0,0:00:30.61,0:00:37.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Those of us who happen to live in the West, probably know all the words by heart and find ourselves unintentionally singing along.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:37.73,0:00:40.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But have you ever really paid attention to what’s going on in these lyrics?
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.50,0:00:43.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Some of the messages are just down right creepy
Dialogue: 0,0:00:43.20,0:00:45.03,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they’re passed off as holiday cheer
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.03,0:00:47.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with hardly a comment year after year.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:47.93,0:00:51.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here is my list of the top 5 creepiest and sexist Holiday songs.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:52.22,0:00:54.86,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,At number 5 All I want for Christmas Is You
Dialogue: 0,0:00:54.87,0:01:04.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you”
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.27,0:01:05.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While it might sound like an old time classic,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:05.90,0:01:10.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it’s actually a contemporary Holiday song, produced for Mariah Carey in the 1990′s.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.29,0:01:15.04,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,On the surface it may seem cute and romantic but there’s a nasty little message embedded in the lyrics.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:15.04,0:01:18.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s the tired old, all women need is a man myth.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:18.51,0:01:21.35,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We see this disturbing message embedded in Hollywood movies,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:21.35,0:01:26.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,especially in romantic comedies where it essentially serves as the back bone of the entire genre.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:26.63,0:01:30.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In these stories we’re taught that women’s primary goal in life is to find Mr Right
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.58,0:01:35.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and without him, apparently our lives are all unfulfilled, boring and meaningless.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:35.28,0:01:47.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I just want you for my own, More than you could ever know, Make my wish come true, All I want for Christmas is you”
Dialogue: 0,0:01:47.05,0:01:51.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,With lyrics like: “I just want you for my very own, More than you could ever know
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.51,0:01:54.100,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Make my wish come true, All I want for Christmas is you”
Dialogue: 0,0:01:54.100,0:02:00.78,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the singer expresses no desire, needs or interests in anything other then being gifted a man for Christmas.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.96,0:02:06.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While most covers of this song are done by women such as Shania Twain, Miley Cyrus, and Mercedes from Glee,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.19,0:02:12.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,it’s not any less creepy when a man sings it because the lyrics could be interpreted as bordering on stalker territory.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.50,0:02:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Here are some other things that you might want for christmas in addition to romance:
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.04,0:02:17.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,quality time with friends and family,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:17.83,0:02:19.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,days off for relaxation,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:19.87,0:02:21.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,good homemade food,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.67,0:02:31.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or an 11 inch, cast zinc, life size, replica of Buffy’s Slayer Scythe complete with authentic ostrich skin wrapped hand crafted wooden handle…
Dialogue: 0,0:02:32.13,0:02:33.51,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,...just an idea.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.42,0:02:38.01,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at number 4 is I Saw Mommy Kissing Santa Claus
Dialogue: 0,0:02:38.01,0:02:47.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I saw mommy kissing Santa Claus, underneath the mistletoe last night”
Dialogue: 0,0:02:47.59,0:02:54.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This song was commissioned by Saks Fifth Avenue in 1952 to sell their annual Christmas Card and was originally recorded by Jimmy Boyd.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.55,0:02:58.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It’s still a widely popular holiday song, covered by a variety of musicians
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.16,0:03:01.57,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,from Amy Winehouse, The Jackson Five to Reba McEntire.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.59,0:03:06.05,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The song starts with “I saw Mommy kissing Santa Claus underneath the mistletoe last night,”
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.06,0:03:12.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and then it goes on to say “I saw Mommy tickle Santa Claus underneath his beard so snowy white.”
Dialogue: 0,0:03:12.08,0:03:15.44,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The story is about someone’s mom whose cheating on her husband with Santa Claus
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.44,0:03:17.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the poor kid has to watch the whole thing,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:17.55,0:03:21.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or in the best case scenario it’s his dad dressed up as Santa Claus,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:21.08,0:03:23.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but either way… bleh.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:24.13,0:03:27.34,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Number 3, It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Dialogue: 0,0:03:27.34,0:03:36.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas, everywhere you go, take a look in the five and ten”
Dialogue: 0,0:03:36.42,0:03:40.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This Christmas favourite was popularized by Perry Como and Bing Crosby back in 1951.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:40.92,0:03:43.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And while they sing about candy canes and silver lanes,
Dialogue: 0,0:03:43.68,0:03:48.28,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they also celebrate and reinforce harmful gendered stereotypes in children’s toys.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:48.28,0:03:56.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots, Is the wish of Barney and Ben. Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk, Is the hope of Janice and Jen.”
Dialogue: 0,0:03:56.47,0:04:05.53,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The lyrics go: “A pair of hopalong boots and a pistol that shoots, Is the wish of Barney and Ben. Dolls that will talk and will go for a walk, Is the hope of Janice and Jen.”
Dialogue: 0,0:04:05.59,0:04:09.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Really? Baby Dolls for little girls and guns for little boys?
Dialogue: 0,0:04:09.72,0:04:15.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Continuing to segregate and advertise toys based on gender just works to perpetuate those nasty sexist stereotypes,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:15.98,0:04:19.87,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,plus it severely limits the development of all young people.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:19.87,0:04:23.93,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,You can check out my video Toy Ads and Learning Gender for more on all of that.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:25.38,0:04:27.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Coming in at number 2 is Santa Baby
Dialogue: 0,0:04:27.70,0:04:40.06,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Santa baby, a 54 convertible too, Light blue. I’ll wait up for you dear, Santa baby, so hurry down the chimney tonight.”
Dialogue: 0,0:04:40.06,0:04:43.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Santa Baby was originally recorded by Eartha Kitt in 1953
Dialogue: 0,0:04:43.48,0:04:49.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and has been covered countless times since then by artists such as Shakira, The Pussycat Dolls, Taylor Swift, Madonna.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:49.40,0:04:53.79,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This song might seems cute, and sweet and some have even tried to make it sexy,
Dialogue: 0,0:04:53.79,0:04:58.54,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but it’s just another tired old stereotype about how women are materialistic and shallow.
Dialogue: 0,0:04:58.54,0:05:05.23,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This woman is urging Santa to hurry down the chimney and bring her a convertible, a yacht, a duplex, and a ring.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:05.23,0:05:10.45,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The Gold Digger trope is sadly still pervasive in our popular media from pop songs to hollywood movies
Dialogue: 0,0:05:10.46,0:05:14.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and this particular holiday song gets dragged out every year again and again.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:16.33,0:05:21.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And at Number 1 for the most sexist holiday song, Baby It’s Cold Outside.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:21.50,0:05:27.91,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I really can’t stay but Baby it’s cold outside I’ve got to go away but Baby it’s cold outside,
Dialogue: 0,0:05:27.91,0:05:32.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This evening has been – Been hoping that you’d drop in, So very nice”
Dialogue: 0,0:05:32.08,0:05:38.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Occasionally referred to as the Christmas Date Rape Song, this duet was written by Frank Loesser in 1936.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:38.70,0:05:43.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While the song has a sweet melody to it, this style of duet is often referred to as mouse and wolf
Dialogue: 0,0:05:43.61,0:05:48.25,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,where the mouse part is traditionally sung by a woman and the wolf part by a man.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:48.25,0:05:50.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The predatory style description is amazingly accurate
Dialogue: 0,0:05:50.96,0:05:55.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,given that the man spends the whole song subtly pressuring the woman into staying with him for the night.
Dialogue: 0,0:05:55.98,0:06:01.61,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,In the first verse the woman sings “I really can’t stay, I must go away, my mother will worry”
Dialogue: 0,0:06:01.61,0:06:05.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the man responds by saying “baby it’s cold outside”.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:05.36,0:06:09.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“Beautiful, please don’t hurry Well Maybe just a half a drink more – Put some records on while I pour.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:09.83,0:06:16.65,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The neighbors might think – Baby, it’s bad out there. Say, what’s in this drink – No cabs to be had out there”
Dialogue: 0,0:06:16.65,0:06:22.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,When she reluctantly agrees to “half a drink more” suspiciously asking “say, what’s in this drink.”
Dialogue: 0,0:06:22.41,0:06:26.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He responds that she shouldn’t be in a hurry, she wouldn’t be able to get a cab anyway,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:26.72,0:06:29.85,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and oh yeah, by the way your lips look delicious.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:29.86,0:06:36.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,He also resorts to the use of guilt, with lines like “What’s the sense in hurting my pride” and “Baby don’t hold out”.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:36.32,0:06:40.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Throughout the rest of the song he uses deceitful and manipulative techniques
Dialogue: 0,0:06:40.19,0:06:43.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to constantly pressure her into giving in and getting what he wants,
Dialogue: 0,0:06:43.80,0:06:47.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and just in case you aren’t clear on this point, what he wants is to get laid.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:47.66,0:06:53.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Through his slow and sustained pressure he lowers her defenses by refusing to accept her insistence on leaving.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:53.76,0:06:56.29,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And he may have even drugged her.
Dialogue: 0,0:06:56.29,0:07:02.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,“I simply must go but Baby, it’s cold outside The answer is no but baby, it’s cold outside”
Dialogue: 0,0:07:02.37,0:07:08.37,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I mean, she literally says, “The answer is no” yet he ignores this and keeps persisting.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:08.37,0:07:14.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The song concludes with her finally giving in with the shudder inducing line, “well I really shouldn’t…. alright”.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:14.68,0:07:22.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,These lyrics are a perfect illustration of the way men pressure women into experiences that they don’t want, aren’t ready for or aren’t interested in.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:22.22,0:07:29.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Songs like this work to normalize this problematic male behaviour, a behaviour which contributes and perpetuates rape culture in general.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:29.97,0:07:32.62,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, most of these songs were written over 50 years ago
Dialogue: 0,0:07:32.62,0:07:38.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,but every year the airwaves are flooded by the old versions as well as new rerecorded ones by the pop star of the hour.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:38.99,0:07:41.98,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,While you probably won’t be able to avoid any of these songs this month,
Dialogue: 0,0:07:41.98,0:07:47.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,maybe you can use them as a way to engage in a conversation about sexism with your friends and families over the holidays.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:47.63,0:07:51.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,It will make for a interesting and lively conversation, I promise.
Dialogue: 0,0:07:51.66,0:07:54.22,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Or you could just show them this video…
Dialogue: 0,0:07:55.36,0:08:00.59,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If you enjoy these videos and wanna help keep Feminist Frequency going please donate today!
Dialogue: 0,0:08:00.59,9:59:59.99,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Just visit feministfrequency.com/donate