In response to Randy Henderson’s recent blog, I want to clarify that Britney Spears is not a poor role model simply because she has one song about “sexual self-gratification,” although this is definitely a contributing factor.
The focus of my column on the NEXT page was not to judge whether this is good or bad, but simply that it is inappropriate, explicit content for many young listeners--along with lyrics about drugs and partying.
If I were a mother, I would not want my 9-year-old daughter to listen to Britney, or admire her. If I was a 9-year-old, fresh out of elementary school and pre-adolescent, I might not be able to understand Britney’s point of view, versus opposing points of view. Therefore, if I admired her in my limited state of childish self-awareness, I might blindly follow her example--without taking other traditional values into account.
True, several other artists that Henderson mentioned, “Prince, Cindy Lauper, the Vinyls and more,” sing about similar topics. But arguably, Britney has more influence and visibility among young listeners; her impact and publicity are enormous.
She has an incredible amount of power at her disposal, and she’s wasting it on songs that do nothing to inspire a younger generation. “Touch of My Hand” just doesn’t cut it.
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