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Lily Allen Blasts Sexist Pop Culture With New Music Video

Lily Allen is no stranger to controversy and her latest video is nothing short of provocative.




The video for her new comeback single ‘Hard out here’ opens with Lily laid on a surgical bed with a conservative looking man in a suit, peering over and telling her she’s “let herself go” after having two kids.

It doesn't take a genius to work out she’s attacking the nasty side of the show business, the one that promotes pretentious body ideals that cause a number of eating disorders in women. Allen has previously exposed her feelings towards misogyny and sexism within the music industry, and society in general, in her single ‘The Fear’ where she sings openly about the pressures on women to look a specific way.


The video has become a talking point, with majority of comments positively celebrating her awareness of what pop culture has become and is spiralling into. However, some have bizarrely claimed she is racist due to the 4 black dancers (as opposed to the 3 white) shown gyrating around her. Lily promptly denied these accusations on Twitter stating that she solely hired the best dancers at the audition which had nothing to do with ethnicity.

Lily depicts the double standards in the music industry with the video and further emphasizes through her lyrics, particularly the line; 'If I told you 'bout my sex life you’d call me a slut but when boys be talking 'bout their bitches no-one’s making a fuss'. *Cough* It’s clear, Allen has a strong feminist agenda with the video, exposing how women are ironically encouraged to make themselves sexually appealing and are yet demeaned for doing so.

Some critics have taken Allen’s latest offering as a condescending message towards women due to the line: ‘Don’t have to shake my ass for you cos' I've got a brain.' Allen again cleared this up on Twitter by emphasizing that she says ‘for you’, and assuring us that the song is about women having control.


It has also been widely suggested that Allen is mocking Robin Thicke’s ‘Blurred Lines’ video which has recently received a backlash of criticism claiming the video is both offensive and sexist. Some believe Thicke advocates a ‘rapey’ tone in his lyrics: 'I know you want it' and presents women as mere objects who should 'give in' to sexual advances.

At one point in his video there is a sign that reads 'Thicke has a big dick' which Allen has mimicked in her own video with the words 'Lily Allen has a baggy pussy'... Ouch.

Lily’s thought provoking return couldn’t have come at a more fitting time with all the recent media fuss over sexually explicit pop icons such as Miley Cyrus and Rihanna. Women who regularly attract media attention for their raunchy antics, but it’s hard to determine the line between sexual freedom and exploitation within pop culture. One thing is for sure, Allen sure has some balls. What do you think?

Words by Stephanie Gale


Watch the video here: