Friday, July 25, 2003

Christina Aguilera gets a bad rap

After reading Gene Collier's column "Christina should stop playing with that skanky hose" (July 6), I felt it only right to respond to it. First off, a point that must be made clearly: It is an undeniable fact that our hometown diva's voice is beyond the best out there.

I too have to agree that Christina has taken things a little bit above and beyond, but truthfully, people are making too much of it. Have you ever seen a rapper's video, such as one of Kid Rock's videos, with the many almost-naked strippers dancing on poles and making suggestive gestures in the background? MTV as well as the public never look twice at it because it is a guy's video, and that is what is expected from guys. But when Christina goes and puts on a sexier outfit and dances only half as provocatively as one of those strippers from Kid Rock's videos, the whole world gasps.

Christina, as well as many other female artists, has been working overtime to break the double standard. I guarantee these sincere acts will last until she makes her point clear. Instead of the world making a bigger deal and increasing the double standard, we should be accepting of her and what she does.

Honestly, we shouldn't be so focused on what she says, does, or wears; we should b

NEWSPAPER

Friday, July 25, 2003 Christina Aguilera gets a bad rap After reading Gene Collier's column "Christina should stop playing with that skanky hose" (July 6), I felt it only right to respond to it. First off, a point that must be made clearly: It is an undeniable fact that our hometown diva's voice is beyond the best out there. I too have to agree that Christina has taken things a little bit above and beyond, but truthfully, people are making too much of it. Have you ever seen a rapper's video, such as one of Kid Rock's videos, with the many almost-naked strippers dancing on poles and making suggestive gestures in the background? MTV as well as the public never look twice at it because it is a guy's video, and that is what is expected from guys. But when Christina goes and puts on a sexier outfit and dances only half as provocatively as one of those strippers from Kid Rock's videos, the whole world gasps. Christina, as well as many other female artists, has been working overtime to break the double standard. I guarantee these sincere acts will last until she makes her point clear. Instead of the world making a bigger deal and increasing the double standard, we should be accepting of her and what she does. Honestly, we shouldn't be so focused on what she says, does, or wears; we should be concentrating on the music she is producing to the world. Have you even listened to her latest album? She bares her soul to the world and gives young girls confidence to be themselves and not let anything bring them down. She is hoping that with her music we will one day live in a world with no stereotypes and no double standards. ELISE ANN JOLENE

e concentrating on the music she is producing to the world. Have you even listened to her latest album? She bares her soul to the world and gives young girls confidence to be themselves and not let anything bring them down. She is hoping that with her music we will one day live in a world with no stereotypes and no double standards.

ELISE ANN JOLENE