I’ve always been interested in the mechanisms of domination at work in spaces that believe themselves exempt from them, or that we assume are less affected by these forms of violence than others. Because they are presented as legitimate, standardized, and “normal.” For this reason, I decided to work on sexism in international popular music and French variety songs.
Tired of hearing that rap was the most sexist music genre, I published an analysis in 2018 on Madame Rap of 60 popular sexist songs that aren’t rap. In French or English, these hits shaped our childhood and adolescence, as well as that of our parents or grandparents, and are part of our cultural heritage. They marked the history of French and international popular music without anyone taking offense. Yet these lyrics reflect everyday sexism, abuse of power, rape culture and pedocriminality, slut-shaming, or harassment…
