Time to Change Tune About Latina Singers?

The Washington Times, Show Section
October 5, 2007
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We'll drop a few hints: When rappers are around, she likes to moan "ay papi." Lead Black Eyed Pea Will.i.am warns that her bod will "fog up your goggles" and lead to daydreams about "animalist things."

According to Robin Thicke, she and her girlfriends like tequila and beer, which may have something to do with the reason she once showed him "to her room" without ever saying her name.

Justin Timberlake, entranced by her "bright brown eyes," suspects she might be inclined to leave the club with him instead of going home to her boyfriend, who obviously doesn't love her.

If you haven't put it all together yet, we'll let you in on a little secret: This omnipresent, lusty Latina doesn't exist outside of songs like the ones we just alluded to: a slew of rap tunes, Will.i.am and Sergio Mendes' "That Heat," Black Eyed Peas' "Latin Girls," Mr. Thicke's "Vengas Conmigo" and Mr. Timberlake's "Senorita." (Of course, there are countless others.)

Miss Thang is a social and musical construct, the product of years of unchecked stereotyping about "spicy," "fiery" and highly sexualized Latinas who are down for whatever with whomever — and she's invoked by all shades of artists, be they black, white, Latino or other.

To many, she doesn't pose a problem — heck, she makes an exotic song subject and usually brings some Spanish guitar or a dancey beat with her. But to others, she's a dangerous presence who's overstayed her welcome.

Irene Mata, an assistant professor of Chicana/Latina studies at Wellesley College who's Mexican-American, aligns herself with the latter group. She notes that this particular image of Latinas is longstanding and by no means limited to music, but she concludes that even subtly stereotypical songs can be every bit as damaging as a film or TV show that forces a Latina actress into spandex-only roles.

"There are people who think, 'We're saying Latinas are sexy. How is that a bad thing?' But at the same time, that's the only way they're represented," says Ms. Mata. "I think it sets us back."

It leads to assumptions about how most Latinas look and behave, she says — and this, in turn, has potentially devastating effects on how "one is seen in the work force, on the street," and so forth. In short, it sets a standard of objectification.

This stereotyping comes from non-Latinos (Counting Crows' "Mr. Jones") and Latinos alike (Big Pun's "Still Not a Player"). "Deconstructing Tyrone" co-author Natalie Y. Moore explains that minority women may face more opposition when calling out members of their own race because they may be perceived as disloyal — but when all is said and sung, the impact of overly sexualized generalizations about women in music is the same, regardless of who's making them.

Many opponents of the Latina sexpot image lay the blame on male artists and the male-centric recording industry backing them. But it's much more complicated than that.

Think, for example, about how entertainers like Shakira and Jennifer Lopez fit into all of this. They've made staggering financial gains and, many would argue, broken ground for Latina artists.

At the same time, there's no question that their backsides and hips that don't lie have expedited their journeys up the music industry ladder.

Dominican and Puerto Rican artist/activist PattyDukes (currently starring in Danny Hoch's "Till the Break of Dawn" in New York City) says she doesn't have a problem with these two ladies using their assets to sell records. "That's what they do," she says, and that's their prerogative.

Her concern is that the music business, the consumers who support it and these attractive artists themselves may be limiting the opportunities available to performers who don't rely as much on sex appeal. After all, how many Latina Avril Lavignes or Pinks can you think of?

"At the end of the day, it's about having different representations," says PattyDukes. "When it comes to Caucasians, you have your Lindsay Lohans and your Natalie Portmans. It's about reflecting all those women. We [Latinas] have all of those, too, but we don't get to show all of them."

So how do we as a society change this?

"Ultimately, it's up to the consumer," says Ms. Moore.

Ms. Mata agrees, saying, "It takes a more educated audience."

There are some positive signs. Dialogue about the portrayal of women in hip-hop music has exploded in recent months following the Don Imus incident, and alternative images of Latinas are slowly being embraced, albeit not necessarily in the music world. The most highly regarded and recognizable of these fresh Latina faces comes, of course, from ABC's Emmy-winning "Ugly Betty," which presents what many consider to be a more realistic version of Latin femininity.

"The more you start having different characters like Ugly Betty, the more it starts changing how the public sees you as a people," says PattyDukes.

Because of the recording industry's current state of flux, Ms. Mata and Ms. Moore see an opportunity for music to be transformed even faster than other artistic outlets. With new pathways to stardom and new ways for consumers to discover music constantly emerging, there is hope that perhaps listeners can begin to demand more from their lyrics than the same old tired stereotypes, and that artists will deliver.

Says Ms. Mata: "We [need to] stop thinking of music just as entertainment but something that can teach."

-- Jenny Mayo

Update: For an interesting response from Counting Crow's Adam Duritz, click here.