Whistle While You Twerk

According to Jane Brown’s research, Sexy Media Matter, “Exposure to sexual content in music, movies, television, and magazines accelerates white adolescents’ sexual activity and increases their risk of engaging in early sexual intercourse. Black teens appear more influenced by perceptions of their parents’ expectations and their friends’ sexual behavior than by what they see and hear in the media” (Brown, 2006).

Brown raises great points, has great supportive data, and her own conclusions for why this is the case. However, after reading her research I couldn’t help but wonder if there were any cases I could think of that countered her research. After picking my brain, searching for something that contradicts Brown, I finally found it. Drum roll please!

Twerking.

Twerking is a type of dancing in which an individual, usually a female, dances to music in a sexually provocative manner involving hip movements and a low squatting stance. Twerking is interpreted as being sexual, scandalous, and controversial. Twerking first received national recognition in the United States in the early 2000s, with the song "Whistle While You Twurk" (2000), by the Ying Yang Twins. The mainstream stereotype that goes along with twerking is that black girls can twerk, white girls can’t. For example Miley Cyrus’ recent MTV VMA’s performance was a master class in how to become an unintentional comedy masterpiece. She “twerked” badly with her tongue hanging out. It was weird, awkward, and the bud of all jokes.

5:49 see the twerk in action!

It’s not just Miley that who is instilling this “white girls cant twerk” message into mainstream media. There are countless videos on YouTube and all over the Internet at that, showing white girls failing over and over again. See the video below:

This was titled, Skinny Girl Twerk Fail...

But what about black girls and twerking? I now present to you Mizz Twerksum and her twerk team. The young, bodacious dancer has become something like a celebrity since her early days on YouTube. Mizz Twerksum and her sister Lady Luscious are traveling around the country doing shows and appearing in popular music videos with Nicki Minaj, Cash Out, Wale, Meek Mill and more. The queen of twerking has an array of videos on YouTube. See Below:

If you still want more: 

Twerking is all over the media. Everywhere you turn you will find white girls, black girls, all girls twerking (or trying to). What message does twerking send to young adolescents? White girls are constantly fed the message that they should not even attempt it. Black girls are supposed to be born with the ability to twerk. This dance move is controversial because it is highly provocative and portrays women acting in hyper sexualized ways. Black adolescents see this in the media, and feel the need to not only have the ability to twerk, but also that they have to take part in this sexualized behavior. White girls on the other hand, are highly recommended not to take part in this activity. If you go a step further and listen to how twerking is portrayed in music, you will find that “twerking on the dick” and “twerking for a man” are the main messages. Black adolescents, who resonate with black women twerking, are going to hear this message, which increases their chance of engaging in early sexual intercourse.

Now I am a huge fan of twerking. I actually find it pretty incredible how some women can move their bodies in such a way. I will even admit, I have spent a good amount of my life watching Mizz Twerksum, and how to twerk tutorials. However, this is one area in the media that I believe has a greater influence on black adolescents and increases the likelihood of them engaging in early sexual intercourse. While white adolescents are less likely to be influenced by this dance move, if they are even influenced at all!

  

Work Cited

Brown, J. D., El-Toukhy, S. & Ortiz, R. (2014). Growing up sexually in a digital world: The risks and benefits of youths’ sexual media use. In A. B. Jordan & D. Romer (Eds.), Media and the well-being of children and adolescents (pp. 90-108). Oxford: Oxford University Press.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YFLv9Ns1EuQ

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TXgS1VNB_WQ

http://youtu.be/dLpSrieum9M

http://youtu.be/d1w2JgOZcVQ