Abrasive Is Just Another Word for Bitch

by Shaker llewllew

[Trigger warning for misogynist tropes.]

Once again, CNN’s Entertainment Blog proves to be a dumping ground of misogyny with an article titled, "Christina Aguilera abrasive on 'The Voice'?" The title of the article should indicate the overall sexist tone of the piece, which includes this gem:

Christina Aguilera may need to take some lessons from Jennifer Lopez.

While "Idol's" Lopez has used her time on her hit singing competition show to transform her diva reputation to that of a supportive softie, Aguilera appears to be going in another direction.

Of course, Aguilera, one of the judges on The Voice, is compared to the female judge on Idol, who is praised for having worked so hard to mend her diva ways. No comparison is made to Idol alum Simon Cowell, who is as much praised for his abrasiveness (here, because he is a man, abrasiveness becomes "truthfulness") as he is criticized.

The article also propagates the myth that women who work together must be in competition with each other:

And while Shelton [one of the male judges] appeared to allow his team to shine Tuesday night during their performance […] CNN's K.J. Matthews points out in her recap that "Team Christina seemed to be locked in a battle of its own between Beverly McClellan, Frenchie Davis and Christina herself, with all three of them bringing their A game and hitting those hard to reach notes."

If you watch the performance of "Lady Marmalade" in question, you will see that it is true that each woman brings her A-game and sings her best. But what CNN's writer fails to mention is that Christina spends a lot of the performance literally encouraging each woman, with comments like "Sing it, Frenchie!"—so I don't understand why this writer would characterize the performance as a "battle," especially in light of hir comments about the male judge "letting his team shine." Except, of course, for the fact that five talented women obviously can't work together without trying to outdo each other. Because, no doy.

The article is especially shameful, given the authentic diversity of the women who make up Aguilera's team, including Beverly McClellan, an out lesbian, and African-American plus-sized singer Frenchie Davis, making her magnificent return to television after being unconscionably shamed off of "American Idol" because nude pictures of her surfaced on the web.

While there is legitimate criticism to be made of Aguilera for her fixation on contestant Patrick Thomas' trousers (the sort of thing for which male judges are rarely taken to task by the media: I'm looking at you, Nigel Lithgow), the evidence that she is abrasive is otherwise pretty thin.

The "Voice's" celebrity coach is coming across as a tad rude in her dealings with fellow judges as she talks over them, makes wisecracks and gets in a few eye rolls here and there at the expense of her male, fellow judges Adam Levine, Cee Lo Green and Blake Shelton.

Oh, of course. She isn't demurring to the men.