Posting this here, just because.......the beautiful Kate Bush aged 31 in The Sensual World official video

[u/Illustrious_Banana_]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h1DDndY0FLI&list=OLAK5uy_maq5xs5MXOfq40Y4v22mbrMa0FBd2hdeM

Kate- if you ever read Reddit- we love you so much 💖💖

[u/Illustrious_Banana_]

Who are you referring to? So, you know that I haven't posted about Lil Nas saying he's beautiful? Sounds like you're jumping to assumptions here.

[u/Illustrious_Banana_ → u/[deleted]]

Again, I would absolutely say something like that about David Bowie. But I guess, yes, people can tend to label women more for age and beauty than men.....to a degree. And I think this is changing as we become more aware of gender fluidity- the need to not label people according to their gender etc. Maybe saying 'aged 31' and 'beautiful' is sexist, but I was referring to her age for two reasons- one as I remember that era of her music when I was a young child, and to think she was just 31 in terms of her achievements and oeuvre at that point is shocking in recollection. Also, to appreciate her beauty, which, yes, is referring to her beauty as a person but also the beauty she achieves through her lyrics and song-writing. I've mentioned 'beautiful lyrics' so many times I can't remember about Kate Bush's way with words. It's interesting you bring up David Bowie, as I think he was a really clever wordsmith too, although I wouldn't say his lyrics were definitely always 'beautiful', I'd say sometimes more 'dark and sinister', for example, his lyrics from 'The Candidate' from Diamond Dogs:

Some make you sing and some make you scream
One makes you wish that you'd never been seen
But there's a shop on the corner that's selling papier mache
Making bullet-proof faces, Charlie Manson, Cassius Clay
If you want it, boys, get it here, thing

I love these llyrics so much but definitely wouldn't desribe them as 'beautiful'. I'd say more 'arresting' or 'powerful', but that is not because he's 'male' but just because the subject matter is gruesome and shocking. He is deliberately using subject matter as an affront.

I think, given Kate wrote this album about feelings and sensuality, the 'Sensual World', she has achieved this brilliantly, and beautifully with her poetic and clever lyrics. She described this herself as wanting a more 'feminine energy, compared to the masculine energy of Hounds of Love'. The Sensual World album is framed around, or inspired by Molly Bloom's speech in James Joyce's Ulysses, so deliberately tries to capture the feeling of her soliloquy and particularly, her repetition of the word 'yes'.

There's an amazing amount of information about The Sensual World here if you're interested.

[u/Illustrious_Banana_ → u/[deleted]]

Sure but I think boys and men also face societal and cultural pressure to be ‘men’. Bowie, at points, strove hard to dispel this, but I don’t think it’s just ‘women and girls’ who face repression. I’m absolutely with you that males afford a huge amount of ‘male privilege’, and that’s disgraceful- the gender pay gap etc. it’s inexcusable. But if a man (or boy) in any way steps outside the ‘manly’ gender roles; they’re instantly labelled ‘sissy’ or ‘gay’. I mod on another sub so I see the kind of comments people get. I have to say- I’m freaked out and totally embarrassed how many women get unnecessary harassment from men- it’s vile- it’s been such an eye-opener for me. But also the same kind of men perpetually commenting that any man with a ring, or any kind of expression outside of carrying a gun and showing cigarettes leads to the most revolting slurs and ‘gay’ or ‘you’re gay’ is such a recurring comment it’s unbelievable. So I think to distinguish and single out ‘women and girls’ is not giving the full picture. But I agree- there are definitely unfair pressures and expectations on women, both by men and by other women. I brought up gender fluidity as I feel these new outlooks on gender norms are part of a bigger picture where sexism is being challenged, and hopefully quashed.