The Body In Alternative Hard Rock Analysis

In "The Body in Alternative Hard Rock," Mimi Schippers discusses the forward movement within the subculture of Alternative Hard Rock—grunge—against the old-fashioned sexist views of American society. Schippers addresses such outdated ideals as the view of women as sexual objects for males to possess, the belief that males are the dominant sex, and the expectation of women to be subservient and submissive. She examines the gender relations within grunge and how they differ from these ideals, going into detail about how women switch themselves from the objects into subjects, go from powerless to overpowering, and not only establish equality, but also become authoritative. Schippers states that, to do this, women of grunge use their sexual appeal
She describes the typical attire of men and women in grunge, saying that men dress either as "nerds" or "lumberjacks," while women dress as "sluts" (Schippers 86). This would seem to support the traditional gender order and the sexual objectification of women. However, Schippers points out that in grunge, "women's slut wear is always combined with something that disrupts seamless sexual objectification" (Schippers 89). For example, "miniskirts, dresses and hot pants are worn with heavy combat boots or with a flannel shirt, but also, more often than not, reveal unshaven legs" (Schippers 89). This imagery illustrates the strategy of women in grunge. The women dress in sexually appealing attire, so men desire them. However, as the male comes closer, he notices an "inconsistency" that negates the woman's sexual appeal. This has one of two effects: either it gives the woman power over the man because he is placed in a vulnerable position—not understanding exactly how to react—or it can disrupt the subject-object order, because the object—the female—refuses to be owned and therefore has an identity. Schippers argues that this strategy is effective because it stops men from controlling female sexual appeal, as is the case when they own the silhouette image. Instead, as Schippers' imagery suggests, women control their own sexual appeal. However, while she grants that this method is effective, she also addresses the same issues about body adornment as before. She presents the image of a woman who from a distance is sexually appealing but closer up has a blemish. This presents the same problem—if a male does not get close enough to notice the "unshaven legs," the female remains nothing more than a sexual object. Thus, Schippers uses this imagery to contend that the use of sex appeal is ineffective for women in grunge, as it