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Appearance is crucial in society, and both media and music play an essential role in

the construction of gender. In her review and analysis of different men and women’s

magazines, Litosseliti (2006) draws several conclusions: desire is linked to consumerism

and femininity to consumption. In addition, “women’s assertiveness is depicted as

potentially off-putting; there are limits, beyond which women are seen as manipulative and

threatening” (Litosseliti, 2006: 101-102). As others have suggested (see Winship, 1987;

27 _{[…] A view of women as weak (deficit) and as victims (dominance) […]. Litosseliti (2006: 37) uses this}

term in relation to the dominance theory discussed below. Women are considered disadvantaged and dominated when compared with male socio-cultural privilege in controlling language and conversation.

Macdonald, 1995), magazines continue to mark non-traditional behaviour of women

(atypical women) as marginal. However, the importance of appearance and consumerism is also affecting men. Men’s magazines include other discourses like ‘compulsory heterosexuality’, ‘male sexual drive’ or ‘gender differences’, and construct men as consumers who are often objectified too. As Litosseliti points out (2006: 103-104), there is

a new pattern of masculinity recognisable in the media: the new man, with an

unembarrassed interest in fashion, health, leisure, style and appearance, as well as in “more

serious and even feminist-friendly issues” (Benwell, 2002). The ‘new man’ is heterosexual,

professional, middle class and typically white, but a ‘contradictory development’: on the one hand he is re-packaging an old, traditional masculinity based on male success, wealth,

power and heterosexual desire. On the other hand, he is entertaining progressive and anti­

sexist discourses to approach relationships and family life. In the songs which are object of

analysis some examples of this new role can be found:

Example 1: We're no strangers to love, you know the rules and so do I. A full

commitment's what I'm thinking of. You wouldn't get this from any other guy. I just wanna tell you how I'm feeling, gotta make you understand. Never gonna give you up, never gonna let you down, never gonna run around and desert you (Never

Gonna Give You Up. Rick Astley, 1987)

Example 2: No es por casualidad que sienta el corazón como una bendición que

guarda mis anhelos, para colmar de amor, de fuego y de ilusión a la mujer que quiero. Latino, tengo el calor de una copa de vino. Mitad señor, mitad correcaminos. Como una estrella sigo mi destino. Bohemio, con la mirada de un loco risueño algo poeta y forjador de sueños (Latino. Francisco, 1982)28

As a reaction to the ‘new man’ and reverting to a more traditional type of masculinity, an alternative male identity was created in the mid-90s and extends until

today: the new lad. According to Litosseliti, the 'new lad' is a more reactionary, badly

behaving type who celebrates his interest in drinking, sport and sex. This type of

28 _{It’s not by chance that I feel the heart as a blessing that stores my longing. I satisfy with love, fire and thrill}

the woman I love. Latino, I have the warmth of a glass of wine. I’m half a gentleman half a traveller; I follow my way like a star. Bohemian, I have the look of a crazy beaming man, a bit of a poet and dream maker.

masculinity is considered more real than the ‘feminist-friendly’ and sensitive ‘new man’. The ‘new lad’ is characterised by an exaggerated emphasis on the need to re-assert traditional masculinity that involves addressing women as sexual objects and praising

exclusive male friendship. Some other song lyrics analysed in this study also depict this

new character:

Example 1: I need you to get up up on the dance floor give that man what he askin

for. Cuz I feel like bustin loose and I feel like touchin you and can’t nobody stop the juice so baby tell me what’s the use. It’s gettin hot in here, so take off all your clothes.

Female voice: I am gettin so hot, I wanna take my clothes off (Hot in Herre. Nelly, 2002)

Example 2: Me puse un pantaloncito estrecho la camiseta de los conciertos vamos

Josele tira "p'al" coche porque esta noche nos la comemos. […] Allí estabas tú esperando en la parada del autobús, comiéndote con gracia aquel chupachups ¡Qué vicio qué vicio! No sé qué me dio por la espalda cuando vi la raja de tu falda. (La raja de tu falda. Estopa, 2000)29

Litosseliti (2006: 107) explains that “it has been suggested that the celebration of

'laddishness' is a systematic response to the instability in gender roles precipitated by

feminism and to an alleged loss of the power of traditional masculinity”. This re­

affirmation also entails the “exclusion of ‘other’ identities, distancing themselves from

homosexuality and ignoring issues of ethnicity, as well as work and fatherhood”,

(Litosseliti, 2006: 105). Whilst such reassertion may be damaging for women, it is also

unclear whether it actually does any favour to men, in terms of addressing their relational

needs with women and family (Stevenson et al., 2000). From the aforementioned, it may

be argued that one of the reactions to to this ‘new lad’ formula, and to men’s ‘dominant’

patriarchal discourses, might be the inception of the ladette or ‘modern girl’. This

phenomenon, quite frequent in current female singers, questions the female stereotypes and

29 _{I put my skinny jeans and my concert T-shirt on. Come on, Josele! get into the car, this is our night. […]}

There you were, waiting at the bus stop, liking that lollipop, what a habit! I don’t know what happened to my back, when I saw the slit of your skirt.

seems to be the counterpoint to the ‘traditional woman’, objectified and entirely devoted to

her family, as discussed above.