As college students, many of us are of a generation that stresses the importance of promoting a cultural change shifting away from leniency in sexual assault and misconduct cases. There have been multiple protests of politicians’ and executives’ language towards women, yet the music many college-aged individuals listen to does not spread this same message. Women are equated to collectible items such as fine china in Chris Brown’s song “Fine China.” Brown’s song is not the only example of misogyny in music. Songs such as “Talk Dirty,” “Blurred Lines,” and countless others portray women solely as objects to be used to give sexual pleasure to men. Some artists even describe and promote sexual, physical, and emotional violence towards women. In “Karate Chop,” a song by Future and Lil’ Wayne, one of the verses describes mutilating female genitals in the same manner that Emmett Till was brutally beaten and murdered. If we are serious about ushering in change about sexual violence, we cannot acquit these pop artists of their lyrical crimes simply because they are rich and famous in a wealth-centered United States just as Emmett Till’s killers were acquitted of their crimes simply for being white in a white man’s United States. If we are so utterly offended by President Trump boasting that because of his status he can practically walk up to a woman and grope her, why do so many people listen to music that portrays women as objects to be taken advantage of? Why do we march on Washington but not on Universal Music Group?

We stress the importance of listening to survivors of sexual violence, yet we are rendered deaf when popular music promotes the violence that has hurt so many people. We must listen when our family, friends, and those we’ve never met share about their experience with sexual violence. We must listen when our government fails to collect data on sexual violence of indigenous women. We must do more than listen, however; we must act. This does not mean that the only form of action is to march and protest. We must first bring change within our own lives before we condemn the lives of others; this means listening closely to the music we listen to. Our actions must resonate with our beliefs.