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Beverly Sibanda

Thubelihle Mabhena
TODAY we live in global village where the click of a mouse opens to an unimaginable world. People are seemingly interested in reverting to the Adamic era when he would walk naked with his better half in the Garden of Eden. Nudity sells as it has grown to be multi-billion dollar industry; but is it not at our peril?  As a world we have become so keen and knowledgeable of all different forms of cultures because of our new technology. For instance, the internet (social networking websites), television, radio and even our cell phones have become a means of source information.

Organisations use these tools to advertise and inform their target audience. Attention grabbing factors such as objects are used to market products all over the world.
These objects are numerous cars, houses, fashion you name it but among these commodities the female body is prominent.

It is not a new thing to see a lady’s half naked body in a car or perfume advert. Honestly, sex sells. On our screens heroes are shown “to make a fast buck and display an entrepreneurial animal spirit,” Tom Brooks. Western-culture has played a role in influencing our society.

Celebrities who play strong roles in our lives evoke qualities of exposing the bodies sexually.
In a recent case, Rihanna was honoured with the Fashion Icon Award at the annual Council of Fashion Designers of America Awards on June 2, 2014.

According to the Daily Mail as cited in the B-Metro with the headline – “Rihanna leaves nothing to the imagination” she . . . made sure all eyes were on her at the bash”. The popular culture of today has made objectification of the female body a norm in our society.

In Zimbabwe erotic dancing is one such example that evokes such views which has sparked mixed views and criticism from the government and religious spheres.
These dances happen in night clubs across the country. Examples are controversial dancers Beverly Sibanda and Noeleen Sifelani popularly known as Bev and Zoey respectively.

The two have been arrested time and again for public indecency.
In the month of June 2014, Bev was charged with violating a section of the Censorship and Entertainment Act which states that there should be no physical contact between performers and patrons.

She was arrested after she invited a male spectator and had physical contact during the Carnival Samba Night while showcasing her steamy, pornographic, lustful dancing stints.

Some studies suggest that erotic dancing is a form of empowerment for women. In the past, women have been deemed subordinates when compared to their male counterparts.
They were seen as weaker ones in respect to the male dominant figure. As they initiate their erotic dance moves they see themselves as free moral agents and having the power to be whoever they want, free from societal patriarch or stereotypes.

A stereotype is a widely held but fixed and oversimplified image or idea of a particular type of person or thing. A stereotype of Zimbabwean woman is that she is not to engage herself in erotic seemingly lustful dancing and behaviour.

Well can this be empowering? For them and others it seems it is, as they have control over their drooling audience largely men.
Interestingly in an interview with Muchemwa in 2012 Bev in her statement shows women to be curious too about their dance moves as she says, “Previously, women were jealous of me, thinking that I was a home-wrecker but that has since changed because they now appreciate that I am an artiste,” she said.

“Recently, I have been attending women’s parties where besides dancing, the women also want me to teach them how to dance as well as perform in bed.” Videos and pictures have been shared all over social websites like WhatsApp, Facebook and Twitter.

Recently the Bollywood industry has been criticised for objectifying the women as they are more likely to be treated as commodities.
The story is not new but perhaps the reason why it pops up time and again is a sign of idealism of a woman in the world being downsized through media objectification.

Even in reality one finds that a girl child has tough time fitting in. If you are a lady with slim fitting body you have a better chance of being accepted by society but if you are a lady who is a plus size then in most cases you have to impress to be accepted.

Advertisement too has played a tremendous role leading to depression, appearance anxiety, body shame, sexual dysfunction and eating disorders are only a few among the growing list of repercussions (Frederick & Noll, 1997).

More attention seems to be focused on the outside image than the inside of an individual. Even men suffer more or less the same way because they too are exposed and look to those ideologies from the media spectrum, for example, the way they dress and the type of woman they value.

The world has accepted objectification I must agree and it seems it’s a plague that needs an antidote. We are free to choose who we are but I must agree with Ralph Waldo Emerson when he said, “To be yourself in a world that is constantly trying to make you something else is the greatest accomplishment”

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