A Feminist and Post – Feminist reading of Britney Spears Video – ‘I Wanna Go’ (2011)

Feminist Reading• The video suggests that women are sex objects and can use their sexuality

to better people. This is demonstrated in the section of the video where she flashes her breasts at a policeman who appears to be writing a ticket to the driver of the red Volkswagen. The policeman proceeds to commit what looks like a frisk which they both seem to enjoy, and immediately the shot changes to a different shot of Britney walking away with the policeman's handcuffs in her position whilst he buttons up his shirt (his shirt was not unbuttoned before this scene) in the background. This suggests Britney has engaged in some kind of sexual act with the policeman in order to distract him from his duties of protecting citizens which outlines the true power of her attractiveness and sexual influence.

• The video suggests people only appreciate women for sexual features or acts, and if women lack these features in society, they’re not noticed or appreciated.

Feminist Reading• Britney tends not to lack empathy for the people she assaults or violates in

the video, suggesting women are careless and sociopathic. She doesn’t appear guilty for any of her actions such as swearing at the paparazzi which suggests she isn't very intelligent, which demotes the view of women as a whole.

• All of the cyborg photographers are men, suggesting they only want her for her sexuality.

• When Britney finds herself in a dangerous situation, she relies on her male friend to rescue her from the situation. This suggests women are not capable of fending for themselves and cannot work alone without the help of men.

• As a women, Britney is the only women to look at in the video due to the fact that she gains the most screen time.

Post – Feminist Reading • Throughout the video, Britney is portrayed as a strong women. She acts in

ways that oppose the ‘Male Gaze’ such as the way in which she objectifies men. This is displayed in the section of the video when Britney Gropes the young man after leaving the press conference.

• Post feminists could say that Britney opposes the oppression of females in the video due to the way in which she acts independently and doesn’t allow herself to be ruled over by men. Particularly in the section of the video where Britney is taking on the men from the paparazzi who are following her around and treating her as if she isn’t a human being, but an object.

• Furthermore, another Post – Feminist perspective of the video is that the male paparazzi members are actually cyborgs that follow Britney around because of who she is and how she appears. This could suggest that men operate through the male gaze in an almost robotic way, that is inhuman.