Chicago, an unsettling experience
This fall break, I went to New York City for the weekend. Naturally, we reserved tickets to see a Broadway show. Chicago, a story of murder, fame, and femme fatales, was an iconic musical experience. The stars of the show were a Latina actress, Bianca Marroquin, and the famous, Cuba Gooding Jr.. The rest of the cast was predominantly white, with two exceptions in the dance cast, a Black woman and man.
Chicago is known for being a little sultry and suggestive. The actresses and actors all wear black, sheer clothes, and in some cases, lingerie. Once the full cast was on stage, I quickly noticed something that the rest of the audience did not. While everyone was dressed in a remotely provocative way, the cast member dressed the most suggestive was the only Black woman. She wore a sparkly thong and bustier, paired with fishnets and heels. The rest of the women wore slip dresses, or high waisted, full coverage briefs. This instantly struck me as connecting to the three pillars of white supremacy: slavery/capitalism and the commodification of Black bodies. The actress had no speaking parts, which accentuated this feeling of discomfort. I'm sure the cast member was not paid well and had to undergo long, strenuous auditions and rehearsals to land this part in the musical, just to fall victim to the male gaze and the commodification of her body.
Chicago is known for being a little sultry and suggestive. The actresses and actors all wear black, sheer clothes, and in some cases, lingerie. Once the full cast was on stage, I quickly noticed something that the rest of the audience did not. While everyone was dressed in a remotely provocative way, the cast member dressed the most suggestive was the only Black woman. She wore a sparkly thong and bustier, paired with fishnets and heels. The rest of the women wore slip dresses, or high waisted, full coverage briefs. This instantly struck me as connecting to the three pillars of white supremacy: slavery/capitalism and the commodification of Black bodies. The actress had no speaking parts, which accentuated this feeling of discomfort. I'm sure the cast member was not paid well and had to undergo long, strenuous auditions and rehearsals to land this part in the musical, just to fall victim to the male gaze and the commodification of her body.
This is a really interesting analysis of Chicago and how what we learn in class is seen in real life. I agree that it's unsettling to see a woman, especially a woman of color, being objectified and used for her body, rather than her talent.
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