(no subject)

[weasel-seeker.livejournal.com]

Following the Jesse McCartney discussion a few posts back, I happened upon this article over at PopMatters. I'm not quite sure what to make of it, but it's an interesting take on the early days of Disney pop.

Comments

[edgeofwhatever.livejournal.com]

"That was, of course, the ultimate goal of all teenipoppers: the sexual conquest of that popstar. While maintaining a childlike physical look and purity of outward spirit—what Janelle Brown calls the "lollipop aesthetic", the turning of a group of tween girls into "a passel of virginal sluts"

I'm skeptical about this; she takes the idea of the childlike Perky Girl and runs with it, but it doesn't at all resemble my own fandom experience.

She also really abuses that Janelle Brown quote: Brown goes on to describe the virginal sluts as "navel-exposing divas who proclaim that they are saving themselves for marriage while they shimmy across stages in second-skin white leather and spangled sports bras and the tiniest of belly chains," and the "lollipop aesthetic" refers to the candy-colored costumes, not some sort of infantilized, lollipop-sucking ideal. They're not maintaining a childlike physical look at all!

And that's more reflective of what I experienced in "teenipop" fandom: you didn't look childlike and act like a whore, you looked like a whore and acted childlike. I mean, that was the core of the movement, and the thing that had everybody so concerned. The Spice Girls were half-naked while making very middle-school-sleepover statements like "girl power" and "friendship never ends." S Club 7 were a group of hot, scantily-clad twentysomethings playing characters straight out of sixth grade. The Olsen twins bought grown-up clothes at Fred Segal and had them tailored to fit their prepubescent bodies, then scampered around the globe meeting cute chaste boys and affirming the value of sisterhood and hard work. Britney Spears was Britney Spears. Where were all these girls striving to look childlike?

[skyecaptain.livejournal.com]

Nia, you should xpost this stuff to Bedbugs, too, where the author may well respond!

[edgeofwhatever.livejournal.com]

Done! I should reply to your call for Kara info on the Ashlee post, too...I feel like Batman ignoring the Bat-Signal.