Ethan Piner

Writing 105
Professor Sheila Fielding
9/30/18
Rhetorical Analysis Essay

In contemporary music today women seem to be objectified and degraded through

disrespectful lyrics. The argument I am analyzing is weather degrading lyrics in music towards

women is actually harmful to women in real life. Some women believe they back up negative

stereotypes towards women while others think it is part of the music and do not think the lyrics

are meant to be harmful. Chelsea Fagan is the author of the article titled “Degrading lyrics Don’t

Harm Women” and the article was published 2016. Fagan is a female in her mid twenties and

the music she is referring to is mostly contemporary pop music that references women in a

sexual or degrading way. Fagan articulates her argument that degrading lyrics in music through

appeals of logos, pathos, and ethos.

Chelsea Fagan argues degrading lyrics in music are not harmful towards women. She

reasons that the lyrics are not meant to be taking seriously and the lyrics do not stop her from

enjoying a song or dancing to it. The intended audience is women or someone interested in a

woman's perspective on degrading lyrics. The style of the text is conversational. The

organization of the argument is topical. There are different sections that entail what the following

paragraph is about. The titles are “celebrating a woman's body’, “nothing wrong with enjoying a

song”, and “Taylor swift vs. Robin Thicke”.

Ethos or the ethical appeal, means to convince an audience of the author's credibility or

character. In the first paragraph Fagan states “ I had not noticed that that song—or the myriad

other songs whose lyrics largely describe the sexual appeal of a woman and the sexual tension

that is felt while dancing—was degrading.” , this is an ethos appeal and establishes the author’s

credibility because she is conceding to the opposition when necessary. She also gives an ethos

appeal when she says “Of course, not every woman is going to feel as I do. There are going to

be women who hear "Back That Ass Up" and feel immediately repulsed or degraded. “ (para. 4)
Ethan Piner
Writing 105
Professor Sheila Fielding
9/30/18
Rhetorical Analysis Essay
, this is an ethos appeal because she seems fair minded and ethically likeable. Fagan also uses

correct grammar and vocabulary throughout the whole article and that helps establish her

credentials as a writer. Her credentials are already established on the topic as well simply

because she is a women. If a man wrote this article it would be immediately biased and the

opinion could not be looked at critically. Fagan gives another example of ethos when she says

“The important [thing] is that we all find what makes us feel happy and respected.” (para. 5) ,this

is an example of Ethos because she comes off as morally and ethically likeable.

Pathos is a way of convincing an audience of an argument by creating an emotional

response to an impassioned plea or a convincing story. In paragraph 5 Chelsea Fagan gives an

example of pathos by stating “In fact, I find these songs more amusing than anything else. The

points of incoherence to which our sexuality and femininity can drive musicians and artists is

simply astounding, and the songs which portray men as completely stupefied by the booty

shaking in front of them, seem to reflect more poorly on the men for whom they speak than

anything else.”. This is an example of pathos because it is a vivid description and could

emotionally appeal to other women that feel this way. Many women could relate to this last

example and it could give women a sense of deeper understanding or more confidence

because they know it reflects more poorly on men than it does women. In another example

Fagan states “These songs, the ones we grow up dancing to, whose vulgar lyrics we barely

even pay attention to, are an almost circus-like celebration of the hypnotic beauty of the female

form. “ (para. 2)

This is pathos because it is a vivid description and uses emotional examples. In one more

example Fagan says ”To be honest, there are songs that I personally find degrading as a

woman. “ (para. 7). This is an example of pathos because it is powerful emotional

language.Fagan uses pathos in a very effective way to get her message across.
Ethan Piner
Writing 105
Professor Sheila Fielding
9/30/18
Rhetorical Analysis Essay

Logos or the appeal to logic, means to convince an audience by use of logic or reason.

Chelsea Fagan states a logos in appeal in the 2nd paragraph when she says “This past

weekend, I was at a club with my best girlfriend. The music was good, we got some free drinks,

and it was just one of those essential girls' nights that affirms friendship and the feeling of total

liberation. At a certain point, "Sexy Bitch"—a song whose lyrics are undeniably as base and

sexual as lyrics can be—came over the speakers, and we started grinding and laughing,

completely unfazed by anyone who might have been around us.” . This is a logos appeal

because it is a real life example coming from the author’s personal experience. In another

appeal she states that “I am repulsed by The Beatles' number which starts off with the delightful

lyrics "I'd rather see you dead, little girl, than to be with another man."” (para. 7). This is a logos

appeal because she uses factual data to give an example of a song she is repulsed by. Out of

the three appeals, Fagan uses logos the most infrequently.

Fagan is effective because she uses many different appeals and uses her platform as a

women. She uses logos, ethos, and pathos to persuade her audience that degrading lyrics are

not harmful. Fagan could have strengthened her position by using a little more logos appeals

and maybe having more credentials. This argument is relevant because of the type of

environment that we live in today that is exposing the type of struggle women go through.
A.

Sources

Fagan, Chelsea. "Degrading Lyrics Don't Harm Women." Are Graphic Music Lyrics Harmful?, edited by

Noah Berlatsky, Greenhaven Press, 2016. At Issue. Opposing Viewpoints in Context,

http://link.galegroup.com/apps/doc/EJ3010969208/OVIC?u=viva_jmu&sid=OVIC&xid=20f24848. Accessed 5

Oct. 2018. Originally published as "I Am a Woman, and I Am Empowered by Degrading Music,", 26 July 2013.
Ethan Piner
Writing 105
Professor Sheila Fielding
9/30/18
Rhetorical Analysis Essay