I’m sure you’ve all heard Jason DeRulo’s new song “Trumpets.” How can you not remember the da-da-da-da-da-da of the trumpets constantly playing on the radio?

The first time I heard it, I was torn between really liking it and really hating it–you know how you have that reaction to a song? Then, I really listened to the lyrics, and I realized I really hated it.

Under the guise of fun, upbeat melody is blatant, disgusting misogyny.

Throughout the song, Jason talks about a girl getting undressed: he mentions her ass and her bra, but it never once says what a beautiful personality she has.

While “Trumpets” is less obvious than DeRulo’s previous hit “Wiggle,” it still gives off the same misogynistic message: that it’s okay to talk about women solely in terms of their bodies and their looks.

It seems that this is a problem in the entertainment industry that needs to be addressed. In music, misogyny is frequently hidden under the guise of catchy lyrics and cool sounds. With such distractions, we often forget to listen. We become complacent in the frequent objectification of women that occurs in entertainment.

Moreover, on a similar note, it seems we also don’t realize that women are put under incredible scrutiny in the entertainment industry, while their male counterparts are given all sorts of slack.

For example, female singers are constantly criticized for writing songs about their exes. Artists like Taylor Swift and Rihanna have been called all sorts of things from shallow to bitchy from songs they have written about ex-boyfriends. Yet male singers are not held to the same standards. How often do you hear male songwriters criticized for writing songs about ex-girlfriends? I can’t say I’ve ever heard such criticism.

Ed Sheeran currently has a popular single called “Don’t” which is explicitly about a relationship he had with singer Ellie Goulding. I have to admit, I love both the song and Sheeran.

However, you don’t hear anyone criticizing him or the song in the same way people criticize female artists for writing songs about their relationships.

Swift herself raised this point in a recent interview on “Jules, Merrick & Sophie,” an Australian radio show. When asked to respond to critics who claim she only writes about romantic relationships, she said, “Frankly, I think that’s a very sexist angle to take. No one says that about Ed Sheeran. No one says that about Bruno Mars. They’re all writings songs about their exes, their current girlfriends, their love life and no one raises a red flag there.”

I think Swift makes an excellent point. Why does the entertainment industry seem to hold women to this higher standard? Not only does it allow for the exploitation of women in songs like “Trumpets,” which appears to be fun and complimentary, but it also scrutinizes successful women where it doesn’t scrutinize successful men.

It seems to me that even though we have come a long way in terms of gender equality, there are still major violations that remain hidden or go unseen. Even in the 21st century, we must remain vigilant in striving for gender equality. Oh, and if you haven’t seen Emma Watson’s UN HeforShe speech, go watch it. I highly recommend it.

To contact the Ionian’s Randa Kriss, e-mail her at [email protected]