Of Rob, Chyna & Revenge Porn: How a Celebrity Couple’s Saga Amplifies and Reflects the Entrenched Gender Inequality and Commodification of Women in our Society

Fine Erudition
Jul 10, 2017 · 25 min read

The drama between Rob Kardashian and Blac Chyna is not only a reflection of the gendered inequality that plagues our society but also reflects who and where we are as a society in terms of the public reaction that ensued.

In the first week of July 2017, Rob Kardashian posted explicit nude photos of an alleged Blac Chyna on his Instagram including captioning said photos with explicit rants that were intended to slut-shame and dehumanize Blac Chyna by making her seem like a hyper-sexual crazy bitch gold digger who would rather be having sex with many men than looking after her children.

In the analysis to follow, an attempt will be made to try and dissect the forms of structural masculinities and femininities that operate within our society by taking a more in-depth look at the rants that Rob Kardashian posted and looking at the language he used to disparage Blac Chyna. But before that, limited and simplistic personality profiles of both Rob and Chyna will be created using only information (mostly tabloid) garnered from the Internet. An opinion will be formed from common sense, empathy and articles because in order to understand why the drama between these two individuals plays out the way it does, it is necessary to understand who they are as individuals. After that, various public reactions including individual celebrity reactions will be analysed. In conclusion, each of these threads will be tied together to build a larger broader overview of where we are as a society today in terms of gender equality and the power dynamics within heterosexual relationships.

Blac Chyna

Blac Chyna was born to Tokyo Toni and Eric Holland in Washington DC. Her dad was in and out of jail for several offences for most of her life[1]. Her parents did not stay together long. Her mom raised her but her mom also had issues within her own relationship while Chyna was growing up.[2] It seems as if Chyna grew up in a sometimes volatile home environment at the very least an insecure one. She began working as an exotic dancer at the tender age of eighteen.[3]

Taking an in-depth look at the way society views exotic dancers and exotic dancing in general will better help explain the public perception of Blac Chyna and further relate that to the public opinion of Chyna in the latest drama she is in embroiled in with Rob Kardashian. (Bernard, et al., 2003) explain that “Many reasons have been cited as to why women become exotic dancers; however, the overriding motivation is to make money.” Additionally (Bernard, et al., 2003) says that “Ronai and Ellis (1989) suggest that exotic dancing “pays well, but cost(s) dearly.” The reason for this is because of the negative stigma associated with exotic dancing.” The paper also highlights how women feel exploited by both management and customers and are often objectified and dehumanised (Bernard, et al., 2003).

(Bernard, et al., 2003) go on further to state that “the greater the discrepancy between a dancer’s perceived and ideal self, the greater the effect on a dancer’s emotional stability. Reid, Epstein, and Benson (1994) suggest that many dancers are adjusted to their role, but they may not feel that their role as an exotic dancer (perceived self) is an accurate reflection of who they really are (ideal self).” In a live Facebook interview Chyna stated that she would still be an exotic dancer if she wasn’t famous because she “can’t do nothing else”.[4] It can be deduced then that Chyna believes that because she has no other skills except exotic dancing, she has no other choice but to pursue exotic dancing if her fame no longer translates to monetary capital; yet it is not the ideal career choice for her, most probably because of the negative stigma and exploitation attached to exotic dancing as mentioned earlier. It seems like there is a huge discrepancy between her ideal and perceived self and as previously stated this might have an effect on her emotional stability. Chyna is stuck with the label of “stripper” and has stated that she would go back to it if her being famous no longer brings her money yet it seems likes being an exotic dancer is not the ideal life that she wants for herself.

Chyna has also featured or starred in hip-hop music videos such as Kanye West’s “Monster” and Tyga’s “Rack City”. This has also forced the label “video vixen”[5] onto her. In Hip-Hop, women who are labelled as “strippers” and “video vixens” will inevitably be labelled as a “ho”[6].

The link between “stripper”, “video vixen” and “ho” is unfortunately a very close one. Lots of research, analyses and cultural criticism have been made on the portrayal of Black women in hip-hop music videos. (Sharpley-Whiting, 2007) says that the “ethos that has gradually consumed the most popular expressions of hip-hop’s gender politics: a most debasing duet of female adulation and sacrifice in the face of misogyny and misanthropy”. In the ground-breaking hip-hop feminist anthology, “Home Girls Make Some Noise”, Kaila Aida Story describes how Black women in hip-hop music videos are portrayed as “scantily clad nubile black women who thrust their hips and buttocks to lyrics that often describe them as hoes, skeezers and bitches”[7].

(Bartlett, 2011) says that:

In her work concerning “controlling images,” Patricia Hill Collins examines the contemporary portrayals of the Jezebel as a continuation and reaffirmation of Black women’s oppression. She says, “Because efforts to control Black women’s sexuality lie at the heart of Black women’s oppression, historical jezebels and contemporary ‘hoochies’ represent a deviant Black female sexuality” (Collins 2000, 81). The perceived deviance of Black female sexuality translates into the disturbing rationale that the Black female body, and thereby the Black woman, is in some way deviant and abnormal.

Since the Black woman described as a “video vixen” is perceived as an aberrant and thereby abhorrent, mass media has been able to justifiably commodify her body and frame her as a hyper-sexual deviant. Blac Chyna in particular, with her big butt and small waist; has the body type that falls into the “controlling image” of “Jezebel”. (hooks, 2015) says that “the fascination with black “butts” continues. In the sexual iconography of the traditional black pornographic imagination, the protruding butt is seen as an indication of a heightened sexuality.”

Therefore Chyna’s persona as a “stripper” and “video vixen” compounded with her big butt small waist body type deepen the perceptions of her as a promiscuous hyper-sexual deviant. With this in mind it will further be discussed how these perceptions of Chyna form the public reaction against her in latest drama with her ex Rob Kardashian. Analysing Chyna herself, not enough information can be gained in order to make an informed opinion on whether or not her actions (assuming everything Rob said to be true) are those of someone with agency or whether she is just unconsciously acting out patterns of survival that she has observed from other women who grew up in the same socio-economic circumstances such as herself that are usually patterns of necessity and not patterns of choice. These patterns of survival are formed due to the structural and systemic gender inequality and patriarchy that plagues our society by leaving women vulnerable and marginalised with the degree of vulnerability being inversely proportional to the socio-economic status of women i.e. the lower the socio-economic status of the woman the higher her degree of social and economic vulnerability. But judging from her answer on the Facebook Live Interview; if there is only ever one way you know how to survive because you have not been exposed to another way; it is difficult to imagine another way of being. Another question to ask is whether or not what Chyna has done (assuming allegations to be true) is inherently wrong? They had broken up in March 2017.[8] If they were still having sexual relations after that, they were not under the assumption of exclusivity; at least in the public eye. Chyna did not hold a gun to his head and force him to buy her things. But again all these assumptions are made using information from the internet. Only Rob and Chyna know their relationship and know the full story. The rest is conjecture and assumption.

Rob Kardashian

Robert Kardashian was born in Los Angeles, California to Kris Houghton and Robert Kardashian.[9] His parents divorced when he was only 4 years old and his mom Kris remarried in the same year.[10] His father Robert Kardashian passed away at the tender age of 16. [11] He starred in his family’s reality show Keeping Up With Kardashians with the rest of his sisters and mom and burst into the limelight along with everyone else in the family at 20 years old.

The three central notions usually used to explain the negative effects of divorce on children are: parental absence, economic disadvantage and family conflict (Amato & Keith, 1991). With regard to the family conflict perspective (Amato & Keith, 1991) state that:

The third perspective assumes that conflict between parents before and during the separation period is a severe stressor for children. Interparental hostility creates an aversive home environment in which children experience stress, unhappiness, and insecurity (Maccoby & Martin, 1983). Obviously, such an environment is less than optimal for the development of children. In fact, numerous studies have indicated that interparental conflict in intact marriages has a negative impact on children’s psychological adjustment (see Emery, 1982, for a review). Conflict is also likely to stress parents and make them less effective in dealing with their children (Hetherington, Cox, &Cox, 1982; Wallerstein & Kelly, 1980). Other studies show that children tend to be drawn into conflict between their parents, resulting in further deteriorations in parent-child relationships (Amato, 1986; Johnston, Kline, & Tschann, 1989). According to this perspective, children of divorce exhibit problems, not because of the change in family structure, but because of the accompanying conflict.

According to alleged divorce and child support documents between Kris Houghton and Robert Kardashian Snr, there was a lot of conflict between them. Kris alleged that Robert Snr cut her off by blocking her credit cards and so making her incapable of supporting their four children and that he was emotionally abusive in front of the children, allegedly citing a specific story where Kim Kardashian allegedly witnessed the emotional abuse. [12] Whereas Robert Snr rebutted by allegedly saying that Kris is showing off her relationship with Bruce Jenner (who is now known as Caitlyn Jenner) in front of the children, allegedly citing a specific story where Robert Kardashian allegedly slept on the couch while his mom Kris was in bed with Bruce.[13]

Regarding the death of a parent during childhood and adolescence, (Krupnick, 1984) states that:

Studies of adults with various mental disorders, especially depression, frequently reveal childhood bereavement, suggesting that such loss may precipitate or contribute to the development of a variety of psychiatric disorders and that this experience can render a person emotionally vulnerable for life. This special vulnerability of children is attributed to developmental immaturity and insufficiently developed coping capacities.

Over the years Robert Kardashian Jnr has suffered from depression and has spent large amounts of time withdrawn from the world. [14] He has experienced massive weight gain and now allegedly suffers from diabetes. [15] Robert Kardashian Jnr, grew up as the only boy of the Kardashian clan with only sisters yet acquiring a new stepfather and step-siblings.[16]

Regarding remarriage and family solidarity, (White, 1994) states that:

Research is clear in establishing that parental remarriage and the subsequent formation of a stepfamily are associated with greater stress in nearly all family subsystems: between parent and stepparent, between biological parent and child, between stepparent and stepchild, and between stepsiblings. In addition to elevating the risk of divorce in remarriages, such stresses result in earlier launching of young adult stepchildren (White & Booth, 1985). Stepchildren are four times more likely than children from intact families to cite family conflict as the reason for leaving home (Kiernan, 1992). More pervasive than reports of conflict, however, are reports of disengagement. Nearly every observer describes stepparents’ parenting style as disengaged (Bray & Berger, 1993; Hetherington, 1987, 1993). Further, Hetherington and Jodl (1993) stated that perhaps one-fourth to one-third of adolescent stepchildren disengage themselves emotionally and physically from their stepfamily. It is not surprising then, that most observers find stepfamilies less cohesive than intact families (Bray, 1988; Peek, Bell, Waldren, & Sorrell, 1988)

Therefore it can be inferred that Rob Kardashian even with his high socio-economic status grew up in what could very least be described as an insecure environment due to the divorce of his parents and the death of his father a decade later as well as the acquisition of a new stepfamily. His withdrawn behaviour and battle with depression might be manifestations of these traumas and disruptions and might help explain why he acts out the way he does. Rob seems to typically display a constellation of anger, jealousy and possessiveness and some of us as the public are either indifferent or encouraging as he denigrates another human being in the most harmful manner when instead we should be trying to get him to try find some peace of mind, a sense of self and self-power so that he no longer finds power and control in degrading the women he claims to love.

Certain aspects of both Rob and Chyna’s life have been carved out using sources from the Internet which mainly are tabloid so the assumptions, deductions and conclusions made are not definite nor is it claimed that they are true. The information gathered is an attempt in trying to make connections with Rob’s past in order to try and figure out why Rob has a habit of belittling the women he dates when things don’t go well. Whether or not Rob’s rants about Chyna are true, it is also necessary to understand her present behaviour as well by drawing on her assumed childhood home environment and negative societal perceptions about her previous occupation as an exotic dancer.

This is not the first time Rob has gone onto social media to belittle and demean his exes. In 2012, Rob went on twitter rant, saying how disgusted he was by his ex, Rita Ora; for cheating on him with “20 dudes”.[17] Rob has also been viewed on the family reality show Keeping Up With The Kardashians complaining about how he is not as successful or as moneyed as his sisters.[18]

A connection between Rob’s need to publicly shame the women he’s been in relationships with, especially sexually, and with his own mental health and self-esteem issues as well as our society’s acceptance of misogyny and the perceived right of men’s control over women’s bodies and sexuality will be drawn further in the discussion. In particular, an introduction and expansion on the four different mechanisms of shame — slut-shaming, mental health shaming, body-shaming and motherhood shaming — Rob used in his rants to try and completely destroy Chyna’s humanity and character in the public eye will be analysed.

Analysis of captions under the “revenge porn” Images

Taking a closer look at the rant where he posted a video of Chyna kissing another man, specifically where he says: “hahahaha Chyna just sent me this video…what a crazy person…spend time with your daughter instead of fucking me and then this dude right after. U need help (sic)”

Assuming that Chyna sent him the video instead of someone else, Rob shames Chyna by calling her mentally unstable and explicitly stating that she would rather spend time having sex than being a mother. He seems particularly upset that she has multiple partners even though they are no longer in what would be assumed a monogamous relationship. He not only publicly slut-shames her but he imposes the label “crazy” on her which functions as a tool to other, shame and dismiss her[19]. He continues by demanding that she receive “help” for what he perceives to be her mental instability. Rob not only demeans her sexuality but her mental acuity as well.

Rob also viciously attacks Chyna by using her identity as a mother to shame her for her behaviour. In another Instagram post he rants: “This is the pic Chyna just sent me before she fucked another man in her house with my baby in the house and her son in the house.” This comment builds on the “spend time with your daughter instead of fucking me and then this dude right after” from the previous reference of his rants.

Regarding the definition of motherhood in America, (Collins, 1987) states that:

The cult of true womanhood, with its emphasis on motherhood as woman’s highest calling has long held a special place in the gender symbolism of white Americans. From this perspective, women’s activities should be confined to the care of children, the nurturing of a husband, and the maintenance of the household. By managing this separate domestic sphere, women gain social influence through their roles as mothers, transmitters of culture and parents for the next generation.

Rob tries to shame Chyna by equating her sexual behaviour to her not being a good mother, because according to American tradition; motherhood “should be confined to the care of the children”. When Rob says “spend time with your daughter instead of fucking me and then this dude right after” it seems as if Rob is saying: how dare you have sex instead of looking after the children like you are supposed to. It seems like he is angry at her for not conforming to gender roles and the norms of motherhood typified within American society and generally in patriarchal cultures worldwide. Even though having sex with different men in front of your children is not good for your children’s psychological or emotional well-being, this entrenched notion within society at large, of demonising sexually liberal women as whores and unfit mothers is harmful and deepens the gender inequalities we face today.

Rob completes the four-way shaming by also body shaming Chyna. He rants: “And for all u wondering why her damn nipples are so damn big that’s cuz she had surgery after the baby was born on our anniversary January 25th that I paid 100k for and they really messed up on her nipples. Them shits used to be so cute and now they so damn big! (sic)”. as well as “and so u know she had her butt reduced but I know it still looks wild (sic)”. He even posted a video of her in hospital for her surgery.

Rob also accuses Chyna of allegedly being drug and alcohol-dependent. He tells the public he will do a “full panel” thereby completing the desecration of Chyna’s body and her character by accusing her of having potential venereal diseases and filling her body up with drugs and booze.

Just by analysing the words he uses to debase Chyna — it can be gleaned that he feels that he owns her and her body and by posting nudes of her he is expressing power and control over Chyna. Drawing on his rocky childhood and the insecure attachments the divorce and death of his father might have created plus his self-effacement when comparing himself to his sisters and the depression that followed, it can be deduced that these could all be contributing factors in creating the Rob that takes perverse pleasure in humiliating another human in the most debasing way. Chyna also accused Rob of allegedly physically abusing her which is characteristic of men who believe that they are entitled to owning and controlling women.[20] This analysis is not an attempt to justify his actions which are absolutely deplorable but rather it is an attempt in trying to figure out what kind of man posts “revenge porn” so that women can know the “warning signs” or the markers in a man’s character that make him predisposed to posting revenge porn and/or being abusive.

Notice the way Rob keeps on mentioning all the money he has spent on Chyna and how he relates respect to the money he has spent on her. In one of the posts he rants: “This is from Chyna yesterday to me. I never been so disrespected in my life. I just bought her 250K[21] of jewelry yesterday. This woman is so disrespectful and I don’t care (sic)” in another post he says “whoa that’s crazy u let me cum inside u and then another man do the same in the same bed and the same robe and everything in the house where I pay 16k rent. (sic)” He mentions the surgery where he “paid 100k for”. In another post he says: “I never been this disrespected in my life by a woman.” In the sentence right after: “A woman I just paid 16k rent and Ferrari I just bought and lambo[22] and 400k in jewelry (sic)”

It seems like Rob believes that Chyna owes him respect because of all the material possessions he has provided for her. Respect as in loyalty to him only. Even though they are no longer in what in an assumed monogamous relationship; by expressing anger at the fact that she slept with another man in the house he allegedly pays rent for; he believes that Chyna owes him fidelity and loyalty purely because he has spent so much money on her.

In South Africa, lots of research has been done on a phenomenon known as “transactional sex” in the context of trying to develop feasible HIV intervention efforts in order to curb and reduce the risk of HIV infection. In a paper that reviewed the literature and research collected thus far, the researchers came up with interesting paradigms, specifically the “sex for improved social status” and “sex and material expressions of love” paradigm (Stoebenau, et al., 2016) that can also fit into the context of the relationship and power dynamics between men and women especially in relation to material goods being exchanged between a couple.

Scenario one: Chyna hooked up with Rob for purely financial reasons.

Assuming everything Rob said to be true about Chyna and assuming her motivation to hook up with Rob was purely financial it could be assumed that she exchanged “sex for improved social status” since Chyna did not grow up wealthy like Rob did and had to take a job as an exotic dancer in order to have money.

(Stoebenau, et al., 2016) says that:

The sex for improved social status paradigm suggests that the motivations for engaging in TS [transactional sex] are not always borne out of desperation, but can also result from relative deprivation within the context of rising economic inequality and the increasing social value of consumer goods. The experience of relative deprivation is described as being fueled by economic processes of globalization, namely the introduction of neoliberal economic policies (privatization, liberalization of markets) that saw a few benefit while many did not (Fox, 2012; Groes-Green, 2013; Hawkins et al., 2009; Stoebenau et al., 2013). These policies also opened markets and led to increased importation and visibility of consumer goods, spurring a “consumer culture.”…Transactional sex is described as a practice through which young women, especially, can access material goods associated with a modern life to improve their social status. The stuff of exchange is not restricted to basic goods but rather extends to “commodities of modernity” (Leclerc-Madlala, 2003), i.e., goods that associate their owner with cosmopolitan youth culture…Therefore, within the context of a TS relationship, women express power and agency — they understand, and can thus manipulate, traditional gendered assumptions in relationships. They utilize their “erotic power” (Groes-Green, 2013) to charm wealthy men, and access social and economic power in return. Yet, such manipulations are not without risk…More broadly, women’s power may not be consistent across and within relationships over time, and, importantly, is structured by broader gender-unequal systems. Researchers have emphasized important limits to women’s agency in TS relationships, especially with regard to sexual decision-making (Albertyn, 2003; Jewkes and Morrell, 2012; Luke, 2003; Stoebenau et al., 2011).

What is happening between Rob and Chyna cannot be viewed in a vacuum. Their relationship reflects what women with vulnerable socio-economic status resort to due to factors that are way beyond their control such as globalisation, neo-liberal economic policies as well as a “consumer culture” multiplied by social factors such as systemic gender inequality that disempower them socially and economically. They are forced to use their bodies and their “erotic power” to gain social and economic mobility simply because they grew up poor. So that even if they get a chance to go to university like Chyna did[23], they don’t have the money to look good because a “consumer culture” has been imposed onto our entire society that looks down on those who can’t afford to consume high-end goods and wear expensive clothes and possess expensive material possessions.

Rob knew who Blac Chyna was: the ex and mother of his baby sister’s boyfriend’s child as well as ex best friend of his older sister. Even if Blac Chyna had no nefarious intentions and was a rich white girl-next-door-type, palatable and even appealing to the dominant group of our society; it is a bad decision to pursue a relationship with someone who has such a complicated history to family. Rob made a bad decision. Everything else that followed through was from that one bad decision. Why is the man on the Internet trying to paint himself as the victim? Even if Chyna hooked up with him for purely financial reasons, it is hard to garner sympathy for Rob who is a grown man. He should have given his decision to date Chyna more thought.

Take for instance Snoop Dogg’s reaction. Snoop Dogg posted a video shortly after with the following comment:

“Man, would y’all get off my line with all this mess between Blac Chyna and Rob? That’s they business, man. He knew what he was getting into when he got her. She is what she is, she was what she was, man. Quit crying to the internet, nigga. You got more money to burn, go buy you another one. Blac Chyna just did what she supposed to do. She seen a sucker and she licked it.For all you suckers out there, don’t get licked, do the licking.You bitch you.”[24]

Notice the way Snoop Dogg objectifies Blac Chyna by making her seem like a possession that can be bought, by using language such as “she is what she is” instead of “who” and instead admonishes Rob for “crying to the internet” and nonchalantly suggests that Rob should “go buy you another one”; as if women are objects that can be returned to the factory that makes women and be replaced with a newer model that will acquiesce to his needs simply because he buys her things. These kinds of representations highlight the fact that men find power in commodifying women and believing that they have the right to own women. What is also interesting is how Snoop Dogg compares Rob to a “sucker” that just got “licked” thereby suggesting that Rob got bamboozled, taken for a ride by the wily Blac Chyna; as if Chyna is some con woman who outfoxed her “mark”. It is fascinating how the dominant gender is able to paint themselves as vulnerable victims when it suits them and yet expect everyone to respect them because they are characterised as supposedly the most physically strongest and mentally astute of all the genders. It is fascinating how they are able to shift the blame onto women for every wrong thing that happens in their lives. Rob is a grown man who finds his power through the possession and commodification of women, why should we feel sorry for him if someone took advantage of that weakness? In fact why should she be objectified and demeaned for flipping the script on him?

T.I also left a comment on one of Rob’s posts about Chyna that read:

“Why bring ya business to IG tho? Look, You got worked bro….but at least keep it to yourself, you letting the world know you a duck. I mean a BIG DUCK, a mighty duck, Ronald McDonald the Duck, Scrooge McDuck, Howard the Druck, Huey Dewy & Lewie… save the #DuckTales Just hold this L, kiss ya kid & cut ya losses& move on… u got no moves bro,”

Notice how TI uses phrases like “you got worked” and “you got no moves” continuing with the “sucker” motif but reframing it as a game; as if Rob just lost to a more intelligent player and is promoting his defeat to the entire world. Again shifting blame to Chyna, painting her as shrewd trickster, even though they broke up months ago, but chastising Rob for “letting the world know you a duck”.

What can also be read in both Snoop Dogg and TI’s comments is that a) women are crafty wily greedy manipulating “hos” who get blamed when they assert power in the same manner men do b) it is considered weak for men to advertise the fact that they have been “deceived” by these “cunning” women.

Interestingly enough TI made a PSA that seems to be directed at Rob Kardashian when he made a comment on a video:

“Don’t tell women’s business. That’s bad. It’s very, very bad, it’s poor character. It’s flawed…If a woman entrusts you man, and confide in you man, you don’t ever let that — you don’t do that. You don’t do that. You know what I’m saying? Our secrets are sacred. We don’t do that. That’s a whole next level of fuckboi shit.(sic)”[25]

TI is again chiding Rob Kardashian for breaking the cardinal rule of relationships by spilling secrets told during the relationship even if the relationship has ended and even if it has ended badly. Ultimately Rob is painted as a weak little man who cried to the Internet for being supposedly humiliated by his ex-fiancé who allegedly cheated on him with other men even though they had broken up months ago.

A large number of comments left by the public seemed to sympathise with Rob thereby making Chyna look like the “bad guy” who did Rob wrong. Yet they were no longer officially together. Again it is important to reflect on how demeaning the public perception is of women in general and Chyna, as a young black woman who was formerly an exotic dancer, specifically. The public perception of Chyna as a gold-digging crazy “ho” is made even more acute by her body, the colour of her skin and her background. Unpacking the “controlling image” of the “Jezebel”; (Collins, 1991) says this image “is central in this nexus of elite white male images of Black womanhood because efforts to control Black women’s sexuality lie at the heart of Black women’s oppression”.

The controlling image of the “ho” is why the public is able to perceive Chyna in a manner that wouldn’t be as malicious and callous — if she happened to be a white woman and perhaps a rich white woman. Unpacking the double oppression of Black women, (Jordan-Zachery, 2009) writes:

As a result of racing-gendering, black women find themselves marginalised on two fronts — race and gender. They are first marginalised because they are non-white. This marginalisation and categorisation occurs on two levels. First, there is the construction of black women in relation to white men. Second, there is the construction of black women in relation to white women.

Black women are portrayed more harshly in mass media and popular culture and therefore receive less sympathy and empathy from the public.

Scenario 2: Rob and Chyna fell in love with no other hidden agendas and just happened to fall out of love.

Beginning with the premise above, (Stoebenau, et al., 2016) state that:

Globalized ideals and images of modern relationships have increasingly come to emphasize romantic “companionate” relationships marked by deep emotional bonds between individually chosen partners (Cole and Thomas, 2009; J. Ferguson, 1999; Hirsch et al., 2009). The “sex and material expressions of love” paradigm draws attention to the centrality of gift exchange in romantic relationships, and emphasizes the expectation of a gendered flow of resources from men to women. This paradigm adds to the understanding of TS [transactional sex] in two important ways. First, it introduces the notion that love and money are inextricably linked in romantic relationships, including transactional relationships. Second, it emphasizes the importance of widely held gender beliefs regarding the role of men as providers of material support, and women of reproductive labor, within heterosexual relationships… Studies throughout the region emphasize the degree to which love and money are tightly intertwined in relationships (Mains, 2013; Ethiopia; Mojola, 2014a; Kenya; Groes-Green, 2013; Mozambique; Bhana and Pattman, 2011; Hunter, 2010; South Africa; Maganja et al., 2007; Tanzania; Poulin, 2007; Malawi; Ankomah, 1992; Ghana). One university student in Kampala summarized this culturally obvious fact by asking: “How would I know he likes me if he does not buy me nice things?” In drawing on the work of economic sociologist Viviana Zelizer, Sanyu Mojola has argued this conflation also exists in the West; the difference, however, is in the West the relationship is actively denied — money pollutes “pure love” (but buys it anyway) (Sanyu A. Mojola, 2014a)… The “sex and material expressions of love” paradigm emphasizes how TS [transactional sex] is rooted in the gendered expectation that men provide material and financial support. In addition, such provision is seen as being associated with, and/or deepening, emotional intimacy. TS [transactional sex] is thus an extension of expected exchange in intimate relationships. While relevant to the other paradigms, this paradigm points toward the importance of addressing fundamental gendered belief systems, especially those that position women as sexually subordinate to men who provide material support.

We live in a society that expects men to be the providers and the women to be the receivers. It is expected that Rob buy Chyna things in order for him to show that he loves her. As referred to above; this relationship between love, intimacy and money is “denied” in the West. Yet if we think about it, in a heterosexual relationship, who is the one that is expected to pay for the dates most of the time? Who is the one that is expected to buy the presents most of the time?

In order for men to not have the power to humiliate women when women do not meet the required needs of men, it means that expectations have to change within the society. Material exchange in intimate relationships should be equal instead of gendered towards men. That way a man can’t receive sympathy for supposedly being “duped” by a woman into buying her things at the time they were in love.

The saga between Rob and Chyna reflects how misogynistic we are as a society and how gendered roles limit the agency of women. It also highlights just how dehumanising the controlling images of Black women are — so much so that Chyna’s character and Being have been absolutely decimated on the Internet. Supposing everything Rob says to be true, not all her actions can be considered kind but the cruelty and callousness she has received in terms of vitriolic comments sent to her and about her; does not compare.

From the information garnered about both Rob and Chyna’s childhood and early adulthood, it seems like both these individuals could use a healthy support structure and productive therapy to sort through their own individual issues. As a society, we sit back and consume while celebrities have meltdowns in front of our very own eyes; and instead of encouraging them to get help we wait in suspense to see what other crazy self-destructive thing they will do next. Celebs have so much money, the least they can do for themselves is buy high-quality therapy. I’m sure there is no better feeling in the world than being happy and financially free.

It’s time that we really make an effort in equalising the imbalance between men and women’s roles in society and it’s time that we try and become more empathetic human beings that don’t gleefully wallow in schadenfreude.

Footnotes

[1] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3662769/Blac-Chyna-s-father-career-criminal-s-charged-30-offenses-convicted-dozen-times-crimes-including-assault-theft-battery.html

[2] http://people.com/tv/tokyo-toni-blac-chynas-mom-all-about-shalana-jones-hunter/

[3] https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com/4073261/facts-about-blac-chyna/

[4] http://www.usmagazine.com/celebrity-news/news/blac-chyna-if-i-wasnt-famous-i-would-still-be-a-stripper-w435200

[5] video vixen (also hip hop honey or video girl) is a female model who appears in hip-hop-oriented music videos

[6] The word “ho” represents a dialect pronunciation of the word “whore” which means a prostitute.

[7] http://amarudontv.com/2015/11/24/discussion-the-representation-of-black-women-portrayed-through-mainstream-hip-hop-music/

[8] http://www.essence.com/celebrity/timeline-blac-chyna-rob-kardashian-relationship

[9] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Kardashian

[10] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Kardashian

[11] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rob_Kardashian

[12] http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/01/kris-jenner-robert-kardashian-divorce-details-documents/

[13] http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/01/kris-jenner-robert-kardashian-divorce-details-documents/

[14] http://people.com/celebrity/rob-kardashian-inside-his-reclusive-life-after-weight-gain-depression/

[15] http://people.com/celebrity/rob-kardashian-inside-his-reclusive-life-after-weight-gain-depression/

[16] http://radaronline.com/exclusives/2012/01/kris-jenner-robert-kardashian-divorce-details-documents/

[17] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2242361/Rob-Kardashian-splits-Rita-Ora-tweets-cheated-20-dudes.html

[18] http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2242361/Rob-Kardashian-splits-Rita-Ora-tweets-cheated-20-dudes.html

[19] http://everydayfeminism.com/2014/09/mental-illness-vs-sexism/

[20] http://www.lfcc.on.ca/HCT_SWASM_4.html

[21] The SI prefix for a thousand is kilo-, officially abbreviated as K

[22] Lambo is short for the Italian sportscar Lamborghini

[23] https://globalgrind.cassiuslife.com/4073261/facts-about-blac-chyna/

[24] http://lybio.net/snoop-dogg-goes-in-on-rob-kardashian/people/

[25] http://www.channel24.co.za/Gossip/News/watch-ti-responds-to-rob-kardashians-threesome-claims-20170710

References

Amato, P. R. & Keith, B., 1991. Parental Divorce and the Weil-Being of Children: A Meta-Analysis. American Psychological Association, 110(1), pp. 26–46.

Bartlett, Loron, “The Women Behind the Moves: A Phenomenological Study of Video Models.” Thesis, Georgia State University, 2011. http://scholarworks.gsu.edu/wsi_theses/25

Bernard, C. et al., 2003. Exotic Dancers: Gender Differences In Societal Reaction, Subcultural Ties, And Conventional Support*. Journal of Criminal Justice and Popular Culture, 10(1), pp. 1–11.

Collins, P. H., 1987. The Meaning of Motherhood in Black Culture and Black Mother-Daughter Relationships. A Scholarly Journal on Black Women, 4(2), pp. 3–10.

Collins, P. H., 1991. Black Feminist Thought: Knowledge, Consciousness, and the Politics of Empowerment. New York: Routledge.

hooks, b., 2015. Black Looks: Race and Representation. New York: Routledge.

Jordan-Zackery, J. S., 2009. Black Women, Cultural Images and Social Policy. New York: Routledge.

Krupnick, J. L., 1984. Bereavement During Childhood and Adolescence. In: M. Osterweis, F. Solomon & M. Green, eds. Bereavement: Reactions, Consequences, and Care . Washington, D.C.: National Academy Press, pp. 99–144.

Sharpley-Whiting, T. D., 2007. Pimps Up, Ho’s Down: Hip Hop’s Hold on Young Black Women. New York: New York University Press.

Stoebenau, K., Heise, L., Wamoyi, J. & Bobrova, N., 2016. Revisiting the understanding of “transactional sex” in sub-Saharan Africa: A review and synthesis of the literature. Social Science & Medicine, Volume 168, pp. 186–197.

White, L., 1994. Growing Up with Single Parents and Stepparents: Long-Term Effects on Family Solidarity. Journal of Marriage and Family, 56(4), pp. 935–948.

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