I was reading up on D’Aneglo recently because Voodoo is one of my favorite albums ever and I find him an interesting character. I read an article about how he was overwhelmed by being sexualized and how it drove him into depression:

““We couldn’t get through one song before women would start to scream for him to take off something,” says Hargrove. “It wasn’t about the music. All they wanted him to do was take off his clothes.”

The catcalls had an undeniable effect on D’Angelo. “He’d get angry and start breaking shit,” Thompson remembers. “The audience thinking, ‘Fuck your art, I wanna see your ass!’ made him angry.””

The sexualization of D’Angelo drove him to drink and he became a recluse to avoid the ever watching eyes of the public. He was once a confident singer and performer. Now, when ever he performs he’s late, cancels shows at the last second and has panic attacks or has to self medicate before he performs.

I think this is an accurate representation of how a lot of women feel. We want to be taken seriously but we’re constantly sexualized which seriously makes us question our self worth in our developmental years and makes us wonder if our feelings and goals really matter.

I think those who beg to be sexualized don’t know what they’re asking for. When you’re sexualized it’s extremely hard to be taken genuinely. The closest feeling I can compare it to is when you’re have a nightmare and screaming something importnt. Even though there are people staring out you they don’t hear you and you feel helpless.