Behold, I present to you a video parody of Lady Gaga’s “Bad Romance,” rewritten as “Bad Romance: Women’s Suffrage,” an account of the fight to get voting rights for women in the U.S.:
I just wanted you to know that this exists.
Lyrics and info available here. Thanks to Kristina Killgrove for the tip!
Gwen Sharp is an associate professor of sociology at Nevada State College. You can follow her on Twitter at @gwensharpnv.
Comments 34
Anonymous — March 12, 2012
This video makes me so happy. I love the way they incorporated so much history into an amusing video. The note from the mother, the force-feeding of Alice Paul, the protests at the white house- it is really well done and it a nice reflection of the reality of the way suffrage was passed. I hope that kids will see this in history class and that this will inspire people to remember the suffrage movement. It is too often forgotten.
Missa Ndrea — March 12, 2012
So the desire for equality can best be described as a romantic encounter gone askew? Gee, I really hope somebody does a music video of the 13th Amendment and sets it to the music of "Lazy Bums".
Zaewen — March 12, 2012
I liked that they used the imagery and words of the time instead of more modern trappings. See the two below for examples. Also, an interesting tidbit, notice the near total lack of pink in Suffragist's imagery? This was back before pink = feminine.
Skalchemist — March 12, 2012
Who did this!? I would like to know the artists responsible, because if they did something this cool, they have probably done other things just as good...
Elena — March 12, 2012
The historyteachers channel at youtube also make videos in that vein, and you might like them too. Their cover version of "Bad Romance" is about the French Revolution, though.
They're *awesome* :D
Joy — March 12, 2012
Seemed like it was only white women who fought for suffrage if you go by this video...just something to think about.
Meredith Palmer — March 12, 2012
I'm seeing a lack of women of color and historical insight in this video - no? Ida B. Wells, Lucy Parsons, Anna Simms Banks, Sojourner Truth? Were all women fighting for the right to vote white? Were all people fighting for womens' rights to vote women? Was it merely the vote they were fighting for? No, no, and no. Considering how much effort seems to be put into this video (costumes, quality filming, remixing, etc), I would have thought a bit more thought would be put in to it as well. It could have been so much more complex, inclusive, and less tunnel-visioney, as if it had come out of a high school text book.
Nancy — March 12, 2012
I think it's important that we take note of the fact that the video portrays only white women. However, the video is not about the suffrage movement as a totality. It is about a slice of it: Alice Paul and the National Women's Party. In that sense, it would have been anachronistic to have other than an all-white cast.
The production values are amazing. And, if you take a look at Gaga's music video, you'll see how cleverly this video references the original. I hope this talented group makes a similar video that takes a broader view of the suffrage movement.
Anonymous — March 12, 2012
Seems to have a lot in common with the brittish suffragettes too. Like with women of other races and ethnicities, I think the vid misses a lot of points about the women's movement as a whole by zooming in on american history.
Cindymalt — July 31, 2012
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