Matthew West’s “Modest Is Hottest” YouTube Video Deleted
After receiving massive backlash from both Christian and non-Christian communities, musician Matthew West was forced to delete the video for his song “Modest is Hottest.” West thought he was just making fun of dads who are overprotective of their daughters through this song. Instead, it fueled an internet firestorm after its release on YouTube, where it right away got a huge number of dislikes. Here’s the best way to grow your YouTube account in a minute.
The music video for this 2021 single was released by West on his YouTube channel, which has over 440 thousand subscribers. The song contained lyrics like “Modest is hottest, the latest fashion trend. It’s a little more Amish, a little less Kardashian.” In addition, the song also claims that “a turtleneck and a sensible pair of slacks” are what the boys really love.
In the same music video, West is shown trying to cover up his teenage daughters, Luella Jane and Delaney Ruth. He, himself, was shot wearing a long turtleneck sleeve for the video along with his children and wife Emily. West’s daughters were projected as unhappy with their father’s efforts, even giving him a series of eye rolls. The clothing the Wests wore was alluded to the song’s title, citing modesty manifests in clothing as well.
Purity Culture Linked to West’s Lyrics
The lyrics for the song also consisted of a line that said something about Matthew West having his daughters grounded for wearing crop tops. In the same verse, he sang a prayer asking God to make his children “more like Jesus and less like Cardi B.” This set of lyrics and choice of scenarios are what linked the song with the controversial evangelical purity culture, prompting him to delete the video. Get new subscribers with the help of this guide.
Most critics suggested that the song is tolerant of and even promotes purity culture from an evangelical perspective. This idea, according to most social justice advocates, blames women for men’s inappropriate behaviors and actions. Furthermore, this context has been widely used to put the blame on survivors of abuse as they were the ones tempting their abusers.
Purity culture saw its peak in the 1990s and was widely utilized by evangelical Christianity to build stronger relationships between fathers and their daughters. Advocates of this cultural practice encourage young girls to pledge to their fathers to abstain from having sex until they get married. To signify their oaths, these girls wear purity rings, which are still being used and practiced to this day by both girls and boys.
“Modest is Hottest” is demeaning to women
American singer and songwriter Audrey Assad posted on Twitter that the title itself and the lyrics for “Modest is Hottest” are demeaning to women. The song, according to her, is centered on men and their preference in how women should look and behave. She further shared that being found hot by men in every aspect is every women’s ultimate goal.
Audrey ends her Tweet, which became a topic for discussion, by saying the song positions all men as creeps. Men have turned women into mere sexual objects that they can’t handle seeing women’s bare skin. She concludes her sentiments that men become monsters who are out of control because of their urges when seeing women not clothed “modestly.”
