1. The Material Girl Can Have Fun, Too
1980s: Materialism
The Material Girl Can Have Fun, Too

2. Madonna: Material Girl (1985)
“They can beg and they can plead
But they can't see the light (that's right)
'Cause the boy with the cold hard cash
Is always Mister Right
'Cause we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl
You know that we are living in a material world
And I am a material girl”

3. When speaking to Company Magazine in 1986,Madonna described that “Material Girl” reflected her character:
I’m very career-oriented. You are attracted to people who are ambitious that way, too, like in the song “Material Girl.” You are attracted to men who have material things because that’s what pays the rents and buys you furs. That’s the security. That lasts longer than emotions.

4. Summary Material Girl Video
If a man doesn’t live up to certain (financial) standards, she is going to turn him down.
She can be choosy
Not going to settle even though he may be charming
She is just like everyone else “'Cause everybody's living in a material world, And I am a material girl”
She can express herself and her sexuality regardless of what society says, she is just doing what they won’t admit to

5. 1980s in America
Era of Economic Boom and Bust: Rich got richer and very consumer centered
More “stuff” means success
More people have credit
Bright clothing, pop music and expansion of pop culture; big hair = living big
Reagan
War of Crime and Drugs: “innocence” in the media; happy images

6. White Teen Culture
Era of shopping malls; middle class suburban teens in movies and pop culture
Targeting the largest group of pop music consumers

7. Why this song? Brings me back to a time of being naive MTV culture
Bright, “fun”
Powerful because spoke to women about it being okay to say no and to make own way towards success
Madonna symbolized independence

8. Cyndi Lauper: Girls Just Want to Have Fun (1980)
Some boys take a beautiful girl
And hide her away from the rest of the world
I want to be the one to walk in the sun
Oh girls, they wanna have fun

9. Summary
You don’t have to always be thinking about the future, but enjoy the now
Everyone needs to embrace the now
Be young, it is ok
Don’t let others dictate your life

10. All Should Be Accepted
In the book I Want My MTV, she explained: "I wanted 'Girls Just Want To Have Fun' to be an anthem for women around the world - and I mean all women - and a sustaining message that we are powerful human beings. I made sure that when a woman saw the video, she would see herself represented, whether she was thin or heavy, glamorous or not, and whatever race she was."
Album: She’s so Unusual
It’s okay to not be “usual”

11. Why this song? Girls Just Want to Have Fun Video
Grew up in the 1980s
Never really felt comfortable with myself and Lauper spoke to me - it is okay to be weird and do your own thing
It was happy and sounded poppy, but actually had a real message (especially the video which had all different people in it)

12. Diversity in America
Certain companies were using models from non-white, European backgrounds
Counter Culture expressed in Metal and Rap show that there was more than just bubble gum white suburban people
War on Drugs exposed a whole other side of America who weren’t perfect

13. Be Young! Be Yourself! Have Fun!
Calling on EVERYONE! It doesn’t matter what you look like, who you love, what your occupation, what your beliefs
CHOOSE TO BE YOU!
You don’t have to be a suburban housewife or work in a cubicle! You don’t have to get married! You don’t have to have kids! You don’t have to wear beige! Your hair can be big! Your clothes can be loud!
Just Do It!