❀ Feminism: Beyoncé
❀ Disclaimer: I'm a Queen big Beyoncé fan, thus I will occasionally dedicate a few entries to her. I am always open to constructive criticism and critique on any issues of interest I write about because I like to open a platform for discussion or debate.
Below is my perspective on Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls) video and feminism. The debate was sparked by a Youtuber named NineteenPercent’s response to Beyoncé's Run the World (Girls) video: www.youtube.com/watch
Beyoncé never claimed to be feminist. Musically, her most feminist undertones are expressed in the female empowerments messages emoted through her music. There is nothing wrong with her musical intentions. Beyoncé makes me feel empowered because she leads by example. Visuals and lyrical content aside, Beyoncé is the epitome of a woman. Besides her talent and diligence, she has succeeded in her fields and has broken many cultural and stereotypical barriers in many others.
Moreover, she redefines the bar as an entertainer and as a woman (femininity and feminism). She exudes sexuality, but always within tasteful bounds. Despite her sexiness, she is considered a contemporary icon and role model for women worldwide.
Classiness is goes beyond the bounds of fashion because it is a lifestyle. Whether Beyoncé is offstage or onstage, she carries herself as a woman. Beyoncé introduces us to the many facets of a woman - entrepreneur, philanthropist, entertainer, wife, mother, daughter, aunty, sister, friend, and mostly importantly, human Beyoncé.
In these instances Beyoncé is not as unrealistic or untrue as she is deemed. People tend to have selective amnesia and choose what is to be ascertained from her because like any woman, she is full of complexity. Truthfully, a lot of women are afraid of her and afraid of what she represents - refinement to the confinement women still tends to place themselves in. She can be as easily sexy entertainment-wise as she can be subdued, but that’s beside the point when women should admire Beyoncé for what she offers in the aforementioned avenues. And, women know this depending on whose opinion we are consulting about Beyoncé.
Women tend to consult convenience arguments based on pseudo-knowledge about the truth of women (femininity) and womanhood (feminism). But, what is really true in hindsight of the complexity of the woman and our struggles on a multi-cultural scale. Let us think outside of Nineteen’s personal ethnocentrism for a moment. Does she actually speak to the plight of the woman or to the plight of a certain culture of women historically? The answer is apparent.
The only absolute truth is that we are all woman and that is our common affinity. Therefore, we should bond based upon that, not degrade each other because femininity and feminist expression will differ. No woman exercises an inferior or superior way of the socio-culturally constructed notion that is femininity which defines women and one of its by-products: feminism.
Biologically, we all have vaginas so we are all women and socio-culturally we are gendered to be feminine, so there is not one way to partake in womanhood. Beyoncé is not any less feminist than any other woman for that reason.
Beyoncé’s female demographic is diversified, hence a range of songs to make her multi-relational to many cultures of woman worldwide. Nineteen's critique of Beyoncé for her video Run The World (Girls) is reminiscent of the way a man would typically objectify a woman, in my opinion.
Is it so unfathomable that a woman could actually run the world someday? Has the mentality of women been that enslaved? It seems that it is not the message of Run the World (Girls), but a deeper issue Nineteen had with Beyoncé. It seems to be an inability to see outside of her feminist pompousness and embrace the feminist expression of an accomplished African-American entertainer, because Beyoncé does not fit into the stereotypical molds that define a majority of women of color in the entertainment industry and popular culture.
Whether Nineteen agrees, Beyoncé offers an alternative expression and dimension to feminism, especially for woman of color with influence and presence worldwide. Males and females can relate to Beyoncé because she is not too emasculating for males and she is empowering for females. For an entertainer who is overly criticized at times, Beyoncé offers more of a balance than she is given credit for and has succeeded expectations placed on her tenfold because she runs her brand.
She is partnered with her label, misinformation aside, but she is not Nineteen’s forte of feminism because Nineteen’s feminism is extremely status quo. Nineteen feels women should not be sexual since we are hyper-sexualized, but women will be sexualized whether we leash or unleash our sexuality. It is not a Beyoncé thing; it is a socio-culturally constructed thing which goes beyond Beyoncé.
Sexuality is embedded because we, as woman, are socialized and enculturated into it. Nineteen is not even escaping it or above it because it is at a deeper level. She is perhaps more conscious of it, though. But, Nineteen needs to understand that women, womanhood, and feminism will never be static. We live in an evolutionary culture and society. Feminist principles have to evolve with the changing times and changing statuses of women. We achieved a lot with older feminist principle but we can advance further with newer ones.
How do women expect any man to consider our cause when we constantly limit and confine our own femininity and feminism in a box?
「❀ An anthropoid that is an applied learner, not an accumulated one. ❀ 」
Bunny