2008 Woodie Awards
Vote Absentee
How Beyonce is chipping away at feminism
Kristyn Ostman
Issue date: 2/26/07 Section: Opinion
- Page 1 of 1
Beyoncé is destroying feminism.
This may sound insane and irrational, but it's true. She is dangerous because she masks her anti-feminism with her catchy lyrics and well-defined posterior.
This realization came to me recently as I was once again attacked by her song, "Irreplaceable," as it played for the third time that morning on the radio. With my concerns about radio overplay aside, I took the time to listen to the words of the song.
For those who have not heard the song, listened to the lyrics or are living in a windowless basement where The Beacon is regularly delivered, it is about a woman who is putting her significant other out. The song warbles the torrid tale of the man driving the car the singer bought him to pick up another woman. As the singer tells him to pack up his things and leave, she explains that she can easily replace him with a new man, who will be by any minute, and she is not missing her ex-lover at all. After all, he's an ungrateful jerk.
Here's what dawned on me: what did you expect? Of course he cheated. After all, the woman aims to buy him in order to keep him and then wonders why he has zero respect. He knows he's replaceable. But he will take what he can get as long as he can get it or until he's offered something better.
Basically female listeners are urged to be offended when a man, who has been given no reason to offer respect in the first place, finally (and predictably) betrays a trust.
And that's where the walls of female equality begin to crumble. No feminist--militant or otherwise--would agree with that idea. Okay, I am independent, rich and powerful enough to buy you a car, let you live in my fantastically decorated mansion and when you cheat on me, I'll just replace you with another guy who is also dying for a sugar mamma. Personally, I can't afford that on any level, financially or emotionally. How many self-respecting women want to put up a guy until he cheats, and then start over? No one I know.
I don't care how great the sex is; cheating can often result in the innocent party getting an STD, aside from the additional emotional turmoil. (That fact leads me to hope that Beyoncé will be driven to put out a more socially responsible song titled, "How I Got the Clap.")
In general, relationships need equality on all levels…meaning you can't ingrain in a significant other that they are just another fish in the sea. If people disrespect each other enough to communicate that those around them are "replaceable", why not just get a dog? It's cheaper.
Men and women are equally entitled to healthy, fulfilling relationships with mental, emotional and physical safety and security provided equally from both sides.
O.K., I admit it. I'm not really afraid that this reflects a shift in female empowerment or relationship trends; I wouldn't dare give Beyoncé that much credit. But I do wonder if young women in particular have begun to think that acting frivolous with their relationships is easy and fun. Respect (and all of the perks that go with it like independence, self-esteem, etc.) comes with being respectful of others.
This may sound insane and irrational, but it's true. She is dangerous because she masks her anti-feminism with her catchy lyrics and well-defined posterior.
This realization came to me recently as I was once again attacked by her song, "Irreplaceable," as it played for the third time that morning on the radio. With my concerns about radio overplay aside, I took the time to listen to the words of the song.
For those who have not heard the song, listened to the lyrics or are living in a windowless basement where The Beacon is regularly delivered, it is about a woman who is putting her significant other out. The song warbles the torrid tale of the man driving the car the singer bought him to pick up another woman. As the singer tells him to pack up his things and leave, she explains that she can easily replace him with a new man, who will be by any minute, and she is not missing her ex-lover at all. After all, he's an ungrateful jerk.
Here's what dawned on me: what did you expect? Of course he cheated. After all, the woman aims to buy him in order to keep him and then wonders why he has zero respect. He knows he's replaceable. But he will take what he can get as long as he can get it or until he's offered something better.
Basically female listeners are urged to be offended when a man, who has been given no reason to offer respect in the first place, finally (and predictably) betrays a trust.
And that's where the walls of female equality begin to crumble. No feminist--militant or otherwise--would agree with that idea. Okay, I am independent, rich and powerful enough to buy you a car, let you live in my fantastically decorated mansion and when you cheat on me, I'll just replace you with another guy who is also dying for a sugar mamma. Personally, I can't afford that on any level, financially or emotionally. How many self-respecting women want to put up a guy until he cheats, and then start over? No one I know.
I don't care how great the sex is; cheating can often result in the innocent party getting an STD, aside from the additional emotional turmoil. (That fact leads me to hope that Beyoncé will be driven to put out a more socially responsible song titled, "How I Got the Clap.")
In general, relationships need equality on all levels…meaning you can't ingrain in a significant other that they are just another fish in the sea. If people disrespect each other enough to communicate that those around them are "replaceable", why not just get a dog? It's cheaper.
Men and women are equally entitled to healthy, fulfilling relationships with mental, emotional and physical safety and security provided equally from both sides.
O.K., I admit it. I'm not really afraid that this reflects a shift in female empowerment or relationship trends; I wouldn't dare give Beyoncé that much credit. But I do wonder if young women in particular have begun to think that acting frivolous with their relationships is easy and fun. Respect (and all of the perks that go with it like independence, self-esteem, etc.) comes with being respectful of others.
Viewing Comments 1 - 3 of 3
M. Avid
posted 2/26/07 @ 7:44 PM EST
I must disagree. First, your basis for this whole mini- article is that somehow just because she bought him expensive gifts, that somehow that translates to she HAD to buy him (fictional song character that he be :) gifts to stay with her. (Continued…)
Jay
posted 2/27/07 @ 4:20 PM EST
Likewise, wasn't the entire point of the feminist movement to empower women and allow them to make decisions detached from the mores and values dictated to them by male authority? Your argument is that all women want long-term committed relationships (i. (Continued…)
suz
posted 3/03/07 @ 12:11 PM EST
I found this overdramatic article almost humorous. Do you spend your time just looking for something anti-feminist to complain about? Do you picket Libby Loo?
Chill girlfriend. (Continued…)
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