I've spent entirely too much of the last week talking, reading about and watching Beyonce. *shakes fist at the Interwebs* But the bevy of conversation and controversy that has surrounded the release of Beyonce's new video for her latest single, "Run the World (Girls)," has been nothing short of fascinating. Maybe I need new hobbies. As a consumer and critic of pop culture and feminism, I've found myself questioning and exploring how those things both beautifully harmonize and diametrically oppose each other. Then mix in ideas about sexual expression and black female sexuality and it becomes all the more conflicting. It reminds me (as Joan Morgan said on Facebook) that "feminism is complicated."
I first saw this video when I was watching "American Idol" last week (don't judge me) and Beyonce was a guest mentor. My first thoughts as they showed clips of her advising the contestants were: "Damn, why she look so pale! They keep trying to whiten her up more and more. The blond weave doesn't help either." Catty, maybe, but it was startling and that's a whole other topic. The video "premiered" during a break and I was thinking about the "American Idol" audience which is primarily teenyboppers and families and wondering what I would say if I was watching it with my 7 year-old goddaughter. How could we process this together? This words seemed (initially) fairly innocuous and scream of "girl power." Although the images were sexy, I thought it was tamer and even more justified than some of her previous videos. There was even legitimate African dance not just gyrating and grinding (though I'm a fan of all of the above) so I could explain that to a little girl. But what kind of discussion could we have what about what girl power looks like in the real world?
I liked the video a lot and I still do. The dancing is dynamic, the costumes are captivating, the set is stimulating and it's fantasy and it's fun...yes, fun! But enjoying much of our pop culture often requires a certain level of detachment. In this case, detaching from the obvious reality that we women/girls/ladies/females/chicks don't literally run the world. Women encounter a full range of experiences on a daily basis that remind us of our "place" in this world. Music, and videos, can provide an escape. For five minutes, I can pretend I'm in some alternate universe where women have political, economic and social power AND equality...and we exist as a dancing army of half-nekkid badasses in the desert. It's good for the imagination.
I also believe in the greater idea of speaking things into creation so I'd rather little girls be singing this than 98% of what's on commercial radio. If this song makes little girls feel confident and believe in their own internal power, specifically in contrast to all the confusing messages they are constantly receiving about gender dynamics, then I'm cool with it even if it is cheesy and not entirely factual. My friend Shani who is an awesome mama put it best: "It reminds me of my daughter and the sense of possibility unique to being 8."
I'm not going to regurgitate what so many lady bloggers have eloquently said before me. For example, Nineteen Percent has made huge waves with her vlog calling Beyonce a liar for telling girls that they run the world when femicide, paycheck inequality, wartime rape (I can go on) are major problems women face. I can't argue with her there. But as I said on Facebook, I'm just not expecting Beyonce to be on the forefront of any substantive discussion about women's rights, where we are and where we've come from.
I understand there is inherent danger in pop culture co-opting of feminism and "girl power" as Samhita over at Feministing clearly explains. The irony of all this conversation and debate, and what I think helps prove this point, is that the song was written primarily by MEN. Not one but a quintet: Terius "The-Dream" Nash, Nick "Afrojack" van de Wall, Wesley "Diplo" Pentz, David "Switch" Taylor, and Adidja Palmer (Vybz Kartel) all co-wrote this with Beyonce. These guys aren't exactly pro-woman intellectuals or activists so again why do we expect this to be an authentic anthem?
Many people ask "Why shouldn't we expect more?" Beyonce is an entertainer. Her JOB is to be a pop star i.e. sell lots of records and get lots of endorsements. Her songs are like the McDonald's fries of music. Horrible for you but deliciously addictive and readily available. They are both guilty pleasures relatively irresistible to the masses. (side note: I loathe McDonald's but you know about their fries.) She has been raised by parents determined to make her a star...and here she is. She is a cog in the music industry wheel. A wheel that is about making money off of selling people whatever crap they will buy, and/or creating formulaic music that won't make you think too hard. Maybe Bey wanted to write something more authentic and got shut down by the four men in the room, her record label or another more powerful male voice. Maybe these words truly empower her. Maybe she just wanted us to watch and discuss. We don't know. I'm just speculating and I'm not knocking her hustle.
It just sucks sometimes to feel like you're a "bad feminist" if enjoy clearly problematic and unsophisticated content. But to quote Arielle Loren: "Many women relate to rocking freakum dresses, graduating from prestigious universities, building powerhouse careers, and loving their families, all at the same time." Even if Bey's music is a bit misguided and often lacks nuance, there's something relatable (and danceable) that captivates large audiences, myself included.
We can sit around and have intellectual debates about this or do what oppressed peoples do. Flip the script. Take something that is created from patriarchal and capitalist intentions and make the messaging powerful for ourselves. There are important discussions happening now about women's and girls equality that are being sparked by this one catchy pop song. Use this as a teachable moment to talk with young girls about their self-esteem and how they interpret "running the world." As my friend Brandi reminded me on Facebook: "People's self-esteem have to be lifted in order to have the confidence to start a revolution." A place to start is with our girls and ourselves.
Update 5/23 at 5.07 p.m.: please talk to little boys and men too! equality requires all of us.
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