Feminist Mix-Tape

Intersectionality or Performative Activism: “March March” by The Chicks

Posted on by Former Student
“March March” by The Chicks

“March March” by The Chicks is a protest song that explicitly addresses several current political issues, as well as the history of activism in the United States. The Chicks themselves have a history of activism and controversy. In 2003, they criticized George W. Bush and the invasion of Iraq, leading to backlash from their mostly conservative (at the time) fanbase. The Chicks have recently become even more politically active, changing their name from The Dixie Chicks due to its confederate connotations.

The song begins with a strong drumbeat and a classic twang that country music fans easily recognize. However, the lyrics are less typical of a country music song: “March, march to my own drum […] hey, hey, I’m an army of one.” The music video begins with a montage of protests over the years, including videos of a black man dancing in front of a line of police officers and a person with their back to the camera waving a pride flag. The song references a broad range of political issues, implying that work towards equity and justice cannot be separated into different fights. 

This idea is expanded upon by Kimberlé Crenshaw in her opinion piece “Why Intersectionality Can’t Wait.” Crenshaw explains that intersectionality was her attempt to “make feminism, anti-racist activism, and anti-discrimination law do what I thought they should — highlight the multiple avenues through which racial and gender oppression were experienced so that the problems would be easier to discuss and understand.” Audre Lorde also discusses the importance of intersectionality, just through different language. In “There Is No Hierarchy of Oppressions” she writes, “I simply do not believe that one aspect of myself can possibly profit from the oppression of any other part of my identity.” The Chicks do not leave the meaning of their protest song up for interpretation. At the end of the music video, they even have text listing the websites of organizations including Black Lives Matter, March for Our Lives, Native American Rights Fund, and Planned Parenthood. However, rather than focusing on one particular type of injustice, “March March” is about encouraging listeners to stand up against inequality and discrimination wherever they may encounter it, a core idea of intersectional feminism.

However, the broad scope of The Chicks’ song could also be seen as a limitation. The lyrics have only brief references to specific activist groups and are not grounded in any ideology. The Chicks, three white people, may be taking advantage of relevant social justice issues that primarily younger audiences care about in order to become culturally relevant again. It is difficult to know all the intentions behind the song since activism is much more beneficial to one’s career than it was when The Chicks originally spoke out in 2003. Additionally, it would have been great to see The Chicks use their platform to collaborate with performers from marginalized communities, as a way to elevate the voices of individuals who have more personal experience than The Chicks with many of the injustices mentioned.

The Performer’s Blight: Second-Wave Feminism in “Nothing New,” Taylor Swift ft. Phoebe Bridgers

Posted on by Former Student

While Taylor Swift has been writing feminist inspired lyrics for her entire career, her latest album, Red (Taylor’s Version), features a new record with artist Phoebe Bridgers about the commodification and expiration of women in entertainment. In the opening verse of “Nothing New,” Swift sings “Criticize the way you fly when you’re soarin’ through the sky / Shoots you down and then they sigh, and say / ‘She looks like she’s been through it’.” This piece reminds me of Betty Friedan’s “Feminine Mystique” and classist rhetorics from early second-wave feminism. 

“Nothing New” describes the necessity for women in entertainment to be the hot, new thing. Once you have had your moment of success, entertainment firms and critics begin to tear you down and de-prioritize your work. This forces women to unjustly compete and find self-worth only in their social blade. Similarly, the “housewife’s blight” as discussed by Friedan forces women in the home to only find self worth in their work as home makers. Friedan asks “what kind of woman was she if she did not feel this mysterious fulfillment waxing the kitchen floor?” Similar to women in the entertainment industry, Friedan notes that toxic self-scrutiny is isolating and forces women to constantly compare themselves to the idealized housewife who is perfectly content and (re)productive in her role. 

While many can relate to Swift’s lyrics, her position as a hyper-famous celebrity makes her experience inherently non-universal. This is similar to Friedan’s “housewife” as “woman.” The difference between Friedan and Swift is that Friedan writes to depict the experience of women’s oppression and fails when generalizing “woman” as predominantly white, middle-class “housewife.” In contrast, Swift writes for herself. She does not attempt to project her experience onto others, but rather her fans happen to relate to her lyrics.

Feminist Mixtape: “Exactly How I Feel (Feat. Gucci Mane)”

Posted on by Former Student

Lizzo’s Cuz I Love You album took pop culture by storm in 2019. Track 8, “Exactly How I Feel (feat. Gucci Mane),” is the perfect combo of upbeat chords, techno beats, and empowering messages of self-love. Lizzo evokes messages of second-wave feminist thought, specifically connecting to the book’s ideas that became a worldwide phenomenon entitled Our Bodies, Ourselves, originally published in 1973. The book discusses how “body education has been liberating for us and may be a starting point for the liberation of many other women” (Boston Women’s Health Book Collective, 296). Lizzo’s song coincides with these messages because she is promoting bodily autonomy; as she sings, “Love ’cause I want to,” not because society is telling her to do so, solely to procreate. Or even “Smile if I want to.” She is showing control over her body and that she is the person who gets to decide “exactly” how she feels each day when she wakes up. 

Lizzo’s song also connects to black feminist thought scholar Patricia Hill Collins. Collins argues how images of black women have been controlled by “elite white males” to put black women into boxes where they are either the “mammy,” “matriarch,” “welfare mother,” or “jezebel.” Collins articulates how these forms of control ultimately work as “justifications for racial oppression, the politics of gender subordination, and economic exploitations” (Patricia Hill Collins, 271). Lizzo’s lyrics and identity of being a black woman simultaneously work to break down these stereotypes. She sings, “Can’t hold back my tears/That would be a crime/‘Cause I look pretty cryin'” and “Cry ’cause I want to/Smile if I want to”/Get so mad I could scream.” Lizzo tells us exactly how she feels and all the versions of herself. Each holds power, whether she is crying or smiling, and all these actions happen on her own terms. Lizzo does all this impressively in two minutes; she can present herself as a fully actualized black woman, which employs black feminist thought. She asks the listener, “Ain’t I so amazing? And to that, I answer yes, yes you are Lizzo. 

However, some limitations make it hard to claim this to be “exactly” right on the mark with all feminist frames of thought in 2022. First off, the inclusion of Gucci Mane rapping on the track, on the one hand, displays bell hook’s idea that black women need support from black men in their fight for liberation. As hooks writes, “The formation of a liberatory feminist theory and praxis is a collective responsibility, one that must be shared” (bell hooks, 17). On the other hand, Gucci Mane’s lyricism feels at loggerheads with feminist intersectional thought. He raps, “My heart ain’t got no feelings,” which promotes ideas of toxic masculinity and shows no apparent solidarity for women. Additionally, searching the lyrics, there are no explicit references to intersectional feminism, and subsequently no mention of womanism, transfeminism, or queer feminism. Despite these limitations, “Exactly How I Feel” has a universal message that anyone can relate to, about validating all feelings that arise and crushing the binaries of “good” and “bad,” reminding us we are all humans at the end of the day. 

Feminine Mix-Tape of “Prom Queen” by Beach Bunny

Posted on by Former Student

The song “Prom Queen” was released on August 10th, 2018 by Lili Trifilio, who uses the name Beach Bunny, for her band. Trifilio began releasing music on her own in 2015, and began releasing music with her current band in 2017. None of Beach Bunny’s previous songs had reached 50 million streams on Spotify, but Prom Queen was a breakthrough. As of April 27th, 2022 the song has 218,116,371 streams, more than quadrupling her previous songs! 

The song addresses common teenage struggles of wanting to be thin, in general, and in this instance for the upcoming dance, prom. Trifilio sings about the social pressures of being thin, and placing too much weight on the actual weight of yourself. The song blew up on Tiktok, which is no coincidence considering Tiktok is a social media platform by majority used by the teenager/young adult community. The song resonated with many teenage users, who posted videos relating to the lyrics. The sound has been used 105,200 times as of April 27th, 2022.

Trifilio starts the song out with the line: “Shut up, count your calories” already alluding to her struggling with body images. As the song progresses, we get more detail, “Wish I was like you, blue-eyed blondie, perfect body” and “I was never cut out for prom queen” she explains how she isn’t stick thin so the public would never choose her to be prom queen. 

@harleysinthehouse

why can’t i be perfect like soooo many other people. it’s not fair. no matter how hard i try

♬ Prom Queen – Beach Bunny
This is just one example of the many Tiktoks, of teenagers relating to these body confidence issues.

She then starts talking about how she feels like she has to be thin for boys to like her. She expresses that through the lines “If I’m pretty, will you like me?” Following with “They say, “Beauty makes boys happy”. This is a common and such a sad societal norm that I think directly connects to the Fat studies we did towards the end of February. Specifically, the conversation we had in class relating to the Jezebel article about the history of deodorants and how it relates to diets. 

Just like advertisements made women feel like they had to wear deodorant to be attractive, and appeal to sexual partners, advertisements and media have done the same thing for body weight. The advertisers have invented a problem, not being stick-thin, in order to sell products, such as diet meal plans, or waist trainers, but in doing so, they’ve made a profitable income but also damaged our generation and so many to come. Teenagers are reached within the song prom queen, but people of all ages are so concerned with being thin in order to attract a partner, when in reality, by feeding into this, we are letting the advertisers win and profit.

Trifilio closes out the song talking about how she is starving herself and the final lines read “They say beauty is pain, you’ll only be happy if you look a certain way. I wanna be ok. I wanna be ok”. Trifilio wants to be comfortable in her own skin so badly, but because society tells her she must look a certain way, she is unsatisfied.

Lili, Trifilio. “Beach Bunny- Prom Queen (Official Video).” Youtube, Beach Bunny, December 31, 2018, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dc6SSu5pnHw.

Kot, Greg. “Meet Chicago’s Newest Rising Band Beach Bunny.” Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2020, https://www.chicagotribune.com/entertainment/music/greg-kot/ct-ent-beach-bunny-0209-20200206-te2hfolpy5hxtaa3cei3st7gru-story.html.

“You Need to Calm Down” from Lover by Taylor Swift

Posted on by Former Student

Taylor Swift’s “You Need to Calm Down” is a blatant callout of the patriarchal institutions that have been implemented in society for centuries. First of all, the title alone reclaims the phrase so many women and gender minorities hear any time they advocate for themselves and their communities in terms of gender equality. The irony of it is that oftentimes when a man tells a woman or other gender minority group to “calm down,” he is really just communicating discomfort with their usually more progressive views. He is seeing the institution of patriarchy that inherently allows him to hold power as being threatened.

Swift also directly calls out men that have attempted to tear her down, with Donald Trump being the most notable. She sings “You say it in the street, that’s a knock-out / But you say it in a Tweet, that’s a cop-out,” which is obviously directed at Trump’s bullying messages on Twitter (before he was banned). Next, Swift asks a general question to these oppressive male listeners in the form of “Why you mad? / When you could be GLAAD?” Until reading these lyrics, I had not realized that what sounds like “glad” was actually “GLAAD,” an acronym for “Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation,” an organization founded in protest against defamatory coverage of members of the LGBTQ+ community. This lyric communicates Swift’s advocacy for the LGBTQ+ community, something that she is openly passionate about.

Furthermore, she asks her listeners to “not step on our gowns,” urging people to allow others to do as they please without unsolicited feedback or criticism. Swift even declares that some people need to “control [their] urges to scream about the people [they hate] / ‘Cause shade never made anybody less gay.” This communicates the same message of sexuality not being a choice as Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way, another LGBTQ+ anthem.

To continue, Swift also reverses the phrase “you’re being too loud” to reflect against those who tolerate members of the LBGTQ+ community but wish they weren’t so “loud.” This relates directly to Pat Parker’s “For Straight Folks Who Don’t Mind Gays But Wish They Weren’t So Blatant,” in which Parker acknowledges the hypocritical manner in which straight people speak openly about their own heterosexual relationships in detail but express discomfort when gay and lesbian folks do the same.

While “You Need to Calm Down” is a clear dig at the patriarchy and an anthem in support of oppressed communities, the singer/songwriter is a straight, white, cisgender woman. Her allyship is valuable, and she can relate first-hand to the struggles of women, but she cannot personally relate to those of the LGBTQ+ community. She features the cast of Queer Eye in the music video, putting a spotlight on LGBTQ+ popular culture icons, but Swift herself is not a member of the community.

Feminist Mixtape: What’s Up by 4 Non Blondes

Posted on by Former Student

“What’s Up?” was a pop, smash hit released in 1992 by the band 4 Non Blondes ahead of their debut album Bigger, Better, Faster, More!. The alternative rock band, originating in San Francisco, California, immediately stood out amongst its peers due to being made up entirely of women. This was an incredibly rare thing in music at the time, especially in the rock genre. The band prided itself on being unique and non-conformative which is partly the reason for choosing the peculiar name 4 Non Blondes. This lack of conformity can further be seen within the lyrics of the song.

The lyrics for “What’s Up” were originally written by lead singer Linda Perry as she worked as a waitress years before joining the band. In its opening, Perry describes her feelings of being stagnant in life and expresses her infuriation towards the patriarchal institutions that contribute to the difficulties of trying to achieve your dreams as a woman. She says, “I realized quickly when I knew I should, that the world was made up of this brotherhood of man”.  This sentiment questions womanism and is incredibly similar to that which Betty Friedan spoke about in The Feminine Mystique. Friedan talks about the unhappiness created by the existing gender roles and women pondering “Is this all?” (Friedan 271). She further opens up by admitting that sometimes she cries in bed about and even screams out in exasperation, “What’s Going On?”. This phrase is echoed for almost all of the remainder of the song as Perry voices her disbelief that such institutions even exist and persist in the first place. It is important to note Perry’s position as a radical, as she calls out the patriarchy as well as calls for, in her own words, “a revolution”. I would argue that her position as one and her overall message, are relatable to those of famous Black radical Angela Davis. Davis was an incredibly powerful part of the Black empowerment movement, working within the Black Panther Party to push for the advancement of Black people. She is notable for also helping to strengthen the role of Black women within the party, which had originally been created with the express purpose of bettering Black men. Davis protested vehemently against existing, oppressive structures and was beaten, jailed and vilified for this work. Through her calls for revolution, Perry is carrying on this radical tradition.

Although she does not explicitly state it within the lyrics, I would argue that Perry is also speaking on the behalf of the LGBTQ community as she herself was a proud lesbian. During their rise to fame in San Francisco, the band performed at many lesbian bars and picked up a somewhat cult following with the local queer community. It wouldn’t be a longshot to say that Perry had them in mind when writing her lyrics. At the time, the climate surrounding the LGBTQ community may have been a daunting force that prevented her from speaking more explicitly on the subject within this song, which I see as a slight limitation. Regardless, the song speaks out against the established, oppressive patriarchal institutions thus making it radical and deserving of its spot in the history of music.

Feminist Mixtape: “Just a Girl” by No Doubt

Posted on by Former Student

Most of us have probably heard the song “Just a Girl” before on a Best of the 90s playlist. The song became a hit when it was released in 1995 by Gwen Stefani’s band No Doubt. It was the first song Stefani had written by herself, capturing the attention of millions of young female fans. It became a feminist anthem in the 1990s though Stefani admits she didn’t intend it to be. She was just writing about her experience as a woman. In an ABC interview in 2019, Stefani remarked “And I just kind of wrote that song because I feel like I was getting in touch with that feeling of when you’re born, if you’re female, you don’t think about it — you’re just a human. And then through life you sort of start to realize you get this kind of power through your sexuality, but then you’re kind of vulnerable at the same time because all of a sudden you’re a victim. So you have all these awarenesses as you’re getting older, and I just wanted to write a song about that.” Thus, “Just a Girl” contains feminist undertones that relate to several of our readings including Betty Friedan’s The Feminist Mystique and the Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy’s Feminist Perspectives on Reproduction and the Family. 

The title of the song “Just a Girl” itself echoes a sarcastic jibe against the patriarchy. “Just a girl” is a phrase sometimes heard from men. They might use it to indicate a female’s inability to complete a masculine task. For example, “she’s just a girl, she can’t change the car tire.” “Girl” itself connotes an adolescent, incapable female, not a woman. In the Feminine Mystique, Frieden offers a similar feeling on the boundaries of a woman such as their confinement to the home (Friedan 276-277). Stefani further conveys her contempt at men for underestimating a woman’s abilities through feminine conventions. 

The lyrics “pink ribbon,” “little old me,” “typical prototype,” and “your rule of thumb” relate to the customs of women in the male gaze. Women are traditionally supposed to love pink. They are supposed to be petite. They are supposed to follow the “typical” norms of a woman, not express their individuality. They must adhere to the man’s “rule of thumb.” Stefani mocks these ridiculous patriarchal views of women by going so far as to call herself a “prototype” which conveys the idea of a mindless robot. Friedan writes about a feeling of emptiness among women perhaps because of the conventions about which Stefani sings (Friedan 274-275). 

 Stefani feels entrapped and angered by the traditions imposed by men and notes it in several instances such as “living in captivity,” “so don’t let me have any rights,” and “I’ve had it up to here.” These lyrics contain a very clear, frustrated tone. Most notably, she mentions “rights” which could relate to third wave feminist activism in the 90s that Stefani was experiencing when she wrote the song. Feminist Perspectives on Reproduction and the Family discusses the struggles for women’s rights in a similar period as it was initially published in 2004 (Satz). While Stefani does not directly address the specifics of women’s rights, she implies that she is thinking about them. 

While Stefani may have just been singing about her own feelings of being a woman, her words resonated with millions. Her message encourages me to reflect on my own experience as a woman in a similar, critical regard. The song is catchy with its mockery of the male patriarchy. However, the song can be exclusionary with its binary focus on cis-women and cis-men, forgetting the LGBTQ+ community. The song is clearly directed towards a female audience given the title “Just a Girl.” Furthermore, it may only be relatable for white females as the experiences of a white woman like Stefani and a woman of color can differ as a result of the privileges of whiteness. However, Stefani made this song with her own experience in mind so it is unlikely that it was intended to feel exclusionary. I would definitely recommend listening to “Just a Girl” if you haven’t before.

References

https://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/gwen-stefani-feminist-anthem-girl-power-sexuality-vulnerability/story?id=65822695

https://genius.com/No-doubt-just-a-girl-lyrics

Friedan, Betty. The Feminine Mystique. Norton, 1963. 

Satz, Debra. “Feminist Perspectives on Reproduction and the Family.” Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Stanford University, 21 Oct. 2013, https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/feminism-family/.

Feminist Mixtape: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton

Posted on by Former Student

Dolly Parton is a well-known force in the music industry and, in general, the world. She is a nine-time grammy winner, while also having written over three thousand songs for various film and television projects. On top of her musical success, she has also had many philanthropic efforts, which include supporting child literacy programs and funding a COVID-19 vaccine. As you can tell by the previously stated information, Parton is an inspirational figure to all. 

One of Parton’s most well-known songs is “9 to 5.” Parton wrote the song for a movie with the same title that dealt with an American 9 to 5 workday. The song won a Grammy for Best Female Country Vocal Performance and for Best Country Song, both at the 1982 Grammys. It has been streamed more than 3.5 million times on Spotify alone. 

Continue reading “Feminist Mixtape: “9 to 5” by Dolly Parton” →

Feminist Mixtape – “Video” by India Arie

Posted on by Former Student

Video by India Arie connects to the Womanist movement and body neutrality. It broadcasts ideologies found in the womanist movement by rejecting the ideals associated with whiteness and femininity. Black women are often ignored in the conversation about equality and representation. India Arie sings about not needing wealth or fancy things to be happy. Through this language, she is rejecting the idea of wealth in order to be feminine. This is part of what the womanist movement rejected from the first-wave feminists. First-wave feminism focused on white, upper-middle-class women instead of the intersectionality and marginalization of different women. India Arie also aims to spread body neutrality by accepting herself and not nourishing the unrealistic beauty standard. She makes references to not shaving her legs, not combing her hair, not getting plastic surgery, and not wearing pantyhose. This is deconstructing the ideals and standards set for women. In the class reading about body hair, it explains how in the late nineteenth century, body hair removal was normalized to show racial superiority and modernization. The Instagram book review writes, “Maintenance of white women’s ‘proper’ physical appearance became about maintaining ‘health’ of the white race in the face of migration and racial unrest” (@alokvmenon). This was an effort by men to control (white) women’s femininity and sexuality. The understanding of black women as inferior because they have body hair connects back to the womanist movement. The standards, acceptance, and discrimination between white and black women were very different. Black women had to deal not only with sexism but also racism. White men during this time aimed to control Black women while simultaneously interpreting them as racially inferior. The need for a movement that accepted all women regardless of race, socioeconomic status, and body size came from the rejection of Black women into the feminist movement. The chorus says, “I’m not the average girl from your video. And I ain’t built like a supermodel. But I learned to love myself unconditionally. Because I am a queen.” This song expresses modern feminist thought by inspiring women to take control of their lives and do what makes them happy. As a Black woman, India Arie tells the story of acceptance, self-love, and independence from the controlling society we live in. 

This song is personally inspiring to me as a Black woman because it rejects the beauty standard that is reinforced through all aspects of society. So often, young girls are told they are too fat, too skinny, not tall enough, too tall, etc. This song teaches young girls that they are beautiful just the way they are. Unlike many current artists, India aims to empower not degrade women. I grew up listening to her in my household which I believe positively impacted my self-esteem.

Feminist MixTape: “enough for you” by Olivia Rodrigo

Posted on by Former Student

If you ever feel the need to go for a drive and cry about how much the patriarchy sucks, listen to “enough for you” by Olivia Rodrigo. Olivia Rodrigo is a singer, songwriter, and actress. She blessed the world with “enough for you” in 2021, as part of her album, Sour, which also presents several feminist perspectives. I particularly recommend listening to the final song, “hope ur ok,” as it reaches out to the LGBTQ+ community through its discussion of abuse, sexual orientation, and acceptance. 

The first way that Olivia Rodrigo instills feminist beliefs in “enough for you” is through the theme that she, as a woman, felt as though she did something wrong or was flawed and that is why she is experiencing a breakup. This feeling of self-hate is obvious in the lyrics, “You found someone more exciting The next second, you were gone And you left me there cryin’, wonderin’ what I did wrong…”. When listening to this song, it reminds me of the book I read for the book review, The Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward. I sense a similarity between this song and that book because of its connections with the misogyny paradox. Essentially, the misogyny paradox asserts that boys’ and men’s desire for girls and women is expressed in a society that simultaneously encourages them to hate girls and women. This is evident in everyday life through men’s practices of abuse, mansplaining, and disrespect towards women (Ward 35-38). Olivia Rodrigo’s lyrics demonstrate the harmful effects that the misogyny paradox has on women. Specifically, it leads to negative thoughts in which women think that they are at fault for men’s poor treatment of them. In reality, women have done nothing wrong and this is a flaw of the patriarchy. 

Olivia Rodrigo also presents the societal expectation that women should be responsible to beautify and improve themselves to be “acceptable” to men. The artist sings, “I wore makeup when we dated ‘Cause I thought you’d like me more If I looked like the other prom queens I know that you loved before Tried so hard to be everything that you liked Just for you to say you’re not the compliment type…”. These lyrics remind me of the efforts by the diet and deodorant industries to exploit people’s insecurities so that they feel motivated to buy their products. A similar practice is at work in the heterosexual-repair industry, as I learned in The Tragedy of Heterosexuality by Jane Ward. Women are led to believe that they must keep their bodies “fresh” and “sexually appealing” to their male partners. Advertisers then put the strain on women to maintain their appearances to keep their partners happy (Ward 47). Olivia Rodrigo also falls victim to this harmful burden put on women. She sings about how she felt as though a romantic interest may have liked her more if she used more beauty products. 

While this song speaks to me as a straight, white woman, there may be some limitations in that the song is not inclusive of Black feminist theory and Olivia Rodrigo appears to be singing about a heterosexual relationship. While Olivia Rodrigo is unlabeled in her sexuality, she uses the term “boy,” to describe the person she is singing about. Therefore, a member of the LGBTQ+ community may feel ostracized from relating to the lyrics of “enough for you.” Furthermore, Olivia Rodrigo seems to be singing very generally about problems faced by women and does not acknowledge Black feminist theory and the increased inequity faced by Black women due to the intersectionality of their identities. 

To conclude, Olivia Rodrigo finally establishes at the end of “enough for you” that there is nothing wrong with her, she is a strong, beautiful, powerful woman. Instead, there is a problem with the patriarchy and the expectations put upon women. She demonstrates that in the following lyrics: “Yeah, you always say I’m never satisfied But I don’t think that’s true You say I’m never satisfied But that’s not me, it’s you…”. Overall, I find that this song has its most profound impact when I think about any relationships with men, whether that is professional, familial, or romantic relationships. It is in these relationships that I find myself questioning my self-worth the most and feeling as though I am never good enough. In response to that, Olivia Rodrigo reminds her audience to be kind to themselves despite patriarchal barriers. Listeners need to keep in mind that despite societal pressures and expectations, there is nothing wrong with them. 

Feminist Mixtape: The Man by Taylor Swift

Posted on by Former Student

Taylor Swift’s pop anthem, “The Man,” is a catchy, upbeat song aiming to address the inequality between how female artists and male artists are treated and talked about. With a driving bass line, fun and catchy melody, and easy to understand lyrics, this song is able to reach audiences young and old alike. In her song, Swift discusses how every aspect of her personality, looks, actions, and decisions would be seen in a different way if she were a man. In our society there is a double standard between what is acceptable for men to do and for women to do. 

The line “They’d say I played the field before I found someone to commit to” addresses how when a woman cycles through multiple relationships before settling down with “the one,” she is judged differently than a man would be even though it is very common for both men and women to have many relationships. Swift changes this negative narrative by stating “And that would be okay for me to do” confirming to her audience that having multiple partners in life is normal and not something to be ashamed of.

Later in the song, Swift says “When everyone believes ya/ What’s that like?” This line is referring to the #MeToo movement and how women that come forward about sexual assualt, harrassment, and rape are most often doubted and questioned. Victim blaming is present in our society and is disproportionately against women more than men. 

The final line that stood out to me when listening to this song was “What I was wearing, if I was rude/ Could all be separated from my good ideas and power moves.” Women’s clothing is all too often equated with their success and the quality of their work. Instead of focusing on what women actually have to say or what their ideas are, the focus is on what she is wearing. Specifically, when female artists, actresses, or celebrities are interviewed the topic is almost always about what they are wearing, or how they look. In contrast, men are typically interviewed on what their acting experience was like, or what the song is about, for example. 

I connected this song to the reading by Lorber called “The Social Construction of Gender.” In the reading she argues that “it does not matter what men or women actually do; it does not matter if they do the same exact thing, the social institution of gender insists only that what they do is perceived as different” (Lorber 58). In “The Man,” Taylor is arguing that if she did not change anything about her actions but existed as a man, she would be perceived differently by society and treated better. Simply because we as a society perceive some actions to be more acceptable when done by a certain gender, it has become unacceptable to cross those made-up gender barriers. The issue is that there is no rhyme or reason for why we have these expectations for what different genders can or cannot do. The idea that what a woman is wearing determines her worth or success or how many partners a woman has had determines her value is a baseless belief that society has created. Taylor Swift is one of, if not the, biggest artist currently. She has an enormous platform and the ability to create change with the message she shares through her artistry and voice. This song is an attempt to address the disparities between how female and male artists are treated and spark discussion on how we can create change. Her feminism is not perfect and she can do a lot more to include intersectionality in her feminism and to use her priviledge uplift marginalized voices.

Feminist Mixtape: “Holy” by King Princess and “Nina Cried Power” by Hozier ft. Mavis Staples

Posted on by Former Student

King Princess, in her Genius lyrics interview breaking down the song, states how “gay people have always existed in religious texts, but never in a way that is respectful.” Within the lyric “honey, on your knees,” King Princess is referring to being bowed down to like a god or saint. It is a strong move to take back this power through the inclusions and allusions to religion throughout the song. Other areas in this song, including “cause when this day is done, I still got shit to run” mention how she is in charge and in control of what she decides. It also sends the message that one can succeed in life with or without the relationship, and how important healthy independence still is even while being with someone. This is a component of empowerment: understanding our worth in both the presence of and in the absence of a partner, and being with someone who does not discredit or misinterpret this fact as selfishness. Her albums have definitely opened up conversations about gender and sexuality, and the open space a person can live in between the binary. Through my recent readings, I have learned that King Princess has, however, faced controversies regarding the “Cheap Queen” album, as some may argue it is capitalizing off of queerness instead of helping to foster an inclusive community, and there are several stories online regarding some problematic actions done by King Princess. So, in general, while songs may result in a boost of confidence among listening, the intentions of the artists can be contested.

“Nina Cried Power” by Hozier ft. Mavis Staples may not be regarded as a feminist tune, as it is more of an anthem of the Civil Rights movement, but it is an exceptional song of revolution and includes the names of some incredible activists in the lyrics, including Nina Simone, and the voice of Mavis Staples herself. I think it always deserves a replay on Spotify. It is an incredible composition and promotes intersectionality, so I figured I might add it to our class playlist based off of our discussions and focuses throughout the semester as well.

Feminist Mixtape: “BO$$” by Fifth Harmony

Posted on by Former Student

Although Fifth Harmony may no longer be together, the message in their hit song “BO$$” remains relevant and important. The lyrics paired with the strong brassy sound of the instrumentals make this song an anthem of empowerment for women. 

This song portrays ideas of second wave feminism, defying ideas that women must stay in the home and only be a housewife, and instead empowers women to work and get the money they deserve, demanding respect from everyone around them. This can relate to one of the most prominent works from the second wave, The Feminine Mystique by Betty Friedan, saying “She can say ‘no’ to those mass daydreams of the women’s magazines and television, ‘no’ to the depth researchers and manipulators who are trying to ruin her life” (Friedan 280). Lyrics such as “Workin’ for the money ‘cause it’s what my momma taught me So yo ass better show me some re-spect” reject stereotypes continually placed on women, similar to Friedan’s quote and the idea of second wave feminism overall.

Additionally, given the fact all five members are women of color, the song can be interpreted as a message of empowerment for all women, no matter their race or ethnicity. The lyrics repeatedly include strong Black women, saying “I’m on my Michelle Obama sh-” and “purse so heavy getting Oprah dollars,” highlighting the successes of notable women of color.

Not only are the lyrics empowering, but the music video sends a strong message of feminism and defying gender roles. Within the first ten seconds, messages such as “Find yourself. And be that,” or “Dreams don’t work unless you do,” are displayed across black screen for us to really read and understand their importance. There is also a scene of arm wrestling with the five girls against a group of men, where they all take their turn beating each man in a match. Arm wrestling has always been portrayed as a sign of strength and masculinity, I’ve noticed particularly in TV shows or media, so having all the girls beat the group of boys shows the reversed gender roles the message of the song conveys. 

Something that could have added more nuance and depth to the song is the mentioning of certain struggles or difficulties the members, or women in general, have to face. Lyrics such as “Don’t want yo compliments, use common sense,” or “I ain’t thirsting for no bae” hint at struggles women face by highlighting assumptions often made about women, but the message of the song could have been more impactful if deeper, more direct struggles women universally can relate to were included. Bringing back the fact that all of the members are women of color, while I love that they included other iconic Black women in the song, it would have been more impactful to see the members mention moments of struggle and triumph from their perspective as women of color. This would add more interest and depth, avoid repetition, and make it more relatable to women of color everywhere.

Feminist Mixtape: “Beautiful is Boring” by BONES UK

Posted on by Former Student

“Beauty is in the eye of the beholder.” A lovely saying that we’ve all heard many times. However, society’s idea of beauty is less defined by the eye of the beholder than as a concept that changes with the typical depictions of people in media of the time. Jean Kilbourne’s TED Talk on Killing Us Softly IV: Advertising Images of Women gives a comprehensive look at and interpretation of her research on how women have been portrayed in media since the late 1960’s. When listening to the song “Beautiful is Boring” by BONES UK, the connections make themselves. 

The first verse includes the lyric, “They said they did not want my face in their magazine/’Cause I’m not beautiful”. The singer doesn’t suit society’s definition of beautiful, and therefore is denied access to certain levels of visibility. In regard to societal standards of beauty, Kilbourne says, “From my perspective of over 40 years, the image of women in advertising is worse than ever. The pressure on women to be young, thin, and beautiful is more intense than ever before” (3:27-3:37). The singer doesn’t care about how society defines beautiful, young and thin and perfect. The second verse has the lyric, “It does not please me to be easy on any of your eyes”. Clearly, the singer’s priority does not fall with how others perceive her. This confidence and self-assuredness isn’t something that comes naturally however. Kilbourne points out that “the self-esteem of girls in America often plummets when they reach adolescence. Girls tend to feel fine about themselves when they are 8, 9, 10 years old, but they hit adolescence and they often hit a wall. And certainly, part of this wall is this terrible emphasis on physical perfection” (Kilbourne 6:51-7:17). Many times, as Kilbourne states, the expectations from society to look a certain way and be perfect can be crushing. It can absolutely destroy a young person’s confidence. 

The singer isn’t unaware of this, despite her own confidence and self-assuredness. The third verse has a lyric that critiques society on “teaching children to be anything other than who they are”. Kilbourne has many points on the alteration of children’s perceptions of themselves in society by media, from girls being “more prone to eating disorders, depression, and low self-esteem” (13:17-13:24), boys being “encouraged to look at girls as sex objects, …encouraged to be sexually precocious” (10:17-10:33), and women of color being “considered beautiful only insofar as they resemble the white ideal: light skin, straight hair, Caucasian features, round eyes” (5:25-5:39). The whole message of the song, “beautiful is boring”, argues that people are much more interesting when they exist as themselves than conform to society. This message is inherently feminist, as it pushes against the factors in society that hold women back from being their complete selves.

Feminist Mix-Tape: “Broken Glass”

Posted on by Former Student

Rachel Platten is an American singer-songwriter and is best known for her debut single “Fight Song”. While “Fight Song” is an empowering feminist song, I believe “Broken Glass” reveals feminist themes more clearly. Thus, I hope to convey the feminist themes through four sections of the song lyrics. First, the song starts with the following lyrics:

I’m on a highway full of red lights

I’ve lost so many long nights

Felt words that cut like knives

A highway is the main road that connects two major locations. However, motor vehicles on the road cannot progress to their next location on a road full of red lights. Similarly, in Towards Equality (1974), the Committee on the Status of Women issued “a report of over four hundred pages detailing obstacles to women’s progress” (India, 304). Thus, these lyrics are a metaphor for the obstacles feminists face in pursuit of equality and equity. Furthermore, such obstacles can take a toll on the mental and emotional well-being of the activists. Nevertheless, the song continues to the main chorus: 

I’m gonna dance on broken glass, ey

On broken glass

And I’m gonna make that ceiling crash, ah

That ceiling crash

The chorus breaks apart the phrase “glass ceiling,” which is a metaphor referring to the social barriers that prevent certain individuals, in this case women, from achieving success and ascending in the social hierarchy. Glass is invisible when viewed through a certain perspective. Likewise, Friedan points out in Feminine Mystique that there is a “problem that has no name…shared by countless women in America” (Friedan, 274). However, since Platten uses the first person tense, she acknowledges the invisible and intangible barriers. Thus, she acts upon her knowledge and rejoices when the glass ceiling crashes and breaks. Furthermore, the song also imparts these important and humble lyrics:

You know, you know it’s more than

More than just for me

While not explicit, Platten’s lyrics acknowledges “her classism, her racism, her sexist attitudes towards the masses of American women” unlike Friedan, as bell hooks might say (hooks, 2). These two lines emphasize that feminism is more than just the right to “freedom from intolerance…of only one particular group” (Lorde, 1). Rather, Platten describes feminism as the fight for equality and equity for everyone. Finally, the song mentions hope despite all the possible injuries that might be sustained:

Through to the other side, baby I’ll survive (oh oh)

‘Cause you know I’m a fighter (oh oh oh)

Through to the other side, baby I’m on fire (oh oh)

‘Cause you know I’m a survivor (oh oh oh)

The terms “fighter” and “survivor” may reflect what bell hooks calls “the special vantage point our marginalization gives us” (hooks, 16). Yet, it is also a limitation of the song because it does not explicitly reference the experiences of black, trans, and queer feminists, and Rachel Platten is also a white, cisgender woman. However, in the music video, there are a myriad of individuals from various backgrounds. In conclusion, “Broken Glass” is a song that highlights the foundation of feminism, and the music video addresses the limitation of the lyrics. 

Works Cited

Platten, Rachel. “Rachel Platten – Broken Glass (Video).” Youtube, 2 July 2019, https://youtu.be/b2390GAm4d0.