Inexplicably, the queen has become a feminist icon.
Last year, “British Vogue” gave her cover space as a “modern-day feminist.” Just two weeks ago, the hip-hop singer wrote an essay called “Gender Equality is a Myth” for Maria Shriver’s latest installment of The Shriver Report, a women-focused media initiative.
But nothing about Beyoncé’s music promotes treating women well or respecting femininity apart from sex-appeal. Rather, the artist also known as “Sasha Fierce” produces overly-sexual music that objectifies and belittles women, akin to the work of Miley Cyrus and Katy Perry.
Just this Sunday, the singer sang hit song “Drunk in Love,” writhing on stage in a lingerie-esque bodysuit. Her husband, notably fully-dressed, danced against her, strikingly reminiscent of Miley Cyrus’ controversial VMA performance with Robin Thicke.
Worse still, “Drunk in Love” includes a shocking, borderline horrific, reference to Jay-Z treating his wife as if he were convicted rapist Mike Tyson. Immediately after, the rapper sings, “Eat the cake, Anna-Mae,” a line hinting at the time Ike Turner angrily smashed a piece of cake into Tina Turner’s face, as Forbes Magazine reported.
Even the ever-popular “Single Ladies” subverts the empowered-woman image Beyoncé projects. In the song, she is in relationship entirely controlled by a man and dances “in da club” against some guy. The only way she can, as a woman, control her own life is dancing up on someone.
Inarguably, Beyoncé makes incredible music unlike any other female musician today.
No matter what she claims, the queen is no different from other pop stars in the way she represents what it means to be a woman.