Beyonce came into the spotlight as a member of girl power pop group, Destiny's Child, with several female empowerment anthems, including Independent woman and survivor. In the past couple of years she has also released Who Run the World, Girls! and If I were a Boy. However, when it comes to being labelled a feminist, Beyonce replies;
That word can be very extreme… But I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality. Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? I’m just a woman and I love being a woman. I do believe in equality and that we have a way to go and it’s something that’s pushed aside and something that we have been conditioned to accept. But I’m happily married. I love my husband.
Personally, I also feel a twinge for Atala when I go off on my feminism rants, especially on DV and Rape, but at the end of the day, I know he shares most of my feelings on inequality, though his may go beyond how it affects just women. Another point I wonder is if Feminism needs to be redefined? What do you think? Should there be a conflict between loving a man and standing for equality for women?
Dictionary says:
ReplyDeletefem-i-nism
1. the doctrine advocating social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men.
This is not man-bashing or man-hating. When women are free and empowered, MEN are free and empowered also.
No woman or man should hesitate to accept the label of feminist. By doing so, they give power to those who have been trying to twist the term into something nasty. I deny that power. I am a feminist.
I totally concur with you @Dictionary. I think Beyonce should just ignore these questions, because her response is the silliest thing I have heard all day. Whoever told her the FEMINISM means being unmarried, or unhappy? I hate (a strong word) silly women like her. Hillary Clinton is married, so is first lady Michelle obama, so is Nancy Pelosi and was Margaret Thatcher. How can she even speak of feminism…or hesitantly call herself one, when all she's known for is being naked and degrading other women by suggesting they "bow down" to her.
ReplyDeleteThe real problem (as the two posters about me have hinted at) IS that feminism has been redefined by the enemies of progress (don't mind me, i've been dying to use that phrase all day lol). Feminism is about equality. It doesn't mean you hate men and think they are inferior. It doesn't mean that all women must be spinsters and only focus on climbing the corporate ladder instead of having a husband and family. Heck, a very huge part of the core of feminism is about choice. If you want to be a wife and mother rather than (or in addition to) being a CEO, it should be because that's what you want, not because society told you as a woman that's all you're good for.
ReplyDeleteThat's (part of) my view at least
You said it way better LadyNgo, especially that part about feminism being "redefined by the enemies of progress." Great wording!
DeleteFeminism does not need to be redefined. How people like Beyoncé understand the concept of feminism is what needs to be refined. Like Beverly has said: fem-i-nism is the doctrine advocating social, political, (let me add economic) and all other rights of women equal to those of men. I don’t see why it needs to be redefined.
ReplyDeleteStanding up for an abused woman and speaking out against such evil, or feeling slighted when you find out that women receive lesser pay for the same amount of work as a man is entirely different from the reaction you get when you hear Beyoncé singing “Let me cater to my man.” They’re not the same thing. Just because I love my man and gladly cater to his needs doesn’t mean I don’t get angry when I hear about gang rape or when I hear that there’s a law that says it’s okay for a man to beat his wife, or that a man assaulted a woman because she was wearing a short skirt.
Feminism to my understanding means a woman who takes pride in her feminity. Whether she is a wife,a spinster,a house wife or a CEO. A feminist is a woman who let's the world know that she loves being a woman and can be anything she wants to be...... Beyonce got this one wrong.
ReplyDeleteI'm sorry I can't say this with my real name, I stopped being a feminist when I got married. It made my husband insecure like I was too strong minded so I backed down. But I do support fairness for less privileged women, but not equality for those of us who already have it all, education, career and marriage too. I stand with Beyonce on this one though I was never a fab of her music.
ReplyDeleteThe fact that you felt like you couldn't post this with your real name says a lot. Deep down, you know there is something wrong with that. Being a feminist simply means that we demand the same respect/status/insert-social-phenonmenon-here as men. It doesn't mean we're trying to chop their balls off. There is no need for that to threaten your husband, if you were embracing feminism in the true sense of the word, i.e. not being a militant (which is a completely different thing).
DeleteRespecting women's rights is not just about raising the living standards of the less privileged, it's about viewing women's rights to be just as valid as men's. What does "have it all" even mean? Surely if there is a limit to what women can ask for in order to appear agreeable to men, then it is impossible to have it all. We might as well settle for "having what is okay for us to have according to men".
I'm not attacking you; you made your decision and like another contributor said, feminism is all about choice. I just wanted to point out how you've contradicted yourself and the fact that there is something off about wanting to limit a part of yourself in order to please someone who may not necessarily have to do the same because he is a man. Men who have chauvinist views don't feel pressured to dampen their strong opinions in order to appear more agreeable to women. That is just frustrating. I'm done abeg.
This has got to be the most backward comment I have ever read in my life. You don't support equality for women? But you are a woman. You stopped being feminist because your husband was insecure.
DeleteHave you asked yourself WHAT TYPE OF MAN will become insecure because a woman is confident and CAPABLE?
Well you are the one who married him so more power to you.
This SAME man will one day cheat on you, that is if he is not already cheating on you.
And you want to turn your back on the equality of women and men for him.
Ngwanu.
When you get fat or old he will replace you with a newer younger model. Maybe he won't divorce you, but he'll definitely be fucking someone else in addition to you as more than 80% of married Nigerian men do on a REGULAR basis.
And that is why you need feminism.
Because your worth is not in how perky your breasts are or how fuckable you look. Your worth is in your mind and the person you are.
But to please a man, husband no less, you sold out to support patriarchy.
I hope you are also happy when elements of the patriarchy you support start creeping into your life in the form of mistresses and innumerable girlfriends, or if you are REALLY unlucky, a second wife or an away match.
Only God will help Nigerian women in 2013.
ok
ReplyDeleteayam confused ooo..what did Beyonce say that is so wrong or outside/different from what you all have said? Abi we just like to hate on 'beyonce' when we hear the name?? iiya.. i am really confused...lol
ReplyDeleteBeyonce - "That word can be very extreme… But I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality. Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? I’m just a woman and I love being a woman. I do believe in equality and that we have a way to go and it’s something that’s pushed aside and something that we have been conditioned to accept. But I’m happily married. I love my husband."
from what I understand from the above, because the word has been "redefined by the enemies of progress"..lol..She'd rather be known for being a woman who supports equality of the genders...what did she get wrong here biko nu?? Besides i'm sure there's more to that statement if we look at the original script where that is culled from.
Before una start to bash me, I'm very indifferent about Beyonces' life but admire her industriousness..
I'm pretty sure that the problem with what Beyonce said is that she's implying that she loves her husband and is happily married in spite of being a feminist. As if one can't be a feminist AND love their husband/married life. Not to mention starting your statement with saying feminism is "extreme", when it really should just be the norm.
DeleteI don't understand why many people equate feminism with man-bashing. Long gone are the days when being feminist implies throwing away your bra and growing armpit hair while bashing men all around. Feminism simply means advocating for equality in the polity and I doubt many people will have a problem with that. Feminism has had many waves. The wave of feminism we have now includes women who love men, Third World feminists, Muslim feminists and even men. I have friends who are heterosexual and are die-hard feminists. I'm not sure we should redefine feminism as much as for us to accept the many layers to feminism while appreciate the core of it - equality and nothing else.
ReplyDeleteThis feminism issue and all the confusion related with this simple term.Lol. Feminism is all about being comfortable in your own skin, about making choices and not feeling pressured to fit into stereotypes created by social structures. Feminists dont hate anyone but instead preach love and equality.
ReplyDeleteI wish more people understood this simple fact.
DeleteWhile Kola Boof is an utter nutcase, she was right when she said Beyonce is a superstar not a feminist. Beyonce will play any tune that sells her music, if you ask me
ReplyDeleteI think everyone else hit the nail on the head (well... most everyone). I believe every woman should be a feminist. But the problem arises with extremists, everything is fair in moderation (well... most everything)
ReplyDelete