Elizabeth Crenshaw
E-Portfolio for English 1102-004
Beyoncé projects a very confusing message with contrasting words and images of her music videos. I’ll show what I mean with a couple examples:
Lyrics and Music Videos
***Flawless
Pro-Feminism: The most pro-feminist aspect to this song is how she samples a TED talk in the song from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. It is a very powerful section that promotes equality and feminism. Some of the lyrics Beyoncé sings are also feminist, like, “I took some time to live my life/ But don't think I'm just his little wife.” She is saying that she’s just as powerful in their relationship as he is, and it was her choice to take time off.
Anti-Feminism: The way she is dressed is very provocative and scandalous. She has a lot of makeup on and is dressed in a small outfit but portraying a tough persona. Her dancing has a lot of hip thrusting and grinding involved. A lot of the song is made up with the repeated lyrics of, “wake up, flawless/ post up, flawless…this rock, flawless/ my rock, flawless” and, “I woke up like this” over and over again. I don’t see a feminist message in these lyrics. I see her being happy with her body and her objects, but not about how men and women should be equal. The lyrics Beyonce sings and the images of the music video contradict the use and message of the TED Talk.
If I Were A Boy
Pro-Feminism: In this video, Beyoncé is showing the double standards of men and women in relationships. She talks about issues from unequal emphasis on appearance to taking a woman for granted.
Anti-Feminism: While Beyoncé is pointing out some double standards, she doesn’t say anything about how women can sometimes do these things too. It’s not too strong of an argument against it because she is singing from a women’s point of view and it is only a couple minute song, but still. She also strips down to her underwear. Like I’ve mentioned before, it is very hard to get a message out while viewers are going to be focused on her body.
All these music videos have the same issue: disconnect between the messages sent by the lyrics and the images. They are all empowering women in a sense, but have the women in the videos dressed in a hypersexual way. Even though the messages are different, they are encouraging women to be empowered. Run The World is saying that women do have the power to hold big power positions, even running to world. Single Ladies is empowering women to be strong and independent after a break up. Diva is connecting the ties between the male “hustler” and the female “diva.” All the videos also have anti-feminism themes too though. Run The World is right on the line of becoming sexist by saying that women are better than men. Single Ladies has a simple video, but body image and sexuality is played up way too strongly. It is hard to listen to a message when all you see are three women in skimpy unitards and sky-high heals. Diva is promoting women to be like “hustlers” by being the female counterpart, a diva. Of what I know, I don’t think hustlers are pro-feminist or send out a feminist message.
Run The World (Girls)
Single Ladies
Diva