Beyonce Says She Thinks She A Feminist, In A Way
It’s been heavily debated for years. Are Beyonce’s lyrics feminist? Is her alter-ego Sasha Fierce questioning America’s idea of the Black woman, etc, etc…
Now Beyonce herself confirms she’s feminist—”in a way.” The 28 year-old platinum selling artist talks with Daily Mail UK on her intentional small break from music, starting a family, and figuring out who she is.
Beyonce says:
I think I am a feminist in a way. It’s not something I consciously decided I was going to be; perhaps it’s because I grew up in a singing group with other women, and that was so helpful to me. It kept me out of so much trouble and out of bad relationships. My friendships with my girls are just so much a part of me that there are things I am never going to do that would upset that bond. I never want to betray that friendship because I love being a woman and I love being a friend to other women.
Umm . . . Bey, sounds like you’re communicating your choice to be a good friend, not a feminist. But if you are choosing to join us Black feminists, we gladly accept you.
Or do we?
Let’s settle it here and now, for once and for all. Is Beyonce really a feminist? What brand of feminism does the pop superstar exactly project? And do we really feel she has a deep understanding of the ideology?
Is there some sort of unwritten prerequisite that all proclaimed feminists read Patricia Hill-Collins and Joan Morgan at least twice? Or is being a feminist as simple as declaring, “I’m a feminist”?
You ladies decide. How do we feel about Beyonce’s self-proclaimed feminism?
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Trying to figure out why here weaves and body came into. You guys sure aren’t feminist right now. Don’t hate cuz you can’t wear it just as well as you do. And half of ya’ll would be on her mans jock if she wasn’t holding it down. Every woman is different and every feminist is as well. While I am always happy about the empowerment of women some take it too far. It’s about accepting and including different women from different backgrounds whether they meet what you expect them to be like. If everyone was the same militant take the man down type then they wouldn’t bring anything to the table. Feminist isn’t being the general manager of a club or association, group of people or whatever. It’s about being open to others and making what they bring and who they are work for you. And unless were in Destiny’s Child then you can’t say what happened. And you guys have done worse I’m sure. It may be a few members truth but even that is biased.
This doesn’t sound very ‘woman empowering’ to me. Sounds like the opposite actually: “Don’t hate cuz you can’t wear it just as well as you do. And half of ya’ll would be on her mans jock if she wasn’t holding it down”.
The definition of Feminist from the Webster is – 1 : the theory of the political, economic, and social equality of the sexes 2 : organized activity on behalf of women’s rights and interests. — fem·i·nist … Also, she speaks of friendship but what happen to her friends anyways… oh, that’s right she ditched them with her self-centered actions. FYI B, that is not how you treat friends ( It Okay Kelly!!).
Beyonce remains me of Jessica Simpson whenever she talks, like seriously. Yes, there is no set definition of what a feminist is, how they should be portrayed, or act. HOWEVER, the answer she gave to that question had little relevance to do with the topic at hand, seriously. Honestly, I’ am reading comments from her fans that would have been a better answer than the one she has given. Personally, I think she should read up on the movement, look up the term or ask questions before she speaks on something that she clearly missed the mark on. I don’t think people are questioning that she is for female empowerment, strength, equality (in her case in relationships by the messages of her songs) or being that bad chick in charge but again the answer she given was ill constructed, not thought out and made her look ditsy. Unless, she clear that little “uh-oh” of an answer up, I wouldn’t consider her a feminist because like the first comment stated from that answer it looks like she just appreciates female friendship and sisterhood not really the ideas of feminism.
She’s alright with men. There are some things she says/does that annoy and confuse me. But give her a break, she has her own definition of feminism.
And bash me all you want, a “Black Feminist” is very laughable. It doesn sound right and I agree with Erica.
Find another word and read up on your ‘place’ in this world. What are you fighting for?
Is it because she never rhymed patriarchy with anarchy in a club banger???
Let’s be real with ourselves here. She’s 28. She came out with Destiny’s Child when she was 16. The album that blew them up (The Writing’s on the Wall) came out when she was 19 and she’s been on her “legend in the making” status since then. We all know artists usually don’t have that much free time and an artist of her stature probably has 0!
With that said when do ya’ll really think she had time or the ability to sit in on college-level Women’s Studies class? Or seriously study Patricia Hill Collins, Audre Lorde, and Alice Walker in between world tours? NOPE!
I think we’re being a little elitist (and classist) here. Just because she doesn’t use academic jargon and quote Toni Morrison doesn’t mean she doesn’t understand basic tenets of feminism. I completely understand why some people view Beyonce in a feminist light because I pay attention to lyrics and I saw it too with the second Destiny’s Child album when she really started to get writing credits (I’ll put a short list at the end).
If we use the same standards for Beyonce to judge other women (appearance and eloquence it seems), we might as well scratch a few more black women off the list too. Sojourner Truth probably couldn’t have told you what a feminist was or what it was about but does that make “Ain’t I A Woman?” any less of a womanist/feminist speech? I’m not saying she and Beyonce are equivalent (put the knife down). What I’m trying to articulate is that it seems like we want feminism to look and sound a certain way (more like ONE way). That way seems to be more academic and less “common” or “around the way.” However, the women who would probably benefit the most from womanism/feminism are working-class/poor and don’t know what the hell patriarchy/hegemony/heteronormative/heterosexism means! Beyonce serves as the bridge from academia to lay people. She communicates in a way that’s not intimidating to regular folk.
Just because we get it that male superiority/female inferiority is bad doesn’t mean that every other woman does. I also think we grossly underestimate how entrenched patriarchy is in our society. Let’s not focus so much on the image but check for the LYRICS!
Bills, Bills, Bills
Bug A Boo
Survivor
Independent Woman Part I & II
Bootylicious
The Story of Beauty
Me, Myself, and I
Yes
The Majority of the B’Day album
Single Ladies
Diva
Ego
If I Were a Boy
I know ya’ll are looking @ the list like WTH but like I said look at the lyrics not the image! I’d be happy to debate anyone about my list but this post is getting long-winded so….
Full Disclosure: I’m only a casual Beyonce fan. Would probably like her more if she took one of those Kanye breaks but that’s like wishing for world peace.
Whew! I’m glad you said it all so I wouldn’t have to. I think what people take issue with the most is the fact that 1) she doesn’t sound all that confident about her feminism and 2) she doesn’t swear off embracing her sexuality and at times entertains male audiences with it as well. I, too, am a “casual Beyonce fan” because many a times she has caused me to scratch my head and skip a track or two. I understand her lack of confidence because she may, as someone pointed out earlier, be in the beginning stages of discovering and defining her feminism. She has been trained to use her physical attributes to catch people’s attention, but the lyrics are just as demanding. And anyone who has actually listened to the lyrics in the songs listed (I think u forgot “Irreplaceable”), you will notice the message she’s implementing to young girls. Though at times I wish her image would match the respectability of those lyrics, it is clear that Beyonce just sings the songs, and doesn’t necesarily write from her own stance. If she did, we might get a better idea of who she is and what she believes. But I digress, she can be a bit confusing sometimes because she’ll put out a song like “Me, Myself and I” and then turn around and release “Kitty Kat” which was a step back to me. However, as I said before, she could be in the learning stages, or maybe this is all part of her ideaology of feminism. Either way, real feminists/womanists don’t refuse sistership to any woman, regardless of what development stage she is in.
Okay you can shoot me for being a messager but I agree with some of your points but all…
Sorry but being a superstar is no excuse for not being educated or knowing what you are talking about especially in this day and age where information is a click away, let’s kill the noise please. Like I stated before, her fans or people who are not fans of hers gave a better answer to that question than she did. She doesn’t have to be a flat out genius or have tons of degrees to her name but taking classes here and there wouldn’t hurt her whether it be online or through tutoring or simply reading. Yes, she is busy but so are a lot of other people. Because whenever she is asked a question regarding certain subjects or topics be it serious or thought provoking, she makes very little to no sense at all when she speaks. You can be the biggest, brightest and best superstar but that doesn’t make up for holding a simple conversation. Now could she be consider a feminist,, of course her songs especially Independent Woman (which I play religiously) have some strong, thought provoking messages and encourages women from everything from relationships to being a strong woman in general but again if she wants people to take her seriously or think of her in that light, then she needs to give better answers because if she used some of the points you and most people made with her songs then this article wouldn’t gotten so much of a buzz about it.
@ Empress:
I agree with you in a way, but it’s worth noting that 1. Beyonce rarely writes her own songs, and 2.her image seems more manufactured than self-made, at this point at least. Also, she doesn’t have to use big words to appear intelligent (and I don’t doubt that she is), but sometimes her statements contradict her actions. Like she says she wants to be a role model to little girls, and then at the same time she puts out a single like “Videophone”, which is not in any way, shape or form, empowering to young women. I don’t think entertainers should be forced into the positions of being role models just because they’re in the public eye, BUT if you proclaim yourself as one, then your actions need to start syncing with your words. Same thing if you’re calling yourself a feminist.
Well put EmpressDivine!
If by feminist she means slut, then she may be on to something LOL how is she empowering women by showing her body off? If anything women like her set us back 100 years.
If Beyonce claims to be a feminist then by all means, let her be one. I used to never claimed to be a feminist. I always associated it with it being some white female thing that had a lot of negative connotations to it. But one day a friend of mine told me that “Feminism is just the belief that women are a people.” I agree with definition and I believe that we are a people. If she feels that she has become a feminist because of her relationships with other women, why are people knocking that? If she feels that she empowers women, how can you say that she’s wrong? Who says a feminist has to keep her body covered? Maybe she doesn’t feel empowered that way and maybe other women agree. There is no one definition of feminism. If she says in a way she’s a feminist, who am I to disagree? It’s her f*ckin belief.
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