Feminism can be defined as the
belief that women should have equal opportunity as men politically, socially,
and economically. It also embraces the belief that everyone should have equal
civil rights no matter a person’s sexuality, race, ethnicity, religion,
culture, or lifestyle. These beliefs are prevalent within the music industry.
You can find many artists' feminist beliefs entwined in their songs as they use
their influence to spread awareness of their views.
We all know that Beyoncé wears her feminist crown
proudly. She showcases this in numerous ways, from having "FEMINIST" across her
stage during her 2014 Ms. Carter Tour to her feminist anthems. It is also present in the
introduction to her recent single, "Flawless," explained by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, the host of Ted Talk. She told
ELLE her reasoning behind this introduction is to clarify the meaning of feminism. The
introduction also brings up multiple different societal expectations between
genders. "We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings the way boys are." This addresses the double standard that when girls act sexually or are not
covered enough, it is portrayed as a bad thing. When men wear minimal clothing no one sees it
as problematic. In the chorus of this song it says "Ladies, tell ‘em I woke up
like this. I woke up like this. We flawless." This portrays her belief that
women can wake up and be flawless, and that it is not necessary for women to
spend copious amounts of time getting ready to be socially acceptable. In
another one of Beyoncé’s singles, "We Run the World," she assures her audience that
feminism is for men as well. "To the men who respect what I do, please accept my
shine."
Miley Cyrus is another feminist influence in pop culture. At the 2013 Video Music Awards she had a controversial performance, which consisted of
revealing clothing and sexual dance moves. All of this, especially after she had recently
gotten a haircut that is considered masculine, was blown out of proportion. Cyrus was hit with a wave of
disapproval because people thought that the purpose of her performance was to
attract more males to her fan base. However, she didn’t let this hate get her
down. Cyrus responded, saying that just because she was acting in a
particular manner does not mean she was exploiting her sexuality. Miley has
helped make great leaps for everyone by saying that "Genders aren’t the problem, stereotypes are."
Madonna is another feminist
influence in music. Throughout her entire career both her songs and music
videos have pushed the limits of women’s sexuality. Her explicit videos and
lyrics promotes women’s sexuality. Her video "Justify My Love" was explicit and was nicknamed a "celebration of sex," claiming that sexuality isn’t just for men,
but for women as well.
The definition of humanism is an outlook or system of
attaching prime importance to humans rather than divine or supernatural matter.
Humanists focus on the goodness of a human being above anything else. Humanists relate to feminists because both groups believe all humans should be equal and
important. All of these artists share the same beliefs that by being a feminist, it makes you a humanist as well.
Kurt Cobain, member of Nirvana, was
an avid male feminist who detested gender inequality. He once wore a dress in
his music video and to an interview in Los Angeles. In an interview he said, “Wearing a dress shows I can be as feminine as I want.” He broke the stereotype that men wearing dresses was unacceptable. He also said, “I
have nothing against heavy metal, except that it can be pretty sexist.” This
was a big deal during the time because a male band member as influential as
Cobain claiming his distaste for aspects of his own music genre was not
typical.
There are also other male feminists like John Legend,
John Lennon, Harry Styles, and Eddie Vedder. John Legend preformed a charity concert
with Beyoncé and Florence and The Machine for Chime for Change, an organization
that puts funding towards bettering women’s lives all across the world. John
Lennon played a large role in shifting gender roles in the 1980s. He was one of
the only artist at the time to integrate feminist ideas, masculinity, and
relationships into his work. Harry Styles, a member of One Direction,
is a supporter of the #HeforShe campaign. The #HeforShe campaign encourages
boys to fight for gender equality. He
tweets his support and encourages others to do so as well. Eddie Vedder, member
of Pearl Jam, has played in Rock for Choice, which is a pro-choice benefit, in
the early ‘90s. When he was in the May 1994 edition of the Rolling Stones magazine
he spread his beliefs, saying, “I’m usually good at controlling my temper, but
all these men trying to control women’s bodies are really making me angry."
Many past and present music artists are
making waves for feminism and its beliefs. The influence that these artists
have on us helps empower and guide listeners to strive for equality. Every
little step they take makes a difference, and that difference is much
appreciated.
For similar content see this http://www.laweekly.com/music/10-proudly-feminist-musicians-4255472
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