All Hail Queen B! ...Right?

Well, she's certainly garnered the attention of the media recently, with the release of her album Lemonade. A powerhouse in the music industry, Beyonce Knowles-Carter serves as a role to model to young women and men around the globe. She has mastered her craft and proved herself to be a versatile artist - musically, choreographically, cinematically, and let's face it - she SLAYS onstage.

But what about socially? Politically? Hailed as a feminist icon, is she really what she represents to so many people?

Take the "Formation" video for example. A powerful statement about the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, Beyonce sends chills down our spine with her pose on the sinking police car and the young boy standing in front of a line of armed police officers. Watching the super bowl, we see her striking presentation of "Formation" with lines of black women behind her, representing a new take on the Black Power movement. Our instinct is to recognize that Beyonce is a strong, black woman and she is spearheading the #BlackLivesMatter campaign as well as the feminist struggle. At face value, this is what the media portrays her to be. And why wouldn't we believe it? She is an accomplished black woman who deserves praise.

But let's take a step back. Beyonce has been in the spotlight since she was a teenager. Thriving in the music industry beginning with Destiny's Child, then later moving into her own light, Beyonce can do no wrong in the eyes of the general public. She has flown up the celebrity ladder past her peers, living a lush lifestyle the majority of her life. This isn't to say she hasn't struggled - being a black woman in the American music industry is demanding, tiring and debilitating. Yet, she has succeeded on a global scale. This should be praised. But does her time in the spotlight distance her from the plight of the average black woman?

As a white woman, I can only scratch the surface of what I see. I can't dig into the depths of understanding the struggle that my peers face. That's why I broached the topic of Beyonce's image with my good friend, Dayna. Dayna is a black woman who studies African-American Diaspora and Women's Studies at Loyola University - in New Orleans. While she of course does not "stand in" as a spokesperson for the African-American struggle, I know that she is passionate about social justice and would know obviously far more than I on the daily life of being a black woman. I asked her about her views on the "Formation" video, since I had heard only overwhelmingly positive feedback. She responded that she didn't necessarily agree with the video. When I asked her why, she in turn asked me to consider the lyrics towards the beginning of the song: "My daddy Alabama, momma Louisiana/You mix that negro with that Creole make a Texas bama." Yes, Beyonce's mother is from Louisiana, but Beyonce is from Texas. She cannot truly identify with the New Orleans struggle because she herself did not have to go through it. Certainly, she provided a platform on which to discuss the issues surrounding the horrible situation of Katrina and lack of police response. But Beyonce's wealth and position in society distances her from identifying with the financially devastating results of Hurricane Katrina and those affected by the neglect of New Orleans politicians.

Beyonce also identifies herself as a feminist. She writes empowering songs for black women, as well as for women of all ethnicities. But this doesn't necessarily make her the face of the feminist struggle, nor the face of the African-American struggle. A woman living in the lap of luxury, she is not to blame for not being able to relate to the lifestyle of those directly above, on and below the poverty line. She has been criticized, however, for the "lightness of her skin." Although a proud black woman is presented to us through the media, the same media has lightened her skin tone for the cover of magazines. Does this suggest that Beyonce addresses the topic of race and feminism only when it benefits her socially? Until this point, she has not stepped out and confronted racial issues, and does little activism in the realm of feminism as well. Some believe that it is simply too little, too late.

When all is said and done, however, one fact about Beyonce remains: she serves as an empowering figure to so many of her fans. Even if she doesn't identify with the little guy (girl), there is no argument when it comes to questioning her power in the media. If she is recognizing her social responsibility to further these causes, praise certainly is in order for her accomplishments. But the question is posed - is it for the benefit of the general population to become aware of the struggle of black women and in turn urging us all to do something about it, or is it self-serving to attract more media attention?