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?
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ReplyDeleteBeyonce's name has been at the tip of everyone's tongues recently, especially with the release of her latest album, Lemonade. While Beyonce has what I feel is good intentions behind the empowering messages in her songs as of late, I can agree that some may see the issue in Beyonce's inability to completely identify and relate with black people and black women and their struggles due to herself not being a part of their experiences, as she has a background and upbringing unlike the majority of black women. However, if her music does succeed in raising race and gender issues to public attention and makes people feel proud and empowered, is there really a problem with Beyonce using her voice to do so? As for appearing to capitalise on the media attention that race and gender issues have been receiving, there is no way to be sure, but everyone grows and learns with their craft, and as Beyonce has been in the music industry for most of her life her music has developed as she has gotten older. Since she has a daughter, her latest records may reflect her realisation of how important it is to make her daughter feel strong and proud being brought up in a world that still discriminates and degrades certain people. Teaching her daughter to love who she is is a message that can in turn resonate with other young black girls too.
ReplyDeleteI mean, Beyonce herself isn't the one saying that she is a feminist icon or a warrior for racial and social inequalities. The media puts so much pressure on celebrity women, in particular, to be role models and spokespeople for issues, but Beyonce has been learning and growing just like the rest of us. She is doing what she can with what she has, which is a lot of influence over her audience and money to give to causes (I think she and Jay-Z donated $1.5 million to the Black Lives Matter movement?). We get mad at celebrities when they don't speak up about issues such as feminism or racism, but then we get mad when they do because they are privileged, or because they only just started advocating against these problems. As long as Beyonce is using her privilege for bringing attention to issues of race and gender, it's a good thing, right? Of course, it is completely true that she cannot fully relate to the plight of a lot of black men and women, but that doesn't erase the fact that she would no doubt have faced some forms of sexism and racism in the industry she works in, and now she is raising those issues to the public. What's more, a lot of people don't hear about what really went on, and continues to go on in New Orleans. The sampling of Messy Mya's voice in the Formation video brings attention to the black man who was murdered in New Orleans, a tragedy which I personally had not heard about.
ReplyDeleteI don't know, basically all your points are super valid and great and I totally appreciate that a lot of black people do not feel that Beyonce can accurately represent them in videos. But I do think it's good of Beyonce to talk about these issues because her influence is so far-reaching and people need to know.