An Actual Defense of Beyonce

This is my response to the Bitch Magazine article that half-ass defends Beyonce's "Run the World." I haven't run any other criticism of this video except people who say that, no, in fact, girls don't run the world. While I don't disagree with that statement, I entirely disagree that Beyonce's song and video are devoid of any message aside from consumerist delusions.

The main points critisized:
1. Beyonce equates power with having money.
2. Beyonce is not a feminist scholar.
3. The song uses the word "girls" rather than "women"
4. Features scantily clad women in her video.
5. Beyonce falsely asserts that girls rule the world. 

First, my interpretation of the song lyrics: The song does not actually say that girls rule the world. It says that men think they are better than women but they are wrong. This song acknowledges that industry trends (this beat is crazy) are being used to sell a minority point, similar to the work of M.I.A. It discourages girls from hiding their power, unlike Madonna in "What it Feels Like for a Girl," which asserts that girls are strong inside but "good little girls, they never show it." Beyonce is "hood with it," so she's talking to dis-empowered minorities. Beyonce raises a glass to those girls getting college degrees. She encourages men to respect strong girls and simultaneously tell girls there are boys who will love them for being strong women. Finally, she pushes the potential power of girls to "With our love we can devour/You'll do anything for me," a scary illustration of power challenging girls to push the limits of normality, even if their power scares them, because the normal asserts that a woman should be scared of her own power. Notice that the song is in a mix of the present and future tense.

Addressing the first point of criticism, there is nothing wrong with telling a woman she should make the same amount of money as a man does. This is really classic feminism we're talking about here. That Beyonce threatens the Boy's Club status quo here should not be confused with the rap industry obsession with bling. She's talking about working a 9-5 in this song. Finally, it is delusional to say that, in America, having more money does not open gateways to power. Whether or not that should be the case is not the issue. That's how it is right now.

Addressing the second point, the fact that Beyonce is not a feminist scholar is part of the reason that I listen to her music and a huge part of the reason that girls, who are so wrapped up in patriarchal values that they oppose feminism, listen to her music. Her brand of feminism is about friendship and support. She's about empowering women, not the top down approach of dismantling that invisible yet ubiquitous hand of patriarchy. Her target audience, judging by the sound of the song, listens to the radio and may not have any knowledge of feminist discourse. Beyonce puts her point into that perspective, not into the perspective of someone reading Judith Butler.

I don't think Beyonce's target audience is the women who are in power. How much do you think Michelle Bachmann or Sarah Palin care about black girls' on the verge of accepting or rejecting their own self worth? Even liberal women in power are, for the most part white. No offense, but a lot smart, young black kids mistrust anyone who is white and in any position of power. That's where Beyonce comes in. I realize I'm limiting this to America but a black woman, because she's basically royalty in her industry, singing in America know that African Americans and that community/history are her audience.

Beyonce embraces her sexuality and urges women to not only feel sexy but take charge of their own sexiness. Watch a few more Beyonce videos and tell me that's untrue. Also, I am personally disinclined from calling a woman that looks like a lion (note the hair, shoulder pads, bold jewelry) scantily clad. Partly because I'm afraid she could destroy me.

Again, Beyonce does not assert girls rule the world. The tense of her song implies her target audience is actually young women. Studies upon studies have shown that girls surpass boys in school until they get to the age that they start worrying about what boys think of them. And that's where Beyonce steps in.

Beyonce mixes radical, black, and practically conservative feminism in ways that a woman who continually demonstrates her ability to work her industry, which is music not cultural criticism, certainly has the right to mix. In fact, you should let her open you mind up to the notion and give yourself that right as well.