I have always been a big fan of Annie Lennox but she's walking on broken glass with this one and got me asking Why? (see, big fan). The singer, song writer, activist and humanitarian ambassador has called Beyonce's brand of feminism "feminism lite". While out promoting her new album Nostalgia Lennox said of Beyonce's feminism: "It's tokenistic to me. I mean, I think she's a phenomenal artist - I just love her performances - but I'd like to sit down (with her). I think I'd like to sit down with quite a few artists and talk to them. I'd like to listen to them; I'd like to hear what they truly think." Talking to PrideSource Lennox also said that feminism "continues to be reframed". Why when it comes to Beyonce's relationship with feminism are many feminists so sceptical?
It's important that we note exactly what I wrote there in the first paragraph - partly because otherwise the rest of this won't make sense but mostly because I want to draw your attention to my word choice. I said brand. Brand of feminism.
Maybe that's part of the problem. Not what feminism has become but what we have become. In February I wrote about the rise of sexting and selfies in relation to being a brand. Because the self is increasingly the focus you don't necessarily join a movement for what it does for others but how it looks on you. You make it come to you, to fit you.
This can be positive. It's not blindly joining a movement and just automatically agreeing and parroting the manifesto. But of course the negative is you might be aligning yourself, or your brand, to a movement because you like the way you look in a Keffiyeh.
Maybe that's part of the problem. Not what feminism has become but what we have become. In February I wrote about the rise of sexting and selfies in relation to being a brand. Because the self is increasingly the focus you don't necessarily join a movement for what it does for others but how it looks on you. You make it come to you, to fit you.
This can be positive. It's not blindly joining a movement and just automatically agreeing and parroting the manifesto. But of course the negative is you might be aligning yourself, or your brand, to a movement because you like the way you look in a Keffiyeh.
| But back to Annie Lennox, Beyonce Knowles/Carter and feminism. Beyonce and her pop peers might well be jumping a bandwagon, and they might find it is easier to jump onto the feminist bandwagon wearing heels and a leotard. | does your stage outfit cancel out your feminist credentials? |
But does your stage outfit cancel out your feminist credentials? Lennox is sceptical: "I see a lot of it as them taking the word hostage and using it to promote themselves, but I don't think they necessarily represent wholeheartedly the depths of feminism - no, I don't. I think for many it's very convenient and it looks great and it looks radical, but I have some issues with it. I have issues with it. Of course I do. I think it's a cheap shot."
Perhaps Beyonce is a gateway feminist. I prefer the idea of her introducing young women and men to feminism, presenting herself as someone who appears to be in complete control of her image, her lyrics, her stage routines than, some others who are 'representing' new young feminists. Those who write blogs and columns in newspapers about who can and can't be a feminist because of what they wear (therefore objectifying the women they are trying to 'save'). These feminists who use their platform to give their negative opinions of a woman of colour who champions feminism, discusses equal pay and pride in her talents and body, who clearly works incredibly hard.
Are some stars aligning themselves with #feminism because Beyonce seems to be making a lot of money from it? Yes. No doubt. But feminism is on the agenda like never before and we should take advantage of that. Let's talk and yeah, let's talk feminism lite.
Squeamish Kate
Perhaps Beyonce is a gateway feminist. I prefer the idea of her introducing young women and men to feminism, presenting herself as someone who appears to be in complete control of her image, her lyrics, her stage routines than, some others who are 'representing' new young feminists. Those who write blogs and columns in newspapers about who can and can't be a feminist because of what they wear (therefore objectifying the women they are trying to 'save'). These feminists who use their platform to give their negative opinions of a woman of colour who champions feminism, discusses equal pay and pride in her talents and body, who clearly works incredibly hard.
Are some stars aligning themselves with #feminism because Beyonce seems to be making a lot of money from it? Yes. No doubt. But feminism is on the agenda like never before and we should take advantage of that. Let's talk and yeah, let's talk feminism lite.
Squeamish Kate
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