Similar ideologies are reflected elsewhere in that charts. For instance, the September hit ‘Booty’ is a prime example of this. To some, this is the real body positive pop song of 2014- A less offensive Anaconda. However, delve a little deeper into the lyrics, and you may find yourself mistaken.
On the surface, Booty does seem vaguely empowering- It’s Jennifer Lopez, a 40-something mum of two, making a comeback and combatting misogyny faced by older women and mothers in society. Despite the ‘booty’-filled video flashing fast enough to trigger epilepsy, the song does seem to have a slight feminist air about it.
However, listen one minute into the song, and the majority of feminist critiques will change. Female listeners are taught that they should “Give him what he asked for”- Supposedly whether they like it or not. Instantly, the whole moral of the song is altered- This is not a celebration of women’s bodies in their own right, but a message that women should only love themselves because men do.
No article on body positive songs would be complete without a mention of All About That Bass- Arguably the most debated song this year. The sickly sweet, 1950s style hit by Meghan Trainor topped the charts last autumn, attracting extensive discussion wherever it was played. Some gushed at the self-proclaimed ‘body positive’ artist, overjoyed that that the music industry had allowed a song to express such ideas. Others weren’t so convinced.
It’s pretty clear from the beginning of the song that this body positive inclusion is not all it may seem- And is in fact very exclusive to anyone who may be considered “a size two”. This is ironic, as the very essence of body positivity is the ideology that everyone should love their body. Of course, some fans argue that ‘size twos’ have the majority of songs today are written about them, but- as is typical of the mainstream music industry- They fail to empower.
This exclusive nature of the song is reiterated at the chorus, where women learn that, “Guys like a little more booty to hold at night”. In addition to this generalisation of men’s preferences, this is yet another example of a woman’s bodily worth being compared to men’s desires. Don’t worry about your size, the song says, because some men will find it attractive. Women should be taught to love themselves and their bodies in their own rights, not because men like them.
Despite these body image blips in All About That Bass, it would be unfair to disregard the song completely. The very fact that it tries to address the issues of body shaming in society is positive and refreshing; in fact, some of the lines- particularly; “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top”- Should actually be commended. However, this is overshadowed by some particular feminist faux pas the song has to offer. In a supposedly ‘body positive’ song, you would expect the classic depravity of “skinny b******” to be avoided- but clearly not. This lyric is ironic in the least, triggering at the most, but overall just incredibly puzzling. If nothing else, it provides a bemusing topic of conversation- And possibly the publicity the song wanted.
However, perhaps the most ironic thing of all is the complete lack of understanding Meghan Trainor herself has for the subject of body positivity. It is a widely known fact in the industry that the song was not written specifically for Trainor- The song’s producer searched for other suitable candidates before her, and was turned down by the likes of Rihanna and Beyoncé. The fact that Meghan Trainor was by no means first choice for the role damages her sincerity for the subject of body positivity, and makes All About That Bass appear more of a business endeavour- A tactical move disguised as change in the music industry, in order to attract a niche, feminist market.
This is reiterated by Trainor’s responses in press coverage and interviews- She said herself that she does not consider herself a feminist, because she loves people of all genders. Ironically, the statement she has just made feminist in itself, and highlights her lack of understanding of the topic. If someone is truly passionate about body image, you would expect them to have a firm grasp of the issues of feminism too.
This is reiterated by her reactions in a recent Guardian interview, where the interviewer mentions how Trainor herself is not a particularly large woman. Instead of the measured, fair response you would expect from a body image enthusiast, she positively gushes over the comment, as if it was the most charming of compliments- Showing that personally, she finds being considered plus size a negative thing. When you consider her song’s lyric, “Don’t worry about your size”, her reaction is incredibly hypocritical, and only highlights the transparency of the song’s message further- It’s not body positive, it’s just trying to convince people it is to sell records.
So the next time you’re about to gush over a new ‘body positive’ song in the charts, have a read of the lyrics first. And go and listen to some Pussy Riot instead.
by
marionsmith1997hotmailcouk (student)
