Right, so I think we all agreed that Beyoncé won the Super Bowl. And then the lights shut themselves off because after seeing that much star power on stage they figured what was the point. But, seriously. It’s hard to think of a performer right now who is more universally liked (momentary presidential lip synching aside) than Beyoncé. I mean it. Think hard. She appeals across genders, races, sexual orientations, ages. Your mom likes Beyoncé. Your grandpa likes Beyoncé. Your 6-year-old niece likes Beyoncé. Football players like Beyoncé. Astrophysicists like Beyoncé. First Ladies of the United States like Beyoncé. Gay boys like Beyoncé. Lesbians like Beyoncé. Sure, she might not be the favorite artist on your iPod, but you will sure as hell make a point to stop and watch her kill it dead if the opportunity arises. And, boy, did it arise. Bold. Bonkers. Bendy. Bouncey. Brilliant. Beyoncé. And we haven’t even talked about that Destiny’s Child mini-reunion. Or her all-female band. Question. Why am I still talking when you could be rewatching Queen Bey?
p.s. If the copyright overlords take down the video, check it out in here.
p.p.s. And then there was this.
I have been based on m own fb page for saying this, but I'm repeating it again here anyway. Beyonce is a beautiful talented woman, there is no doubt about that. Because she is so talented, I just don't understand the need to dress like a stripper. It would be different if she were making up for something and needed the shock factor, but she doesn't! It would have been just as good of a performance if she hadn't looked like she was on stage in bedroom wear. Frustrating!
ReplyDeleteI had a thought related to Anonymous's, though not exactly the same. Basically I noticed that throughout the evening, some of my Twitter friends (and their friends, seen through RTs) had been blasting various commercials for sexism. Then Beyonce comes on stage, and it's all "girl power!" and "work it!" etc. I found it a bit incongruous, so I asked what made her sexy halftime show empowering while the commercials were misogynistic? It was an open-ended question, not one I meant to argue any sides for, and I ask it again here. (I'm also about to blog about it on my own site.)
ReplyDeleteI think it's based on the question of who has control. Maybe we are fooling ourselves but we like to think that pop stars have (some) control over how they present themselves. People (women) in the ads are just there at some faceless (male) corporate ad exec's whim, so not in control.
ReplyDeleteIf you believe that split then a woman who chooses to dress sexy is empowered/empowering. A woman who is forced to dress sexy because men say it must be so is not.
(I'm not saying I believe it myself, but it's a logic I think is consistent.)
Frankly I was bored with her halftime show. All she did was dress slutty and shake her ass. How is that a great halftime show?
ReplyDeleteI'm really tired of the slut-shaming that's being thrown at Beyonce. In the wise words of Ainee Fatima:
ReplyDelete"When people attempt to undermine Beyonce’s empowerment and autonomy by defining her merit by what she does or wears, they’re actually reinforcing the oppressive society that dictates that everything including women and their rights are commodities and for sale and alienated from their person. This is particularly dangerous, deadly form of antiblack misogyny when used against black women, who have historically in America (and the world) had their bodies both dehumanized and hyper-sexualized to the point where they are viewed as both non-human and unable to have a right to their sexuality- something that is socially enforced to this day, notably in the rhetoric surrounding Beyonce’s attire and marketing choices."