WAP: Women And Patriarchy

     If you have been keeping up with recent pop culture news, you will have heard of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s performance at the 61st Grammys this past sunday. Cardi’s portion performance started with her single “Up”, and it merged into a controversial feature with Megan Thee Stallion, in their hit single “WAP”. 

Their performance together included a lot of sexual innuendos, which sparked a controversy about the “appropriateness” of displaying that at an award show presented to the public. Some concerns mentioned that the performance would not be appropriate for kids watching at home. Now, that might be a valid concern, but this excuse only masks the real issue at hand: misogyny. 

For generations society has tried to dictate what it means to be a strong woman, whether that be acting masculine, cross-dressing, being stubborn, or achieving crazy inspiring things. At the core of it all, these definitions try to veil the sexuality of a woman, because it is perceived as weak and an overt display of femininity.

Women are very commonly sexualized by men, objectified for their body, and even shamed for their sexual history (as Rosie mentioned previously). The essence of Cardi and Megan’s performance, and by the same hand their song, is embracing sexuality, and reclaiming it as a strength rather than a weakness. 

The real reason for outrage at their performance is the fact that they owned their body, making it individualistic and something to be proud of. This strength in sexuality essentially takes away the single tool that men use to belittle women, and that makes them angry. I personally thought that their performance was inspiring, as it took a lot of bravery to pave their own way despite knowing the criticism they would get.

 

Remember that change has to start somewhere, and this road to embracing sexuality has only just begun. It is perfectly okay to be proud of your body and your sexuality, After all: your body, your choice. And for the ridiculous parents who were concerned about their kids, they can just turn off the TV. :) 

Happy Women’s History Month!!