Why Sabrina, Why?
We don't need this right now
If you’re not aware of our pop-cultural world but are a fan of music, feminism and seeing women as people, then this essay is for you. Pop princess and Disney girl, Sabrina Carpenter, has announced her new album and with much warranted skepticism, it must be addressed.
The title “Man’s Best Friend” and visuals being Carpenter bent down to the ground on both knees, whilst having her hair pulled by what looks like a man in a suit, opens a discussion that must be had on what this means for women. Upon my initial glance, I was not surprised, as her branding has always been a mix of fun and sexy, matching her witty innuendo fuelled lyrics, however, the aftermath of my reflection carried a different weight. As I choose to tailor my lifestyle around feminism and digest media through its lens, reading the responses from other women, noting the importance of clarity in popular media, a question must be asked, do women need this right now? Not only is Carpenter bent down on both knees, but the grainage of the image is distorted to look as if her undereye makeup is smudged, perhaps leaning into the sultry “I’ve just had sex” look, which would not necessarily be a bad visual, if a man weren’t looming above. A blatant visual representation, of male led domination, not quite so subtle or symbolic of empowerment. Female sexual liberation in music is necessary for gender equality, Carpenters short n sweet lingerie-esque costumes, glamorous makeup, beautifully crafted aesthetics and clever lyrical innuendoes are not up for debate, her past music has managed to empower women through her own self-proclaimed liberation. Her past discography is reminiscent of performers like Madonna, Lizzo, Gaga, Nina Simone, Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys and many other musicians that have carved a way for feminist ideologies within pop culture, this latest stunt is, hopefully, a momentary disappointment. She has wrongfully received bounds of judgment, critiquing what she wears and writes, however, the overt degradation is bigoted and completely inconsiderate of our current global crisis.
As an artist myself, given my knowledge on the entertainment industry, I know that Carpentar may be creating social discourse as a viral stunt through ‘intelligent marketing’. To be flippant, provocative marketing is smart marketing, it’s also incredibly callous to believe that all 66.7 million Spotify listeners will be able to regard her latest album as satire; having potential themes of ‘avantgarde feminism’. The feminist avant-garde movement, born in the 1960s and 1970s, was a historic time for females within the fine art spectrum. Often was it a less explored theme, within the movement, female bodies were represented in a time where men (of course) were at the forefront. Within multidisciplinary artforms, avant-garde feminism was based on decentralizing the male gaze and focusing on female expression, through female bodies. Considering the state of the US’s literacy on all things education, it should be assumed that a niche sector of feminism is probably not taught in their country, especially in high schools, which is a prominent demographic of her audience. She is the 89th most streamed artists of all-time, a considerable feat musically, which should not be overlooked as she holds exponential power in our pop cultural sphere. If anything, we must know that young girls are highly influenced by pop stars, considering the accessibility of social media. It should be our job to influence young women strategically.
The state of our world is in disarray, especially the safety of women, particularly POC and queer women. Popular artists that entertain the masses should be held accountable for what they choose to release. Although Sabrina Carpentar’s vision was probably something far from the current conversation, it’s integral to continually highlight problematic behaviour from influential figures that are considerably Caucasian. Taken from TheHotLine.org in the US, an average of 24 people per minute are victims of rape, physical violence or stalking by an intimate partner in the United States — more than 12 million women and men over the course of a single year. These statistics are seen to be universal among western countries, and what’s more alarming is that Carpenter’s team would know this. Due to the deprecation of men in her tracks, Carpenters team would be keenly aware of our socio-political environment and somewhat engaged in the meaning of women’s suffrage. Yes, the album may be a satirical take on feminism, taking back degradation and using it as a form of female empowerment, I just don’t know if men know that. Although feminism is now a widely known social movement and discussed openly amongst females, the same cannot be said for the opposing gender.
Sabrina Carpentar is incredibly privileged, incredibly white, blonde and beyond beautiful cis woman, one would assume her team foresaw the controversy at hand and problematically went ahead anyway. There has been no statement made by Carpentar, fueling the divide within conversation. She may be waiting to “let the art speak for itself”, which is both understandable and concerning. Two things can be the same. I am all for letting women cook, holding patience and having faith in an artist’s vision, especially ones that push the boundaries of sexual prowess, but remember, we share a world with men. Men, that may not be as educated as women on satirical feminism, which leads to a dangerous phenomenon and continues our strenuous fight with sexual objectification, causing a domino effect, impacting domestic violence and sexual assault rates. If there’s anything we can understand, it’s that rhetoric is heard, listened to and digested, but not to a degree that digs under the surface. I’m not too sure if normal men will analyse and examine this beyond the thought process of “She’s hot AND on her knees”. People will take her vision at face value. Women don’t need more problems, Carpentars usual “just for the girls” vibe is not hitting quite yet. For all our sakes, including her own, I hope it does and soon at that.