ISSUE 08 / NOVEMBER 2016

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

CARRINGTON LUSTER

ISSUE 08 / DECEMBER 2019

Provisionally:sexdenoteshumanfemalesandmales
dependingonbiologicalfeatures(chromosomes,sex
organs,hormonesandotherphysicalfeatures);
genderdenoteswomenandmendependingon
socialfactors(socialrole,position,behaviouror
identity).Themainfeministmotivationformakingthis
distinctionwastocounterbiologicaldeterminismor
theviewthatbiologyisdestiny.(

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

ISSUE 08

DEAR READER,
IT HAS COME TO MY ATTENTION THAT MANY
INDIVIDUALS IN TODAYS SOCIETY HAVE BEEN
TERRIBLY MISINFORMED AND UNDEREDUCATED
ABOUT A PARTICULAR TOPIC THAT WE SHOULD ALL BE
UNITED BY, FEMINISM. UNFORTUNATELY, THE TERM
HAS BEEN USED SO LOOSELY THAT MANY PEOPLE
DON'T KNOW ITS TRUE MEANING. THIS IGNORANCE
ABOUT THE THE TRUE MEANING OF THE WORD
FEMINISM HAS LEAD TO THIS ISSUE, WHICH IS
DESIGNATED TO THE EDUCATION AND
ENLIGHTENMENT ON THE TRUE MEANING OF 21ST
CENTURY FEMINISM.

Whichofthefollowingwomenarefeminists?

KatyPerryhasbeen
praisedrecentlyforher
choiceoftakingabreak
fromhercareerandtravel
withHilaryClintonin
supportofherpresidential
campaign.

AngelinaJoliehasreceived
alotofpositiveattention
formeradmirableroleasa
motherandperformer

Beyoncehasnotreceived
thesamepraise

So what is a feminist?
WHICHOFTHEFOLLOWINGISTHEDEFINITIONOFAFEMINIST?

Awomanwhobelievesin
thesetofsocietalnorms
dictatingthetypesof
behaviorswhichare
generallyconsidered
acceptable,appropriate,or
desirableforwomenbased
ontheiractualorperceived
sexorsexuality.

Amovementforgranting
womenpolitical,social,
andeconomicequality
withmen

CriticsarguethatBeyonceisnottrulyafeministisbecauseofthe
sexualnatureofherstageperformances.Followingtherelease
ofher2014selftitledalbum,Beyoncereceivedalotofbacklash
frompeopleupsetthatshechosetoputquotationsfroma
popularTedTalkbyChimamandaNgoziAdichie,defining
feminismandchoosingtostandinfrontofasignthatread
feministatherconcerts.Accordingtootherselfproclaimed
feministssuchasAzaeliaBanksandAnnieLennox,Beyonceis
theAntithesisoffeminismandusessexasacheapshotbut
womenandgenderstudiesexpertshaveevenweighedinonthe
conceptofsexualityandfeminismbystatingWebelieve,
therefore,thatitisinthebestinterestoftheindividualandthe
communitytoaffirmthequalitiesofmasculinityandfemininity,
ratherthandenythem,andthatchildrenberaisedwithan
understandingandappreciationoftheequalityanddifferences
betweenthesexes.(Princeton2016)Thisstatementbygender
studiesexpertsatPrincetondirectlyarguesthatdespitecontrary
belief,expressingsexualityandembracingdifferencesdoesno
harmtotheadvancementofwomenanddoesnottakeaway
fromonespositionasafeminist.

AzaeliaBanks

Ofcoursetheyare.Thesepicturesinnoway
takeawayfromtheworkthattheyvedoneto
promotethesocialandpoliticalequalityofthe
sexes.Theyhavenothingtodowithwhatthese
womenbelieve.Theindividualswhohave
criticizedBeyonceandclaimedthatsheisnota
feministhavefailedtoresearchtheactual
meaningbehindfeminism.Theyhavewatched
herperformancesanddecidedthatbecauseshe
isdaringandexpressiveofhersexuality,shehas
nothavetherighttocallherselfafeminist.Sadly,
theyhavefailedtorecognizethatafeministis
definedasapersonwhobelievesinthesocial,
political,andeconomicequalityofthesexes.
Beliefinequalityofthesexesandfreedomof
expressionhavenorelationship.Beyonces
choicetoexpresshersexualityasshematuresin
nowaytakesawayfromherbeliefthatmenand
womendeserveequaltreatment.

Themediasurroundingthecriticismofbeyoncespositionasa
feministhasonlychosentoacknowledgeoneaspectofwhoshe
is,themusic.admittedlythisisthemostpopularaspect,butt
eventhathasbeenselectivelyshownbycriticstoportrayher
negatively.

But how about these....

BeyoncerosetofamewithhergirlgroupDestinyChild.Thetriowas
knownfortheirclassicgirlpowerhitssuchasGirl,Survivorand
ofcorseIndependentWoman.Shelaterwentontobeginasolo
careerwhereshecontinuedmakingmusicwiththethemeofgirl
powerandindependence.

OneofthemostcommonreasonsthatpeoplecondemnBeyonceforher
proclamationoffeminismisbecauseoftheirlimitedexposuretohermusic.Many
oftheindividualswhoclaimthatBeyonceisnotafeministduetohersexuality
haveonlyheardasmallexcerptofhermusic.Althoughhermostcriticizedalbum
herselftitledalbumincludedanumberofsongspromotinghersexuality,the
previousalbumincludedanumberofgirlempowermentanthemsincludingher
songRunTheWorldweresherepeatsthephraseWhorunstheworld?Girls!
SherosetofamewithhergirlgroupDestinysChildthatwasknownforgirlpower
anthemssuchasGirl,SurvivorandIndependentWoman.Manybegantocriticize
herthemomenttheysawthathermusicpromotedsexualitybutchosetoignore
themusicthatpromotedstrengthandindependence.

AnotherreasonthatBeyonceiscriticizedforclaimingtobea
feminististheirperceptionofwhatsheisversustheirperceptionof
whatafeministshouldbe.Genderroleshavebeenconditionedinto
themindsofhardcorefeministstothepointthattheybelievethat
womenshouldnotpromotebeingsexualatallbuthaveyetto
criticizemenfordoingit.ManyofthepeoplewhocriticizeBeyonces
stanceasafeministbelievethatfeministsshouldportray
themselvestobestronginawaythatwillnotalsomakethem
appeartobesexualfigures.Theyfearthattraditionalgenderroles
wherewomenareexpectedtobetheobedient,submissive,provider
fortheirhusbandsshouldbecompletelydestroyedtoridthehistory
ofwhatawomanwasexpectedtobe,butBeyoncehassuccessfully
combinedandpromotedtheimageofastrongwomanwhocantake
careofherhouseholdandherfamilywhilegoingafterherown
ambitionsandembracinghersexualitysimplybecauseshedidnt
conformtothenewgenderrolethatexpectswomentorid
themselvesofanysexualbehavior.

AlthoughBeyoncehaspromotedsexualityand
bodyconfidence,shealsopromotesstrengthand
independence.Herstagepresenceisonlyapiece
ofwhosheis,hermusicandmessagesportraya
numberofqualitiesthatstrongwomenhave.
"Allthewomen,whoareindependent,throw
yourhandsup"
Beyonce
Whoruntheword?Girls!
Beyonce

I'masurvivor,Iwillnotgiveup,Iwillnot
stop,Iwillworkharder
Beyonce