In December 2013, world-renowned pop star Beyoncé dropped her 5th album, the self-titled Beyoncé. The album sold over one million copies within a week and has already gone platinum.  Beyoncé took a feminist approach to this album and embraced her womanliness in all aspects. Although many support her feminist message, critics argue that her many subliminal sexual references and videos are the exact opposite of the true meaning of being a feminist.

When the average American hears the word feminist, s/he thinks  Susan B. Anthony, a modest woman who fought for the equality of women through the suffrage movement in the early 1900’s, or modern feminists such as Betty Freidan and Gloria Steinem. While our nation has progressed, the preconditioned idea that feminists should not embrace their sexuality, glamour or appeal to males in any way has continued. An ideal depiction of this are women such as former Secretaries of State Hilary Clinton and Condoleezza Rice; suit-and-tie women who go after male-dominated positions.

Beyoncé has taken a different approach to feminism.  Through her music, she inspires women to be bold and express their feminism in any way they are able to, whether it be through art, politics or sexuality.

In her song “Run the World,” she comments on the female anatomy and how it is strong enough to overcome maternity and go back to work. She sings, “Boy, you know you love it how we’re smart enough to make these millions, strong enough to bear the children then get back to business.”  In her essay entitled “Gender Equality Is a Myth!” for the new installment of Maria Shriver’s Shriver Report, Beyoncé focuses on how gender equality is still not where it needs to be. She writes, “Humanity requires both men and women, and we are equally important and need one another. So why are we viewed as less than equal? These old attitudes are drilled into us from the very beginning. We have to teach our boys the rules of equality and respect, so that as they grow up, gender equality becomes a natural way of life. And, we have to teach our girls that they can reach as high as humanly possible.”

Critics of Beyoncé’s feminist movement focus on the fact that, because she has sex appeal, allure and charm, she does not represent true female success. In Rakhi Kumar’s “An Open Letter to Michelle Obama: BTW Beyoncé No Longer A ‘Role Model'” she writes, “Beyoncé, performing in sheer body suits, nipples displayed, mouth open, high heels and sheer tights, shaking her butt on stage, can no longer be held by world leaders as an icon of female success.”

Other critics argue that Beyoncé’s lyrics depict the exact opposite of feminist ideals.  Critics seem to pay more attention to songs like “Bow down B-” and lyrics that they deem a bit too sexually explicit. Charring Ball argues against Beyoncé’s feminism in her article “The Thing about Beyoncé’s Feminism …” in which she states, “In essence, this visual album is as much about Beyoncé affirming herself among society’s aristocrats and one-percent as much as it is about her feminism.”

In an interview, Beyoncé took on the topic of her status as a feminist. “I guess I am a modern-day feminist,” she told British Vogue Magazine.  “I do believe in equality. Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything?”

Although she does broadcast the riches that she worked hard for, critics seem to ignore her female-empowering songs such as “Pretty Hurts,” “Run the World” and “Flawless,” which all include messages of being respected for hard work, success, and overcoming obstacles of being a woman.   In the song “Flawless,” Beyoncé provides her definition of a feminist through a sample of the words of famous Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie: “We say to girls, you can have ambition, but not too much. You should aim to be successful, but not too successful. Otherwise, you would threaten the man …Feminist a person who believes in the social, political, economic equality of the sexes.”  If this doesn’t scream feminist to her audience, then she can do nothing else.  Through these words and others in her songs, she is pushing females to aspire to be as great as men and to go above what the norm for a female in society is.

Many students at Paint Branch believe that Beyoncé has the power to influence our generation and empower the feminist movement. Senior Charles Tchimou believes that “Beyoncé is definitely a feminist; it shows in her music. Since she is an entertainer, she is in the best position to influence people’s thoughts. Entertainers reach masses easily. “

Senior Lara Conceicao states that Beyoncé “does believe in the equality of the sexes. She is mainly about girls running the world. Her mentality is that girls can do whatever they want. Her songs ‘Pretty Hurts’ and ‘Flawless’ are ways to tell girls that you don’t have to change to look good. Everyone has flaws and that’s what makes you, you.”

Ultimately, Beyoncé redefines the definition of feminist as a neo-feminist. She spreads the same ideas and principles that Andrea Dworkin or Gillian Howie did but in an innovative and influential way. She has taken on the same tasks as many males in the music industry and has had more achievements than they have. If Beyoncé doesn’t fit the description of a feminist, then I honestly don’t know who does.