Sabrina Carpenter’s “Man’s Best Friend” did not do anything for the feminist movement but it also didn’t set the movement back.
She has drastically rebranded herself from a Disney girl to leaning into her sexual appeal. With her stage outfits and song lyrics, her brand and image has become very controversial. Especially with the album’s cover, a photo of her on her knees as a man grabs a fistful of her hair.
While she isn’t doing anything revolutionary for feminism, feminism stands for women having the freedom of choice.
Everyone is within their rights to have opinions on anything, including her music and lyricism. But disagreeing with her music and image choices does not automatically make her regressive or patriarchal.
Many users on various social media sites have accused Carpenter of catering to the male gaze, promoting regressive stereotypes and even threatening women’s safety at large. “Insanely misogynistic imagery”, wrote one Instagram user, according to The Guardian.
Many people believe that she is glamorizing traditional gender roles, or even promoting sexist gender stereotypes in her album cover.
Carpenter said in an interview with the New York Post that her interpretation of the artwork is “being in on your lack of control and when you want to be in control,” adding that being a “young woman, you’re just as aware of when you’re in control as when you’re not.”
Carpenter’s image and brand has become increasingly tied to her sexuality. Her album cover and many of her performances include her own experiences and wants.
The album cover is directly influenced by her own desires. She chooses to be submissive in her relationships, handing over control to her partner and letting herself be dominated.
Sabrina Carpenter is not a feminist icon, but that doesn’t mean she is enforcing misogynistic stereotypes. Her album cover, music and brand is not doing anything for the feminist movement, but it doesn’t have to.
Her music and image is self-expression, she controls what she makes and puts out to the media. Her music and image is not feminist or revolutionary by any means, but not everything a woman creates has to be.
Feminism is all about equality, being able to make choices and have the freedom to live by those choices. Whether that means choosing to go against societal expectations or living by them.
The whole point of feminism is to have a choice, and if that means taking on the submissive role in the bedroom, is that really so bad?
There are so many more pressing issues going on in the world right now. If we want to talk about women’ s rights being set back we should start with the President of the United States and State Governors around the nation who have already attacked women’ s reproductive rights.
