Beyonce: A 21st Century Feminist Role Model

Beyonce's Super Bowl performance last night seems to elicit two distinct feminist reactions.  One reaction of awe, amazement and respect - and one of disappointment and disgust.  I fall into the former category: I thought Beyonce's performance was a Super Bowl halftime show for the ages.  As soon as the performance ended, I got a flurry of text messages from friends and my mother, expressing both points of view.  I find myself disagreeing with feminists of a different generation over this argument repeatedly. In 2013, if a women displays overt sexuality, explicit "sex appeal", is that empowering or disempowering for the woman? Was Beyonce's performance, which included displays of sexuality - inherently anti-feminist?

No. 

Beyonce is a 21st century feminist role model. For me, feminism is defined bywords that include powerful, independent, strong, assertive, self-assured, self-respecting. When I watched Beyonce's performance last night I saw all of those things - she put on a performance celebrating powerful women; she had a female band, female dancers, and female back up singers.

Those who disagree would say that this performance shows just how far we (women/feminists) have yet to go. They argue that Beyonce's sexualized performance strove to appease the "male gaze" with black leather and lingerie.  They think Beyonce is an antifeminist sex robot, corrupting the minds of our youth (for other examples, see: the Patriots' cheerleaders' uniforms, Katy Perry's stance on feminism). As my mother said (via text), "you have to wear lingerie and be all about sex to be powerful... hello 1930's. argh". But I have to disagree. 

Feminists need to move past the idea that dressing a certain way (either conservatively or provocatively) has an anti-feminist implication. If Beyonce has agency over her body (which she does) and control over her image (which she does) and the pride to show off her athletic, curvy, new-mommy body in a leather unitard with lace hanging off it, she is in the position of power. She is asserting her beauty, her right to sing and dance and act the way that she wants. These actions aren't driven by the need for male attention, and in fact they have nothing to do with males. 

Additionally, Beyonce's performance was an assertion of the strength and power of women and their ability to express their sexuality in a way that isn't seen as traditionally feminine (submissive, demure, dainty, lady-like). I'm a fan of any time someone subverts the societal gender/sexuality construct, so I was definitely a fan of Beyonce asserting herself this way. Also, just for the record... do you remember Janet and Justin? Madonna? The Super Bowl always has sexualized entertainment during the half time show. 

In closing, artists from Janis Joplin to Madonna have expressed their sexuality in some way through their performance - often times pushing the envelope to the point of making some people uncomfortable. Beyonce may have pushed the envelope with her explicit sexuality, but she commanded the stage and asserted herself as an artist and a woman, and for that she deserves our respect.