MARISSA BURR
Opinion Editor
JOHN LEAHY | Contributor to The Leader
Many women around the world have been more empowered than usual with the messages put forth by the Barbie movie in July and Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. This energy needs to continue to rise as we approach election season, as many politicians will argue about the best way to strip away our rights to bodily autonomy, freedom and everything we hold dear. If you ever feel as though you need a pick-me-up after spending some time being oppressed, crank this playlist. It gives me “Not-So Casually Dismantling Sexist, Misogynistic and Unnecessarily Negative World Views” vibes.
“The Man” by Taylor Swift
When thinking of songs that would fit into this playlist, this slightly-over-three minute song was the first to come to mind. Swift’s lyrics describe the way her life choices would be looked at differently if she was a man instead. She discusses both the ways the things she currently does would be seen in a better light, as well as what would happen if she acted like her male counterparts. One of the most telling lines in the song comes very early on when she sings “And that would be okay for me to do. Every conquest I had made would make me more of a boss to you.” By saying this, Swift is referencing the way the media rips her apart for having been in so many relationships and then writing about them. If she was a man though, her ability to have “pulled” so many women would be seen as admiral and she’d receive praise for it. This double-standard is something that many women face today, especially with the concept of virginity. The stigma on having sex is very different for a young man than it is for a young woman.
“I’ve Had Enough” by Melina KB
This song is a personal favorite of mine and has become my anthem. While touching on a toxic relationship, the key idea of this song is rejecting the fact that many people refuse to accept ‘no’ as an answer in many situations — especially concerning sex. After trending on TikTok amongst sexual assault survivors, Melina KB’s bridge became a well-cited group of lyrics: “If you’re so mature now, then I think it’s time you grow up. Admit you did it, we all know you did it, and yet you still gaslight me up.” Consent is a two-way street, and if there are not enthusiastic ‘yes’s from both sides and any sexual behavior occurs anyway, it is assault. Yet, afterward victims are gaslit into believing they deserved it or that nothing illegal took place. The message of her song is powerful and urges everyone to listen to the word ‘no’ and respect that as a full sentence.
“Victoria’s Secret” by Jax
Following a few previously-released songs, “Victoria’s Secret” went viral and was on every radio station I turned on for a few weeks, and for good reason. The theme of the song was the fact that Victoria, of the famous lingerie brand of a similar name to the song, wasn’t a brand for women after all — it was created by a man. She came to this conclusion by looking at the way that they so poorly represented the diversity that women of the world held. Not many fit into their products, and even less looked like their models. Their standards were impossible to achieve healthily and girls all over the world were hurting themselves trying. The most relatable line to me was “I wish somebody would have told me when I was younger that thighs of thunder meant normal human thighs, the f–king pressure I was under to lose my appetite.” ‘Thunder thighs’ are a term that many use for girls who have meat on their leg bones, which leads to their thighs touching each other. In an attempt to avoid that “unhealthy” look, many girls develop eating disorders since having skin, muscle and fat are all normal parts of a healthy body. Not having them should be more of a concern. This song deserved a spot on this playlist for finally telling young girls that it was okay to not be a size two, and healthy bodies can all look different.
“Kings and Queens” by Ava Max
This particular artist has multiple songs that I considered adding to this list, but after multiple hours on YouTube, I chose “Kings and Queens.” The music video for this song fittingly has Max on a throne with a sword as cutthroat as the words she’s singing. This song is a call-to-action for all of the women who feel oppressed in the role they play in life. When she sings the iconic opening (and chorus) “if all of the kings had their queens on their throne, we would pop champagne and raise a toast, to all of the queens who are fighting alone baby you’re not dancin’ on your own,” she is saying how if women were in charge, leaders wouldn’t be at war, but rather they would celebrate their differences and support each other. She pays homage to classic tales of the monarchy with lyrics like “no damsel in distress” and “disobey me, then baby, it’s off with your head.” She is putting herself in that position of ultimate power and reminding people that she is the queen and does not need to be saved just because she is a woman. So often, men can have preconceived notions of “what women need” without actually asking. A woman wants someone to support her and fight by her side, rather than be locked away in a tower safe from a world of dragons.
“Powerful” by Valentina Cy
As a big fan of this artist, I have watched interviews of her and content she’s produced in order to dig deeper into the meaning behind the songs that she writes. She was actually rejected on a reality singing competition, and the hate she was given during and after her disqualification was what inspired “Powerful.” The song – in addition to her story from being a model to writing and producing her own music – is an inspirational anthem that can light a fire in any woman struggling with her place in the world. Valentina is raw and honest about the effect that words can have on a person in this song, but she is telling others how she took that and let it fuel self-improvement. Society is filled with strangers who feel they have a right to judge you based on the small glimpse into your life that they get. Do not take their baseless opinion as anything other than a reflection on their own ignorance. As the song preaches, “you can take back all your lies, you said I’d never be enough.” Know that no matter what anyone says, you will always be enough to the people who are worth your time.