Opinion Article: Between Beyonce’s Flawless and Chimamanda's feminist's message

Chimamanda

I have been a follower of Beyonce right from her Destiny Child’s group days up till her solo effort; and most of her lyrics have been about female empowerment and feminism. Throughout this follower ship, I have never seen her sexuality being at odds with her feminist lyrics. Over the years, she has been hugely criticized for not being feminist enough because of her attires.

There are even open letters from some bloggers addressed to Blue Ivy and Michelle Obama, making it clear that good parents don’t let their kids adore Beyonce. These criticisms saw her doing two astonishing things recently, releasing a complete album without any promotion or advance notice and two, sampling the words of Nigerian writer, Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie’s TEDxEuston Talk in London in her new video, ‘flawless’.  ‘Flawless’ which was previously released as ‘Bow down’ could only mean one thing, and that is, she has it all.  A career, family and lifestyle that many envy and hope to emulate. She owns her sexuality in ways that many positive feminists celebrate in other women. So, what exactly is she doing that isn’t feminist? Is it the fact that she sings largely about relationships? Is it her willingness to embrace her sexuality and use it as part of her career? Or is it the fact that she revels in the happiness she has found in marriage and motherhood? What exactly is Beyonce supposed to do that will appease everyone, yet still allows her freedom of expressing herself always?

 Adichie’s impassioned TED Talk addressed the need for women to be free to wear what makes them comfortable in their own skin without judging them. Beyonce has also used lines from a part of the talk where, Adichie queries parents' attitudes towards young people's sexuality.  Adichie also explained why she wore a suit she didn’t like to wearing to teach a class because that in the eyes of people is ideal, a better presentation but the truth was that she could have still done her job wearing her girly jean and a shiny lip gloss which she preferred but she has to put on a suit in other to please people. She argues that women are socialized to turn pretense into an art form.

In ‘Flawless’ Beyonce samples the quotes of Adichie ‘we should all be feminists", adroitly addressing the idea that she is somehow anti-feminist for not fitting into the boxes others project for her. It's clear that like a lot of black American women, the mainstream middle class white feminist narratives with which we are so familiar aren't necessarily compatible with Beyonce's view of herself. This album makes it clear that her feminism isn't academic; isn't about waves, or labels. It’s simply a part of her as much as anything else in her life. She's pro-woman without being anti-man, and she wants the world to know that you can be feminist on a personal level without sacrificing emotions, friendships or fun. Is it a message that will appeal to everyone? No. But then, no one expects any other feminist message to be unilaterally accepted, do they?

There's a reason the narrative that appeals to Beyonce and so many others is one that draws attention to the reality that being a feminist is more than toeing some imaginary line to please others. It is working inside and outside your community to achieve your goals, and still being able to connect with the people you love in ways that are good for all of you. Beyonce is a hardworking career woman, a happily married spouse to a powerful partner, and a loving mother in a climate that tells her that she can be one of those things, maybe two, but certainly not all three. Yet, she is doing all of those things, and so her focus is on navigating the mundane aspects of life as a complete complex person. In a movement that touts the idea of choice, you don't have to agree with someone's choices to respect them or their right to make them. Feminism has never been one size fits all, yet much of the criticisms that revolve around entertainers like Beyonce presumes that there is a unilateral guide on how to be the "right" kind of feminist. As we talk about rebranding feminism, about solidarity in feminist circles, even about what issues are feminist, we must remember that the movement seeks to represent people. And it must recognize that individuals will have different needs, wants, and routes to achieving their goals. Beyonce's critique of mainstream feminism may be musical, but it is still incisive, valid and incredibly cogent right now. It's a lyrical explanation of what's wrong with assuming that being feminist requires one to follow a script, and not your own heart.

It appeals deeply to the kind of people that express discomfort with the label of feminist, while leading lives that are exactly what feminism proclaims women should be able to enjoy. If a CEO's guide to career success can be feminist, then so can an album, a tour, or the daily life of someone whose achievements will only matter to their family. If Miley's owning her sexuality via appropriation of black women's bodies is feminist, then what is Beyonce's ownership of her own image?

When we decide that a woman's personal life (however public) is subject to censure because her choices are not our choices, how feminist are we? When we decide that race, class, or life experiences shouldn't matter as much as outside opinions, what message are we sending? Feminism is meant to be inclusive. That means not just paying lip service to intersectional analysis, but also embracing the reality that feminist choices vary based on those factors that we don't all share.

Beyonce has been particularly inspired by sections where Adichie explores attitudes towards marriage, sampling a passage where the novelist talks directly about aspirations. "Because I am a female, I am expected to aspire to marriage," Chimamanda says. "I am expected to make my choices always keeping in mind that marriage is the most important. Marriage can be... a source of joy and love and mutual support. But why do we teach girls to aspire to marriage and we don't teach boys the same?"Adichie further argues that girls are raised "to see each other as competitors, not for jobs or accomplishments which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men".

"We teach girls that they cannot be sexual beings in the way that boys are. If we have sons, we don't mind knowing about our sons' girlfriends, but our daughters' boyfriends? God forbid. But of course when the time is right we expect those girls to bring back the perfect man to be their husband.

At the end of ‘Flawless’ the pop diva samples Adichie's definition of a feminist as "a man or woman who believes in the social, economic and political equality of the sexes.

By CHICHI OKOROAFOR