You may not recognize Meghan Trainor by name. Chances are high that you’ve heard her #1 Billboard hit, “All About That Bass.” If you don’t know the tune, you can see the video here. The song’s sound is a throwback to 1950s doowop music. The lyrics are (sort of) about body acceptance. “Bass” praises the owners of a big booty in a more subtle way than, say, Nicki Minaj’s “Anaconda.” Both songs are somewhat problematic because Nicki and Meghan call out “skinny bitches.” I expect cattiness from Nicki in every department, and she’s not pretending to preach body acceptance like Meghan is doing. Another issue: Meghan sings about her body in terms of a man’s approval. It’s okay to have a big booty because that’s what dudes want to grab.
“Bass” is still a catchy song, and I almost fell into the trap of downloading it yesterday. Then I caught a whiff of Meghan’s new interview with Billboard and decided to save that $1.29. Meghan’s only 20 years old, but she sounds completely clueless. Remember how happy Emma Watson made people with her eloquent truths on feminism yesterday? Meghan does the opposite here:
Her mom told her about her #1 hit: “After 15 hours of flying I panicked — I didn’t know what she was talking about! I started bawling in the middle of the airport. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy. My parents were like, ‘You made it, babe!'”
“Bass” was inspired by her beauty struggle: “I still look at pictures like, ‘I don’t like that,’ and my mom has to tell me, ‘Stop doing that to yourself.’ Even my auntie will be like, ‘You’re adorable,’ I was always a little insecure. I had brothers that played football, so I was just a straight-up tomboy for a minute. I didn’t know makeup and hair stuff. My friends had to tell me what a straightener was. I didn’t know fashion or any of that until the label gave me a stylist.”
She’s a model for self acceptance: “I got up at six this morning to reply to fan letters and Instagram posts.”
Nope, not a feminist: “I don’t consider myself a feminist, but I’m down for my first opportunity to say something to the world to be so meaningful. If you asked me, ‘What do you want to say?’ it would be, ‘Love yourself more.'”
Her message to girls about boys: “Girls need to be treated better. I never got that growing up. In high school, I didn’t date awesome dudes.”
She’d like a boyfriend, sort of: “Now I go to work and I don’t know if I got time for a boyfriend. But do you have anyone I could date?”
[From Billboard]
Sigh. What’s worse …. the women who have no clue what feminism is or those who genuinely aren’t feminist? Because it sounds like Meghan has no idea what feminism means. I can’t tell if she’s for “equality,” but she must think feminism is bad. This interview prompted me to ask my daughter if she knew the definition of feminism. She won’t let me publish her words because she’s shy, but her response was mostly on point. She’s 13. What’s the excuse of Meghan Trainor, Katy Perry, Shailene Woodley, and the rest?
“Bass” will run its course soon enough. One of Trainor’s other songs is called, “Dear Future Husband” (the audio is on VEVO). Trainor sings about her ideal man who should give her “flowers every anniversary.” She’ll do every bit of the grocery shopping as long as she gets that ring. Maybe her entire act is a throwback to the 1950s. No offense to the flower-lovers out there.
Photos courtesy of WENN
She’s a twit. That’s all.
….and I don’t consider her a musician.
This
This is so tiresome have any of these people heard of google?? .Its OK if you don’t want to call yourself a feminist but Dear God at least know what it is ….Uugh!!!
The sad part is that they are benefiting from it and still have no idea. Jeez.
Exactly, delorb. It’s sad that these young ladies don’t understand how many women had to struggle and fight in order for them to have privileges that they are totally clueless about, parading around seeking male acceptance and taking a huge crap on the women who understand feminism and uphold it, because we are NOT equal yet! It just makes me want to barf!
You’re all making some very specious arguments that would cause you to get ripped apart by any semi competent debater. There are good ways to argue for feminism, but most feminists fail to provide these talking points.
The definition of feminism means NOTHING. The definition of Christianity is basically treat everyone right, love everyone, etc….or communism is about being equal.
Just because something’s definition says something doesn’t mean anything.
Also, this whole “without feminism you wouldn’t have education, voting rights, etc.”
You can say the same “without patriarchy girls wouldn’t have access to the medical and technological advancements we have today. Without patriarchy, we wouldn’t have the internet for feminists to whine on about how oppressed they are.”
There are some great arguments for feminism, but the constant ones given by feminists are weak and terrible.
“without patriarchy girls wouldn’t have access to the medical and technological advancements we have today. ”
Uhhhh, ok great debater, please shower us with your infinite wisdom and prove how this statement is even remotely true.
Wow Jemma, glad you are so much cleverer than we are,particularly when we ” whine on”.
If someone doesn’t know about the topic they are discussing, it is absolutely ok to call them on it. Feminism does have a definition. It isn’t some vague concept, it has a history going back many decades.
@TOK And your whole “definition of feminism” makes YOU and other feminists a great debater, how exactly? Your argument is convincing why exactly?
@Tiffany, but like I said, you can say the same about people who dislike anything, like communism which by definition sounds pretty good.
Perhaps Meghan has in mind some of the terrible stuff feminists have done over the years. You people have no idea whether she understands 3rd wave feminism or not.
By the way not that I expected any better from people who were so outraged over Ray Rice but were defending Solange Knowles and thinking it’s okay for Beyoncé to try to help cover up an incident of domestic violence.
Yeah that’s what I thought, Jemma.
You like to repeat the same things over and over again and make completely unfounded statements just to get people riled up. Ultimately, you have nothing even remotely enlightening to add to the discussion.
So yeah, maybe you should check yourself before you accuse other people of not having any debate skills.
Communism’s definition does matter, as does feminism’s. Yes, the details and favorability change depending on how a gov’t enacts that concept, but that doesn’t change the meaning of the word.
Additionally, you are creating straw men by assigning the responsibility of comments made by other commenters to the ones replying here. You haven’t made any points to support your argument, you are just trying to distract with things that are unrelated.
@ Jemma who said “You’re all making some very specious arguments that would cause you to get ripped apart by any semi competent debater” (guess that’s where you step in )
Well any semi competent debater would know that in order to engage effectively in a debate regarding a topic one should at least have a basic grasp of what that issue is about .
I made no argument for or against feminism in my post . I am however tired of women in the public eye and these trite comments I’m not a feminist cuz I like boys / don’t hate men ? I’m not a feminist Cuz this one time at band camp these girls were mean to me ? and todays gem ” I don’t consider myself a feminist Love yourself More “.Does this mean that feminism is about loving yourself less??. I’m not the feminist police, be a feminist or not but these young women need to stop spreading all kinds of misconceptions about something they clearly know nothing about
The good people on this thread were making some interesting points until Jemma peed in the pool.
“Just because something’s definition says something doesn’t mean anything.”
I have a feeling this comment is not actually about epistemological nihilism.
@jemma,
But aren’t those technical advancements benefiting EVERYONE? Isn’t the internet there for EVERYONE? No man had to invent his own internet because women were blocking him from their information superhighway.
Last time I checked, the 19th Amendment benefited WOMEN specifically. Last time I checked, Title IX benefited WOMEN specifically. Equal pay if and when enacted will benefit WOMEN specifically.
I heard a radio interview with her yesterday and can confirm that yes, she is an absolute twit. She has nothing at all to say, and can’t string a proper sentence together to save her life. She was also trying to speak in a “street” or “hood” way, that came across as almost offensive.
Sit down, little girl.
I feel like this girl is very much searching for herself but unfortunately is projecting out to male approval to try and get a grounding and set a foundation of her identity. This seems like a case of ignorance parroting ignorance, it shows in my opinion how dangerous it is to keep printing these ill researched statements on this subject. Please celebs if you don’t know please just say I don’t know enough about this subject to comment!
I thought she was Meghan McCain:
http://www3.pictures.zimbio.com/bg/Meghan+McCain+ELLE+Express+25+25+Event+Ml1FxyJg1YMl.jpg
I see the resemblance, she also looks like Amy Poehler in the photo on the front page.
I thought Bridget Fonda first.
You’re very kind.
i thought meghan mccain. and then a hulk hogan’s daughter/kelly osbourne hybrid.
I can see that.
I thought Kelly Osbourne got a stylist that likes her.
I was about to say the same thing. I thought that was McCain’s married name. They even have the same lack of neck.
Me too.
Not surprised. I don’t know why some of these people are asked about feminism. It is very clear they have no idea what feminism is about.
Jeez, there’s the internet! Would it KILL these twits to look up the word in a DICTIONARY?
What a good idea, so I just did, fairyvexed!
This is from Websters Collegiate: “1 )Feminism is the theory of political, economic and social equality of the sexes 2) organized activity on the behalf of women’s rights and interests”
I’m surprised to see *any* woman say that she does not wish to be allied with that movement.
IQ hovering at room temperature.
lol
That’s more than generous, I reckon if she had a brain – she’d be dangerous…
haha! centigrade or fahrenheit?
Wow, it must be really cold in that room!
“Girls need to be treated better. I never got that growing up. In high school, I didn’t date awesome dudes.”
Maybe if she was a feminist she wouldn’t have dated so many dbags, maybe she would aspire to be with someone that’s her equal, that’s worthy of her, maybe she would demand the same amount of respect that she grants whomever she’s dating, if she was a feminist.
I don’t know…just throwing that out there.
Sounds like a country song:
“If I loved myself more (I’d be a feminist)”
Ha! Exactly 🙂
LOL Dear Birdix, could you please send her an e-mail with that idea (what the heck, they can just repeat that sentence all over the song anyway, no need for anything else)..or Taylor Swift or Katy Perry, or or or…I don’t know but that song really needs to happen ASAP!!!
Huh. I have dated some douchebags in high school while I identified myself as a feminist. But overall I agree your point. But it is not even that she is not after gender equality, she has no idea what feminism is. How hard is it to look it up?
Yeah I know..I did say “maybe” 😉
But you have to admit–it doesn’t sound like she thinks very highly of herself.
She actually sounds very insecure. It backtracked me from the mean things I wanted to say. Just like Blake Griffith, he is so dumb but obviously means well so I can’t find it in me to snark about it. She is only 20, so she will take her own advice and love herself more in time hopefully. And read a couple of books and learn what feminism means.
Totally agree that she’s still very young–she has time to grown yet.
I’m all for body-acceptance but I hate the slamming of one body type in order to elevate another. Her message is very “real women have curves” and I wish that sh*t would die already. That being said, if she’s starting to love/accept her body, then I can’t hate on her for that.
“I’m all for body-acceptance but I hate the slamming of one body type in order to elevate another”
I agree 100%.
But is she gunning for body acceptance? Or is she saying that she likes her body cos ‘all the boys chase’, and that she can ‘shake it shake it like she supposed to do’?
Seems like the only reason she’s appreciating her body is cos men do. That, to me, is a pretty shit reason.
I can’t start this idiot.
Hippo: I believe that what she is doing is giving her power to men.
Lol. That’s what I was thinking reading that. “I’m not a feminist! Girls need to be treated better!”
Errr…….?
A little bit of disconnect there.
That was my thought as well. It’s too bad that she was not raised by parents or had people in her life who taught her that her value as a person and her looks are not related.
Yep! I came down here to say the same thing. You want men to treat you better but you don’t consider yourself a feminist??? Does she not hear what she is saying?
Ah_ha! Bethany Mota and Derek Hough danced the Foxtrot to All About the Bass last night on DWTS. It was a great dance, of course, thanks to Derek’s expert choreography!
It was a terrible dance. What expert choreography? She was on top of an actual bass for about 20 seconds. That is a lot considering the dances are roughly a minute long. It was typical Derek choreography. When the celeb is limited with dancing ability, bring out the props as a distraction. And there was hardly any foxtrot content. But he is Derek, so the show lets it slide. Derek gets whatever he wants on the show no matter how unfair it is. It is a wonder other pros still participate. And now he has his sister as a judge giving him a boost in the scoring. The show might as well change the name to Dancing with the Houghs.
is she TRYING to look like an early-aughts Paris Hilton? Because…EW.
She looks like Spencer Pratt’s sister, before she got all the plastic surgery.
http://www.homorazzi.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/10/stephanie-pratt-quitting.jpg
http://actedby.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/stephanie-pratt-of-the-hills.jpg
Okay thank you. I have no idea who she is but I just had to click on the article to say that she looks like Paris Hilton’s younger ugly troll sister. She seriously does, for real.
blonde Kelly Osbourne
The girl’s message is “love yourself more” and some of you are saying she looks like a troll. How very feminist of you.
nah her message is you are allowed to love yourself if you are bigger because men prefer curves.
I don’t know, she goes out dressed like it’s 1994 and does a curvaceous sex kittenish act about how she’s all about the booty and then says she’s not a feminist (which she has the right not to be) and makes some braindead comments to a magazine. I kinda like the song but I would hardly see her as a voice of self-confidence, brains and self-acceptance.
Also listen to her other song about her husband buying her flowers and crap and opening doors for her… if he “wants to get some lovin’ each and every night.” She’s doing the sassy R&B girl routine as a white chick and while that’s fine, she’s another pop act and not much more than that.
So if your message is “she thinks like a troll” then say that.
I understand what you are saying, Size, but I think people just get frustrated with these young women saying they are not feminists, basically dismissing feminism, when they really have no idea what it is. Sometimes the tolerance for ignorance can be low…I have been guilty of that more than once in my life.
I love myself by demanding equality for myself and for others in this world.
Yes, “I love myself more” because I believe women and men are equal, should be treated equally, given equal opportunities… and I teach my daughters and son to believe the same.
@ Honeybea: Oh, so you just love yourself and others? You don’t love ‘more’? Good for you. I am so tired of reading about love being treated as a quantity when really it is a state of being. Judging from your simple words of wisdom, you seem to understand the principle. Kudos to you, Honeybea!
I’m sorry if I sound judgmental. Maybe I am. I’m just so goddamn weary of all these starlets trying to sound deep, using words they obviously don’t even know the meaning of, mainly the F (feminism) and the L word (love).
“Love yourself more”
“Girls need to be treated better”
“But do you have anyone I could date?”
I wonder if her brain hurts?
I think it’s relatively relaxed and not strained at all from exercise.
LOL!
Booo, I just downloaded her song yesterday. The song was catchy but now I want my dollar back!
I don’t even want to know “how” she is not a feminist, it can’t be great. What I do want to know is how she wants girls to be treated better. Holding the door, getting her flower better? Or something more substantial?
Right. She doesn’t believe men and women are equal, so what does that mean? She thinks women deserve to be treated better than men? And then people will accuse feminists of “man-hating”..smh.
I thought she mean “treated better than they are treated now”? Which … yes, in terms of equality. But I wouldn’t say men treat women badly in general. That’s not the case at all and if that’s what she means, I don’t agree. Or does she mean chivalry (whatever that means) is dead?
I think your last sentence most accurately sums up what she’s trying to say.
She doesn’t strike me as having a lot of depth.
She seems pretty insecure in general. I mean she wrote a song about how she came to terms with being bigger because guys prefer it that way.
Ugh she is a moron and I hate her song.
Even my auntie will be like, ‘You’re adorable,’
Isn’t that what aunties are for? It’s kind of sad that she’s like “even” my family member who loves me thinks I’m adorable.
Girl has some serious issues – the whole interview makes me shake my head.
I do not understand why some women say this sh about feminism, like “it’s ok I’m totally non threatening, basic, stupid, and slightly masochistic.” In no universe would a woman raised with a sense of worth tell the world that she isn’t a feminist because it means she doesn’t believe men and women are equal.
My mom is a lesbian so I was raised in a very non traditional gender rolled home (and now I’m a SAHM lol) and grew up with the message that women are capable and expected to do any and everything I man does. My daughter, at 20, will know all about feminism and (I hope) be brave enough to tell the world is no uncertain terms that she proudly believes we are all equal.
Jesssayno
I think you have the problem crisply stated there…..about giving an impression of malleability, a non-threatening, stunted sense of self, masochism to some degree…..characteristics of an eager to please, very young girl. That’s unacceptable in a woman of twenty, but it’s promoted an a selling point for men. Only thoroughly avoidable men fancy that, imo. (I’ve aways said (half joking) that I’d never shag a Tory…..I would definitely not touch a non-feminist guy either. Ugh)
Could we have a PSA featuring men and women (incl FLOTUS!) revealing that feminism is where it’s at, and that it doesn’t entail attitudes bir sacrifices that will blight your life?!!
I ranted quite enough yesterday….but really, these dim bulbs are so tiresome, and worrying for the future. So I’m going out to buy a load of paint, maybe improve my surroundings and get happy! Have a good day mateypeeps. 🙂
Wait, her label gave her a stylist?
I. Just. Cannot.
Why these girls act like Feminist is a dirty word?? I wonder also with the young ones if it also isnt a managerial directive about “scaring the male fan base” that is supposed to view them as pliant/sexy/uncomplaining/uncomplicated and desirable
I think you nailed it, I suspect the crap these girls are spewing has a LOT to do with not alienating the male fan base, not disturbing the flow of potential earnings for managers, handlers, record companies. Not screwing up the revenue source in other words.
+1.
The ultra-right appropriated the term as a pejorative and it seems that the culture, as a whole, especially the younger group, accepted that without question.
Yeah, especially she seems to be all about getting the approval from men. Her song is about how she accepted not being skinny because men prefer that way. She is gross.
She also said that she is too lazy to have an eating disorder:
“I did have this one boy come up to me, who, like I loved him, I was so in love, And he told me, ‘You’d be, like, real hot if you were 10 pounds lighter’. “I was like, ‘Ugh, that’s it! I am going to cry all day and not eat for the rest of the day’ (but) I wasn’t strong enough to have an eating disorder. I tried to go anorexic for a good three hours. I ate ice and celery, but that’s not even anorexic. And I quit. I was like, ‘Ma, can you make me a sandwich? Like, immediately’.”
“Strong enough to have an eating disorder”?! She does have serious problems. She is only 20, so maybe it is her inexperience doubled with her insecurities talking. Then again I am 22 and have never talked like this.
I wish I could un-read that.
She just sounds deeply insecure and deeply immature. Everything seems to come from a place of her value as a person depending on the opinions of others. It’s just….. sad.
Which makes me sad because I like the stupid song.
Kiddo: ITA
TheBest: I Too wish i could Unread that Because i too found the stupid song catchy but believe me: There will be No downloading of it
Oh wow, that’s sad 🙁 Once I was dating a guy who implied I needed to lose 10 pounds. I kicked him to the curb and he spent the next year trying to get me to change my mind, but I quickly moved on to more mature, less superficial men to date and had zero interest. His loss! That’s what loving yourself is about. Not for how desirable you are to men, but for simply being yourself, and refusing to let anyone make you feel badly for it.
I kind of worry for her.
(And what person over the age of 12 shouts for their mom to make them a sandwich, the most basic of all food items?)
Ugh. Her song, even though it’s catchy, is problematic enough, but this…just UGH.
And no no no no no. We can use age as an excuse for ignorance on some things but not all things.
Wow 20 years old you say?
She seems clueless, sheltered, and immature. It’s sad that so many young women don’t understand that they have so much because of feminism, or that there’s still a long way to go.
☝️☝️☝️☝️☝️👏👏👏👏👏
^Cracked me up^
The catchy song nearly sucked me in but spend a second listening to the lyrics and it’s not a great message and her further thoughts on feminism mean I will never be a fan of hers. No thanks Meghan, take your business elsewhere!
Sigh. Double sigh. Looks like someone needs to consult a dickshunaree.
Here’s another idiot who doesn’t understand what femminism means. If she does then it’s even worse, she truly is an idiot.
Just another pop star without a clue as to who she truly is or what her voice is.
She’s not a feminist. Her video is about humiliating the skinny girl. I hate that the message to love your curves has to come with mocking the skinny girls. Some girls are skinny! It’s nature!
Ugh. I’m trying to cut her some slack because she is only 20. I wish someone would clue her in. Also, has anybody heard her speak? She has the strangest accent and I have no idea where it came from.
20 is more than old enough to have taken an intro gender studies course and comprehend what feminism and body-shaming mean. No excuses. We should not accept this in idols our young girls and women are supposed to look up to. I’m tired of it, and out of patience for giving people the benefit of the doubt.
Sometimes I feel sorry for the female kind. For every Emma Watson there are 5 Megan Treinors. For crying out loud, everytime I think that things move forward I am reminded that there are still women out there who have no clue of what feminism is. Or how important it is to women in general.
Someone wrote that her video is about humiliating a girl who’s skinny. I really hate it when some women do that. I have been bullied because I was skinny. At high school not just by kids, but by their parents(mothers) too-they’d throw some snurky comment that I look like a cancer patient or if my mom gives me food… If they only knew how unintelligent they presented themselves by talking like that. They didn’t know me or my mom or anything about us…And 10 years later I am still skinny. I’ve been skinny all my life. It’s how I am. I don’t care if the next woman is skinnier, curvy or obese. Just mind your own fuc*ing business and leave me alone.
Sorry about my English and sorry about the rant. It struck a nerve 🙁
Sorry for what you went through- I’ve had a similar experience, and had similar things said to me for being thin. I commented on a past story here involving skinny-shaming, and was basically told that my experience didn’t “count” the way it would count if I were made fun of for being heavy. Of course, that’s utter bullshit because it’s quite miserable and a real blow to your self-esteem, to be constantly told that your natural body is not attractive. It’s no different than fat-shaming, and it feels no better. To be made to feel like you are outside the ‘spectrum’ of what’s attractive (too thin, too fat) is always painful and people should not minimize how one group of people feels just because they can’t relate to their exact experience.
I know exactly where you are coming from, girls, same experiences as a naturally skinny one here.
@KatieD: What I found especially interesting about your post is that, again, I had the same experience posting here that you had, probably on the same thread. I had written something to the extent of me being tired of people trying to play different body types against one another and related to my being scrutinized for being skinny – let’s just say that I got bashed hard by one poster for my “arrogance” because I had dared to declare that I was naturally skinny and apparently that clearly made me “think I was better”. Dude, really? After I had just pointed out how unnecessary I found the pinning of body types up against each other?
I hear you. The experience of being humiliated for the way you look is the very same. It’s the same basic principle: You’re not okay the way you are. That’s painful, no matter whether it is about overweight, underweight, nose, hair colour etc. It’s just not okay. Stay off my back. Hell, stay off MY body.
I don’t think a lot of these younger girls/women understand the definition of feminism. I think they should educate themselves a little bit before saying something about it.
Or maybe kids should be learning about this in school and they’re not. They teach nothing about the history of women’s rights in public schools. I had to buy my stepdaughter a book on the suffragette movement – at 11, she didn’t know anything about Seneca Falls and had no idea who Susan B. Anthony was.
I went to public schools myself in the 70’s and 80’s….they’ve changed. It’s very disappointing.
Does every female celebrity need to be asked this question? It’s starting to turn into a witch hunt…
What’s wrong with a woman saying she’s not feminist?
First of all, it demonstrates that they have no idea what feminism actually means. They THINK they’re saying “I’m not for man hating, man shaming, putting men down so that women can succeed.” But what they’re really saying, without even being aware of it, is that “I don’t think men and women should be treated equally as human beings.” That’s a HUGE problem for many reasons.
I’ve heard interesting and articulate arguments against feminism and while I disagree completely, I can accept the difference of opinion because at least it’s an educated one. My problem is that so often women who reject feminism do so based on an extreme misconception of what the word actually means.
I know, I’m tired of this question as well. It’s become of the standard go-to questions, apparently; and it seems that Meghan Trainor and others who disavow feminism don’t even quite comprehend what feminism means, at least judging by their answers.
maybe a more entertaining question would be “what is the definition of feminism?”
I’m sick to death of the “feminist” questions.
And call me stupid, but her song calls out the photoshop in mags, I like that.
Also, if guys don’t like a bigger body, they’re supposed to move along, what’s wrong with that?
Finally, after the “skinny bitches” line, she says “I’m just playing”. Does that not imply she’s joking?
Seriously, she’s a 20 year old chick with a catchy little tune…so much drama.
I’ll keep on singing the song.
Just curious, but if a song by a super-skinny female artist said ‘tell those fat bitches that” and then “just playing,” do you really think there wouldn’t be an uproar over the ‘fat-shaming?’ In the context of this song, I think that line is more of a passive-aggressive dig at skinny women than an actual joke- like when Leann Rimes tweets something completely mean-spirited then says ‘LOL JK.’ No double standards in my book. Wrong to joke about fat people, then wrong to joke about skinny ones, too.
Having once been a “skinny bitch” who is now older, wiser and “fat”, I really am over all of it. I’m sick of the fat vs. thin. I care more if you’re ugly on the inside and there are plenty of those people all over.
I just like the song. I guess I’m not as cool as the other people posting here.
Perfect example of passive-aggression there.
Yeah, it’s a catchy song. No, I could never sing along to it without feeling like an utter dickhead. The lyrics… it hurts to just think about them.
Prob the difference here lies in that it is collectively desirable to be skinny and collectively disgusting to be fat (painting with a very broad brush here, of course).
Not sticking up for her, but I interpreted her statement that she’s not a feminist as meaning she’s not activily political about the issue. I didn’t take it as meaning she’s against feminism. I also didn’t think it was so awful of her to say she wanted women to be treated better and that she didn’t date awesome guys in highschool. All I gathered from that was teen boys she may have dated didn’t make her a priority.
It’s obvious she thinks that embracing her body and getting other women to do the same, regardless of shape & size is a positive thing. It is. But she’s also been raised by women who pushed upon her that happiness equals being with a man. I don’t care for that attitude, but I don’t blame her. She’s young and that’s what she was taught. She hasn’t had time to find herself and hopefully realize that success does not begin and end with a great husband.
As silly as some of her comments and thoughts are, I don’t see her nearly as threatening as say, Beyonce who does claim to be a feminist and claims vehemently to embrace her curves all the while photoshopping every picture of herself to make herself appear slimmer. THAT is dangerous, hypocritical and highly dishonest.
It seems to me that Meghan got meangirled by the skinnies and she’s still a bit resentful, hence the skinny bashing.
http://confusedcatsagainstfeminism.tumblr.com/
If I think anything else I’ll get stabby.
Ha ha..that’s awesome 🙂
I’m having a bad day, and this cheered me up! Thanks, TK
LOVE THIS!!! EVERYTHING ABOUT THIS!!! 😀
“Girls need to be treated better.”
“Love yourself more.”
“I don’t consider myself a feminist.”
… does not compute. What does she think will result in a more balanced power dynamic?
Maybe she doesn’t want the constant rape and death threats, hacking attempts and general online humiliation that any public woman who writes about feminism receives.
Some women turned that hate into art. You can see it here :
http://skepchick.org/2014/09/a-womans-room-online/
Ugggghhh. I mean good on her for loving her body and making a song for “bigger girls”…but ugggghhh. If I hear one more person say “I’m not a feminist”, I may stab someone. Not too mention the whole lyrics of “I’ll buy the groceries, if I get a ring” mentality.
Here’s the deal with feminism. Feminists tell other women that they HAVE to consider themselves feminists. If you don’t consider yourself a feminist, you are misinformed twit but don’t worry, we feminist, we real women, will speak for you.
Saying feminism is about equality for women is an oversimplification, and the women who shot this rallying cry are usually white, and middle or upper middle class who don’t give any shits about women of color and the poor. They always scream “especially women of color”, but don’t actually do a God damn thing, I.e. making Jennifer Lawrence the focus of the photo leaks and not mentioning Jill Scott or Gabby Union. Also that whole Ani DiFranco “let’s write on a plantation” fiasco.
A lot of us CHOOSE not to commit to the title, and the reasons are ours alone. That needs to be respected, but feminist refuse to accept that.
Thank you!
Thank you.
I would consider myself a feminist, but I didn’t do enough with my life, I’ve been told, so I lost interest in identifying as such.
I am dismayed at the number of people here who call Meghan Trainor or anyone else who doesn’t jump on the bandwagon names – she’s dumb, she’s a flash in the pan, she’s shallow, etc.
And at the same time insist that we should all embrace feminisim because it is so supportive ofall women.
Yeah, not so much.
Well if she would’ve said “I don’t identify as a feminist because I’m uncomfortable with a movement that wants to force women of color, queer women and transwomen to work against their best interests in order to prop up the issues of straight, white cis women” I’d probably own all (ok both) of her songs and then ordered them for all my friends, but this was just more eyerolling nonsense from another sheltered child with a microphone in her face.
Me too. All of those are valid points, and as a woman of color, I totally understand and agree with them. I have no objections to salient arguments about the way that some feminists behave (classist, racist, and even heterosexist), but Meghan and many others have no such position. They simply don’t understand feminism and are afraid of putting men off.
The point is taken. She didn’t qualify her answer, whether negatively or positively, so no one really knows why she doesn’t identify as feminist. I think people get so accustomed to others identifying and defining who feminists are, even though they themselves are not, that it becomes exhausting, and the word has been used against people as a pejorative, and as a way to to diminish any influence or power. Your experiences are your experiences, and I would never argue against your truth, but I have never encountered the same. I’m not a mother, but I have never witnessed any such discourse that demeans the choice of stay at home mothers or what someone selected as a career path. Maybe this is generational or geographical, or again, militant outliers.
At any rate, as to the typical reason for non-identification, in terms of “not hating men”, (which she didn’t state in the excerpt), at least, I believe that this view of feminism was derived from selecting a few militant outliers, appropriated by counter-politics, and using to use them as a way to discredit the entire movement.
*and using them as a way.
ETA: the article makes a very strong point that she is looking for husband in one of her songs. Is her disavowal of feminism because she thinks she will be turned away by feminists if she stayed home, or that she might be less attractive to a husband? We can’t know that.
^THIS^ first comment and subsequent, was in the wrong place. My fault.
Oh crap. I just downloaded two of her songs yesterday!
Yeah, because it’s not like feminism is a global movement about equal human rights. Telling young girls in Afghanistan who aren’t allowed to go to school under threat of death to “love themselves more” should be enough to solve their problem. *eye roll*
Now *THIS* is the definition of a flash in the pan.
If you want all women to join you in demanding equality, try treating all women equally. Not just those you agree with. I have all girls, including daughters Meghan Trainor’s age, down to elementary school age. The comments about how dumb she is since she isn’t a feminist fit in with my own experiences and those of too many other women to count.
When I was in college, the feminist message was very strong that we would be wasting our time and talent if we didn’t use our degrees to work and advance. Those of us (me, my best friend from high school and so many others) were looked down on in the late 80’s and through the 90’d when we decided to stay home and have kids.
Young women like Meghan Trainor, like my daughters, saw this rejection of their mothers. They saw us being asked, “What do you *do*”, then being hit with nasty or rude comments when we said we were stay-at-home mothers. My best friend got the same comments. We weren’t the only ones. After 20 or so years of it, it gets tiring.
As a result, our daughters have seen how feminism treats women (their moms) who choose a traditional path, and like it or not, this is the result. I have always told my daughters that they can be anything and do anything. Feminists silently taught them that they will only be accepted if they toe the line. A whole generation of young women are rejecting that idea now. This is part of that.
If women want to be equal (and they should want that, and they should fight for that), part of equalty is owning past mistakes. This was a big one, and it continues. I see people in this thread belittling someone as dumb for not agreeing with them. It needs to stop.
It shows no sign of stopping, though, so continue on, I guess. This sort of rejection will continue being the result.
Wow! Thank you! Thank you!
It’s as if you read my mind!
I am equal in considering ‘dumb’ across the universe and across gender lines.
A few observations: conditions were remarkably different for stay at home moms in the 50’s versus stay at home mothers, current day. It may only be schtick, in terms of promoting the 50’s-type music, and asking only for flowers and someone being nice to her in a relationship, I can’t see inside her head. But even if one is a stay at home mother today, she enjoys much greater autonomy and decision making, without having to defer to the man in his castle. If that’s what floats your boat, that’s fine. But in a round about way is she advocating for that as normalcy, without option? Because that idealization of a time period doesn’t represent equality in terms of self-determination. If she is playing on a theme for promotion of a style, it’s one thing. If it is advocating for a time when there weren’t really options outside of traditional roles, then that’s something altogether different and damaging for women at large.
Whether you like what they (the feminists you encountered) said to you, or did to you, The fact that you can tell your daughters that they can be anything and do anything has a lot to do with progress driven by the feminist movement, in spite of your particular negative experiences.
Why do feminists try to teach males that “No means No” but when young girls say NO! to feminism, feminists try to convince them otherwise?
Are you seriously comparing rape to women critiquing other women who don’t subscribe to the feminist movement? You REALLY went there?
Because discussing a subject that greatly impacts our society is the same thing as a woman’s right to NOT be sexually assaulted?
I’m actually very happy that you don’t identify as a feminist.
Seriously.
I think that’s a good thing.
For a lot of reasons.
Are you the person above who was making a comment about stupid arguments? Were you trying to prove the point about stupid arguments with that one?
It doesn’t even make sense….the two have absolutely NOTHING to do with each other. Also, I didn’t realize that being solidly against rape is a feminist notion. Because men can’t be raped?
So to your mind, someone trying to debate a socio-political idea is equivalent to rape? I don’t know what Tumblr meme you swiped that from but it’s revealing in ways you plainly don’t realise.
As for “why feminists don’t take no for an answer” erm, they do? They just don’t accept that a world in which 75% of all elected roles of power and over 90% of business roles of authority are held by men is an equal one. They don’t accept that domestic violence isn’t far more frequently and seriously perpetrated by men when 80% of the dead bodies are women’s. And they don’t accept that false reporting of rape is common or likely when women are treated so appallingly for the claim, and when anon self-reporting surveys find a significant minority of men will happily admit they’ve raped, some multiple times, as long as nobody uses the term “rape” – and not one has ever served time for it. Women still do almost all the social, physical and emotional labour in a family, and for children, in most homes. Equality is a hollow dream. And yes, there are ways in which that culture harms men, and yes I care about that too. But I have very little patience with women who “hate feminism” because the truth is, their having the voice to express that opinion is very largely down to the feminist struggles of other women for more than a century.
You can think what you want. I’m not under the illusion that you can’t. What you seem to want is other women to like that view – when you’re actually saying that you collude in their continued subjugation. And to have the nerve to compare that disagreement with rape… well, it basically highlights everything wrong with your “thinking” very neatly.
Rape is a crime of extreme violence, power and control. Disagreeing with someone’s political standpoint is democracy. The only people to continually connect feminist speaking and thought with rape are the misogynists who threaten to rape women who protest that misogyny. The fact they jump to connect “no means no” when women want to control their own bodies with a woman’s right to voice her opinions without silencing… well, it says it all.
Hey, you gotta post here more often!
Nicely put, K.
I can’t believe the negativity on this thread!
My boyfriend’s chubby, insecure daughter has been marching around the house—singing the song—feeling GOOD about herself.
That’s feminism in action, ladies. Meghan Trainer hit one out of the park.
Meh, I guess when we go to a site called “Celebitchy” we shouldn’t be surprised at the bitchiness.
“All about that bass” played in a store I was shopping in the other day and I had to walk out. Quite possibly the worst song I’ve heard in the past decade. Two decades. Or ever, really.
Worse than Kim K’s “jam” song ???
LOL…what about that real housewives song….you know the one. Money Can’t Buy You Class?
I hate myself for knowing that.
FRIDAY FRIDAY, GOTTA GET DOWN ON FRIDAYYYYY.
Is it worse than that?
I guess you haven’t heard JLo’s new booty song.
the excuse is that they don’t care about feminism. can you people respect that?
A “feminist” is someone that simply believes in equal rights for men and women. People need to learn the definition.
Seriously folks, it’s pretty simple:
Feminism is the radical notion that women are people.
Everything else is just debating the details.
Thank you.
Sure, but the details are important.
You could just as easily say if you believe in God then you’re a Catholic, after all the key factor is belief in God. But it’s not that simple, and the same goes for feminism. I’m yet to find a branch of feminism that doesn’t espouse at least a few views or ideas I think are deeply wrong, so I’m not going to call myself a feminist. Just like I don’t call myself a Catholic even though I’m on board with the basic idea. Firstly because I don’t want to be associated with views I find objectionable, and secondly because I feel it would be lying to call myself something that I can’t in good conscience fully embrace.
So what is it that you do embrace? Sincere question. Would you be willing to give up the benefits afforded you as a woman, in the hard work and in the name of feminism, in years past? Are your objections that strong that you’d be willing to turn back the clock? Would you say that you don’t believe in god because you don’t like all of the Catholic doctrine? I don’t get it. It’s like saying I don’t like Jessie Jackson, some of his language or some of his specific positions, therefore I’m against civil rights and won’t identify myself as a civil rights advocate.
I hope that photo was taken before the stylist…
Bedhead, I would truly love to know your daughters response. I have a 14 year old daughter, and will now be asking her that same question tomorrow! Okay off to bed for me….
She’s just 20. I wasn’t thinking about whether I was a feminist at 20. At least, she was honest and not giving some bull answer like Miley Cyrus, who didn’t have a clue what it means. Why are we asking these dumb little poptarts if they are feminists anyway? All they have been focused on is getting a dance hit.
Kind of off-topic, but I’m so sick of this onslaught of preteen/teen celebrities. I understand that child stars have been around for years, but the sheer amount of children who are out there making names for themselves in Hollywood nowadays is scary. And their minute-by-minute status updates on social media, and the responses they receive every second of the day to posting photos of their water bottles or whatever just foster the worst kind of entitlement. I’m sick of flipping through fashion magazines aimed at adults, and seeing nothing but teen and barely adult bodies. These are not people whose opinions I want to hear, or whose bodies I want (not that I could have them even if I tried). They’re still kids, and they need to be a little more educated before they’re asked to give their opinions on hot button issues. Eh, I wish this was a little less ranty, but UGH.
THANK YOU!! At what point did it become expected that grown women would take style tips/guidance from girls not out of high school, or barely out? I mean, the young girl from Mad Men is very cute, but holding her up as a style “icon”? Really? I wish these young girls would be allowed to mature and learn to be a grown up bef they are asked their opinions on matters they clearly have no clue.
I am a mom to boys, it’s taken me to be a grandma to a girl to make me really listen to these lyrics and feel rage. Boys like a little more booty to hold at night? Yuck, why in the hell would your mama be telling you that?
Can we all talk about how Iggy Azalea catches flak for using ebonics in her musical style, but this chick gets away with it? I’m not saying it’s right or wrong, but I am really hoping someone recognizes that the judgement flying around is pretty uneven. Yes, it’s to a lesser extent, but it’s there!
I thought the same thing when I first heard it. Oh, it’s ok to have a booty because boys like it? That’s good. How empowering.Though it is catchy, When I sing along to it in the car I say ‘cats like a little more booty to cuddle at night’. Because…I like cats.
Also, I thought she was black until I saw her video. With Iggy Azalea, that is the second time in one summer that happened to me.
Also, her outfit in the video is ridiculous.
Also, as my friends and I have noted, she’s not a particularly big girl (except maybe by Hollywood standards), so why is she singing about being a big girl?