Listen up, ladies! You need these four powerful female bangers sung by powerful women in your lives right now.
1. "S.L.U.T" by Bea Miller
This song really dives into the double standard that women face when dealing with sexuality. Bea turns the word "slut" into an acronym that is actually empowering. S standing for "Sweet", L standing for "Little", U standing for "Unforgettable", and T standing for "Thing", makes the word actually mean "sweet little unforgettable thing". I love this song because women are constantly shamed for being proud of their sexual identity while men receive praise. The word that is so often used to describe these sexually experienced women is often slut, and this song transforms the word from a slur to an appealing phrase.
2. "Like a Girl" by Lizzo
One of the most misogynistic things someone can say is "you throw like a girl" or "stop acting like a girl." The fact that the expression "like a girl" is an insult is such a massive issue with how people view girls and what they can become. Lizzo turns this insult into a glorious thing and tells all the different ways she is "like a girl." This is such an encouraging way to change the meaning of this phrase into something empowering. Lizzo does such an excellent job at giving women back their power and making them feel confident.
3. "The Man" by Taylor Swift
In any industry you go into, the odds of it being controlled by men is pretty high. This is especially true for the music industry. In this song, Taylor talks about how she is criticized for everything she does and how difficult it is to know that she wouldn't have to endure this scrutiny if she were a man. She paints the picture of all her accomplishments and how everyone has downplayed them. She then flips the narrative to explain how much praise she would get if she were doing the same things but as a male. This song brings light to a very prominent issue within the music industry and society in general.
4. "Boys Will Be Boys" by Dua Lipa
Dua Lipa created a song explaining all the things women have to do to protect themselves from the "boys will be boys" point of view. Women often have to take more precautions to do simple tasks to ensure their safety. "If you go on a run make sure to have your keys in between your fingers." "Make sure your shorts aren't too short." "Nope, can't show your shoulders, they're distracting." Women restructure their lives around the excuse that men are allowed to be slimy perverts. She explains all these issues very well.
Add these to your hot girl summer playlists and continue being you, baddies!
