In July 2016, Fergie released her new single, “M.I.L.F.$," after being out of the music industry for 10 years. After the birth of her son Axl in 2013, Fergie decided to get back into her solo music career. “M.I.L.F.$” is the first single from her new album "Double Duchess" and the track supposedly talks about empowering women and mothers. The acronym M.I.L.F. normally means mom I’d like to f*** but Fergie changed the meaning to “mom I’d like to follow” as if preaching to your children that the amount of social media followers you have is important.
The expression "M.I.L.F." is offensive and treats women and mothers as mere sex objects. Fergie claims she wrote this song to empower moms and women, but is empowerment gained by the amount of men who want to sleep with you after you’ve had children? Is empowerment or feminism about turning women and mothers into sexual objects? In addition to the demeaning title, the music video features scantily dressed celebrity moms who mystify the males. One scene features Fergie dressed as a naughty teacher wearing a tight skirt and a revealing top, smacking desks with a yard stick in a classroom full of boys. Only boys. Since she is an “M.I.L.F.” they fall under her spell and can’t peel their eyes off of her body. Scenes like these teach our society that women of all ages should be desired and respected for their bodies and nothing else.
In the song, Fergie also refers to some random “motherf***er” whom we can only assume is someone who disagrees with her opinion or lifestyle. Not everyone shares the same views, opinions or lifestyles, and it’s important to stay true to who you are, even if others don’t do the same thing. But when did it become OK or acceptable to call someone a “motherf***er” over a difference in perspective or lifestyle? We, as unique individuals, have to work and cooperate together and respect each other’s differences. Granted, in the song, Fergie doesn’t mention dismissing people who think differently than you, but by calling someone a “motherf***er,” she is furthering the idea that it is OK to call people derogatory names just because she feels like it. Since when did real empowerment come from anger and hate? That is not empowerment. That is not feeling proud of who you are or what you have accomplished. That is not empowerment.
In another verse of her song “M.I.L.F.$”, Fergie says she is independent and no one will see her broke because she is always paid. There is certainly nothing wrong with being a working mom who excels in her career and is proud of it. But is Fergie truly independent? Can she really do whatever she wants, whenever she wants? With a three-year-old son and a husband at home, is Fergie completely independent? Maybe she means that she is successful and has the ability to provide for herself and her family without help from anyone else. But even if that is true, is teaching our children to flaunt their money OK? Is teaching our children that money is happiness OK?
One of Fergie’s main reasons for writing “M.I.L.F.$” was to express her belief that women can still feel sexy and pretty after having children. I agree. However, I think women can feel sexy and beautiful without wearing a shirt that says “Slippery When Wet.” Or by dressing in latex body suits. Or by pouring milk all over their bodies. Not only does this behavior further objectify and sexualize women, it also does the opposite of empowering moms. How can mothers and women feel empowered if their bodies determine their worth? If a woman doesn’t look attractive in a latex body suit while taking a milk shower, can she no longer feel empowered?
I get it - all parents do embarrassing things when they were young. But my mom never dressed in a nude-colored, latex body suit and sang about empowering women while doing the exact opposite, and I think I turned out alright.
