Bless every woman who has the cajones to make it in the music business; that's not easy, but it's not an excuse to promote rhetoric that is harmful to other women. Rhetoric that includes slut shaming, body shaming, or simply trying to steal someone's boyfriend. It's still hard out there, and we need to stick together in the name of sisterhood. For those of us listening instead of making the music, we are responsible to call out this kind of violence when we hear it. It's tough because some of these songs on the list are fun and well written making them regulars in our everyday listening, and it can be hard to part with them.
After several waves of feminism and new branches within it, the battle to eradicate girl on girl hate is still raging, but no one gets ahead when they're focused on pulling others behind.
No hate to these musicians, but it looks like they didn't get the memo...
1. Girlfriend - Avril Lavigne
Several songs qualify the Canadian Angst Princess for this list, but the lyric "she's so stupid, what the hell were you thinking?" put this at the very top. Not only does this song trash talk another woman, but it tries to ruin what could be a perfectly healthy relationship.
2. All About That Bass - Megan Trainor
I'm all about that bass, but I have room in my heart for the treble, and while this song gives some much needed love to the curvy girls, it body shames those without so much junk in their trunks. If this song wanted to be empowering, it would be empowering for all shapes and sizes of woman.
3. Misery Business - Paramore
Boyfriend stealing and slut shaming once again, but this one proves that it's just as prevalent in the rock world as the pop world. It was the line "Once a whore you're nothing more, I'm sorry, that'll never change" that really put me over the edge on this one. I will never see Paramore the same way.
4. Better Than Revenge - Taylor Swift
It was hard to pick a single song for Taylor Swift who has been called out for boyfriend stealing and slut shaming on several occasions, but this one is loaded with lyrics that make a person cringe, including "She's better know for the things that she does on the mattress". Yikes. Luckily, T Swizzle has come a long way since her days of slut shaming and boyfriend stealing and even gone on to form the greatest girl cult, I mean squad, in the history of the music industry.
5. Don't Cha - Pussycat Dolls
Here's a whole team of women ganging up on other women they deem less worthy of male attention. I am getting really sick of this pattern. As the world becomes more and more competitive for jobs, funding, and opportunities to climbing higher, the male gaze is still seen as the goal for the women in these songs.
6. Hollaback Girl - Gwen Stefani
This song allegedly came about because Courtney Love of Hole called Gwen Stefani a cheerleader and groupie, not a real musician. That's pretty shady, but Gwen threw fuel on the fire and responded with this jam. It's one thing to defend yourself, but no reason to step on other women on the way up; that's just as shady. Thanks for teaching us how to spell bananas, but we want an apology for trash talking cheerleaders.
7. Stupid Hoe - Nicki Minaj
This song may just take the cake in terms of cruelty. These disses are ice cold and go far beyond "You a stupid hoe, yeah you a stupid hoe". Nicki blazed a trail for herself and in the process, for women in the music business, but her history of feuds puts girl hate into practice beyond just the rhetoric thereof.
Now that we've identified the offenders, what do we do about it? It would be a shame to cut these brilliant and talented women from my Friday Night Dance Party lineup, but these songs definitely need to go. As my playlists evolve, I will be more aware of what each jam stands for and keep my dance parties 100% girl positive.
