20 Songs by Female Artists That Would be Predatory and Degrading if Men Sang Them

1. "Hands to Myself" by Selena Gomez

I think we can all agree that "Hands to Myself," though incredibly catchy and fun, has some not-so-subtle sexual implications that not everyone may appreciate.

Gomez tells her man that she "can't keep [her] hands to [herself] / no matter how hard [she's] trying to" in hopes that he will accept her advances because of how difficult it is for her to control herself. These lyrics suggest that just making an effort to respect your partner's wishes warrants their eventual agreement to sex as a reward for good behavior. And it gets even worse in the bridge when she nonchalantly sings, "I mean I could, but why would I want to?" If a male artist sang this song, there undoubtedly would be an outcry against it, and yet Gomez has not received any criticism for her lyrics at all.

2. "How to Be a Heartbreaker" by Marina and the Diamonds

Marina

4. "Your Body" by Christina Aguilera

5. "Ex's and Oh's" by Elle King

6. "Blah Blah Blah" by Ke$ha

7. "All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainor

8. "Make Me…" by Britney Spears feat. G-Eazy

9. "Work From Home" by Fifth Harmony feat. Ty Dolla $ign

10. "Call Me Maybe" by Carly Rae Jepsen

11. "Obsessed" by Maggie Lindemann

12. "Taste" by Betty Who

13. "Get On Your Knees" by Nicki Minaj feat. Ariana Grande

14. "Love Game" by Lady Gaga

15. "Peacock" by Katy Perry

16. "S&M" by Rihanna

17. "Paparazzi" by Lady Gaga

18. "Upgrade U" by Beyoncé feat. Jay-Z

19. "Talking Body" by Tove Lo 

20. "Hands on Me" by Ariana Grande