Beyonce – Run the World (Girls)

So Beyonce’s single “Run the World (Girls)” has been out for a while. And her music video came out not that long ago. But the song/video definitely exhibit some things that inspire a feminist discussion.

Here’s the video:

One of my friends linked this video on Facebook by NineteenPercent, a response to Beyonce’s video:

I basically agree with everything she says. The virgin-whore dichotomy definitely exists. Women don’t run the world. And messages saying we do is not helpful, but harmful.

Here are some more lyrics:

I’m so good with this
I remind you I’m so hood with this
Boy I’m just playing
Come here baby
Hope you still like me
If you pay me

Now, I’ve got to say, these lyrics right here are super problematic to me. “Boy I’m just playing”? So…she’s not serious about her whole women empowerment/run the world spiel? She’s just playing? He’s really the one in power?

And “Come here baby / Hope you still like me / If you pay me”? So…she’s a prostitute? Drawing him closer in a suggestive manner and telling him to pay her certainly seems like prostitute-speak to me. And last time I checked, prostitutes definitely don’t run the world. And, in this scenario, the man is paying the woman, which, even if not a prostitute-image, still places the man in the position of power (i.e. the woman is not running the world).

I just don’t understand, in a song/video shouting about how women run the world, why Beyonce switches around and basically says the opposite in parts of the song.