"All About That Bass" by Meghan Trainer is a very popular song right now. It has the type of tune that is uplifting and catchy and is fun to sing along to. After hearing it on the radio a few times, I started to actually listen to the lyrics and what I heard was upsetting. I am not saying that the message that being larger is beautiful is wrong. I believe that people can be beautiful regardless of race, sexual orientation, gender, size, etc. Its wrong the way that media uses, almost exclusively, skinnier models and Photoshop to advertise the possibility of a "better, smaller version of yourself" which makes so many women feel bad about their bodies. The problem with the song actually promotes a different version of the same bullying.
Cause I got that boom boom that all the boys chase
And all the right junk in all the right places
When I first listened to these lyrics I was actually offended. The artist is quite clearly stating that she has the body type that all the guys want. That is exactly what goes on in much of the media today; telling girls that guys will only like them if they are skinny. Although she is putting a spin on that statement, the fact that guys only like a certain body type is still the message there. The second line goes even further to say that she has the
right body type. Just like the "magazines workin' that Photoshop" that she references later on, she is telling young women, especially, that there is a certain way that your body should look.
Boys like a little more booty to hold at night.
Again, Meghan is saying that guys like thicker girls. She cutting down naturally skinnier girls. I think that what she was trying to do with her song was make girls feel good about their body size and I'm sure that's what most people got out of it. However, many of her lyrics did the exact opposite, by stating that rather than larger girls getting cut down by skinny expectations, it seems that the skinnier girls are being pressured by an image of a curvier, bigger expectation.
I completely agree. I feel like the song is definitely aimed at girls with curves, and not those who are naturally skinny.
ReplyDeleteI see where you are coming from with this. But I definitely feel like she is just trying to tell curvier girls that being skinny isn't the only beautiful. I'm my opinion is that she is telling that thicker girl that guys don't only go after the girls that make it on to magazines. And that trying to achieve that look is. Unnecessary in some cases.
ReplyDeleteI disagree, I see how you might interpret it as reverse discrimination, however, I think she wrote this song for a lot of girls who don't see themselves reflected in the media as often due to their weight. I think this song can be empowering for a lot of girls.
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