Written by Sienna Medina
A Wolf In Sheep’s Clothing: Meghan Trainor Working in retail means that I am involuntarily exposed to popular music 25 hours a week.
Although Billboard’s top 100 has never been my favorite thing to listen to, I was never particularly bothered until my store began to play Meghan Trainor. Now I’m not one for beating a dead horse, so Ill just breeze over the fact that “All About That Bass” enrages me whenever I hear it. Behind its body-positive facade, the top hit not only skinny shames, but teaches that you shouldn’t worry about your size because “boys like a little more booty to hold at night.” (PSA: Don’t worry about your size because your body is perfect whether or not a boy likes to touch it.) That being said, my real anger isn’t because of “All About That Bass.”
I truly find that I am the most upset when I hear Trainor’s other hit entitled “Dear Future Husband.” Again, this song initially appears to have feminist themes: the demand to be treated right, the acceptance of women in the workplace, and the banishment of stereotypes.
I wholeheartedly support these things but as great as they are, they come coupled with themes far worse and contradictory, similar to “All About That Bass.” Trainor requires that her future husband treats her right and in return, she will be a perfect wife. But what do these things mean to her? Based on the lyrics, being treated the way she deserves means being taken on dates, receiving flowers, being physically complimented every night, having doors opened for her, and being told she’s right even when she’s not. “Even if I was wrong / [Laugh] You know I’m never wrong / Why disagree? / Why, why disagree?” It can be assumed that Trainor doesn’t realize that her attitude is not only the kind that destroys marriages, but enforces the stereotype of feminists truly being misandrists.
I feel sorry for all of the men who hear this song and believe that women expect their husbands to act that way. The expectations are high and unfair. Incredibly, it gets worse. In return for her husband treating her how she “deserves”, Trainor claims that she will be a good wife. To her, this means buying her husband groceries, and pleasing him sexually. She poses sex as a reward for her husband, rather than something the couple should enjoy together in intimacy and affection. “After every fight / Just apologize / And maybe then I’ll let you try and rock my body right.”
Does she think she is helping women with this? In one breath, she demands women be treated right by their husbands and in the other she promises nothing but sexual pleasure in return. Boy, do I love some good old objectification from the same person who appears to be fighting the feminist fight. I could talk for hours about how Meghan Trainor and her lack of musical talent infuriates me.
However, in honesty, I hurt the most when I see the acceptance her music receives. I ache when I am in the car with my friends and I watch them sing along to her damaging lyrics, claiming that they are lyrics in favor of women. It pains me to know that her songs are celebrated as feminist when in reality they are the exact opposite. She is a wolf in sheep’s clothing, and if her lyrics continue to be so widely appreciated I fear for the feminist movement. The lesson to be learned here is simple: just because something is fun and catchy does not mean it is beneficial. Be careful what you celebrate, be careful who you emulate.
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