Body Positivity in Music: The Good and The Bad
Body positivity is something that has come to light in recent years, especially in the music industry. In this day and age with Photoshop and Facetune, we are given these unrealistic standards of how we should look but some people are clapping back. It recently started with All About that Bass and now we have Lizzo. But not all songs that are meant to be body positive are. Here are a few body positive songs and whether they’re truly about body positivity or not.
1. All About That Bass by Meaghan Trainer (Bad)
This song came out in 2014 and when it came out everyone was so excited because it was talking about loving yourself, but was it? Lyrics like “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top” made you think it was about loving your curves and your body but then you have lyrics like “Hey, I'm bringing booty back
Go ahead and tell them skinny b**ches that,” and “You know I won't be no stick-figure, silicone Barbie doll” that makes you think twice. Body positivity is more than just loving yourself for those who have a bit more weight on us, it’s about everyone loving their bodies. Putting down one body type to uplift another is not a body-positive song.
2. Good as Hell by Lizzo (Good)
This song is fairly new and is all about loving yourself post-breakup. Not once in the song does it say anything about a specific body type or degrade any body type. It talks about picking yourself up from being sad, loving your self and just feeling good as hell! “In there, swimwear, going-to-the-pool shit
Come now, come dry your eyes
You know you a star, you can touch the sky
I know that it's hard but you have to try
If you need advice, let me simplify” this is just one of many lyric sets that shows that she’s just trying to get everyone to love themselves.
3. Anaconda by Nicki Minaj (bad)
Now everyone knows this song, it’s a big booty anthem with a bit of a throwback in there, but is it all body positivity? No, it talks down about skinnier girls. “F*ck those skinny b**ches
F*ck those skinny b**ches in the club
I wanna see all the big fat-a** b**ches in the Muthaf*ckin' club
F*ck you if you skinny, b**ches, what?!”
4. Strip by Little Mix (Good)
This song is all about loving yourself how you were born and how you are. It’s call strip not to strip off your clothes but to strip off all the negative comments and allow yourself to be your most authentic self you can be. “If you got little boobs, love it, love it, love it, love it, love it
If you got a big ass, grab it, grab it grab it, grab it, grab it
If you got nothing, babe, rock it
It’s your life, go get it, if you want it
Up in the mirror like, "Aw, yeah"
Lovin’ my figure like, "Aw, yeah"
When I'm slim or I’m thick, I'm like, "Aw, yeah"
Whether it’s good or bad, we all are found guilty of putting others down to feel better about ourselves. This is something we as a society need to work on. We need to stop tearing each other down and start lifting everyone and ourselves up! Go out today, give a stranger a compliment, and make someone smile. Do it to yourself too. Love yourself.
This blog post was written by Maddie Cannon, General Body Member.