Women can’t enjoy anything.
OK, OK, that might seem like a very vague and general statement, but a lot of the time, it’s true.
Throughout history, women have always been shamed for their interests, especially when it comes to interests that encourage femininity.
Growing up, I remember always feeling the need to be different. There was no room to conform with popular hobbies or else you weren’t seen as an individual, you were “just another girl.” The concept of being “not like other girls” is a clear consequence of this generational mindset.
We all know a “pick me” girl. If you don’t, a simple definition would describe a “pick me” as a girl or woman who goes out of her way to seek approval from men by separating herself from other women. Yes, I get it, these “pick me” girls can be annoying, but I could never blame these women for acting this way when society has conditioned us to believe that we shouldn’t be like other girls. It’s simply a case of being a product of your own environment.
This abandonment of feminine interests in pursuit of male validation is prominently displayed in the way society treats girls who enjoy pop music. Taylor Swift fans, better known as “Swifties,” are a prime example of this. Although I am not a particular fan of Taylor Swift’s discography, I can sympathize with her fans in the way they are looked down upon by men and the societally deemed “pick-me” girls.
Now here’s the question: Why are they looked down upon? Why is fun, feminine music always seen as cringey and unworthy of appreciation? There’s a simple answer for this, society hates femininity.
With the recent resurgence of pop stars, this stigma is slowly being broken down. Sensations like Sabrina Carpenter, Chappell Roan, Gracie Abrams, to name a few, are shamelessly themselves, and specifically unapologetic about their femininity.
This is a beautiful phenomenon to experience, especially when living in an environment where women are constantly being shamed for every step we make or things we say.
Recently, women have been able to be open about their love for this female-forward era of pop, something which prior to this resurgence, was seen as a guilty pleasure.
Not only are women able to embrace their previously shunned interests, women are free to relate to this music, inherently giving us a creative outlet for our emotions that weren’t always welcomed before.
Sabrina Carpenter, specifically, is an artist who pours her heart into her music. As she best states in one of her newest music drops, Don’t Smile, she “pour[s] [her] feelings in the microphone.”
Traditionally, feminine pop music is about spunk, sensuality, and self-expression. This culture was popularized in the early 2000’s by the one and only, Britney Spears (our lord and savior) and I believe that our new pop artists are reawakening this concept in a stunning manner.
Projecting romantic emotions is not a new concept in pop, but artists like Chappell Roan and Sabrina Carpenter are also helping normalize the notion of sexuality in music.
We all know that women are often shamed for their expression of sexuality, but these barriers are being broken down at a rapid rate as we women are reclaiming our desire to talk about sex and love without feeling ashamed. We can see this especially as Sabrina Carpenter’s new album, ‘Short N’ Sweet’ is being coined online as the “ovulation album,” and I have one word in response: real.
As we move forward in this revival of femininity, we as women must choose to be unapologetic about our interests. I reject the idea of trying to be different. I want to be like other girls. Women are complex creatures with beautiful talents, aspirations, beliefs, and opinions. Why wouldn’t I want to be like them?