How Sabrina Carpenter is Reclaiming Womanhood

With the recent release of Short ‘n’ Sweet (Deluxe version) the jokes about Sabrina Carpenter releasing songs that fans cannot show their parents are stronger than ever. I mean, personally, I would not play “15 minutes” for my parents considering my dad almost had a heart attack over “Juno.” However, I think it is important to examine the attitude people have towards her music. Sabrina rose to popularity in 2024 with the release of her song “Espresso,” which quickly became the song of the summer. Her next single was “Please Please Please,” which expanded her growth. It made my heart happy to see her being recognized for her talent after being in the business for so long; yet some argue that we are still not seeing her full potential. 

The most common type of criticism the popstar receives is that her music and performances are too sexualized. Now let me acknowledge that I have been a fan of her since her “Girl Meets World” days, so naturally I am going to defend her. However, I think this brings up an important underlying discussion about what artists have to do to succeed in the music industry. Some people believe that she is being overly sexual and selling her body, whether it be being on the cover of magazines or doing Juno positions on stage. Although I understand where the argument is coming from, I think people are looking too much into it. Many claim that she does not need songs such as “bed chem” because she could make better use of her powerful vocals with songs like “Couldn’t Make It Any Harder To Love Me.” This is important to acknowledge because her talent is often overlooked because people associate her with selling sex. Coming from someone whose favorite song on Short ‘n’ Sweet was “Sharpest Tool,” this woman can create some powerful ballads that remind us of the human struggle to decode the secret of loving others as much as yourself. Music is a form of therapy for her, and this was clear and she used it to try to understand the heartbreak she felt during her “emails i cant send” era. Songs like “things i wish you said” showcase the vulnerability and establish more of a connection with her fans. Her true fans appreciate these songs, but I don’t see the issue in her wanting to have a little fun with some more mature ones.

I think the reason I feel so passionately about this is because the media has defined her as being “overly sexual,” but she has years and albums prior to “Short n sweet” that have nothing to do with this. She was under a Disney contract for her first 5 albums and could not say the word “fuck”, so if she wants to talk about sex she has every right to. The way most people know artists is from a few catchy songs that blow up, but I encourage anyone who wants to hate on her to examine her discography first. Not only this, but her down-to-earth human nature before only labeling her as horny. She of course has made a joke out of this because that is her personality, and she’s wise about the tactics she uses. She took advantage of the same opportunity when people called her a slut back in 2021.

Many people are concerned that her sexual attitude is succumbing to the male gaze, but she expresses herself in a way that encourages women to be comfortable in their own sexuality. She rewrites the narrative by not having women be seen as objects of sexual desire but encourages her audience to embrace themselves fully. She has responded to criticism about this in the past by saying “if you can’t handle a girl who is confident in her own sexuality, then don’t come to my shows.” Sabrina is reclaiming womanhood by being true to who she is, while also having fun doing it.  

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