The concept of feminism has shifted into a new light in recent years. Through outlets of music, social
media, television & movies, and general pop culture, the representation of women has become slandered – and not just by men. Through pop music and movies have become hyperfocused on the male gaze and the hypersexualization of women (and calling it empowerment). With current-day icons like Sabrina Carpenter in comparison to early 2000s pop icons, there are drastic differences between the two in lyricism and the outward appearance they each crafted for themselves.

Of Sabrina Carpenter’s seven released studio albums, the decline in a fixed, positive, self-confident image is evident with her latest albums. With her debut album, released at 15, it had simple, fun lyrics and an overall sound. In her most recent albums, specifically ‘Short n’ Sweet’ and ‘Man’s Best Friend’, there is an obvious lack of emotional depth and vulnerability behind her lyrics. From ‘Tears’ to ‘House Tour’, her lyrics are laced with sexual innuendo meant to empower, yet it still feels so focused on the man’s pleasure from a woman’s perspective, and not a woman’s.

Sabrina claims to be all about hating men. That’s fine, until you make it your entire discography. With no other topic of discussion, it comes full circle. It becomes male-focused again, even if that isn’t your intention. Sabrina gushes about how the bare-minimum (responsibility and kindness) from a man is what she’s looking for. This is inherently harmful, because the bare-minimum shouldn’t be the bare-minimum. It should be the norm.

Feminism Should Not Be Male-Centered

The Bechdel Test is used to evaluate gender representation in media. Created by Alison Bechdel in 1985, the featured media will pass the test as long as it meets 3 rules:

• It features at least two named characters
• They communicate with each other
• The conversation is not about a man or men in any capacity.

Why is this important? The concept of Feminism is to believe in or advocate for the equality of the sexes through women’s rights. Constantly focusing on and putting your entire career around “hating men”, yet painting women in a degrading light, is not how equality is achieved. Sabrina’s album cover features her on her knees, with a man grabbing her hair. To represent yourself as a feminist, yet portray yourself as this and have your discography only be about men, is not how true feminism is achieved. It’s degrading as a whole, and paints women in a bad light: “sex-obsessed, boy-crazy, dumb blondes.” After decades of working to move away from this image, it seems as if we’re going backwards in recent years.

Edited and Reviewed by John Ratliff II