I am certainly no authority on other women’s bodies and believe wholeheartedly that women have and should remain in control of their bodies, but I have a growing contention for Nicki Minaj’s remix and video of the song “Anaconda.”
A good friend of mine, feminist, and huge advocate for women and women’s rights shared something on social media embracing this video, and I just can’t help my feelings of disgust towards her point of view. She is incredibly smart and fluent in all matters concerning women so why does she not see what I see watching this video?
I have always taken offense at the representation of women’s bodies in media and in Hollywood culture, but now it’s personal. My friend has bought into this illusion and I’m pissed. Now who is going to be the one at the bar to make it awkward because someone says something sexist and needs to be corrected?
Sure, Nikki Minaj is using her body for expression. However, she is portraying a standard of beauty set by men and perpetuated by men and women. This standard is even more detrimental to and exploitative of black women, and reinforces sexual stereotypes that have historically been used to characterize them. Why do we fail to see this regression, and how long will we as women continue to be convinced that our freedom of expression is hinged upon taking off our clothes and shaking our asses?
Unruly Bodies 
It was so refreshing to see this post. I have been hearing everyone’s positive feedback about the video, and it upsets me. I’m not expecting pop artists to dress up as a female president and start singing about handling ISIS or anything, but it would be nice if artists stopped making it look like women are here on Earth to be sexy no matter who they are or what their passion in life is.
I also really like your point about being at the bar and pointing out when someone says something sexist. The more videos like this are being exposed in the media, the more people are inclined to say something really perverted or uncalled for, because they don’t see it as being wrong or inappropriate.
I am so glad someone else has this view other than me! Recently, I have been personally struggling with this issue because on one hand, it’s great that she is embracing her body, but on the other hand, she is choosing to play into that standard of beauty (just like you said) and perpetuate harmful stereotypes of black women. As a feminist, I’m supposed to say, “Yeah, you go girl! Be proud of your body!” I have a hard time with this because aren’t we also supposed to agree that stereotypes are bad and that the media has a way of perpetuating them through things like music videos? I am certainly glad Nicki Minaj is proud of her body, but I am sure that there are so many other ways to convey that to the public other than making this video.
I don’t think that this is a fair assessment of the song or music video at all. Yes, Nicki Minaj is an extremely problematic pop icon, but slut-shaming her tackles none of the actual contradictory issues of body image that Anaconda presents. By trying to call her out in this manner, you are erasing her agency as many, many feminist circles do to black women when they express any sort of sexuality. I don’t see any of these critiques circulating for white celebrities like Lady Gaga or even Lena Dunham, who is actually praised for her use of nudity on the show Girls, so I find it incredibly unbelievable when people attack black celebrities such as Nicki Minaj and Beyonce for expressing their sexuality and say that it’s about the overall representation of women’s sexuality and isn’t about race. Call out white women for upholding these sexual stereotypes if that’s the real root of the issue. Pretty much, what this post is saying to me is “Why would she ever want to portray her sexuality in that manner?” as if her expression of her sexuality is something to be shamed or discredited as simply reinforcing hegemonic stereotypes of black women. People sometimes fit into stereotypes, and it does not make those stereotypes any better, but it doesn’t mean that they should be attacked for it. The media should be attacked for making it so that this is the only representation of black women that we see, not Minaj for being that specific type of black woman.
I had absolutely no intention of slut-shaming Nicki Minaj when writing this, nor was it my intention to deny the involvement of white women and men’s beauty standards. You are correct when you assume I wonder “why she would want to portray her sexuality in this manner,” but you misjudge why I am asking. If it wasn’t clear in my post I apologize, but I do in fact mean to place blame on the media and not on Minaj herself.
I’m sorry, but I have to disagree with your standpoint here. First of all, you seem to be judging Nicki based on the standards set for white women, and what is expected of white women, rather than taking her as a black woman and acknowledging her as such. Furthermore, the point of the music video is to show off her butt, which she has been told isn’t desirable, or that she should hide it. She is putting it her body out there because she has been told that’s what she’s not supposed to do.
I’m sorry you feel that way. The main point in this post was meant to express my sentiments towards the exploitation of both white and black women. My acknowledgement of how sexual stereotypes have been historically most detrimental towards black women was meant to give her more agency, not take it away. She’s a sexy woman, as are many celebrities, and it’s upsetting to hear she’s told her butt is undesirable. I only worry about the amount of media influence women face, and the ways they express their opposition.
I definitely have mixed views on this video but I fully support anyone who chooses to represent their sexuality this way for themselves if they’re comfortable doing so. If you’ve listened to some of the things she’s said in interviews Nikki calls people out on sexism and antifeminist behavior all the time and it is constantly overlooked due to the fact that she embraces her sexuality. I see Nikki as a strong independent woman who isn’t doing things like this to please men but herself.
My problems with the video are that it seems to be taken as a body positivity anthem when for me it’s just another club banger, I can see where she’s going but …. this Is just another song that glorifies one body type and denies another. Im all for people of all body types getting love and Im not offended when she says fuck the skinny bitches although slmsome might be… but lets be real Nikki has a huge ass and boobs but her body is tight, she’s in shape, and I wouldn’t consider her larger… so really is it proper representation at all?