"If I Were A Boy" by Beyonce

Beyonce's "If I Were A Boy" is a very different song. It takes you through the life of a women who wishes she was a boy, and describes what her life what be like if she was a boy. She could just "roll out of bed in the morning, and throw on what" she wanted, and then go. She would not have to worry about dressing up and looking nice, like women have to do. She plays a police officer in the music video, which a symbol of masculine work. She speaks of drinking beer with the guys, giving the listener a feeling that men have more time on their hands to just hang out with their friends and have a good time. Women would be expected to be caring for the children, cooking and cleaning during this time. The woman in the song says that if she were a boy, “I think I could understand How it feels to love a girl”. This indicates that the girl feels that boys don’t understand girls, and if she were a boy she would correct the wrong and understand girls. If she were a boy, she would “turn off her phone [and] tell everyone it’s broken, so they’d think that I was sleeping alone.” If a girl was to turn off her phone, and tell people it was broken, they would not believe her. Boy’s have more privileges and can do just about anything they want, and be believed about any lie that they make up, just because they are a boy.

This song addresses a lot of the issues that are present in society still today. Like men still being above women, but this song brings up a lot of new problems, like women wanting to be men. Women should be able to feel comfortable in their body and this society. If women are going to ever be seen as equal, we need to break down the rest of these barriers and be strong. We need to embrace our womanhood and what makes us women.

Hopefully this song empowers women to be better, not to feel overpowered by men.