3 reasons Church girls like Beyonce, Cardi B, and Megan Thee STALLION.
Written By:
Evelyn Denise
I grew up in the church. I worshipped every Sunday and multiple times throughout the week. One could say that I’m ‘churchy’. I guess it’s true. I sang in the choir, gave Easter speeches, learned the books of the bible. You know all the normal stuff that a church kid would know especially growing up in the ’90s. I was taught from a very early age that I was to save myself for my husband and that I had to learn how to take care of a home. So I’ve learned to cook and clean. I love children. Basically exactly what a ‘good church-going woman’ should be. I worked with my church’s youth group. I wore modest clothing and little makeup. After all, aren’t these the things that would attract my future church-going husband would want? A woman who knew her place in the home. A woman who would be submissive without issue?
We’ve come to a very interesting time within society and the church. Women are starting to use their voices. Women are no longer sitting idly by on the sidelines. We are participating in politics, in our communities, and in our churches if we are allowed. Women are starting to command the rooms in which they inhabit. No longer are we allowing our destiny and future to be held in the hands of the men that are in our lives.
Now enter Beyonce Giselle Knowles-Carter…
We all know who Beyonce is but I’ve found that A LOT ‘churchwomen’ are card-carrying members of the Bey-Hive. No tea. No shade. Facts are facts. For myself personally, I do enjoy her music especially her current projects where she isn’t afraid of her blackness. (that’s a whole other blog post) But I wouldn’t say that I am in the Bey-Hive. I think I have some idea of why church women love Bey and Cardi and Megan.
All three of these women OWN THEIR SEXUALITY- Growing up in the church there is a whole purity culture that I believe stunts some women. The purity culture tells women that their sexual organs are the only gift in which they bring to a marriage. As if being an intelligent boss babe aren’t things to be desired. SIS! We are more than the organ that rests at the meeting of our thighs. Bey, Cardi, and Megan empower women, however crudely, that they are more than that. If they want to have sex it will be BECAUSE THEY WANT TO HAVE SEX! They remind us that we are smart, powerful, bosses, and beautiful. Our beauty doesn’t define us its just a fact of nature. Their music reflects that they own their bodies and that they are indeed sexual beings. They aren’t shy about the fact that they have sex and a lot of their lyrics would suggest that they enjoy it. Don’t get me wrong. I don’t mean to say that women should openly talk about their sex lives but if they did why should it matter? Women are often shamed for the very curves of their bodies which in turn creates a generation of judgemental women. Sex is the FIRST command given to man after Eve was created. (See Genesis 1:28 ‘be fruitful and multiply’) These three women are just bringing to the forefront conversations that women have amongst their friend circles.
Boss Mentality- All three of these women are building empires. Take Cardi, for example, she trademarked her famous “okurrr”. After that deal went through, she got an entire Pepsi commercial for the 2019 Super Bowl. AN ENTIRE COMMERCIAL! Beyonce is considered a celebrity to celebrities. When she enters an event, it is pandemonium. She commands a room. She has a platform where she can be as creative as she wants. I mean let’s look at her Coachella performance. First and foremost she was the first African American woman to perform at the festival. She took way less than she is worth to perform then negotiated terms so that she film. Then created an entire documentary which she sold to Netflix and gave us a CD. If that’s not a boss then I don’t know what is! Megan has a thriving music career while finishing her last year in college. Need I say more?
Secured a career check, husband check, family check, check and check-Megan’s career is still in its infancy and she’s in college so it makes sense as to why she isn’t married. But Bey and Cardi both had careers and are married women with children. Even as recently as the early 2000’s it was very difficult for women to have a thriving career and still be mothers. Both Bey and Cardi have broken this mold and proved that women have the ability to be and to do both. Bey and Cardi have performed while expecting. They both chose to keep their marriages and pregnancies away from the public. Choosing only to speak when they deemed it necessary. This isn’t to say that there aren’t any gospel artists who are doing the same. You’ve got the sisters of Mary Mary who were both married prior to their careers taking off. You’ve got Tasha Cobbs Leonard who was married within the last couple of years. Even Sarah Jakes Roberts. For me, none of these women have shown what it’s like to build a career and then get married. I know there will be many who disagree but hey truly think about it.
Overall church women don’t really have women like this to look up to. We don’t have Christian fashion icons. We don’t have boss babes to aspire to be like. To be fair, Sarah Jakes-Roberts is emerging as such. But we need more women in the faith to inspire. Prayerfully there will be more.
Until we get more, my holy and hood playlist will still play.
I look up, He looks down.
Evelyn Denise, Leadership Team, Purpose Community Church
