Shakira: Girl Power Is Great -- But Shouldn't Emasculate Men

Now, I can’t help but ask a question that’s been on my mind since we began this conversation, “Did you watch the movie Barbie?”

“I watched it, yeah.” Long pause.

Advertisement

“And?”

“My sons absolutely hated it. They felt that it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent. I'm raising two boys. I want 'em to feel powerful too [while] respecting women. I like pop culture when it attempts to empower women without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to also protect and provide. I believe in giving women all the tools and the trust that we can do it all without losing our essence, without losing our femininity. I think that men have a purpose in society and women have another purpose as well. We complement each other, and that complement should not be lost.”

Ed Morrissey

I found this refreshing, not so much as a critique of Barbie but of the present status of feminism. It's entirely oppositional where actual empowerment would recognize the complementary, as Shakira says here. Too much of pop culture attempts to tear men down (as part of a "patriarchy" that few men even recognize) rather than just build women up. 

Join the conversation as a VIP Member

Trending on HotAir Videos

Advertisement
Advertisement
Advertisement