Thanks to a few exercise classes at the gym (yes, sort of dance aerobics stuff, don't judge me), I've recently become familiar with Nicki Minaj the musician. Now, thanks to a video circulating on the Internet. I've also become familiar with (and fallen in love with) Nicki Minaj the feminist. I don't know if she identifies that way, but listen to her discuss sexism in her industry and there's no doubt that she's a feminist.
I love this speech/rant from Nicki. I don't keep up with the tabloids and celebrity news, but clearly she has earned a reputation for being a bitch and/or difficult to work with, and I love how she discusses what that means.
The sad part about this video comes at the very end, when she says "Don't use this footage, please, it's just gonna make me look stupid." After all her discussion about being assertive, standing up for herself, and the double standards for women, she backs off and reverts to worrying about what people will think of her. And this is one of the hardest parts about being a woman and a feminist; even when you know you are right, even when you know you have every right to point out discrimination, you can't help but revert back to worrying about what people think. Because that's what women are taught to do: always consider what other people think of you and how you appear.
I found this video via Bitch Magazine, and, not surprisingly, they said their favorite part was when she discusses the word "bitch". My favorite part, however, is after that when she talks about how girls have to be good at what they do, but also sweet, yet also sexy. She says, very directly, "I can't be all those things at once. I'm a human being."
There you have it, straight from Nicki Minaj. Women can't be expected to be everything, and they should be respected for what and who they are, whether it fits into the feminine, submissive mold or not.
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