Identities: Feminist theory

1) How might this video contribute to Butler’s idea that gender roles are a ‘performance’?

Butler believes gender roles are ‘a performance’ and that male and female behaviour is socially constructed rather than the result of biology. Traditional feminists divide society into ‘men’ and ‘women’ and by dividing men and women, feminists reinforce the idea of differences between the two genders. This can be in Beyoncé's music video as she reinforces the difference between men and women. She shows herself as a everyday woman as she presents herself as a stay at home wife who cleans, cooks and gardens. Beyoncé also plays the role of a "woman" who thrives for the attention of a man and despite being successful, still needs a man in order to fulfil her life. 

 2) Would McRobbie view Beyonce as an empowering role model for women?

McRobbie, known for highlighting the empowering nature of magazines such as Cosmopolitan and Glamour and taking a different perspective to traditional feminists, would view Beyonce as an empowering role for women to a certain extent. As Beyoncé presents herself in seducing clothes and sexualises herself in the music video, it can be seen as empowering especially to people like McRobbie who believe that women who sexualise themselves are viewed as powerful. However, it can be said that McRobbie wouldn't view Beyoncé as an empowering role model for women because of the gender roles presented in the music video.

3) What are your OWN views on this debate – does Beyonce empower women or reinforce the traditional ‘male gaze’ (Mulvey)?

In my opinion, in this music video, she both empowers and reinforces the traditional male gaze (Mulvey). Today's society has decided that women who sexualise themselves can be seen as "empowering" and powerful and that's exactly what Beyoncé does in the music video. She sexualises herself through self touching and the revealing clothes she wears and to some people, it can be seen as empowering. However, it can also be seen that she is reinforcing the traditional male gaze because of the way she sexualises herself. The main audience would be for men. This can also be said as she displays herself seductively even though she is doing chores that women are expected to do such as cleaning. The fact that she was wearing such clothes whilst doing cleaning shows that she wants to show herself as sexy towards men as she cleans. Personally, I think that Beyoncé is purposely exaggerating the gender role here as she burns the food in the music video and has mascara running down her face just because she needs the attention of a man which are all signs of exaggeration. She sings about having smarts, and being a good wife yet claims that she should be loved by a man because she posses these so called qualities. She then also goes and cleans all these trophies that she has gotten. To me, the facial expressions and the fact that she shows that she has it all shows an oppositional reading to the common gender role. Beyoncé is in fact making a statement that people think that women need a man in order to be successful but in fact they can be successful without a man which empowers women.