Beyoncé’s visual album, Lemonade

Black Women’s Struggles

Black men and women have always been targets of victimization and inferiority, but women have endured far greater hardships. They had to deal with the male supremacy of black men, which drew condemnation from educated women of upper social levels and from all women in general. Because Lemonade is so different from all of Beyoncé’s previous albums, it has garnered interest all across the world. She expresses conflicting emotions regarding a variety of aspects of being a woman and a black woman on the album. She is angry and has rage for the past atrocities that happened to women and she features black women of all sizes, shapes, and age in the videos. However, she is powerful yet having said that she still suffers from black men dominance, white supremacy, and racism, even money and power do not solve all these issues faced by black women. Hence, Bell Hooks wrote a critique about the album, which spark controversy among black women who had different opinions on the matter (Taylor).

Interpretation of Lemonade

Bell Hooks is a huge critique who due to her writings she has become famous and very influential in the media and social classes. Hooks state that Lemonade celebrates rage and anger by displaying violence as the answer in the ’Hold up’ video where Beyoncé breaks car windows and shop windows due to betrayal (Bell). However, it does not necessarily mean that she supports or promotes violence. Violence as she clearly states cannot create a positive change or enhance domination in women and men. In the video Beyoncé is not showing dominance to anyone but she is angry because of the betrayal and hurt in a relationship. Moreover, it is a vengeful video where she is reacting to her emotions and expressing herself as a human being (Joy). It is what the audience and viewers connect with more as it is a reality for a woman to express herself that way due to anger. As stated by Sesani Bowen this video would be more famous if it was related to the audience more because anger is a natural feeling (Sesani).

Influence of Beyoncé’s Reactions

Further, she says that Hooks’ claim that Beyoncé glamourizes violence is oversimplification, but with the kind of following Beyoncé has, her reactions can influence people in different ways. Many artists use their talents to express their opinions in the political and social world. As it is the only way, they can create an impact and that is through their followers. It is very common for fans to idolize their role model to an extent imitating what they see them doing. Hence, speaking and acting violently in videos is not advisable as this might send a different message to viewers. Sesali looks at Beyoncé’s video as victimization of black women in a positive way as she disagrees with Hooks’ idea of refusing to be a victim as black women as it shows the intense of the matter. Nonetheless, it is not right to play a victim that is how exploitation takes place but rather black women should voice their concerns and fight towards achieving freedom from dominance and racism (Jenkins).

Empowerment and Freedom

This is the biggest fight that women should engage in so that they could liberate themselves from exploitation and victimization. Additionally, Hook states that Lemonade displayed images of black women unclothed do not advocate for self-respect and respect from society (Bell). This is true in the sense that people always undervalue women for wearing clothes that are showing too much skin as it shows a lack of dignity and self-worth. However, the society today is more liberal and open-minded, as clothing has become an expression. It is up to every individual to choose whatever they want to wear and how. Hence, this claim by Hook is contradicting with how a modern woman views her body and way of dressing. In addition, Hooks claims this displays them as a commodity in the video just as they were during slavery and this brings down a woman’s self-esteem. On the contrary, women today have the freedom to make a choice without relying on religion, rules, or men and that is a positive achievement for women.

Celebrating Voices for Change

Similarly, it is through making small steps towards that freedom that is going to create a difference but as Hook has indicated Lemonade should show women how to solve issues they face in everyday life rather than learning how to survive it (Bell). This is by creating a real difference in women’s lives and thinking. Moreover, many people are oppressed due to the lack of knowledge or low self-esteem and this can only end if real solutions are found and implemented. However, Beyoncé cannot have the solutions to women’s issues just as Hook, with her experience in feminism, has never provided. Hence, holding Beyoncé’s album Lemonade with high expectations is mistaken, as she is also a victim or rather fighting in the same battles like every black woman is fighting with racism and dominance.

Acknowledging Black Women’s Struggles

This is achievable by celebrating every voice that is trying to address these issues. Lemonade is a great album that has gained fame due to its natural presentation of an ordinary black woman’s life. It is captivating in the sense how it tries to portray black women struggling to enjoy the small things in life due to judgment by society, especially by black men who are their harshest critics. Beyoncé expresses her emotions in this album aggressively but that is judged harshly too; anger is a natural feeling towards betrayal by a person you love. This is a part of the solution as creating awareness of the hurt and struggles of black women.

Works Cited

Jenkins, Tatiyana. A Recipe for Black Girl Magic: A Critical Study of the Mise-en-Scene in Beyoncé’s Visual Album Lemonade as a Radical Representation of Black Women, 2017.

Taylor, Laura-Ashley. Beyonce Feminism: Feminist Messages’ Impact on African American Female Identity, 2017.

Beth Hooks. Moving Beyond Pain. Bell Hooks Institute, 2016.

Sesali Bowen. Auntie bell, I love you, but you gotta chill. Feministing, 2016.

Joy-Ann Reid. Lemonade is a powerful black feminist aesthetic in its own right, 2016.