Women are constantly being bombarded with gender norms that limit their take on self-expression. In the media especially, it isn’t uncommon to see men parade women like sex objects, but why do female rappers receive so much backlash when they take ownership of their own bodies?

“…it’s the complete opposite for male rappers. They can say whatever they want about females and they expect women to be okay with it,” Ceasar Chacon, a senior, said. He acknowledges that Cardi B’s ‘WAP’ made a lot of men on social media “intimated” and uncomfortable; they weren’t accustomed to being sexualized the same way that women have for decades. Chacon believes that there shouldn’t be a divide between male and female rappers. He believes that people should listen to whomever they want, as long as they’re happy. 

“It makes no sense to me that there are so many songs that male artists release that involves… explicit content… but they don’t receive the same amount of backlash as women receive,” Anahy Barajas, a senior, said. She believes that the music industry prevents women from being honest with their sexualities, especially when celebrities and other famous artists begin to express themselves. Barajas suggests that the best way to destigmatize female empowerment is to simply see everyone as equal, regardless of their sexuality, race, or religious affiliation. 

She believes that both the media and society expect women to be “ideal” at all times. When female rappers make mistakes, they aren’t forgiven as quickly as male rappers. She acknowledges that rap music created by males is primarily comprised of topics relating to sex, drugs, and gang life. However, she does believe that “money is power”. In order to break down the double-standard found within the music industry, consumers must pay attention to where they put their money. She encourages others to continue to stream the music of female rappers. 

“[In rap], women are just seen… and glorified for being dainty and needing men… so it doesn’t really make sense, societally speaking, to see a woman as a ‘hard person’,” Gabriela Rincon, a music teacher and band director, said. She believes that there is a double-standard that limits women on how they express their sexuality.

Heightened by slut-shaming, society often has this “perfect view” of what women should be, and female rappers don’t check all the traditional boxes. Rincon acknowledges that certain expectations of women have begun to break down, but open conversations about sexual identity and expression need to continue to take place in order to destigmatize female empowerment.