Aside from the whole Kanye ruckus, there has also been quite a lot of discussion on feminist blogs this summer about Beyonce's song.  I think that how you react to "Single Ladies" has more to do with how you feel about the institution of marriage than anything else.  Quite a lot of feminist bloggers unsurprisingly see marriage as a prison, as a transaction in which the man buys the woman for the "price" of a diamond ring, or as an exchange of power in which the women loses hers, and becomes subsidiary to a man.

If you feel this way, for those people who are anti marriage in general, then "Single Ladies" is going to be a maddening song which upholds the ancient and misogynist institution of marriage. Which it totally does.  The song's basic message is, "if he won't marry you, then you can dump him and go have some fun."

I'm unmarried myself, so I don't know if I can speak on this issue without bias.  (But can anyone?)  I don't think that marriage is a prison etc, but I obviously don't feel that a woman is incomplete if she remains unmarried past the age of, say, 22.  I'm 37 and unmarried, and I'm fine with it.  Not for me, the Cathy-like gnashing of the spinster to be.  

But I think it's important to recognize that for many women, marriage IS important.  And there's nothing wrong with that.  For gay women, marriage is very important - important enough to be worth fighting over - and would we tell them that they are wrong to want marriage?  I think we would not.  

Honestly, I get pretty tired of commentary along the lines of, "It's a feminist message, but it's not feminist ENOUGH."  Everyone pretty much agrees that "Single Ladies" is at heart an empowering song.  (And sassy!  And catchy!)  However some people feel that it is empowering women to seek the wrong thing, as if it was saying "Hey girl!  If he's treating you badly, then you have every right to join the Taliban and put yourself under Sharia law!  Get down with your bad self!"

I'm old enough that I talk about "the kids these days."  And honestly, if the worst thing the kids these days say is "if he won't marry you, then you have every right to dump his ass," well that frankly would be a huge relief.  Considering that so much music today discusses women in terms of bitches and/or hos, Beyonce's "Single Ladies" is downright revolutionary.

My only qualm with the song is the bit at the beginning, where she talks about having shed her tears for three years.  Three years!   Now probably "three years" was chosen for its rhythm and because "years" rhymes so well with "tears."  But let me tell you, ladies, if your man makes you cry for any reason for three entire years?  I don't care what it's over, it could be because he insists on doing the dishes every night, whatever - if he's made you cry for three years, then YES you should kick him out the door.  

And go dancing.  

Ideally with a bionic hand.