I’m a feminist, but I do not like Beyonce’s ‘Lemonade’

I’m sorry in advance for the all people I aggravate, for anyone who un-follows or unfriends me because of what I think about this, because I’m not trying to be offensive, ignorant, or even angry, and I understand perspective is a vital part of all interpretation and appreciation…. but.

I do not love Beyoncé’s Lemonade.

I do not identify as part of the “Bey-Hive” to begin with, so that’s an important detail. This is not coming from her biggest fan, this is coming from someone who felt a little angry at all men for abuse of pathos, who felt entirely unrepresented, and who felt far from empowered.

I understand that it is not her job to cater to every sector of femininity. It is not her job, as a ‘musical artist’, to please everyone, to make everyone feel represented, or to avoid offending a single person. But, *but*, to say that her visual album is the most shocking piece of feminist artistry? That Lemonade is *the* single most empowering thing, for women everywhere? That’s an untruth, and that’s failing to acknowledge a large amount of women.

Let’s be real for a minute: Beyoncé Knowles is an icon, not an artist. I’m not saying her visual album wasn’t artistic, because it did have artistic elements that I can appreciate and it did say something unique and artistic about her own personal experience with infidelity. But that has to be what we appreciate it as. It has to remain a personal memoir, it has to remain a piece of artwork.

It cannot be our go-to when we are cheated on, abused, or mistreated. It cannot be our Bible, she cannot be the God of relationships. It cannot be what gets us through something so devastating and heartbreaking as infidelity. It cannot be the leading source of empowerment for all women, all black women, all women of color, or to be honest, any woman other than Beyoncé.

Because what about the women who can’t forgive? Because what about the women who are abused, who aren’t worth billions of dollars, who don’t have a fan-base ready to buy their next album and keep them afloat? What about the women who are sick, middle-aged, over-weight, who don’t look like Beyoncé? What happens to them? Do you think they get to look at their husbands, say, “I forgive you,” and continue on in their happy marriage? Do you think their voices are ever heard?

And, just to add to it, she got a little vulgar. I’d love to have someone explain to me the artistic value in vulgar language, misrepresentation of sex, and a vague comprehension of what it means to be in a loving, healthy relationship equipped with mutual respect between the two parties. I want someone to tell me that the references and allusions to the Bible were not only non-offensive to those who might regard that book as sacred, but were artistic and profound. I want someone to explain to me how tasteless commentary on the beauty of the human body is artistic and how all of us should feel empowered when many of us cannot identify.

I’m not seeing the feminist statement, here. I’m not even seeing the black woman statement, here. I’m seeing Beyoncé empowering herself after a really hard sting in infidelity.

I’m seeing the world patting Beyoncé on the back, saying, “you go girl,” and forgetting that there are countless other women not accounted for and almost purposely ignored in her attempt to be artistic and empowering.