Beyoncé Knowles,
known for her flawless figure and sexy persona, wrote the song “Pretty Hurts”
with Sia Furlor. This song sheds a new light on many body image problems
plaguing the nation; the music video, calls out major beauty pressures by setting
Beyoncé in a beauty pageant with the sash “Miss 3rd Ward,” a
reference to the neighborhood where she grew up. The video, produced by Ammo,
begins with varying body image issue images in the setting of a beauty pageant.
The video follows the well-known pageant trend; Beyoncé begins with preparation,
then her talent portion, continues on into the questioning round, where she
declares that her aspiration in life is to be happy, and finishes as runner up
to an albino African American. Although this is the normal progression of a
pageant, the unexpected twists that stray away from the norm along with the
lyrics create the real message of self-love and unconventional individuality.
The main message
that is being passed to girls across the nation is revealed through the lines “What’s
in your head, it doesn’t matter.” This focus on the outside appearance and the
notion, pointed out in the lyrics, that “what you wear is all that matters,” “Bigger
is better,” and “Thinner is better,” cause the body shaming behaviors of
tugging at “extra” fat or skin, throwing up to stay in the thin ideal, focusing
on measurements and weight, as well as all the other unhealthy images shown
throughout Beyoncé’s video. However, the twists begin immediately when Beyoncé
answers the question portion of the pageant by stating “My aspiration in life
is to be happy.” Instead of focusing on an aspiration that would cause others
to view her appearance in a better light, she chooses to put focus on an
emotion, an inner feeling that only she can control. This switch from
appearance to what lies on the inside shows examples of how to combat how “Pretty
hurts” and a nation that “shine(s) the light on whatever’s worst.”
Media and American
Culture perceive Beyoncé as a queen, take awe in all her talents, and know her
as a fashion icon and image of perfection. In the music video, however, Beyoncé
takes second place to an Albino black woman, a surprise to anyone who holds Beyoncé
so highly. The beauty images projected on to our culture push perfection of
skin tone, hair, teeth, weight, and size and so on. Being an albino, which
discolors the skin, would be the opposite to the norms of perfection; however,
this statement causes viewers to question beauty and perfection. Why can’t the
Albino African American win first place against Beyoncé? Why is she not considered
beautiful? This switch of roles and perception is meant to call all values and
understandings of beauty and your own self-image into perspective.
Beyoncé ends the
video with the lyrics “Are you happy with yourself? I am.” These words tie all
the images produced and the underlying message together. She switched the focus
from appearance to the soul, emotion, and feelings that make up a person and
caused all definitions of beauty and self-image to be questioned in a matter of
seven entertaining yet heartbreaking minutes. This want for change shown
throughout the story of the music video develops the reality of the need for
social values to be changed, a need for attention on the celebration of
individuality. Through this music video,
Beyoncé presents herself as a true leader in a world suffering with the pain of
beauty.
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