Pretty Hurts

Amongst the feminist music videos released in the past decade, the video that speaks to more young adults and teenagers than others is Beyoncé’s Pretty Hurts. The video takes place at a beauty pageant filled with small waisted girls who are not content with themselves. The opening scene shows a behind the scenes look of the pageant where the girls do not get along and are frantically getting ready. 

Throughout the video, the viewer sees the girls forcing themselves to throw up, eating things they shouldn’t, and looking miserable only to be paraded in front of judges and a crowd. For many girls, this music video is a reality and Beyoncé wanted to let girls know that pretty does hurt and that all that really matters is that you’re happy.

Beyoncé’s message for this video is rather clear. Girls should not change their bodies and torture themselves to please others. Listening to the lyrics of the song, she states, “Shine the light on whatever's worse/ Tryna fix something/ But you can't fix what you can't see/ It's the soul that needs the surgery (MetroLyrics).” This part of the chorus very accurately represents society’s push on the way girls should look and feel about themselves.

Beyoncé truly takes a feminist political and social stance with this song and video. Her criticization of beauty pageants and what they mean translates into the deeper meaning of the video. Girls need to block out any push from society or even people they know. We need to understand that it is better to be ourselves and be happy than try to be something we are not and miserable.

As stated by Lana F. Rukow, “Feminists are saying that popular culture plays a role in patriarchal society and that theoretical analysis of this role warrants a major position in ongoing discussions.”

As a feminist who plays a large role in popular culture, Beyoncé disobeys the social norms of disregarding the feminist movement. By creating this potentially controversial video, she has given a voice to girls who do not feel like themselves in their own skin. She lets them know it is okay to be different, as long as they are happy with themselves.

In terms of the video itself, the turning point for the character Beyoncé plays is when she responds to the question she is asked during the competition. She responds that her aspiration in life is to be happy. This small scene of the music video carries the most weight when it comes to the meaning. A response that she wants to be happy gives off the impression that she is not happy with where she is in that moment.

Another monumental point in this video is when Beyoncé knocks down all of her beauty pageant trophies. This symbolizes her breakdown of giving into societal norms. Her jumping into the pool with her dress and sash on also represents her cleansing herself of all judgement in her journey to become as happy as she can be.

Many girls in American society can relate to pleasing others, rather than themselves. Through this video, Beyoncé inspires girls and women everywhere to ignore the social norms and embrace who they are.

Beyoncé did a phenomenal job with the production and message of this video. She allows girls to see that they should love who they are regardless of what others or society may think. Her large influence on popular culture today plays a big role in broadcasting this message of acceptance of oneself.

It is important for girls to know that while pretty might hurt, it doesn’t have to and if Beyoncé says it, it must be true.