While many of us were excited by Sabrina Carpenter’s most recent studio album “Man’s Best Friend,” a large population of the internet deemed the album and its cover art as “anti-feminist,” resulting in backlash toward Carpenter and the album as a whole. We believe this highlights a double standard in the industry when it comes to representations of female sexuality.
The album’s rollout began June 5 with the release of “Manchild,” the album’s hit single, and the cover art reveal followed suit. People immediately viewed the cover as portraying misogynistic themes, due to Carpenter’s submissive pose, kneeling with a man’s hand tangled in her hair. However, after the Aug 29 release of the full album, Carpenter defended its imagery, saying it’s “perfect for what the album represented,” and that her message, while up to interpretation, is about the lack of control she experiences in intimate heterosexual relationships. Whether or not everyone connects with this subject matter, Carpenter is still completely valid in wanting to express this idea through her album cover and its themes.
What people fail to recognize with this “anti-feminist” critique is that the album contains ironic, raunchy themes that offer a satirical representation of Carpenter’s complicated intimate relationships with men. Within these relationships, if she takes on a submissive role, why should she refrain from expressing that visually on the cover? Not to mention, plenty of male artists use intimate poses of women to convey sexual themes of an album through its cover, and receive no backlash. So, why is it that people feel the need to critique Carpenter’s artistic expression of her own sexuality and experiences in her relationships?
Instead of viewing the cover art as Carpenter’s artistic expression of her sexuality, many took to assuming the artwork had the sole purpose of catering to the male gaze. The Lanthorn’s Editorial Board finds itself questioning why, when a female artist depicts herself sexually, the media is quick to accuse her of trying to appease a male audience. Women should be allowed to exercise autonomy over their sexuality and deserve the right to express themselves and their preferences without including the desires of men in the conversation.
In an era where discussions about social issues are held more frequently in digital spaces, fan culture has taken on an active role in regulating celebrity behavior. Anyone with access to an internet connection is able to voice their opinion on public figures, resulting in the development of rigid sets of expectations. Due to musical themes referencing her relationship struggles, some listeners have come to perceive Carpenter as a spokeswoman for pop-feminism. Though she has never stated her stance on the subject publicly, vocal sections of her fanbase hold her to the moral standards of a movement leader.
This is not Carpenter’s first brush with controversy over sexual imagery. Earlier this year, while on her Short n’ Sweet Tour, she faced backlash for miming sexual positions during “Juno,” a song that is – very explicitly – about sex. Additionally, while opening for Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, some Swifties in the audience found her raunchy outros to be inappropriate for kids attending the Eras Tour. However, Carpenter makes music for adults, not children.
Being her breakthrough came from Disney Channel and other acting roles, an expectation has been unjustly placed upon her that she must remain pure as a role model for young women. She has never claimed to be a feminist icon, spokesperson or role model. Despite her previously young audience, she shouldn’t be forced to maintain expectations of purity or innocence simply because of her past. By placing celebrities on a pedestal in this way, they will inevitably fall short of the unrealistic standards set for them by fans.
Despite its critics, we think “Man’s Best Friend” works for what it is: an album seeped in sexual expression flavored with well-timed irony. Her lyrics are full of self-aware witticism, showing she is clearly smart enough to understand the impact and potential interpretations of her artistry. The assumption that any woman who expresses her sexual interests and autonomy is doing it for men is, in itself, an anti-feminist idea. Just as she’s allowed to leave behind her past as a wholesome Disney star, she should be allowed to leave behind the purity culture that listeners want to force on her.
