WAP- Women and Power

Image+from+WAP+music+video.

Atlanic Records

Image from “WAP” music video.

Krystal Orehek, Contributor

“WAP” by Cardi B ft. Megan Thee Stallion came out on August 7th, and needless to say, it’s a BOP. This is definitely a song you’d find yourself listening to five times in a row and still not get tired of. The music video has a lot of aesthetically pleasing scenes and both Cardi and Megan look amazing in it. The song even earned a spot at #1 on Billboard Hot 100 Chart with the most streams ever for a song opening week. Given its achievements, it seems like pretty much everyone seems to like this song or at least respects it.

Unless, of course, you’re Republican House Candidate James P. Bradley. On the day the song came out he tweeted, “Cardi B & Megan Thee Stallion’s song is what happens when children are raised without God and without a strong father figure. Their new ‘song’ #WAP (which I heard accidentally) made me want to pour holy water in my ears and I feel sorry for future girls if this is their role model!”

“WAP” cover art. (Atlantic Records)

Now it’s one thing to dislike a song, but to insult the artists and the music itself is uncalled for. This song has received a lot of backlash for being too sexual and “setting the entire female gender back by 100 years.” Not only is this an overdramatic take, but I question why female sexuality is considered something to be looked down upon, but male sexuality is never scrutinized in this way.

In music, there are so many songs written by men where they talk about their sex livesĀ and are just as open or maybe even a bit more just like Cardi and Megan were. Not to mention the constant use of women in their music videos, where they’re sexualized and essentially only there to show their bodies. It’s unfair how when women embrace their own bodies and sexuality, it becomes controversial and they receive criticism. Women are allowed to talk about and embrace their own bodies in whatever way they want and the constant dictation of how we should act is getting exhausting. If you’re a man, you have no place giving your opinion on how a girl decides to present herself. If you’re a woman, you also have no place giving your opinion on how another decides to present herself, let’s have each other’s backs ladies.

“WAP” is setting the female gender forward by 1oo years by breaking the negative stigma surrounding women being open and comfortable in their sexuality and bodies. If people truly think a song sets the female gender back by 100 years, I’m thinking they might have some internal issues to sort out on their own perception of women. In the meantime, we will be streaming WAP!