How Feministic Rhetorics Can Be Applied to Music Videos
Feminist rhetorics is still a growing subset of rhetoric. During the twentieth century especially, feminist scholars began to challenge the hegemonic boundaries of rhetoric in order to expand the field of rhetoric itself. One reason that feminist scholars still challenge these boundaries is because they want to end the limitations within the field; Sonja Foss, scholar and author of countless texts about rhetoric, claims that one of the “primary goal[s] of feminist scholarship is to discover whether existing rhetorical theories account for women’s experiences and perspectives and to construct alternative theories that acknowledge and explain women’s practices in the construction and use of rhetoric” (Foss et al 331). The study of Beyoncé's music can be analyzed through a feminist rhetorical lens because she is a woman who is using a rhetorical device to promote awareness and encourage activism.
To begin, the images displayed in Beyoncé's music videos influence the reactions and the understanding of the message. This is related to visual rhetoric, which is "used to mean anything from the use of images as argument, to the arrangement of elements on a page for rhetorical effect, to the use of typography (fonts), and more" ("Visual Rhetoric"). Beyoncé's music video "Ring the Alarm," which is embedded below, is an excellent example of how she uses visual rhetoric. In the music video, Beyoncé is dragged away by police officers and taken to a prison cell where she is featured wearing "army fatigues" (Brooks). This specific image is incredible because it showcases Beyoncé in a defenseless stage.
What does this say about other women, especially African-American women? In her piece “All That You Can’t Leave Behind," Daphne Brooks says that "Ring the Alarm" calls attention to the struggles of "black women who have been chastised" and "the growing number of black women" who have been in jail (Brooks 182). In many of these cases, black women have not been given an opportunity for rehabilitation. So what does the "glamor" of music videos such as this one mean for this issue? Does it make black women really resemble property like Brooks describes (Brooks 182)? The rhetoric exemplified in "Ring the Alarm" not only raises serious questions but it also illustrates how music can be an incredibly powerful rhetorical device.
Furthermore, music is a way for women, especially minority women, the capability to act as rhetors. Thus, it gives them the opportunity to send a message and persuade or teach an audience about a prevalent issue that they have (or are) experiencing, which is the goal of feminist rhetorics. Feminist rhetorical theory, like Foss describes, searches for alternative methods, acknowledges the work of women, and gives women the chance to contribute to the field of rhetoric. Music, including Beyoncé's music videos, contributes to feminist rhetoric (and rhetoric as a whole) because it is arguably a nontraditional way for women to participate in rhetoric.
According to Brooks, Beyoncé contributes to the "politics of black women's pop music culture" (Brooks 180). Brooks says that Beyoncé's second solo album titled B'day reveals "an ever-sophisticated range of emotions tied to black women's experience" (Brooks 184). While this can be a very powerful rhetorical move, it is also a very risky one because of how society perceives black women. What does Beyoncé's "Ring the Alarm" music video—or any of her other music videos—contribute to the perception of black women? Like other black female musicians, Brooks argues that Beyoncé must be cautious of how her music exemplifies the black female voice because there is a "slippery slope" (Brooks 184) between positive perceptions and negative perceptions. Brooks goes on to mention how music can be used to encourage an audience to do something or promote activism as seen in performances following the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina in 2004 (Brooks 186-188).
This is applicable to Beyoncé's music videos as well. Since the album her fourth album, I Am ... Sasha Fierce, was released in 2008, Beyoncé has promoted awareness about certain issues and encouraged activism. For instance, "If I Were A Boy" touches on the differences of gender. This music video and song is a much softer social and political statements that she made five years later in some of her songs on BEYONCÉ, such as "***FLAWLESS." Even though "If I Were A Boy" can be considered a more subtle and softer statement, it conveys a powerful message nonetheless. It does this by highlighting how gender influences the expectations of an individual as well as their roles, particularly with men and women. This music video as well as others during this time period is examples of how Beyoncé began to emerge as a more prominent activist who used her music rhetorical to make a message. From her fourth album to the "Formation" music video, Beyoncé has evolved immensely has a rhetor.
In terms of the "Formation" music video (which is embedded below), Beyoncé's claims are much more obvious than ones she made in videos dating back to 2008. For example, she aims to call attention to the injustices that citizens of New Orleans are still facing eleven years after Hurricane Katrina. The specific images she uses, like the flooding and poverty, are striking ways to exemplify the suffering that many New Orleans inhabitants are still facing. The immediate physical damage may not have lasted incredibly long, but it is still clear that there is damage as highlighted in the areas of New Orleans that have not been given aid or reconstructed. Also, Beyoncé demonstrates another significant injustice in the "Formation" music video that many African-Americans are currently facing. Around the four-minute mark, a black boy is dancing before a row of white police officers. When the boy puts his hands up, the white police officers do so too. This instance brings attention to the police brutality and injustice that many African-Americans have been facing for countless years. Using a young boy of color is a very powerful rhetorical device because it is intended to stimulate an emotional response from audience members; this emotional based appeal is a great example of the powerful—and more obvious—rhetorical tool that Beyoncé is using in her music videos. Ultimately, Beyoncé develops a riveting image and message that is intended to inform her audience of these injustices as well as persuade them to behave differently.
Not only is the visual rhetoric of a music video important in conveying the message and persuading the audience, the song lyrics are influential as well. This is especially significant when comparing the lyrics to how the music video reflects—or does not reflect—that message. In a Huffington Post article titled "Beyoncé: Feminist or Fauxminist?", Bianca Pencz analyzes Beyoncé's song lyrics and compares the imagery that is depicted in the music videos. How can the visual rhetoric and imagery displayed in a music video change the meaning of the song—if any at all—and can this the differences hinder the rhetor's ability to persuade or teach? Pencz breaks down several of Beyoncé's songs that were released at varying points in her career; according to Pencz, her "lyrics are polarizing" (Pencz). Since the release of her fifth album in 2013, Beyoncé has become clearer in her stance as a feminist. However, Pencz points out there is a bit of confusion surrounding this stance because of what her lyrics say and what her music videos portray. For instance, the "Run the World (Girls)" song (which released in 2011 on Beyoncé's fourth album) can be perceived as an uplifting song for girls, encouraging them to be proud and reminding them that can be successful. Despite this, Pencz believes that the music video distracts from this message because Beyoncé and her female dancers dance provocatively (Pencz).
Since then, Beyoncé has changed slightly. Even though provocative dancing can still be found in Beyoncé's music videos that have been released since then, there are has been a more political approach displayed in them. This is evident in the "Formation" music video like described above. The approaches that Beyoncé takes in her music videos are crucial in terms of conveying her message. Like any other rhetor, Beyoncé has a message that she is trying to convey in her message. How she portrays this message and what rhetorical tools she uses determines how her audience reacts to the artifact (in this case the music video). To gage the reaction of the audience, it is important to pay close attention to the diction and word choice that individuals use when discussing and writing about the music videos—whether it is online or in face-to-face conversations. A great example of this is a dialogue shared by three authors on The New York Times. The article is titled "Beyoncé in ‘Formation’: Entertainer, Activist, Both?"; this dialogue was published the same weekend of Superbowl 50.
Moreover, this New York Times article is important to understanding the rhetorical effectiveness of Beyoncé's music videos because the diction that each author uses demonstrates how delivery and performance can be incredibly influential in sharing a message. For instance, Jenna Worthman, one of the authors of this article, claims that the "Formation" music video is a declaration of how Beyoncé is not afraid to share her opionions "even though she's headlining a mainstream event like Super Bowl" (Caramancia et al). The word "declaration" carries a positive connation; describing the music video this way paints it as if Beyoncé is proclaiming that she is unafraid to highlight important issues, but the term "declaration" does not convey that she is doing so harshly. Although declare makes it seem that she is acting urgently, it does not paint Beyoncé or her use of rhetoric negatively. Worthman also describes the music video as a "soft" way to stand up for injustices and to make a statement, but she believes that Beyoncé uses "striking visuals, clever lyrics, and high-impact narratives" in order to convey her message (Caramancia et al). Although she considers making a music video soft, Worthman's positive language and compliments illustrate that Beyoncé's rhetoric in "Formation" was considered powerful. Jon Caramancia, another author of this text, describes Beyoncé as "meticulous" because of how she timed the release of the "Formation" music video so close to her Super Bowl performance (Caramancia et al). The diction and word choice here are also positive because it signifies that Beyoncé is a careful rhetor who articulates her delivery well.
While numerous people used similar diction when describing the "Formation" music video, many other people responded in an opposing manner and used strikingly different language. For example, in an article titled "Queen of Cynicism: No Stunt's Too Shameless for Beyoncé," Tom Leonard uses diction that highlights how Beyoncé's rhetoric did not convey her message in a positive light with some viewers. The title of the article itself illustrates his distaste of Beyoncé's Super Bowl 50 performance. The words "cynicism" and "shameless" portray the artist as self-motivated (Leonard). With that in mind, it suggests that Leonard does not agree with the delivery or presentation of the performance and music video, meaning that Beyoncé's message does not sit well with him either. In the article, Leonard describes how some viewers do not consider "Formation" to be appropriate (Leonard). He goes on to critique the image of the black boy dancing in front of the white police officers. According to Leonard, the scene where the young child and police officers have their hands up in surrender is "a reference to a long-discredited claim" about how Michael Brown allegedly behaved the same way before he was shot and killed by a police officer in Ferguson, Missouri, in the summer of 2015 (Leonard). The term "long-discredited" carries a negative connotation, suggesting that Leonard does not approve of this scene in which Beyoncé addresses police brutality.