Women have sex, too.

Women+have+sex%2C+too.

Alex Martin

Valerie Keys, Managing Editor

Historically, themes in music have not done well for the feminist agenda. Genres across the board from Hip-Hop, R&B, Country, Rock and everything else in between have both metaphorically and quite literally flaunted their romantic tirades that degrade women in more ways than one.

In comparison to their male counterparts, female rappers are far and few between.

Cardi B and Bruno Mars’ newest collaborative smash hit, “Please Me” is the feminist anthem that we did not know that we needed. More often than not when a man and woman do a song together, it is the male rapper featuring the female singer. As one would assume, the rapper dominates the song with a variety while the singer sings a catchy, heartfelt chorus filled with desire. “Please Me” has no “featured” artist; both Cardi and Bruno receive equal commendation on the track supported by a comma separating their names.

In the chorus, Bruno Mars pleads for the physical attention of a female lover. Despite the fact society supports the healthy sexual appetite of a man, this tune changes the narrative with Cardi playing the role of the aggressor in the scenario. Throughout the song, she describes her body confidence and sexual capabilities. Rappers like Cardi B, Nicki Minaj, Megan Thee Stallion, Lil Kim and Foxy Brown have been written off as “crass” or “inappropriate” for their explicit and raunchy lyrics, yet their style is no different from any other male hip-hop artist.

Journalist Sarah Barmark’s 2016 TEDTalk delves into “The Uncomplicated Truth About Women’s Sexuality.” Barmark starts by going back centuries to the beginning of the study of human sexuality. With the majority of the accredited scientist and philosophers being men, the perspective they took on female sexuality was largely speculation on what they perceived to be true. These customs aligned with the idea that every relationship consists of the dominant male and the submissive female and spawned a societal norm of oppressing female pleasure.

Studies show that somewhere between 50 percent and 60 percent of women experience climaxing in their lifetime. If this number is not shocking to you, it should as it compares to 90 percent of men that climax. In an article written by Dr. Grant Brenner, he discusses that many women suffer from some form of orgasmic dysfunction that can be easily solved. These women go undiagnosed and more importantly unsatisfied for years because they do not perceive anything to be wrong. Media messages and sex education do not promote sexual experimentation in women. It is acceptable for young boys to masturbate, watch porn and engage in early sexual activities; however, when girls do the same, they are seen as “fast.”

Being able to explore and understand your body is a large part of positive sexual experiences. Every person is different and every partner is different. The only constant in any instance is you, and if you are unaware of what things that you like, you will not be able to communicate those things with others. Give yourself permission to be shameless, confident and sexy.