by Sydney, LiveGirl Marketing Intern, Sacred Heart University ‘20
What really brings me down as a young woman, is witnessing women tearing down other women. This past weekend was Super Bowl LIV, in which the The San Francisco 49’ers and the Kansas City Chiefs battled it out. I don’t know about you, but I was watching for the commercials and more importantly, the half-time performance. The show struck a dividing conversation of women and men and our roles in society. Jennifer Lopez and Shakira have both had successful careers for over twenty years now. But I have seen two different extremes in commentary post performance. There are a few people supporting and praising the hard work and talent, but most of all, there is backlash on how “inappropriate” the performance was.
Will there ever be a time when we will be pleased and pat our peers on the back? Why do people feel the need to take someone's success and drown it in criticism? Our standards of perfection as a society are toxic. This whole debate has left me to wonder, why, as a society, do we feel the need to criticize upon other people’s accomplishments or decisions?
Women in the entertainment business have the reputation for often over-sexualizing their image - but is this done because it is what they believe is the only way to success or is it what they are being told to do from a higher power? For years, JLo’s brand has been built upon being this sexy, sassy Puerto Rican triple threat. She can sing, dance, and act better than most people ever could. Shakira is a Columbian singer and dancer with years of success behind her, as well. Keep in mind: both of these talented ladies have kids of their own. They are showing their kids how years of hustle and determination can lead to this amazing achievement of performing on one of the most-watched TV performances of the year.
I don’t understand all the controversy going on over this powerful halftime performance. Like what did you all really expect? It's a show, not a karaoke challenge. Did we expect JLo to stand up there in a pantsuit and not move? Did we want Shakira to get up there and have her hips lying to us by not shaking them? Bottom line, they probably both could have gone up there dressed in a brown paper bag and would have slayed the game. Outfits aside, both put on an amazing show that had so many hidden meanings behind it, yet as a society we are wasting our breath comparing the two of them and knocking them down for being too promiscuous.
If you have any problem with them expressing their sexuality and displaying confidence, let that be something you reflect on upon yourself. Embrace the confidence they showed on stage and apply it to your everyday life, if you want! And to those of you saying, “I don’t know if this is something I would like my young daughter watching,” what do you think your daughter is going to take away from this? Do you have a stripper pole in your house that you think your daughter is going to hop on and start perfecting her JLo moves? If so, that’s on you.. Yes, the Super Bowl is considered a family event, but the NFL isn’t responsible for raising your kids; so filter that on your own terms. Society does not raise your kids, you do. If you didn’t complain about shirtless Adam Levigne last year, maybe reflect upon why JLo and Shakira’s outfits bothered you.
