Foremost, Beyoncé manages to construct an experience that is “just so black”, as stated by Johnetta Elzie, curator of the Ferguson Protester Newsletter and organizer, manifesting a story of those impacted by state violence (Hudson). Stylistically, one can begin to see black culture through hairstyles which include natural hair, Bantu knots, box braids, Ghana braids, Havana twists, and cornrows. Additionally, lyrics such as “I like my baby heir with baby hair and afros. I like my negro nose with Jackson Five nostrils.” from “Formation” assert pride in “features that are so different from the European standards of beauty” (Griffiths). Coupled with archival footage from her own childhood, Beyoncé highlights the experiences of black children in what a voiceover claims as the “hood”. Forty-three minutes into the film the section “Resurrection” begins and last for the course of three and half minutes. In this time frame, a series of black women and girls are shown in historically southern belle style clothing in a garden in the background. A female voiceover plays and states, “Something is missing. I’ve never seen this in my life… They take our men, huh?” and the camera pans to a group of black girls and women. The voice-over goes on to say, “So how are we supposed to lead our children to the future? What do we do?” (Beyoncé). Following this, the song “Forward” begins and features the mothers of those who lost their sons to police brutality: Gwen Carr, Eric Garner’s mother; Lesley McSpadden, Michael Brown’s mother; and Sybrina Fulton, Trayvon Martin’s mother. These images empathize that those lost to police brutality have experiences beyond the footage of their deaths seen on cell phone cameras and body cameras. Humanization in the form of this album occurs in a manner described by Adrian Parr, an Australian philosopher, as “coded and given a fixed use” as the experiences expressed are relatable to those in the black community (17).* Consequently, those lost are socially alive and individualized through their own culture.

     Secondly, through this album, the artist acknowledges the survivors of the deceased, a crucial element of memorialization. In studies completed by Roberts and Vidal (2000) and de Vries and Rutherford (2004), they acknowledge that “most memorials mentioned survivors” and that memorials “support continuing bonds between the living and the dead” (Graham 39). Additionally, “‘almost all memorial sites contain a picture of the deceased’” as stated by Tony Walter, one of the only professors of death studies (Graham 48). Explicitly, Beyoncé manages this by the footage at minute marker 44:28 where she introduces black women holding the photographs of men lost to systematic violence. She partners these images with dark backgrounds and wilted flowers at minute marker 44:33 and finishes with the footage of Michael Brown’s mother crying a single tear at minute marker 44:57 (Beyoncé). These images show the grief of those left behind physically and symbolically with the wilt of the flowers and dark imagery. This collective trauma faced by these women inherently positions them together. This video is “supportive of both the process of remembering someone has gone and being with someone as a continuing presence.” as people who are watching online can formulate their own memories (Graham 40, Parr 15).

     Furthermore, memorials are used to recall tragedy and offer a place of mourning. In Beyoncé’s song “Formation,” the scene shown at minute marker 1:00:15 features her atop a New Orleans police car that is submerged underwater. By minute marker 1:00:58, a young black boy is pictured in front of a line of white policemen in riot gear were when he lifts his hands up they follow suit. The camera then pans to a wall graffitied with the phrase, “Stop shooting us” (Beyoncé). While this footage does not memorialize any specific people as seen with the images previously mentioned, it highlights that those who are lost to state violence such police brutality and the lack of governmental response to Hurricane Katrina are gone, but their existence was important because the institutions that perpetuated their deaths still exist. (Graham 49). Using platforms such as YouTube and Tidal where Beyoncé has a minimum of 13,236,698 subscribers, she has created space for interactions between complete strangers whether this is through comments on the album, reaction videos, or sharing the video on other social media (BeyoncéVEVO). Beyoncé furthers this space even further by premiering the film on HBO (Home Box Office) drawing 787,000 viewers drawing out 696,000 tweets the night it debuted (Murdoch). These interactions allow for community formation and healing through shared lived experiences.

     Overall, Lemonade as a visual album goes beyond a music video. The weight of this album is effective due to the historical context of its release. Black Lives Matter as an organization had already gained traction, embedding the memories of those impacted by violence and associated them with particular places, images, and institutions. Beyoncé takes what some may have forgotten but still hits heavy for the black and brown bodies that face systematic oppression daily and applied it to film. She creates a space for black people to mourn and hold pride in their culture through her album. Arguably, one may question why to memorialize the death of these people, to begin with, yet as Sigmund Freud claims the effect of trauma, once pushed out of consciousness, goes away (Parr 20). It has become an inspiration for activism, a place of mourning, and a symbol of remembrance. Remembering the horrors of the experiences faced by communities of color through film extends our ability to commemorate a person, manifesting a new way to bring a community together. 

(December 2017)

¹ This number varies by organization reporting and their methodology with Mapping Police Violence reporting 1,049 deaths by police in 2017. 

² Parkwood Entertainment is owned by Beyoncé.

³Tidal is a music and video streaming platform owned by Shawn “Jay-Z” Carter, Beyoncé’s husband.

* Admittedly, I as a white writer can speak on this specifically. 

Work Cited

Beyoncé. Lemonade, listen.tidal.com/.

BeyoncéVEVO. “Beyoncé – Formation.” YouTube, YouTube, 9 Dec. 2016,

     www.youtube.com/watch?v=WDZJPJV__bQ.

Elzie, Johnetta. “Johnetta Elzie.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com,

     www.huffingtonpost.com/author/johnetta-elzie.

Graham, Connor, et al. “Gravesites and Websites: A Comparison of Memorialisation.” Visual

     Studies, vol. 30, no. 1, Mar. 2015, p. 37. EBSCOhost, doi:10.1080/1472586X.2015.996395.

Griffiths, Kadeen. “This Is What Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’ Meant To Me As A Black Woman, &

     This Is Why It Needed To Win Album Of The Year.” Bustle, Bustle, 11 Sept. 2017, www.bustle.com/p/this-is-what-   

      Beyoncés-lemonade-meant-to-me-as-a-black-woman-this-is-why-it-needed-to-win-album-of-the-year-37653.

Hudson, Jerome. “Black Lives Matter Co-Founder Praises Beyoncé’s ‘Lemonade’: ‘It’s Just So

     Black’.” Breitbart, Breitbart News Network, 24 Apr. 2016, www.breitbart.com/big-hollywood/2016/04/24/black-lives-   

     matter-co-founder-praises-Beyoncés-lemonade/.

Murdoch, Cassie, and Kaitlyn Kelly. “’Jurassic World’ Pulled More Viewers Than Beyonce’s

‘Lemonade’.” Vocativ, Vocativ, 27 Apr. 2016, www.vocativ.com/313517/beyonces-lemonade-posts-disappointing-       

     ratings/index.html.

“Police shootings 2017 database.” The Washington Post, WP Company,

     www.washingtonpost.com/graphics/national/police-shootings-2017/.

     Daily, I listen to a collection of playlists that often coincides with my mood or intentions for the day. Out of the four days of my log, the two most prominent playlists were Miki Ratsula’s Every Shade of Blue extended play and Khalid’s American Teen album. My heavier work filled days included more time listening to Khalid and days that required less focus featured Rasula’s music. I utilize these playlists to block out other distractions while working, cleaning, or preparing mentally for a meet. Despite the fact I listen to them passively, I actively choose to do so to increase my productivity which reveals I am aware of my ability to be distracted and the measures I can take to prevent it. Interestingly, I utilize media to block out media demonstrating the media-saturated world we live in.

     Additionally, the music I choose to listen to is used a form of comfort. Three weeks ago, I had broken up with my girlfriend of the time resulting in a shift of my music. Previously, my music consisted solely of themes of exploration, seeking to know one’s self, and connection to nature; however, this major life event shifted my music to consists of themes of love and its effects. Looking at my two most listened to songs, “Radiant Warmth” by Ratusla and “Therapy” by Khalid, lyrics include, “Something that you’re doing has me falling all the way/I’m tripping off your love”, “We could still be lovers”, “She has this soul, a one of a kind. And no one deserves it, we need to preserve it” (Khalid – Therapy (Chords), Miki Ratsula – Radiant Warmth (Chords)). In turn, my media consumption revolves around my emotional state and life events as a form of coping with how I feel.

     Despite shifting themes and emotions, my music follows specific compositions. While not I am not limited to one genre, both artists feature simple chord progressions, 4/4 time signatures, and sharp keys. Comparing both songs in relation to guitar chords, “Therapy” follows a chord progression of Am, G, C, Dm, Am, G, F and “Radiant Warmth” follows C, G, Am, F, G, C, C, G creating an ambiance of soft, passionate melodies (Khalid – Therapy (Chords), Miki Ratsula – Radiant Warmth (Chords)). Albeit the instruments used to create this mood differ greatly between the genres of R&B and acoustic pop-folk, the deep bass lines of R&B are replicated through fingerpicking and strum patterns in acoustic music. Consequently, my future music will most likely take on similar characteristics as I shift to a new flux of major emotions.

     In light of my analysis, my media consumption reveals to me that I actively choose the themes that run throughout my music, but the arrangement of the songs and attentiveness while I listen takes on passive roles. Interestingly, I find myself to be a person who often shelters my emotions failing to let them influence my daily life in my art or conversations; however, it is clear to me now that my emotional state heavily influences my song selection. I contribute this to my traditional southern upbringing. As a child, I was taught to be reserved and present composed at all times; however, southern folk music my grandfather would play for me on his guitar was filled with stories of hardships, love, and difficult emotions. It would seem I cannot escape the very way in which I was raised as music has always been a release for strong emotions. I can only question how does media exposure at young ages shape the media we consume and enjoy as we grow into adulthood as mine has clearly done to me.

(September 2017)

Works Cited

Kellner, Douglas & Jeff Share. “Critical Media Literacy, Democracy, and the Reconstruction of

     Education.” Media Literacy: A Reader, edited by D. Macedo & S.R. Steinberg, Peter Lang Publishing, 2007, pp. 3-23.

“Khalid – Therapy (Chords).” THERAPY CHORDS by Khalid @ Ultimate-Guitar.Com, Ultimate

     Guitar, 18 Mar. 2017, tabs.ultimate-guitar.com/k/khalid/therapy_crd.htm. Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.

“Miki Ratsula – Radiant Warmth (Chords).” RADIANT WARMTH CHORDS by Miki Ratsula @

     Ultimate-Guitar.Com, Ultimate Guitar, 16 May 2016, tabs.ultimate-         

     guitar.com/m/miki_ratsula/radiant_warmth_crd.htm.  Accessed 23 Sept. 2017.

     Durkin (2013)

The last seven years have marked many victories for LGBTQ people in regards to media visibility, presumably as a result of shifting public opinion and openness seen through changes in policy such as the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell in 2011 and the passage of marriage equality in 2015. One case of this shifting public opinion is in Bud Light advertisements. In an early 2010’s Bud Light static advertisement, the company breaks traditional imagery of beer advertising that features women in revealing clothes, sports, and U.S. nationalism. Instead, two assumingly white men are featured in a half embrace holding a Bud Light beer. In the copy it states:

LET’S HEAD OUT.

Be who you are. Drink what you like. And turn any time into a great time with the just-right taste of Bud Light.

IT’S THE SURE SIGN OF A GOOD TIME.

HERE WE GO (Durkin).

     Despite efforts to reach a broader audience and capitalize on the buying power of LGBTQ people, Bud Light encodes a message that is decoded as the only way to have a “good time” as gay men is to drink perpetuating the social invisibility of LGBTQ people and justification of further discrimination.  

    Analyzing body language in conjunction with the text, one can discern that a “good time” is sexual in nature. The two men are positioned in the foreground in close proximity in a half embrace with soft smirks on their faces with only faint figures in the dark background. To further the sexual innuendo, Bud Light couples the image with phrases such as “Be who you are” and “Let’s head out” bringing clarity that this couple is, in fact, homosexual in nature. By telling the audience to live authentically they tackle a truth many queer people face in regards to not coming out, solidifying their intended audience; however, this advertisement goes beyond a sense of empowerment. The phrase, “Let’s head out” can be decoded as going out to the bar to meet people, but in relation to the prowling nature of the men it insinuates leaving to have sex; consequently, this acts to solidify the audience’s understanding of the sexual nature of this advertisement.

     Despite the visibility of two presumably gay men engaging in an insinuated sexual activity, it does more harm than good to LGBTQ community. As discussed in Sexual Identities and the Media by Wendy Hilton-Morrow and Kathleen Battles, “media representation is often a vital source of self-recognition and identity formation” (77). Placing queer representation through drinking and sexual conduct in this ad pushes the notion that LGBTQ people cannot enjoy themselves sexually without drinking as Bud Light can “turn any time into a great time”. This further eliminates queer visibility as the lack of representation signifies that the people who do engage with the advertisement may be presented with their first interaction with this minority group (Hilton-Marrow, 78-79). If this image was the only representation queer or straight people saw the message it teaches states that being gay is only fun when one is drinking. This present another set of complicated issues as alcohol consumption inhibits reasoning capabilities and often times means people cannot properly consent. These implications justify continued discrimination and internalized homophobia of LGBTQ people as their sexual life is seen as not pleasant, consensual, or is predatory in nature.

    Moreover, what might have been a progressive advertisement for beer companies and the United States at large, proper representation falls short. The “respectable” white gay men of an average build are depicted as masculine in regards to their gender identity, which eliminates the vast diversity of the LGBTQ community. These men are the quintessential image of “straight passing” and largely could avoid active discrimination in the public sphere if they choose to not be out. Additionally, queer people exist across all racial and ethnic backgrounds, yet the ones presented are understood to be white and assumingly middle class as they can afford to be at a bar. In retrospect, this ad’s intended audience at first seems to target the LGBTQ community at large, but through a closer analysis, it shows the limited racial, gender, and class dynamics.  

     Overall, advertisements such as these generalize the experiences of queer folk shifting the heterosexual perception of the LGBTQ experiences and reinforcing internalized homophobia. While queer visibility promotes inclusion, the implied sexual dissatisfaction as a result of sobriety in the context of this ad contributes to already oppressive and self-loathing realities many queer youth face. Additionally, limited racial representation contributes to homophobia within communities of color along with the perception that queer folk has affluence in regards to class. Being who you are should not be commodified to who is presented consuming an alcoholic beverage regardless if it is two homosexual men or women wearing a limited amount of clothing.

(October, 2017)

Works Cited

Durkin, Daniel. “Durkin – Concepts Spring 2013.” Queer Imagery in Advertising, 13 Feb. 2013,

     durkinconcepts.blogspot.com/2013/02/queer-imagery-in-advertising.html.

Hilton-Morrow, Wendy, and Kathleen Battles. Sexual identities and the Media: An Introduction.

     Routledge, 2015.

A sameness feminist argument can be distilled to a formula where X and Y are two groups that are the same in all relevant ways where they share the same characteristic C. Y gets some subtreatment T in virtue of C; therefore, X should get T, too (Hackett). In the case of “Same Love”, X is heterosexual people who seek marriage while Y is same-gender loving folk seeking marriage. Macklemore establishes that if he was gay, hip-hop would hate him, that “our culture…don’t have acceptance for ‘em (gay people),” and that “gay is synonymous with the lesser.” In this case, he defines heterosexual people, group X, as those who can legally marry, yet same-gender loving folk, group Y, cannot “be united by law” which is subtreatment T.

To express the similarities, or characteristic C, of these two groups Macklemore turns toward religion and love. The first inclination toward faith starts with the line, “God loves all his children, it’s somehow forgotten.” In turn, Macklemore expresses that all people are children of God and are loved, playing on Christian morals. In the last verse, Macklemore returns to the image of God by arguing “whatever God you believe in, we come from the same one” to expand his argument to all faiths. His validation of individual beliefs to support “humans that have had their rights stolen” capitalizes on the moralistic values most faiths hold around loving one’s neighbor due to their shared connection as children of God. This attention to faith addresses religious argument against marriage equality. This is not the only form of sameness Macklemore draws upon. In the last verse he sings, “underneath it’s all the same love” referring that heterosexual love and same-gender love is the same. He claims “human rights (marriage equality) for everybody” due to their being “no difference” in the type of love same-gender loving folk hold than heterosexual couples.

Macklemore does, however, express a dominance argument laced underneath his lyrics. A dominance approach tackles the root cause of oppression, or in this case, the reason why the legalization of marriage equality has not yet happened.  He claims “no law is gonna change us, we have to change us” and that “a certificate on paper isn’t gonna solve it all”. These lyrics hint at how the referenced homophobia throughout the song will not dissipate at the legalization of marriage. “To change us” expresses that the root of homophobia is at the core of who we are and that we have to go to the source not just create legislation. He acknowledges legislation that exists banning marriage equality is due to deep-rooted homophobia in “our culture”. Despite a subtle dominance approach, Macklemore concludes that a piece of paper is “a damn good place to start” to ending homophobia where he continues his argument that we come from the same god (Macklemore & Ryan Lewis).

Therefore, Macklemore’s “Same Love” approach to dominance is an extension of his sameness argument. Heterosexual and same-gender loving folk are the same as they are all children of God and their love is the same, thus same-gender loving folk should be able to marry too. His implementation of a sameness approach to promoting marriage equality in “Same Love” is effective; yet, his argument is stronger due to his acknowledgment that even though queer folk and straight couples are the same, culture does not see it that way. Consequently, this far-reaching song provides room for future activist work through a dominance approach.

(March 2018)

Works Cited

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis. “Same Love Feat. Mary Lambert.” Same Love Feat. Mary Lambert,

     Macklemore/RyanLewis Studios, Seattle, WA, 2012, www.youtube.com/watch?v=hlVBg7_08n0.

The first image appears with the telling of a creation story where the narrator proclaims, “The First Woman became First Mother and had many children. She called them her rainbow family,” which would regather if First Mother needed protection. Without delay, the narrator then brings in the audience as a part of the rainbow family with her as an image of a rainbow is shown. Throughout the film, images of kinship continue to form in unexpected ways. In particular, the film cuts repeatedly to scenes of the narrator around a table of women, not unlike consciousness-raising circles of the early feminist movements, where discussions of how they are both, queer and heteronormative families are impacted by climate change, patriarchy, and faith. Despite these queer kinship models, they only mention the gender binary’s impact on faith. I imagine contentions would arise around discussions of non-binary individuals as connectedness through images of the vagina and menstruation are used as symbols of power. Nevertheless, the testimonies of these cisgender women act as a bond of kinship through their similar experiences despite different faiths. The narrator builds on this to progress the film, telling her own personal spiritual journey where she provides details of her own changing thoughts. She utilizes this to conclude the film with the realization that, “One truth stands out, no matter who we are or where we live we all stand on common ground,” which is coupled with the image of the rainbow again.

Furthering the interconnectedness of goddess traditions, background music emphasizes the individual accounts of the women. With each different account told, music with string, wind, and drum influences play. Additionally, the same occurs with the narrator’s explanation of history around goddess figures or the environment. Consequently, the choice to play similar types of music during discussions of different topics emphasizes the mutual importance and relationship of the topics. In contention, however, the only perspectives brought forth are those who concur that women’s spirituality is a powerful force.

While kinship and music enhance ties between women’s spirituality, the audience is invited to draw their own conclusions through open landscapes scattered through the film. These scenes typically feature natural background sounds and allow for a pause after an ideology is proposed. A majority of these scenes feature oceans or fields and pose a feeling of vastness in the world. This intervention allows the viewer to value their own experiences. Consequently, this allows the film’s idea of the “personal is political and the political is personal” to be felt not only by those interviewed but those watching to come full circle to the idea we are all connected. Inherently, this allows for pushback on the lack of discussion around gender and those who disagree as one can reflect on their own opinions of the women without bias.  

    All in all, this film introduces a unique perspective on how identifiable differences can be brought forth to find similarities within women’s spiritually, a topic often left out of mainstream discussions. It offers a multitude of perspectives, which illustrates how faith can influence the political platform of an individual while also being attentive to the viewer. While I recommend the film for these highlights, I do wish there was more dialogue around ideas that push back against the women’s spirituality movement seeing as the only male perspective agreed wholeheartedly with the power of the goddess-centered faiths. Additionally, gender is seen as a binary and is inattentive to those who fall outside that spectrum. Granted, for the time frame, this film provides genuine insight into the political lives of women spiritualists.

(February 2017)

Works Cited

“Full Circle (1993).” IMDb. IMDb.com, n.d. Web. 28 Feb. 2017.

    Throughout the film, messages of the life cycle circulate, but beyond that, the film includes a cycle of imagery. Opening with an image of a dancing woman holding two snake figurines followed by the narrator stating, “the spiritual journey of Earth’s people started with a goddess”, the film features her rising with powerful music in the background. This image continues throughout the film, but shifts to her as figurine until the end where she appears again. This shift in the type of image follows the narrator’s claims that women were once revered but now are dominated by a “sky god” and patriarchy. Yet, at the end of the film, the woman appears again in flesh as the women discuss the return of goddess worship.

    Alongside these images, reproduction cycles run rampant. Every figurine that is shown of the woman and other art collections throughout the film feature images of the vulva or pubic triangle. The gynocentrism of these images is furthered as accounts of these women are shared. One woman goes so far as to claim that she “did not understand womanhood” until she had given birth and that part of the reproductive cycle connected her to every woman throughout time. Additionally, as these women explore history, they speak of efforts to reclaim their power through their bodies because of incidences like the story of Athena. They see the shift in her being the goddess of wisdom to war as a product of male dominance and that her birth from Zeus’ head was the cause. These women seek to unveil these influences of patriarchy through their connection back to the land and the moon, but this connection, in turn, is exclusive. Reproduction is not a qualifier to be a woman. The reclamation through one’s body becomes problematic when determining womanhood when one has atypical anatomy, chooses not to have children, is trans*, is infertile, or does not engage in heterosexual sex.

    Furthermore, those who do not fit neatly into the gender binary’s normative behaviors or expressions of gender are further excluded from the reclamation of women’s spirituality as their foundations are built on interconnectedness. Restoration of their spirituality to these women is “listening to the natural rhythms”, the worship of nature and fertility, and their inherent ability to menstruate. These connections to Earth through their bodies is highlighted by images of caves which are claimed to be vulva shaped openings covered in red okra, the symbol of blood. This connection continues with stories of wonders influenced by the goddess throughout time found through cave drawings, pottery, and statues. Consequently, these women see their reconnection with nature as connecting back to the “nurturing” and the internal way of being. Universalizing women to being nurturing, fertile, and connected to the Earth erases the rich diversity of what womanhood is while additionally limiting their own practice to women who fit this particular mold. Interestingly enough, these self-proclaimed feminists further ideas of biological determinism through their essentialization of themselves to be inherently nurturing.

    All in all, this film introduces an unique perspective of how identifiable differences can be diminished within women’s spiritually. It brings into question what true womanhood is and how we can connect through spirituality. Despite the inherent lack of intersectionality, I recommend the film. In retrospect the film is a product of its time; however, it is a great example of how those who are oppressed by the patriarchy are attempting to push back upon it. Additionally, it provides an example of how the universalization and essentialization of women limits the scope of a movement.

(April 2017)

Works Cited

BabyradfemTV. “NFB Women and Spirituality series Part 1: Goddess Remembered.” Online video

    clip. Youtube. Youtube. 9 June 2016. Web. 6 April 2017.