The Beyonce Effect: Essays on Sexuality, Race and Feminism

Front Cover
Adrienne Trier-Bieniek
McFarland, Jul 19, 2016 - Music - 228 pages

Since her late-1990s debut as a member of the R&B trio Destiny's Child, Beyonce Knowles has garnered both praise and criticism. While some consider her an icon of female empowerment, others see her as detrimental to feminism and representing a negative image of women of color. Her music has a decidedly pop aesthetic, yet her power-house vocals and lyrics focused on issues like feminine independence, healthy sexuality and post-partum depression give her songs dimension and substance beyond typical pop fare.

This collection of new essays presents a detailed study of the music and persona of Beyonce--arguably the world's biggest pop star. Topics include the body politics of respectability; feminism, empowerment and gender in Beyonce's lyrics; black female pleasure; and the changing face of celebrity motherhood.

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Contents

Introduction
1
Feminists Debate Beyoncé Janell Hobson
11
Beyoncé as Intersectional Icon? Interrogating the Politics of Respectability Marla H Kohlman
27
Beyoncé as Aggressive Black Femme and Informed Black Female Subject Anne M Mitchell
40
Whose Body Is This Anyway? Noel Siqi Duan
55
The Erosion of the Beyoncé Brand Kristin Lieb
75
Beyoncé Feminism and Digital Spaces Jamila A Cupid and Nicole FilesThompson
94
Authenticity and the Presentation of Self Melissa Avdeeff
109
Beyoncé and the Changing Face of Celebrity Birth Culture Natalie Jolly
143
Black Motherhood and the Binds of Racialized Sexism Sonita R Moss
155
The Centering of Black Female Pleasure and Agency in Beyoncé Evette Dionne Brown
177
Beyoncé and Performing Plaçage in the New Millennium Kimberly J Chandler
193
Sexuality Marriage Motherhood and Bey Feminism Elizabeth Whittington Cooper
203
About the Contributors
215
Index
219
Copyright

Flawless Feminist or Fallible Freak? An Analysis of Feminism Empowerment and Gender in Beyoncés Lyrics Tia CM Tyree and Melvin L Williams
124

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About the author (2016)

Adrienne Trier-Bieniek is the chair of sociology and anthropology at Valencia College in Orlando, Florida. She is the editor of numerous books on popular culture.

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