Beyonce Hits Back at Bill O'Reilly for Slamming Sexual Lyrics; 'Women Should Own Their Sexuality'
Beyonce Knowles recently hit back at critics of her latest album and urged women to "own their sexuality."
In December the iconic singer, 32, unexpectedly dropped her self-titled visual album much to the delight of fans, and while the 14-track record made history after exceeding projected sales, critics like Fox News host Bill O'Reilly continue to condemn her music. O'Reilly, among others, have slammed Beyonce for promoting sexually suggestive lyrics in her songs however she remains unfazed.
The "Drunk In Love" singer attributed this criticism to the "double standard" between men and women that she says still exists today and urged women to take control of their sexuality in a bid to crush gender stereotypes.
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"I'd like to believe that my music opened up that conversation. There is unbelievable power in ownership, and women should own their sexuality," Beyonce told Out magazine.
"There is a double standard when it comes to sexuality that still persists," she continued. "Men are free and women are not. That is crazy. The old lessons of submissiveness and fragility made us victims. Women are so much more than that."
Some critics have openly charged that the singer cannot be considered a modern-day feminist because her racy lyrics and suggestive dance moves objectify women. She countered the notion as unfair.
"You can be a businesswoman, a mother, an artist, and a feminist — whatever you want to be — and still be a sexual being. It's not mutually exclusive," she explained.
"I really set out to make the most personal, honest, and best album I could make. I needed to free myself from the pressures and expectations of what I thought I should say or be, and just speak from the heart," she continued. "Being that I am a woman in a male-dominated society, the feminist mentality rang true to me and became a way to personalize that struggle … But what I'm really referring to, and hoping for, is human rights and equality, not just that between a woman and a man."
In addition to promoting female empowerment through song, Beyonce recently backed the "Ban Bossy" PSA which is designed to promote female leadership.
The "Ban Bossy" campaign was launched by the Girl Scouts of the USA, LeanIn.org and LifeTime Television. It seeks to ban the word "bossy" via an online petition in a bid to empower women.
