Beyonce - The Anti-Feminist

Someone please tell me if I'm missing something here.

I absolutely hate Beyonce's latest song "Single Ladies."
Maybe it's because the perpetual thinker in me likes to analyze song lyrics and there is just something about this song that rubs me the wrong way.
Ok actually there are a lot of things.
I just find this song offensive to me and to women in general.
And although this might sound cliche, I just have to say it: this song is so objectifying to women.


After all, it was not so long ago that women were essentially considered to be second-class citizens of this country. Oh wait, never mind, there was a time when women actually couldn't be citizens of this country, nor could they vote or hold property.

But women have come a long way, haven't we?
Yes, of course we have.

So why then, is Beyonce trying to invalidate all the progress that feminists of the past have made for us women of the present?


So here is what bothers me. Lets look at the major line in the chorus:

"If you liked IT then you shoulda put a ring on IT"

IT?
Beyonce is referring to herself as an IT?
Now just what exactly is the IT in this line referring to?
Probably her bootylicious body right.
That's nice...very nice.
Now if that is not objectifying, I don't know what is..
(and unless you are a scary clown in a Stephen King novel, I don't think you should be referring to yourself as 'IT')



And then there's this:

"Don't be mad once you see that he want IT"

(Oh no. Now another man noticed IT and he wants IT too.)




Moving on:

"Cause you had your turn and now you gonna learn"

(Ok, he had his turn? I bet every other man in the world is wondering where that line starts.)



And for the icing on the anti-feminist cake:

"Pull me into your arms, say I'm the one you own"

(What?!?!? She's kidding right? Someone please tell me she's kidding. She is actually asking to be someone's property? She wants to be owned? What year is this?)

And if that wasn't bad enough:

"Say I’m the one you own
If you don’t, you’ll be alone
And like a ghost, I’ll be gone"

(Yes, because everyone knows that being a woman without a man is the equivalent to being nothing, invisible just like a ghost. Lovely.)


I just can't believe that Beyonce would be singing about this. Am I missing something here?
Not that I've ever been a big fan of Beyonce and all, but I think it's sad that she went from singing about being an "Independent Woman," (yay)
to "I don't think you're ready for this jelly," (ok)
to "Please, please marry me, and by 'me,' I really mean IT, because I'm just an object here at your disposal, and I need a man to have any feelings of self-worth." (seriously?)

Now.....maybe Beyonce is just doing her job and singing what she's told to sing. (As I certainly hope she didn't write these lyrics herself.)
But she has to realize that little girls watch her videos and listen to her songs.

I'm sure most of you have seen the video of this little girl who knows all the choreography to the "Single Ladies" video.
While it's cute (and pretty amazing) that she can dance just like Beyonce, I can't help but wonder how many times she had to see the video to learn all the choreography?
And while she was watching the video numerous times to get the dance moves just right, what if she was internalizing the basic message of the whole song?

I would not want my daughter to some day think that a man needs to own her and he should put a ring on IT because he likes IT...

I mean, this just seems wrong (and really irritating).
This "women as property" attitude is exactly what women have fought so hard against.

And yet, Beyonce is just singing away about putting a ring on IT, and nobody seems to care...
So am I missing something here?