Empowerment, Boundary Setting, and Consent in Pop Culture, Part 5 - Meghan Trainor's "NO"
For our fifth positive example of empowerment, boundary setting, and consent in pop culture, I thought we should look at some music.
Here's NO, by Meghan Trainor:
What we can learn:
A lot of the students I've taught, both through El HaLev and ESD Global, consider this song an anthem. I can see why.
It's definitely an energizing and inspiring confidence boost.
Besides being so easy to relate to, it almost provides boundary setting script:
"Thank you in advance, I don't wanna dance (nope) I don't need your hands all over me"
"Thank you in advance, I don't wanna dance (nope) I don't need your hands all over me"
Most importantly, it normalizes a having strong "NO."
I'm all for a song that promotes setting healthy boundaries and solidarity!
What I might change:
As I've said before, violence is on a spectrum that ranges from microaggressions to all out physical attacks.
This song seems to cover only part of that spectrum. Not all men who ask women to dance have questionable or bad intentions. Some will happily back off when asked.
I wouldn't mind some added lyrics or even a separate song or two that address more scenarios.
What are your favorite empowering songs? (Bonus if you can find songs where the message is powerful but not as blunt.) What makes the messages we hear in songs so effective?
