There is this thing in the world, this boundless injustice that lays within every single layer of our western society. This crazy, completely irrational, incoherent oppression and abuse. I could give you hundreds of examples of this discrimination I am a spectator to every single day of my life; but I refuse to let what I love participate in this stupidity.
Dear Kanye West.
The music’s amazing, that I’ll give you. I love what you do. I love your whole character, I love your arrogance and your ego. I love how well produced your songs are, and how crazily confident you are with it all. But I live with my little sister and my mother, and we listen to your music every day. I feel sick every time I hear the word “pussy” being used to look down on half the world’s population. It’s 2016, come on, we’re way past “I wanna f*** you hard on the sink”. Listening to you hurts every single feminist bone in my body. No, sorry, I mean it hurts every single feminine bone in my body.
What about the woman that raised you? The woman who taught English at University, who later became your MANAGER? All of these strong and independent women that are all around you? You’re Kanye West, you know just about everyone out there, don’t tell me you can’t think of any! What about your wife? What about your daughter? Do you want her to grow up in a world where she has to listen to songs dictating what color her pubic hair should be? We should be able to choose! We should be able to live our lives to the fullest, not risking being humiliated, discriminated, judged and hated on. Aren’t we as entitled to freedom as you are?
I would hate myself if I knew I had paved the way to injustice and oppression for my children.
“I just f***** this model / She just bleached her assh*le / I got bleach on my t-shirt / Imma feel like an asshole”
I want to think that it’s all part of your “style”, it’s your alter ego. I can’t blame you, listening to NWA, for whom women are just reproductive machines – cleaning appliances with a useful extra function. I’m trying to convince myself that you’re just used to portraying women as much less than they really are. And after all, I should separate the artist from the man. And I know that you can be utterly charming when you want to, writing about being in love or about God, beautifully and simply. So why the constant flicker between a sexist jerk and an intelligent young man?
But seriously. You’re Kanye West, you’re the voice of our generation! You have as much cultural power as anyone would ever aspire to have! You can do whatever you want. Hell, you can even tell the world Bill Cosby is innocent! Why would you, out of all people, be rapping something you don’t believe in?
So if you won’t do it cause you don’t believe in it, do it for girls like me. I know you don’t like people telling you what to do, but please: do it for the generation you’re inspiring, for the kids who have you blasting out of their earphones day and night. Do it for your children, for your little girl, for your mother, for your wife! Do it cause I’m sure deep down, you know it’s the right thing.
