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| - The "independent woman” is often depicted as a narcissistic, overachieving, financially successful woman who emasculates males in her life. However the term's meaning is debated in popular culture. Rapper Roxanne Shanté’s 1989 rendition of “Independent Woman,” explored relationships and asked women not to dote on partners who do not reciprocate. Similarly, the definition of an “Independent Woman” in the Urban Dictionary is “A woman who pays her own bills, buys her own things, and does not allow a man to affect her stability or self-confidence. She supports herself entirely on her own and is proud to be able to do so.”
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| abstract
| - The "independent woman” is often depicted as a narcissistic, overachieving, financially successful woman who emasculates males in her life. However the term's meaning is debated in popular culture. Rapper Roxanne Shanté’s 1989 rendition of “Independent Woman,” explored relationships and asked women not to dote on partners who do not reciprocate. Similarly, the definition of an “Independent Woman” in the Urban Dictionary is “A woman who pays her own bills, buys her own things, and does not allow a man to affect her stability or self-confidence. She supports herself entirely on her own and is proud to be able to do so.” Presenting a different viewpoint, Darryl James, a blogger and author of “Bridging The Black Gender Gap,” asserts that the phrase “independent woman” has gone excessively far and its meaning is inconsistent and in many ways “cartoonish, mannish and just plain unattractive.” He adds that in the quest for so-called “independence,” some women have given up substantial portions of their womanhood, which has been detrimental to fostering meaningful relationships in the black community (James, 2004). Kelly Clarkson takes a different stance on the subject in her song “Miss Independent.” She links independence to relationships and the idea that it is very difficult for one to be independent and be in a relationship at the same time. She expresses fears that many adults—both men and women have—the loss of independence in exchange for a relationship and family life. Some relationships might warrant this fear because giving up independence can be a natural part of the life cycle. However, independence is often lost as they develop a relationship with a significant other and they must work together. Therefore, while her lyrics do a great job of defining independence and exploring the affect it can have on a relationship, she does not present a solution. Destiny Child’s song, “Independent,” encourages women to be strong and independent for the sake of their dignity and not for the sake of impressing men. Destiny’s Child frowns upon the idea of depending on anyone: “If you’re gonna brag, make sure it’s your money you flaunt/depend on no one else to give you what you want” (Destiny’s Child, 2000). The singers claim their independence through their financial stability. The song first appeared as the soundtrack to the 2000 film adaption of Charlie's Angels, and later included in the group's third studio album, Survivor (2001). It is also the first single with Michelle Williams on vocals, while the first to be released with the third line-up . Originally, part two of the song was the actual song and part one was known as the Pasadena remix, but it was chosen in favor of the original and was dubbed part one. Released as the soundtrack's leading single in fall 2000, the song held the number one spot on the Billboard Hot 100 chart for eleven consecutive weeks from November 2000 to February 2001. Later it was named the 18th most successful song of the 2000s, on the Billboard Hot 100 Songs of the Decade. Although, for the United Kingdom, it was released on the same day, with both Part I and Part II counting as the song release. The song was included later on their third LP Survivor. PBS weighed in with its vision of an "independent woman" with Episode 1: Independent Woman. It reveals how women have transformed from model housewives to complex, and sometimes controversial, characters. Dr. Mia Moody, an assistant professor of journalism at Baylor, described the "independent black woman" in two articles titled, "A rhetorical analysis of the meaning of the 'independent woman" and the "The meaning of "Independent Woman" in music" Her studies concluded that the lyrics and videos of male and female rappers portrayed "independent women" differently. Using the concept of intersectionality, her rhetorical analysis combined feminist and critical cultural theories to explore the meanings of the ―independent woman‖ in the lyrics and respective videos of male and female rappers. Findings indicated both groups use misogynistic language to describe women and juxtapose images of independence with material wealth. However, male rappers were more likely to include messages of beautiful, overachieving women paired with average men while female rappers focus on their own sexual prowess. Also worth noting is while male rappers highlight domestic skills such as cooking and cleaning, female rappers did not mention them at all. Based on viewer feedback, it appears very few viewers explore the true meaning of independence and relationships. Moody analyzed songs, corresponding music video, and viewer comments of by artists such as Yo Gotti, Webbie, Drake, Candi Redd, Trina, and Nicki Minaj. She found four main messages: Wealth equals independence Beauty and independence are connected Average men deserve perfect women Sexual prowess equals independence
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