We all know sex sells. Our culture is saturated with it. It is estimated that up to 10,000 girls are brought into town for Super Bowl weekend just for that purpose. However, these girls are not famous like Beyonce. They don't have the freedom to only visually sell themselves.
They are trafficked. Slaves. Forced to do whatever it takes to make it through the night and get their quota to keep from being beaten or worse.
And in my opinion, Beyonce is part of the problem.
I watched clips of her show. She wore lingerie--what most of us women wouldn't wear outside our bedrooms. It was clear her show was less about music and more about, well, sex. She sang and danced and rolled around on the stage, visually enticing thousands of men. Then what? The show ended, the game came back on.
Later that night, what happened to all those men who were affected by her performance? Please pardon my frankness, but how many of them got online and ordered a girl to come finish what Beyonce started?
If a pizza company had paid millions to strategically place a long, luscious pizza ad during the Super Bowl, then later that night thousands of people ordered pizzas, that ad manager would feel himself a big success.
Well, thousands of girls were used that night, ordered over the internet as easily as one can order a pizza. In my opinion, Beyonce was part of that.
If asked, I'm sure she would say that trafficking is wrong and should be stopped. Most people think that. But it's not what we think; it's what we do that shows who we really are. Beyonce sells sexuality, and the rampant sexuality in our culture fuels human trafficking. It sends messages to men that women are objects to be used and enjoyed. It sends messages to girls that to be valuable they must be not only beautiful and thin, but sexy and seductive. Both messages are wrong. Both feed trafficking, because men who believe women are objects have no problem paying to use one. Girls who believe they are only valuable for their sexuality are vulnerable to exploitation.
Beyonce once said in an interview,
“I’m really kind of shy...more reserved, and, um, nothing like Sasha (the spirit she says possesses her on stage). But I guess I wouldn't be very entertaining on stage, so Sasha comes out and she's fearless, you know, she can do things that I cannot do while in rehearsal....right before I performed, I raised my hands up, and it was kind of the first time I felt something, you know, come into me."
Another time she said,
"When I see a video of myself on stage or TV I'm like, 'Who is that girl? That's not me. I wouldn't dare do that.'"
If Beyonce is letting other voices entice her to sell herself, it is not a far stretch to think she wouldn't mind letting her voice tell others to do the same. I am horrified that so many girls see her as a role model and so many parents allow it. The young girls may not recognize the messages coming through her performances, but every adult certainly should.
One more quote from Beyonce, "I am more powerful than my mind can even digest or understand."
True. That power could be used for such good. Right now it is being used to fuel something totally wrong. A perspective for girls that at its end is trafficking. A perspective for men that at its end is trafficking.
Rescuing trafficked girls is never going to fix the problem of trafficking. The problem starts with demand. As long as major events like the Super Bowl and major stars like Beyonce promote sex and the objectification of women, trafficking will thrive.
This message will likely never get anywhere near Beyonce, so I won't ask her to stop selling herself and learn her worth is in more than her sexuality. You, however, are reading it, so I will talk to you. Your worth is in more than your body, your looks, your power over men, or any other thing that is less than what God says your worth comes from. Your are valuable, priceless, because God made you in His image, and Jesus says you're worth dying for.
No matter how many millions are spent on a pizza ad, if the pizza's lousy, the pizza's lousy. Don't let the world convince you of it's message, no matter how beautiful or popular the package.
For all that is in the world—the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life—
is not of the Father but is of the world. And the world is passing away, and the lust of it;
but he who does the will of God abides forever. 1 John 2:16-17
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If you don't believe the quotes, here's a video of every one of them and more:
Beyonce, "I get possessed"
amen sister
ReplyDeleteYour post is spot on, Kimberly. Thanks for having courage to post this and speak out in this way.
ReplyDeleteThank you for reminding us that silence is not a way to change a culture.
ReplyDeleteAmen! So well written. Sex trafficking is such a problem...oh Lord Jesus, come back soon!
ReplyDeletewell said my friend. standing with you.
ReplyDeleteWith the weight of sex trafficking on my heart during the SuperBowl, I was sickened by half time for just these reasons. In addition, and adding to the strength of the message, there was a mass of ever so slightly inferior substitutes gyrating all around Beyonce. If you cant have the star, any of these other women would be a close second. Clearly there are plenty of women available for all to have their fantasies met. . .
ReplyDeletePraying desperately for anti-trafficking and rescue groups in Brazil as they prepare for a World Cup and Olympics. . . .
Well said Kimberly. I wish Beyonce and others like her could read this.
ReplyDeleteThanks to all of you for your encouragement and your stand!
ReplyDeleteI was horrified by beyonce during the show. I sat in a room full of men and was embarrassed and ashamed. I think they may have been too. Tragically I saw so many young women on twitter enthralled by her performance.
ReplyDeleteWhen I saw your post title I was hoping you'd talk about this. Then I was hoping you wouldn't- that it would be about some change of heart and life Beyonce had.
You speak truth, Sister. Keep speaking. God bless you.
Amen, Amen and Amen! Thank you for putting this into words!
ReplyDeleteIt breaks my heart to see the destructive power of evil in our world. Our children are being taught that this behavior is "normal" and that they can choose to do what they want to do. They are blind to the fact that they are being controlled and manipulated. They are not free to choose. It is a form of violence. It also damages the men, their wives, their children, and their families.
ReplyDeleteThank you for being bold and speaking out. God doesn't tell us we have to change people, He merely wants to speak the words of truth. The act of speaking truth and utilizing it in our own lives has more power than anything else we can do.
Kimberly you are right on track! This Beyonce really troubled me, a while back I did a little research on her and what I found is that she is a part of a cult, The Illuminate. She is not only a part of it but she is considered a princess in the cult, an Iluminate Princess. When she says that "Sasha" the spirit in her performs, and that she is more powerful than her mind can even digest or understand, she isn't kidding. Satan is the driving force within her.
ReplyDeleteThroughout her disgusting Super Bowl performance she repeatedly flashed the symbol of her illuminate cult, by forming it's triangle with her hands. The woman is deeply involved in the occult.
What a shame that America allows someone like her to represent our country for entertainment at the Super Bowl or any other venue where she performs. It is very sad.
I think this is great! Would you consider re-posting this on my blog, http://www.AverageAdvocate.com sometime? I really appreciate people speaking up like this. Thank you! You made some great points!
ReplyDeleteYou're very welcome to re-post it, Elisa. I'd be honored. Just let me know when it goes live. Or if you need me to send it somewhere, let me know where.
DeleteThank you to all of you who have commented and encouraged. Thank you for caring about things that matter!
ReplyDeleteSuch a great post Kimberly. Thank you for caring enough to speak out!
ReplyDeleteAMEN! Wake up , Moms....see who your girls are emulating..
ReplyDeleteGreat Post, Kimberly!!
ReplyDeleteGreat post. I so agree
ReplyDeleteSo SO true Kimberley.
ReplyDeleteBut it's not just the girls - it's hard to find good role models for the boys too.
Our lads had real problems with a lack of good books that had role models that we would in any way wish to encourage...
Harry Potter - anyone? Ugh!
I hear you! My eight-year-old loves looking up to heroes and I pray for the right ones! Fortunately for me, his dad is a man worth following, so that's the best place to start, after Jesus.
DeleteAnother impactful call to righteousness in action as well as word. Thank you for standing for truth, Kimberly.
ReplyDeleteThe people who pay for the OK from trafficked women's pimps to rape the women are the problem. Regardless of what culture it is and how much a woman is covered, the sexual appeal to a perverted mind is relative. The mistreatment of women doesn't happen because they're "asking for it." That is a common argument by rapists. It's about changing the conversation regarding women. A woman can be in her bedroom behind a locked door under her cover in the dark of night and still be raped by a man who is a sexual predator. She was about as covered as one can possibly be. It isn't about the woman. It's about the mind of the person who commits the crime, and their need for a sense of dominance. Helping men understand masculinity isn't about dominance will greatly help the lives of all women. Men learning that their humanity is more than their perceived expected "role" will help men become more balanced humans.
ReplyDeleteWomen and girls need to understand that they don't have to be ashamed of their bodies, and that they deserve respect. Men and boys need to understand that we are all souls first, living in bodies, and that the harm we do to another is 10x's more harmful to ourselves. Blaming Beyonce doesn't accomplish any of that.
These posts of Beyonce's costumes are riduculous. "Magic Mike". No one condemns men for flaunting their bodies, or for inviting women to touch them either, as they did in Magic Mike and in male stipper's shows. As a matter of fact, the male form is glorified, while females are taught to cover up and be ashamed. You people who are here espousing these ideals are the problem, not Beyonce.
ReplyDeleteActually, I think any setting where sex is offered without love and the body put up for sale is so far short of what God intended. I certainly do have a problem with men flaunting their bodies, and personally think Magic Mike--just from what I've read about the movie, having not wanted to see it--is disgusting. The way women responded to that movie was not something that built up marriage or love or even sex the good way God created it to be. So how can it be good? It promoted lust, and satisfying lust with money. I will never say that's okay.
ReplyDeleteTrafficking, the exploitation of the vulnerable, happens to both women and men, and anything that feeds into the perception that it's okay for the human body to be for sale points in that direction. It may not directly affect it, but it affects it.
Wow, thank you for this post, Kimberly. Very eye-opening and incredibly sad. Thank you again.
ReplyDeletewouldn't it be a swell world if we could just tell all men to respect all women as human beings and not objects? Wouldn't it be grand if we could tell all girls that they should realize the treasure they are and not believe the lies that their worth is determined by others? Wouldn't it be an awesome planet if we could all just turn off our sexuality like you turn off a light when it starts to pull us into errant behavior? Wouldn't it be neat-o if we could have men protect, provide, work hard, fight for right, pay bills, combat evil and EVERY other masculine thing we love and YET, convince them that their strength is NOT how we define maleness?...wouldn't that be Super?.....ok, here's the problem with all of that: It totally and completely goes against our human nature- that nature we are BORN with and has been with humanity since creation, and is a fully unrealistic solution to the problem! Sin is the problem! Selfishness IS the problem. Pride is the problem; "I want what I want, when I want, and I do not want to be told 'no'!" A conversation does not exist to solve this....never will. The only thing that will solve this is the very thing many shun. Forgiveness. Asking God to forgive us of our part-YES, our part in this. If we have ever looked at someone with lust in our heart, we have contributed to this. if we have ever laughed at innuendos or allowed filth (like a half-time show) to play out on the media in our homes, we have contributed to this. If we done nothing-kept quiet, we have contributed to this. We need to repent . We need forgiveness......and we need to DO SOMETHING!
ReplyDeleteChristians, if we say, "this is an evil world, Lord, come quickly" and we do nothing about it, we are guilty of contributing to this evil. YES, The Lord will come, and when He does, it will be a glorious and just day, but until that time, we have been commanded to fight evil!..Fight is and active verb!A "DO" verb...what will you DO now that you know?
I have been "fired up" about Beyonce and very saddened by how her message is affecting our culture. I have read articles of her pastor defending her. I had no idea she has an "on-stage" character called Sasha. Here's my take.....it's satan. Not popular...people don't want to really grasp that he roams the earth deceiving, destroying, lying and seducing. Revelation 13 and more of the bible spells this out. Her statement that "her mind is more powerful than she can even digest or understand" is a way of saying she is her own god. Again, satan. He lies and destroys and is using her to do such. Here's the good news: Jesus will redeem all of this. It's such a discouraging thing to see this injustice and the acceleration of immortality, sex-trafficking and so many other crimes. Can feel hopeless at times....lest we remember that Jesus will come, with all his authority and power and set things right. God have mercy and help us who know His truth to not turn a blind eye.
ReplyDelete