Beyonce's "Lemonade"

The idea of appropriation and subversion was presented to our class during Monday night’s lecture on Beyonce’s Lemonade. According to Laurie Nardone, this process is when marginalized groups can take concepts that have been oppressive, and appropriate and then subverse these concepts. This idea was observed in the Lemonade film in numerous places. The “Don’t Hurt Yourself” video is set in a parking garage, a place which is known for its tendency to be a dangerous place for women. In this setting, Beyonce is singing angrily and powerfully. She repeatedly states, “I’m too much for you”, which also brings on the stereotype of the angry black woman. While the setting and the presence of this perceived stereotype are apparent in the video, they are appropriated and subverted. In this video, Beyonce is powerful. She is powerful in the way she sings, the words she uses, and the way she looks and dances. She may be in a dangerous place, but she is not in danger. She is in control and in power.

Appropriation and subversion is also seen in the, “Sorry” video. This video is filmed mainly on a bus, another place historically dangerous for black women. Additionally, Laurie Nardone identified, “plantation images” throughout this video. But again, the images of the bus and plantation are appropriated, and then subverted in a way which shows Beyonce and these black women defying these images and being powerful in them.

Another video which depicts Laurie Nardone’s idea of appropriation and subversion is the, “Formation” video. This video depicts Beyonce and the other women in the video dressed in fancy white clothing, in a house resembling the house which would have been on a plantation, the slave owner’s house, according to Dr. Nardone. The image of these black women dancing and Beyonce singing of black pride and female pride starkly contrasts with this image and the setting, but it does so in a way which makes the message of this pride all the more powerful. By appropriating this image, and then subverting it, it only adds to the overall message of pride in being a black woman. While the words themselves are powerful, this appropriation and subverting of something that was once symbols of oppression add greatly to this message.

I’ve observed this theory of appropriation and subverting in my day to day. The most common example would be the use of the n-word by black men and women. It no longer carries the derogatory and oppressive meaning that it did historically when it was used by white people to oppress black people. Now, black people have reclaimed this word as their own, empowering them and removing the oppressive meaning it once carried. I’ve also observed this within my own friend group, with girls comfortably using the words, “bitch” and “whore” as terms of endearment. While these words have previously been used to oppress and hurt women, women like my friends now use the word in a positive manner. Both of these are examples of taking

something and flipping it so that a once negative or harmful thing now empowers the previously oppressed group. Beyonce does this numerous times throughout Lemonade and it contributes wonderfully to her overall message of empowerment and pride in being a black woman.