Rush Limbaugh may not be the only the one taking shots at Beyonce and her new single, “Bow Down.”
The conservative radio show host has earned more attention, however, for suggesting that the song endorses a pre-modern code of feminine behavior, something more along the lines of Phyllis Schlafly, say, than Lil’ Kim.
Here’s what Limbaugh had to say:
Beyonce used to be the lead for a three-girl group called Destiny’s Child, and their songs were attempts to inspire young women not to take any grief from men… Beyonce’s now saying, “Go ahead and put up with it.” And you know why? Because she got married. She’s married to a rich guy… She now understands it’s worth it to bow down.
This earned an instant rebuke from Media Matters, which noted Limbaugh’s history of expressing contempt for women. For his part, Limbaugh says he does not hate women. What he has not explained, however, is why a major recording artist with Beyonce’s personal fortune and commercial appeal would ever need to marry in order to feel economically secure. After all, with $300 million, she’s almost in the same league as Rush himself.
Dana Milbank, political columnist at the Washington Post, made a similar point on Thursday when he discussed the matter with political strategist Angela Rye and Martin Bashir. You can watch their discussion here:
Noel Hartman