You might assume that in this day and age, men might know by now that preaching at women about how they use their bodies and sexuality is not a good look. (Unless you’re a right-wing man of course.)
But you’d be wrong, because comedian Russell Brand has definitely not gotten that memo. He recently posted a 20-minute mansplaining YouTube analysis of Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s “WAP” video and… well, it went about as well as you might expect.
The premise of Brand’s video is interrogating whether “WAP” is a “feminist masterpiece or porn,” and, well… it doesn’t get much better from there.
The thrust of Brand’s argument is that “WAP” can’t really be called feminist because it’s operating within a male-dominated system.
He questions whether women can:
“…achieve equality by aspiring to and replicating the values that have been established by males.”
He goes on to discount the overt sexuality that Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s display in “WAP” as:
“a template that already exists and was established by males.”
Which is… a strange argument to say the least, especially since we already had this conversation 40 years ago when Madonna showed up on the scene, and then had it again 30 years ago when female rappers first became a mainstream force to be reckoned with.
But that didn’t stop Brand from doubling down on this old chestnut.
“Is it equality if the template has already been established by a formal dominator? The answer is no.”
This raises the question of how women can seize equality, then. Do men need to be extinct for women to be able to cathartically own their sexuality?
What is the right way?
But, of course, Brand doesn’t delve into any of that. Instead, he reneges on his premise, acknowledging that he understands Cardi B and Megan Thee Stallion’s work is also “liberating.” (SIR. You literally just said it can’t be.)
But then he reneges on that reneging because capitalism.
“It’s still ultimately a sort of capitalist objectification and commodification of, in this case, the female.”
Speaking of capitalism, Brand made no mention of the fact that he’s likely making bank off this very video, which is professionally produced, hawks his podcast and books in the description, and resides on his YouTube channel with nearly 2.5 million subscribers that is surely pulling down significant ad revenue.
In any case, as you might assume, folks on social media were not having any of this.
Where did we ask??? https://t.co/do6zHnQQWZ pic.twitter.com/FivK3D43V0
— Mr. Beyoncé stan | #BLACKLIVESMATTER (@Rakindemleaves) August 15, 2020
The fact Russell Brand thinks women displaying sexuality is them emulating men, rather than seeing them as equally sexual beings really summarises the problem with this take imo https://t.co/g96LEss64e
— H (@_hayleydeans) August 15, 2020
not russell brand building his entire career on being a shagger and thej turning around to say “THAT’S ONLY OKAY WHEN I DO IT” https://t.co/PdR5kjIxZi
— G 🧢 (@oneofthosefaces) August 15, 2020
This man divorced Katy Perry through a text message half an hour before she was supposed to do a show, he’s the last one to speak on how women should be treated https://t.co/z3xxME3EiP
— melv (@manisego) August 15, 2020
Men do this thing where they put big words together and think they've said something groundbreaking. https://t.co/BYlqA6t5kE
— Just Stay Home (@Waviest_baby) August 16, 2020
The problem with this “women have been tricked into sexualising themselves because that’s what men want” argument is the underlining premise that sex & pornography are exclusively for men & women couldn’t possibly enjoy that like they do – they must have made a mistake. https://t.co/byeb2eRsOm
— Kate Lister (@k8_lister) August 16, 2020
Imagine thinking ur so woke and being this dumb. The end of the day Russell you are a white cis man unable to empathise with the experiences of women and ur option matters very little to this bigger conversation. You’re being ignorant AND whoreohobic AND no one asked https://t.co/MPF7Q4vshM
— ediblelittlegoth (@ggeorginattyson) August 15, 2020
I really don’t want to be taught feminism by Russell Brand. But I look forward to Louis CK’s thoughts on why Beyoncé is getting it all wrong. https://t.co/is7aPEiyhZ
— DeborahFrances-White (@DeborahFW) August 15, 2020
Russell Brand is a stupid person's idea of what a smart person thinks a smart person sounds like.
— Dmitry Grozoubinski (@DmitryOpines) August 15, 2020
Lessons in feminism from a man who used to prank call rape help lines as part of his stand up act. Thanks Russell Brand, we have so much to learn from you
— Claudia Connell (@Claudiacc) August 15, 2020
Anyway, let this serve as a reminder that it really is okay to just be quiet and let women do what they want. It’s literally free!