Shakira Sparks Backlash For Saying Sons Found Barbie ‘Emasculating’
Shakira attends the "Las Mujeres Ya No Lloran" album release party at Hard Rock Live at Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Hollywood on March 21, 2024 in Hollywood, Florida.
Shakira’s sons found Barbie to be “La Tortura.” In the April cover story for Allure, the musician, 47, revealed that her sons Sasha, 9, and Milan, 11, who she shares with ex Gerard Piqué, didn’t like the summer blockbuster, adding that she wasn’t a fan either.
(Photo by Mike Coppola/Getty Images for MTV)
“My sons absolutely hated it,” Shakira told the outlet. “They felt it was emasculating. And I agree, to a certain extent.” Raising two boys, Shakira said she wants Sasha and Milan to “feel powerful too,” while respecting women. She added that what she likes in pop culture is when it “attempts” to empower women “without robbing men of their possibility to be men, to protect and provide.”
She added that men and women both have their separate purposes in society, and while complementing each other, it should not be lost.
Shakira Sparks Backlash
Responding to Shakira’s interview on social media, people expressed their feelings on Shakira’s statement. One viral tweet reads: “this is why barbie is a necessary movie for many women to be introduced to feminism 101 as they still suffer from internalised misogyny.”
“women can protect and provide as well,” wrote another. “this is an unbelievably disappointing statement and completely misses the point of the movie.” Meanwhile, one person added, “she really decided to set herself up for disaster with this horrendous take [crying emoji].” A third person slammed Shakira and wrote: “Moms of boys always become a pick me girl.” Another person slammed her and said, “Yikes. Maybe just stick to tax fraud.”
“Whenever people complain about modern society ‘tearing men down’ and ‘emasculating’ them, it always comes back to wanting to maintain the prestige attached to masculinity,” somebody else tweeted. “It’s always about pretending that gender roles are natural and not about power and access to resources.” One person called her out and said, “Wow Shakira you really missed the point. You gave up alot of your own career for your mans career, YOU EVEN SAID SO YOURSELF! I’m sure it will be spelled out in your next album so don’t be a walking contradiction.”
As we recently reported, Shakira detailed what it was like transitioning to a single mom of two. While remaining busy with shooting music videos and photos, she makes time for her kids. She will lose out on sleep so she can put her kids to bed. Adding that “it’s been intense,” Shakira chalked it up to the “beauty” of balancing the new challenges.
Shakira's 6 Best Songs
Shakira Isabel Mebarak Ripoll was born on February 2, 1977, in Colombia. Shakira’s writing skills started at an early age, when she wrote her first poem at four, per Rolling Stone. Gifted a typewriter at seven years old, Shakira continued writing poetry, which eventually evolved into songs. A year later, Shakira wrote her first song, titled “Tus gafas oscuras” (“Your dark glasses”). With her father being Lebanese and taking her to a Middle Eastern restaurant, Shakira first heard the doumbek (a traditional drum used in Middle-Eastern music usually accompanied by belly dancing). She started dancing on the table, and the experience made her realize she wanted to be a performer. She enjoyed singing for schoolmates, teachers, and the nuns at her Catholic school, but in second grade, she was rejected for the school choir because her vibrato was too strong. The music teacher told her that she sounded “like a goat.” She was also known as “the belly dancer girl” after showing off her skills at school every Friday. “That’s how I discovered my passion for live performance,” she said.
An Early Star
Between the ages of ten and thirteen, Shakira gained local recognition after participating in various events in her hometown of Barranquilla. A local theater producer was impressed with her and tried to help her career. Traveling to Bogotá, the producer convinced Sony Colombia executives to hold an audition for Shakira. She performed three songs for the executives and impressed them enough for her to be signed to record three albums. Her debut album, Magia, was recorded in 1990 when she was only 13. The songs are a collection she made when she was eight, consisting of pop-rock ballads and disco songs.
Shakira’s second studio album, Peligro, was released in March. Neither recorded was a hit and are currently out of print. With a final chance given by Sony, she released Pies Descalzos in 1996. Her fourth studio album, Dónde Están los Ladrones? was released two years later. Upon the success of the album, Shakira compiled an English crossover album. Her lead single, “Whenever, Wherever,” became an international success. With eleven studio albums in her discography, we compiled a list of our six favorite Shakira songs. Take a look below:
Laila Abuelhawa is the Top 40 and Hip-Hop pop culture writer for Beasley Media Group. Being with the company for over three years, Laila's fierce and fabulous red-carpet rankings have earned her a feature on 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert!' Her favorite stories are those surrounding the latest in celebrity fashion, television and film rankings, and how the world reacts to major celebrity news. With a background in journalism, Laila's stories ensure accuracy and offer background information on stars that you wouldn't have otherwise known. She prides herself in covering stories that inform the public about what is currently happening and what is to come in the ever-changing, ever-evolving media landscape.
