As I’ve been binge watching Bart Baker parodies lately, when he mentioned that he was going to be doing this one, I was beside myself.

“Wow I’m just playing, don’t hate me ‘cos I’m fat!”

“You’re actually normal, every inch of you is perfect stop acting like a victim!”

“yeah my mama she told me that being big is sexy

And it turns on men which totally validates me.” (“makes me feel pretty!”)

“I thought this song was supposed to be about loving you for you…” “It is!!!”

“So why are you basing your self worth off of pleasing dudes?” “…”

Totally on point.

Of course I still enjoy this song, and I don’t think that’s wrong but I’m not going to back off it because OMG SHE REALLY TRIED OK.

Yes she did, but Meghan Trainor is a product of her upbringing and cultural background, which as far as I can tell is very similar to my own. This song is an embodiment of all the verbal microagressions that we have come to accept as acceptable when talking about body image, to say nothing of the problematic mixing of body image, self worth and pandering to male approval.

When I was younger I probably would have died on a hill defending All About That Bass just because I see so much of myself in Trainor as she presents herself relating to her body in the song.  By calling Trainor problematic, you’re calling me problematic because that’s how I talk about myself, and that’s how all women around me talk themselves so how could we all be wrong?

These days I’m not in a hurry to run from that label.  Hells yeah I’m problematic.  I only said those things because I hated myself and was trying to convince other people not to.  The other women say that because they’re insecure.  Besides if I’m not problematic, what am I instead?  Someone who is completely devoid of any prejudice and societal programming?

That would be thinking far too highly of myself

Mac