The newest debate on my social media feeds is whether or not Meghan Trainor’s song “All About That Bass” sends an appropriate message to teenage girls.
The song is indeed quite catchy with a funky beat that even makes my husband want to dance, which is quite the feat.
Her voice reminds me of the late Amy Winehouse, a bluesy singer whose life was cut too short.
It has become an anthem of sorts for plus sized girls needing an extra boost where their looks are concerned.
However, a portion of the lyrics has raised the eyebrows of mothers.
For example there’s “My mama she told me don’t worry about your size. She says, ‘boys like a little more booty to hold at night.”’
Some mothers have blasted Trainor for this particular lyric because they say it leads girls to believe that boys will only be interested in them for their looks, not their inner beauty.
While I will admit there are some questionable lyrics in the song, it still relays a more positive message than the majority of other songs out there.
In my opinion, lessons about inner beauty and how we love or view other people begin in the home.
There are an alarming number of instances where parents leave the moral and social upbringing of their children up to the media or other outside sources.
My parents raised me to strive to be a good person and love others for their hearts and not their looks.
In this media crazy world where the majority of magazine models are slim and trim, photoshopped and surgically altered, it’s difficult for a young girl to feel good about her body and self.
It is my hope that mothers and fathers will teach their sons and daughters that the true beauty of a person lays on the inside. Teach them to love their body and take care of it with a healthy diet and exercise.
Then maybe when they hear a song like this, they will view it for what it is, a pop song with a good beat that has a slightly if not skewed positive message.
Good looks will fade with time, but the one thing that lasts forever is our hearts.