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#FreeKesha By Allison Pinski

2/25/2016

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A judge recently decided to hold recording artist Kesha to her contract with Sony producer Dr. Luke, who not only “allegedly” physically and emotionally abused her, but actually did. This goes beyond the legality of recording contracts; after this ruling, it has become very clear that a woman’s health and safety concerns are not enough of a reason to free her from a recording contract with a toxic individual.

This lawsuit is not recent; according to The Rolling Stone, it was filed in California in October 2014, but petitions for #FreeKesha started as early as 2013.

As a result of the court’s decision, celebrities and fans alike have come together to work to address what happened (and is currently happening to Kesha), as well as addressing what women face in the music industry. Celebrities include Demi Lovato, Taylor Swift, Ariana Grande, and Lady Gaga.

I'm so, so beyond humbled and thankful for all of the support I'vereceived from everyone. Words cannot really express...

Posted by Kesha on Wednesday, February 24, 2016
While there has been some arguing between supporters over the best approach to helping Kesha (like Demi’s criticism of Taylor for donating to Kesha as opposed to addressing the broader issue), the main argument still stands; what happened to Kesha should not be allowed to happen to anyone else.

Kesha isn’t the only artist Dr. Luke has abused. Charli XCX quoted him in a 2014 tweet (below), claiming that he told her she needed to lose weight. He’s also reportedly had altercations with artists like Demi Lovato (refusing to give her a sing when she wouldn’t make it her second single off of “Confidence,” and Becky G). You can see more of those here.

"she better lose some weight if she wants to be a popstar" - gross/ugh/lol

— CHARLI XCX (@charli_xcx) June 15, 2014
So join the #FreeKesha movement and help open up the discussion about abuse within the music industry. If you’re interested in reading more about the Dr. Luke lawsuit, you can check out these articles by The Guardian, Buzzfeed, and Vogue. You can also check out the FreeKesha website for more information.

Disgusted by anyone in power positions abusing their authority. My heart breaks for Kesha and all people affected by this toxicity. Fuck.

— HALSEY (@halsey) February 19, 2016

I don't even know what I would do... I only hope she can find peace and find a way to continue to create express herself without fear.

— HALSEY (@halsey) February 19, 2016

The difference between how they treat women and how they treat men is shocking! #FreeKesha #SonySupportsRape pic.twitter.com/sv0GHjHvdV

— Feminist (@ltsFeminism) February 22, 2016

Everyone NEEDS to see Kesha's official statement #FreeKesha pic.twitter.com/Yvy4szPUqR

— Music's Rebellion (@MusicsRebellion) February 24, 2016

Frustrating to see women come forward with their past only to be shot down, not believed & disrespected for their bravery in taking action

— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) February 21, 2016

Happens way too often. I'm ready for women to be taken just as seriously as men..

— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) February 21, 2016

Someone tell me why anyone would ever feel brave enough to come forward if they are most likely to be ignored or called a liar?

— Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) February 21, 2016

As most people know, I tend to get fired up about the things I believe in, and although my heart and intentions are always in the right place, unfortunately sometimes my passion gets the best of me and causes me to say things that I probably shouldn't say. And when doing so it takes away from the real reason I am speaking up in the first place. Our focus should be on the topic of victims of sexual and physical abuse being afraid to come forward with their stories. They're more likely to face retaliation and harassment than to see justice being served. Especially women. It baffles me that when it comes to serious issues like equality and abuse, too often women are not taken as seriously as men. All I want to see is women coming together and actually making a difference. A real change and shift in society. Everyone has their own way of giving support to others , and at the end of the day, helping victims is all that matters. Ultimately, the message I want people to hear is it's okay to come forward with your abuse and if you do decide to take action, you are not alone.

A photo posted by Demi Lovato (@ddlovato) on Feb 22, 2016 at 4:02pm PST

stop protecting men who rape.

stop valuing money, the law, and men's comfort over women's right to feel safe. #FreeKesha

— Tracy Clayton (@brokeymcpoverty) February 19, 2016

Free Kesha pic.twitter.com/8BjZXq98Qf

— Lady Gaga (@ladygaga) February 24, 2016

Thank you @lenadunham for writing this. Love @lennyletter #freekesha pic.twitter.com/wvuAOk2Tas

— Jessica Chastain (@jes_chastain) February 23, 2016

Dr. Luke's camp responded to millions of us tweeting #FreeKesha with a long, ignorant response.. and I'm calling BS. pic.twitter.com/k6CUaM9n0o

— Kesha Rose (@KeshaTODAY) February 23, 2016

This is some legit bullshit #FreeKesha https://t.co/EDgIXYnoIp

— Best Coast (@BestCoast) February 19, 2016

really disappointing to hear about this kesha case. no one should be denied freedom from their abuser, nor freedom of their creativity.

— ac (@alessiacara) February 19, 2016

#BRITs2016: Adele shows her support for Kesha during acceptance speech https://t.co/FWpYXDucQp https://t.co/Dz9wDnnCFm

— Hollywood Reporter (@THR) February 24, 2016
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Get In Formation: A Response to Beyonce’s Superbowl Performance By Allison Pinski

2/25/2016

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By now you’ve probably heard about or seen Beyone’s Superbowl performance (shown below in case you missed it. If the video doesn’t work, check out this link here). Debuting her new song, “Formation,” Beyonce’s performance was nothing short of brilliance and political activism.

Skipping over the specifics of the performance (like Beyonce’s back-up dancers sporting Black Panther attire, or her newest hits’ politically provoking lyrics), let’s talk about why [white] people are so offended. Many people are upset over Beyonce’s obvious stance with the Black Lives Matter movement (which many have compared to the Black Panther Party), claiming that she has no respect for or understanding of the police force, and the protection they provide for stars like herself.

The Miami Police Union plans to boycott Beyoncé’s concert because of #Formation: https://t.co/sSIjxMlxYv pic.twitter.com/XprCDfEeUz

— MTV (@MTV) February 19, 2016
Others are accusing her of exploiting black tragedy for personal gain, like the author of this article from Slate. One of the questions Shantelle Lewis, the author, chooses to highlight in her piece is, “For an artist to become political, must she perform against a backdrop of black tragedy?”

The anti-Beyoncé protest couldn't get in formation — only 3 people showed up https://t.co/luGtVRQcIM pic.twitter.com/k2KwoAJlg2

— Mic (@micnews) February 16, 2016
Opposition to such a controversial message such as this is expected. But amidst the negativity, there are many Beyonce supporters. For a joint article in the New York Times, Jenny Wortham wrote; ​
“This video feels like the ultimate declaration from Beyoncé that the tinted windows are down, the earrings are off and someone’s wig might get snatched, judging by the scene in the hair store about 1:22 minutes in.

She wants us to know — more than ever — that she’s still grounded, she’s paying attention and still a little hood. I think she wants us to know that even though she’s headlining a mainstream event like the Super Bowl, she has opinions and isn’t afraid to share them, nor is she afraid to do it on a national and global scale.

It’s easy to think that releasing a video is a soft way to make such a strong statement, but Bey has always been about using striking visuals, clever lyrics and high-impact narratives to express her point of view.
​

As always, a Beyoncé surprise drop operates across multiple vectors, and “Formation” isn’t just about police brutality — it’s about the entirety of the black experience in America in 2016, which includes standards of beauty, (dis)empowerment, culture and the shared parts of our history.” (You can read more here).
Personally, I support Beyonce wholeheartedly. I think she is genuinely lending her fame to the Black Lives Matter movement and shedding light on the uncomfortable racial tensions that the U.S. has always had, but never addressed. I can understand why individuals like Lewis could take offense to the video, as it is clearly taking place in New Orleans, but I do not think Beyonce would ever intentionally exploit the culture to gain popularity.
​

I was especially impressed with Beyonce’s inclusion of Messy Mya, a young black artist shot and killed in New Orleans in 2010 (which you can read more about here and here). I didn’t initially understand the significance of his inclusion in the song (or who he was before looking him up), but I think Beyonce’s decision to include his voice recordings in the song only emphasizes her understanding of the challenges African Americans are facing (especially in regards to gun violence). The inclusion of Messy Mya also gives context to the New Orleans backdrop of the video.

You can watch the video below if you haven’t seen it yet (if the video doesn't work, check out this link).

.@Beyonce's 'Formation' has us asking why are some offended by unapologetic blackness? https://t.co/NMzof9h6aD pic.twitter.com/mQ9oJFbPSu

— Essence Magazine (@essencemag) February 21, 2016

Beyoncé’s #Formation Video: The risks of getting political #AskaGUprofhttps://t.co/aettLgAk69

— Georgetown Univ. (@Georgetown) February 18, 2016

White people still cannot handle Beyoncé's "Formation" video https://t.co/oPoxtfFuyF pic.twitter.com/7NPDF7aJ8l

— Jezebel (@Jezebel) February 16, 2016
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