While listening to No Doubt song “Just a Girl”, I noted how Stefani tries to show her frustration with gendered stereotypes and injustices. She also appears to be sarcastic when describing her appearance. She claims that her appearance prevents her from doing certain things in society. She describes herself as little and small, which might be interpreted as delicate and fragile. Stefani is being sarcastic with her qualities because she is neither of them, yet she is automatically labeled weak because she is a woman (Rosa, 2019). It is evident to me how Gwen’s decline of tolerance is portrayed by the passage from a mellow, charming tune and a relaxed, scornful voice to shouting, restating, and quicker music.
I am saddened by her message in the song, as it exemplifies how inequitable being a woman can be. Women are not allowed enough freedom to be themselves without having to constantly defend themselves (Andrijevic et al., 2020). Additionally, the song demonstrates how inequalities in gender roles existed in society at the time. This is because, Stefani shows how she struggles to be viewed as an equal to men in the male-dominated music scene of the mid-1990s, particularly in the rock genre. From the song she satirizes rock’s masculine chauvinism, exposes women’s disturbance with gender preconceptions, and surfaced the way for future female singers and fans through mockery.
Looking at the message Stefani is attempting to convey, I think the song has the potential to be a protest song. This is because the song’s subject revolves around ‘power through your sexuality,’ vulnerability, and social change in the feminism stereotype (Rosa, 2019). For instance, Gwen Stefani’s satire aims to make people realize how difficult it is to be a female, and how societal preconceptions impede women from pursuing their dreams. According to her, women are capable of self-sufficiency, contrary to the belief that they require male care.
References
Andrijevic, M., Cuaresma, J. C., Lissner, T., Thomas, A., & Schleussner, C. F. (2020). Overcoming gender inequality for climate resilient development. Nature communications, 11(1), 1-8.
Rosa, J. (2019). Gwen Stefani says feminist anthem ‘Just a Girl’ is about ‘power through your sexuality,’ vulnerability. ABC News. Web.