Lana Del Rey questions why she has been 'crucified' for singing about 'emotionally abusive relationships'

'Thanks for the Karen comments'
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Megan C. Hills22 May 2020

Singer Lana Del Rey has posed a “question for the culture," asking why artists such as Doja Cat, Ariana Grande, Beyonce and more have been able to sing about whatever they want - while she has been “crucified” or accused of “glamorizing abuse.”

In a note posted to Instagram, she said she was “fed up” and called for there to be “a place in feminism for women who look and act like me.”

However, she has since clarified her remarks in the comments section, writing, "Bro. This is sad to make it about a WOC issue when I’m talking about my favorite singers. I could’ve literally said anyone but I picked my favorite f—ing people. She continued on to say, "It’s exactly the point of my post – there are certain women that culture doesn’t want to have a voice it may not have to do with race I don’t know what it has to do with."

She ended the follow-up message by writing, "It’s about advocating for a more delicate personality, not for white woman – thanks for the Karen comments tho. V helpful."

Del Rey's original message read: “Now that Doja Cat, Ariana, Camila, Cardi B, Kehlani and Niki Minaj and Beyonce have had number ones with songs about being sexy, wearing no clothes, f**king, cheating etc - can I please go back to singing about being embodied, feeling beautiful by being in love even if the relationship is not perfect, or dancing for money - or whatever I want - without being crucified or saying that I’m glamorizing abuse??????”

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“I'm fed up with female writers and alt singers saying that I glamorize abuse when in reality I’m just a glamorous person singing about the realities of what we are all now seeing are very prevalent emotionally abusive relationships all over the world,” she continued.

The singer rose to fame in 2011 for her song 'Video Games', which later led to albums such as Born to Die, Ultraviolence, and the recent critically acclaimed Norman F**king Rockwell.

In her post, she also revealed she would be dropping a new album on September 5.

“With all of the topics women are finally allowed to explore I just want to say over the last ten years I think it’s pathetic that my minor lyrical exploration detailing my sometimes submissive or passive roles in my relationships has often made people say I've set women back hundreds of years,” she continued.

Saying that she had been “honest and optimistic” about her previous “challenging relationships”, Del Rey clarified that she was “not not a feminist.”

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“There has to be a place in feminism for women who look and act like me - the kind of woman who says no but men hear yes - the kind of women who are slated mercilessly for being their authentic, delicate selves,” she said. “The kind of women who get their own stories and voices taken away from them by stronger women or by men who hate women.”

Del Rey said that that had been her “experience up until the point that those records were made”, adding that it had been a “long 10 years of bulls**t reviews until recently.”

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“I also feel it really paved the way for other women to stop ‘putting on a happy face’ and to just be able to say whatever the hell they wanted in their music,” she said, “unlike my experience where if I ever even expressed a note of sadness in my first two records I was deemed literally hysterical as though it was literally the 1920s.”

She continued that her thoughts weren’t related to “anything to do about much”, but teased that she would be delving into her thoughts in more detail in two upcoming poetry collections; both being published by Simon and Schuster.

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She also revealed she was “very happy” that proceeds from her book would go towards Native American foundations as a form of “personal reparations” and added that she would explore things further in her new album set to be released on September 5.

Her poetry collection is set to be released in conjunction with a spoken word album, which reportedly has the working title Violent Bent Backwards Over the Grass.

For those seeking help for themselves or others regarding domestic abuse, support for women and children can be found at Refuge online here or by ringing their 24/7 national domestic abuse helpline at 0808 2000 247. Support for men can be found at Respect’s Men’s Advice Line here and their 24/7 national domestic abuse helpline can be rung at 0808 8010327.

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