Popular R&B Song Critiques Today's "Boys"

       Beyoncé's hit single, "If I Were a Boy," critiques today's stereotypical young adult male: unthoughtful, insincere, and egocentric when it comes to women and relationships. To strengthen her belief in these stereotypes, the speaker of the song utilizes a first person stance, giving the impression that she is speaking from experience. The chorus is a prime example of this: "I'd listen to her 'Cause I know how it hurts When you lose the one you wanted 'Cause he's taking you for granted And everything you had got destroyed." In saying "I'd listen to her," the speaker uses first person stance to express what she would do in a "boy's" position. Thus, implying that she has been in a previous relationship with an unthoughtful "boy" who did not listen to her. I say "unthoughtful" because, typically, someone is thought of in such a way, particularly in a relationship, if they fail to attentively "listen" to how their partner is feeling. Further, young adult males in their twenties are often stereotyped as having this fault - especially when it comes to girls. Therefore, Boyoncé is alluding to this in her lyrics. As the chorus of the song continues in it's second through fourth lines, the speaker continues to critique "boys" based on her experiences. In particular, she says, "'Cause I know how it hurts... 'Cause he's taking you for granted," thus alluding to the common stereotype that "boys" are insincere when it comes to women and relationships. The speaker is saying she has been "hurt" by a "boy" who "took her for granted" - connoting that men are incapable of realizing the importance of a woman in their lives. This leads to the idea that women are objectified by unthoughtful "boys" who don't look upon or treat them with appreciation for their love and faithfulness; Therefore, "boys" don't sincerely love because they don't realize the mortality of a woman's devotion to him when gone uncredited. 

       In alluding to these stereotypes of "boys" as "unthoughtful" and "insincere," the speaker places women on a higher moral pedestal than "boys." The woman in the song is portrayed as a victim to a stereotypical "boy's" antics and refutes them with how she believes she could be a "better man" than those she has had experience with in the past. A "victim" is usually connoted as being innocent and pure - someone who could do no harm, who has an open heart. This connotation plays a large role in the tone of the song and aids in portraying the woman as the "good guy" and the "boy" as the "bad guy." The sixth stanza of the song sets up this dichotomy very well. "I'd put myself first And make the rules as I go 'Cause I know that she'd be faithful Waiting for me to come home, to come home." The first line, "I'd put myself first" alludes to the stereotype that men are egocentric. Opening up the possibility that chivalry is dead and women aren't treated as respectfully and courteously as in previous times, implying that, to today's "boys," relationships are a one-way street in which men don't hold a "faithful" position. Which leads to the last two lines of the sixth stanza: "'Cause I know that she'd be faithful Waiting for me to come home, to come home." This further emphasizes the woman's place in the song as a morally pure "victim." She's "faithful" and waiting for the boy to "come home." She's not out getting involved with anyone else or playing the incognito card, she's loyal - sitting at home and waiting for her man. 

       It's funny the dichotomy that this idea of a woman as a "victim" conjures up. While the stereotypes of today's young adult "boy" are critiqued, the role of a woman in society seems to also be assessed. Throughout stanzas one through eight, the female in the song is portrayed as being innocent and subdued when it comes to her partner, the "boy's," unfaithful, insincere, egocentric actions. However, as a sonnet's plot takes a turn at the ending couplet, Beyoncé's song takes a turn at the ninth stanza. The speaker goes from being a hypothetically speaking woman wishing her "boy" was half the "boy" she could be, to being a strong, independent woman sick of putting up with this "boy" and wishing he was better. She says, "It's a little too late for you to come back... If you thought I would wait for you You thought wrong." This seems to allude to and emphasize the idea that throughout the past few decades women have gone from being portrayed as innocent and subservient to men, to being strong and powerful, capable of standing up for themselves and taking control of a situation - particularly a situation in which a relationship is not working in their favor.