No One Likes A Mad Woman... Except When They Do

Written by Andrea Morales | Designed by Izzy Critchfield-Jain | Photographed by Samantha Grobman

How Media Capitalizes on the Female Feud

It’s no secret that society enjoys having a front seat to public feuds. People jump at the chance to analyze a new song or read about a feud-fueled interview. We’ve all been there.

Personally, reading the lyrics to “Shether’’ by Remy Ma, aimed at Nicki Minaj, was a jaw-dropping moment in my formative years. However, there is something deeply unsettling about how the media purposely pits female artists against each other. It’s one thing when a musician writes about a personal experience and makes art of it, and another when comparisons start being thrown around. I have a few theories as to why women are the prime target for this sensationalism.

As any young woman knows, there are certain unspoken rules that we must follow. We must sit, look pretty, and dazzle people with our personalities. If we show an ounce of emotion beyond that, we are seen as “over-the-top,” “too much,” or—my personal favorite— “unlikeable.” All of which are traits that are commonly used to characterize female artists.

The media could never outrightly say that they don’t approve of a woman’s actions, so they take a more subtle approach. They blatantly compare two female musicians, and watch as society tears them apart. If there’s one thing the public will always pay attention to, it’s two women being enraged with one another— the one exception to the unsaid rule.

Let’s look at some examples of this reality in action. Famous “feuds” include Lady Gaga vs. Madonna, Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B., Mariah Carey vs. Jennifer Lopez, and many more. While there may be some truth that these public figures have bitter relationships with each other, there’s no denying that the media does nothing but add fuel to the fire. Just a quick Google search of these names together will show headlines like,

“Madonna Vs. Lady Gaga: Who’s The REAL Queen of Pop?” or “Nicki Minaj vs. Cardi B: Which Trailblazing Rapper Has a Higher Net Worth?” The media sensationalization of these disputes turn the focus towards the fight instead of the actual artistry. The frenzy is especially heightened when both artists are successful, because if we believe what society tells us, there can only be room for one prosperous woman.

Which brings me to my second propos al: female artists are treated as if they have shelf lives in the music industry, thus making it a game of who can survive the longest. Taylor Swift, an artist who has been under the media’s microscope for over 15 years and has had multiple “feuds,” spoke on this unique experience for female musicians in her Miss Americana documentary.

When imitating what the press demands of female artists, she said, “Reinvent yourself but only in a way that we find to be equally comforting and a challenge for you. Live out a narrative that we find interesting enough to entertain us, but not so crazy that it makes us uncomfortable.”

Going off Swift’s words, we get a better understanding of how the media capitalizes off her “viable” years and implies that there are other women more than willing to take her place. This narrative of women being naturally vicious towards one another isn’t anything new. To perpetuate this cash-cow tale, media outlets purposely exaggerate or misrepresent artists’ words for profit. One example of this is when Mariah Carey responded to questions about Jennifer Lopez by simply saying, “I don’t know her.”

The gossip magazines immediately ran with it and claimed that Carey shaded Lopez. However, Carey later went on to clarify that she meant she didn’t know Lopez personally. While it would be fair to say that these women aren’t the best of friends, that doesn’t mean they have to be enemies—which the press would have the world believe.

By controlling the narrative and blowing details out of proportion, it’s obvious that this was nothing but a cash grab from the news outlets. I would like to say that publications have improved since the first public “feuds,” but they have just become more subtle about the comparisons.

Ultimately, these women are artists— so let’s focus on that. Most of their craft will likely draw from personal experiences, like negative encounters they have with others. However, it shouldn’t be our place to pick sides and villainize one, if not both, parties. Their “feuds” should not be bigger than their art, but the media has yet to reach this conclusion.