"BitchSlut" is a song by the American singer

Anna Wise Anna Wise (born February 16, 1991) is an American singer, who has independently released music as a member of bands Sonnymoon and Built to Fade. She became more widely known for her collaborations with rapper Kendrick Lamar and hip hop group Cunn ...

. It was released as her second single on March 7, 2016 (the day before

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), and appears on her debut EP ''The Feminine: Act I''. The song (which has a music video) is a feminist anthem inspired by an experience Wise had with

sexual harassment Sexual harassment is a type of harassment based on the sex or gender of a victim. It can involve offensive sexist or sexual behavior, verbal or physical actions, up to bribery, coercion, and assault. Harassment may be explicit or implicit, wit ...

in her youth. "BitchSlut" appeared on some best-of lists and was preceded by the single "Precious Possession" and followed by the single "Coconuts".

Background and content

According to Wise, the inspiration for the song stems from an altercation she had when she was eleven years old. A car of older men approached her and verbally sexually harassed her, which she responded to by giving

the finger "The finger", or the middle finger (as in giving someone the (middle) finger, flipping the bird or flipping someone off) is an obscene hand gesture. The gesture communicates moderate to extreme contempt, and is roughly equivalent in meaning t ...

. She later cried; Wise dedicates "BitchSlut" to her younger self. "BitchSlut" is a feminist anthem about

sexism Sexism is prejudice or discrimination based on one's sex or gender. Sexism can affect anyone, but primarily affects women and girls. It has been linked to gender roles and stereotypes, and may include the belief that one sex or gender is int ...

. She opens the song with a line ''

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'' described as a "powerful (and entirely accurate)" message about women feeling underpowered. The track then takes the form of a list of stereotypes, with Wise criticizing each one. The song's production has been described as "infectious" and "post- Dilla", with "floating synths and booming drum breaks". Some journalists consider the vocals to be part rap, part singing, and their style to be jagged and glossy. Wise described the track as a "clear ... declaration of freedom" about the double standards she believes men expect of women, with the

chorus Chorus may refer to: Music * Chorus (song), the part of a song that is repeated several times, usually after each verse * Chorus effect, the perception of similar sounds from multiple sources as a single, richer sound * Chorus form, song in whic ...

"I, I know what kind you are / If I say no, I’m a bitch / Say yes, I’m a slut" manifesting this meaning. The refrain transition has been compared to the style of the American rock band

Dirty Projectors Dirty Projectors is an American indie rock band from Brooklyn, New York, formed in 2002. The band is the project of singer-songwriter David Longstreth, who has served as the band's sole constant member throughout numerous line-up changes. The b ...

. She also said that she wanted to talk about herself because of her gender, calling it "kind of selfish". The song takes part in the feminist discussion of altering the contexts of the insults ''

bitch Bitch may refer to: * Bitch (slang), a vulgar derogatory term used primarily referring to women, but is often directed towards men as well * A female dog or other canine Bitch or bitches may also refer to: Arts and media Film and television ...

'' and ''

slut ''Slut (archaic: slattern)'' is an English-language term for a person, usually a woman, who is sexually promiscuous or considered to have loose sexual morals. It is predominately used as an insult, sexual slur or offensive term of disparageme ...

'' to positively reappropriate them.

Critical reception

Tess Koman of ''

Cosmopolitan Cosmopolitan may refer to: Internationalism * World citizen, one who eschews traditional geopolitical divisions derived from national citizenship * Cosmopolitanism, the idea that all of humanity belongs to a single moral community * Cosmopolitan ...

'' called "BitchSlut" "lovely, uplifting, ndhead-bopping". Paul Demerritt of ''

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'' believed the single was "standout" on its EP. Teresa Jusino of ''The Mary Sue'' noted the single's replayability, saying it "will be the next track you can't stop listening to". Jenavieve Hatch of ''HuffPost'' hoped it would become the song of the summer, with ''

Spin Spin or spinning most often refers to: * Spin (physics) or particle spin, a fundamental property of elementary particles * Spin quantum number, a number which defines the value of a particle's spin * Spinning (textiles), the creation of yarn or thr ...

'' calling the song's refrain the "most casually patriarchy-dismantling" of 2016. "BitchSlut" was listed as one of the best songs of the week by ''

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'' and '' Consequence''. It also made year-end lists, including Shawn Setaro of ''

Complex Complex commonly refers to: * Complexity, the behaviour of a system whose components interact in multiple ways so possible interactions are difficult to describe ** Complex system, a system composed of many components which may interact with each ...

'''s ten favorite songs of the year and "The 50 Best Protest Songs of 2016" by ''

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''.

Music video

The song was released alongside a homemade music video, in which Wise features as the lone actor, wearing sunglasses. Throughout the video, she appears in various settings, including a bedroom, in a swimming pool, in a bathtub, and in the outdoors. The video was directed by Wise and filmed by Patti Miller.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:BitchSlut 2016 singles 2016 songs Songs written by Anna Wise Songs with feminist themes Feminist anthems