Ariana Grande Speaks Out Against Sexual Harassment After A Gross Interaction With A Fan
"We are not objects or prizes. We are QUEENS."
Pop star Ariana Grande has spoken out against the sexual objectification of women after an encounter with a young male fan left her feeling “sick and objectified.”
The singer took to Twitter after she and her boyfriend, rapper Mac Miller, were approached by a young boy who told Miller “Ariana is sexy as hell,” and congratulated him on “hitting that”.
“Hitting that? The fuck?” wrote Grande. “This may not feel like a big deal to some of you but I felt sick and objectified. I was also sitting right there when he said it.”
“Things like [this] happen all the time and are the kinds of moments that contribute to women’s sense of fear and inadequacy. I am not a piece of meat that a man gets to utilize for his pleasure. I’m an adult human being.”
Grande said that she shared the story because she knew many women had had similar experiences being spoken about or taken advantage of in a way that made them feel uncomfortable or unsafe.
“We need to talk about these moments openly because they are harmful and they live on inside of us as shame,” she wrote. “We need to share and be vocal when something makes us feel uncomfortable because if we don’t, it will just continue.”
“We are not objects or prizes. We are QUEENS.”
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) December 28, 2016
In a series of follow-up tweets, Grande went on to shut down users (actually, let’s call them what they are: dickheads) who criticised her for being overtly sexual in her music and music videos. “Expressing sexuality in art is not an invitation for disrespect!!!” she wrote. “Just like wearing a short skirt is not asking for assault.”
“You are literally saying that if we look a certain way, we are yours to take. But we are not!!! It’s our right to express ourselves.”
seeing a lot of "but look how you portray yourself in videos and in your music! you're so sexual!" …. please hold.. next tweet… i repeat
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) December 28, 2016
expressing sexuality in art is not an invitation for disrespect !!! just like wearing a short skirt is not asking for assault.
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) December 28, 2016
Women's choice. ♡ our bodies, our clothing, our music, our personalities….. sexy, flirty, fun.
it is not. an open. invitation.— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) December 28, 2016
You are literally saying that if we look a certain way, we are yours to take. But we are not !!! It's our right to express ourselves. ♡
— Ariana Grande (@ArianaGrande) December 28, 2016
Ariana Grande, you are a legend. Don’t ever change.
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Feature image via Ariana Grande/Twitter