In 2024, Sabrina Carpenter blew up with her hit summer song “Espresso.” She went viral for her fun pop songs and her risque stage persona. But as Carpenter’s fame skyrocketed, so did critiques of her unique stage presence. But the hate that has become normalized is much deeper than disapproval of Carpenter’s character. The hate that has become popular for singer and songwriter Sabrina Carpenter lies in sexism that is very old-fashioned.
One of the common criticisms of Carpenter is her sexual nature. From her risky “Nonsense Outros” to her “Juno Poses,” the internet has had an array of opinions. Some users were and continue to be extremely harsh in their comments about Carpenter, while others fully embraced the persona Carpenter has taken on.
Though the online critiques of Carpenter may appear valid, there is glaring hypocrisy in these opinions.
Although Carpenter’s jokes are often laced with innuendo and her costumes are commonly controversial, there are many male singers who have mirrored these comical moments and outfit selection, and they did these things long before Carpenter was recognized with the fame she has today.
Examples of male singers who fit this criteria are Bad Bunny, who has never faced backlash for his sexual music or costume choice. Singer and songwriter Rauw Alejandro performed shirtless regularly on tour, and very few people had issues with that online.
The acceptance and, in some scenarios, praise of male singers acting in certain ways, but the anger and disapproval of female singers doing similar things can be traced back centuries. It all revolves around the expectation of women being quiet and, in some extreme opinions, “knowing their place.”
Even extremely popular singers like Harry Styles are examples of this phenomenon. Harry Styles has released songs that revolve around sexuality and sexual acts, and his name has never been dragged for that, unlike Sabrina Carpenter.
“It boils down to respect. If a man does not respect women, he hates Sabrina Carpenter because she’s an example of a strong woman,” shares Sophia H., an international Sabrina Carpenter fan.
Sabrina Carpenter herself has seemingly had enough of this online hate, clapping back at people who criticized her performances and raised the question of whether or not she had a personality outside of sexual acts, replying, “Girl, yes, and it is so good.”
Carpenter continues to ignore these critiques of her stage presence and embraces the stigmatized aspects of womanhood.
