Dear Gossips,
“She says less as she has more power.”– Treva Lindsey, Associate Professor of Women’s Gender, and Sexuality Studies, Ohio State University
I don’t think I need to tell you who Professor Lindsey is talking about.
Beyoncé doesn’t have to speak and some people are getting their asses out of bed at 3am to watch another masterpiece by a living legend. At this point it feels like an annual tradition: once a year, we are called by Queen to rearrange our schedules and be present and accounted for when she has new work to show us. The thing about Beyoncé’s work too is that is yields work for others – not only for her immediate collaborators, but for us, the audience. Her work requires us to study, to think through her messaging, even if the messaging may not be intended directly for us, even for those of us who don’t belong to her community. The work, also, is in the coverage. “She says less as she has more power”, the power that results in fans, reporters and media analysts and culture critics around the world and academics trying to summon the right words, the right phrases, the right descriptions that still won’t completely capture her latest gift. Is it ever possible to do her justice? That’s the thing about Beyoncé – she sets a standard for herself and everyone else is playing catchup. So while our best might not be anywhere near her best, the point is that she inspires the effort. Being exhausted because of Beyoncé is my favourite kind of fatigue. It never feels like there’s a cost.
I can’t wait to spend this weekend reading all the think-pieces, looking at the memes, watching as the world tries to absorb, once again, Beyoncé’s genius.
Yours in gossip,
Lainey
