Last year I sat and stared at Adam Levine’s nipples for about 15 minutes. I definitely wasn’t mad at it. I also wasn’t mad last night when I watched J.Lo and Shakira, and their fully covered nips, dance across my screen. We were wearing less in my house…seriously, my two year old was dancing along naked.
Halftime was a celebration. Shakira and Jennifer Lopez are MAMAS and they gave us everything they had. Some viewers are arguing that they gave us a little bit too much. Too much skin. Too much gyrating. Too much pole dancing. Too. Much. Judgement. Y’all.
Before Jennifer Lopez even brought her daughter on stage, I was thinking—in between heaping bites of buffalo dip—how amazing it must be to see your MAMA on stage. How inspiring! I immediately started crying when Emme, her 11 year old daughter, joined her. The way she looked up at her iconic MAMA in awe was incredible. She was proud of her. So so proud. You see, Ms. Lopez isn’t in charge of your children, watching at home. She got the only seal of approval she needed, from her own daughter.
It’s our right as parents to raise our own children how we see fit. If you decide that skipping J.Lo and Shakira at halftime is a better fit for your family, change the channel. These ladies are well known for the way they move and the outfits (barely) wear, and they own it. That’s part of what makes them so empowering. Instead of shielding the eyes of our children, and pointing fingers in outrage, I think it’s important to teach our children that expressing yourselves is accepted and encouraged, any way they choose. Wear a turtleneck or a couple of iridescent sequins. Do it on a worldwide stage or at home behind closed doors. Just be true to yourself.
Last night, we saw THREE Latina women deliver powerful performances. Demi Lovato sang the National Anthem in a gorgeous white business suit. J.Lo and Shakira took a different approach. I saw it as a celebration of women, culture, gorgeous bodies (I mean, WOW!) and a chance to dance around the living room with my family.
Photo by Matthew LeJune on Unsplash
