Fútbol Fans Need to Stop the Sexist Attacks on Shakira
Especially on International Women's Day, too.
It’s time we put some respect on Shakira’s name. The Colombian singer and songwriter has always had to deal with sexist nonsense. Just last year, during her Superbowl appearance with Jennifer Lopez, she had to deal with a barrage of comments. Plenty were about her body, others were about her dancing, and the rest were about the outfit she wore. And each comment that fell into these categories was sexist and ignorant of the sheer fabulousness that is Shakira.
This time around, the sexist nonsense has to do with the man that Shakira is dating, Spanish fútbol player Gerard Piqué. They have been a couple for 10+ years and have a couple children together. They have something special and that’s great to see, especially considering the times we live in today. What’s not great to see is how opposing teams of Piqué, particularly Paris Saint-Germain, treat Shakira. She’s the butt of the joke, the one they poke fun at, and the one they throw sexist comments at with a passion, just to get to Piqué.
And I’m done with it.
Opposing teams’ favorite method of being sexist towards Shakira is with banners at fútbol games. Some have had banners saying, “Shakira belongs to everyone” which basically means she’s everyone’s property and can be treated as such. Others have had banners slut-shaming Shakira and implying that her child with Piqué belongs to her ex partner. And finally, the banner that gave birth to this post, an opposing team carried around a banner saying “Shakira to Jonquera.” Jonquera is a town known for its sex work and they’re saying she should go there, the implication that she belongs there.
1st says – “shakira belongs to everyone” which means she is everyone’s wh0re
2nd says – “it all began with de la rua(her ex bf) implying that she’s a sl*t who sleeps around with men & it began with her ex bf
3rd says – “shakira to jonquera”. jonquera is a town for prostitutes. pic.twitter.com/CLzWMbyC7i
— . (@testimoshak) March 8, 2021
It’s sickening that in 2021 powerful women like Shakira are reduced to sexist comments, not to mention the tired sexism of using sex work as an insult. And opposing teams’ bravado and continued harassment of Shakira speaks of a community of fútbol fans who think it’s their right to put Shakira in her place. Sorry, not sorry, but no one puts Shakira “in her place” and just because you’re on the opposing team of Piqué doesn’t mean you get to try to destroy the family and life that Shakira has put together. Put some respect on Shakira’s name, do some research, and understand that Shakira is more than a fútbol player’s partner.
Shakira is a singer. She is considered the Queen of Latin music. And for some perspective, I’m not even a fan of Shakira’s music, but I respect her skills, her versatility, and her ability to grow in the face of a huge industry that wants to pigeonhole her into a “sexy Latina” role. Shakira has no time for that and has shown up people’s expectations with every song, performance, and more. She is that bad bitch who forges her own path forward when she sees none. And you’ve got to respect her for that talent.
Shakira is also ridiculously smart. Seriously, right off her 2007 tour, she went and attended a class on ancient civilizations at UCLA. “Introduction to Western Civilization: Ancient Civilizations from Prehistory to Circa A.D. 843” is not a light course, if the title is any indication. She didn’t sit for exams, but she audited the class because of her keen interest in enlightenment. Basically, she took this course for funsies, and you’ve got to appreciate that dedication to learning.
During the pandemic, Shakira took it a step further and completed a month long-distance learning course. Posted on her Instagram, Shakira let her fans know that she had completed a course at the University of Pennsylvania on Ancient Philosophy. She talked about her hobbies being impractical and how she put in the hard work when her kids were sleeping, proving that she’s a super mom and intellectual badass in one fell swoop.
This isn’t even taking into consideration the multiple languages that Shakira speaks. Yes, she’s done work in Spanish and English. It’s what she’s known for, album-wise, but did you know that she speaks French, Italian, Portuguese, and Catalan? That appreciation for language speaks of a curious mind that respects other languages and wants to learn them to better communicate with fans, family, and people all over the world.
All of Shakira’s accomplishments apparently mean nothing to those who want to troll Piqué. They don’t see a brilliant woman who is known all over the world for her music, her talent, or her brains. They see someone they can slut shame and put down, without an inch of hesitation. And that sexist rhetoric is the last thing we need during Women’s History Month, where we should be lifting up voices like Shakira’s instead of trying to tear her down because fútbol fans on the opposing team think she’s an easy target.
Shakira isn’t an easy target. She’s an immeasurable talent with the brains to match who loves her family, children, and enriching her mind. And no amount of trolling is going to take that away from her or from her accomplishments. So, keep showing your ass, sexist fútbol fans trying to get at Piqué. All you’re doing is confirming that you’re immature, sexist, and that you have not a drop of creativity in your body when it comes to fútbol trash talk.
Meanwhile, Shakira is going to be living her best life and thriving in spite of trolls and their sexist nonsense.
(image: Kevin Winter/Getty)
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