WOMEN’S EMPOWERMENT AND GENDER REPRESENTATION IN RUN THE WORLD (GIRLS) BY BEYONCÉ: A FEMINIST LITERARY CRITICISM STUDY

Abstrak

This study examines women’s empowerment and gender representation in Beyoncé’s Run the World
(Girls) through the perspective of feminist literary criticism proposed by Tyson (2015). The study aims to
investigate how the song constructs and communicates women’s empowerment through five dimensions:
leadership and authority, confidence and superiority, dual roles of women, women’s solidarity, and
economic independence. This research employs a qualitative design using documentation and library
research techniques. The primary data consist of the song lyrics of Run the World (Girls), while secondary
data are obtained from scholarly books, journal articles, and previous studies related to feminism, gender
representation, and popular music. The data were analyzed using the procedures proposed by Miles,
Huberman, and Saldaña (2014) and Creswell and Poth (2018). The findings reveal that the song portrays
women as capable leaders who possess authority and influence, confident individuals who challenge
gender stereotypes, resilient figures who balance domestic and professional responsibilities, members of a
supportive collective community, and economically independent actors who contribute to social and
economic development. Through these representations, the song challenges patriarchal assumptions and
promotes feminist values of agency, equality, and empowerment. The study concludes that Run the World
(Girls) functions as a feminist cultural text that advocates women’s empowerment and contributes to
contemporary discussions on gender equality.
Keywords: women’s empowerment, gender representation, feminist literary criticism, Beyoncé, Run the World (Girls)