Have you seen Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover for "Man's Best Friend"? Some people are calling it brave. Others are calling it dangerous. But everyone has an opinion. Is this feminism? Is it satire? Or is it just patriarchy in designer heels? Let's dig into patriarchy in the music industry and the sexist ideas that have been shaping our music for decades.

How did patriarchy begin? We made a video about that. — check it out: https://youtu.be/LAqVPlS1Q-s?si=lvfvxh6OGhokvh59

Sources & Additonal Reading:

https://celestemdavis.substack.com/p/sabrina-carpenter-gracie-abrams

https://medium.com/@crhickey/like-a-virgin-the-madonna-whore-complex-of-the-music-industry-ef04e11b4370

https://www.34st.com/article/2021/01/freud-madonna-whore-complex-black-women-trans-women-sex-sexuality

https://thelatch.com.au/what-is-the-madonna-whore-complex/

https://www.refinery29.com/en-gb/2021/07/10556876/britney-spears-virgin-sexuality-90s-pop-star-culture

https://www.bustle.com/p/britney-spears-christina-aguileras-rivalry-highlights-a-troubling-cultural-trope-thats-still-used-against-women-today-3909710

https://www.billboard.com/music/music-news/gracie-abrams-sabrina-carpenter-chappell-roan-inspire-her-1235949198/

https://www.tiktok.com/@glamouruk/video/7412362278735023393

https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/jun/14/sabrina-carpenter-week-in-patriarchy

https://www.glamourmagazine.co.uk/article/gracie-abrams-interview-2024

https://www.vogue.com.au/culture/features/sabrina-carpenter-manchild-controversy/news-story/38139a5a91e07580ab6e4ae39d12fae1

https://afropunk.com/2019/03/black-blue-queer-empress-bessie-smiths-reign/

https://classracegender.wordpress.com/2016/02/24/aint-nobody-caught-me-ma-rainey-bessie-smith-and-expressions-of-female-sexuality-in-blues/

https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2022/03/doris-day-autobiography-old-hollywood-book-club

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/5/13/18617650/doris-day-life-films-legacy-rock-hudson-terry-melcher-manson

About:

Amy McPhie Allebest is a scholar, historian, writer, and independent podcast host. Allebest began the Breaking Down Patriarchy project during her master’s degree at Stanford University in 2020. Her studies there served as the catalyst for the project and podcast. In addition to the project, Allebest is best known for her viral 2016 Medium article titled “Dear Mormon Man, Tell Me What You Would Do.”

The Breaking Down Patriarchy project uses essential historical texts to better understand the origins of patriarchy and to deconstruct its unjust effects on our minds, relationships, and communities. The project envisions a world in which all human beings can flourish and reach their unique potential. We strive to include as many voices as possible, and our work is intersectional and inclusive. We are also firmly committed to the well-being of boys and men, and we enthusiastically and gratefully enlist the help of our non-female allies in creating an egalitarian world where everyone can thrive.

Check out writer Celeste Davis' Substack 'Matriarchal Blessing'! https://celestemdavis.substack.com/

- Where To Find Us -

Listen to our podcast!! Available wherever you listen to podcasts.

Apple Podcast: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/breaking-down-patriarchy/id1546812743

Spotify Podcast: https://open.spotify.com/show/5NkBn4sa02rVDr42xGvrON?si=b0d8d6ccb9f7488f

YouTube Podcast: https://youtube.com/@BreakingDownPatriarchyPodcast?si=jv3v1XVaOf5UQWMl

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bdownpatriarchy/

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@breakingdownpatriarchy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BreakingDownPatriarchy

Website: https://breakingdownpatriarchy.com/

Starring Amy McPhie Allebest

Written by Sam Rose Preminger, Celeste Davis and Amy McPhie Allebest

Videographer and Editor: Ralph Blair