This is a music video for the single “Part of Me” by pop singer Katy Perry, which was released in 2012 and debuted at number one on the Billboard Top 100. In the video, Perry plays a woman who enlists in the army after she is left heartbroken by her cheating boyfriend. The turning point in the narrative comes when Perry sees a sticker on a billboard that reads “All women are created equal, then some become marines.” She immediately cuts her hair short, straps her breasts down, and begins training with the army. Her appearance in camouflage and army gear conveys an external, masculine strength while the repeated lyrics of the chorus “This is the part of me/that you’re never gonna ever take away from me” speak to her internal strength.

discussion

Do you think the video shows Perry as a powerful woman? If so, where does her power come from? Would you characterize it as “girl power”? If so, what parts of the video/lyrics suggest girl power to you?

What does “girl power” mean? Is “girl power” the same as looking like and acting like a man? In other media examples, is “girl power” more girly or feminine, even sexualized?

How would you interpret the slogan “All women are created equal, then some become marines”?

What is significant about Perry’s response to her ex-boyfriend in this video?

Does the video match Katy Perry’s “real life” celebrity image? Why or why not?