“Boys will be boys:” a common phrase used to normalize or give reason to the things boys/men do-- things like catcalling, being aggressive or mean, etc. None of these things are or should be normal. Dua Lipa, in her song “Boys Will Be Boys,” flips the meaning of the phrase. Her song is about tackling topics of sexual harassment and “the growing pains of what it's like to be a girl” (Vogue Australia). 

 

The first lines of the song go like this: “It's second nature to walk home before the sun goes down // And put your keys between your knuckles when there's boys around.” We as young women are often told by our parents that we’re not allowed to go out past a certain time, whereas the boys in our family typically do not get those same restrictions. Why? Because we’re at risk out on the streets. Whenever women go out (even in the daytime), there’s this sense of hyperalertness. If we listen to music, we only have one earbud in. If we’re walking alone, we have pepper spray, a pocket knife, or our “keys between our knuckles.” We do things that men do not have to worry about simply because they are not women. It’s this “sick intuition that they taught us, so we won't freak out” that makes us “hide our figures, doing anything to shut their mouths.” Though clothing has nothing to do with our vulnerability to sexual harassment, we do anything we think possible to lessen the threat. 

 

It’s an unfortunate experience growing up as a young woman in the society that has been built, but it will not change unless we begin to change the next generation of young men. As Dua Lipa says: “No, the kids ain't alright // Oh, and they do what they see.” Following through the chorus we have the lyrics: “Boys will be, boys will be boys // But girls will be women.” While toxic masculinity is justified by the patriarchal society we live in, girls find themselves in danger because of it. The last line stating “But girls will be women,” suggests that women are more mature and well-adjusted despite the societal pressures and dangers of living in a patriarchy. 

 

It’s upsetting how much the justice system allows and pardons men for their behaviors. It’s upsetting how universal the experience of being scared to walk when it’s dark out or having to avoid eye contact with men as to not attract attention to oneself is. It’s even more upsetting when we see it in our own homes. However, there is hope. We must change the media’s portrayal of women and society-- that starts with our aspiring filmmakers. We must change the narratives we hear-- that starts with our upcoming artists. And lastly, we must change the ways of society in general-- that starts with creating conversations and doing something about it. 

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