“Seventeen” by MARINA is a catchy pop tune about what it is to grow up as a young woman in society. One of the first lines that reveals the rebellious attitude of the song goes like this: “You're always asking what is up, up with me.” One thing is merely recognizing that you are being criticized and another is outwardly criticizing such, which is exactly what MARINA does so in the line. Men are always criticizing women for their looks, for their attitudes, and for about everything else that entails being a woman. What this line does is express our collective frustration against men and their unasked for critiques.

 

“Bet you wish I couldn't speak, 'cause when I do // You know I tell you why you appear weak.” One of the main reasons (and truthfully, the only reason) that men are so often misogynistic is because they are insecure. It is why so many men dislike women who are smarter than them; it is why so many men have no respect for women in higher positions than them; it is why so many men do things that have sparked the worldwide internet trope of “I hate men.” (I too partake in such a @chissychlapecka attitude on tik tok).

 

“You want a hassle-free life? // Go get your upper class wife // Oh, she's got all the personality, oh // Of a lemon that has been // Truly sucked dry.” A trophy wife-- a woman readily assuming the inferior role in a marriage-- typically a woman with “no personality,” meaning that she is merely defined by her marriage. For the longest time throughout history, being/becoming the “upper class wife” was the purpose of young women in society. MARINA refuses to be such a woman who has a personality based around having a husband-- a personality she regards “of a lemon that has been truly sucked dry.” Marriage is not an awful thing, but it is when it becomes the sole purpose of one’s life. We are not defined by our relation to others, and especially not by our relation to men.

 

So, Seventeen. “The rise of a king and the fall of a queen, oh.” The age of seventeen-- the center of coming-of-age stories. The interpretation of this line will be different for everyone, but I saw it as a comment on sexuality. When it comes to the topic of losing one’s virginity, teenage boys are always praised while teenage girls are shamed for such. We are defamed with words like “slut” or “hoe” that make us feel as if we’ve done something wrong. A woman’s sexuality has nothing to do with who they are as a person and whether or not they should be seen as “lesser than” another.

In all, I highly recommend you listen to Seventeen below. Lastly, remember to speak up (call out men who criticize you and or others), rise up (don’t define yourself by your relationship status or relation to men), and be you (always, unconditionally, you).

​

Much love,

Gracie <3