How Tina Turner Became a Symbol of Women's Empowerment
May 24, 2022
By,
Estelle Guira
​
Abstract :
OK, hear me out; I know this is a long article, and we all love to learn from two-sentence Instagram stories, but queen Tina needs the hype. In December of last year, I went to "Tina" on Broadway with the fam and absolutely fell in love with Miss Mae instantaneously. While I was not lucky enough to truly experience her vivacious energy and dope wardrobe, the lovely Ari Groover did some damn justice to Tina's soulfully powerful voice. Ever since then I knew I needed to do something to remind EVERYONE of this badass. Side note; if you ever happen upon broadway... hit up "TINA" immediately. So you can take me up on that, make sure you do your research and read this article to impress all the broadway snobs! <3
Anna Mae Bullock or more commonly known as Tina Turner, the “Queen of Rock and Roll,” was not always a household name. Tina rose to fame soon after she impressed the older Rock and Roll singer Ike Turner by singing at a club in her hometown – of St. Louis. Before Tina knew it, she was performing alongside Ike and “The Kings of Rhythm,” breaking records and barriers for women, particularly black women in the music industry. Her presence in Ike and The Kings of Rhythm proved valuable as by the summer of its release, “A Fool in Love” was a hit —on the profitable pop charts, which had before been all-white artists, rather than the R&B charts to which Ike’s music previously had been relegated. Tina brought a fresh, feminine voice and persona to Ikes group that enriched their success. Unfortunately, Tina’s bright future and powerful impact were not exempt from the immense abuse and the boundless obstacles black women faced following WWII: enforced body standards, gender roles, domestic violence, and racial boundaries. So how did a young black girl in Tennessee achieve so much in the post-WWII world? How Tina became the “Queen of Rock and Roll” in the face of such barriers is her true story, not the obstacles themselves. Although Tina faced the obstacles of the post-WWII world, through apposing and dismantling women's standards and domestic abuse when it was too normalized, she became a symbol of women’s empowerment.
While Ike “discovered” Tina, the abuse he inflicted on her during their partnership could never outweigh his bringing her into the spotlight; instead, Tina's presence brightened the light for Ike and The Kings of Rhythm. However, this is not another tragic story of a black, “curvy,” abused woman but rather how this particular woman showed others how to navigate these intersectionalities. Soon after Tina began traveling with The Kings of Rhythm, Ike forcefully initiated a relationship with Tina past what she desired. The first night he tried to touch her, she felt awful and was surprised as she had never thought of having intercourse with him. She thought to herself, ‘God, this is horrible. I cannot do this.” While terrible, Tina’s experience with an influential man discovering a musically talented woman, only to abuse her, was not the first. Although Ike’s interest in Tina began as a forceful fling, it soon became an abusive marriage. It was not long after Ike became physical with Tina. According to an interview with the Queen of Rock and Roll herself, he had beaten her with a metal shoe stretcher and then forced her to go to bed and have sex with him, marking the beginning of Tina's fear of Ike. Tina feared the man, so why did she marry him? The grim truth of the complicated relationship was that Ike knew Tina needed financial support, as most women of the mid-1900s did, trapping Tina. Men rarely had to pay these dues, yet a collective experience from female talents such as Ella Fitzgerald and Sarah Vaughan demonstrates its gendered prominence. Turner’s endurance of Ike’s abuse did not depict complacency with domestic violence. Tina's endurance, being short-lived, showed women that abuse was not a due to be paid for following their dreams, and the two did not have to go hand in hand.
The two’s first song, “A Fool in Love,” the harbinger of Tina's dire future, coincidentally prompted conversations on domestic abuse. The song addresses the conflict of being in love with one’s abuser and how staying with their abuser makes one a “fool.” Before anyone had known about their relationship, Tina was already a voice of empowerment for women facing domestic abuse through her song. As Ike’s abuse of Tina became more frequent and destructive, Tina became fed up and fought back like the strong woman she is.
Growing up amidst and post WWII, a woman's outlook on life was told to be a stay-at-home mother; while Tina Turner began her life receptive to this, she soon realized her potential and forged her path in the music industry. Not only was there a standard expectation for women’s lives, but if they did escape this expectation and make it to the music industry, there were more expectations to abide by. Being a woman in the music industry during the 50s and 60’s meant that she suited the time's feminine vocal and appearance expectations. Tina's non-conformity tells of her rejection of a “good” female singer being defined by a particular look and voice, “Tina’s low, throaty, almost rasping voice harkened back to the classic blues women. Compared to the other women on the pop chart that year—morning-fresh singers such as Brenda Lee and Patti Page—Tina sounded exotic indeed.”
Tina broke ground in redefining women’s presence in the music industry, dismantling the perceived desire for a pop-sounding song sung by skinny-hourglass white women. Tina's success, enriched by her “exotic” voice, challenged the traditional definition of femininity, demonstrating that women did not have to fill a box drawn out by men to be of value. Not only did Tina break down female artist standards, but she also challenged and achieved success past the heavy expectations of motherhood. While Tina Turner may have controlled the stage by night, by day, she was tending to her children, whom she adored. When Tina found out about her pregnancy, she occupied the dreaded “single mother” role. However, “her reaction … was one of acceptance: it was simply another responsibility, just as babies always had been the responsibility of the women in her family”. Tina did not see her new family as an end to her career but rather as an aspect of her life. During a time when women saw their duties as being confined to housework, Tina dismantled this expectation, showing women that there was more to life than strict motherhood. Tina being a single mother, broke the ceiling of these confines.
At a time of heavily enforced women's beauty standards, Tina Turner's media presence challenged the single-minded perception of feminine beauty, empowering a new age of non-conformity. The prevalent emergence of dieting pills in the 50s was so harmful that young women were dying from them in hopes of meeting the slim standards of the 50s. Women were veritably killing themselves in the perceived necessity to appease the seemingly crucial male gaze. Nevertheless, Tina saw this flaw and opposed it; she decided that her standard of beauty would be her own and that she would never compare herself to others, so she could finally appreciate herself fully. While Tina did not directly address the flawed beauty standards, her appreciation of her beauty demonstrated that others do not define beauty, but one defines their beauty. Tina's appreciation of her own body while in the spotlight was imperative for women of the 50s and 60s. Tina's body positivity taught women that they did not need a man to tell them how to be beautiful, dismantling traditional and harmful beauty standards.
While not universally revered to this day, Tina's significant influence is seen through the inspiration that pop culture's most prominent figures draw from her. Tina challenged women's standards, but she also influenced an emerging generation of black female celebrities. Tina's stage presence redefined femininity as powerful through her clothing and the energy she carried with herself. Oprah Winfrey, revered for her philanthropy through her popular talk show, goes so far as to call Tina's performances a “spiritual experience,” as “each electrifying swing of her miniskirt, every slide of her three-inch Manolos across the stage sends a message: I am here. I have triumphed. I will not be broken. When I leave a Tina concert… I want to be a better human being.” Clearly, Tina's presence is inspirational; a prominent philanthropist and TV presence were inspired by Tina to “be a better human being.” Even Tina’s clothing and body movement inspired women's power in femininity. Another one of pop culture's most revered influences, Beyonce, addressed Tina as a source of inspiration and admiration because “she made her strength feminine and sexy.” Beyonce is undeniably a pop culture icon, known for her powerful femininity and for co-founding “Chime for Change,” a women's empowerment platform promoting education, health, and justice. Beyonce, revered today for her accomplishments and part in women's empowerment, was inspired by Tina's feminine power. Tina’s impact on future generations of empowered and empowering women is demonstrated through this influence. On top of her pop cultural influences, the President, Bill Clinton, addressed her in several receptions as a “political philosopher” he drew influence from If the president of the United States, representing all its citizens, finds inspiration in Tina Turner, her power is undeniably vast. The list of individuals whom Tina has inspired is numerous and varied; this is merely a demonstration of the range of people whom Tina inspired in challenging women's expectations.
Tina's lasting impact on society is vivid, seen through her overcoming and raising awareness regarding domestic violence in music, her dismantlement of women's beauty standards and ideals, and revered influences drawing inspiration from her. Although Tina's name seems to be heard less and less each day, her lasting impact will not be forgotten, as there is a piece of her throughout the culture consumed today. So next time someone finds themselves at a Nicki Minaj or Beyonce concert, the energetic dancing, beautifully wild hair, edgy clothing, and choreography will be an ode to Tina Turner's musical influence and her transformative influence on women’s empowerment.
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