Ahhh yet another uproar about something that offended someone els. Well, it’s 2020 folks. Last Sunday, Shakira and J-Lo performed at the 2020 Super Bowl in my home town of Miami Florida. I was driving home from work and my mom called me “that was the best performance I’ve ever seen” she said. She explained the sweet warm feeling she got from the hispanic culture being highlighted through their performances, she talked about the ADORABLE young girls on stage, and what an amazing opportunity that must have been for them. She brought back memories of when my sisters and I were young, and all the dancing we did to both “My Hips Don’t Lie” and “Lets Get Loud”. I was FLOORED when finally got to watch it, and tears welled up while I watched the city I was raised in, reveal its latin culture and flair. My father immigrated to this country when he was a child. He got an education, started his company, met my mom, and had me and and my sisters and let me be clear when I say THE LATINA FLAIR IS STRONG IN OUR HOME. We were taught at a young age how to move our hips and stand up for what we believe in, we were shown some of the strongest influential hispanic women and we were inspired by them. To then see all of that come full circle at a super bowl half time show was really huge for me. It made me lift my head a bit higher and say loudly to the haters, yeah, I was raised like that.

I smiled when I saw the reaction from other friends who were also raised in a similar manner. I watched all the instagram stories and felt SUUUUCHHHH a sense of unity…until I saw the opposite reaction. There was a post shared about the performance being “porn” and “raunchy” now let me be clear, I get it, we probably could have done without the pole dancing and leather outfit but WAS THAT NOT THE SAME THING BEYONCÉ WAS WEARING A FEW YEARS AGO?!?! Or maybe, Adam Levine last year, completely shirtless, while women chawed after him on stage, no one said a thing.(soccer moms loved it to my understanding *sips tea*) Lady Gaga a few years back, in a similar outfit, no one said a thing. Yet, two female Latina women finally highlight a culture that has gone overlooked only to get the wrath from social media and soccer moms and become seen as artists who are in support of sex trafficking? I’m sorry, but that is just ridiculous. Miami is a HOT SPOT for sex trafficking, and hi, I would know, I’ve watched it take place, IVE ALMOST HAD IT HAPPEN TO ME. But to say that this was apart of the industry makes me believe that we have decided to blame others. I’m not sure why, maybe it’s because people don’t understand the hispanic culture? (sounds a LOT like the idea that if you dress a certain way you’re “asking for it”) Meaning, that is how you dance, you move your hips, have you ever watched people tango or salsa dance? Shakira even did a traditional Lebanese dance! We are Latina women, that kind of dance and movement is kind of in our blood…. and too be honest, the only people I saw cradling this profound opinion, were white women who probably don’t understand this. I saw no one from Miami, no one who is Hispanic and no one who understands that culture post about the performance in a negative way.

So friends, let’s reflect, if we had had another culture preform would there still be an uproar? As a PROUD Latina, I’d like to say that my feelings have been hurt, and I in NO WAY think that this performance was to seduce, provide or entice the sex trafficking issue in Miami or anywhere els in the world. Sex trafficking is a HUGE issue and it is AMAZING that we are recognizing that, the the issue is that people are shitty, and this world is full of sin and disgusting people. But I refuse to believe that this performance was highlighting that, I believe that this performance was highlighting the City of Miami, Hispanic culture, Hispanic Women and the empowerment that came from two women who have made a name for themself. WE NEED TO SURROUND AND SUPPORT WOMEN not make them the reason the super-bowl isn’t “child friendly” honestly, Que Pena.

Dale

Liv