Katy Perry enrages transgender activists by including image of female body part in new Woman's World music video
Trans activists are slamming Katy Perry's new music video for its inclusion of a uterus as a symbol of womanhood.
The Women's World video, released on Thursday, sees the 39-year-old pop star channeling a sexy Rosie the Riveter as she sings about female empowerment and dances around a shipyard.
But some social media users were disappointed by Perry's inclusion of a glittery uterus as one of the images seen on the video, saying it was 'painfully cissexist' and exclusionary of trans women.
One enraged X user wrote: 'Not only is the song pure sh**, but the video going "omg let's show a uterus, bc that's what women are!" is so painfully cissexist and evidence this bi*** is NOT in community with queers.'
Cisgender, often shortened to cis, is the term used by some in the transgender community and their allies to refer to people who are not transgender.
Another added: 'by saying "it’s a woman’s world" with a uterus it may send a message that only women have uteri and you’re not a woman if you don’t have one... Women are not defined by such things.'
The Women's World video, released on Thursday, sees Katy Perry channeling a sexy Rosie the Riveter as she sings about female empowerment and holds a vibrator
But some social media users were disappointed by Perry's inclusion of a uterus as one of the symbols of femininity, saying it was 'painfully cissexist' and exclusionary of trans women
A third X user weighed in: 'Katy I don't want to sound like a snowflake but in a song called "Woman's World" using an uterus to represent women in is... not quite representative at all.
'Bodies don't make women women, and this also relates to trans men which aren't women in the slightest.. kind of sad.'
Perry's new single is part of a well-publicized comeback to pop music, but critics are also not very impressed by it, with The Guardian giving it just one star out of five in a scathing review.
The review asked: 'What regressive, warmed-over hell is this?'
It added: 'Perry’s solo return is a dated attempt at writing a feminist anthem about how women really can have it all! It’s a song that made me feel stupider every sorry time I listened to it.'
Many have also called out Perry for working with Dr Luke, who was accused of rape and emotional abuse by singer Kesha. He denies the claims and has not neem charged with any crimes.
One critic wrote on X: 'What is this infamous alleged 4BUS3R of WOMEN doing in the credits of your song, Katy Perry?
'Are you, whilst releasing a "female empowerment" song, corroborating with r4p3 culture, shaming v1ct1ms, and even transphobia (by using an uterus to represent women)?'
She donned a denim ensemble with her hair wrapped in a red bandanna as she danced around a shipyard
After taking a swig of whiskey, Perry and her crew stood at a row of urinals, which lifted away before they danced around a shipyard. Perry stripped away the look to reveal a bedazzled red, white and blue strappy bikini that put her bod on display
Meanwhile Pitchfork said in its review that Perry's empowering message 'rang false, simply because it was co-written and co-produced by Dr. Luke.'
Woman's World is the lead single from Perry's upcoming seventh studio album 143 (a colloquialism for 'I love you'), dropping September 20.
The video also shows Perry drinking whiskey, holding a vibrator and pretending to use an urinal in a shipyard.
On Wednesday, Perry announced the album title and release date, in addition to sharing some out-of-this-world cover art.
The Teenage Dream artist previously announced her exit from American Idol after seven seasons ahead of a 'very exciting year.'
Perry was once at the top of the pop charts, before her career took a much-discussed downward spiral, with her last albums being commercial failures.
