7 Non-Cliché Christmas Songs For And By Feminists!
Happy holidays!
The holiday season has officially started, so it’s time we crank out some jolly good tunes to match our Christmas spirit. For this, we all have a list of cliché songs that we listen to yearly. The ironic part is that we do this without realising that most of the season’s music is conservative, outdated or downright sexist. Come on, don’t you remember ‘Grandma Got Run Over By a Reindeer?’. It’s a shame that Santa doesn’t even get in trouble for it, does he? Well, it’s time to change this. Let’s cut these and instead, celebrate this holiday season with some non-cliché, contemporary tunes sung by artists whose feminist values match our own, sounds like a great plan, doesn’t it?
We have selected a list of holiday songs written by musicians who have publicly identified themselves as feminists. This list of songs includes works which span a variety of decades, genres and tempos. So, no matter what your music preferences are, one of these feminist musicians has a song for you.
Also Read: 5 Books That Make For A Memorable Christmas Gift For A Book Lover
Non-Cliché Songs For The Holiday Season
1. ‘Christmas Is’ By Dolly Parton And Miley Cyrus
While Dolly Parton has admittedly had a complicated relationship with the term feminist, she admitted to the fact that women should be able to do anything they want to. That’s what we all want, right? Miley Cyrus founded the Happy Hippie Foundation in support of the LGBTQIA+ community against injustices that they face and has been vocal on various other social issues. Makes this song all the more special, doesn’t it?
2. ‘8 Days Of Christmas’ By Destiny’s Child
For years Destiny’s Child has been producing feminist songs like ‘Survivor’ and ‘Independent Woman Pt. 1′ In their Christmas album, 8 Days of Christmas. They cover a variety of Christmas carols, and also this eponymous original song, which is a modern take on the classic ’12 Days of Christmas’. Gotta love that, huh?
3. ‘Christmas Tree Farm’ By Taylor Swift
In addition to songs for heartbreaks and nights out, Taylor Swift also has music for getting into the holiday spirit of the season. ‘Christmas Tree Farm,’ was released in 2019, in this song, she uses her signature story-telling skills to tell the story of “a little farm where every wish comes true.” Swift has been a vocal advocate for women’s rights since 2018. Love her!
4. ‘Baby, It’s Cold Outside’ By Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski
The original version of this song was written by Frank Loesser in 1949, it has been surrounded by much controversy in recent years due to modern listeners interpreting the lyrics as sexist. Minneapolis-based musicians Lydia Liza and Josiah Lemanski rewrote the lyrics of this song to focus more on consent. This feminist touch to this song is what makes it special.
5. ‘Merry Christmas’ Album By Mariah Carey
Mariah Carey is wildly popular and successful in her music career, and she’s done so by holding onto her feminist values. In 2019. Mariah Carey spoke out in support of the #MeToo movement and has been supporting a lot of feminist groups all through her career. Apart from this, she has a whole album of holiday songs. Another standout from the album is her cover of ‘Christmas (Baby Please Come Home)’ which was originally sung by the legendary Darlene Love.
6. ‘Love is Christmas’ By Sara Bareilles
Sara Bareilles is a feminist, she has released feminist bop after feminist bop throughout her career. Most recently, in response to the Kavanaugh hearings in 2018, she released her feminist anthem ‘Armor’ before the scheduled date. This holiday song not only uplifts spirits and spreads cheer but also fills our hearts with pride. Gotta love this.
7. ‘Santa Baby’ By Eartha Kitt
We’re closing the list with a true classic. Since its release, this song has been covered by countless pop artists, but no one can compare it to the original by Eartha Kitt. She was outspoken against the Vietnam War and a fierce advocate for disadvantaged youth. She was ahead of her time when it came to sex positivity during the ’50s and ’60s. A grand salute.
Also Read: 8 Christmas Outfits To Brighten Up Your December Celebrations
With these songs, let your holiday season be a little more special, equal and respectful for everyone. Let’s make sure that we and our kids hum to the tunes of equality and not sexism, this holiday season. Sounds like a fabulous dream, doesn’t it?
