Alicia Keys Talks Gender Roles: “I am so annoyed at the way we force boys to be fake strong. So a boy wants to paint his nails. Who cares!”

In this day and age, societal norms and expectations have drifted from the ways of our grandparents. Gender roles have shifted and what was once unacceptable has become tolerable. There are a handful of gender roles that are still prominent today with a few exceptions and variations. However, when it comes to the expectations of society, many choose to walk to the beat of their own drum. Apparently, Alicia Keys is one of them.

In an interview with Allure, the singer/songwriter explained her take on gender roles and the societal norms. Keys discussed the inspiration behind her new album and how her issue with societal expectations was the driving force behind her new project.

“I was so sick of the way women were forced to feel inadequate in many different circumstances or forced to feel insecure by the way we we’re portrayed or the way we look,’ she said.

She continued discussing the problems with society and how we force gender roles on children. As a mother with two sons and a husband, she touched on the skewed beliefs about the behavior and emotions of men.

“I am so annoyed at the way we force boys to be fake strong – don’t cry, don’t be soft. Let a boy be able to dance!” Keys said. “Let a boy paint his nails. So a boy wants to paint his nails. Who cares! All these strange, oppressive ideas.”

“You know what would be really cool? If we stopped offering our opinions unless asked,” she continued. “If nobody asked you, keep your mouth shut! Like with the Internet? That’s just too much opinion. People are mean. It’s a sickness.”