Said Exactly No One Who Actually Listened to It
So, Sabrina Carpenter dropped her new album Man’s Best Friend and, surprise, surprise, the internet lost its collective mind. According to some keyboard warriors who definitely haven’t listened to the album but are experts on feminism and pop culture (because, why wouldn’t you judge before listening?), Sabrina is apparently setting feminism back decades. Yup, that’s apparently the hill some people chose to die on in 2025.
But here’s the thing: for those of us who actually hit play and didn’t just scroll past the album cover on Instagram, the vibe is more like Sabrina throwing some serious shade at outdated gender norms with a blend of satire and sass. The whole album is basically a sarcastic clapback at the unrealistic expectations and ridiculous day-to-day frustrations women face in relationships. Feminism, but make it cheeky.
The Controversial Album Cover: Irony, Satire, or a Red Flag?
Let’s address the paw print in the room, the album art. Sabrina is on all fours, with a dude’s hand gripping her hair, both sultry and unnervingly submissive looking. Cue the pearl clutches. Some folks called it regressive imagery promoting violence and control. Feminist alarms went off everywhere because…domestic abuse references? Understandably, this raised eyebrows.
But here’s the thing: Sabrina herself has said the cover is about control; knowing when you have it, when you don’t, and deciding to take it back. It’s a deliberate exaggeration, a sardonic nod to how women’s sexuality and power are constantly up for debate and reinterpretation by society. For her fam and fans, it’s clear the photo is dripping with irony, poking fun at the ridiculous expectations placed on women rather than endorsing them. Sabrina herself said that SHE IS IN CONTROL.
So, if you thought it was just a regressive shock-factor stunt, you might want to sit down and listen to the album first (and then maybe rethink your internet takes).
The Lyrics and Themes: Feminism with a Side of “Why Are You So Lame?”
Okay, now to the juicy bits: the songs. The lead single and opener, “Manchild,” is basically a love-hate letter to the men in our lives who somehow manage to be both emotionally needy and irresponsibly incapable. Sabrina’s sarcastic delivery is like screaming, “Why are you so bad, but I keep coming back?”
Then there’s “Tears,” which is arguably the funniest, most brutally honest song about how women low-key get turned on by a man just doing the bare minimum. The chorus? “I get wet at the thought of you being a responsible guy.” Like, a dude not ghosting, washing dishes voluntarily, or managing to put together IKEA furniture? That’s what we’re celebrating nowadays. It’s hilarious but also painfully accurate. And of course, the music video is dripping in horror movie vibes à la Rocky Horror Picture Show because surviving emotional labor in these kinds of relationships is basically your own campy, slightly terrifying horror flick. If that’s not feminist commentary disguised as pop, what is?
Sabrina’s “Bare Minimum Working on Women” Horror Show, But Make It a Dance Party
The album is packed with these little reality-check moments wrapped in glossy disco beats and layered production that’s dangerously catchy. It’s like, yeah, being a woman in relationships today is exhausting and confusing, but Sabrina’s not just whining, she’s turning it into an anthem you can dance to. There is pain, frustration, and a lot of eye-rolling embedded in these tracks, but also a wink and a nudge saying, “We see you, and we’re not going out like this.”
Tracks like “My Man on Willpower” flip the script on emotional availability versus sexual frustration, painting a picture that’s as tragic as it is relatable.
So, Did Sabrina Set Us Back, or Did She Set the Record Straight?
Calling Man’s Best Friend “setting feminism back” sounds like a joke if you actually get the humor and irony Sabrina’s putting down. The album’s satirical vibe is a mirror held to society’s contradictions, where women are expected to be both sexy and independent, soft and strong, accommodating yet demanding. Sabrina’s album isn’t dumb pop pandering to the male gaze; it’s a clever, if cheeky, call-out of the absurd standards women face in love and life.
Honestly, if this is “setting feminism back,” then feminism needs to take a chill pill and listen harder. Sabrina’s work might not be revolutionary in every song, but it’s definitely feminist in spirit, and she’s doing it while making us laugh and dance!
go stream man’s best friend TODAY!
*dance break*
