Meghan Trainor’s “All About That Bass,” I’m not going to lie, is a catchy song; it’s vivacious, dulcet, and something I’d probably sing along to if it came on the radio. However, I hold bittersweet sentiments for it, and not because it’s my younger cousin’s national anthem (which it shouldn’t be). Trainor’s degradation of “skinny girls” as she calls them is discriminatory; why should we be supporting a hypocritical song with such a pejorative connotation? Oh right, because it’s ever so captivating to the ears.

I am in full support of having confidence in your body, but must you bring down one side of the spectrum in order to fortify another? In her song, Trainor sings, “Every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top,” so in that respect, you would think she’d be singing about loving your body, regardless of your size. However, in various instances of the song, Trainor does the opposite: she debases “skinny girls” as she says, “I got that boom boom that all the boys chase” and “boys like a little more booty to hold at night,” as if to suggest boys like to sleep with women who have curves, which leads to the larger implication that while she does not have self-confidence, that’s perfectly all right because the men who want to sleep with her for her curves will grant her self-worth. Not only is Trainor shaming those with smaller frames, but in a sense she is also bringing herself down.

Trainor’s song, to add on, personally offends me. As someone who has struggled with her weight and self-perception for several years, I do not like my disorder to be simplified and brought down with lines like, “I’m bringing booty back / Go ahead and tell them skinny girls that / No, I’m just playing. I know you think you’re fat.” An eating disorder is much more than perceiving oneself as “fat.” Jokingly referring to one as a “skinny b****” is not compensated by following up with “I’m just playing”; in fact, these lines seem more mocking than they are jocular.  Furthermore, it is not only the “skinny girls” who are conflicted with their body image. In fact, not all “skinny girls” lack confidence in their bodies; it’s a fallacy. Contrary to popular belief, it’s entirely possible to be content with who you are and how you appear, no matter what your body frame is.

It can be argued that Trainor’s “All About That Bass” is a body-positive song, especially with its lyric “every inch of you is perfect from the bottom to the top.” However, this is only partially true: “All About That Bass” caters more to those with a larger body frame; lines like “I got that boom boom that all the boys chase / And all the right junk in all the right places,” “boys like a little more booty to hold at night” and “I’m bringing booty back” clearly advocate for curves. Although it may initially seem that Trainor’s song pushes for confidence in one’s body, a closer listen suggests otherwise. It’s not necessary to demote one body type in order to elevate another, and Trainor’s means of promoting body-positivity make her song a true guilty pleasure to listen to.