Sabrina Carpenter releases new cover for Man's Best Friend

Glasgow Times

2 days ago

Earlier in June, the singer shared the initial cover for her album, Man's Best Friend, which depicted her on all fours in a black minidress, with a man in a suit holding her hair.
The image divided opinions, with some accusing it of catering to the male gaze and reinforcing misogynistic stereotypes.
READ MORE: Sabrina Carpenter shares love for Glasgow after sold out show
On Wednesday, pop sensation Sabrina Carpenter shared two striking black-and-white images on Instagram, showing herself holding the arm of a man in a suit.
She captioned the post: "Here is a new alternate cover approved by God."
The playful update drew a flurry of reactions from fans and fellow celebrities alike. Among the responders was pop icon Katy Perry, who simply commented: "Gahahahaha."
The Glasgow Times reported that Glasgow Women's Aid condemned the artwork, describing it as "regressive."
The women's charity, which offers refuge and support to those experiencing domestic abuse, spoke out on social media, suggesting that the image depicted "violence and control" and was a "throwback to tired tropes."
They believed it reduced women to "pets, props, and possessions" and accused the singer of "promoting misogynistic stereotypes."
In a post shared on Facebook, they wrote: "Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover isn't edgy, it's regressive.
"Picturing herself on all fours, with a man pulling her hair and calling it 'Man's Best Friend' isn't subversion.
"It's a throwback to tired tropes that reduce women to pets, props, and possessions and promote an element of violence and control.
"We've fought too hard for this.
"We get Sabrina's brand is packaged up retro glam but we really don't need to go back to the tired stereotypes of women.
"Sabrina is pandering to the male gaze and promoting misogynistic stereotypes, which is ironic given the majority of her fans are young women.
"Come on Sabrina. You can do better."
READ MORE: Glasgow charity slams new Sabrina Carpenter album cover
The post attracted a number of comments, with many people raising concerns about the effect such imagery could have on fans, particularly young girls.
One person said: "Disappointing for such a role model.
"Gives me the boak."
A second asked: "I get that Sabrina is doing this for her own subversive/ p**s-taking reasons and that's fine if all her fans were adults but a lot of her fans are young, impressionable girls and how much of this being a very tongue-firmly-in-cheek photograph is completely lost on them?"
A third commented: "I really fear for my daughter growing up in this day and age."
Others simply wrote comments such as "awful", "appalling" and "grim".
However, some disagreed and felt the image was "tongue-in-cheek" and didn't see it as offensive.
One person wrote: "Or, hear me out, she's doing what she wants to do instead of pandering to the idea that women can't express their sexuality without it being for the sole benefit of men."
Another commented: "Is it not possible that the album cover and Sabrina is expressing exactly this point?
"That men treat women like dogs?"
A third added: "It's think it's actually a tongue-in-cheek take on men calling women b*****s and almost every song is derogatory towards men."
The album, Man's Best Friend, is set to be released on August 29, and fans will have the option to purchase it with either set of artwork.