Billie Eilish Talks Femininity Struggles In New Interview
In an interview with Variety, Billie Eilish revealed that she struggled with her femininity.
In the feature article, the musician opened up about her experience being a woman, especially, being a young woman in the public eye. “Being a woman is just such a war, forever,” Eilish explained. “Especially being a young woman in the public eye. It’s really unfair.”
Eilish told Variety that she hasn’t always been a “girl’s girl.” She fell victim to the assumption that other women don’t like her. “I have deep connections with women in my life, the friends in my life, the family in my life,” she stated. “I’m physically attracted to them. But I’m also so intimidated by them and their beauty and their presence.”
Billie Eilish to Variety on seeing women’s girlhood experiences with the TikTok trend for ‘What Was I Made For?’:
— Pop Base (@PopBase) November 13, 2023
“It was so moving, dude. It was so, so touching. I feel like I helped bring people together, and it felt so special. I wasn’t expecting to have women around the… pic.twitter.com/NZYBHoDqA3
However, the release of “What Was I Made For” for the summer blockbuster film Barbie has helped her relationship with femininity and womanhood. The song appears at the end of the film when Ruth Handler teaches Margot Robbie what it means to be a woman.
Moreover, Eilish directed the official music video where she faces earthquakes and storms as she opens a small box with Barbie-sized versions of her most iconic looks: mostly oversized T-shirts and sweatpants. Of course, speculation sparked as to what she was hiding under her clothes. In addition Eilish was on the panel for the “Power of Women” event by Variety, where she performed “What Was I made for?”
Billie Eilish performs “What Was I Made For?” at Variety Power of Women presented by @lifetimetv pic.twitter.com/kvfHXYVtNc
— Variety (@Variety) November 17, 2023
“I wasn’t trying to have people not sexualize me,” she explains. “But I didn’t want people to have access to my body, even visually. I wasn’t strong enough and secure enough to show it. If I had shown it at that time, I would have been completely devastated if people had said anything.”
The singer won seven Grammys and an Oscar before she turned 21, at an age, Eilish wasn’t even old enough to toast her success with a glass of Champagne. During the early stages of her career, the public was critical of her appearance, her sexuality, and potential love interests. Some even questioned if the artist was secretly a devil-worshipper.
Eilish then reveals that she has “never felt desired or desirable.” Growing up in the public eye also meant that everyone felt that they had a say about her continuously developing body. “I have big boobs. I’ve had big boobs since I was nine years old, and that’s just the way I am. That’s how I look,” she stated.
She further stated, “Nobody ever says a thing about men’s bodies.” She continued, “If you’re muscular, cool. If you’re not, cool. If you’re rail thin, cool. If you have a dad bod, cool. If you’re pudgy, love it! Everybody’s happy with it. You know why? Because girls are nice. They don’t give a fuck because we see people for who they are!”
Read the full article with Variety here.
