Irish Politicians Weighing In on Beyoncé Is Surprisingly Satisfying
By Hilary Weaver. Photos: Getty Images.
Everyone needs a break from talking about the bleak state of the world. Amy O’Connor, a reporter for Ireland-based publication The Daily Edge, gave us the opportunity to do just that. “Last week, I was sitting at my desk, minding my own business, when it occurred to me that I didn’t know what any of our politicians thought of Beyoncé,” O’Connor wrote. She sent out e-mails to all 158 T.D.s, members of Dáil Éireann (the Irish Parliament), asking them about their opinion on Queen Bey and her music. Thirty-seven politicians replied to her e-mail with definitive answers, all included in the piece.
O’Connor asked three questions: “ ‘Do you like Beyoncé?; If you answered YES, what is your favorite Beyoncé song?; If you answered NO, why don’t you like Beyoncé?’ ”
Many responses were simple: “The answer is yes, I do like Beyoncé, and my favorite song is Crazy in Love,” said Colm Brophy. John Brassil favors the 2009 hit Halo. Regina Doherty and Helen McEntee both liked “Irreplaceable.”
Others were more complex in their answers and mentioned Destiny’s Child as proof of their longtime loyalty.
“Like most people I’m a huge fan of Queen B, to paraphrase Kanye she’s ‘one of the best of all time,’ ” said Declan Breathnach. “After a long day in the Dáil, putting my feet up and treating myself to some old-school Destiny’s Child is one of my favorite ways to unwind. ‘Survivor’ would have to be my favorite song of hers, what an anthem! It almost describes the life of a politician: ‘I’m not gon stop, I’m gon work harder, I’m a survivor.’”
Though most of the responses were overwhelmingly positive, one politician left his reasoning for how the singer and designer could improve her platform.
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“I’d like her a lot better if she paid the Sri Lanka women who sew her clothing line a decent wage while she enjoys a personal wealth of over a quarter of a billion dollars,” Pat Buckley said, referring to the manufacturing of her Ivy Park clothing line.
Many of the female politicians chose songs that were fitting of International Women’s Day, which was last Wednesday, March 8. While Fiona O’Loughlin admitted to not having much knowledge in the way of Beyoncé, she gave a shout-out to one of the singer’s most popular feminist anthems:
“To be honest, Beyoncé is only on the slightest periphery of my radar, and I don’t have strong feelings on her either way. I note that one of her songs is called ‘Run the World (Girls),’ so on International Women’s Day, as a female T.D., I would have to say that’s my favorite song of hers!”
This story originally appeared on Vanity Fair.
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