Homage To My Hips By Lucille Clifton
“Homage to my Hips” sent goosebumps up every inch of my feminist self. It is not just a proclamation of body positivity, but also a declaration of the freedom women have over their bodies. Lucille Clifton makes a point to emphasize that the only person who can control her hips and their actions is herself. Throughout history, women have been continuously shamed for being “promiscuous” when their actions are no different than any grown man’s. This poem embraces big hips while also sending a message to women to embrace their sexuality, whether they are dubbed a “prude” or “promiscuous”. The first point that Clifton makes is about the size of her hips. The opening lines are “these hips are big hips / they need space to move around in.” I greatly
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Embracing your sexuality can be quite scary in a world where it seems people wants to tear you down at every chance. It should be noted that lines nine and ten, Clifton could very well mean multiple things when she writes “they go where they want to go / they do what they want to do.” These lines imply that she not only feels that the extent of what she does with her hips is her business, but it also calls into question her own sexual orientation. It is, of course, rather a stretch to assume that these line mean she could be lesbian or bisexual. Still she may have intended to convey that it is no one else’s concern “where they go,” man or woman. Regardless, the statements “they don’t like to be held back / these hips have never been enslaved,” in lines seven and eight are nothing short of inspiring for all women. This message states that women should have as much freedom with their body as men without being shamed for it. This argument for freedom for women has come up in history countless times. The nineteenth amendment granted women freedom to vote, but when will women be granted freedom over their bodies without having to feel shame? “These hips are mighty hips” is a testament to the strength of women. It appears to be a metaphor for women and the challenges we have faced since the beginning of time. Have we had to fight to be granted the same basic
Embracing your sexuality can be quite scary in a world where it seems people wants to tear you down at every chance. It should be noted that lines nine and ten, Clifton could very well mean multiple things when she writes “they go where they want to go / they do what they want to do.” These lines imply that she not only feels that the extent of what she does with her hips is her business, but it also calls into question her own sexual orientation. It is, of course, rather a stretch to assume that these line mean she could be lesbian or bisexual. Still she may have intended to convey that it is no one else’s concern “where they go,” man or woman. Regardless, the statements “they don’t like to be held back / these hips have never been enslaved,” in lines seven and eight are nothing short of inspiring for all women. This message states that women should have as much freedom with their body as men without being shamed for it. This argument for freedom for women has come up in history countless times. The nineteenth amendment granted women freedom to vote, but when will women be granted freedom over their bodies without having to feel shame? “These hips are mighty hips” is a testament to the strength of women. It appears to be a metaphor for women and the challenges we have faced since the beginning of time. Have we had to fight to be granted the same basic