“There’s nothing wrong with loving who you are”
She said, “‘Cause He made you perfect, babe”
“So hold your head up, girl, and you’ll go far
Listen to me when I say”

I’m beautiful in my way
‘Cause God makes no mistakes
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way
Don’t hide yourself in regret
Just love yourself and you’re set
I’m on the right track, baby
I was born this way (born this way)”

The above lyrics are from Lady Gaga’s iconic song “Born This Way”. In it she talks more broadly about acceptance as a whole, and her song for many was a turning point in accepting themselves.

Acceptance and normalization are both topics that play a huge role in “eight Bites” by Carmen Maria Machado, as the main idea of the text surrounds societal expectations of women and their bodies. The narrators body image is shaped by the society she lives in, as well as the people around her who enabled a negative self image to drive her actions.

This is exactly the type of situation Lady Gaga is shedding light on in her song. She may not explicitly state her criticism on society, but the nature of her song is self explanatory and the message is simple: Love yourself first and be who you are. If this was something taken to heart by the narrator of “Eight Bites” as well as the society that she lived in, the story would be one of a woman who wouldn’t have to face the inner demons that came with her negative image. Unfortunately, the society in “Eight Bites” is not far from the reality of our current society, but slowly strides in media and pop culture are being made to shift the unhealthy criticisms on individuals to a more accepting place, one song at a time.

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