Beyonce is the Queen Mother

On February 1^st, 2017 Beyoncé published her pregnancy announcement pictures to her Instagram account, sending shockwaves into the world.  This pregnancy announcement is important for the image showcases Beyoncé in a way that is similar to the Virgin Mary, a figure who has been presented as a white woman for hundreds of years.  By presenting herself in the same format as the Virgin Mary, Beyoncé is showcasing the idea that black women deserve the same reverence as the Virgin Mary, while also challenging the general view on Mary herself.  Mary was most definitely not a white woman, and yet the white washing of the Christian religion has left Mary with pale skin and European features. Since long ago when icons became popular in the Catholic Church and the image of Mary was made to fit into the ideals of the elite, why can’t the image of Mary change and take on an entirely new role now? Beyonce as the Virgin mother showcases the idea of “Black Girl Magic” which has emerged in recent years as black women take to social media and proclaim their worth, their beauty, the accomplishments, and their drive which often exceeds work done by those who wish to silence their voices.  Beyonce then becomes a symbol of this new movement.  She is giving birth to the voice of black women everywhere, asserting that they are the faces of the United States, of Christianity.  It also forces men to accept the place of women in society.  Beyonce is alone in the picture she posted.  She is not flanked by her husband or her daughter, rather she is presented front and center. For while she may be a wife and a mother, she is first and foremost, herself, and her own sentient being is far greater than her other titles.  When people consider the Virgin Mary, they now have to consider Beyonce who logged onto to Instagram February 1^st and redesigned the shape of womanhood and religion.