Over the weekend, Ciara took to social media to post what she seems to have thought would be an inspirational video message. The video is a sermon by Pastor John Gay addressing single women.
"A wife isn't the presence of a ring, but the presence of your character," Pastor Gay says. "Too many women want to be married but you are walking in the spirit of girlfriend…when you carry yourself like a wife, a husband will find you."
#LevelUp
pic.twitter.com/rmS0WMOV1B— Ciara (@ciara) January 20, 2018
Ciara simply adds her own caption of "#LevelUp," a gesture many people took as "self-righteous."
Ciara is married to Russell Wilson now, and the two can be seen baecationing hours after her initial post.
Wasn’t Gonna Let My Broke Nail Mess Up This Sweet Photo Of My Hubby and I ????❤️ #FunTimes
pic.twitter.com/1HC7JhvfKA— Ciara (@ciara) January 20, 2018
However, her happy marriage comes after calling off an engagement with her son's father, Future, back in 2014. A criticism many people made in her choice to post this video.
Ciara, honey, no. We rooted for you when you were going through your mess. I’m so disappointed that you would share something so silly. What pastor John Gray is saying here is intellectually lazy and a twisting of scripture. That’s not what Prov. 18:22 meant at all. https://t.co/IePlLJrVOL
— CiCi Adams (@CiCiAdams_) January 21, 2018
Ciara is doing what many women do when they overcome trials and get married. She’s using her marital status as a weapon against women who are not married. And it’s clear that she’s tied her value and sense of self worth to her marriage, otherwise she wouldn’t have shared that.
— CiCi Adams (@CiCiAdams_) January 21, 2018
It's also pandering to married women. "You carried yourself like a wife and are better than these unworthy women who are beneath you…so buy my book Queen and really stunt on these perpetually single vagabonds" https://t.co/gBJ56Bu2ff
— BrilliantVillain (@IntergalacticQ) January 21, 2018
Men/pastors/married folks: Be a wife when he finds you.
Women: * does wifely duties for a man she's dating for 4 years who still won't marry her*
Men: nobody asked you to do any of that. You giving wife privileges to a boyfriend. https://t.co/gRmpadDqot
— ????LongShot DDS???? (@disorderedstar) January 21, 2018
“A woman should be a wife before the man even comes along. When you marry him you become HIS wife but you should’ve been a wife when he met you.”
What the fuck are you even saying?!
— Kelechi Okafor (@kelechnekoff) January 21, 2018
Just waiting on a sermon telling men how to walk in the spirit of being a husband since… ya know… they cheat and all pic.twitter.com/bP59HO9KGY
— *~Bea (@BeaBad_) January 20, 2018
Or, we’re looking at married woman who many supported wondering why she feels womens’ accomplishments aren’t enough for us to ‘level up,’ and that we need a man to select us as a wife to be worthy? Marriage is challenging and not a contest of women’s worth.
— Michele Canty (@DPMCanty) January 21, 2018
They said this Ciara Lmfaoooooooo pic.twitter.com/nCFqhxLEKU
— Licorice king (@TMZBREAKING) January 21, 2018
Single woman: Breathes
Married woman: pic.twitter.com/j4u0bOas3X
— This Woman (@KingThandie) January 21, 2018
If only Ciara could get y’all to talk about her music this much lol
— Sylvia Obell (@SylviaObell) January 21, 2018
Not everyone thought Ciara was wrong. Many people were defending her, especially men (shocker).
Ciara posted a video, said level up and don’t settle and the internet started debating over it while she’s on an island with her husband having fun lmao
— RJ Glosson IV (@thatguyrj07) January 21, 2018
Cardi B: Get yourself a sugar daddy. Make that nigga buy your pussy!
Y'all: YASSSSSSS Queen, I felt that on a spiritual level.
Ciara: Carry yourself with pride
Y'all: pic.twitter.com/Zd9umPuPBT
— The one they call LL Cool Dave™ (@SoWaveyRockwell) January 21, 2018
Ciara found happiness in her marriage and is telling ladies to “act like a wife” and yall getting outraged. But when Oloni asks you to be a ho, yall are so quick to scream “yassssss” and post a nude on request… ani weyrey ni yin seh
— Mista Shoes and Watch guy! (@MistaYomi) January 21, 2018
Ciara ain’t say shit wrong in my eyes ????????♀️
— AmourJayda (@JaydaAyanna) January 22, 2018
Last night, after all the backlash, Ciara posted a statement explaining what she really meant.
— Ciara (@ciara) January 21, 2018
"I was once that girl wanted to be loved a certain way but was making the wrong choices," she began. "I found myself at my lowest moment. I was a single mom sitting at home, and I then realized that the perfect love I was looking for was how God loves me, how He wants me to be loved, and He was calling me to be as a mom and a woman. That's when I realized married or not married…I needed to love myself. #LevelUp"
Whether you agree with Ciara or not, there is an ever-important dialogue about the way women are told to act in preparation for marriage versus the way men are that needs to be had.
What were your thoughts on Ciara's post and response? Share in the comments below.
