Kesha’s “Rich, White, Straight, Men” Lyrics Meaning

In this song Kesha attacks “rich, White, straight men” not individually but as being representative of the power structure which “rule(s) the world” and more specifically American politics. In other words, under her estimation they are responsible for certain aspects of society she deems as unfair. This is her roundabout way of advocating, again within the context of American society, universal healthcare, free college tuition, open borders, gay marriage and gender equality. Indeed she even asserts that “God is a woman”, giving the track an overall feminist feel.

The Trump Wall, Gay Rights and Gender Pay Gap

In the second verse Kesha speaks from an ideological perspective, as in giving the audience a glimpse into the type of rule changes she would implement if she were in control. For instance, the singer would not erect an obstacle such as “a wall” to impede the progress of immigrants. This alludes to US President Donald Trump’s efforts towards extending the physical barrier between the United States and Mexico, which is commonly referred to as “the Trump wall”. Then she references the case of Masterpiece Cakeshop v. Colorado Civil Right Commission (2018), in which said bakery won a case against the State for refusing to bake a cake for a gay wedding. And in that regard, she implies that she would instead promote gay rights. 

Finally, in relation to the gender pay gap that exists in the United States, she would make women’s pay equal to that of men, since as of the release of this song on average American women earn about four-fifths of what men do (and not “two-thirds” as Kesha implies).

Summation

So basically, this song is based on a fantasy in which the singer/songwriter “wish(es) the world was different”, as in it were not controlled by the titular group. And she is doing so from a feminist perspective, as in espousing ideologies and practices which she apparently feels are associated with such a belief system or are just based on her own personal beliefs.

Facts about “Rich, White, Straight, Men”

• This is the first song Kesha dropped in 2019.
• Kesha teased this track on social media and then released it as a standalone single onto YouTube, both on 2 June 2019.
• She wrote the song herself. According to her, she was compelled to suddenly drop it as she felt it was ‘just sitting on her computer’.