Defiance is woven into the overtones and undertones of key events and activities of this decade. Whether it’s the interpretation of the art, the reflection of the artist’s sensibilities, or a mass movement against systemic racism that challenges history to change the path forward, change is happening whether you’re ready for it or not.

But it can happen that one woman’s/man’s idea of defiance is another woman’s idea of deviance. While the words sound similar, they mean vastly different things. Defiance denotes resistance, a form of action; while deviance denotes that which is not conventional or normal, a perception. In both cases, it is not easy to distinguish who is right and who is wrong, especially since it is so difficult to arbitrarily define certain issues in the first place. As the internet erases geographical boundaries, there is diversity in the content that is produced, with deviance disclaimers being invoked by those who cannot stomach them and defiance by those who can identify with it. Controversial content can be encouraging, especially for those who have never had the privilege of experiencing an alternative perspective.

Many things that were potentially considered deviant or shocking are now becoming the norm. And one thing is undeniably true: haters gonna hate.

Our monologue is a prelude to help you remain objective as we move forward. Artists like Cardi B are controversial because of the type of content they produce. Often misunderstood when what they portray is taken out of context, we hope to gain some perspective on her new song and its rapidly emerging term “WAP.”