Beyonce for British Vogue May 2013 - First Look

 

On female empowerment: "Why do you have to choose what type of woman you are? Why do you have to label yourself anything? I’m just a woman and I love being a woman. If you’re attractive then you can’t be sexy, and you can’t be intelligent? What is all of that? . . . I don’t know [if I'd call myself a feminist]. That word can be very extreme. But I guess I am a modern-day feminist. I do believe in equality, and that we have a ways to go and it’s something that’s pushed aside and something that we have been conditioned to accept. But I’m happily married. I love my husband.”   

On choosing the name Mrs. Carter for her tour: “I feel like Mrs Carter is who I am, but more bold and more fearless than I’ve ever been. It comes from knowing my purpose and really meeting myself once I saw my child. I was like, ‘OK, this is what you were born to do.’ The purpose of my body became completely different. The way I view it and everything. There’s a sensuality and an audacity that I’m OK with sharing. And I’m not uncomfortable about it. I’m not shy about it. And I feel like it’s important for women not to lose that sense of sensuality.”   

On the possibility of her daughter following in her footsteps: “I hope she figures it out . . . Whatever makes her happy, I’m there. I do feel like I’m going to be honest with my daughter. I definitely want my daughter to have goals and drive and passion – it has to be a balance . . . Right now, she just likes tempo. She likes salsa – anything with a beat. Which makes sense because I was on tour when I was pregnant, and then I went on to her dad’s tour and the 808 was probably shaking the womb . . ."

On her working body: “I’m always bruised somewhere – my legs, my hips. But you’ve already started so you’ve just gotta fight through it.”