Beyoncé will tell us when she is retiring.

I've never been the type to speak this long on the internet about much of anything (besides the renaissance visuals lol), but this feels genuinely problematic and it's something the hive in this sub needs to address. It's not just the haters anymore, I'm afraid.

On Twitter, I see lots of theories about Beyoncé nearing the end of her career. Even well-intentioned hive members who don't care that she's not dancing like she's 25 anymore-they assume that must mean she's on her last tour. It's fine (sort of) to point that out about her dancing, but it's another thing entirely (which I'll get into later) to assume she must be retiring soon bc she's not "squatting low enough for [you]."

What upsets me quite a bit is that people on this sub are incorporating retirement into their theories about the visual elements of Beyonce's records. People speculating that all of the BANG imagery means she wants to "go out with a bang" and this was one of, if not, her last performance(s). People claim she wants to "look to past legends" to see how they ended their careers and try to do the same/something bigger, so she did this halftime show.

Your assumption/theorization that Beyoncé is retiring soon is rooted in ageism colored by misogyny. I wish it wasn't.

First of all, BEYONCÉ IS 43 YEARS OLD. THAT IS NOT OLD. Usher is 46, and no one talks about his retirement. Bruno is only 4 years younger than her, and not a peep about him retiring. I could go on, but hopefully you see what I'm after.

When a female artist ages, she ages much more quickly in the eyes of consumers because her body is held to a higher standard than a man's body would be. Thus, questions about the end of her career will begin sooner than any discussion about the end of a man's career. Beyoncé's body is still remarkably capable of doing what she needs it to do for her tours and for her visuals. If she wanted to, she could keep working at this pace for years to come. However, because she is a woman, and because she's older than other female artists in the game, you always talk about the end. Her last album, her last tour, her last visual project, what have you.

I don't have any insight re: when she's calling it quits. I also don't care when she does - she could cancel act iii and take a nap and I wouldn't blame her. But I will never put retirement in her mouth because it will never be my place to do so. Neither will it EVER be yours. In 2025, I hope we lay this discussion to rest until Beyoncé decides to open it back up, because it's her career, not ours.

MAY THIS BE THE FINAL POST ABOUT THE SPECULATION OF BEY'S RETIREMENT