LET'S TALK ABOUT SEX | Sabrina’s "Man’s Best Friend" Cover: Badass or Bigoted
Sabrina Carpenter's new album cover reveal divided the internet. So, what's the verdict? Has the world's favorite five ft. blonde been "feminist" or "reductive"...
A little less than a month ago, Sabrina Carpenter broke the internet with the cover reveal and announcement for her upcoming album, Man’s Best Friend, which will feature her newest single, Manchild, released days before the cover. The album title is a clear ode to the classic saying, “a dog is a man’s best friend,” and the cover features Sabrina on her hands and knees, her hair being used as a makeshift leash by an out-of-view figure (presumably a man).
Fans (and non-fans) everywhere are divided: Does the imagery and title of this new album reduce women to dogs and situate them as male property, or is it a multifaceted statement intended to make people think, maybe even chuckle?
First and foremost, it is important to consider the lyrical themes of Manchild, given its strategic release prior to the cover. The song is about one thing: men being dumb. Right away, this single makes me inclined to view the album cover and title as satirical as opposed to reductive, but few are satisfied with that take, so I digress.
A stronger argument requires a deep dive into the history and implications of the phrase “man’s best friend” as it refers to a dog, and how Sabrina positioning herself at the brunt of the saying should be subsequently perceived.
The phrase rose to popularity in the 1870s via a eulogy delivered as a testimony to the Missouri Supreme Court by Charles Burden after an angry neighbor murdered his dog. The eulogy highlights a dog’s unwavering love for its owner and vice versa. While “ownership” language isn’t the most transferable to a conversation about feminism, the broader, more modern implication of the saying has become that a man would do anything for his dog, just like his dog would do anything for him. Thus, it’s completely reasonable to interpret Sabrina Carpenter dubbing herself “man’s best friend,” as a satirical jab about how men would do anything for her – which is witty and drizzled in truth – or that some men tend to treat their dogs better than their partners, so that's how she’d rather be perceived… Fair enough.
An additional argument being made against the cover is that it “caters to the male gaze,” and/or “centers the male figure.” This is hilarious to me, because it’s one of the more – if not the most – conservative album covers we’ve seen from Sabrina. It’s the only recent album art where her shoulders are covered, not to mention the lack of emphasis on her chest or ass. For all intents and purposes, Sabrina Carpenter could wear this outfit into a school (assuming the shorts are finger-tip length when she stands). If that level of coverage “caters to the male gaze,” what doesn’t? Also, the presumably male figure on the cover is literally off-centered. There’s nothing even particularly male about it, minus the title’s insinuation, so you can’t tell me that this cover “centers the male figure”; it doesn’t.
One of the many goals of feminism is for women to be safe and empowered to dress, act, go, and do whatever they want; tits out or tucked away, a dominatrix or on their hands and knees. I believe Sabrina Carpenter’s new album cover/title is inherently feminist because it represents a woman with a wildly successful career, in a male-dominated industry, doing what she wants.
Even if you disagree, consider this: Is it any more feminist to take time out of your day to criticize and attack a woman? No. In fact, I would call cyberbullying another woman – celebrity or not – inherently anti-feminist. Unless you’re cyberbullying Amy Coney Barrett, which I’m totally fine with.
This brings me to my home hitter: Controversial album covers are not what is setting back women’s rights in 2025. If you’re truly concerned, do some research and redirect your energy toward those actually threatening the safety and livelihood of women. Commenting “anti feminist” and “i hate this” on a celebrity album cover is not going to help codify abortion rights or make one single woman feel safer. Pick up your damn phone and call a congressman instead.
Grace Elmore is a 2025 graduate of Cornell University. Grace and her column can be found on Instagram @graace.elmoree Let’s Talk About Sex runs on alternate Thursdays(ish).