"Doesn’t mean she’s catering to men"— Sabrina Carpenter's bold Rolling Stone Magazine cover spurs feminist discourse online
Pop singer Sabrina Carpenter has sparked an online discourse over the new Rolling Stone magazine cover. On Thursday, June 12, 2025, the publication unveiled its cover story, in which Carpenter discusses her upcoming album, Man’s Best Friend, and the backlash she faced regarding the s*xual nature of her music.
In the photo, the Espresso singer is seen kneeling in front of a hookah pipe, wearing only white lace stockings, with long blonde hair that strategically covers her body.
The photoshoot caused quite a stir, with many fans criticizing Sabrina Carpenter for her contradictory actions. Notably, they claimed that the songstress, who is known for critiquing men, was ironically catering to the male gaze.
Earlier this month, she released the lead single, Manchild, from Man’s Best Friend. The track showcases the songstress lamenting how immature men can be.
Disagreeing with the criticism, one fan wrote:
"Just because a woman is naked doesn’t mean she’s catering to men are you all stupid."
Some netizens believed the cover photo was a desperate attempt to appeal to the male gaze.
"her desperation for a sliver of attention from the male gaze has gotten embarrassing. I miss the old sabrina," one commented.
"i really don’t get this woman, she hates men and calls them pigs but here she is once again s*xualizing herself to sell another album," another added.
Others thought it was Sabrina Carpenter owning her "body" and "sexuality."
"Before the think-pieces start, she looks GORGEOUS and she’s owning her body and sexuality! It’s for the FEMALE gaze!" one noted.
"Women, demand better. This is obscene and degrading," a user wrote.
Some netizens questioned the outrage—
"Sabrina’s team watching yall continue to fall for the bait to promote her next album," another stated.
"i don’t know why yall acting brand new in these replies as if plenty of artists/celebrities haven’t already done photoshoots like this," a person reasoned.
"Those are the songs that you’ve made popular"—Sabrina Carpenter about facing backlash for sexual lyrics
Sabrina Carpenter's Rolling Stone cover feature came just a day after she unveiled the cover art for Man’s Best Friend. In the image, the singer is kneeling in a little black dress and heels, while a man stands in front of her, grabbing her hair.
It also included an announcement that the project would be released in the last week of August. The move surprised fans, as it would arrive a year after Short n’ Sweet. Notably, Carpenter is currently on a tour in support of the latter album, which will conclude this November.
In her Rolling Stone cover story, Sabrina Carpenter elaborated on her reasoning, stating she could have "stretched out" Short n’ Sweet, but added:
"I’m at that point in my life where I’m like, ‘Wait a second, there’s no rules.’ If I’m inspired to write and make something new, I would rather do that. Why would I wait three years just for the sake of waiting three years?"
Carpenter pointed out that she didn't care about what was "perceived" as the "right or wrong move" but cared for what felt right to her. She explained that although she was aware that "nothing lasts forever," she'd prefer to live in the moment.
"Not to be dramatic, but what can I do while my legs still work? I’m limber, let’s use it. My brain is sharp, let’s write," she added.
Sabrina Carpenter also noted that many of her music icons, like Dolly Parton and Linda Ronstadt, always released 10-track projects each year. She mentioned that her previous two albums each took two and a half years to complete, reasoning that every project was different.
She also addressed the backlash she faced following the release of Short n’ Sweet. The album included tracks like Please Please Please, where she pleaded with her partner not to embarrass her, and Dumb & Poetic, where she expressed her sorrow at being deceived by a seemingly good guy.
Additionally, during the tour, every time the song Juno played, Sabrina Carpenter showed off a different s*x position. She concluded her track Bad Chem, known for its innuendo-filled lyrics, by pretending to sleep with a backup dancer.
In response to the criticism, Sabrina Carpenter told Rolling Stone:
"It’s always so funny to me when people complain, They’re like, ‘All she does is sing about this.’ But those are the songs that you’ve made popular. Clearly you love s*x. You’re obsessed with it."
Sabrina Carpenter elaborated that her songs range from introspective numbers and ballads to tracks like Juno. She rhetorically questioned why the critics focused on the latter song.
"I don’t want to be pessimistic, but I truly feel like I’ve never lived in a time where women have been picked apart more, and scrutinized in every capacity."
Elsewhere in the interview, Carpenter discussed how women have to "reshape their dialogue" to ensure they don't come off as "rude or b*tchy or hard to work with." She explained that she had since realized being "assertive" or knowing what she wanted didn't make her a "bad person."
Sabrina Carpenter added that she wasn't concerned about others' opinions and shared her excitement about her upcoming album.
