Applauding Environmental Justice While Calling Out Bad Bunny For His Misogynistic Song Lyrics

Original article text highlighting Bad Bunny’s role as an environmental justice educator replaced with a disheartening reality check.

Photo©Neilson Barnard/Getty Images

Like millions of others watching the 2026 Superbowl Halftime Show featuring worldwide reggaeton celebrity and Album of the Year Grammy winner Bad Bunny, I was entranced by the joyous celebration of life, diversity and Puerto Rico he performed, despite my not understanding a word of Spanish. However, I can’t understand most of the lyrics of English speaking singers, either, so that’s nothing new for me.

I especially appreciated seeing the optimism and joy celebrating Latin American culture on this most-American of public stages, because it stands in stark relief to the brutal immigration crackdowns by I.C.E. agents we are seeing in our own communities today, against not just immigrants but all American citizens. We are all terrorized when we see masked, armed federal agents patrolling our streets with impunity, because first of all, they do not belong there; and secondly, we have already seen those guns turned against Americans just for speaking out. Free speech is the cornerstone of American democracy.

Bad Bunny’s performance was intended to celebrate Puerto Rico, while calling attention to a spirit that will not be crushed despite persecution, exploitation, and the plight of those nations most affected by climate change, environmental injustice, and the refusal of world leaders to chart a course for the future of all humanity, and not just for their own highest profits. For this, I applaud him.

Fifteen minutes after the article went live, a disgusted reader emailed to let me know the vulgar, vile, misogynistic English translation of songs sung during that performance. There is no place for the celebration of those lyrics. I am shocked it won a Grammy award. What are these artists and judges thinking to award such violence Album of the Year?!

I hope Mr Bunny awakens from the nightmare in his mind portraying women in such vulgar terms, and seeds a new version planted in the love he promotes. Thank you, readers, for your comments and articles. Please keep them coming!

Carol Bedrosian is the publisher of Spirit of Change Magazine since 1987. Email carol@spiritofchange.org.

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