"You need a man on your level or more" — Anitta comments on dating and the societal impact on it

Anitta, the Brazilian singer and songwriter recently opened up about relationships and society's expectations of successful men and women. On June 3, 2024, the 31-year-old appeared on the Jay Shetty Podcast and shed light on various topics including birth control, different religions, mental health, music, and more.

At the 56:30 mark of the video, Anitta spoke about society’s double standards when it comes to their expectations of whom successful men and women date. She stated that if she decided to date a "regular guy" she met in a bar, people would criticize her. She then went on to say that if a successful man found himself in the same position, individuals' reactions would be very different.

"If it's a famous successful rich woman. 'Oh my god! That's all she could get? A bartender? Sucks! No real man values her.' It is kind of like, you need a man on your level or more to decide if you're valuable or not. And also like, for a man if you're with a woman more successful than you... They were like, 'Oh my god! You see? The woman is so much more. And then it f*cks up the guy's self-esteem," she said.

Anitta went on to explain that these stigmas and expectations "mess up" a lot of opportunities for people to come together.

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Pop star Anitta talks about the double standards in society and her experience with birth control

Larissa de Macedo Machado, known professionally as Anitta is popular for her Brazillian style of vibrant dance music. She began her career in 2010 and has since won four Latin American Music Awards. She was also nominated eight times for Latin Grammy Awards.

The singer appeared on the Jay Shetty Podcast on Monday and spoke about her physical and mental health. The host asked her if she believed in the concept of "right person, wrong time" while talking about romance and the artist answered that she did.

"But I also believe that the things that society puts in our heads can mess up relations, all types of relations. For example, I am a singer I am successful, I have money etc. If I decide tomorrow to date a regular guy I met at a bar, people would be like, 'Uh! That's all she could get. Oh my god! Anitta? With this nobody?" she added.

She then gave an example of how "a man, a successful singer, rich guy" would be treated in the context of a relationship. She believed the narrative would change if a man met a woman "in the street that works in a store or works in a bar."

"They would be like, 'So nice, did you see? Oh my god, he met a girl, she was a bartender. Oh my god! And he values her so much. Oh so nice, it is so sweet. What a great man,'" she said.

Anitta then told Jay Shetty that it is a "yin and yang situation" and women can be "both yin and yang."

In a different segment of the interview, the pop star spoke about quitting birth control and shed light on the symptoms she experienced.

"Birth control was not natural for me. I felt it was unfair that only women have to deal with it. Hormones made life crazy for me. I couldn’t be myself. My body didn’t respond well to hormonal birth control. It caused hair loss, crazy skin, mood swings, depression, and no energy close to my period. It was a rollercoaster," she mentioned.

The singer went on to say that birth control “should be joint responsibility,” and concluded that s*xual politics would be very different if men were capable of getting pregnant. Anitta expressed that she was not looking to become a mother in the immediate future, however, she wants to have children one day.

She recently made headlines after she performed at the Brooklyn Paramount in New York City on June 2 and 3, 2024.