Christina Aguilera Says Touring With Justin Timberlake Highlighted Industry "Double Standards"

Christina Aguilera isn't holding back when it comes to sex positivity. The musician appeared on the April 4 episode of "Call Her Daddy" and discussed everything from double standards in the music industry to the public's response to her shift to a more sex-positive persona in the early 2000s. Aguilera shared that especially when she was first starting out, men and women expressing their sexuality were seen very differently. "There [were] a lot of double standards," she said, recalling her early days as a public figure. "You know, I went on tour with Justin [Timberlake] - it was The Justified [and Stripped] Tour - and there were a lot of things where I was just like, why is it OK for him and not OK for me?" She also reflected on the public's response to her "Diirty" music video. Released in 2002 as part of her album "Stripped," the song and video sparked some backlash at the time. "I was so in the zone of expressing and creating this album and truly trying to make every facet of it speak of myself, as a woman," Aguilera said. "I didn't want to fit a box of like, I'm sweet and vulnerable and demure and I'm gonna do the programmed pop format - but I'm not any particular one thing or one brand, and that's what I did not like about the business, that fact that they immediately try to box you and label it so that it's easier for them to understand." Related: Christina Aguilera Fought Industry Execs For Her Name: "I'm Proud of Where I Come From" She's been open about the significance of "Dirrty" over the years. "'Diirty' was me stepping up and saying I was a woman that's proud of my sexuality," she said in a 2019 interview with the Irish Times. "I was proud of my vulnerability. I was proud of the fact that I've fought my way through this industry." Since that release, Aguilera seems to have become increasingly comfortable with her sexuality - and she's also been actively working to fight against shame and stigma. She launched her own lube label in March, telling POPSUGAR that she aims to promote sex positivity - and good sex in general - with her new project. "At the end of the day," she said, "it's about taking any shame or any weirdness about this topic, making it feel fun, making it feel friendly, and making you feel good." Related: Conservatives Want to Weaponize Sam Smith and Kim Petras's Grammys Performance. Don't Let Them.