Its about what we CAN be not what we cant be

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Previous waves of feminists inspire me, they don’t just inspire me they inspired my whole world. They allowed me and future generations to grow in a space unlike theirs. As much as I admire them I do think it’s only natural for the course of feminism to change with the ever changing society. I think it’s true when Baumgardner and Ricahrds say we don’t spend enough time talking about feminism and "what it can be." The idea of Girl tells me I'm allowed to be a feminist in any way I want. I don’t have to reject girl things to embrace a feminist identity. I can wear pink, or paint my nails, or wear a dress, or decorate my room in glitter without conforming to traditional girl norm. The beauty of the girl (which I see in direct relation with third wave) is she has the choice to do these things. If a girl wants to grow up and own a bakery that’s okay. If she wants to grow up and play a sport that’s okay too. "When were feeling girlie, it's because we feel independent, irreverent, and free from judgment-and this could happen at nine or ninety." I love thinking of girlie as this instead of an age because it embodies what previous waves have done for us and all that we can be because of them. I also really connected with the section in the readings that talked about bringing feminine things into masculine space. I feel like it’s a modern jab at our patriarchal society for women to "paint her nails during the coffee break in the board meeting." It’s embracing girl and power all at once. It’s to show someone can be a business woman and work with men and still act like a girl and be accepted.
On a last note I found it really interesting that 3rd wavers are opening up girlie space for men’s girlie aspects. Third wave is so encompassing and this is just one step forward to breaking down gender roles. The girl ideal doesn’t discriminate; it’s whatever you want it to be.


For my example of girls doing feminism I found last years winning entry to the "love your body day" poster contest for the elementary/ middle school age group. Younger girls who can already understand what is being imposed on them are such hope!
http://loveyourbody.nowfoundation.org/posters/contest-2008/cat4.html

Comments

carly mac said…
I completely agree with you that Jennifer and Amy got it right when they said "we spend so much time talking about what feminism was and not enough about what it can be" (pg 67). I think that it is important to learn the history of the women's movement, but we can't dwell on it. We need to keep moving forward and not get stuck in one time period. The world is certainly much differently than it was during the Second Wave, and I think that feminism evolves the same way that society does.
September 22, 2008 at 3:01 AM
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