They Say Feminist Like It’s A Nasty Insult

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I want to start my post off by first discussing the “Your Life As A Girl” article, by Curtis Sittenfeld. I felt such a connection to this story, almost as if I wrote it. So many times while reading it I just wanted to start crying. I seriously can’t tell you how many times I have had my mother tell me, “Amanda, if keep being mean to boys they won’t like you.” Seriously, mom, seriously! She would always tell me that I intimidate boys and I should be nicer to them. Almost everything in this article I have felt or have been told… “Aren’t you being a bit vicious? You’re intimidating them. The boys in your class will never think you’re beautiful. Boys can save you. Wait till college where dozens of guys will treat you nicely.” This is without my favorite article I have ever read and want everyone I know to read it.

I think girls should really get in touch with feminism at a young age as it could help with the struggles they may face doing adolescent. Even though I’m only 20, I think young girls have it a lot easier now days to join feminism then we did. Girls even have three “types” of feminism that they can connect with…power feminism, DIY and grrrlpower, and the third wave. I think these “types” of feminism can help girls and show them that they can be a part of whatever kind of feminism that they choose.

It’s important though that when we introduce girls to feminism we go about it the right way. I agree with Baumgardner and Richards when they say “it’s no better to teach girls to take on male values than it is to force them into stereotypical female roles” (Feminism and Femininity, 65). Girls should be who they want to be and understand that they don’t have to live up to the standards society sets. In Feminism and Femininity, Baumgardner and Richards bring up the point that “girlie is too often expressed by what young women wear and thus what gets focused on is the accessory, not the content of the person wearing it. “ (62).

I really like the quote by Baumgardner and Richards, “Feminists who implored girls to be strong, smart, and bold got what they wished for. Some still need to recognize that the wish came true. And perhaps younger women need to share some of their entitlement with older women, imploring them to just do it and be strong, smart, and bold” (Feminism and Femininity, 67).

My example of girls “doing” feminism… http://empoweragirl.org/pages/page.php?pageid=1

Comments

Andrea L.A. said…
i LOVED that article by Curtis Sittenfeld too! i definitely felt like i also wrote it!
September 21, 2008 at 10:57 PM
Cristoina said…
I also really liked that section about how girls should not be judged by their accessories but the content of their person. I know it can be hard to see past what people have on and how they conduct themselves, but I guess there is no typical feminist and if everyone did just conform to one look we wouldn't be individuals, or have a choice and that is what feminism is all about, choices.
September 22, 2008 at 3:03 AM
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