Coming of Age

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From the readings I understand girls studies to be the study of "girlhood as something that is constructed socially, rather than merely as a stage of life fixed by biological processes and programmed psychological development" (Young Femininity, 1). Girls are shaped by many factors, such as race, class, sexuality, ethnicity, and family life and in girls studies we will examine how these factors affect girls. We will also examine the different types of 'girls' society labels us as...'nice girls', the 'girlies', 'spice girls', and 'tomboys'. Girls studies focuses on girls from elementary school all the way to high school.

Girls these days "are coming of age in a more dangerous, sexualized, and media-saturated culture" (Harris, 17). I think we realize a lot of the problems, self doubt and anxieties we face as women stem from adolescents and if we can help girls understand that now and try to change it then we can help create a more confident adulthood for them.

For this course I want to learn about and examine how society affects girls and shapes who they are and what they become. I hope to get a better understanding of how feminism can apply to girls and how to teach girls to accept feminism. I also hope to resolve some of the problems and self doubt I went through as a girl and have followed me to adulthood.

One of my favorite parts in Young Femininity is when they talk about women's status reflected in language. "Women's lack of status as adults was reflected in the language used as the time to identify female gendered persons. It was quiet common to refer to any female as a 'girl', whether she was a child, an adult or even a senior citizen" (6). I never really thought about this before or that I did it. There's been many times when I have referred to a woman or a group of women as a girl or girls. It always seem unnatural to me to refer to them as women. I even do this to myself. To this day, I consider myself a 20 (almost 21) year-old girl, not a woman. I hope that this class will help me identify why I continue to do this.

Comments

Ali said…
I know! I only recently starting referring to females in their 20's as women and it definitely takes some getting used to. Try the word on, I kind of like thinking of myself as a woman. :)
September 7, 2008 at 7:14 PM
Ariel Dansky said…
As I learned more about feminism, I started referring to myself as a woman, and others my age as such. Every now and then "girls" creeps into my vocabulary when I refer to a group of female peers, but I have done a pretty good job of using "women" most of the time =).

Isn't it interesting how someone could say "hey girl!" to you it's totally acceptable and normal, but if someone says "hey boy" to a guy your age it's kind of odd and derogatory sounding?
September 7, 2008 at 8:17 PM
Andrea L.A. said…
I think it's funny that we all find it odd to call ourselves women. It definitely is a strange concept, because I actually feel weirded out calling myself a women and not a girl. I actually do not mind being called a girl, in fact I prefer it, but maybe it is because I still refer to guys or men as boys.
September 8, 2008 at 2:24 AM
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