where are all the grrrlz?

By Anonymous -
"When being "young" is discursively linked with inexperience, the critiques issued by those identified as "young" become constructed as naive, disrespectful, and historically uninformed." (Eisenhaur p. 82). I have heard so many times coming either from jobs, school programs, and my parents that I'm simply too young and don't have enough "experience" yet. I think that to use this as an excuse so to not include people is the biggest cop out feminism can take. The way feminism is structured today in most feminist discourse is by using the "wave" system. First, second, and third to be exact. This structure is completely damning to what feminism is trying to accomplish in my opinion. We have alienated ourselves from each other so much that it's no wonder grrrlz are weary of becoming involved in the movement.

This so-called experience that we all need to have is a ridiculous concept. Because this of course leads to the merry-go-round of well, if I need experience how do I get it if no one will give me a chance until I have it. If more grrrlz could recognize that there is power in their youth I think they could strike a revolution completely backed just by them. Youth is one of the most terrifying things to older generations. We have new ideas, different ways of thinking, and a vitality that they once had. However I feel like grrrlz are constantly being made to feel as though they cannot participate without full "adult" supervision. Like with "New Moon" the magazine made for/by grrrlz. Even though it is completely all about grrrlz there is still the lingering adult supervision. I feel like this puts an automatic cap on some outlets of creativity even if they are not really capping it specifically.

I have met so many amazing grrrlz 18 and under who are doing so many amazing things for feminism just in groups of five or less. From small scale zine making to travelling around the country at young ages when most "adults" would say that it's a bad idea. These grrrlz are taking control of their lives in ways that we have always been told not to. I found this blogging website "All Girl Army" a while back and stumbled upon it again today. While I think it's a great example of grrrlz and womyn doing feminism it still has the constructs of the adult womyn running it. http://www.allgirlarmy.org/blog/heather/2006/06/welcome_to_the_all_girl_army

This website gives grrrlz a chance to write openly about feminism and politics and have a safe community to turn to when they need it.

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Film Review

By -
Film Review: Mean Girls Written by Elizabeth Nesbitt This film was written by Tina Frey and Rosalind Wiseman in 2004. This movie deals with several girl issues family, friendships, body image and popularity. The movie begins with Cady played by Lindsay Lohan who had been home schooled in Africa. Her family moved to America in her senior year where she had to attend public high school. When Cady starts school she knows nothing about cliques. The first friends Cady encounters are known as the “Artsy freaks.” Cady then meets the “Plastics” a group of popular, gossiping, shopping, glamorous girls who see themselves as inferior to the other girls in school. Cady starts hanging out with the plastics, when she is really spying for her artsy freak friends. In Africa Cady had a good relationship with her parents and they enjoyed spending time together. Moving to America and attending public school Cady violates her parents trust by lying and having parties. Cady transforms into a plastic, fake...
Read more

Maiden, Mother and Crone by Vianny Nunez

By -
Image
  Maiden   Soft, sweet , and silent.   She is youthful , desired by all.    She wears long, beautiful gowns. Awaiting the hand of someone who’s strong and tall.   “A lady only speaks when spoken to.”   Words that have worn her ears before she could lace her own shoes.    “ Don’t eat so much, a lady must always watch her figure.”      The maiden’s first trigger.    You see, she’s been trained and groomed to fit the needs of men.   Before she could even reach the age of ten.    Men are blessed with strength and glor y when they'r e born.    Women? We’re cursed with beauty and immediate scorn.   You want us to fit perfectly into your ideals.    But we’d rather swim with eels.    There is more to her than what you can see.   Have you even asked about her hobbies?   Yes, she can cook and clean,    but she can also create literary scenes ....
Read more

Book Review - Dear Diary

By -
I'm not really sure exactly how I felt about Dear Diary. The book is about the life of Lesley Arfin, a girl from Long Island who goes through all the things that most teenage girls go through, but who also eventually becomes a heroin addict, and struggles to get clean. One thing that I really did like about this book was the way that it was written. The book is actually diary excerpts from Lesley's diary, supplemented with updates by Lesley and interviews with the people she wrote about in the diary entries. The way that Lesley writes make her seem very approachable, like someone you would want to be friends with. I really loved how she would give updates to explain things from her diary and I thought it was awesome how she tracked down and interviewed the people that she discussed in the diary. In one instance she was able to find out that the reason that she lost a once dear friend was because their fathers had an issue that Lesley had no idea about (27-28). She was even able...
Read more