It is soo much more than Spice Girls

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I am a grrrl, we are all grrrls! That is something I have become comfortable calling myself and others. Before this class, grrrl seemed like an insult, inferring that someone is young, immature, naive and most of all underestimated. This class has shown me the power of grrrls and the power for us to identify as them! Through the readings, class and my service learning I have experienced the potential and ability that grrls have today and that they are using their power more than ever, like with blogging. This has been a really cool outlet for discussion, I never did it before but really enjoy the style of it, and its another way for grrrls to alternatively get their voices heard. Grrrls today seem to already have the critical eye for conscious raising and culture jamming and it amazes me to see their accomplishments. If people only knew this, and the difficulties it is to be a grrrl today, they would give them a lot more credit.

I am so glad that I got to be in this class at the begginning and got to know all the intelligent and just plain awesome grrrls. Before and after every class I have gotten to look back at grrrlhood and those car rides and discussions have also been one some of the greatest parts. Exploring websites like gurl.com and taking quizzes about how much i really know about feminism or STDs made me go back in time but also see how things have developed to educate grrls about difficult topics but in a comfortable and fun atmosphere. Also with my service learning and interacting with young girls I was able to see first hand at what grrrls are learning and dealing with in society. The whole combination of face to face discussion, to activism and blogging made this an experience more than just a class. I know I sound sentimental, but I wish all my classes were this close and genuinely interesting like ours. I cannot wait for more courses like this and to continue the bond of being the guinea pigs of Grrrls Studies at UCF <3

Comments

Ariel Dansky said…
While I respect that you feel comfortable identifying as a grrrl, I can't help feeling that it is derogatory, at least for me personally. If you call a man, even a teenager, a "boy," he will probably take offense. For me, it's the same way. I identify as a woman and as a young adult. Grrrls are strong, yes. This class has made me more aware of that than anything. But because of their age, their freedom is limited. Girls- children in general, really, are dependent on their parents for money, food, shelter, transportation, ect. They are not old enough to make informed decisions, and they are young and often vulnerable. As an adult, I take offense to being called a child, even if it is a reclamation of a word that has been used to degrade women.
December 1, 2008 at 8:08 PM
amanda said…
I never thought of "girl" being an insult.
Every word can have a negative meaning. Sometimes the way people say woman is insulting. I hate when people say "that's my woman" (if you watched last season of the real world, you know what i'm talking about)
Girl is a powerful word. It was an empowering time that everyone girl went through while growing up. What you went through as a girl has made you who you are now. I think it would be a sham to think of "girl" as a derogatory term.
For me I have never felt comfortable identifying as a woman (it's something that i'm working on). So I love calling myself a girl!! And after taking this class, I am even more comfortable using the term girl.
December 2, 2008 at 3:34 AM
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