Cause I'm just a girl and I've had it up to here!
If girls were taught that their voices mattered to someone, that someone somewhere will read their thoughts, will listen to their voice they will have the courage to do things they would never dream of. Take Carla Perez-Gallardo from Red, she now wants to build a high school or a university because her therapist listened to her voice encouraged her thinking, made her aware of her possibilities. Now she has great dreams and has learned that “college-should be-schools should be- where you learn to be a good person, a whole human being” (266). Also we can not overlook the fact that she was enrolled in the program that allowed for the book to be created, she was able to go to a safe space with mentors to help shape her writing and creativity. We can look to the girl who formed Ikissgirls.com we can see that she needed a space to go to for the same validation and community that Carla found, Bonnie states “I started up this site after many unsuccessful attempts to find a friendly online community for young females who are attracted to other females” (Queer Girls, 180).
Online communities are wonderful tools for girls like Bonnie to go to when they need friends who understand, are looking for information on safe sex and even for girls who can not tell any one they kiss girls. However it is important to note that online access is limited to girls with a computer and internet access, which is mostly restricted to middle and upper class girls. Even if girls have a computer and internet access in the home, some families keep a close monitor on their teen’s internet use which can range from looking at the websites visited or even reading emails. This is obviously a threat to girls who seek out a safe space for themselves in the online queer community. Of course some girls can go to the library, but as a user of public library internet I know that there are usually not enough computers and a time limit that can hinder any work you want to get done.
Although I am quick to criticize class centered movements, I have to admit that positive work done for and/or by young women is a step forward. I can not underestimate how beneficial this can be for our society. When I read Go Ask Alice I found that the main character wanted attention from her parents and wanted them to actually listen to how she felt. If she were able to receive that validation from someone before experimenting with drugs at a young age, who knows what she could have accomplished. As a society let young women know what they can not do: smoke, drink, drive, vote, date, watch certain movies, stay out “late”. However we do not tell them what their age allows them: free time, new perspectives, dreams, plans. At this age the world is their oyster and they are able to shape their pearl into whatever they want, if they dream for it and work towards it. So instead of telling young women what they can’t do, we should provide more spaces to help them focus on what they dream of doing.
Online communities are wonderful tools for girls like Bonnie to go to when they need friends who understand, are looking for information on safe sex and even for girls who can not tell any one they kiss girls. However it is important to note that online access is limited to girls with a computer and internet access, which is mostly restricted to middle and upper class girls. Even if girls have a computer and internet access in the home, some families keep a close monitor on their teen’s internet use which can range from looking at the websites visited or even reading emails. This is obviously a threat to girls who seek out a safe space for themselves in the online queer community. Of course some girls can go to the library, but as a user of public library internet I know that there are usually not enough computers and a time limit that can hinder any work you want to get done.
Although I am quick to criticize class centered movements, I have to admit that positive work done for and/or by young women is a step forward. I can not underestimate how beneficial this can be for our society. When I read Go Ask Alice I found that the main character wanted attention from her parents and wanted them to actually listen to how she felt. If she were able to receive that validation from someone before experimenting with drugs at a young age, who knows what she could have accomplished. As a society let young women know what they can not do: smoke, drink, drive, vote, date, watch certain movies, stay out “late”. However we do not tell them what their age allows them: free time, new perspectives, dreams, plans. At this age the world is their oyster and they are able to shape their pearl into whatever they want, if they dream for it and work towards it. So instead of telling young women what they can’t do, we should provide more spaces to help them focus on what they dream of doing.
Comments
I totally agree! Growing up it is important to build courage to live in this big bad world that is often unfair at times. When girls are silenced they lose faith in themselves and their opinions.
This is very true. I think a lot of us, especially in the academic world, overestimate the free use of and the scope of the Internet. The medium is still restricted for a lot of young females, one might say those young females that may most need a support network. I still think the best way to facilitate a creative outlet for young girls is through person-to-person interaction. There's nothing that can replace that or recreate it online. I think we should use the Internet as a platform to gather and provide information to girls but the real nitty-gritty work should be done on the ground, out in the world rather than via a digital interface.