.jpg)
I'm still waiting to get my hands on one of those uber-cool "this is what a feminist looks like" t-shirts. Whoever came up with that slogan was a freaking genius; it just speaks to the fact anybody can be a feminist. There are so many idiotic ideas about what feminists are "supposed" to look like (I'm sure you can think of more than a few), that when people see glitzy celebrities like America Ferrera, Ashley Judd, Michael Moore, Margaret Cho, Larry David, Whoopi Goldberg, or Camryn Manheim (shall I go on?) wearing the feminist name loud and proud it just blows their minds.
Okay, I wouldn't really call Michael Moore "glitzy."
But you get my point. Celebrities aren't always the greatest representation of us "little people," but it's still amazing that concern for gender equality can be seen across the board; in other words you don't have to be a middle-class white woman to be a feminist.
One of my pet peeves is when people assume feminist ideology is a simple, black-and-white construct. If you're a feminist you do this. If you're not a feminist you don't do that. When in reality feminism is as diverse as the people who claim the name. As with any eclectic group you're going to have your radicals (women who truly do hate men, refuse to wear make-up, etc.), your wannabes (people who like to call themselves feminists, but don't step up when it counts), and there are even relatively new groups called lipstick feminists, stiletto feminists, and (horrifically enough) slut feminists who think dressing sexy is the ultimate expression of female empowerment. My point is, you can't make assumptions about an entire group of people just because they call themselves something. So instead of assuming that I hate men (yes, I have actually been accused of hating men), take a minute to really hear me out. Look at what I am fighting for. Me. Danielle. Not those so-called "feminists" on TV.
It's time for a mini-rant!
Okay, I wouldn't really call Michael Moore "glitzy."
But you get my point. Celebrities aren't always the greatest representation of us "little people," but it's still amazing that concern for gender equality can be seen across the board; in other words you don't have to be a middle-class white woman to be a feminist.
One of my pet peeves is when people assume feminist ideology is a simple, black-and-white construct. If you're a feminist you do this. If you're not a feminist you don't do that. When in reality feminism is as diverse as the people who claim the name. As with any eclectic group you're going to have your radicals (women who truly do hate men, refuse to wear make-up, etc.), your wannabes (people who like to call themselves feminists, but don't step up when it counts), and there are even relatively new groups called lipstick feminists, stiletto feminists, and (horrifically enough) slut feminists who think dressing sexy is the ultimate expression of female empowerment. My point is, you can't make assumptions about an entire group of people just because they call themselves something. So instead of assuming that I hate men (yes, I have actually been accused of hating men), take a minute to really hear me out. Look at what I am fighting for. Me. Danielle. Not those so-called "feminists" on TV.
It's time for a mini-rant!
Right: The most attractive Hooters waitress . . .
Okay, I can't hold it in. I gotta talk about those so-called "lipstick feminists." They are pretty much the bane of my existence.
They are the "barista girls" who wear skimpy clothes to sell more coffee down the street; women who appear on Hooters commercials and claim that being (sexed-up, scantily-clad) waitresses kick-started their careers as school teachers, doctors, and lawyers (I kid you not!); and girls who audition to be the next Pussycat Doll because they want to be "inspirations" to little girls everywhere - puke!
These women are just trying to justify the fact that they're portraying themselves as sex objects by saying women have "earned" the right to be as uninhibited as they want, and that it's "empowering" for girls to be completely free with their bodies. I am all for body-confidence, but these women are kidding themselves. Nobody's looking at a Hooters girl and thinking "wow, what an amazing woman! Look how confident she is in those booty shorts - I really respect her!" I think we both know what people are really thinking.
It just frustrates the heck out of me because here we are, trying to be smart and strong and outspoken and progressive and hard-working, and these women are making us look like materialistic, bimbo-ic (is that even a word?), brainless objects!
Well, I'll tell you what. I'm going to make it big someday, baby, and I'll do it with my (uber-cool feminist) shirt on!
Check out the video that inspired this post:
Okay, I can't hold it in. I gotta talk about those so-called "lipstick feminists." They are pretty much the bane of my existence.
They are the "barista girls" who wear skimpy clothes to sell more coffee down the street; women who appear on Hooters commercials and claim that being (sexed-up, scantily-clad) waitresses kick-started their careers as school teachers, doctors, and lawyers (I kid you not!); and girls who audition to be the next Pussycat Doll because they want to be "inspirations" to little girls everywhere - puke!
These women are just trying to justify the fact that they're portraying themselves as sex objects by saying women have "earned" the right to be as uninhibited as they want, and that it's "empowering" for girls to be completely free with their bodies. I am all for body-confidence, but these women are kidding themselves. Nobody's looking at a Hooters girl and thinking "wow, what an amazing woman! Look how confident she is in those booty shorts - I really respect her!" I think we both know what people are really thinking.
It just frustrates the heck out of me because here we are, trying to be smart and strong and outspoken and progressive and hard-working, and these women are making us look like materialistic, bimbo-ic (is that even a word?), brainless objects!
Well, I'll tell you what. I'm going to make it big someday, baby, and I'll do it with my (uber-cool feminist) shirt on!
Check out the video that inspired this post:
Loving it!
ReplyDeleteHah, thanks! I have plenty more rants where that came from . . . stay tuned! ;)
ReplyDeleteBeing a woman that grew up with a mother raising her off of tips it disgusts me that someone can have so much disdain for the hooters girls. Those women work hard for their money - the job isn't just about showing off their cleavage, it is a job. And yes, they get better tips because they look better than the average waitress and they don't cover enough but in this economy using what you have shouldn't be looked down upon. Just because you wouldn't want to use your looks to put food on the table doesn't mean that you should hate someone else for doing it. Maybe if you knew what hardship was then you wouldn't hate these women for doing what they need to do to take care of themselves and their families.
ReplyDeleteI apologize for offending you. All I can say is that this post is several years old, and I wrote it when I was a feminist "newbie" and still figuring out the kinks. I titled this blog "Experimentations" for a reason, because I knew I would make some mistakes along the way -- posting something overtly disdainful was certainly one of them. This might just sound like a big ol' excuse, but I am 2+ years older, with ever-changing viewpoints and opinions. I take your comment to heart.
Delete