Suspeckted's latest article Adopting the Feminist Label reminded me of a conversation I overheard between two women in their 20s and a 5th grade book order. It's random enough, I know, but they do relate. Thanks for the inspiration Suspeckted.
I'll start with the women in their 20s. I was half taking part in a conversation about movies. The old what's good what's bad thing. As I was drifting off, I heard the title Kill Bill. Both women agreed that they didn't like the movie. They thought the main character was too violent. Whatever, I thought. And I drifted off again thinking about Kill Bill. I liked the movie. I liked that Uma Thurman's character was a true bad ass woman. She represents a form of a true feminist. The film doesn't address it directly, you just feel it.
Sure, she murders people. Yes, it's violent. But she is a strong female character. Thurman's character has real skills, years of training, and a craft. She uses this talent to get what she wants done. So do the other leading women in the movie. She, and the other female characters in the movie, don't seem sexualized to me. They don't use their sex appeal to further their agenda. Usually, it seems, in movies that involve female heroines, they are overly sexualized and use that as one of their strengths instead of real skill.
This isn't only happening in movies, either. This is happening throughout pop culture and it's serving to hurt a real movement that empowers women. Women and young girls see other women using their sexuality as a power, and many times, the main or only power that they have. The Brittanys and Christinas do it in music. They use their sex appeal more than their talent, and it has made them famous and made them money. It's hidden behind the titles like mucisian and actress.
So girls think, why not. If it worked for them, it can work for me. Charlie's Angels rock! They buy Cosmo and gussy up.
The message that I think young girls get is that using sexuality is a way to get what they want they see it as the most effective one.
Okay, so on to the book order. The elementary/middle school book order that came in last week was riddled with this kind of stuff. There were all kinds of books that looked more like teen magazine covers. Don't get me wrong, I like that they are reading, I just wish they were reading something that wasn't caked in images of Hillary Duff and the like. I see these girls in elementary school batting their eye lashes when they want help from a boy in the class, and when they talk to male teachers they use that high pitched girly voice (girlier than it already is at 10). Is this suppose to help them get what they need?
I don't think so. I think it's working against what being a feminist is. I don't mean to say that women should repress everything sexual, either. I just think that these images are weakening the real skill development of young women. They see these images and these women are their role models. I wish these women were doing something that invloved more brain power, skills, crafts, etc. Some of the most brilliant women aren't very attractive.
So anyway, Suspeckted, if you read this, I wish your sister luck. I hope she explores her topic deeply and I'm glad she chose a challenging topic. I always like to hear that young women are challenging themselves,and all people for that matter.
As for me, I'll be taking the weekend off from challenging thinking and relaxing at a Saturday afternoon gathering. Hope you will be, too.