As usual, today I was in the schools again. From across the third/forth grade room, I saw a black t-shirt with pink glittery writing on it. After a second, I noticed it said:
.
"What Stinks About Boys"
Ugh. I hate these kinds of shirts anyway, but I asked the young lady (a whole 8 years old) to come over so I could read it. Two of the five comments were of particular interest.
1. Boys don't gossip.
2. Boys don't shop.
Where have all the feminists gone? Did their heads get half screwed off with all that pushing during child birth? And don't they have any sons or newphews they care about, even if they don't care about their daughters socialization process? These so called reasons that boys stink assume that girls gossip, and shop, and that they like it, and anyone who doesn't stinks. Its ridiculous. No wonder there are so many cat fights and rumors that fly around middle school and upper elementary school. The shirts that are purchased for our up and coming women reek of sexist steroetypes that serve to reinforce these unhealthy behaviors.
Example: Today, one of my students told me that she hated Patricia. I don't know who that is. So, I just asked why, thinking maybe I could difuse the situation. Patricia has spread the rumor that my students momis a slut and has had over 100 kids. Well, obviously, we all know it's crap, but to 8, 9, and 10 year olds, that serious business. I gave her the old 'ignore her and she'll stop' advice. Not 10 minutes later I see 5 girls standing in a circle, arms flying, chins jutting, voices screaching. I can't say I blame my student. I know what it feels like. and this other girl, Patricia, she's just doing what girls do and boys don't, and since they don't, they stink. The girls don't want to stink. They better get to it.
Girls at this age are looking to fit in. The last thing they need, going into puberty and middle school, is to be singled out. So they act like girls. And how do girls act? Well, they gossip and they shop. Yeah....! Let's all go rent Clueless. Then, as the Olson twins have prooved, once all the little girls get done with the shopping and gossiping, they should start dressing in dark makup and they better have sex appeal. My sister grew up on those movies!