It is a sorry state when the closest most women get to their inner goddess is having it bedazzled on their ass.
Our feminist foremothers had done a lot for the rights of women. We aren't sold as property, men aren't allowed to beat us, we can vote, get divorced, even run for president. We can run companies and accumulate wealth. We have all the same rights as men. And yet? We're not where we need to be.
We have to love our true selves. We have to be proud of our femininity and embrace it! Some of us have more than others, that is also something that needs to be embraced. It is not "better" to be like a man, to be powerful or physically strong. It isn't "better" the be chaste or sexy or "hot." It is better to be who you were born to be, not who we are to other people. Why do we care if our boobs are big and perky? Are they in any way better? No! Men, and other women, tell us they are better, that they like them more. Why should we care whether or not other people find our boobs attractive? Are you looking for love? Women with all shapes of boobs have found true love and trust me, your true love isn't going to leave you for your boobs. Are you just looking to satisfy your own sexual urges (which, by the way, is just fine and doesn't make you a "slut" and therefore any less valuable as a human being). Trust me, you will be able to satisfy those urges just fine with whatever shaped boobs you can imagine.
And that is just an example. Do you want to be in the workforce, take charge, and barrel forward? Great! I think it is wonderful that women are now allowed to do this if it is in their character. But would you rather stay home and raise babies wearing pearls and making your husband sandwiches everyday? Then do it! Rejecting our softer sides as retribution for the generations of women who were only allowed to use their softer sides is only hurting us.
As women fought for the rights we have today, men resisted. Then, men gave in. They acknowledged that being a man is awesome so of course women want to be like men, right? Wrong! To this day, it is totally acceptable for a woman to wear pants and play poker, but if a man wears a dress and gets manicures, he is marginalized. Slowly this is improving, but slowly. Women are still seen as inferior so for a man to want to share any similarities to a women, he must be daft.
Sometimes, I long for the days before the link between sperm and babies was discovered and women were revered as the givers of life. But I know that's not right, either. Men are also awesome in many ways. I just wish that we women could learn to love ourselves again, to celebrate our bodies and our souls. It breaks my heart when I read about people dying during plastic surgery or ten year olds with anorexia. Middle schoolers are being teased as "sluts" or "teases" (you just can't win!)
I could go on on this topic for hours, but I'll stop wrap it up. The older I get, the more in tune I get with my female identity, and the happier I am for it. I would just like to spread a little bit of that around! :)
I've begun to find that no matter how we are, we'll always find flaws - largely brought about by the media's push of what is "perfection".
ReplyDeleteBeing a larger person, I know I could lose weight for my health, and many overweight people hark on themselves all the time for it (it is a pressure put on both sexes, but women feel it far worse I think). But I've found even thin people call themselves "fat". Models - already dangerously underweight - will be told by marketing firms that they need to lose an extra ten pounds.
Our skin is supposed to be perfectly smooth, our hair shiny, our curves pronounced - yet not too much!, our teeth spotless. And images of the "ideal" are ridiculous themselves - already-beautiful women are still photoshopped.
While we continue to listen to these impossible rules, we are kept from being happy and contended with who and what we are NATURALLY.
And while we as women have gained certain freedoms, we are still often held back in many ways. Laws for women's health are attacked, pay is still not always equal, girls are expected to be chaste or risk being labeled "slutty" while active boys are patted on the back for their conquests. Certain groups push for women to return to the kitchen and discourage independence.
Sorry, you put me into a bit of a rant, there. ^_~ Love the post, Brooke!
Exactly, Kriss! I cannot stand it when someone makes a comment such as, "Ugh, that fat girl shouldn't wear a tube top," or "Old men shouldn't wear speedos." Good thing our bodies aren't designed for other people to look at. They are designed to carry our souls!! If you can't stand looking at another persons perceived imperfections, then you have some serious problems and need to keep your comments to yourself!
ReplyDeleteAs for weight, it has become such a big issue in this country! Sure, it is sad that so many Americans are overweight. Why? Because of the health problems that accompnay that. But why are they overweight? I watched a really disturbing show about an overweight teen. She was trying to lose weight and her and her mom went to the store and bought low fat hot dogs and Apple Jacks. Um... what?! So many people don't even understand healthy eating and have bought into this "calories in, calories" out fallacy all the while brain altering chemicals are added to our food that make us hungrier and hungrier and addict us like a drug!
And now I'm ranting, too! Maybe I should change the title of this blog to, "Brooke bitches about stuff."