TN Rant
Rant moments are public entries... :)
I'm reading Tomato Nation back-essays. I agree with a lot of what she says, and her essay on bowling made me giggle like a little girl, but honestly.
Read This. (Caution: Possibly not Ed-safe)
I feel like suddenly the empowerment of women is wrapped up in lots of meaningless sex and what sort of job you have. And abruptly, my world makes no sense, because what's the point in waiting for marriage to have sex if empowered women never want to get married? What's the point in all that Bible-touting, love is everything, moral mess if empowered women should sleep with strangers?
"Slut" is for when you don't act like a lady. "Slut" is for when you sit with your legs apart. "Slut" is for when you wear it short, tight, without a bra, cut up high and down low and around the side, because, see, "slut" is also for when you have the nerve to enjoy your body in front of women who hate their own bodies. Don't strut. Don't dance with soul, or lick your lips. Don't look too good; don't think you look too good. Digging your own self is slutty. Making your own good time is slutty. Who do you think you are, anyway? Knees together, slut.
I strut, I dance with soul, I lick my lips, I bring the good times with me. It has nothing to do with sleeping around. I am a public virgin, never-been-kissed except for a dozen or so prepubescent pecks on the lips (ew, cooties!). That doesn't mean I don't dress up in heels, pretty skirts and make-up whenever the mood strikes me.
And yeah, I've got a little bit of a reputation as a slut because of it, and because I look at boys and talk to them and am quite the flirt. But just because people think you're a slut doesn't mean you have to be one. Being an empowered woman doesn't mean you actually have to sleep with every guy you talk to. Being an empowered woman doesn't necessarily mean being sexy, either.
Being an empowered, self-assured, confident woman is being whatever you feel like being. People have made 'empowered' into something that can't mesh with traditional values, something that's the antithesis of my Christian, Bible-reading, ugly-vest-wearing grandmother.
But Gran is an empowered woman, because she likes her ugly vests and her church socials and her job at the beauty salon.
My mom is an empowered woman, because she's got five kids and homeschools them because she doesn't believe that public schooling is good for kids; she writes in a political blog because she wants to share her considerable writing talent and insight with everyone; she talks to who she wants to talk to and tells people to go to hell when it's called for.
My sister is an empowered woman, because she tells it like it is and she does whatever she wants and she's working her bum off to afford to go to college where she wants to.
And when they talk, everyone listens. When they make a suggestion, people generally do what they say. People either hate them or love them, and no one is lukewarm.
They are empowered women because they are true to themselves. They're empowered women because no one bosses them around. They're empowered women because no matter what, they're in control of their lives.
Sarah from the Tomato Nation ends the forementioned essay with this:
If you found yourself nodding along in sincere agreement with any of what's written above, you have a serious, serious problem and need to report to your nearest therapist for a course of self-esteem rehabilitation and double-standard deprogramming. The rest of you may continue to wear your sluttishness with pride. Here endeth the lesson.
This Sarah girl has got some great essays, she's genuinely interesting, and I can't get enough of her writing. But she's wrong if she thinks that empowered women must conform to her ideals. I'm not saying she can't lead her life however she wants to, I'm just saying she shouldn't ask other people to live her life.
I love hanging out with guys and watching gory, dirty movies like Braveheart or The Boondock Saints. Boys are fun. I love feeling pretty, and am generally happy with myself and my body. I love screaming rock music and mournful emo ballads alike.
I'm happy being a Christian, I believe in saving myself for marriage. I think that sixteen is much too young to date. My daddy trusts me, my friends think I'm crazy, and an ice cream sandwich makes my eyes light up. I am happy with me, happy with my life, and happy unto myself.
That makes me an empowered woman.
I'm reading Tomato Nation back-essays. I agree with a lot of what she says, and her essay on bowling made me giggle like a little girl, but honestly.
Read This. (Caution: Possibly not Ed-safe)
I feel like suddenly the empowerment of women is wrapped up in lots of meaningless sex and what sort of job you have. And abruptly, my world makes no sense, because what's the point in waiting for marriage to have sex if empowered women never want to get married? What's the point in all that Bible-touting, love is everything, moral mess if empowered women should sleep with strangers?
"Slut" is for when you don't act like a lady. "Slut" is for when you sit with your legs apart. "Slut" is for when you wear it short, tight, without a bra, cut up high and down low and around the side, because, see, "slut" is also for when you have the nerve to enjoy your body in front of women who hate their own bodies. Don't strut. Don't dance with soul, or lick your lips. Don't look too good; don't think you look too good. Digging your own self is slutty. Making your own good time is slutty. Who do you think you are, anyway? Knees together, slut.
I strut, I dance with soul, I lick my lips, I bring the good times with me. It has nothing to do with sleeping around. I am a public virgin, never-been-kissed except for a dozen or so prepubescent pecks on the lips (ew, cooties!). That doesn't mean I don't dress up in heels, pretty skirts and make-up whenever the mood strikes me.
And yeah, I've got a little bit of a reputation as a slut because of it, and because I look at boys and talk to them and am quite the flirt. But just because people think you're a slut doesn't mean you have to be one. Being an empowered woman doesn't mean you actually have to sleep with every guy you talk to. Being an empowered woman doesn't necessarily mean being sexy, either.
Being an empowered, self-assured, confident woman is being whatever you feel like being. People have made 'empowered' into something that can't mesh with traditional values, something that's the antithesis of my Christian, Bible-reading, ugly-vest-wearing grandmother.
But Gran is an empowered woman, because she likes her ugly vests and her church socials and her job at the beauty salon.
My mom is an empowered woman, because she's got five kids and homeschools them because she doesn't believe that public schooling is good for kids; she writes in a political blog because she wants to share her considerable writing talent and insight with everyone; she talks to who she wants to talk to and tells people to go to hell when it's called for.
My sister is an empowered woman, because she tells it like it is and she does whatever she wants and she's working her bum off to afford to go to college where she wants to.
And when they talk, everyone listens. When they make a suggestion, people generally do what they say. People either hate them or love them, and no one is lukewarm.
They are empowered women because they are true to themselves. They're empowered women because no one bosses them around. They're empowered women because no matter what, they're in control of their lives.
Sarah from the Tomato Nation ends the forementioned essay with this:
If you found yourself nodding along in sincere agreement with any of what's written above, you have a serious, serious problem and need to report to your nearest therapist for a course of self-esteem rehabilitation and double-standard deprogramming. The rest of you may continue to wear your sluttishness with pride. Here endeth the lesson.
This Sarah girl has got some great essays, she's genuinely interesting, and I can't get enough of her writing. But she's wrong if she thinks that empowered women must conform to her ideals. I'm not saying she can't lead her life however she wants to, I'm just saying she shouldn't ask other people to live her life.
I love hanging out with guys and watching gory, dirty movies like Braveheart or The Boondock Saints. Boys are fun. I love feeling pretty, and am generally happy with myself and my body. I love screaming rock music and mournful emo ballads alike.
I'm happy being a Christian, I believe in saving myself for marriage. I think that sixteen is much too young to date. My daddy trusts me, my friends think I'm crazy, and an ice cream sandwich makes my eyes light up. I am happy with me, happy with my life, and happy unto myself.
That makes me an empowered woman.