Tavi Gevinson On Britney Spears, The Sexualization of Teen Girls, And Abusive Relationships

[megalixer]

“Why did I ever believe a teen girl could hold all the power?” @tavitulle writes https://t.co/AmxRAeYIYN
- The Cut (@TheCut) February 23, 2021

Tavi Gevinson took to The Cut today to write a piece spurred by the recent documentary, Framing Britney Spears. It's very good and I recommend reading the whole thing!But since ONTD doesn't read, here are

Comments

[luna_incognita]

Ugh her points about abuse are really resonant. So many abuse posts lately, I've been finding it triggering but I am also overwhelmed with the magnitude of more and more (powerful?) women coming out and speaking out about their own experiences. I also just watched the Farrow vs Allen doco. It's relieving (having been through so many abusive relationships before, and helping so many women in my life deal with theirs) but also bringing back so much of the past. I need to parse my consumption.

I'm really bad at math. Can someone please explain "Confidence is not a vector of power,"?

bad math major here

[otraera]

a vector is an element of a vector space. usually represented by an arrow.it has magnitude and direction.

i think what the quote is saying "confidence isnt a replacement of power. confidence isnt a representation of power" basically confidence=/= power

im a worse eng student than i am a math major ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

Re: bad math major here

[luna_incognita]

Yes that makes perfect sense! You are an excellent math major teacher. Thank you! :)

[megalixer]

I read it as vector in the biology-y sense and took it to mean "confidence does not grant someone power," that just because tavi or britney or whichever young woman seems self-assured and confident doesn't mean that her voice or agency will actually be respected.

but math/science aren't my strong points either lol

[luna_incognita]

Yes! That also makes sense. I had no idea when I looked up vector that it also meant organism? And had a biological leaning to it too.

[kinokol]

I don't think it's that literal as to be about math, I think she just means that being or feigning confidence is not enough to actually empower people to overcome their circumstances or victimization. Acting like you are above reacting or being affected by abuse or violence isn't actually empowering for example.

[gumby]

y'all, this line came from a humanities major, lmao. no need to be selling yourselves short on whether you could've interpreted it wrong.

[blorpz]

i was debating making an allen v. farrow post because i want to know peoples' thoughts, but i also feel it in the air that there's been a lot of heavy abuse stuff recently. hope you have a good support system during this <3

[littleorcs]

There was one, if you wanna look through it - https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/120139161.html

[luna_incognita]

I still think you should. I want to talk about it. :)