If the touchy-feely crap is real, then who's to say it's not valid? Who's to say anything's not valid, anyway? I always defer to Dan Britton in the back of my head for that one; always going on about how if your work is technically accomplished, they can only fault you for your subject - and every subject is valid. Every subject. Past that it's just a matter of personal taste. If The Britton says it, I believe it.
bless him. I had mixed feelings about his formal standards sometimes (it was almost formulaic at times) but I could listen to him give speeches for days.
I made books (!) recently and I was self-conscious about how "pretty" they were, as though anything decorative is invalid (which in turn raises questions about aesthetics and taste and depth) and how it just felt like a scarlet letter branding me as female. and then I was pissed off at how any of that was "bad" or invalid.
I also recently heard someone I know trot out that old "I mostly hang out with the guys, girls are so full of drama" and I finally cracked it.
Whether emotion is a feminine thing or not - and is is one of those characteristics that has been arbitrarily assigned to femininity, like wearing pink - I don't see it as a bad thing, just when it's overdone. But at the same time, it's bad when it's underdone. I know I've been most crazy when I've refused to actually let emotions work within me. When I let things out, I'm much healthier
( ... )
balance is key, and this black and white masculine/feminine system doesn't work - especially since one is seen as superior to the other.
being irrational and weak is arbitrarily assigned to femininity, too. hell, it's the 21st century and you still get idiots wondering if a woman has the right "temperament" to serve as head of state. masculinity = strength, hence widespread internalized sexism and women having to prove that they're not like all those other girls in order to hold status.
this is an interesting post on token strong female characters which totally rang true for me - the point isn't that women shouldn't be strong like the guys or hang out with them, just that there are many, many others out there who also have stories to tell.
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I made books (!) recently and I was self-conscious about how "pretty" they were, as though anything decorative is invalid (which in turn raises questions about aesthetics and taste and depth) and how it just felt like a scarlet letter branding me as female. and then I was pissed off at how any of that was "bad" or invalid.
I also recently heard someone I know trot out that old "I mostly hang out with the guys, girls are so full of drama" and I finally cracked it.
Reply
Reply
being irrational and weak is arbitrarily assigned to femininity, too. hell, it's the 21st century and you still get idiots wondering if a woman has the right "temperament" to serve as head of state. masculinity = strength, hence widespread internalized sexism and women having to prove that they're not like all those other girls in order to hold status.
this is an interesting post on token strong female characters which totally rang true for me - the point isn't that women shouldn't be strong like the guys or hang out with them, just that there are many, many others out there who also have stories to tell.
Reply
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