Name: Joy WhitehurstYear: 2015Major: Public Art, Design, and SociologyHometown: Richmond, VA
Girl-Crush Status: Joy Whitehurst…where should we begin? First off, who do you know that can pull off a veiled hat? The answer to that is probably not too many. Secondly (or further-ly), Joy encompasses a personality that expresses gratitude to all the rights in life while maintain a “come-as-it-may” attitude, appropriately complimenting her name in its entirety. Read on about Joy Whitehurst, the latest girl-crush.
HC NYU: So who are your favorite girl crushes and why?KW: Well first and foremost I have a girl crush on all my female friends; they run the world! My first TV girl-crushes were Lorelai and Rory Gilmore (Lauren Graham and Alexis Bledel) from the show Gilmore Girls. I thought they had the coolest mother-daughter relationship and I was jealous of their spitfire dialogue cultural references. I also have a girl- crush on strong black female vocalists such as Lauryn Hill, Janelle Monae, Mary J. Blige, and of course Beyoncé. I really love art, and some of my favorites are Cecily Brown and Louise Bourgeois. Any female who has a strong message to deliver is someone who I respect!
HC NYU: Are there any girl crushes you think aren’t nearly appreciated as they should be?KW: I can’t think of anyone specifically in the media, but I do think that if you have a friend or acquaintance that you really admire you should give them some props. During the college years, things can get tumultuous and it’s important to reach out and ask for help from friends or mentors. Tell them why they are awesome and get as much advice as you can from other successful ladies! This has helped me immensely; we all got to have each other’s backs as fierce females!
HC NYU: Do you think there’s any specific reason for this lack of appreciation?KW: I feel like society oftentimes encourages negative competition amongst women. As Chimamanda Ngozi said in her TED talk (that was sampled by Beyoncé in the song “Flawless”):”We raise girls to see themselves as competitors not for jobs or accomplishments, which I think can be a good thing, but for the attention of men.” Negative comparisons result and if there is only one standard of female success there isn’t room for many successful women. We need to celebrate the uniqueness of our strengths and accomplishments. I have one friend at NYU who is an aspiring midwife; another who is a photographer; another who wants to be an investment banker. All of these ambitions should be celebrated!
HC NYU: For quite some time, female sexuality has experienced exponential growth and acceptance. Do you have any particular views on this?KW: I believe our society has made great strides in the opportunities afforded to women. However, female sexuality and the female body are still not given the respect they deserve. I feel like everyone is constantly talking about women’s bodies and sex appeal: gaining and losing weight, emaciated models, plastic surgery etc. Why do we need to talk about this all the time? Women should be able to show their bodies and express their sexuality without a critical dialogue. Women will have true sexual freedom when their bodies and sexual choices are not constantly scrutinized.
HC NYU: What expectations and emotions do you have as someone about to enter the workforce, particularly in this day and age?KW: I’m nervous like everyone else! Right now I’m thinking I want to be an interior designer. I have had experience in the design field through internships so hopefully that will help me. One good thing about my area of interest is that there are many types of design or jobs that involve a level of creative problem solving. At the end of the day, it’s out of my hands. I’ll have to see who offers me a job. Hopefully I’ll have choices!