There’s a picture I’ve seen on Tumblr that does as much damage as any misogynistic meme. In the drawing there are multiple girls and they’re all coming out of this factory machine on a conveyer belt. They’re all identical. They have long hair, long eyelashes and are dressed up with a smile on their face—all of them except one. There’s one girl in the middle wearing converse, jeans and a hoodie; her hair’s in a bun and her face is in a book. The words “other girls” are about the clones and the word “me” is over the girl with the book. I hate this picture.
I am tired of women trying to make other women feel inferior for what they like. In society it is looked down upon to be very feminine. Feminine women are seen as ditzy and dumb for wanting to wear makeup and heels. If you are a woman, especially one who calls herself a feminist, then you should be uplifting other women. You should treat all women, regardless of their lifestyle, with respect. You can’t say you believe in equality and a woman’s choice and then belittle another woman because she doesn’t make the choices you like. When you do this you are saying, “Respect and equality for all except those who act like this or look like that.” Women who want to wear pink and dress up for their significant other aren’t taking us back 50 years—you are.
You are taking us back when you say things like, “I’m not like other girls” and “I only hang out with guys because it’s less drama.” There is no such thing as a girly-girl or a tomboy. A girl can like to play football and climb trees, and also like to play with dolls and watch princess movies. When we put girls into these boxes, we make them simple and we are telling them they can’t be complex beings who like all sorts of things that don’t always go together. Believe it or not, women are people with brains that can think and process just like anyone else.
We, as people, are deeply rooted in the fact that we are all different. We come in different sizes and colors, and we can all taste the same foods but not all like the same foods. That’s okay and we can all accept that.
So, why can’t we accept that not all women are the same and that we can’t judge women by the hairstyles they choose and how long it takes them to get ready in the morning? When did we decide that we couldn’t have beauty and brains? I can hold a love for books and learning, as well as fashion magazines and manicures. I can be determined and assertive and still be kind and perky. I can anything I want and no one else can tell me otherwise.
I’ll keep wearing my short skirts, you keep wearing your t-shirts and we can all move on.