In every class I have taken at Saint Mary’s, with subjects varying from Intercultural Studies to Marketing to Sociology of Families, feminism and the topic of women being treated as objects always arises. I never thought much of the advertisements I saw on a daily basis that belittle women. It was something I saw everyday. My subconscious was immune to these images. I thought it was normal.
I don’t like the word feminism or the stereotype it entails. And honestly, I would rather not eat at Chipotle for a whole week than sit in another class where either a student or professor rants about feminism.
Don’t get me wrong this article is not a rant about how women are better than men. I am not a feminist. This is simply about how no human is better than the other. I’ve got a beating heart and so do you.
I’ve always been the type of person to stand up for myself if someone disrespects me or criticizes something I believe in. I vividly remember boys tormenting me in elementary school because I was as tall or taller than them. Because I was tall, they saw me as masculine and made fun of me for appearing that way. Sorry I got you out in dodgeball, bud. Maybe you shouldn’t throw the ball like a girl.
Wait. Throw the ball like a girl, what’s that supposed to mean? What if a girl throws an 85mph pitch? Is that still considered throwing a ball “like a girl”? If so, then I guess all MLB athletes are girly girls.
If you were to give me football pads (no, not maxi-pads) I could probably take a guy, my size, out. Ask my brothers, they can attest to it. Although, I could probably find a way to use a maxi-pad and still put up a fight. See, girls aren’t as dumb or as boring as you think.
I never thought of myself, or females in general, as inferior to males. They might be wittier and less emotion-conscious as females, but any woman is capable of attending a prestigious college or being the President of the United States. We haven’t had a woman president yet because women are automatically seen as inferior. It’s based on personal opinion rather than facts and abilities. Males can’t wrap their head around the concept of “beauty and brains”. They are set on the idea that girls are either beautiful or smart, but never both. Boys, do you think you’re smarter than your mama?
Nothing gives me a good laugh like a group of guys making a joke and when you ask what they’re laughing at, they refuse to tell you.
“Oh you won’t understand.”
Oh honey, I understand. I understand that you won’t share your joke with me because it, most likely, demeans a woman and I will call you out for making such immature comments. Oh no, you can’t be embarrassed or dissed by a girl in front of your friends! That would be the end of the world!!!!
I never wanted to look like the women in the ads I saw on TV or in a magazine. Not only do I have self-respect, but I also didn’t care about what I looked like until my senior year of high school. My school pictures through the years absolutely support the previous statement.
What about a show where gender roles are reversed? Maybe a female version of Chuck Bass, a female version of Dr. Shepherd, or even a female Donald Trump is what America needs to realize that we are capable of upholding the same level of power.
Attending Saint Mary’s didn’t force the “feminist” out of me. If anything, Saint Mary’s taught me how to recognize and fight for what I believe in. No political, economic, or media, influences are an excuse nor do they cause me to rethink my experiences. Instead, all of these factors support my explanation of my experiences.
I don’t know about your experience, but about 80% of the people I see at Subway or Jimmy Johns making my sandwich are males. So, “cool story bro, look who’s making the sandwich now”.