im feeling very sad for feminism today… i think where we went wrong was trying to commodify and commercialize feminism with these “girl power” and “the future is female” t shirts which were created by this minimalistic pastel aesthetic and kind of softened what previously was a very anarchist and rebellious movement (see early 90s feminist rock bands which glamorized the opposite of femininity with shaved hair, unshaved pits and legs, no makeup)
and now we have artists like ariana grande, nicki minaj, fifth harmony, daya, etc (this isn’t a callout post for them i don’t care about them as individuals i’m just commenting on a trend in pop culture perpetrated by the music industry) who put out music with feminist sentiments but absolutely no evidence of actively rebelling against societal expectations for women. “i don’t need boys i don’t need to be pretty i don’t need to be sexy” performed in scantily clad clothing with makeup sponsored by perfume and makeup companies is proof that capitalistic pressure has kind of destroyed the rebellious nature of the feminist movement.
so now we have a generation of girls raised on the internet convinced that performing femininity and caking their natural face in makeup in order to conform to unrealistic standards of beauty, placing their worth in their physical appearance inherently by paying money in order to appease some made up standard of what is acceptable for women, and they’ve convinced themselves that this, this conformity of expectation of feminist for women, is inherently feminist?
like it sucks like you guys know feminism is a counteractive movement right? like you know to be feminist is to rebel right? it’s not enough to consume pretty, neat, but wholly hypocritical ideals of feminism. it’s lazy. we have a generation of girls who want to adhere to expectations for women, who want to become that ideal that men have constructed, but now because they “reclaimed” it, that’s feminist?
like no sorry you Can do those things you Can put on makeup and shave and look pretty and girl you Can but don’t pretend that’s feminist it’s literally not. you’re not helping feminism the commodification of feminism is not helpful. men are not upset by you saying “the future is female” when you still look pretty and pink and non-threatening. we aren’t liberated by expectation just because you are now accepting of it. feminism is not complacency.
this post doesn’t apply to the reclaimation of femininity in the context of trans women which is a whole other discussion but generally i think the idea still applies. thanks
and like you know what else sucks? the fact that women are going to reply to this saying “SOMEONE doesn’t know how to apply makeup” as if that’s some burn like no i never felt compelled to because makeup clogs your pores which makes you break out which makes it easier for the makeup industry to sell you shit for your skin which wouldn’t be happening if you didn’t put that shit on your face. acne is natural, washing your face is natural, but clogging ur pores that much is not. it’s an industrial decision.
also like women today who love makeup And feminism mocking gnc women sound exactly like men in the 70s who protested feminism on the basis that it makes women “man hating lesbians” so congrats?
die mad about it but makeup and shaving isn’t feminist even if it’s a “personal choice/preference”. it was socially ingrained in you from birth to perform this way so the easiest choice is to accept it but it isn’t feminist.
normal internet denizens who have friends: Oh yes, the chat application that replaced skype a long time ago, I spend much of my time socializing on there
me: i;gm howling at the moon
anyone: tiktok
normal ppl well-versed in internet culture: Oh yes, the short video hosting app that’s gained popularity in the wake of vine’s demise as a platform for video memes that I know all about and watch regularly
me: tik tok,. on the clock, but the party dont stop no,
[ Image description: A Facebook post by Lateisha Dionne that reads
“Your granny’s 40,50+ plus year marriage isn’t goals to me if she had to accept non stop infidelities, struggle love, 2nd class citizenship in her home, silencing herself to survive it, seeing her man’s face in neighbourhood kids and her worth only being based off her culinary and child rearing abilities sir. These are Not goals.
Trauma bonds, a lack of resources and tradition kept many of our grandmothers with their husbands. stop shaming millennials for having the audacity to expect respect and reciprocity.”
me, a lesbian, mistaking a nice twink for a nice butch lesbian: [gives him the lesbian nod]
him, a twink, mistaking me for a twink: [gives me the gay once over]
me, a sensitive dyke: [calls an uber and spends the whole time misty eyed, wondering why this nice butch would look me over like i wasn’t a HUMAN BEING, like i was something to be gawked at. i ignore my Uber driver’s attempt at small talk, staring out the window and questioning everything i know about life, meaning, and the pursuit of lesbianism]
him, a confused gay: [stares at the space this twink just vacated, completely floored. a nod. does he think this is a game. does he think this is a joke. this isn’t a PTA meeting where you nod at your old friend but also secret enemy Brenda from across the room. was i not even worth the once over. have i lost my game. what does this mean]
Maybe this is what the straights mean when they say we’re confused.
