Nothing is more paralyzing than the horrifying realization that you, and the rest of your kind are concealed from sight. The knowledge that, although people reject your existence, they are still frightened of you. The lore which surrounds your being pegs you as a monster capable of eating men, of hypnotizing and brainwashing children, and turning women into bloodsucking monsters. It would be easy to think I’m talking about ghosts, ghouls, or goblins but I’m not. I’m talking about the reality many feminists live on a daily basis. We live in a world where the “legality” of a woman's age and body is the only factor keeping adult men from approaching underaged girls. “Hey, baby, you 18?” is something young girls hear from the time they start puberty.
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Where men are expected to lead, and take charge, but a woman who takes charge is “bossy” and “controlling. Where women being used as props in movies, TV, music videos, books, comics, video games, ads, photo shoots, news broadcasts, magazines and literally EVERY type of media, is not only normal, but encouraged. Many of the most popular films, such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and Star Wars fail to pass even a simple Bechdel test, of which the only rules are that at some point, during the movie two named women have a conversation about ANYTHING but men. Considering that, in day to day life, women talk with all sorts of different people, about a large variety of things, this doesn't seem to represent life as we live it. Exaggerated busts, and shrinking waistlines speak louder than words. This reduction of women to objects in our society creates a hostile environment for girls and women. All of these factors are enough to drain a girl of hope, and with other girls bullying and berating one another who is it that young women have to turn to? The answer is no
Where men are expected to lead, and take charge, but a woman who takes charge is “bossy” and “controlling. Where women being used as props in movies, TV, music videos, books, comics, video games, ads, photo shoots, news broadcasts, magazines and literally EVERY type of media, is not only normal, but encouraged. Many of the most popular films, such as Harry Potter, Lord of the Rings, Avatar, and Star Wars fail to pass even a simple Bechdel test, of which the only rules are that at some point, during the movie two named women have a conversation about ANYTHING but men. Considering that, in day to day life, women talk with all sorts of different people, about a large variety of things, this doesn't seem to represent life as we live it. Exaggerated busts, and shrinking waistlines speak louder than words. This reduction of women to objects in our society creates a hostile environment for girls and women. All of these factors are enough to drain a girl of hope, and with other girls bullying and berating one another who is it that young women have to turn to? The answer is no