(I took this from the Meninist Facebook page. I’ve seen a few FB friends share it with no commentary, and it’s super disappointing to me. Here’s why.)
There are a lot of problems I could address with it regarding definitions of feminism and empowerment and equality*, as well as its basic misunderstanding of the dichotomous imbalance in our society that makes this person’s suggestions for empowerment so unreasonable, but the one that I think is most essential to talk about right now is the command to “do something worthwhile and notable.”
All the suggestions it offers on how to be notable and worthwhile are based in conventional ideas of success. Things that either grant you power/authority or push forward the accepted ideal of progress. The …show more content…
Or imagine your daughter or niece or friend’s daughter if that’s easier. Now say to that girl “Someday, if you want to be taken seriously and matter as a woman/person, you’ll need to cut that ‘personality’ and ‘independent thought’ and ‘bodily autonomy’ shit out. Fuck loving yourself and your body. Fuck promoting an environment where people are unbound by ever-changing standards of appearance. Fuck anything you want from life if it isn’t focused on the machine of capitalism and expectation. Without a doubt, someday you’ll have body fat and body hair and acne, and maybe some dreams that make you happy but just aren’t very productive. I’m here to tell that those are problems. Your body is a problem that will distract the world from progress. Fix the problem. It is more important to shave yourself down to the perfect size and smoothness and temperament than it is to build yourself up into a person of strength and thought and empathy. This world owns your body, and it owns the output of your mind. You are worthless outside of that.” Now look at the caged woman that girl grows into, and tell me if you still believe this bullshit that you’re sharing on
There are a lot of problems I could address with it regarding definitions of feminism and empowerment and equality*, as well as its basic misunderstanding of the dichotomous imbalance in our society that makes this person’s suggestions for empowerment so unreasonable, but the one that I think is most essential to talk about right now is the command to “do something worthwhile and notable.”
All the suggestions it offers on how to be notable and worthwhile are based in conventional ideas of success. Things that either grant you power/authority or push forward the accepted ideal of progress. The …show more content…
Or imagine your daughter or niece or friend’s daughter if that’s easier. Now say to that girl “Someday, if you want to be taken seriously and matter as a woman/person, you’ll need to cut that ‘personality’ and ‘independent thought’ and ‘bodily autonomy’ shit out. Fuck loving yourself and your body. Fuck promoting an environment where people are unbound by ever-changing standards of appearance. Fuck anything you want from life if it isn’t focused on the machine of capitalism and expectation. Without a doubt, someday you’ll have body fat and body hair and acne, and maybe some dreams that make you happy but just aren’t very productive. I’m here to tell that those are problems. Your body is a problem that will distract the world from progress. Fix the problem. It is more important to shave yourself down to the perfect size and smoothness and temperament than it is to build yourself up into a person of strength and thought and empathy. This world owns your body, and it owns the output of your mind. You are worthless outside of that.” Now look at the caged woman that girl grows into, and tell me if you still believe this bullshit that you’re sharing on