Reading Post #49

[desertvixen]

 He's a Stud, She's a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know by Jessica Valenti of Feministing.com.

 Go forth and read it.  None of it is really new, which is the point.  Women deal with this stuff every damn day.  Some of the topics are small, and some aren't.  But most of them are going to sound really familiar...

 Men who have lots of sex, who score, are studs.  They're envied.  They have achieved something,
 Women who have lots of sex, are sluts.  They're dirty.  They lose something.  

 Women in charge are bitches.  Women who speak up are loud, we're shrill, we're grating.
 Men who are in charge are leaders.  Men who speak up are respected, are listened to.

 Women who are angry are too angry.

 Women who don't conform to a certain standard of beauty are sloppy - but women who put a lot of time into grooming are vain.
 
 And how often do men get stopped on the street and asked why they're not smiling?

 There's a few annoying typos, including Gem when it clearly should have been Jem (outrageous, I know), and I find the use of pet terms for the vagina a little annoying, but it's definitely worth reading.

 DV

Comments

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

Has anyone really stopped someone on the street to ask why they aren't smiling? My God, I would call the police.

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

Someone I didn't know asked me "why I had such a long face" once and I felt like saying, "because you asked me that stupid ass question". I forgot what I really said. I probably just mumbled and space cadeted off.

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

Eww, like its anybodies business.

I would have said, "Cuz the voices are pissing me off."

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

LOL That would have been good, too.

Yeah, I don't know what he was thinking. Smiling just takes too much work sometimes, heh. It might take more muscles to frown, but dammit, it's more comfortable. :)

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

I second that. Though I do have an annoying habit of saying hello to people on the street and holding the door open for ladies.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

Neither of which is a problem.

In fact, when I was pregnant and now that I travel with a toddler, I pray for guys like you to come along and open the door.

DV

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

Then I stand in the doorway and blow them kisses and ask them if they will be my sniggle muffin!!!!!

(j/k)

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

I don't mind people holding the door for me or saying hello or smiling. I often do all of the above (sans the hello, unless I know you - but I often do smile!), especially when I see someone who needs help with the door.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

They don't usually do it to men.

It's not always a question either, but more of a command/request directed at women: "Why don't you smile?" or "You'd be so pretty if you smiled."

DV

[cinchntouch.livejournal.com]

I've heard, "You'd be pretty if you smiled." How droll.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

Droll's not usually the word I use. :)

DV

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

I HATE the pet names for vagina. I can deal with vag. But "va-jay-jay" makes me want to punch holes in the walls.

V-A-G-I-N-A, there is nothing to be ashamed of when saying the proper term, folks! REALLY.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

She kept using na-na, which I found a little elss annoying than vajayjay.

The vajayjay thing irritated me because it was perfectly okay to say PENIS numerous times on the same show.

Yes, I am teacing the MV all the proper names for her body parts.

DV

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

I forget what show it was on. I heard it on Keeping up With the Kardashians, but I know it didn't originate there.

I think na-na is just as bad, personally. It's more baby-fied, as well.

[desert-vixen.livejournal.com]

The vajayjay thing started on Grey's Anatomy, I think (which is even more screwed up because it's a medical term and a medical show).

Na-na sounds like something you call your grandmother.

DV

[rockahulababy.livejournal.com]

I actually call my grandma "na na" sometimes, so that's another reason. :\ The last thing I want to be thinking of when I see/talk to/think of my grandma is a vagina.

Yeah, it's pretty bad when such a ridiculous term gets it's start on a medical show of all places.