Feminism | Posted by Julie Z on 12/16/2009
We’re Not Just Watching Gossip Girl
Jessica Watson
It really pisses me off when adults assume that girls my age are the most vapid, self-centered generation to ever have come along. Especially since that was probably assumed of their generation, too. It’s a vicious cycle.
Anyway, when I heard about Jessica Watson, a sixteen-year-old from Australia who is in the midst of becoming the youngest sailor to circumnavigate the globe, I wanted to point her out to all of those cranky old people and say, “SEE WE HAVE AMBITIONS. WE ARE DOING STUFF PEOPLE YOUR AGE COULD NEVER EVEN DREAM OF!”
Except that probably wouldn’t have worked if those curmudgeons are anything like T.J. Simers over at the L.A. Times. Faced with the news that another 16 year old, Abby Sunderland, wants to sail around the world solo, Sir Simers felt that her parents were being “abusive” for even entertaining the idea and should be “hauled off to counseling or jail.”
He even goes so far as to say: I don’t let my daughter walk to her car by herself at night, and it’s parked in our driveway and she’s 33. But these folks are going to let their 16-year-old become a human bobber day and night on the ocean because it’s been the child’s dream since she was 13. My daughter dreamed she would marry Prince Charming one day. She ended up with a Grocery Store Bagger, and amazingly is both happy and pregnant.
What the eff? First of all, if that first sentiment is true (as a joke, it fails) then clearly he needs to BACK OFF. He later states, “Right now I’d try to stop my daughter from crossing the ocean by herself on a cruise ship.” Right. Our daughters are delicate and need to be protected! How dare they attempt to do anything on their own, let alone something most men can’t even do! Sure, to be fair to him, he doesn’t bring up gender. But really? How worried would he be, thinking about his son alone on the water? Wouldn’t he just praise him for being tough and brave? And maybe T.J. isn’t thinking that. But I’m sure there are people who are.
Of course there is a lot of danger to sailing around the world solo. But that’s true for everybody who would attempt to do it, and both of these girls have been sailing their whole lives. While I get the parent perspective of safety…is it really the worst thing in the world to let your daughter follow her dream, if she is in fact capable of it? It’s not like they’re sending her off into the ocean on some raft, uncertain as to whether or not they’ll ever see her again. Technology has improved a heck of a lot, since, y’know, the middle ages and whatnot.
Also, when Mike Perham, 17, became the youngest sailor to sail around the world just a few months ago nobody seemed that worried. I don’t know. I’m just saying.
Jessica has her own blog about her trip, which for me has been really rewarding to read. This girl didn’t just do this on a whim – she’s smart and passionate.
So when good ol’ T.J. posed the question: How mature is a 16-year-old girl, who makes the choice to spend months on the water instead of in the mall with her friends? I’d say pretty freaking mature. And awesome.
(11 votes, average: 4.73 out of 5)
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Read other posts about: circumnavigating the globe, Jessica Watson, L.A. Times, Mike Perham, T.J. Simers, teenagers
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Helen H. @ at 11:15 am, December 16th, 2009
Wow. That really is awesome. Kudos to Jessica, I’ll be following her blog because this looks interesting.
Claire @ at 3:54 pm, December 16th, 2009
I read that article, made me so flippin’ mad!!
A girl that chooses to do something like that instead of go to the mall is incredible in my view. Thanks for the post.
littleshotlarry @ at 4:12 pm, December 16th, 2009
That dude is a total fool.
Morgan @ at 7:36 pm, December 16th, 2009
This is awesome! I’ve read of this girl before and honestly I think she is and will be an inspiration to so many girls and women.
Sommer Pemberton @ at 8:03 pm, December 16th, 2009
MMMM…. I love it how adults point out things that -about us-that they most definitely did when they were our age (probably
).
Also I find it completely unfair how my mother let’s my brother have more freedom them me -even when he was my age- and I’ve gone and trained in Ju jit su, so I think I’d be able to kick butt if someone did attack me. I think their love blinds them or something.
drewsiedrewsie @ at 10:57 pm, December 16th, 2009
good for jessica! her journey is so inspiring.
Elisa @ at 11:22 pm, December 16th, 2009
There was a 14 yr old girl from the Netherlands who wanted to sale solo around the world, her parents were helping her prepare, she was ready to go when Dutch authorities stepped in a stopped her. I can’t remember her name right now otherwise I’d look up the story for more accurate details!
dana_mai @ at 10:49 am, December 17th, 2009
As a 16-year-old myself, i’m currently undergoing all the prejudices and double-standards that adults push on women, teenage girls in particular. It’s horrible and seriously warped.
I love reading your blog (which i discovered just a few days ago) because i feel like you verbalize all the emotions i’m going through myself, and your articles always attack injustices in a fresh way, and with a personal tone that makes me feel like we could be friends.
As for these aspiring sailors, i believe that nothing should hold them back from their dreams. And they shouldn’t pay any mind to T.J. He’s obviously an asshole.
Jain @ at 1:29 pm, December 17th, 2009
This girl is amazing!
The guy who wrote about her is
some bitter wannabe.
I’m 62 and I am a fan of this site.
You go grrrls!
body loving blogosphere 12.20.09 @ at 7:14 pm, December 20th, 2009
[...] the fbomb, Support Women Artists Sunday: Florence & the Machine (watch the videos !!) and We’re Not Just Watching Gossip Girl [...]
PatriarchySlayer @ at 1:52 am, December 21st, 2009
Holy shit, if I ever had a daughter who wanted to do that, I would help her in whatever way I can. See it’s a vicious cycle of shit. Adults say what stupid, immature, air-headed girls are in this generation, but as soon as their girls want to do something exciting and mature they tell them it’s not safe. They can’t have it both ways!
Kelly @ at 11:36 am, December 21st, 2009
Many kudos to Jessica! That is awesome.
Also, I think the man in the article means well by walking his daughter to the car. As a parent, he cares about her and wants to make sure she’s okay. I don’t think hes being overbearing or sexist. Not everyone lives in a nice area.
My father was a New York CIty cop for nearly 30 years- both him and my mother (a social worker) are always worried about my safety. I’m 18 and they’re always calling to see if I’m safe. It’s a basic part of being a parent.
Jenny @ at 3:19 pm, December 24th, 2009
Eigentlich bin ich ja nicht so der “Blog-Fan” aber nach deinem Artikel ?berleg ich mir das glaube ich nochmal. Danke!
shuvo @ at 12:37 am, December 29th, 2009
i have been looking for a jessica type girl to make friendship..i love her……….
High Schooler sets the record straight @ at 5:02 pm, February 11th, 2010
[...] our lives are not devoid of purposeful pastimes. Julie Z, of Fbomb fame, begins her great blog about Jessica Watson(a sixteen-year-old Australian who plans to sail around the world solo) by saying “It really [...]
chris @ at 2:22 pm, May 15th, 2010
I agree that the young lady in question has done an amazing thing. I don’t care what sex she is and neither should anyone else. This isn’t a feminist philophy though. If you want to be truly independent and self sufficient I would urge you to stop viewing the world through a gender lense and start viewing it through a human one. This way, the next time you see some moron write proudly of how he ’shot low’ in his expectations for his children, and his low expectations were rewarded, you won’t get so upset.
izle @ at 3:24 pm, April 10th, 2011
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