What Exactly Are We Saying? An Analysis of Today’s Derogatory Slang for Girls
There are lots of dirty words reserved for females, particularly those of high school age. But there are three words that, arguably, epitomize them all. Some are considered to be profane; others are not. As has been shouted down many a junior high hallway: “You are just a fat, slutty, lesbian.” This is enough to make some girls cry, others defiant. Still, they have an immeasurably notable effect on girls of this generation as a whole.
“Being” one of these words is, essentially, one of the worst things a teen girl could be branded as. Many of these words are used also as terms of endearment amongst certain clans of females; others find them dreadfully offensive. The words’ meanings fluctuate extremely based on by and to whom it is said. …
Every morning, you pull out your makeup bag before rushing out the door. As you pencil in your eyebrows, your waterline and around your lids, you don’t even think about what you’re doing and why. It’s as ordinary to you as brushing your hair and teeth.
Every morning, men don’t pull out their makeup bags like we do (for the most part). They don’t pencil in their eyebrows, their waterline and around their lids. They don’t make sure their flaws are covered and their cheekbones are flushed. And that’s normal — because something would be ‘wrong’ with them if they did. Men don’t wear makeup (for the most part).
But I want you to think about something that occurred to me the other day. My boyfriend and I were waking …
An Horse is a two-person indie rock band from Brisbane, Australia, comprising Kate Cooper of Iron On on vocals and guitar and Damon Cox of Intercooler on drums. In 2008 they toured the United States as an opening act for Tegan and Sara, prior to the release of their first album. In August 2008, they opened for Death Cab for Cutie for their Australian tour. They also opened for Silversun Pickups along with Cage The Elephant in October 2009 for an east coast leg of their Swoon tour.
To date An Horse has completed an EP, Not Really Scared, and an album, Rearrange Beds. Both were produced by ARIA award-winning Australian producer Magoo, at Applewood studios in Queensland. Rearrange Beds was available on iTunes as of 8 December 2008, and …
Saturday Vids: In Honor of the Endangered Species Summit
Today, I’m honored to report that I’m one of the panelists for the New York City branch of the Endangered Species Summit - an international summit occurring during March 2011. The aim of the summit, as the London branch put it, “is to save future generations of girls from the misery that turns women against their own bodies. The challenge – to make people understand how and why this is an emergency, to show them how they can do something about it, and to inspire them to embrace change.”
In honor of the summit, I’d like to take this opportunity to share some of my favorite videos on the topic of body image (and how generally fucked up it is in our society).
I’m a fourteen year-old girl and I wear a DD bra. I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve been asked what bra size I wear, and my response has always been, “It’s none of your business.” No matter how firmly I answer, the person will start laughing and ask again.
When boys speak to me, they tend to look at my breasts instead of my face. I mean its basic manners to look at someone in the face when having a conversation, but guess what? That’s not the worst the thing I’ve experienced because of my breasts.
Some boys in my year used to walk up to me, start a conversation, then grab my boob and walk off, laughing. At first I’d stand there thinking, “Did that really just happen?” …
This week, USC’s chapter of Kappa Sigma sent around an e-mail describing how to be an effective “cocksman,” calling a woman’s vagina her “pie” and her mouth/throat a “gullet.” The writer of the e-mail tells his fellow brothers to send him all of their hook-ups in “Tucker Max format” (Tucker Max is a douchebag who notoriously glamorizes his womanizing and drunken antics as epic adventures) and females are “targets” who “aren’t actual people like us men. Consequently, giving them a certain name or distinction is pointless.”
That isn’t even the worst of it. The e-mail classifies women’s “pies” by race, and says “non-consent and rape are two different things,” and includes a rating system to evaluate each woman’s looks. (Read the whole e-mail here on Jezebel). The chapter …
In my time as a semi-out bisexual teenager, I’ve encountered plenty of supportive, kind, loving people who have not cared about my sexuality or have been able to relate to me because of it. I’ve met plenty of people who don’t know much about bisexuality, but aren’t really against it either.
Those people I can deal with.
It’s the few people I’ve met who have prejudices against bisexual people, have huge misconceptions about us, or are very nervous around us because of above said misconceptions or prejudices that irk me greatly.
Its difficult being a bisexual teenager, and many straight individuals aren’t aware of or just don’t understand these difficulties. So, I’d like to let you into my world a little bit, so that the next time you encounter a bisexual …
A week ago today (March 8th), countries around the world celebrated the hundredth anniversary of International Women’s Day. But surely, one hundred years after its conception, women don’t need their own special day anymore? What about an International Men’s Day, hmm?
The answer is that the 364 other days of the year belong to men. It’s more important than ever that a day specifically for women is celebrated: to see how far we have come, and to see how far we have to go.
No one can deny that in one hundred years, huge amounts have been achieved. When I woke up on Tuesday, I was proud to be an independent woman, able to live, work and travel freely, able to study at a university and be awarded a degree …
