Questions for Us

I’ve been waiting for some time to write about some of the positive and wonderful women, who are around me, as well as ‘out there.’ So. Many.

BUT, every time I want to inject some beautiful and inspiring stories into this blog, something infuriating pops up and I just have to voice my opposition to it.

Today is such a day.

I was talking to some of my Year 12 Drama students and one girl questioned my perspective, saying that I should just see guys and girls as equals.

I explained to her that I do see us as equal – that’s the whole point of my starting this blog.

Intellectually we ARE equal. There is nothing a female mind can’t do, that a male brain can.

But from a young age (and getting younger all the time), the brain seems to be the least important part to be cultivated in girls – and boys – from a consumer machine that just wants girls to start, as early as possible, in feeling they need to be ‘on display’, feel insecure and continually strive to ‘improve’ themselves…well into adulthood. Cha-ching!
And our boys are being told they are nothing but walking erections who must NEVER show ‘feminine’ traits – such as crying; the only emotion permitted being anger and force.

A pretty penny, these companies are making from this scheme. But the insatiable drive to make more and more money, means the line is being continually pushed. Sometimes it’s outrageous what gets put out there but, sadly, at other times we are so desensitised, that we don’t think it’s that bad.

Two words – Lingerie. Football. Lingerie. Football.

It’s an innovation from the United States (surprise!) and it’s launching in Australia soon. This is what they wear:

…garter belts, skimpy ‘uniforms,’ little bow ties…mix this with an audience full of men, drinking beer…*shaking head*

A lot of the U.S. players, posed for Playboy…Gasp! Surprise #2.

We don’t want ANY girl to aspire to this…

Do we?

Nor do we want to desensitise our boys to see this as the only value women and girls (females) carry.

There’s a saying – ‘It takes a village to raise a child’ – well now, more than ever – we need to raise our voices – mums, dads, aunts, uncles, white collar, blue collar – and say:

NO! We don’t want this! There’s enough hardship to add this.

I simply can’t see any positives to this, for either our girls or our boys.

How can boys and young men have respectful attitudes towards women, when women are continually being objectified EVERYWHERE they look? A sense of entitlement also gets nurtured within males and that becomes dangerous for females.

More importantly:

Question #37: How do our young girls and boys navigate through this and come through unscathed?

We only need look around and see that there’s obviously something very wrong because it’s the women who sign up to be objectified.

It’s time for an intervention.

If there are any government bodies you can write to – please do. The ‘league’ is coming next year, so there’s time to act. The more voices the better.

The promoters are Triple M (radio station) and at this stage, Telecafe is a sponsor – bombard them with emails!

We are the village.

Deep Breath

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