Friday, June 27, 2014

What I want the Media to stop telling my daughters

*this is a rant and you might not agree with it.

Dear Media,

STOP. 

Stop telling my daughters that if someone tells them they are pretty that it is a backhanded compliment meant to hold them back in life.  http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/24/verizon-ad-tells-parents-to-encourage-girls_n_5526236.html?ncid=fcbklnkushpmg00000046&ir=Women

Stop marketing pink erector sets and legos and telling my girls that they can build stuff---but only if it's pink or purple.  (Look at this lego ad from 1981, they knew what was up!)



Stop telling my daughters that if a man holds a door open for them (or extends a number of other kindnesses) that it means that he is condescending her and that he is establishing dominance.

Stop telling my daughters that they can live out their dreams and do whatever they want but then patronize them for wanting to be a mother.

Stop telling my daughters that learning to protect themselves contributes to rape culture.

Stop telling my daughters that if they value modesty they are contributing to rape culture.

Stop telling my daughters that if they aren't in a leadership position that they are deliberately being silenced.

Stop telling my daughters that being like a man is the only way they will succeed in business.

Stop telling my daughters that there is no such thing as a "boy sport" or a "boy toy" or a "boy color" and then stop telling them that they might be transgendered if they enjoy playing with or doing boy things. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yAHCqnux2fk

Stop telling my daughters that being "just" a mother is unfulfilling.

Stop telling my daughters that they can't want to look pretty and be intelligent at the same time.

Stop telling my daughters that men and women are the same.

Stop telling my daughters that kindness is a weakness.

Stop telling my daughters that terms of endearment are demeaning.

I don't want my girls to grow up believing that they are less, or looking for an insult in every compliment, or feeling oppressed...

So please, Media, STOP TEACHING MY DAUGHTERS THAT BEING FEMALE MAKES THEM VICTIMS. 

Sincerely Yours,
A Fed Up Mama




**Disclaimer: I fully understand that there are serious problems related to gender inequality and that those problems need to be addressed---but in my opinion, being empowered comes when you decide not to be a victim and the ideas listed above only compound the problem. 





4 comments:

  1. I hope the same for my daughters, and thanks for the "rant!"

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  2. Awesome rant!!! You nailed a lot of my frustrations, too!!
    I'm curious- especially since I don't have boys and don't think of things like this- what would a boy's list for boys include?

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  3. Another great post! Rant on! Love this & you!

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