Throughout my life, I have been very confused by the idea of modern feminism. I stare at the girls protesting for abortion rights and equal wages and I am confused. Do these women not see that women have already reached a point of equality? Sure, I understand women’s rights activists of the past, but that was when women were not allowed to vote or own property. Today women can do whatever they want without the help of men. Why do modern women’s rights activists continue to annoy society with this malarkey?
Then I read Susan Douglas’ article “Girls Gone Anti-Feminist” and I realize it is actually I who is foolish. I have fallen for the media’s trap. This trap tells women that we have reached our supreme point of being. They even suggest that we are the dominant sex because we control men through our sexuality and bodies. However, this is all a lie! The media puts on this front of “enlightened sexism” to make us believe that full equality has been achieved and it is okay to return to the sexist ideas of the past.
The media teaches us that women are more powerful when they are lusted after by men and envied by women. We see commercials selling us face cream that will give us a glowing complexion, bras that will add two cup sizes, and pills that will make us look like the super model in the commercial. The saddest part is the fact that we give into what the media is selling us!
The media has even discovered a clever way into thinking we have the upper hand on their ploys to sell us on sexist ideas. For example, think of a show like Jersey Shore. We see how ridiculous the female cast members on the show are and we certainly do not envy them, yet we continue to watch. As the viewer, we think we are smart to see through such trivial and ridiculous entertainment, but in reality, the media has us trapped and we become addicted to such programming.
Overall, this article has made me realize that women are not as equal as the media is portraying us to be. Now this does not mean that I am going to pick up a sign and run to the nearest women’s right protest to join in. However, I will attempt to be much more aware of the lies the media is telling me.