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Word of the Day
Feb. 20th, 2016 06:27 pmfeminine
A while back, this Lego ad was circulating along with condemnations of the dreadful trend of gender segregated toys.
Something about the argument felt wrong to me, but at the time I couldn't nail it down. I think I can explain it now.
I think that back then there was just as much social pressure on girls to be just like the kids in the ads as there is now. Sure we've replaced tomboys with princesses and jeans with skirts (or leggings), but we're still telling little girls who they should be.
As girls, women in my peer group learned to hate the color pink, refuse to wear skirts, play kickball with the boys, and grow up to be doctors. At that time it was unfeminist to be feminine, and feminism ruled the day.
As stubborn and individualist as I am, I may be over 50 before I'm no longer embarrassed by my urges to use purple ink, wear long skirts, and have lacy curtains. The 70's may have been the golden age of feminism (I hope not!) but girls were still being pressured to conform to social expectations.
A while back, this Lego ad was circulating along with condemnations of the dreadful trend of gender segregated toys.
Something about the argument felt wrong to me, but at the time I couldn't nail it down. I think I can explain it now.
I think that back then there was just as much social pressure on girls to be just like the kids in the ads as there is now. Sure we've replaced tomboys with princesses and jeans with skirts (or leggings), but we're still telling little girls who they should be.
As girls, women in my peer group learned to hate the color pink, refuse to wear skirts, play kickball with the boys, and grow up to be doctors. At that time it was unfeminist to be feminine, and feminism ruled the day.
As stubborn and individualist as I am, I may be over 50 before I'm no longer embarrassed by my urges to use purple ink, wear long skirts, and have lacy curtains. The 70's may have been the golden age of feminism (I hope not!) but girls were still being pressured to conform to social expectations.
