Once upon a time little girls everywhere aspired to be princesses.
It was cute, it was fun and no one complained.
Then feminism happened.
(Don't get confused here and think I have any desire for things to be like they were back in the day when women had no rights and no vote and no voice. Because I don't.)
Somewhere along that road though, the word princess became a dirty word.
The masculinization of women became the goal, rather than embracing the strengths that inherently belong to women. If you dreamt of a Prince Charming you were weak. If you hoped for a knight in shining armor you were dependent and delusional. If you focused on feminine traits and the strength of being kind and gentle, you were shunned.
More recently it seems to be swinging back to somewhere in the middle.
I know some people that are hugely bothered by this. I'm sorry if you're one of them.
I'm glad that it's become ok to celebrate being feminine again. And I'm grateful that more people seem to realize that feminine doesn't equal weak. Very often the quiet and enduring strength of women is the most amazing strength there is.
I saw this little clip yesterday.
It actually made me all teary.
I am blessed to be a part of a religion, and really a culture that celebrates the divine nature of women.
After I shared that Disney clip on Facebook, a friend sent me this link.
Love it.
Be amazing.
Be a force for good.
Be a Princess.
4 comments:
You do not understand what Feminism is all about. It is not about the masculinization of women.
The princess video: "I think standing up for myself is important...and standing up for others is more important."
This IS feminism.
The LDS video "I have unlimited ability....I am unstoppable....I am involved....I stand up for my beliefs...I follow Jesus Christ."
This IS feminism.
Feminism has changed the Disney princesses.
Compare Snow White (made in 1937)with Rapunzel (Tangled 2010). Their personalities are worlds apart. Who would you want your daughters to emulate more?
Do you really think that just because Snow White is very sweet and domestic and trusting of the Witch and who waits to be saved by her Prince that she is somehow better than the much more assertive Rapunzel?
They both should be allowed to BE the way that they want to be. Not boxed into a label of "too feminine" or "too masculine."
Feminism is not trying to turn women into men. It wants women to be free to choose their own path in life....whatever path that might be....without scorn or judgement for stepping outside traditional gender roles.
JUST like the message of the two videos you posted. (The LDS video showed quite a few women in professional settings)
No, I don't misunderstand what it is about, or rather what it SHOULD be about and what it began as. Like I said, somewhere along the road things shifted. The definition of feminism shifted to the extreme and it went from celebrating the strengths inherent to women and the fact that we are capable of great things and deserve the opportunity to show the world that, to we must be just like men.
You're right, both videos are exactly what feminism was born to be.
I am glad it has shifted back that direction from the years of it being about trumping and demonizing men, and having to be exactly like them to feel equal. It is possible to be different and still be equal, which is, in my opinion, how things should be anyway. Equal rights and opportunities while still embracing the inherent differences between men and women.
Beautiful post and so true! Women and Men are not created equal and we should appreciate what makes women so wonderful instead of making it a race to equality.
isn't that your family doing the harlem shake????? that is hilarious!
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