The Feminine Feminist

So, Heidi, Marie and I had an interesting conversation last week and I wanted to continue that dialog online. Rather than assume what they would say about the conversation, I will let you know what I got out of it.

For most of my life I have been tangled up in the idea of what kind of woman I am supposed to be. One of the luxuries about growing up is that the older I get the less I care about other people's opinions of me. The more I am able to be me. When I was younger I was a bit confused in terms of how I could paint my finger nails a different color each week, but deck a guy for pinching my butt. I guess I have a bit of both the Tomboy and the Girly girl inside of me and am just recently realizing that being both is okay.

In terms of the feminist movement, I have always considered myself a feminist, but have never wanted to associate myself with that activist group. This video below is part of the reason why.

Check it out.


video provided by TrixiFilms. Visit the youtube channel here.

I believed the stereotype. I thought that feminism was meant for women who wanted to be higher on the food chain than men, wanted men to suffer. I never wanted that, I just wanted to be respected as I walked down the street or into a job interview.

Here is another video of women giving their viewpoints on feminism


Video also provided by Trixie Films

But today I am willing to call myself a feminist, but I am also willing to admit that I love high heels, doing my hair, looking sexy for my fiance and feeling sexy.

Does anyone else out there struggle with these stereotypes?

There is so much that I could dive into right now. The idea that you can't be pretty and smart, that a strong independent woman can't like to get her nails done or get gussied up once in a while.

I found a great article written by a 17 year old girl. Read it here.

Let me know what you think about this subject.
--Lauren

What will become of this...

Hello again everyone. Times have been pretty busy lately. Just wanted to share a little something with you. I have been tossing the "White Picket Fence" stereotype around in my head for quite sometime now and have wanted to make a piece in regards to it. At first I thought I would just install a larger than life white picket fence in the gallery space. But, time does have a way of changing a girl's mind and I have now decided on something else.

The above crappy photo is the 7 fence posts I purchased at Home Depot today. I have begun painting them white and will eventually lay them side by side and attach them all together to make an awesome CANVAS!

In the mean time, I need your help once again. If you could share with me any symbols, icons, images that come to your mind when you think of the words female, woman, feminine, relationships (I think that is it for now) I would greatly appreciate it. These symbols can be both stereotypes as well as realities. I would like to eventually mix the two together onto my new canvas.

Some examples thus far:
Earth, Apple, Cherry, Bride, Barbie, Brains, Lion

Thank you in advance for your help!
Lauren