Ha ha, I can relate to this ;) When I was a very l...

2008-05-04T06:50:00.000-07:00

Ha ha, I can relate to this ;) When I was a very little girl I was pretty oblivious to whether something should be specifically boy-or-girl, and universally liked dolls, dinosaurs, airplanes, cars, and stuffed animals. When I was in mid-elementary school I went through a very girlish stage with liking colors like pink and purple, dolls, and childish things like that. But around 4th grade and on, I became pretty indifferent to it all (stopped liking dresses, pink, didn’t want anything to do with cheerleading, etc.). I’ve grown to be so indifferent to “girl-ish” things that when a teacher remarked that I didn’t seem like the type to talk about “make-up” with other girls, I first thought she was referring make-up tests and quizzes, as opposed to cosmetics. I think my parents actually find this anecdote rather relief inducing; in addition to the fact that I’m much more interested in playing volleyball and studying foreign languages than I am in chasing boys (see “Bend It Like Beckham” ;P). Not to mention that I’m practically averse to any kind of shopping except for books or computer games ^__^. My English Teacher has been trying to convince me to attend prom, and if I do, I’m going to wear a blazer and slacks, no dress. Or maybe cosplay. I like your definition of girl as being a descriptive term applying only one’s chromosomal and physical makeup (no pun intended), with no limitations placed on the girl’s capabilities and interests. I agree wholeheartedly ^^
I’d like to note that the image of girls in manga/anime/video games is slowly beginning to evolve into something (or rather, a position) beyond eye candy. Sure, there have been a couple of exceptions in the past, but now that more girls are beginning to play the games at younger ages, the business has had to adapt a less belittling or condescending view of girls.
My dad and I were talking about college majors the other day (argh, after being lectured about junior/senior year for about five years straight I’m now going through the actual process and it’s so damn annoying!!), and apparently the English literature degree was actually developed so that girls would have something “safe” to study so they wouldn’t go and outperform boys or “get in over their head” in some subject like physics or mathematics. Hmph! So much for something safe to study— I actually have a great-aunt (or maybe great-great-aunt, I can’t remember) who was a Neurosurgeon in the early 20th century. (granted, her father was also a prominent doctor, so she did have help—but still \^-^/ *dance dance*)
However, I will admit that (in part due to my brother’s incessant love of the series) I have never been a particular devotee to the Star Wars movies (I do like A New Hope though). The whole movie industry is infuriating though (Lord of the Rings included in this case)—one of my mother’s favorite things to say about Disney is that to Disney, the Powerful Women are always evil (From Snow White to Sleeping Beauty to Shrek). She’s got a good point. Women seem to have an increasingly less varying number of films with interesting and complex women to portray (one of the multiple reasons I love Helen Mirren, not to mention the german movie Beyond Silence). The films seem to be all about shallow girls who just like to have fun, or they’re evil and trying to destroy the good guys. Or at least, that’s what if feels like. There are so few American films with central female characters who seem like genuine people are so few and those that do fill this requisite never seem to be very popular. Leia seems to be a semi-exception though…but she was thirty-some years ago. Proof was good though. And Hermione is as much a Role Model as ever ^^

Haha, yes! I think that was the one! Apparently, S...

2008-05-03T13:26:00.000-07:00

Haha, yes! I think that was the one! Apparently, Star Wars was a boy's movie. Who knew??

robin: Huh, I hadn't made the connection between "...

2008-05-03T09:01:00.000-07:00

robin: Huh, I hadn't made the connection between "prescriptive/descriptive" and "is/ought", but that's a really good point.

And was the Ewok lunchbox you had this one? I think I remember people carrying that around. I had this one starting in around fourth grade.

I will never forget my surprise and utter *confusi...

2008-05-03T03:48:00.000-07:00

I will never forget my surprise and utter *confusion* when a young-me came to school with a red ewok-laden lunch box and was told, quite simply, that it was a "boy's" lunchbox.

I couldn't comprehend what that meant - had I accidentally bought something I couldn't use? I seemed to be using it just fine... Did this mean the kids were going to think I was a boy? It was really confusing for me as a child to figure out what was going on. It took awhile (I'm a bit slow with these things) but I finally realized that what all the children meant was that girls *ought* to carry pink lunchboxes simply because they overwhelmingly *did* carry pink lunchboxes.

It would be another dozen years before Hume's claim that you can't get an ought from an is would remind me of that lunchbox!

Comments on Existence is Wonderful: Descriptive, Not Prescriptive

Ha ha, I can relate to this ;) When I was a very l...

Haha, yes! I think that was the one! Apparently, S...

robin: Huh, I hadn't made the connection between "...

I will never forget my surprise and utter *confusi...