Oops

“Advertisers must convince young women that they are in need of constant improvement—largely to get and keep boys’ attention—without threatening young women’s views of themselves as intelligent, self-directed, and equal. Buzz words like “empowerment,” “self-determination,” and “independence” are sprinkled liberally across their pages. But this seemingly progressive rhetoric is used to sell products and ideas that keep girls doing gender in appropriately feminine ways, leading them to reproduce, rather than challenge, gender hierarchies. An ad for a depilatory cream, for instance, tells girls that they are “unique, determined, and unstoppable,” so they should not “settle… for sandpaper skin.” Feminist demands for political and economic equality—and the refusal to settle for low-wages, violence, and second-class citizenship—morph into a refusal to settle for less than silky skin. Pseudo-feminist language allows young women to believe that they can “empower” themselves at the checkout counter by buying the accoutrements of traditional femininity.”

Awesome Childhood Spelling

As a senior graduating this June, taking your class last quarter really opened my eyes to a lot of things. I learned new ways of looking at the world & society. I also started watching more SNL videos. After finals week was over, I flew home and showed my sisters some of the memes you showed in class, and I laughed all over again, in disbelief that the class was really over. Thank you for a great quarter. After I turned in my final, I wanted to say bye and thank you, but I was too shy. #1regret

have you found it yet