Have you always wanted to know the secrets to life? To a happy relationship? How to drive the big rigs and experience the fulfilling career you've always wanted?
No one affiliated with this Web site knows any of those things, but if you send in your questions, we'll be glad to answer them in a completely useless and at times cosmically insulting way. WARNING: These columns get raunchy sometimes. Read at your own risk.
Dear Amy,
I guess I'm part of what you'd call the MTV generation. I'm going to take
Britney Spears for example, since everyone knows her. You know her photos,
her performances, her outfits and music videos...they all get criticized.
People say they're too sexy. She says she's celebrating her "womanhood".
Now, would you say that people are only picking on Britney because she's a
young woman, and we live in an oppressive society that puts shame on
woman's bodies. (I mean, if a man was singing and was shirtless and doing
pelvic thrusts, would people complain?!) Or, would you say that her dance
moves and outfits are too suggestive and make women look like complete sex
objects?
--Sue (Actual question, feminist.com)
Greer Berner: As a feminist myself, I'm interested in your question. Our society is one that sends women lots of messages about how we're supposed to be - innocent yet sexy yet smart yet funny yet warm yet in control of our own sexuality yet vulnerable yet blah blah freakin' blah blah blah. Britney gives out her own messages about sexuality and youth. The problem is not Britney, or Christina Aguilara, or any of these other women in the media. The problem is our collective extreme responses to them, like condemnation, villification, hero worship, adoration, etc. I want Britney to keep doing her thing however she wants and with whomever she wants. I also want moms and dads to do a better job raising kids so that they are not unduly influenced by her. I find it disturbing that my 6 year old cousin knows every Britney move and wants to look just like her. Britney's appropriate for 18 and up, but definitely not a good fashion role model for a 6 year old.
You might have expected a funny answer from a comedian. Well, I don't have funny answers to this question. In my act, I tackle this by tackling my own complexities as a woman, by juxtaposing the ways I do and don't meet society's expectations. I wish my 6 year old cousin chose role models like Eleanor Roosevelt, but then I remember my own fascination with Madonna in my younger days, and that it took me a while to find out about some of the women out there that meant more to society than a great rack, tight jeans, lackluster voice and lyrics, and provocative dance moves. It takes a level of maturity to seek those women out than permeates our society.
This sounds too lecture-y and wordy, so I'll sum up with this. Don't be a hater against our fellow females. Hating each other only helps all the bullshit stay right up front. Maybe if she created less controversy, she'd be less exciting to look at.
Or not.