I love rebels and Helene Cixous is definitely one. Her
writing has really provoked me to think about the media portray women and the
messages it is sending to our teenagers and young adults. I was a rebel growing
up. I was a tomboy who liked playing street football with the boys, beating up
anyone who deserved it (usually they were messing with my little brother or
using racial remarks), could not get me in a dress to save your life, and did
not discover makeup until well into junior high school. Slowly but surely I came
around and was able to merge wearing dresses and putting on makeup with my
active sports life and tomboyish ways that peaked out every now and then. What
I did not like was the media telling me at every turn that something was wrong
with me because I was not concerned with trying to be paper thin with long
straight hair, blue eyes, and a fair complexion. What affected me the most and
made me start doubting myself is when the boys I was falling in love with were
not falling in love back. Doubt started creeping in and I started to think
there was something to all the media hype.
Outside of family and friends impressionable youth are
looking at magazine ads, television, video games, and the internet to shape
their views regarding female body image and female roles in business and
society. These messages can really do damage. To minimize the damage and ensure
a positive outcome it is imperative that women start wielding the mighty pen to
write with feminine language and imagery, to have a voice, to take back the
control over our bodies and our lives. We should shape our own messages and
views not let it happen to us.
