Guidelines:
Blog posts are free and open; their language is casual. I expect to see four things in your posts: (1) that you read the piece and/or respond to most of the questions; (2) that you can make connections to yourself and the class; (3) that you understand the genre conventions of a blog; and (4) that I can begin to see who you are as a writer—through your voice, style and language choices.
**Comment back to this post, do NOT create a new post.
In your first blog post of the quarter, I want you to explore what you know about both feminism and the romance. How might you define them? What do they mean to you as a young person just starting college, as a young person at DU, and as a young person in this American culture? Do you view yourself as more of a feminist, a romantic, or a little of both? Why?
Think about what you have observed throughout the last month, the movies you've watched (including Bachelorette), the TV shows you've seen, the magazines you've browsed through, and the friends and family you've talked with: what are some of your understandings about these two ideals based on your observations? What do you think American culture brings/adds/mis-represents/changes about feminism and the romance?
This post should be cohesive and be in paragraph form, but it should also represent you. It's your first opportunity to really show me who you are as a writer and a thinker. So, make sure you use language that you are comfortable with and that you speak freely (so long as it's not disrespectful or rude to someone or a group of people. i.e. if you simply can't stand romance make sure you explore this in a way that's not offensive to someone who might adore it =). You also need to be aware of your audience, and the audience for this blog is your classmates and me.
***If you are not the first person to post, please engage with your peers i.e. you may agree or disagree with what someone else’s response to the Vatz reading. You need to cite this person in your response and note why you are citing this person (for example, Kara mentioned that XXXX, but I’m not sure I agree. I believe...). Don't forget to do this as it is part of the assignment.
The post should be around 250-400 words.
DUE: by class time on Wednesday, September 12, 2012.
Feminism and Romance are both complex ideas that nearly run parallel to each other. Feminism is defined as men and women being on equal ground, where a woman has the same rights as a man. However, I believe feminism is often seen more extended to women wanting more control. In my opinion we live in a feminist society where woman have many if not all equal rights as men. The feminists that are demanding more I feel like they want more power than men. On the other side, romance is commonly seen as a man pursuing a woman. It’s when two people fall in love. To me this fits what romance is. I often disagree with the idea that the woman must be romanced by the man. I believe it can go either way and the woman can often romance the man.
ReplyDeletePersonally I view myself as both a feminist and romantic and search for both in my relationships. I think every girl at some point in their life wants to be romanced by a man and honestly I feel like it goes the other way too. Every one craves companionship. It’s traditional for the man to “make the move” so to speak. But at the same time a lot of guys feel like they have to do all the work. There has to be a balance in relationships, where both the man and the woman have to put forward the effort to create the romance in their relationship. Because there is equality and romance I seek both.
However, it is very hard to reach this point of balance. Usually relationships lean one way or the other which tends to lead to problems and even break ups. When a woman wants independence and does not want to be completely dependent on a man it often leads to less romance in the relationship. But if there is too much romance and the couple can never be without each other it leads to problems outside of the relationship. They become dependent on each other and things go downhill when they have nowhere else to go.
I believe pop culture often enforces romance over feminism but society boosts feminism. Pop culture very often pushes a man and a woman together in movies and in Hollywood. But the rest of the world embraces woman’s rights and equal ground for both.
If you are a feminist, you believe in being an independent woman who has equal rights to men. On the contrary, a romantic is someone who believes in and desires love within a relationship. These two appear to be polar opposites, but I believe that one cannot exist without the other.
ReplyDeleteBeing a young person in today’s American culture, we grow up believing that every woman is super emotional and are always looking for love; that love is all they care about. Every aspect of the media influences these ideas. When watching a movie, there is always that one girl who despite how strong and independent she may seem, the end result of the movie is always whether or not the girl ends up with the guy; her success in her work place is insignificant. This then creates an unrealistic idea that young girls are supposed to believe is all they can or should do with their lives. Television shows also portray that romance is the only type of woman you will find. Shows like Gilmore Girls on the surface portray two independent women who are extremely successful in their lives—one owning an inn and the other furthering her education at Yale University. Yet, they are both always in a relationship or wanting to be in one. In the end, it is always about the relationship.
Although the media wants us to believe that romance is all a woman can be, the real world is completely different. With my experience, women are more independent and more equal to men then what is advertised via movies or television. Not everyone needs to be in a relationship to be happy. Most of the women I know don’t even care whether or not they have a relationship or not, they are more focused on their careers or furthering their education more than anything else. I am not saying that they don’t think about having a relationship, but it is not the only thing that occupies their mind—it’s not even one of their top thoughts. I agree with Jordyn when she says that “everyone craves companionship,” that is only human. Of course we have to possess some sort of desire to be in a relationship, but it does not have the sole purpose for living. And although there are some relationships that work and have that balance between romance and independence, Jordyn is right saying that it is hard to find that balance, but someone cannot be a feminist without also being a romantic. Both are always present.
A woman who is a feminist can be most easily defined as someone striving for equality between men and women. On the other hand, a romantic is someone who desires a loving and intimate relationship. Often times, feminism and romance are perceived as being on opposite sides of a spectrum: one cannot be a true feminist if he or she is still longing for romantic love because love involves dependency on a man, which is inherently “antifeminist”. Personally, I think this viewpoint is completely outdated. As a female college student, I feel very encouraged to pursue my interests and a career of my choice. I don’t feel pressure to give up my dreams to be a wife and mother as was customary in earlier times. I think I am a feminist and a romantic. I don’t think my desire to be equal with men interferes with my hope to marry one!
ReplyDeleteI completely agreed with Jordyn when she said that there are feminists who desire more power than men in. I think there is quite a bit of feminist writing that puts down men. This is the place where I think that feminism and romance are at odds. If women are seeking superiority over men instead of equality with them the idea of romantic love does not blend with their feminism. When men are portrayed as the antagonists and women as the protagonists, the idea of the romance is severely discredited because nobody wants the “good” guy to fall in love with the “bad” guy. However, when equal ground is pursued instead, both feminism and the romance can coexist.
I think pop culture does a great job of representing this balance between both feminism and the romance, making the two seem less like polar opposites, and more capable of reconciliation. Although celebrity news sources certainly do obsess over Hollywood romances, and it seems as though female celebrities are defined by their relationships, they also advocate female power. A great example of this is Angelina Jolie and women similar to her. Jolie lived alone, made her own money and adopted children by herself before settling down with Brad Pitt. She represents a woman who can go out, do her own thing and be independent, yet still find romance in the end. Many other Hollywood women have adopted children on their own, divorced and/or stayed single, yet are still painted as positively as those who are in relationships.
In today's society, feminism is often viewed negatively by men and women alike. It is considered by many to be a complete rejection of the traditional man/woman relationship, but in my opinion this is not so. As Alexandra mentioned, a feminist is someone who believes that men and women should be equal in all aspects, and strives for this equality on a daily basis. However, while this is true, I believe that feminism also transcends the idea of simple equality, and also describes a specific mindset or lifestyle. Feminism supports the idea of a woman's independence and strength, and therein lies the basis for the struggle for equality.
ReplyDeleteThe concept of romance is an immensely different one. This is the idea of a woman being swept off her feet into an intense and passionate relationship. Additionally, in many forms of the romance today, women seek protection and love to be "taken care of." In this aspect, romance and feminism seem to be at an impasse, because how can a woman be strong and independent, yet enjoy being cared for by the person she loves?
Personally, I consider myself to be both a feminist and a romantic. While I feel that I have gone through life striving to be self-determined, I have often found myself head over heels for someone before I even realized what I'd gotten myself into. I strongly agree with Jordyn's comment that everyone searches for companionship - it is human nature, and that is a large part of the romantic aspects of society. But I also believe that we all struggle with which "side" to take. In popular culture, it seems like there is hardly a story today that doesn't include some sort of romantic aspect. And yet, society praises feminism, and these Hollywood romantic comedies and quirky television shows are often criticized for unrealistic story lines and anti feminist characters. As a whole, I believe that the conflict between these two concepts is everywhere, and that it is one that can only be resolved on a personal level.
I believe that our culture tries to pit feminism and romance against each other, unfortunately this does not need to happen. Feminism should be about women making their own choices for themselves, opposed to what our culture has stereotyped feminists as...(butch lesbians holding picket signs). Feminists are not the only ones who get a bad rep, romantics are categorized as weak submissives who cry on a daily basis.. I think as an adolescent embarking on my college journey it is important to remember that regardless whether someone is a feminist or a romantic, or both, we need to respect that because the only way to truly accept your own views, is to hear multiple sides of an argument.
ReplyDeleteAs a feminist it is also important to respect men and women as equals. Personally I view myself as both a feminist and a romantic. This is mostly because I am a big believer in gender equality but at the same time I fall into that mystifying spell we all call romance. I agree with Jordan and Meg when they wrote about companionship being human nature. We all want to love and to be loved, which always creates an interesting dynamic in relationships.
When reading the New Girl article I couldn't help but disagree with the "haters". Shouldn't feminism be partly about encouraging all women to be themselves and make their own decisions? This is what Jess does! Although her comedy may be a little "outrageous", she still remains confident in herself and who she is, which I believe is one of the most important aspects of feminism.
The way I see feminism is a fight for equality within gender roles of society, not allowing the supposedly male dominated world stop women from pursuing their passions and what they want. With romance, I don’t think it necessarily has to be a serious relationship, although many romances end up leading to that, but just the interactions between two people and how they really connect.
ReplyDeleteAs a young person just starting college, both feminism and romance are a big part of my life. I’m working hard, striving towards my goals and passions for my future, yet at the same time I constantly get asked questions about boys, whether it be if I see any cute ones, talked to any, or have any interests in any. In the American culture, I see it as if feminism and romance are such opposites that it seems almost impossible for the both to coexist. This tends to be a bit problematic for me as I see myself being both. I am very grounded with myself and have strong beliefs in gender equality, especially within the workforce. I believe in putting hard work and one’s own effort and dedication in order to earn desired results. At the same time though, I enjoy watching romantic comedies and reading books with a love story or love line, it’s mainly the thing I look forward to reading even if the genre isn’t romance.
Though my observations, I feel that the media has a much larger emphasis on romance than feminism and it definitely has an effect on all of us. I think it has influenced many young girls to have this thought that they must have some type of romance and that it is going to end up just the way it does in the movies. My friends and I always joke and say that we blame Disney for us having such high standards in guys, when actually it proves to be quite true. I think Disney is one of the major influences on young girls in our society, it mis-represents and reinforces the stereotypes about feminism and romance. But it seems that pop culture has taken a turn though, as Cam had mention about the “New Girl” article, I totally agree with him! I think a significant part about being a feminist is about finding out your true personality and who you know you are. There’s more to feminism than people tend to think.
Both feminism and romance have multiple definitions and it is often the extreme definitions that people think of when asked to define these terms. When you think in terms of the extreme, feminism represents a power struggle between men and women, rather than a search for equality between the two genders. The extremes of romance are most commonly portrayed in the media; for example, most Disney movies (and most movies in general) involve a prince or hero rescuing a princess or damsel in distress and/or sweeping the princess/damsel off her feet with some grand gesture of love.
ReplyDeleteI consider myself both a feminist and romantic. To me, feminism not only means equality between the genders, but a woman being able to stand on her own without being completely dependent on a man. I feel like in some cases this might clash with the idea of romance, but it depends on how romance is defined. Romance, to me, isn’t about the grand gestures or the expensive dates; it’s about the little things, like when he remembers something unimportant that happened months ago, or even just remembering what your favorite kind of food is. In a relationship, I think it’s important for both people to be able to stand on their own without the person, and with this definition of feminism and romance, it’s easy for the two to coexist.
I agree with Jordyn (as well as everyone else who agreed with her) about it being hard to find the balance; I’ve noticed in relationships, including mine, that one person seems to need the other far more than that other needs them. I strongly believe in finding the balance between feminism and a woman being independent, and their ideas of romance.
Feminism? Romance? These are two terms society has turned into opposites Coca Cola or Pepsi, McDonalds or Burger King and now feminism or romance. Two ideals doomed to oppose each other because of our history. In my opinion, women on the road to equality took an ironic turn to obtain their rights, but without knowing it gave up others. Which ones? As feminists we can’t be in love or be too girly. We don’t see men giving up there masculinity, so why should we give up our feminine side, or cuteness, our style, our uniqueness as women.
ReplyDeleteI like to see feminism as a fight to be equal in the way we are treated by society, government, and life. To me feminism doesn’t mean to become equal to men, but to have equal rights. We are not men, we are women and we should be proud of it. We don’t see men fighting rights to be treated nor act like women, they take pride in being men and we should take pride in being women.
As a younger person starting college I start to see how this topic is much more common than I had realized. It makes me realize I am not the only student wondering about this romance versus feminism. Back in the day women starting college were in different shoes, what they saw was inequality. What did they do? They went out and fought for what was an issue at that time. Years later, I and many others are stepping out into the world and we realize our American culture now has a slightly different issue. Women fought so hard for their rights they forgot to divide politics, wages, education and social rights from there identity. Women our now in a crisis of losing who they are and what makes them, them. We are now not only striving to gain rights, but to become men, to do what they do including acting like them. I feel it’s up to our generation to take a turn in the right direction and stop attacking romance as the opposite of feminism.
If I had to choose feminism or romance I would chose feminism, but to me there is no obligation to make a choice, so I decide to take a stand on both. I chose to be opened minded, hear both sides, and hopefully be heard. No woman should give up on the idea of romance, because I am sure men don’t, so why should we?
Over the last several months I have observed how women are projected to be strong and independent yet they still find love. There’s nothing wrong with that. In the movie “The Proposal” we see a strong character that falls in love. Just because she found love it didn’t make her lose her rights or become stupid. Magazines are a bit more romantic but show feminism as well. They do not treat us like a princess in distress waiting in a castle for happily ever after. Magazines give us tips on how to go out and find what we want, making us more capable and independent.
Megan mentions, “how can a woman be strong and independent, yet enjoy being cared for by the person she loves?” This is a very important question, but then another question should arise “how can men be strong and independent, yet enjoy being cared for by person he loves?” Love, feminism and rights simply should not be mixed. The conflict is how we can keep them separate in a society that has built on this ideal for many decades.
Feminism and romance are two topics that seem opposite but often go hand in hand. Feminism means that women are socially, politically, and economically equal to men. Feminist women are empowered, independent, and have the ability to do as they please. They do not feel the need to be defined by a man in their lives and, as Meg said, reject the traditional relationship between a man and a woman. Romance on the other hand plays into the societal gender roles that have been around for ages. Romance supports the idea of a relationship between a man and a woman in which the man usually plays the primary role in the relationship. Romance implies the ideas of soulmates, love at first sight, and chivalry by men. Romantics believe in love and are constantly striving for the perfect relationship.
ReplyDeleteI believe the media plays a large role in the development of feminism and romance. I agree with Meg, Jordyn, and Cam who described how most people lean toward the romance side of the spectrum because it is human nature to desire companionship. I think a lot of people, women especially, have high romantic standards because of the world we have grown up in. As little kids we watch movies about princesses who are not complete until they find their prince charming. We then move on to “rom-coms” and expect a happy ending between the male and female character. Although many movies and television shows have strong female characters, there is almost always a romantic thread running through the movie. I agree with Lauren when she says that despite the number of strong feminist characters in the media, they always end up wanting the relationship in the end. This leads to an inaccurate and unrealistic stereotype that all women are sensitive romantics. I know plenty of women who are strong, independent, and equal to men who also look for romance.
Personally I believe in a balance between feminism and romance. Women have the right and deserve the opportunity to be equal to men in all aspects of society. As Jordyn said, often intense feminists take their beliefs to the extreme and act like women should have power over men, which seems hypocritical. Women have the right to be independent and empowered, however this does not mean they cannot be romantic. Everyone deserves to give and receive love from a relationship. I see nothing wrong with a little old-fashioned chivalry from men to show women that they are loved and respected. The difficulty is trying to find a successful balance between feminism and romance.
As most people have already stated, I believe that feminism is about women having equal rights as men, and not the having gender superiority that we have seen throughout history. However, I also believe that gender equality goes both ways, and some extremist feminists carry their beliefs too far. Select feminists tend to encourage superiority in women, which in 100 years, may end in the concept of menism. Romantics can also be led astray. I personally agree with Jessica’s ideas about romance, how it is more about the little things that make a relationship special, rather than grand gestures that only last the first week. Fendi is right about Disney movies though, they practically train girls to think that if they wait around long enough, Prince Charming will come find them and rescue them from whatever they have decided they needed recued from.
ReplyDeleteAs a student at DU, I am at the point in my life where I am trying to figure out what my future might hold. I must envision my life to for myself alone right now, and if the “right guy” comes along later, we can try to fit into each other’s lives. I am not willing to sacrifice my life ambitions for a man, but others have stated, people need other people. I am focused on my education but open to dating, and in that regard I consider myself both a feminist and a romantic. In addition, I love romance novels and cheesy lifetime movies, and I refuse to let judgment embarrass me.
While classic Hollywood rom-coms tend to focus on only the romantic version of life, and not so much on the characters as real people, I do believe that TV shows have gotten much better at portraying the truth. As a die-hard Gilmore Girls fan, I disagree with Lauren’s statement that the show always turns to the relationships. I have watched every episode of every season, and the show truly follows two strong and independent women as they live their lives. Of course there has to be some romance in the plot, otherwise it would be completely unrealistic. How many people have never had any kind or relationship throughout their life? New Girl has a similar concept. It follows a semi-strong, semi-independent women, (she becomes more of both as the series progresses), and if romance happens to come along, that doesn’t make her any less of either. America is changing, and I believe it is for the better, although I do sometimes worry about having a show in the future called a New Guy.
Romance and feminism can surely be cohesive and coexist together. Women should take pride in the natural desire to be loved, appreciated, and romanced. We don’t have to be embarrassed by this instinct. Most men would admit to the same need, just not as directly. As stated by Cam, Meg, and Jordyn, it’s natural! To be a feminist, we don’t have to wash away the beauty of being a female. The fact that women can fight for equal rights as men, prove their capabilities, while also supporting love and romance, just makes women that much more impressive. Unfortunately, romance has been mocked due to far-fetched movies and novels, and also by the media. But in today’s society, the media, more than anything, misshapes our ideas and leads us to inaccurate beliefs.
ReplyDeleteFemales are under so much pressure to look and act a certain way and these pressures are ridiculous. The representation of women in media and advertising is so misleading, due to contorted, airbrushed, perfected models that aren’t even real. In addition, romance novels and movies can create negative stereotypes that turn into a mockery. All in all, this may lead to hostility between females, form insecurities, cause women to live in boundaries, and go entirely against feminism’s message. Many women feel the need to perfect their image for the male gaze, some even subcousciously. Women can even be seen as just sexual figures. Females must be confident and strong in whatever skin they’re in. I find myself to be more of a feminist than a romantic, yet discover many wrongs in our society’s definition of a feminist.
Feminism’s message can suggest that one gender should be superior to the other. Strength and confidence of the mind and body should be expressed by both genders, in their own unique ways. Alexandra states, “As feminists we can’t be in love or be too girly. We don’t see men giving up there masculinity, so why should we give up our feminine side.” I completely agree. We should embrace our inevitable differences. Ultimately, it should be about coexisting with one another and realizing that we all may be different, but not totally separate. Feminism should be about equality, ignoring the media’s ridiculous requests, embracing being romantic (or whatever females feel is natural), and uplifting together as a united female gender.
Women are absolutely still held back in society, and should fight to be equal to men in all aspects, but this doesn’t necessarily mean that women have to act like men. This class completely connects to my incoming freshman year, as I may become face-to-face with these feminist and romantic questions, but learn how to handle and respond to them from this class. I get to apply my learning to everyday discussions, and help shape who I am and what I believe in.
Aly Higgins
ReplyDeleteAs I embark on my new and exciting journey as a college undergraduate student, I imagine myself facing two paths (eerily similar to those famously described by Robert Frost). On one path lays my career; DU, as an academic institution, is already pressuring me to think about what I want to do with my life, yet the road looks fraught with mystery. The other path is the future of my romantic relationships, and it looks just as unclear. Prior to the major feminist movements in the 1960s and 1970s, the path toward a romantic happily ever after would have been clear-cut, pre-meditated, and expected for a woman my age. For those women, the path toward an independent career would have been walled and exclusive, a lingering question in the back of their minds. As feminism has been continually redefined in our modern culture, that pathway's accessibility for women has also shifted. Modern feminists would push women to discard the path toward romance, claiming the path toward an independent life is the only road that will result in women gaining equal rights. Modern day romantics would cry at that proclamation- their life's devotion crushed by the strong ideals of a modern movement! And so the question is posed: Do I have to chose one or the other? Can I be a feminist and a romantic?
In the article about the hit show New Girl, comedian Julie Klausner presented the interesting idea that true feminists cannot be feminine. I personally love to express my girly side. I consider myself a feminist, but I do not wish to be a man. I fervently agree with Alexandra- as a woman fighting for equal political say and equal pay in professional world, I only want an equal chance to compete with men. I do not want to be a man, so why should I have to give up my femininity to be considered a "true feminist"? Personal expression, through fashion and silliness, should be seen as a celebration of individuality and independence. Just as a man should never be able to dictate my personal style and personality, the concept of feminism shouldn't be able to dictate my choices either.
Female leads are often girly and beautiful, and so, I believe the media has forged the association of a feminine appearance with a woman only concerned with finding love. Girls watching TV shows and movies today adhere to that association and think that if they dress pretty, they may believe their only role in life is sit around a wait for Prince Charming. If they want to fight against that and become a feminist, they may believe that have to become masculine. Neither choice seems fit for me; I don't want to mold myself to one unrealistic extreme. I want to wear dresses and kick ass in the professional world too. Taking the femininity out of me does not make me a stronger independent woman- it makes me a masculine conformist in an already male-dominated world.
I believe that feminism and romance are both two extreme ideals. First, although feminism is defined as the act of fighting for the same recognition that men acquire, some feminists also take this ideal to the extreme and strive for more power and recognition than men because they think they are entitled to it. Hence, I agree with Mackenzie and Jordyn in the sense that feminism is not just the empowerment of female independence, but also the dominance over the male race. Secondly, romance is on the completely other end of the spectrum. While feminism strives for independence and power, romance encourages dependence on others and, in the extreme form, submission. Romance encourages women n to be dependent on other men to the point that most women believe that their main goal in life is to find romance.
ReplyDeleteFeminism and romance are both words that are very applicable to me in my first year as a college freshman. Since I am striving for higher education, I do hope to obtain independence and power throughout my college years and onwards. However, the idea of romance is somewhat taboo during the first year of college, or even afterwards. I agree to a small extent with what Holly said about a “romantic string” that flows through all of media; whether or not these women were strong female characters. Although for as long as we can remember there have always been subliminal messages throughout media, from Disney princesses finding Prince Charming to shows such as the Bachelorette, that encouraged women to strive for love and romance, within the very recent years romance has almost become taboo. Although it may not be portrayed in the media, in social reality romance has very recently begun to be seen as a phenom that hampers a women’s ability to be independent and seek for empowerment. I think that I view myself as more of a liberal feminist rather than a romantic, mainly because I am afraid of the impact that romance may have on my search for empowerment in my school and career goals.
I agree very much with Fendi about how media has a larger influence on romance than feminism. No matter how powerful or independent a female is, media will always try to warp the storyline so that she is somewhat dependent on a male character. For example, in Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen is one of the most resourceful and strongest people within the book; however, she also seems to think that she too needs a man in order to help her overcome her mental issues. On the contrary, the people and friends that I have talked to tended to lean more towards the notion of feminism and female independence of thought more than anything. Friends that I talked to mostly viewed romance as hindrance towards my goal of gender equality in the work force, because they believed that it made women seem as if they are more reliant on men then men are reliant on women. In conclusion, I believe that American culture is adding to the hybrid between feminism and romance.
The way I see it there are two sides to the feminism vs romance debate. There are the women who no matter what progress the female race makes in our culture they will always feel that the male race dominates over them. It drives these women insane and they take drastic measures towards justifying their equality. (ex. shaving head, becoming lesbian etc.). Then there is the other side of the spectrum where you have the women who yearn for their lives to be a Nicholas Sparks novel. These women feel they need a strong male role in their life to complete them and they do not care if that makes them look weaker. There are females that straddle the line of each extreme and fall somewhere in the middle.
ReplyDeleteThat middle ground is where I place myself. I love to sit down and let my mind run wild while reading about the unrealistic male roles in romance novels. Although there are many times after I read the stories when I find myself angry about the helplessness displayed in the female roles. I do not like to label myself as one versus the other because I represent characteristics of both. I also do not like the judgements people associate with each term.
Television and the media exemplify these stereotypes and labels for feminism and romance. When our class went to see "For a Good Time, Call..." the female leads were examples of the media telling viewers that you must choose a side. Throughout the movie we watch one of the female leads, Lauren, transition from a dependent romantic into an independent feminist. The writers made her incapable of being both. Plot lines similar to this send the wrong message to girls trying to balance their emotions.
The topic of balance has been discussed above and I agree with Jordyn that pop culture pushes females towards the side of romance. Then in society many females are pushing for feminism to even out the gender roles.
Overall, I believe it is important for myself to maintain a balance because I do not want to give into any misrepresentations of my gender. As a freshman at DU I have worked as hard as my fellow coeds whether they be male or female to be here and I am determined to take full advantage of the opportunities in front of me without letting romance or feminist views stand in my way.
I believe that often times our culture sees the extremes when it comes to feminism and romanticism. I agree with Cam that when many people think of feminists they think of “butch lesbians holding picket signs” and romantics are seen as people who believe that men should do all of the work in the relationship as well as be the perfect “prince charming”. Personally, I define a feminist as someone who believes in equal rights for both genders. Romanticism, in my opinion, is believing in love but not being dreamy or unrealistic about what love is or what the expectations are for either gender in a relationship.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Fendi’s statement that the media has a much larger emphasis on romanticism than feminism. Her point about many girls watching Disney movies really shows what society wants to instill in us women from a very early age: that there will be a perfect man, he will find you and sweep you off of your feet, and you two will live happily ever after. Sooner or later most women realize that this will not be the case. No man is perfect, just as we women are not faultless or flawless.
I would like to believe that I am both a feminist and a romantic. I think that women should stand at the same level that males do, but I also believe that being a “hopeless romantic” isn’t such a bad thing either. As many previous bloggers mentioned (including Meg and Jordyn), everyone searches for companionship; it is human nature. I completely agree with what Sarah said about the fact that women should take pride in the natural desire to be loved, appreciated, and romanced. To me, it seems that love is one of the most amazing and fulfilling experiences a person can have throughout his or her lifetime, so it makes sense why countless people are always searching for it. Finding the balance between these two beliefs is challenging, but I think overall it is achievable, especially with the information that will be provided and the knowledge that will be acquired throughout this class.