I've been reading incredible articles recently on gender stereotypes and tolerance of the sexes (keeping in the know with articles like this helps keep my writing fresh and allows me to think about how each character would react in certain situations) and it's amazing what they're discussing.
I first stumbled across an article on the new Barbie they are releasing called "Computer Geek Barbie" which was actually based on an online public survey about what her next career should be. Even though everything is very pink to make it gender specific the idea (though behind the times) is somewhat respectable. Why shouldn't they portray women as intelligent in the doll world. They're doing it mainly because the Barbie franchise is going under and the older women collectors have given up on the thought of collecting the dolls so they want to hear what the public wants for a change. I've been making Tom Boy Tara dolls for the hell of it, just to see what she'd look like in 3-D form and to show a prototype option if a manufacturer of toys ever came into play. I've dressed her in jeans and a t-shirt (with a logo I made myself ironed onto the shirt) and I found such clothes from a very hard to find Ken collection. When I look at Barbie clothes in search of something else for Tara to wear all I see is pink clothes or dresses/skirts so I have to turn to Ken. This may come as a shock to the companies but women wear pants too, and not every woman is a fan of pink either.
I then came across some other articles randomly in my search to find a picture of this new Barbie to be released soon. I just wanted to see exactly how girly she still looks despite her nerdy appearance. In my search I came across numerous articles on a website for Women's Rights. Now I'm not a feminist, I may understand how women should be equal to men but I believe some women's lib representatives take it a tad too far, thus confusing men to no end as to how to behave around women now. Though I think some of these articles have a ring of truth to them.
http://womensrights.change.org/blog?category_id=gender_stereotypes&page=4
From videogame equality (as I mentioned to my boyfriend recently, it's interesting how there's always at least one woman thrown into a handful of male characters in most videogames, some women like adventure too, maybe they should have a few more choices of female characters) to men being pregnant, there were a lot of fascinating articles on gender stereotypes.
I particularly enjoyed the article that discusses women Photoshopping their own images in the hopes that they'll look like a magazine cover model. It's true, women are notorious for wanting to look good, but strive for perfection even more so than ever before. I admit I've even been known to Photoshop my own images, either for ironic reasons (I once got rid of my giant belly in a photo of me dressed as Jessica Rabbit for Halloween to show the unrealistic body expectations people have with cartoon women) or if it was to remove a tiny blemish or zit from a close-up shot for a portrait that was taken, I have been known to be vain too. However I may not go to the extreme as some women do. In real life on occasion I'll dress to the nines for fun, but when hangin' 'round the house I'll just lie around in the clothes I've worn from the night before, hair in disarray, lookin' like a mad scientist just to get my comics or projects done. I left perfectionism behind long ago when I realized I was going no where with it. Even in my art, if I made sure everything was perfect I'd never get my stuff out. I know my drawings aren't completely accurate nor are my panel boxes ruler straight, but I know even though there are flaws in my art, and even flaws in myself I know that someone (though not everyone mind you) will find it beautiful and that's all that truly matters.
"I've certainly fallen victim in the past trying to reach these unattainable goals of beauty. And I can tell you - the pursuit of physical perfection is far more damaging in the long run than any short term beauty ambition."~ Jen Nedeau (Picture Perfect. Or Not.) I completely agree with this statement. From seeing countless dramas on plastic surgery and the like I feel women (and perhaps even men) need to realize that nobody's perfect and that even surgery cannot fill your self-esteem void. Photoshop is a mere band-aid and only makes you look completely false as a person. You're not showing the world who you really are, in fact you're lying to those around you that you think won't accept you for who you really are. Who cares what other people think? The people who don't love you for you aren't worth keeping around and those who accept you inside and out are the true friends, those you need to treasure. I know it's hard to hear sometimes, and I'm sure hard to believe, and we as a gender still have far to go even though we've accomplished so much tolerance, but perhaps one day we will see just how beautiful we really are and will grow to accept it.
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