Response

How far is too far? Is there such a thing as too much feminism? In my eyes, I entirely respect Jennifer Myhre, but I do think that her actions were a bit drastic. Myhre writes, “So to christen my rebirth, I quit shaving my legs. I threw away my high heels and my tight skirts, my makeup and my jewelry. I grew out my armpit hair, and I talked like a women with a mission (86).” While this act is absolutely fantastic and took a great deal of courage, it seems a bit extreme. I strongly believe that women should have the same rights as men, that gender should not play a role in how men and women live their lives. But, I do not find it necessary to grow out my leg hair and armpit hair. I can have the same beliefs and support women’s right while wearing makeup and jewelry and high heels. I do not need to look masculine to support gender equality. I love high heels and pretty dresses and getting my nails done, but I also love gender equality. Just because I like doing “girly” things does not mean that my beliefs are any less important than someone who does not enjoy doing “girly” things.

Our culture is filled with sex. In many ways, sex is our culture. A person’s sexual orientation defines them, and also has the power to define their life. Ariel Levy writes, “But in the scene, what you like and what you do and who you do it to are who you are (120).” The world that we live in is so focused on who were hooking up with or who we’re sleeping with that often times sex becomes the most important thing in one’s life. Here at Colgate, hooking up is casual, where people hook up with numerous people in one night. When I wake up Saturday morning, after going out Friday night, the first thing my friends ask one another is, “Who did you hook up with last night?” They don’t ask how their night was or what they did, just who they did. And you hook up with apparently tells a lot about who you are and what you’re standards are. We should not be so concerned with who we’re doing but rather what we’re doing. There are so many things that are more important than sex; that’s what our time and energy should be focused on. Makeup and hair and sex are little things-- gender equality is what’s important, it’s the most important.