Saturday 15 October 2011

Girls

Last week I have been busy meeting girls age 12-15 and listening to their stories why they would dress so revealingly. I also talked to the parents and a woman who did projects with teengers for world-women-day. There is lack of understanding what is going on, why girls are not ashamed of their bust but show it in tight tops with huge cleavage age 12.

At that age I played with my chemistry set and we were excited to get our hands on acids for the magnesium-experiments. But today ... Of course not all girls are like that but it is a phenomenon that is widespread. In Slovakia it's the same as in Austria and in the UK it seems to be even worse Natasha Walter wrote a book on the topic: Living Dolls. I visited the public library to borrow the book.
It was raining heavily and the place was crowded with people. They would come even when chances were that they would be soaking wet by the time they arrive at the library. The librarian handed out plasic bags (shown on the photo) so everyone would carry home the books safely. I picked some books I have been looking out for and accidently stumbled over The Secret - the best reading to fall asleep! It works better than valerian. Not that it is so bad but it's just ... very relaxing.
Istanbul will wait for my vacation and I hope to get the english version of Bergdorf Blondes, can't see myself reading the german translated version. Oh, and Nick Hornby was the alibi-book, since I used Mr Paula's library-card. hehe. I might want to read it, too. I like Hornby.

Saturday morning and I am off to the cubicle and take a litre of pumpkin-soup in the thermos with me. It might become a long day at work. Today I am going to listen through the interviews and make sure the picture I draw is a well balanced and not judgemental. I won't provide distinct answers, maybe leave the listeners with questions but that's ok with me. It is important people realize the shift that has been going on. One huge aspect is the matter of approval, validation and acceptation. Girls who show their cleavage on facebook get the highest scores of "likes". While listening to the feminist artist, I realised how adult women's behaviour resembles the 12 year old girl's behaviour. They long for approval and validation and want to be noticed. I want to be noticed, too. Only do I use my words and photos instead of my cleavage and legs. How much did I develop since playing with my chemistry set? Am I part of this huge backlash that's been going on? Nailpolish, no more baggy jeans ... oh gosh, who am I, what changes me and what do I want to reach and why?

I picked the subject for the broadcast and I am glad I did!

Have a good weekend!

2 comments:

  1. What an interesting subject. Would you share the interviews/your article in the blog? I would be most interested in reading it. It is a subject that worries me, as a mother of a young daughter.

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  2. I just wonder, why is it always two steps forward, one step back? We try so hard to sort out how to be women, as individuals and as cultures. I am shaking my head at how long it's taking.

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