Girls Gone FEMINIST

Feministing has a look at an odd, and annoying story out of England, via the BBC.

“Girl power” gone bad.

This is one of the biggest feminist-blaming crocks I’ve seen in quite a while.

BBC News had a piece this weekend about the growing media coverage on girls and violence; not girls being the victims of violence, but being the perpetrators. And apparently some are suggesting a “kind of twisted feminism” is to blame.

Dr. Sally Henry, a researcher from Brunel University who was featured for most of the article, is way too much to take. Check out a few of her “professional observations” on the subject:

‘It's not surprising these things are happening because girls are witnessing scenes on TV, in films and in music videos where it's not just men committing violence, but women too.

. .

These girls think physical violence empowers them. It is feeding their aggression and they are misinterpreting it as some kind of feminism.

. . . It's a bit like the Spice Girls' 'girl power' thing. Kicking and lashing out is seen as a way of empowering yourself, but it's not.’

This one is my favorite:

‘And it's not a way of attracting boys either like some girls might think. Boys might find aggressive women in music videos attractive, but they don't want to take them home and marry them.’

Spice girls? Marriage material? “Girl power” corrupts young female minds? You have go to be kidding me. And the fact that she talks like it's some sort of new fad to impress boys totally trivializes these girls’ situations and dismisses the idea that, perhaps, there are bigger issues involved here.

It is truly annoying...it really just pisses me off, this attempt to tie negative actions or overt sex to feminism. Not that being a feminist, or believing in ideas, precludes one from doing something...bad, or being sexy.

But one does not lead to the others. A does not lead to B, in this example.

But time and again, products, like the Pussycat Dolls, are sold as feminist, as if the scant clothing, posing and posturing are a resultant product. All sales and marketing. Selling a dream, one that really isn't remotely a feminist one.