Here is my response, in the Chicago Maroon, to the anti-beauty piece in Slate, to the frat article in the NYT Magazine, and to a bizarre opinion piece in the Chicago Weekly (not online) that commentor Maureen pointed me to, in which a female U of C student unfairly attributes her own extensive primping rituals (as well as her own distaste for geeky boys) to the entire female population of the University.
THANKS Phoebe! You made my day! I had no idea my crappy little article would actually be read by people! My dear friend James brought your comments to my attention. SWEET! Now all of my friends are just in hysterics about it. Perhaps a little inter-paper rivalry? This must be how Candace and Amy got their starts. I do enjoy perpetuating stereotypes of dumb over groomed girls. Now I have to say something even more hyperbolic and over done next week. I better get cracking on it!
ReplyDeleteJulie Fredrickson
Look forward to it!
ReplyDeleteWow, I look even deeper and find that the regular Maroon op-ed is commenting on me too! You weren't the only one. Perhaps the CWN will be excited that someone is reading them for a change? Still are we really that concerned with our image as geeky, scruffy, intellectuals that we let it define who we are? That Maroon op-ed makes it sound like we can be nerdy or aesthetically inclined but not both I feel like I am threatening some sort of strange anti-beauty regime. Rebel with a makeup kit. Oh do please comment more Phoebe! I bet this would be fun. We should chat sometime
ReplyDeleteI'm not remotely anti-beauty. I make that clear elsewhere in the blog. I was arguing in the Maroon (as I'd already argued on the blog) that there should be more care taken to appearance by (straight) men as well, and in the op-ed I suggested that, rather than girls spending hours on it and guys spending no time, we sort of average things out. Yeah, it'll never happen, but it's a goal...
ReplyDeleteI frankly don't care much about guys being too slovenly, yes in fact my frat boy boyfriend doesn't get dressed much, I don't think he even has the clothing for it. But I would rather girls not get judged for spending so little time on image. Of course most days I can't spend time on image because I have other things to worry about like classes and work but when I have to be presentable for a special event it does take an hour and half to get ready. The thing is girls here are insecure about intellect as much as looks. We don't honestly believe we are that smart sometimes, it's a nagging fear with us. We like to pretend we are better than the vapid hot girls because we can run circles around them in a discussion but we are secretly concerned that not only are we not that smart but we aren't attractive either. And then what do we have? Nothing! I can't say I am personally worried by this dilemma since proving I am smart isn't going to get me anywhere. I will either come off pretentious or stupid and probably both. So I have run on here and forgotten my point. Perhaps I will pen a new article called "Don't hate me because I am beautiful." Look where being a crappy writer gets you?
ReplyDeleteJulie
OK, didn't realize you were referring to the Maroon's unsigned editorial. Hadn't read it until just now, you're right, it is about HP beauty stuff...
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