Spring Break
The Cosmopolitan: The New Feminist
Leah Charpentier
Issue date: 2/6/08 Section: Editorial/Opinion
02/06/08 - Here's an idea: let's start from scratch. We can't change the raunchy Playboy world we currently inhabit as young generation Y women, but we can choose a different course. No, not that one! Not the prude, over-modest, paranoid lady, trying to convince us that you are pure, chaste and virginal: do not go down that road again.
It took decades to gain some ground there, so do not cast your gaze downward and clamp your legs together in fear of "what the others will think." I am asking the women of this campus to participate in what I call the New Feminism.
Recently, I heard an acquaintance speak of a startling situation in which two self-proclaimed straight women were "having fun" in his presence while performing oral sex on one another. These women are the same that make out at bars to show how "crazy" they are.
This is COLLEGE. We are here for education, motivation, ambition, enrichment, life experience, socialization. Not to go down on one another to get men's attention. Not to get freaky at The Mews and embarrass ourselves with a pal and one too many shots of whiskey. If women want to have oral sex with other women, be my guest, but only a cheap imitator of reality performs it for show! Seriously. This is about more than devaluation and lack of respect. This is about being an idiot.
Here is the grand proposal: pretend that we aren't "women." Pretend, darling fake-and-bakers, that we are contenders, warriors and people with untapped visions, writings, speeches and research, leadership and commentary.
Think about the battles of our mothers to get us to a point where we not only had the resources to attend college, but the legislation to ensure equal education opportunities (or damn near).
Think of Title IX and our right to buy Plan B over the counter. Michelle Obama recently said at a Delaware campaign speech that, "To those which much is given, much is expected." Isn't this the truth? Why do you spit on our mothers' visions? Stop with the incessant attendance to appearance (frankly, most of you are going overboard anyway), do your homework, and give your professors a chance to teach you, ask questions and be involved in more than just the frat-next-door's kegger.
It took decades to gain some ground there, so do not cast your gaze downward and clamp your legs together in fear of "what the others will think." I am asking the women of this campus to participate in what I call the New Feminism.
Recently, I heard an acquaintance speak of a startling situation in which two self-proclaimed straight women were "having fun" in his presence while performing oral sex on one another. These women are the same that make out at bars to show how "crazy" they are.
This is COLLEGE. We are here for education, motivation, ambition, enrichment, life experience, socialization. Not to go down on one another to get men's attention. Not to get freaky at The Mews and embarrass ourselves with a pal and one too many shots of whiskey. If women want to have oral sex with other women, be my guest, but only a cheap imitator of reality performs it for show! Seriously. This is about more than devaluation and lack of respect. This is about being an idiot.
Here is the grand proposal: pretend that we aren't "women." Pretend, darling fake-and-bakers, that we are contenders, warriors and people with untapped visions, writings, speeches and research, leadership and commentary.
Think about the battles of our mothers to get us to a point where we not only had the resources to attend college, but the legislation to ensure equal education opportunities (or damn near).
Think of Title IX and our right to buy Plan B over the counter. Michelle Obama recently said at a Delaware campaign speech that, "To those which much is given, much is expected." Isn't this the truth? Why do you spit on our mothers' visions? Stop with the incessant attendance to appearance (frankly, most of you are going overboard anyway), do your homework, and give your professors a chance to teach you, ask questions and be involved in more than just the frat-next-door's kegger.
