Bright young middle class girls, especially if they are cis, het and white or acceptably 'hot' -- are bombarded with messages that they are at the peak of their desirability and power (their femininity/sexuality is their 'most powerful weapon'), and girls/young women with those markers have also tended to not run head on into a much old fashioned, in your face, sexism.
I'm know I'm probably going to start dripping privilege all over the place here, but just to go with with my experiences; this pretty much describes me. And while I know the sexism I've encountered has *nothing* on women who are overweight, or poor, and of course the experiences of WOC, I have encountered a lot of sexism in my life, and so have girls like me. But it's insidious, and it's masked behind "empowering" women or it's just less in-your-face, but no less harmful. Men can't slap my ass around the office, but they can still exclude me in subtle ways. The point is that young women will. not. acknowledge. this. And it bothers me, because when you stay silent you're reinforcing oppression and making it inevitable.
Anyway, you're right; it just reeks of wanting to be let into the "honorary man" club. I suppose a lot of it stems from fear--if they don't acknowledge sexism in their lives (he was just joking, guys!) then they don't have to face what it's doing to them, right?
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timeasmymeasure
no subject
Date: 2010-10-05 01:56 am (UTC)I'm know I'm probably going to start dripping privilege all over the place here, but just to go with with my experiences; this pretty much describes me. And while I know the sexism I've encountered has *nothing* on women who are overweight, or poor, and of course the experiences of WOC, I have encountered a lot of sexism in my life, and so have girls like me. But it's insidious, and it's masked behind "empowering" women or it's just less in-your-face, but no less harmful. Men can't slap my ass around the office, but they can still exclude me in subtle ways. The point is that young women will. not. acknowledge. this. And it bothers me, because when you stay silent you're reinforcing oppression and making it inevitable.
Anyway, you're right; it just reeks of wanting to be let into the "honorary man" club. I suppose a lot of it stems from fear--if they don't acknowledge sexism in their lives (he was just joking, guys!) then they don't have to face what it's doing to them, right?