Mama Bears and Feminists Unite?
Posted by Julie Ponzi
I bring
this story of a supremely stupid t-shirt offered by JCPenny to your attention merely to note how interesting are the kinds of things that arouse the permitted indignation of the mama-bears of today. Of course, there is always a similar outcry from conservative and religious mothers when a Miley Cyrus poses for seductive pictures called "art" or a clothing company mass produces push-up bras for girls as young as 7 or 8 . . . but those who express outrage on those occasions are roundly sneered by the knowing laughter of the more "sophisticated" and told to get with it.
I would venture a guess that every sensible mother who condemned those two things I mentioned happily joins the brigade of feminists now irritated by this t-shirt. We would not buy it, cheer it, or allow our daughters to be caught dead in it. We would support all efforts to keep our daughters focused on more elevated and worthy occupations and decry efforts of the popular culture to distract them from those purposes. So why don't many feminists join us in this good faith effort when the rot being peddled is not academic but moral decay? Fill in your own blank. You are probably right.
2:16 PM / September 1, 2011
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Feminists are definitely not OK with a pushup bra for a 7-year old. I can tell you this because I just asked the feminist who lives with me what she thought of that. The answer was quite negative.
Most feminists do condemn half-naked photos of child stars. When these stars do these things in popular culture, the messages sent filter down to those stars' main consumers, in this case young girls. The message is that being pretty/slim/attractive to men reigns above all else.
I think artists will often say that their intended message with "misinterpreted." But, artist intent is meaningless, especially in popular culture. I don't think feminists are particularly interested in an artist's intent when the artist is simply objectifying the woman for commercial appeal.
Don't confuse real feminists with people who make sexist art/popular media and try to pass it off as avant garde or misunderstood.
The first expression of outrage I saw in reaction to this appalling shirt came from one of my feminist Facebook friends.
I'm just generally more outraged by our pre-teen/teen culture in this country of which this shirt is but one example. We sexualize youth and focus their attention on faddish things and fitting in through music aimed at them, teen clothing, various television channels, video games, YouTube, and pop culture generally. I wish all parents would just turn all of it off and direct their children towards learning, true friendships, athletics, music, the outdoors, and good books ~ in other words, lasting things that build character and soul.