bad television and being a woman.

I absolutely love feminism and the non-radical notion that we should secure equality for all genders at all times in all situations. I love what it has done for generations of women before me, my own generation, and what it will most certainly do for the generation to follow.

But I'm also pissed at you, feminism, because you've ruined Glee for me. I can't watch it without thinking of how simple and one-dimensional the female characters are. I can't enjoy MTV even a little bit. I can't listen to rap music without making snide comments. I hate the portrayal of the timid, disempowered female character in Eastbound and Down.

I'm not sure what the solution is here. I have been using irony for a long while. But maybe I just genuinely like the song "Best I Ever Had." What am I supposed to do about that?

I think third-wave feminists are facing a particularly complicated struggle, and they don't get nearly enough credit for all of the intellectual work involved in being a feminist today. While first- and second-wave feminists had clear goals, ours are opaque. Sure, there is the obvious abortion rights debate and the issue of equal pay, but we've realized that all of this is born out of how we are portrayed in the media, so our goals are now more like "change the way women are represented in television, movies, music, in casual conversation, in drunken conversation, over the phone, on blogs, in advertisements, on youtube videos..." Then comes the question of who is doing the looking at these women? If it's one person, it could be empowering. If it's another, it could be objectification. Take the porn debate, for instance. Porn stars and other sex-positive feminists argue that the women are the "queens" of this domain. They make the most money, achieve the most fame, and are overall more successful than men. At the same time, though, they are profiting off of selling their bodies to the male gaze. They're not enjoying that sex-- it isn't even realistic and they all effing know it.

My own awakening is only just beginning. Maybe I'm late, but I don't really think I'm too far behind. These complexities have become so much more real to me outside of the idyllic university setting. Now I am awakening to my own role as a woman in this society. It's messy and stressful and, gosh darnit, I just want to sit down, relax, and watch Glee.


*That picture is just funny.