Thank you for being strong people. Thank you for having game. Thank you for doing what you want in life.
I can't even explain what it's like to be a feminist in Argentina.
5.15.2010
Sometimes
when I'm standing in a club at like 4 am inhaling the smell of here, which consists of tobacco, leather and fernet, I get a mild stomach ache. Recalling that I strangely enjoy the smell of club-funk, I ponder the root of my nausea. Then I remember: it's the feeling of missing my people. Looking around a club whilst breaking it down chocolate-city style, I stare at the argentine wallflowers waiting for guys to ask them to dance so that they can have drinks bought for them and run their fingers through a head full of hair gel and tolerate a freakishly high rate of domestic violence. Fuck that. Everything is good about intelligent women in sweatshirts taking over a sleepy bar in ithaca, girls in steamy heels stepping it up at bar in a cornfield in st. mary's county, pantsuits and sundresses in miami, and the elegant pairing of MCS's long sleeve sweatshirts and my scarf-bangle combos conquering DC.
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5 comments:
I feel like I should issue an amen here... There's something to be said about how strange it is that the idea of "feminism" is the same as the idea of equal sexual rights out of context. Ick to the hair gel, ick to subordinate natural positions, ick to changing our last names, ick to the machisimo culture that promotes "cute" and "fuzzy" wallflowers.
I do, however, like that being a solid, happy, competent and well-directed woman translates into being a feminist. Or rather, I like being myself and satisfied; also, I happen to be female.
That was a great post, Erica. Thanks for the well-described scenes.
I kinda enjoy the fact that pressure to make moves is still mostly on men, as a fragile ego does not enjoy rejection, but I also agree that it's nice to have the option/choice about whether to be coy or to be independent and charge-taking. :)
"I like being myself and satisfied; also, I happen to be female." Great one, Gwyn!
1. Way to stay up until 4 am, Erica! I haven't made it past 2 in a loooong time. 2. I miss all of those things you listed except for club funk. I love that we can wear heals in St Mary's and sweatshirts in DC or Ithaca, and Pantsuits in Miami! I think that I am even more comfortable with myself when I am with this fabulous, powerful group of women.
1) you guys are the reason i am comfortable being myself. if i didn't feel loved and appreciated by such an amazing group of friends who are all gorgeous and unique, i may have tried to change my style at some point but would never have been comfortable. so basically, it's ya'll's fault i'm still frumpy :). 2) this trip to miami over the weekend was sadly lacking in pantsuits. 3) my mom's new husband is a tea partier - well, not quite, but very closely affiliated. she has adopted all of his political beliefs now, which means all of glenn beck's political beliefs, which makes me want to vomit. 4) this last trip to miami was also sadly lacking in computers (i still don't know how they BOTH finished law school without a working computer), so i couldn't email you, Erica (or even look up your phone number), on your birthday. so i hope you're not mad that i'm late - but i thought of you lots and wish you many, many more years of being 23. i love you, and i miss you everyday.
What impassioned, succinct prose. I agree with Lizzard that Professor W's quotation rocks the house.
"I do, however, like that being a solid, happy, competent and well-directed woman translates into being a feminist. Or rather, I like being myself and satisfied; also, I happen to be female."
I like the "onda" of this exchange, which in el castellano means roughly "vibe."
And I wouldn't trade spadfrump for the world.
Semper quad.
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