Apparently, we’re also responsible for Paris Hilton and Britney Spears flashing her girly bits:
“A great promise was contained in the moment when Madonna kissed Britney at the MTV Awards,” crowed feminist Camille Paglia. “She in a sense was saying, ‘I’m passing the torch to you.’ It was a fabulous moment. Britney looked toned, in control of her career and it was up to her to take the next step. Literally, from that kiss, from that moment onward, Britney has spiraled out of control. It’s like Madonna gave her the kiss of death!”
Radical feminism, not Madonna, has given women the kiss of death.
Are we counting Paglia as a feminist now? I’m so confused.
Oh, but it gets better. Feminists killed marriage and are screwing up the kids:
As a result of the feminist movement there are no gender-based role differences in many marriages. Wives wear the pants in the family, husbands show little or no leadership and are often wimps, and children are unmanageable. Is this what God intended for the family?
No. The Bible teaches that the husband is to lead, provide for, and protect his family. The wife is to help her husband by managing the household and taking care of the children. Children are to be raised with discipline and love. That’s God’s way.
Today’s children are train wreck. They’re undisciplined, disrespectful and, frankly, as lazy as a Sunday morning. Sadly, this is the rule not the exception.
Please, people. Has there ever been a time when people haven’t complained about kids today? The term “whippersnapper” originated somewhere in the ancient world and referred to young men who rode around snapping their whips at passersby.
As for some marriages being egalitarian — why, yes! That’s the idea. I suppose what’s getting under Masha West’s skin is this idea that rigid gender roles aren’t necessary for marriage — why, if a marriage can be made without someone being the “man” and someone being the “woman,” what’s to stop two men from getting married? My God, which one will wear the pants???
And of course, feminists are responsible for Bad Girls (and, apparently, the disappearance of the letter g from West’s verbs):
Which brings me to the latest trend among teenage girls. I’m not talking about body piercing, tattoos or electric pink and green hair fashions. I’m talkin’ street fights. I’m talkin’ knock down drag out hair pulling fisticuffs caught on cell phones and distributed on the Internet. (Watching girls’ exchange body blows is not recommended for the feint of heart.) Standers by, both male and female, fervently root for their favorite girl to win. Most self-respecting females would find it humiliating to have their bruised and battered faces plastered all over the Internet. Oh contraire! Today’s girls think it’s cool to kick butt. (Note: American wrestling TV network, WWE, is the second most searched for item on Yahoo!.) Win or lose, many girls enjoy the spotlight, even when they look the fool. Miss USA recently experienced a barrage of media coverage, not to identify her accomplishments, but to expose the beauty queen’s drug use, underage drinking and sexual misconduct. Tara Conner checked into rehab to save face – and to retain her tarnished crown.
Radical feminists are wringing their hands over Tara.
Hasn’t she seen any 50s-vintage women’s prison movies?
But the worst is the dancing.
Another trend among the younger generation is “freaking.” At student dances all across America (including middle schools) kids are dirty dancing. Teens are simulating sex to the beat of the music, usually with, but not limited to, a partner. Young people’s creative minds have come up with expressions like “dog dancing,” “lap dancing,” doing “the grind,” “the nasty,” and “the wax.” I won’t explain. Use your imagination.
This sort of tawdry teenage conduct spooks some administrators. The principal of Manuel High School, Beverly Keepers, witnessed teens doing the nasty and had the good sense to turn up the lights. Soon chaperones were moving through the crowd, separating couples. “Nothing seemed to calm them down,” Keepers said. “It’s difficult when you have 800 students to tap every one on the shoulder when they’re dancing inappropriately.” Tapping 800 students on the shoulder would be exhausting! But the chaperones pressed on. Keepers complained that they saw it everywhere on the dance floor. “It looked like they were having sex, only with their clothes on, and sometimes the clothes were pretty revealing. To me, a public school should not allow that to happen.” [2]
And how dare a principal be disturbed about inappropriate public displays of sexually-charged dancing when the public schools are the breeding grounds for such activity with their liberal sex ed agenda!
To me, the principal’s reaction is surprising in light of the fact that a component of the secular progressive (SP) agenda for government schools is to teach sex education in kindergarten. That’s right. Sex Ed beginning in kindergarten. Liberals also plan to introduce students to sexual orientation and transgenderism in grades 8 and 10 (or younger if they can get away with it). SP’s approve of youngsters learning about sex at the tender age of 5, yet they’re mortified when teens simulate sex acts in high school gymnasiums on prom night?
Gosh, why could that be?
Indeed, West closes with a perfect example why comprehensive sex ed, and parents discussing sex with their kids, is a good thing:
No doubt sexual freedom is a dream come true for radical feminists. But it’s a nightmare for loving, sensible parents. Adolescents are having sex with no strings. They believe they’re using each other in a “good way.” Unwanted pregnancy and acquiring sexually transmitted diseases, some of which they’ll live with for the rest of their lives, is not so good. But hey, they can cross that bridge when they come to it. In the meantime, youngsters should live, love, laugh, and be happy!
Masha, dear, one way you reduce teenage pregnancy and STDs is to teach kids about contraception and protection. One way you help them make their own decisions about whether they want to have sex, with whom and why (and, hey! a lot of feminists are uncomfortable with the recent trend of girls kissing each other or flashing for the viewing pleasure of guys, didja know that?) is to talk honestly and frankly with them about setting their own boundaries. Which is something that parents who are on the “spare the rod” trip with their kids probably don’t do much.
As Jessica notes, West never really does draw any sort of connection between girls acting out and feminism. Though she suspects that West confuses third wave feminists, who talk about sex, with the Girls Gone Wild ethos:
So how is all of this related to feminism? I don’t know. West never really seems to make the connection. But it’s not just rambling anti-feminists who are talking about the feminist/slut relationship. Too often, I’m seeing third wave feminism conflated with vapid consumerist-types of sexuality, from the Pussycat Dolls to Girls Gone Wild—even by other feminists.
Yes, young feminists talk about sex. They write about it. They even have it from time to time. But let’s not confuse politically-informed and thought-out feminist perspectives on sex with drunken tit flashing. It’s insulting.