Jobless Generation?

I have been noticing a change in our generation from those of us who graduated college in 2006 to the present. Maybe it's just me, but everyone around me is either losing their job, unable to find one, or unable to find one in their field. This situation is making for some depressed, over anxious and just plain miserable citizens of the world.

Yeah, we're in a depression; everyone realizes that. But trust me, it makes no one feel better that the world is taking a one way trip to hell and we are all stuck on the downward spiral. Between unemployment and the natural disasters that have been plaguing earth this year, it seems that there may be no hope for the future.

The situations are becoming redundant, SoandSo loses their job, becomes depressed, gets prescription meds and starts to feel like they are losing their minds. It is no longer a few people going through a bad hump but almost damn near EVERYONE!

I apologize, I know there are a few people out there who still have their jobs, theirs careers and seem altogether uneffected by the problems of the world. But it is time to peek outside your microcosm and realize that other people on this planet are going through some serious hard times. And it is affecting them financially, physically, emotionally, and mentally.

Who ever thought that we would be in such a state of peril and turmoil during their own generation? At eighteen, all i knew was that I was going to college, getting a degree, and eventually conquering the world; however, I never imagined myself suffering from anxiety, working at a dead end job, and still living at home with my parents. No, it doesn't help that there are thousands of young adults in the same situation.

The worst part is that it is not over. We still have yet to fully feel the effects of the oil catastrophe in the Gulf of Mexico. Yeah, it's wreaking havoc in the southern fishing industry right now but it hasn't spread globally yet and believe me it will.

All these problems stem from the fact that the earth has become a breeding ground for greedy and mindless human beings who are more worried about making their next dollar and less worried about deceiving their family and friends. We are in for a more dramatic wake up call before the priorites of society change. It is just a shame so many people have to suffer be we do.

The Macho Complex

Feminists take a lot of shit for demanding equality for women and wanting to break free from the bimbo mold; however, when I say gender roles I also mean that male macho shit that men get forced into by society.

For the most part men and women are told how to act, and dress, what to like and dislike almost from the moment they are conceived. Pink if it's a girl and blue if it's a boy. As we develop into toddlers girls play with Barbie and boys get fake tools and cars. Even the toy store is seperated into boys' and girls' sections. But what would children individually choose to play with if they weren't told that girls play with dolls and boys play with tools?

This dilemma is the beginning of the torture society puts little boys through. They are taught to be strong and tough, leaving quieter, brainier men to feel less adequate. I mean what mental image do you get when you hear the word "man?" Something similar to the Brawny Paper Towel Guy perhaps? I am sure the image of, let's say, Bill Gates wasn't anywhere close to the image. But should he be considered any less of a "man" than the Brawny dude?

There are alot of men who are the typical jock type and there are alot of men who are not. There is a sad dynamic between the macho and the not so macho. One group making the other group feel bad for not being physically powerful and unappreciative of the others' mental power.

Men fight daily to live up to some Bruce Willis image of being a man. They are taught that they need to love action movies, watch sports and not act like "pussies." If they are are not Macho men and they are not gay then they are stuck in some in between area. And even if they are macho or gay then they are still victims of the macho society.

This is clearly a topic too broad for a few paragraphs. But the bottom line is feminism is Not just a movement that will benefit women. It's a movement that needs to benefit gender period. Another aspect of being a feminist is not just to benefit women but to benefit all of us from being victims of what society dictates we should be as men and women and impede us from being what we are as individual human beings.

What does Feminism Mean Anyway?

I know I have been using the word feminist like crazy but I thought maybe it was time I write about what I feel being a feminist means. Feminists are anyone who think that both sexes should have the same opportunities and the same choices despite their biological differences. Their humanists who want to break gender roles! Humanists is probably a better word because feminists not only worry about what gender roles do to women but what they do to men as well. But that's a topic for another day.

What is most shocking to me when I go back into the limited documented history of women is how women always seperated amongst themselves, choosing class, religion and race over their own fellow women. The only way I see rights and equality coming together for our sex is if we come together.

Let me clear this up now; its not that I hate men or blame all of them for the acts of others. Of course not! That would be sexist and narrow minded of me and only put me on the same platform as those of our species who already are sexist and by all means sexism is what I think should be erased from the minds of future generations. Participating in it will benefit NO ONE!

What has recently become the problem is not how men exploit women but lately how women are exploiting themselves and each other. Wake up women! Why must we worry everyday about how attractive or sexy we are in comparison to hollywood standards? We have choices now and women are still worried about their weight and thier make-up! This has always been the problem, women have been in competiiton with one another and for what? For the desire of a man? Is being desired really that important to a woman's existence or has man helped make it so?

What is the purpose of this writing? It is to wake some people up; we need to fight together to rid the world of all the acts of brutality and oppression that exist- equality for the sexes! It is only less than one hundred years ago that women have won the right to vote in this country and less than that in other countries- there is still much work to do.

Why should I have a choice what to wear each day when my a woman in the middle east must cover her body from head to toe because she has breasts and a vagina? Why is having a vagina such a disaster?! Personally I have always wanted the freedom of choices that i have watched men in my family have. Fathers your daughters can do more than be wives, mothers, and objects of sex! Your daughters want to do more! and why shouldn't you let them??!

I dont mean that men and women should take no pride in their own personal hygiene but once we go though extreme measures such as cosmetic surgery or be in the constant quest to be beautiful or what hollywood labels as perfect female form? We are all different and will NEVER look the same! So stop destroying your body and take care of it!

I write because I do not want my daughter to feel limited and hindered because she's a "girl."

Sux and the Shitty

Sometimes I feel like the only person who thinks the show and movies "Sex and the City" are a big waste of time and money. I've seen enough episodes to distinguish that these four flat characters are nothing but under-worked, materialistic, confused and shallow women. All I see is a show that represents women as people who do not know what they want, live to spend exorbitant amounts of money on shoes and obsess over meaningless sex and cocktails.

I think I might be putting more work into this blog than those writers put into their scripts and then bunches of women fall for these four like they are the greatest role models in the world. What do these women do that is so amazing? They buy over priced clothes, date losers, and they never seem to be working yet afford huge apartments in Manhattan.

I'll give the character Samantha a little credit; she, for the most part, knows what she wants, focuses on her career, and has the mindset of a stereotypical male and she seems genuinely satisfied with her lifestyle. However, the other three are a sad and depressing mess and I am almost embarrassed to be a woman when watching any of their interactions.

What's worse is that it drives me nuts that other women find these characters appealing and don't see through the sad, miserable lives these women have made for themselves.

Feminist Gaga?

Something definately needs to be said about pop sensation Lady Gaga. She is by far taking over the charts and has the world going goo goo for GaGa songs. However, I think it is more important to talk about what she is doing, not just for feminism, but for civil rights as a whole. Not only are her songs and music videos multi-dimensional but she is vocal about her opinions on issues like gay rights.

I don't think there has ever been a female pop star who exhudes real talent like Gaga does, from her songs, videos, voice, and of course her fashion. If we look just a little bit deeper than the weird outfits and "provocative" lyrics; there is definately some feminist ideologies pouring out of her work. Her video for "Bad Romance" poked fun at the prostitution business all the while empowering women in that position, a power symbolized by the GaGa call girl setting fire to her client and enjoying a cigarette next to his torched corpse.

This amazing video is rampant with these types of controversies, depicting taboo social issues that involve women's rights. The lyrics of the songs portray her definition of love which is one that encompasses loving both the good and the bad in a person. The songs tells us that love is about the good and the bad romance all the while displaying pictures of women being sold to men because of their physical attributes. These images against the lyrics of the song really criticize the contemporary ideas on love- in a world that is obsessed with physical appearances and plastic surgery and men who want to balance high paying careers and wives and high priced prostitutes without getting caught- to me this video shows exactly what has gone wrong with love nowadays.

In addition, it is no secret that GaGa openly supports gay rights or civil rights and I think she is a fantatic role model for young people today, giving them a sense of standing up for the things that they believe in, caring about and taking a stand while actively doing something to change what is wrong with the world. I think if more famous people wore their hearts on their sleeves than those of us who looked up to them wouldn't be so chicken shit about sharing civil liberties with their brothers and sisters.

GaGa's lyrics and ease with her body and sexuality are also very feminist. GaGa does nothing different than any other male artists who rap or sing about sex; it's only a problem when a woman does it. Because face it, gender stereotypes still dictate that women should be angelic virgins and there are plenty of us who are tired of being told that we as women have to be taboo about sex. I think GaGa will help more young women be more vocal about their sexuality and more comfortable being sexual women.

Not thinking so profoundly for a minute, GaGa's music is just upbeat and happy and times suck these days. It's not easy finding something to keep us from getting depressed. In fact, before GaGa I can't even remember the last time I listened to the radio without getting frustrated! So thank you Lady GaGa...proud to be a Little Monster...

Is American Culture Worth It?

I am so disappointed with our society. It seems that everyone and everything is about money and greed. Sometimes I feel like this state of mind is purely an American obsession and that it is not as blown up in other parts of the world. We have selfishly moved away from a simple life, one that involves love and family to a life filled with things, electronics, cash, coins and alot more stress.

So many people I know are developing all types of ailments and mental problems that derive from stress and depression. Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Colitis, Panic Disorder, and Anxiety on top of being overly medicated to "improve" these situations, we are being taught that meds fix everything. But if we just step back from the pharmacy counter for a second, we will remember that problems are solved when we get to the root of what is causing the stress and anxiety. We can't mask problems at work or home, issues with death and debt with a prescription from a doctor's office and then expect to be cured. Once the medication stops the problems are still there and the same symptoms come back: heart beating too fast, sweat beads forming, difficulty breathing, stomach tightening, room spinning....

Is it all worth it? The demanding job, the rat race for money and power? Is it worth the mental wear and tear on our bodies and mind? What is it exactly that we are getting out of this type of existence? We put our loved ones on hold; we miss our children growing up just so we can slave to death, collect a paycheck and make ourselves sick with stress in the process. Not everyone wants to live this American life so maybe it is time that we reform our culture or perhaps maybe we should just find a new one?

Hierarchy has been around since the beginning of time and yet we still haven't figured out that money and power does NOT make the man!

Is Sex Ed Really Offering an Education?

First and most importantly, abstinence has been imposed on women specifically for hundreds of years and the continuance of such a narrow minded and ancient stereotype of women's chastity is hampering future young women from eastablishing their own sexuality as women and creating a division between the sexes. Also, this style of "educating" provides no information for teens to practice safe sex. A majority of teens are sexually active regardless of abstinence campaigning in schools and religious institutions, so why not provide them with information that will allow women to take care and control of their own bodies?

Our young woman should no longer grow up being ashamed of having a healthy sexual appetite or embarrassed of their maturing bodies. This sterotype is one way in which men may belittle women with words like "whore" and "slut." Abstinence and its imposition on women are fueling gender stereotypes that many current and historic feminists have been working to destroy.

Secondly, sex education is not benefiting male or female students who are missing out on vitile information to practice safe sex. Its surprising how little students know about facilities like Planned Parenthood that provide sexually active people with condoms, birth control options, STD exams, and regular check ups. The problem is not that teenagers are having sex, the problem is that they are mal-informed about how to practice safe sex and become aware of their options. I believe the rate of unwanted pregnancies and the transmittance of STD's would be greatly reduced if schools took the responsibility to inform students on their options. Ignoring the problem is not making it better and teenagers and young adults are going to continue to be sexually active whether we preach abstinence or not!

Thirdly, the idea of abstinence is important in many religious beliefs which should remain seperate from public school education. What a student chooses to do about his or her sexuality is exactly that: their choice. They should not be provided with one side worth of information because a patriarchal institution deems it "proper" etiquette. Students should be provided with ALL of their options whether the teacher/student agrees with it or not. We are only hindering today's women from breaking gender stereotypes and becoming familiar with their sexual bodies, something that is encouraged in males even before puberty. Students who do not want this type of education by all means should be allowed to be excused but why should we deny all teens information important to their sexual health because of certain religious or patriarchal views?

It is time that we actually give students an education in a sex education class and stop inflicting narrow and mysoginist opinions on our young women and men.