girls today

"even when you're talented and extremely nice and you can do whatever you want and who cares what anyone thinks anyway, it's still not ultimately great for your self-respect to wear butt floss and make porno faces in public.

Despite the starry-eyed teenagers lining up to be the skankiest showgirls of all, there's almost nothing normal or artistic about the Pussycat Dolls -- which is why they're so obviously destined to rule the known universe.

But you don't have corns! What am I saying? You're beautiful and young and therefore still free to shake your perky ass on the strip-club stage of life for Aqualung and his friends, enjoying that deep satisfaction that comes from knowing that stinky old guys want to have sex with you!"
By Heather Havrilesky at www.salon.com

After reading Havrilesky’s article today I decided that it might be time to blog on and spew a bit.
But first I did a little looking at the music videos from those sumptuous vixens, (she said rather facetiously) the pussycat dolls. It wasn’t enough though. I needed to see more. The trail led me to yahoo videos.
The thought that came up for me, while watching the glut over and over, video after video, was how much money is being spent on inane visuals. The ONLY video I could remotely give a fuck about was ‘stupid girls’ with Pink. Nice little spoof. Hats off to ya, honey!
The investment on the part of the entertainment companies, influencing girls to dress in as little and as tightly possible because it will make them happy, pretty and powerful and able to choose or reject any male in the universe, (uh huh), is capital, information and time that could be spent persuading these chicklettes to find out what they really want to be when they grow up – as opposed to encouraging them to act out like they already are. OR capital, information, and time spent acknowledging and encouraging young people in their own age bracket to feel good about being in their own age bracket! Why does the 'glitz biz' need to lie to our children? OH! I forgot….profits!

My partner’s daughter is thirteen. She’s an artist and musician, not to mention a lovely fulltime adolescent. My goddaughter is twelve, a 'tween', beautiful, well educated and, by today’s standards, very, very innocent. She is still trying extremely hard to believe in Santa. Both of these girls are so bright and full of enthusiasm for life. Both have a little coy minx starting to pop through. Great! Having the flirt come alive is anyone’s budding birthright.
However, when I see the onslaught of ‘same ol’ same ol’ female aberrations wearing a tired mask of equality through ‘my booty and its gyrAyshuns’ I can’t help but wonder what must be going on in the heads of these two girls. Hey kids! Please! Wait a minute! There’s more!
I asked the dad of the thirteen year-old what he thought would positively affect his little girl. And his response didn’t really answer the sad curiosity I have for how these current cultural imprints are influencing and building young feminine character. His daughter is an avid Avril Lavigne fan. (I watched her latest video on yahoo. Sooooooooooo disappointed...more of the - i'm the one for you, young stud, and she's nOt and i feel better by watching and laughing at her hurt and embarrassment. oh! and i look really sexy and she's a total dweeb! she's sooooooooooo not your type and i am - video.) Such clever and surprising stuff here. Ahem!
Dad’s hopeful comment was that he foresaw a hybrid of saucy Kate Hepburn/gamine Audrey Hepburn women emerging, of whom his daughter and my goddaughter would be shining examples. Wishful thinking! And yet, there is some truth there. But these two are not the majority.
And they are going to have to work, vote, romance, live and possibly raise children along side the ones who are dreaming of being just like Nicole, Ashley, Kimberly, Melody, Jessica and/or Carmit pussycat doll!

Some teenage imprints that come up for me are Dusty Springfield, Janis Joplin, and Joni Mitchell. I keep trying to imagine these women in the 'millions of dollars 3 minute 43 second music videos' made and approved for today’s teenage demographics.
Springfield, Joplin and Mitchell were examples of sexiness, talent and beauty - they called upon their talents first, looks & bod came after. Granted, they made compromises. We are all fallible. Hell, two of the three aren't even on this material plane anymore. But they were and are icons. They sparked those of us girls watching them and advocated that women were more than just some sexy puff... and of the three, the one still living is one of music's greatest artists, never was and not about to be pigeon-holed into coquette corner.
It’s an archaic position, I admit. One that every generation passes through….when I was your age WE blah blah blah. But come on! This message of – you are not gonna fuck me unless I give you permission but I’m gonna tease you just to watchcha NOW WOMEN THIS IS THE ULTIMATE POWER - has got to go!
How many more young girls have to morph into seedy tease creatures, self esteem casualties?
If that is the best we have to offer and show in this world at the moment...

...and i can't even begin to formulate what must be going on in the minds of all those adolescent young dudes...