Thursday, January 8, 2009

See Girl. See Girl Learn Culturally-Determined Ideals of Beauty.

Someone very witty and bright did the funniest post (on 1/1/09) about ways in which her sons are being taught patriarchy, right under her nose. And apparently, Miranda has been receiving some of the same messages, or at least messages in the same vein. Here is a smattering of the comments I've been hearing lately.

  • As I'm changing one day in front of Miranda, I lean over to put on my socks. She pokes me in my post-baby belly and says (looking very concerned), "Mommy, what happened to your belly? It's all bouncy! Make it stop!!" (Right, because it's just that easy.) As I straighten up and start to laugh at her, she says, "Oh good, Mommy, you fixed your belly. It's not bouncy anymore." Then she looks at me, very seriously, and says, "Mommy -- don't ever do that again. I don't like it."

  • I'm bathing with Miranda one night, and shaving my legs in the process. As I complete the first leg, she lays her head against my now-smooth calf, sighs, and says, "I like the soft leg. It makes me happy." As I raise up my other leg to begin, she exclaims, "Oh no -- the hairy one!" I kid you not -- this actually happened.

3 comments:

MeesheMama said...

Oh dear. Of course, I can't say I'm glad to have boys because I will avoid all these gender stereotype body-image things. The other day I had my shirt off getting dressed for work and Kindred yelled, "Mommy, I LOVE your boobies!"

Boys.

Janet said...

I've had the belly comment, too. In stereo. So far they don't care whether or not I shave. :)

Anonymous said...

I love it!!! "Oh no, the hairy one!" That is priceless.

The wolverine says very inappropriate things innocently when he sees me naked like "Mommy i want to kiss your nipples".

He has also recently learned that girls have a "Gyna and a vulva" so naturally is curious as to what those look like. Im very open about things but even that is a bit much for me....ha...

joy