words

I'm not quite sure what to say.

I turned on the news this evening and after scanning a certain scrapbooking message board I knew there was some information I needed to read up on.

I'm only twenty, and there are few things that I know well.  One of them is certainly my freedom of speech.  Now, there are certain times when certain words are appropriate.  I know from my studies in Journalism that in front of an audience is not exactly the correct place.  Never the less I'm not sure firing was the correct choice. 

On another note I have some issues with rap.  I feel unsure of how to phrase this but, some of it is funny, lighthearted and some of it is disgusting, repulsive.  There have been several times in my life when I have felt personally objectified as a result of rap.  I do not enjoyed being told (while shopping at a mall) to "shake my money maker."  A friend of mine, a black woman, was sitting in LaGuardia airport.  Two English boys started talking to her, and when she told them she was from Atlanta they asked her to, "drop it like it's hot."  Now we all got a good laugh about that one, but on one hand actually quite depressing.

I'm not a feminist by any stretch of the imagination, but I worry about the objectification of women.  For me, rap and Imus' words are much of the same- just another example of how our culture has watered down the seriousness of degrading women.

Perhaps it is my "gospel perspective," but when I think of the being a woman and what exactly that means I am full of emotion.  We women are of infinite worth and have such a priceless purpose here on earth.  I cannot imagine what my life would be like without the influence of wonderful, strong women.  I feel lucky to have many girlfriends I consider sisters. 

In the end the words do not matter much, but they lead to so many other things: attitudes, ideas, and even what is considered appropriate. 

Comments

[Gemma]

It's a difficult question. I don't consider myself a feminist either but there are words, phrases etc that make me feel as though I am a second class person and that is something that I simply won't accept.

It was an interesting thread ;-) I certainly went home and did some more reading!

[marianne]

I am a feminist, and more people than you'd expect are probably feminists too (by definition), because a feminist is simply someone who cares about equal social, economic and human rights of women. Like getting paid, dollar for dollar the same as men for the same work, and getting to vote. Anything more than that is someone's take on it, which is what makes it hard for so many religions and environmentalists and so-on (because of all the opinions and people making news in the name of something). You should have the right to feel that when you're being spoken to or when you're walking down the street, you aren't being objectified as a sexual object, which is not what those rap songs are portraying at all. Those songs are saying that it's very much okay to make a woman feel like she's no better than her body, and that it's what she has to offer, and it's those songs that send a pretty clear mesage to women that it's our job to be looked at, and that's it. Yeah, I'm definitely a feminist!

[Mrs. M]

It is difficult. Especially with so many persepctives, the freedom of speech, journalism, "gospel", etc. With my background I've been exposed to all of them. It also raises the question of how far is too far. Some radio hosts are just as bad....

[Lisa Brown]

Well said, Katie!

[Teresa]

When are people going to learn that "words" mean something, and once said they can not be taken back.
Thanks for your post- your comments were refreshing.