Feminists -VS- the Starlets

O'Reilly Hosts Debate: Feminism or Celebrity?

Miss Faith
Miss Faith, Yahoo! Contributor Network
Dec 20, 2006 "Share your voice on Yahoo! websites. Start Here."
Lindsey, Britney, Nicole and Paris; are they hurting modern day feminism and virtually erasing all of the hard work that has been done up to this point? This is the latest million dollar question over feminism. On December 11th, Bill O'Reilly had a segment about what he called the new "Brat Pack". He began by quoting feminist author Camille Paglia who has called these women "backstreet floozies". He then had Tammy Bruce, progressive feminist, on the Factor. She complained about how these women are not taking control of their sexuality and how they are not using it in a positive way. Bill went on to make comments about how there has always been women of respect and then also so called trollops. So based on this, he wondered why Ms. Bruce was so upset. Her response was, "the 1st thing to do is send them some underwear". She also said that standards are important and women should not act like tramps. Apparently she believes they should be more like Princess Dianna had been. Ms. Bruce had made comments on how the starlets needed to show more class and femininity like Princess Di, instead of acting the way they have been lately. She also stated that the feminist movement was not about Britney being able to show her privates or Madonna showing "expletive" on stage.

So according to this woman and her fellow feminists, women should now be feminine, yet glamorous but should still be strong and active in the workplace, but they should only do it the way the feminist movement has set forth? Apparently she wants a group of mindless super women that fit into the "feminist" mold and nothing else. As much as I wonder why these young stars are acting this way, it doesn't matter to me. They are still women and to me they actually ooze femininity from their pores. Femininity? Did you read that correctly? Yes you did. I think they are very feminine based on what they wear, how they look, and how they act overall. Once you have looked past the lewd acts and focus on the rest of the package, you can see how they are influencing young girls to actually dress and act like girls should. (This is where I will pause and wait for the berating comments.)

Anyway, this links together with a previous article I wrote about de-bunking the strong woman theory. I stated that women need to basically lighten up, let men be men and then women can act like women. I also made a statement about letting women wear dresses and heels. Well, isn't this what Paris and all of the other young starlets are doing? And do you see what they are getting for doing it? They are not being hammered by feminists for what they are wearing. They are being hammered for what they are saying, doing, and not wearing. So where do I stand on this? I say let them do what they want. Yes they are influencing the younger generation of females, but when I was a teenager we had influential stars as well and not all of them were liked either. So let Britney show whatever she wants, whenever she wants. After all, isn't that what the feminists fought so long and hard for? They fought for her to have the "Option" of doing what she does. She has been getting more and more scandalous as the years have passed, and yet it took her not wearing any underwear to get the feminists really going.

So in the end this is what the feminists are going to have to come to terms with. They made these out of control starlets the way they are and now they have no right to complain about what they are saying, doing, or acting in anyway. They wanted them to be able to live up to the statement of "I am woman, hear me roar" by being successful women, especially ones in the public eye. But now it has backfired and they are not acting the way the feminists want them to act. Instead they are acting how women with a mind of their own act, by doing things they want to do not what they are told they have to do. So it boils down to the fact that feminists fought to give these women this freedom and now they don't want them to use it freely. That is not freedom. Ironic isn't it?

Published by Miss Faith

Miss Faith is a full time student and she is currently working with About.com as the Guide to Makeup. She has finished her Bachelor's Degree in Intelligence Studies, as well as an Associate's Degree in CIS/N...   View profile

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  • Eric 3/3/2007

    attractive; that they must be this giving of themselves sexually, or they're not living up to cultural expectations, and aren't desirable enough as compared to others. For the woman participating in the burlesque show, following the pole dancing exercise class, wearing barely there skirts, it may be sexual expression, but who's to say that there aren't still the large cadre of men looking at her and going, "yes! boobs!" So in the long run, is it women using their bodies to gain power over men, or men using their power to get women to show their bodies? For the starlets, they've been rich and famous long enough to make personal choices with some freedom (I mean geez, look at Britney), so maybe the first. For the rest of society, maybe the latter.

  • Heather B. 1/28/2007

    I don't agree that their actions have anything to do with feminism but I do agree that they are out of control. That feminism gave them their oppertunity doesn't mean it caused it. There have been bad seeds in the world of women long before feminism emerged. I don't agree with their actions either, and I don't believe any of them need any children until they shape up their act. It's not feminism that permits them to act this way; it's the fact that they are famous and are thus considered above the law.

  • Miss Faith 1/19/2007

    Teresa - Thanks for your opinion on this. However, I still have to stand behind the fact that had the feminist movement not taken place nor had feminists "empowered" women across the country then these women wouldn't have the power they have today. They wouldn't be "starlets" but perhaps respected celebrities. It is the feminist movement that tells them that they are allowed to have power and children but still do what they want since it is their lives. Without feminism they wouldn't be permitted to act the way they do. However the feminists still look down at them for how they act. I don't agree with their actions, especially having children, but if you help make the monster you can't complain about what the monster does.

  • Teresa Opdycke 12/22/2006

    I'm all for live and let live, but if I had an impressionable teen or young girl living in my home the last people I'd want them to emulate are any of those you mentioned. Their fashion sense is questionable, their behavior embarassing, and if it weren't for the fluff news constantly putting them in the forefront who would know they exist? None of them have done anything to warrant the exposure they receive. The very idea that the feminist movement "made" these very selfish, out of control young women is an escapist attitude that says, "it's not my fault..." They make choices every day just like the rest of us, unfortunately they make bad choices. Also.. I would not call these adult women, "rambunctious girls." They are adults some with children. They're many many young women who are wildly successful who are indeed making a difference in their own ways, to select three that exhibit such ridiculous behavior and blame it on the feminist movement seems to be without basis.

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