Thursday, March 22, 2012

Personal Thought

ok so our class discussion this week was about the media influencing children. OH MY GOSH! I was so excited. I could talk and learn about this for EVER. I talked about Disney (of course;) ) and some other things. but seriously I did my senior seminar on the sexualization of young girls and i read a whole lot about the media.

Its funny to me because until I was in college I didn't think I was influenced by the media. (I know, I know I hear you laughing) I don't drink, smoke, do drugs, stay up late, fight with my parents, date around....I was happy to be a "goody two shoes" so i didn't think i was under the thumb of the media. Then one day. I remembered a not so shining moment in my past that made me realize just how influenced i was.
When I was in middle school I was mean to a girl in my class. I had gotten the message that being mean was cool and it got you power and made you popular and blah blah blah. I am so embarrassed by this now. As i was remembering this moment I was thinking "where did I get that idea"? I know I didn't get it from my family. I remembered the tv shows i watched and other things of that nature and it was like the light bulb went off. I got this idea from the outside world ~ the media. Oh I laughed and cried at myself for that one.

Now that I have a niece and nephew on the way I am very aware of the world around me, knowing they are in the same world. As i mentioned I studied young (elementary school to about 14 years old) girls for my senior year seminar as a result I am on HYPER ALERT for the way girls dress. I don't buy my niece pink clothes If i can help it. Sometimes I have to because i like pink and its super cute in moderation. I make sure the clothes I buy her look like little girls clothes and not shrunken versions of adult clothes. Sometimes I buy her boy shirts because they are so much cooler than girl shirts. Women wear t-shirts and jeans all the time, why can't a little girl. I bought a Beatles shirt, a Ninja Turtles one, a vintage Back to the Future one, a Run DMC shirt ~ all from the boys section. I don't care.

Ok well I'm out of steam here on my soapbox. Thanks for listening ;)

Me and My Niece

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