rebel girl, she was the queen of my world

So recently I've been thinking a lot about female power (or more specifically, our lack thereof). And watching a lot of inspirational videos about strong women and feminine representation in society. I don't think I'm fully to write anything about FEMINISM on this blog without sounding a bit ignorant but I'm reading and taking notes on The Second Sex by Simone De Beauvoir and trying to think deeply about what she's saying and I really think that would help me collect my thoughts more cohesively.

books

{Rough Magic: A Biography of Sylvia Plath by Paul Alexander}

 I'm about halfway through the book right now and Sylvia's life is really fascinating. Throughout high school (and much of her adult life) Sylvia seems to struggle with the societal expectation that women are expected to neither display nor act on any sexual desire and have becoming a mother as their greatest aspiration in life. Obviously Sylvia decided to aspire for more and I look up to her as a person and a poet. 

{I Am Malala: Malala Yousafzai}

Biography of Malala Yousafzai, the coolest, bravest, most beautiful, intelligent, kind, perfect girl on Earth. Basically, you should read it. 

{The Second Sex- Simone De Beauvoir}

This is probably one of the most complex books I've ever read because it discusses the physiological and societal aspects of "the pervasiveness and intensity and mysteriousness of the history of women's oppression" The book was written in 1949, making the language a bit complicated. 

I took notes on the first chapter of the book while I was trying to figure it out. 

(the pen is quotes from the book and the pencil is my own thoughts)

*sorry for the spaghetti stains*

pins

Jane Lane, Lisa Simpson, April Ludgate, Frida Kahlo (4 people with endless girl power)

movies

{The Runaways}Kristin Stewart and Dakota Fanning as Joan Jett and Cherie Currie (!) in the story of the all-girl rock band "The Runaways". I cannot put into words how wonderful this movie is.

more thoughts

I love this Balenciaga ad because even though the woman is looking down at her hands (submissive?), she still exudes a sense of being incredibly powerful, which isn't really something you see that often in ads. It would normally be a woman portrayed in a very vulnerable state {because of course, all women are weak/vulnerable} and they're valuable to the media when portrayed like that. But the stark monochromes and angular design of the clothing radiates power and control; [Marina Diamandis/ Power and Control: The human inability does not mean that I am weak.] But why must women look weak? Chimamanda Ngozi: “I have chosen to no longer be apologetic for my femininity”. You never see the model’s face, and therefore she could be incredibly beautiful, but it doesn't really matter because power is not dependent on beauty.

<I'm making the assumption that Balenciaga had a feminist agenda in this ad.>

videos 

My feminism spiral started last week, when I saw this spoken word video of Pretty by Katie Makkai. 

I got really angry at our society for even creating the concept of "pretty" after watching this (well, after watching it about 156 times) 

This is a lovely PSA made by Lesley Gore featuring extremely cool girls (Miranda July, Tavi, Alexa Chung, Lena Dunham) with an even lovelier song. 

I made a Youtube playlist of all the videos I've been watching about fffeminism (tw - reproductive rights, rape culture). If you watch them all in one sitting you might cry (you might not.) (I cried) (But I have the emotional maturity of a small child so...)

girl power y'all

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K