Definition of femininity challenged
1
• ACCEPTANCE asiacahlagong , Definition . ( \ of femininity' :challenged 'E w, your 'legs are hairy! That's gross!" , During summer vacation, with the sun brazing and temperatures rising to an , unbearable deg,ree, I did not . prepare myselLto go swim- , ming at my aunt's house, but .: decided that it did not matter, My legs were unshaved, my hair a mess, I probably resembled an ogre that day. Who doesn't love Shrek, I thC5ugh~. " " My carelessness, however, was met with the disapproval and astonishment of my three : teenage boy coqsins as they noticed my legs.,coveredin hair grown after nearly a month of not sllavihg, After absorbing enough taunting criticism, I respond- ed with a verbal smack to their fices that brought me instant gratification with their silence: This is what a real woman looks like. It became clear what had to be done.' I neededto be as disgust- ing as possible hot orilYto keep them from making unreasonable expectations for women, but ~ls0 to groY" more comfortable with beirtg myself - It was time to expose them to the dark 'side, tniin~ ing them to deal 'with greasy l:l11washedhair,unshaved legs, no makeup;, enibarrass~ . ing zits and a survival gUide to sailing the Re<!_Sea ... , . One truth about women that the oppositesex seems to pothandle is,that they"aie, '~vfn facCprefty 'grass.". :' '_ ' Some women 'are 'evert uncomfortable admitting _. it, denying that the word "gross" applies,to them. . But, in all ho~esty, "gross" should be the new '''beautiful.'''' Hollywood has fabri- cated a false ima:ge' of how 'a woman is expected' to look and I will not apologize J9r sh~ttering the illusion that women are naturaliybulit' iike Greek ,goddesses. Shaving, for example, is a, burden women are forced to endure. I ,It is both a tedious and troublesome pro~.ess, req,1;lir- ing skill and precision to make sure the slightest bit of hair is not missed. ' During the winter season, there is a blanket of relief as pants are worn daily and razors are placed in bath- . room ,drawers for annual hibernation. Ibeseech men to build . tolerance and accept all the flaws women try to conceal, from a little stu5ble ,onher leg' or a blemish on her face. Don't tauntwl1at a woman has no shame to flaunt. , I encourage women to feel liberated and unchain them- selves from petty flaws t~at . they should be embracing. There are many unspoken insecurities levitating in soci- ety that ca'h only be brought to the ground leyel when it is remembered that, at the core, women can be disgusting. It is important to work with 'what you have rather than d'esperatelyJrying to .. convince yourself that you need s.omething else. Confidence and comfort are the two most attractive and alluring accessories ail women should fashion. I . Ladies of the world, be gross and disgusting to your heart's content. Asia Camagong is a staff writer for The Advocate. Contact her acamagong @accentadvocate.com. ClrMfr~(\Jp Feb. \\ 12(iO~ A?:J
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A mail-in submission to the JACC state convention explaining how women should find comfort in their own skin--even if it is hairy.
Transcript of Definition of femininity challenged
• ACCEPTANCE
asiacahlagong ,Definition . (
\
of femininity':challenged'E w, your 'legs are hairy!
That's gross!", During summer vacation,with the sun brazing andtemperatures rising to an, unbearable deg,ree, I did not. prepare myselLto go swim-, ming at my aunt's house, but.: decided that it did not matter,
My legs were unshaved,my hair a mess, I probablyresembled an ogre that day.Who doesn't love Shrek, IthC5ugh~. " "
My carelessness, however,was met with the disapprovaland astonishment of my three: teenage boy coqsins as theynoticed my legs.,coveredinhair grown after nearly amonth of not sllavihg,
After absorbing enoughtaunting criticism, I respond-ed with a verbal smack totheir fices that brought meinstant gratification withtheir silence: This is what areal woman looks like.It became clear what had
to be done.'I neededto be as disgust-
ing as possible hot orilYtokeep them from makingunreasonable expectationsfor women, but ~ls0 to groY"more comfortable with beirtgmyself -It was time to expose
them to the dark 'side, tniin~ing them to deal 'with greasyl:l11washedhair, unshavedlegs, no makeup;, enibarrass~.ing zits and a survival gUideto sailing the Re<!_Sea... ,
. One truth about womenthat the opposite sex seemsto pot handle is,that they"aie,
'~vfnfacCprefty 'grass.". :' '_ 'Some women 'are 'evert
uncomfortable admitting _.it, denying that the word"gross" applies,to them.. But, in all ho~esty,"gross" should be the new'''beautiful.''''
Hollywood has fabri-cated a false ima:ge'of how 'awoman is expected' to lookand I will not apologize J9rsh~ttering the illusion thatwomen are naturaliybulit'iike Greek ,goddesses.
Shaving, for example, is a,burden women are forced toendure.I ,It is both a tedious andtroublesome pro~.ess,req,1;lir-ing skill and precision tomake sure the slightest bit ofhair is not missed. '
During the winter season,there is a blanket of reliefas pants are worn daily andrazors are placed in bath- .room ,drawers for annualhibernation.
I beseech men to build .tolerance and accept all theflaws women try to conceal,from a little stu5ble ,on herleg' or a blemish on her face.
Don't tauntwl1at a womanhas no shame to flaunt., I encourage women to feelliberated and unchain them-selves from petty flaws t~at .they should be embracing.
There are many unspokeninsecurities levitating in soci-ety that ca'h only be broughtto the ground leyel when it isremembered that, at the core,women can be disgusting.It is important to work
with 'what you have ratherthan d'esperatelyJrying to ..convince yourself that youneed s.omething else.
Confidence and comfortare the two most attractiveand alluring accessories ailwomen should fashion. I
. Ladies of the world, begross and disgusting to yourheart's content.
Asia Camagong is a staffwriter for The Advocate.Contact her [email protected].
ClrMfr~(\JpFeb. \\ 12(iO~
A?:J
