The Feminist Voice in Me??

I dunno if this is the 'feminist' voice in me, or what it is, but I have to shoot on this...it's been a preoccupation for several weeks now.

1. I so completely disagree with the 'beauty brigade' - it upsets me to such a degree I can't even begin to express it. I mean look at what we've come to - a woman isn't deemed worth anything, if she doesn't look like she's walked out of a fashion magazine. I agree that presentation counts and that you should look smart, not sloppy. But what is this fuss made over primping, wearing what's the latest thing the fashion guru deems appropriate for the 'season', the tweezing, pulling, torturing yourself into a particular size, shape, colour (that is the worst - Fair and Lovely - give me a break!)...

I mean a woman today can't have a pimple in peace? It's just a tiny blemish, there's no reason to break into a sweat over it, for chrissake! And the perfect eye-brows shit - hullo, what's that all about? So some man decided he wants his woman to have pencil thin eye-brows and now you don't find woman with natural eyebrows anymore! Check it out - see how many women you find in a day who have NOT shaped their eye-brows.

And doesn't it strike you odd when those men criticise the 'feminine' habit of 'taking hours to dress up' but if we appear less than glossed and dolled they just won't spare you a glance? They have a dozen hassles with women who visit the beauty parlour and fuss over their skin, but find me a man who doesn't want his woman to have that perfect look!

What's sad is that this has been so completely internalised that if you do not fit into the mould, you just end up being looked upon as a freak. Even a so-called woman's magazine that should work for the upliftment of women's status, caters to exactly these ideas - She is not worth your salt if she doesn't conform to these idiotic rules!

2. Ok. This aint feminist. I dunno what it is. But I do NOT understand this whole issue with women, where if a man bumps/accidentally touches them in a crowded bus, they make a hue and cry about it, feel 'dirty', 'defiled', violated'... but the same doesn't apply to a woman. Call me nuts, but I do not like being touched by anyone. Private space is private, irrespective of your gender, please. If you bump into me or brush against me, apologise...I do not care if you are a woman or a man - your hands were unwanted!