Smart Chicks

 

“Where have all the smart girls gone?”- Jennifer Siebel

But seriously… Where have all of the smart girls gone? It seems that even though women make up a higher percentage of college graduates than men now, there are more “dumb”, ditzy girls than ever. In her presentation “Miss Representation”, Jennifer Siebel explains this hideous phenomenon as a product of media and capitalism. I could not agree with her more.

Throughout the past century, women have made huge strides towards equality with women like Margaret Thatcher, Betty Williams, Billy Jeane King, Benazir Bhutto and many more. However, the more famous names today are people like Snookie, Kim Kardashian, Ke$ha and the crew from Teen Mom. In the past few decades, we have heard much less about the great accomplishments that intelligent, respectable, strong women are making and more about the scandals “popular” women are involved in. We are glorifying their demeaning behaviors and making them look like goddesses. These women are beautiful, have “the perfect” body, rich and live lavish lifestyles that are the envy of everyone. These are the female role models our girls have to look up to. With celebrities flaunting their rendezvous and media displaying them on pedestals, of course girls are going to want to emulate them; who doesn’t like attention?

The message being sent is that in order to matter in this world you need to be desirable. Desirability only comes in the form of beauty and sexuality and has nothing to do with intelligence, academic success or wit. This image is not only portrayed through celebrity actions but also in the constant ads displayed in magazines, movies, T.V., on billboards, the Internet and essentially everywhere we look. These ads are filled with beautiful… no… flawless women, with no wrinkles, impeccable skin, thin, sculpted bodies and drooling men. Sex sells. It sells products, eating disorders and ignorance.

This is an era where women CAN assume equality and respect if we want it, but too often we don’t and not only allow ourselves to be viewed as aesthetically pleasing sex objects, but we embrace it! Where have we gone wrong? I am not saying it is wrong to be physically beautiful at all, just that it should certainly not be the focus of one’s worth. It is time for the smart girls to take a stand and embrace our sexuality while promoting the most vital asset one can own- intellectual beauty.