I recently read an article in Time Magazine about women and men in modern society.  The article is online here, but I read it in the physical copy of the magazine.  Here are some reactions to things that I read.

• In the physical copy, but not the online copy, it started off with Paglia saying that feminists believe that women can survive without men. Which isn't something I've learned in my experiences with feminism.  Feminism doesn't say that men are unimportant, so I wonder (a) where this came from and (b) why it is different in the print and online versions.  
• Paglia claims that second- and third- wave feminism unfairly scrutinize "men's faults, failings, and foibles." I agree that feminism calls men out for things that many people find irrelevant - but the actions of both men and women have huge effects on inequality in modern society.  It's not always comfortable if someone calls you out for rape jokes or for criticizing someones appearance, but that doesn't mean it's an attack on men.  
• I'm troubled by Paglia saying it's okay for women to hold power in a working environment as long as they also have "sexual allure and glamour." Firstly, being glamorous is not what makes a woman a woman, and secondly, men don't have to be alluring to hold a job.  If it's not inherently part of being a woman and it doesn't help other people do the job, listing it as a hiring requirement doesn't make sense to me. 
• An assumption that Paglia makes is that feminists blame gender roles on men hating women.  I think this is a common misconception, but feminists don't think it.  Academic feminism recognizes that gender roles arose from a "natural division of labor," just as Paglia says gender roles came from.  
• Paglia says that there is an "implicit privileging of bourgeois values and culture" by feminist journalists.  I don't know if this should be attributed to feminists.  Much of academia does this.   As does much of society - would you encourage your kid to be a brick layer or to be a lawyer?  

The main point of Paglia's article, as I can tell, is to assert that men who do the "absolutely indispensable" hard labor and so they should get all the credit for the modern economy.  Paglia seems to imply that feminism is denying men credit for the physical, back-breaking work that they do.  She says that "the modern economy . . . is a male epic, in which women have found a productive role - but women were not its author." I have a couple reactions to this:

1. Paglia makes a big deal out of gender roles that have arisen from a natural division of labor in earlier paragraphs.  If we're assigning an "author" to the modern economy, great.  Let's assign an "author" to these men as well - if we're discussing gender roles, keep in mind that women have a role, too.  Also, men do most of the hard labor, but the work women do isn't negligible.  (And if we're going to talk about the physical work involved, think about the physical work involved in childbirth.)
2. Obviously men do a lot of work supporting the modern economy.  And, as Paglia asserts, when the modern economy collapses men will be responsible for a lot of things that most women aren't strong enough for.  I don't understand why Paglia thinks feminists will have a problem with appreciating the "dirty, dangerous work" that is done by an "overwhelmingly male" workforce.  And I don't understand why that would change the work that feminists do.  Women are treated unfairly in modern society, and feminists work to change that.  Just because that doesn't have a primary focus on laboring men doesn't mean these men are "invisible" or that feminists don't appreciate them.  

If Paglia wants to draw attention to men who do difficult jobs and are largely ignored by modern society, why doesn't she say that?  Instead, she commits a few straw man fallacies and spends time blaming feminists for ignoring the hard work done to support the modern economy.  

No Make-up vs. "No Make-up"

I don't wear make-up.

When I was younger, I remember my mother putting make-up on my face because she didn't want me to go to school with acne.  And every time she did that, it would come off on my hands during the day and it would smell funny and I just didn't like it.  As I got older, I began to own some of my own make-up and to use it whenever I felt self-conscious about my acne or whenever I wanted to look grown-up or special.  But I didn't like it.

I can feel it on my face.  My mother says I can't, but I can - in the same way I can feel contact lenses on my eyes.  It's a layer of something that sits on top of my face, very unlike an acne cream or lotion that my face absorbs.  Although I know it's not good for my acne, I touch my face a lot, and make-up comes off.  It smells weird.  And I don't like taking extra time in the morning to do something I don't like - I'd rather stretch or eat more breakfast or sleep for ten minutes.

Which is why this article in the Huffington Post stood out to me.  It talks about what people expect when they say "no make-up" and what no make-up really means.  I haven't worn make-up in a year and a half.  When I went to China to teach English, I didn't take any with me, and I haven't worn any since then.  My mother and grandmother both think I need to be wearing make-up as I search for a job.  I still have acne, so I look like a teenager, and wearing make-up will make me look like an adult who should have a job.

This idea - of society expecting me to look a certain way - raises some questions.  Will this actually keep me from getting a job?  Am I doomed to wear make-up for the rest of my life?  If someone hires me while I wear make-up, are they expecting me to wear make-up to work every day?  Do I have to go out and buy make-up to be competitive in the job market?

And where does this come from?  I'm totally okay with people wearing make-up, but when did this create the standard that I have to wear it too?  When did a woman's face alone become something that needs to be changed to be acceptable?

Luggage

It has been a long time since I last posted - but I've been reading interesting things on the interwebs, and the world needs my unique view on everything.  So I am going to attempt to blog more often!  Let's see how it goes . . . 

Travel blogs are the best form of procrastination - I know, I've had 4 years of university experience to figure this out.  It's a helpful combination of daydreaming and I-can-use-this-in-the-future knowledge.  Her Packing List is focused on travel gear for women - and it's often my starting point to find new travel bloggers to read.  Luckily, the writing and content of Her Packing List are fun and well-written as well, so I find myself reading every new article that comes out.  

This week, Her Packing List started off with a DIY Luggage Tag post, giving instructions for making a few neat-o luggage tags that can help luggage stand out at the airport.  I've found it important to be able to identify luggage easily, so here are some things I've learned in my travels abroad that can help you keep track of your luggage on a trip!

1.  Pick less boring luggage.  Before I studied abroad, my grandmother bought me a blue hard-sided suitcase.  While blue is not the most original of luggage colors, it is a lighter blue than most.  And, as a hard-sided case, it is differently shaped than other peoples luggage.  It stands out a little, but doesn't stand out too much.  I also have a small floral suitcase that I bought while abroad.  It is floral print, which means it stands out, too.  If you are specifically choosing your luggage for a trip, think about a different shape or color.

2.  Accessorize with luggage straps.  The Her Packing List post talks about luggage tags, but they are small and hard to see in baggage claim.  My family has good luck with luggage straps.  They're long "belts" than fit around your suitcase.  I remember my parents fixing a rainbow luggage strap around their big suitcase when we've gone on family vacations - that one stands out a lot.  My sister and I both used bright green luggage straps recently - we made our luggage match, even though we have completely different suitcases!  Look for a strap that you like - it is, personality-wise, like putting jewelry on your luggage.  And make sure that luggage strap goes under at least one handle - otherwise it is likely to fall off!

3. Get creative!  You can try ribbons, stickers, or sharpie to make your suitcase stand out more.  I read a story about a suitcase labeled "If you read this, please yell Sarah very loudly," so that Sarah would have an easier time locating her luggage.  Just make sure anything hanging off of your luggage is something you're not afraid to lose - this is the time to use your gift wrap ribbon, not your favorite hair bows!