Monday, October 1, 2007

We Gotta' Get Rid of this Chick--Forever

There are so many reasons that I hate this girl and everything for which she stands. Generally though, when I see her, she is attached to the back of some redneck/trucker's pickup or long haul trailer, and I just shake my head as I consider the source and send up a little prayer of gratitude that the men in my life are nothing like that. No, the men in my life see me as more than boobs and lipstick and have enough respect for womanhood that their idea of honor is far better than plastering our image on a mudflap, which so clearly smacks of dragging us through the mud that no woman should have anything to do with a man who insists on said behaviour. In any way. Ever.

But the other day was a new experience altogether. While waiting in line to pick up my sweet daughter from kindergarten, I pulled behind a red Malibu and quickly noticed the silver truckergirl license plate holder: two faceless women on either side, on their knees, butts and breasts jutting out, head thrown back, long hair flowing. My blood started to boil, and not because I'm against sex in general. I even consider myself a little sexy, but I am not dumb enough to think that that is all I have to offer the world. What that license plate holder and every trucker girl mudflap says to me is that women are nameless, faceless, objects without meaning beyond their physicality. And that is why I was mortified to realize that the license plate holder in question did not belong to the usual redneck guy, but rather to a woman. And not only a woman, but a mother of at least two adorable little girls whom I've seen her pick up on two occasions now. That is what made me the sickest of all.

Because if that woman values the anonymous sex-kitten image enough to visually promote it to the world, I worry about the subtleties of gender issues she is teaching her girls every day. Will their value be measured by the size of their breasts or the number of men willing to bed them? Will they believe they have gifts of mind and spirit that can bless mankind or will they settle for being a great lay?

Do men suffer the same messaging regarding their sexuality? I don't think so. Chippendale's may be the closest we get, thankfully. I would hate to see a mudflap of a man in profile with a giant erect penis. Gross, right? And yet, that is the only correlation I can draw to the objectification of women we see so often.

There would be many, I guess, who would say I'm blowing this out of proportion, but I think not because women are surrounded by this kind of subtle messaging on every side, and if we don't recognize it, call it out, and name it, our girls will go on absorbing it, digesting it, and allowing it to define them in some way. That definition is dangerous and in some cases an absolute destroyer. If sex is all they are worth, then they will give themselves away a piece at a time hoping to find the love they have never felt for themselves.

I'm not denying the significance of sexuality in the human experience, but it is when we are defined by it that we disregard all of the qualities that give us meaning, that make us unique and worth loving in the first place. That is something the "mudflap girl" will never get.

12 comments:

Happy Warrior in Training said...

That is my woman! Brains AND a body that will rival any misguided conception of what a woman is about. If every woman had her sence the men in this world would not only shape up but would also find what it is to be a man (physically, emotionally and spiritually). Wonder how many guys with this image on their vehicle actually believe they can change the world because their woman believes they can? Thank you L!

(I've got to tell you though, I love thinking about your silhouette which ironically looks a lot like that picture. I hope that is OK).

Melissa said...

Yowsa! I couldn't agree more. What a great post.

Madame Queen said...

This is a great post. You know after my "Smart is the new black" post, I was going to design a t-shirt on Cafe Press with that slogan, but when I went there, there is already a t-shirt with that slogan, with that silhouette girl holding a book! And some library (I forget where) has just adopted that same symbol as their new marketing campaign! What is wrong with this world?

Your idea of the man silhouette is hilarious but just highlights one of the huge differences in what men and women find sexy!!

Rochelleht said...

Oh girl! I loved this post! Great job!!! I SOOO agree. It really stresses me out as the mother of two girls. What a world we live in!

You should see the porno billboards that are all along the freeway to my dh's work. Talk about making your blood boil! Try keeping your thoughts virtuous when we are being bombarded with filth all the time! It's so crazy.

I am blown away by that mom. Seriously sick. I'm sure Britney Spears is her idol.

Megan B said...

Go Dr. Laurel! You are awesome. And ditto. I so agree. Ban the babe!

Lauren said...

I HATE that mudflap girl..part of me wants to cover my kiddies eyes when I see her...It's just so wrong!

Amber said...

It is so funny that so many of us have such a strong distaste for those girls in pictures and on flaps. They are so bothersome. I also love that you titled this post in labels, "my not so humble opinion." That is too funny. Whatever you want to call it, its right on and so well put.

Rochelleht said...

Laurel, I don't see your email address on your blog. I wanted to ask you a question. Will you email me? rochelleht@charter.net Thanks!

Kate said...

Amen- sista! You are awesome- I hate that we are sometimes defined by the size of our chest- and the saddest thing is- is that a lot of women have bought into that theory!

Lisa-Marie said...

THANK YOU. AMEN. YOU GO GIRL.

BTW, I love the name of your blog. And I think it was a compliment from your hubby to say that your life is like a tea party. Who wouldn't love that?!?!

Wineplz said...

I agree--great post. Found my way here via Madame Queen.

That stupid sillouette has me worried as a mom of 2 boys--it's like I need to try extra hard to instill in them respect for women instead of seeing them as objects. Good think they're little, gives me all that much more time to make sure their brains are wired correctly.

Betsy said...

ROCK ON.