Thank you Maya

I love to see a young girl go out and grab the world by the lapels. Life's a bitch. You've got to go out and kick ass.

-Maya Angelou

I LOVE this quote.

I know it is a bit, in-your-face, but it holds so much power!!! Let me also mention that Dr. Angelou is one of my heroes. Her spirit is simply intoxicating.

This is my second post for today, because I didn't feel I gave you enough in the previous one.

According to Women's Realities, Women's Choices by Hunter College Women's Studies Collective, the conclusion found on women being whole is as follows:

"Women should not be reduced to the subordinate member of a relationship (wife x, mother y, secretary z) or a body part (breast, uterus, legs). This complex process implies, to many, a radical rethinking of what human beings are and what their society has made of them." page 43.

As raging-feminist as this sounds, I would not consider myself, by any means, a raging feminist. (Even though my brothers joke I am. Their theory is you shouldn't trust anything that bleeds for a week and doesn't die.) However, I strongly believe that todays women have more advantages, education and resources available to them than ever before. I believe that slowly women are redefining what leadership means in this country. Take Oprah Winfrey and Hillary Clinton for example, both are excellent examples of the way women are redefining our society. So we have no choice but to continue forward.
In my mind, forward is the Dove campaign. Forward involves schools across America implementing classes that teach the importance of self worth, confidence and positive body image. I feel this is as important as any health class (where teachers just beat around the bush when it comes unprotected, premarital sex, avoid STD talks, and never bring up oral sex, but that's an entire different subject). Courses that teach the importance of loving yourself should become a necessary part of education. So let's start a nation wide program called "Jane Doe" and make it a mandatory course, because let's face it, that's a parents job, but not everyone with kids is ready to be a parent. So let's do it!


Ok, that's all I have for today. I hope you are enjoying this, let me know your thoughts. I love to hear new ideas, stories of young girls, new good and bad advertisements and any magazines you feel are pushing the right idea as far as body image goes.

Goodnight and God Bless.
-Kate