It's silly, I know

[eumelia]

I just came back from a small chore that didn't require me to walk very far, so I went outside barefoot.
As I was walking, a Granny with three children under the age of four passed me and the little girl (I'd wager she was about three) gave me a really long look and as they passed she looked up to her Granny, "Isn't she pretty?! Why is she barefoot?"
"I don't know" replied the Granny, "Maybe she just likes to be barefoot"
"Can I cut my hair like her?" (I'm not shaved at the moment, merely short and gel spiked).
The Granny tossed me an exasperated look.

I feel so validated!

I'm wearing a pastel green shirt and bubble-gum pink skirt (yes, I can hear all of you *gasp* from across the internet) and I feel so pretty! For years I've tried my hardest to avoid flashy colours, staying neutral and if I do wear a flashy colour I'll probably down play it with black, white, grey, or any other non-colour. Plus, the only non-neutral colour I loved was red. Now I want to wear greens, pinks, bright blues and more.
Yesterday I wore the pink skirt with a turquoise tank top and looked very, very bubbly.
Colours have become a "yes, more" kind of thing, when before they were a big "you expect me to wear that?!"

I think I'm becoming happier.

Also this little girl had hair down to her waist... the more little girls who challenge gender norms the better I say!

Comments

[ravrhi.livejournal.com]

On the plane from Vienna, I began talking to a little girl and told her that my tooth fairy had pink wings, a blue dress and green hair. The thing the little girl liked was the green hair. Later, she was taking the plane-safe tat/piercing tour, and when she got to my purple hair announced she wanted to be just like me when she grows up. I know what you mean about feeling validated. It feels good, doesn't it?

[nurint.livejournal.com]

Happier is better. Your version of soldier look was way cool, I can wait to see your version of pastel ;)

[hakuzo.livejournal.com]

I don't see anything wrong with challenging norms. I think more guys should do it too. I get angry at the way products are marketed in the USA. I once bought a back-scrubber for the bath tub, and the tag said something like 'Girl-Power Back Scrubber' or something similar. WTF? Why should that be marketed toward women? It's not like they are selling feminine hygeine here... LOL

On the other hand, there are a lot of very nice clothes marketed toward women, and sold only in the womens section. A lot of these don't even look gender-specific at all. They look more punk or goth to me, like black leather belts with skull buckles, black boots with zippers on the side, etc. I buy what I want to, and wear what I want to.

I don't think that anyone should be pushed to challange gender norms either though. I don't think there is anything wrong at all with a man looking like a man, or a woman looking like a woman. If a little girl wants to dress in a pink frilly dress, and that makes her happy, by god let her do it! =)

[hakuzo.livejournal.com]

Eh, one question here... I noticed your dragon icon, and I'm wondering, do you get offended by chivalrous actions, like men opening doors for you and pulling out chairs? I do this sort of thing all the time, and it offends a lot of women. I'm not doing it because I think women are the weaker sex though. I believe there should be some kind of clear cut social protocol, and that doing such things are just a good, polite thing to do. I also open doors for elderly men and children...

Challenging norms?

[roie-m.livejournal.com]

Yeah, it's good to feel validated (don't I know it?), but...

One of the reasons we have gender norms is because of societal pressure. What this poor little girl is feeling now, at least as I see it, is just another piece of pressure in the opposite direction.

However, isn't peer-pressure in the opposite direction just as bad? Pressuring someone to not be pressured by society sounds... backwards... to me.

[aesiron.livejournal.com]

Do you have a digital camera? I'm curious about the in-between 'do.

I'm glad you're feeling happier.

[orcabee.livejournal.com]

coolness! oooh, pictures of short and spikey!!