Gender dark ages are far from over

Last semester, I had a minor argument with a friend regarding my article about cat-calling in the October 23, 2013, issue of the Eagle. Since then, I’ve thought a little about, not so much responding, but rather carrying on the conversation that I began with my (I believe), slightly misguided friend.

Above mentioned friend, Jacob Wirth, wrote a letter to the editor published in the October 30, 2013, issue of The Eagle. In the letter, Wirth stated: “The gender dark ages, which feminists have fought so hard to improve, are almost over in America.”

A little over a week after we published Wirth’s letter, a much bigger newspaper, The Huffington Post published the gem “23 Trends Guys Hate (But Women Love).” Ellie Krupnick, a female, (and I would here like to emphasize that this article was written by a FEMALE) interviewed men about trends that they hate on women.

The men’s answers ranged from high waisted skirts, to beanies, to oversized sweaters. There are even a couple comments on makeup. One man answered about bright red lipstick, “Really, really bright lipstick, because gross, you’re going to get that on me.” Obviously this man’s first mistake is to assume that anyone would want to kiss him.

The men quoted refer to high-waisted jeans as “mom-jeans,” and say that high-waisted skirts “lack a certain degree of subtlety,” and that hair bows make a girl look “too young.” Leggings are either “too predictable,” or “a little gimmicky.” Here’s a wacky idea gents: maybe the first thought in a girl’s head as she slides a bow into her hair is that it’s cute, rather than I hope I catch me a man with this bow! Maybe we like oversize sweaters because, get this, we like to be comfortable.

The men quoted in Krupnick’s article state their opinion on women’s fashion so boldly. Clearly we females should care very deeply about what the men interviewed think. We should rush all our Peplums, leggings, and boots to the nearest thrift store and replace our entire wardrobe for these men, obviously. As if. I love my red lipstick, giant sweaters, and high-waisted skirts. What I wear is my business, it’s not meant to impress anyone but me. And I have a feeling that a lot of women feel the same way.

The real problem here is that a well read newspaper actually took the time to publish Krupnick’s outrageous list. In 2014, a female columnist can write about what trends men hate. Men can comment on something that isn’t even their business and get it published. Not only published, but also revised and added to. It was updated last week.

If this isn’t bad enough, I might add that recently I’ve been noticing more and more articles about why women shouldn’t cut their hair short. In an article, “Total Frat Move” (you can tell it’s a douchey site by the title), the author comments on Jennifer Lawrence’s new haircut, “You’d only bang her if she lost 10 pounds.” As though. She cut. Her hair. For other people’s approval. As though any women cut their hair for other people’s approval! One of my good friends said, “I feel taller when my hair is shorter. I feel more confident, and I like that feeling.”

So women like it, but men publishing well read blogs still feel the need to comment on how much they don’t like it. People read these things, and worst of all, agree with them. Things that comment negatively on what women wear, how they cut their hair, and how they do their makeup are still being published and read. Internet and media continue to spread misogyny far and wide. The gender dark ages are far from over.