I enjoy being a girl!

Are any of you familiar with that song?!?

"When I have a brand new hairdo
With my eyelashes all in curl,
I float as the clouds on air do,
I enjoy being a girl!"

Etc...

Anyway, this may be a random tangent of thought, or perhaps I'm just in a really good mood today :)... but I feel great! 

There have been a few posts about women who oppose or enjoy wearing makeup, and reasons why or why not.  I think every women has their own way of feeling beautiful, but when I was looking at their pictures there was such a change in the demeanor between the pictures where they weren't "done up" and when they were!

I saw a lot of natural beauty, which I think every woman should embrace and be comfortable with.  In those pictures they looked more relaxed, and even a little tired.  Yet, when they put on their makeup and a great dress, their face and body language became more sexy and confident!!

In light of this rant, I hope that all women take an opportunity once in a while to show off their best features and flaunt a confident attitude - the way only women can ;)

Definitely be careful going without the head scarf.  It isn't right that you need to wear it in order not to be harrassed most of the time, but if it's a question of your safety pick and choose the battles that you're willing to fight.  It seems so wrong to say it, but good for you hitting that guy, I'd love for there to be solutions other than violence, but you don't appear to have that luxury.  Wherever you live, whatever gender or ethnicity you are, you have to be careful, particularly in areas where the culture is more restrictive.

I'm glad they think that the smokey eye is ugly because it means that you can wear it without further harassment.  BTW, you can do it in lighter shades for daytime wear which gives a similar but very subtle emphasis.

I can't stand how women are treated in certain countries.

I live in Miami, where many Hispanics from different spanish-speaking countries come. A large percent of the Hispanic men here (24 and older) are total creeps. They stare at you with no courtesy whatsoever, and it is very violating. It's like they undress you with their eyes. They will even stare at you/approach you if they are with their girlfriend/wife!

Ugh. :( And that's nothing compared to Egypt and other countries... Now I'm pissy.

Original Post by hannahriedel:

I love being a girl as well! I love makeup, clothes, shoes, and my fave.. beautiful bras and panties. I love to feel sexy from top to bottom, from the underwear to the outerwear. If I know that I have on an awesome outfit with a beautiful set under, I feel that more confident.

+1, sans the makeup. i never heard the term fake-up, it made me giggle. boys clothes are so boring.

Would it be more appropriate to say - I love being a girl in America?  Good grief!  I can't imagine being called a "whore" for showing my hair or wearing makeup!  I'm glad you stood up to that guy and punched him!  I'm just sad to hear that he hit you back - and that it was okay!

I don't think I have ever been around a guy who thought it was okay to hit a girl, let alone punch her in the face in public! 

I envy your strength!  You'd rather be who you are and deal with the controversy, than hide under a rock because you're afraid of what people will think/do.  You're a strong woman!

On another note, I'm grateful for the opportunity I have to be me, and I think every woman should embrace it!  Flaunt what you have because it makes you feel sexy, not because you think it's the only thing you have to offer!  It should be a way of showing confidence, not a means of getting attention in whatever form you can get it!

Women are capable of being beautiful, and I feel like there are so many levels to that beauty!  Work with what you have, and feel good about it :)

P.S.  I had a great makeup day today!!  I love it when that happens!

i think make up makes a lot of difference. Just a smear of lipgloss and a bit of eyeliner goes a long way.However, I don't mind going out without make-up. i don't feel less confident without it.

I will agree with the posters who said they don't judge anyone with or without make up. Just because YOU like wearing makeup 24-7 doesn't make you some sort of alpha-female more deserving of your ovaries. Talking/thinking smack about other chicks that you don't even know just because they choose not to make themselves up is why quite a few girls have "such a hard time finding good girlfriends".

Being a girl and feeling good about being girl isn't just about makeup. The last time I vividly remember thinking "thank god I'm a girl" was at a bar watching a guy go up to his friend and shove him for no reason. The guy spilled his drink while his other friends hi-fived each other and laughed. Those guys thought that was funny, my girlfriends and I were horrified and thankful that we are girls who don't have to deal with that from each other.

Original Post by muttlover:

I can't stand how women are treated in certain countries.

I live in Miami, where many Hispanics from different spanish-speaking countries come. A large percent of the Hispanic men here (24 and older) are total creeps. They stare at you with no courtesy whatsoever, and it is very violating. It's like they undress you with their eyes. They will even stare at you/approach you if they are with their girlfriend/wife!

Ugh. :( And that's nothing compared to Egypt and other countries... Now I'm pissy.

You know, I've noticed a lot of your posts seem to harp on Hispanics (and to get everything on the table, I'm half Cuban.) Yeah, I've encountered some lusty and staring Latinos, but I've encountered the same behavior from men of other ethnicities too.

Original Post by afluffyadorablebunny:

samantha--I live in Egypt..where the rates of sexual harassment are unbelievable...the men even harass women who are really covering up as well..and it mostly goes unpunished and nothing happens..the police officers themselves harass women..

And now when I am not wearing a head-scarf..when I show my hair..I am a total whore and I simply deserve what I get..

The other day on the bus..while I was on my way home..there was this guy sitting next to me and was hitting on me..I was gonna switch places with a guy behind me..so he threatened to hit me..right in front of other 12 " men " on the bus..so I hit him..because if I hadn't,I would have regretted it the rest of my life..it would have been me..just bowing down..and saying sorry when I was the victim..so I did,and then he hit me so hard my eye felt like it was gonna explode for days...What hurt me the most was that NO ONE did anything to stop him..NO ONE said anything..cowards! so called men!

Well actually one guy stood up to defend me who was sitting in the front..but then his wife or his sister was like : it is none of our business!! leave them!!

Anyways,so here..maybe in some places where tourists go..those places can be open somewhat..but the rest of Egypt is just typical as where I live..

I was wearing the head-scarf for years but then a year and a half back I decided to take it off...cause I felt fake wearing it..like I was not me..it is just not who I am following the rules made by oppressive pigs.

OMFG, I wish for nothing more but for freedom of the poor women in your country and others like it! If you ever gain the opportunity to "escape", I really hope you take it. NO ONE deserves to live like this, just reading this post makes me infuriated beyond words.

You are an extremely beautiful girl, and those disgusting oppressive pigs should count their blessings to just have been able to look at you. I never really wish ill on people, but I seriously would like it if such disgusting people would just go blind.

Original Post by coffincritter:

Original Post by muttlover:

I can't stand how women are treated in certain countries.

I live in Miami, where many Hispanics from different spanish-speaking countries come. A large percent of the Hispanic men here (24 and older) are total creeps. They stare at you with no courtesy whatsoever, and it is very violating. It's like they undress you with their eyes. They will even stare at you/approach you if they are with their girlfriend/wife!

Ugh. :( And that's nothing compared to Egypt and other countries... Now I'm pissy.

You know, I've noticed a lot of your posts seem to harp on Hispanics (and to get everything on the table, I'm half Cuban.) Yeah, I've encountered some lusty and staring Latinos, but I've encountered the same behavior from men of other ethnicities too.

I never intend to bash Hispanics in my post--as a whole, at least.

I was just very surprised how different men are in Miami compared to Orlando (I used to live in Orlando, it is 4 hours north). Very rarely in Orlando would I see a man overtly stare or say nasty things to me. But here in Miami, if I ever go to WalMart or any supermarket, the men will stare. They will stare at me, and any other younger woman. I just find it very offensive and I had never experienced it before.

I have talked to girls who come from different states or non-Spanish-speaking countries, and they agree. It's not like I'm the black sheep here.

Coffinwriter,who are you defending and why??

You should not defend those men just because they have the same ethnicity as you..you should demean those acts..

The men that stare like muttlover has put it..it is exactly like that..they do not look at my face first..they look at my private parts first..they undress you while you are just walking minding your own business..one guy said to me once " I just ate you up with my eyes " .. as if I would like that...those men have no manners at all..no morals..no courtesies whatsoever..they treat women like we are all worthless beings..like pieces of meat..and over here,they do not just stare...they reach their hands to touch your body..front..back..up..down..there is no escape from that..it just always happens..it is the way things are..and then they go on their ways laughing with their friends..and I'd go home feeling like...it is just not right...it can't be okay.

Again--Who am I to tell you what you should or shouldn't do anyways..but it is the same way around here..the women can be worse than the men..the women defend the men..their abusive acts..and demean the victims..you will find women oppressing their daughters and other young girls..it is the woman who takes her daughter to have her mutilated..to have her clit cut off of her...it is the women also who blame the girl..whatever happened..it had to be the girl's fault..while the girl is mostly the victim..

Mothers can be like that...I am not sure why...I try to understand but I can't...I have been trying to understand why things are the way they are here...I have no clue...maybe they are just cruel and selfish? they were brought up with those things happening to them and now they pass them over to the next generation of the young girls ?

But..I still do not get it..if I was abused or treated like trash..beaten and harassed..why would I accept that to happen to my daughter? wouldn't I just try my bestest so that she will be safe and would swear that nothing like that would happen to her as long as I lived?

I do not get it.

Cptbunny...thank you

I have been trying to leave Egypt and head to America...When I get there,I will do something about all of this...cause here,if I do,I might have acid thrown on my face...

Anyways..

good for you!then u can tell those demeaning pigs to pi ss off

adorablebunny,

I am glad you hit that man.  If all women stood up for themselves the way you did, we would be living in a very different world.  I hate to think it puts you in danger, but then that is how people are opressed and this crap keeps going on.  Fear of danger and reprocussions, the threat of violence being held over womens heads.  I hope you do get to come to the USA and act/speak out and create a big **** storm!

Original Post by afluffyadorablebunny:

Coffinwriter,who are you defending and why??

You should not defend those men just because they have the same ethnicity as you..you should demean those acts..

The men that stare like muttlover has put it..it is exactly like that..they do not look at my face first..they look at my private parts first..they undress you while you are just walking minding your own business..one guy said to me once " I just ate you up with my eyes " .. as if I would like that...those men have no manners at all..no morals..no courtesies whatsoever..they treat women like we are all worthless beings..like pieces of meat..and over here,they do not just stare...they reach their hands to touch your body..front..back..up..down..there is no escape from that..it just always happens..it is the way things are..and then they go on their ways laughing with their friends..and I'd go home feeling like...it is just not right...it can't be okay.

Again--Who am I to tell you what you should or shouldn't do anyways..but it is the same way around here..the women can be worse than the men..the women defend the men..their abusive acts..and demean the victims..you will find women oppressing their daughters and other young girls..it is the woman who takes her daughter to have her mutilated..to have her clit cut off of her...it is the women also who blame the girl..whatever happened..it had to be the girl's fault..while the girl is mostly the victim..

Mothers can be like that...I am not sure why...I try to understand but I can't...I have been trying to understand why things are the way they are here...I have no clue...maybe they are just cruel and selfish? they were brought up with those things happening to them and now they pass them over to the next generation of the young girls ?

But..I still do not get it..if I was abused or treated like trash..beaten and harassed..why would I accept that to happen to my daughter? wouldn't I just try my bestest so that she will be safe and would swear that nothing like that would happen to her as long as I lived?

I do not get it.

 

I'm not defending those acts. I'm just pointing out that Hispanic men don't corner the market on leering. I live in NYC, I've been street harassed by the rainbow of humanity!

And I have noticed on several of muttlover's posts there seems to be this recurring need to mention the Hispanic-ness of whoever she's dealing with. There was the post about the Hispanics resenting her because she's taller than them. Or the one about the Hispanic woman with no job, higher education, and boyfriend broke up with her--why does ethnicity even NEED to figure in to that story?

Also, I've been to Egypt too and encountered a lot of what you described--and at the time at least (late 90's) Egypt was considered a more liberal country in that region! 

Coffincritter, I'm sorry if I offended you. But i do not intend to offend anyone in my posts.

Hispanics really have shown that they do not like me being taller than them. I have had girls my age say that I could not sit somewhere because I was above X height.

I think you are talking about my roommate/landlord in the second example. Except, she does not have any education and she does have a job. She works at a radio station that does not pay her (yet she continues to work there and complains that she never has money). I mentioned her ethnicity because she uses the excuse, "Well, in Colombia, everyone helps eachother out." Yet, she thinks that because I am "rich" (my parents pay my rent--otherwise, I'm broke) it is okay to steal money from my room and not return my security deposit.

I make many Hispanic comments because I have been living in a heavily Hispanic-populated city, and I am learning about how they are. Why can't I make comments about them? Because I am not Hispanic? Why can afluffyadorablebunny say that the men in her area are scum for staring at her, but I cannot? I don't understand that.

I make many Hispanic comments because I have been living in a heavily Hispanic-populated city, and I am learning about how they are. Why can't I make comments about them?

That is pretty much why.  Fluffyadorablebunny can because she is egyptian, so she can comment on other Egyptians.  She has first hand knowledge and is discussing a culture she is a part of.  Basically when you make multiple generalized comments about a group of people that you don't belong to based on their otherness (I gather you're not Latino from your posts)... it starts to raise red flags.  You could replace Hispanic in all your comments with gay, Jewish, black, fat or whatever. Change it around.  "Jews don't like that I am taller, My Jew landlord stole from me and then blamed his culture, Jewish men always leer at me."  Starts to sound like generalizations, assumptions, and a bit bigoted.

I am learning about how they are. More appropriate phrasing for studying Zebras than people.

It would be fine to say men in Miami leer at me.  My roommate stole from me and blamed it on her culture.  People treat me weird because I am taller... but you assume a common thread- that this all happens because these people are all Latino.  Which is a broad term and encompasses multiple cultures.  There are multitude of Latin American countries.  Your landlord from Columbia, and the Cuban (just throwing out an example) guy giving you the look over came from two totally different countries with different governments, lifestyles, and history.

I'm not trying to be all PC crazy on you or derail this thread, but you asked, so I thought I would answer.

Thanks for your reply, tortoisewins.

I still do not fully understand, but I don't want to take over samantha81's thread. I'll make a new topic about it, because I want to see what people think about it and learn how to phrase my comments less offensively.