"The eschewing of rational interrogation of the mystery of such "choices" are made and pleasures to which most men seem immune. and what they might mean for women's live, renders beauty practices into an aspect of the natural world beyond political concern"-Beauty and Misogyny Shelia Jefferys p. 12

I'm starting a new series, my thoughts on Shelia Jefferys. I've had a hard time expressing this feeling, but I think the whole OMG!!! But I loves teh makeup!!! stuff makes invisible women who are really bad at femininity, or even men who really love the girly crap. When we speak of manicures as a special part of being a girl or act like women, and only women, need to 'restore our sensuality' by pole dancing, the fact that men have sensuality or might want manicures is totally obscured, as well as the fact that women aren't shot out of the womb with a love of frills and makeup. European men hundreds of years ago were wearing frills all over, as a counterexample to the idea that somehow women have a gene that makes them want to be pretty- like we women are all born with eye lash curler in hand.

I think the whole choices thing doesn't really give us more space for everyone. Yea, it makes girly girls feel better about themselves, but there was already space for the concept of a girly girl. We need space for androgynous folks of both sexes, hairy legged ladies and smooth legged dudes, we need guys who aren't scared to Zumba and women who love power tools, girls who cry at shoujo manga, but can hold their own on mini comics, football playing girls and dance team guys. We're not going to get that by the choices route. We need to break down the bonds of social coercion that push everyone to different sides of the room and tear some people apart.