I am a FEMINIST.

I am a feminist because I believe woman are equal to (not superior to) men.

I am a feminist because I believe sex is what you make it, not something inherently good or bad.

I am a feminist because I am not ashamed of having a vagina.

I am a feminist because I don’t believe “Eve” is proof that women are inferior or should be submissive.

I am a feminist because I believe a woman’s “place” is wherever she wants it to be.

I am a feminist because my uterus can sync up to the moon and to other women’s uteruses, and that’s amazing and magical.

I am a feminist because I don’t want our future daughters to worry about a wage gap.

I am a feminist because I see strong, powerful women like Hillary Clinton and Julia Gillard and I am inspired, not threatened.

I am a feminist because I believe no one in the world can make any decision about a fetus/baby/clump of cells inside of a woman except that woman in that situation, no matter how I feel about abortion.

I am a feminist because I love men, and I think all people deserve a partner in life, not a servant.

I am a feminist because it’s sexy.

I am a feminist because it's not okay when people paint female politicians as "dykes," "man-haters," "emotional," or "hysterical" when they would never talk about male politicians that way. When they ask Hillary Clinton what designers she likes but would never ask a male politician what kind of suit he wears.

I am a feminist because I will not repress or stifle myself to make someone else comfortable.

I am a feminist because liking sex does not make someone a nymphomaniac or a slut.

I am a feminist because I don’t think anyone should need to avoid going out at night because they might get raped.

I am a feminist because I believe your boyfriend or husband shouldn't control what you wear, who you hang out with, or what you believe.

I am a feminist because I've been controlled, and I am never going back.

I am a feminist because when I’m home alone at night, I’m scared, and I shouldn’t have to be.

I am a feminist because I believe in equal rights for ALL, regardless of the color of their skin, the person they love, their religious faith, or their genitalia.

I am a feminist because my Grandma ran for Iowa State Senate in 1982, and lost because she was a woman.

I am a feminist because of everyone who died and sacrificed so that I could have the right to vote.

I am a feminist because I love the color pink, cooking, wearing dresses, and I shave my legs and armpits... and that's okay.

I am a feminist because I am offended when politicians talk about girls "faking rape" and how women can avoid rape pregnancy with magical vagina juices.

I am a feminist because I am not a sex object, something for you to stare at as I walk by, or a seductress just by being a woman.

I am a feminist because I believe gender roles are harmful.

I am a feminist because I am made in God's image.

I am NOT a feminist because I hate men, 

want only women to rule the world, 

hate makeup and pink and anything slightly feminine. 

I am NOT a feminist because I want hairy limbs

and to have sex with women 
(because all feminists like pussy)

and because men are gross and who needs them?

I am NOT a feminist because Eve tricked Adam,

so my goal is to trick all men.

I am NOT a feminist because I don't need anyone in my life

and men are just for using

and I want to kill babies with my unmanacured nails.

I am NOT a feminist because women shouldn't be

stay at home moms or love their kids or spouse.

I am a feminist because I believe in equality, and that women are people.

Why are you a feminist? Are you not, and if so, why not?

Love - Madie

"Beauty and the Beast": Reclaiming the Beast as the Good Guy

 

Watch the prologue to get you started :)

 

The idea for this blog post came to me when I was watching Beauty and the Beast with my roommates.  Somehow, we started talking about some of the negative interpretations people have towards the movie, and I found myself defending the film.  I don’t even remember how the conversation started, but I felt so strongly afterwards that I knew I had to share my perspective with the world.  So, lucky you all get to read it.  First off, I will admit to a bias: Beauty and the Beast is my FAVORITE movie…ever.  I have the lines and songs memorized, and collected various toys and figurines in my childhood (and present young adult life) that had to do with the movie.  Bias aside, though, I think it is a movie worth defending.



I'd be pissed off too if I had to spend my teenage years looking like this

The common negative message that is taken from Beauty and the Beast is “if you love him enough, he will change.”  To people, this movie seems to imply that a girl can change her man even if he is in some way abusive.  This is obviously not a message that we want to give to our young people, especially young girls, but I honestly do not see that in Beauty and the Beast.  Okay, okay, I suppose I could see the whole “her love will change him to a human” thing running along those lines, but I think a lot of people give the Beast a hard time, and he doesn’t deserve it.  Belle changes what he looks like, but not who he is.  I would like to offer a more positive interpretation.  Let me break it down for you.  First off, let’s look at the Beast instead of Belle.  If you pay close attention to the movie, you figure out that the Beast was eleven when he was cursed (the rose is supposed to wilt when he is 21, and in the song “Be Our Guest”, Lumiere sings “ten years we’ve been rusting…needing so much more than dusting…”).  Not only does the enchantress’ actions seem a little hasty (what eleven year old is really going to know what love is?), but you realize he spent his very confusing teenage years as a beast with no other human interaction (because, you know, everyone else in the castle is a piece of talking furniture).  OF COURSE HE IS PISSED OFF!  Also, wouldn’t you be wary of travelers when the last one to visit your home changed your species?  So, forgive me if I am willing to forgive the Beast’s couple of temper tantrums in the beginning of the movie.

Let’s bring Belle into the picture.  Does anybody else notice that she doesn’t fall in love with him until after he becomes less of an asshole?  He doesn’t change his behavior because she loves him and her love has some magical healing quality, he ultimately changes how he acts because he loves her…he just doesn’t know how to show it.  It has been ten years since he has encountered a human, and he probably never had many encounters with women before Belle.  He doesn’t know how to act, so he is demanding and yells a lot at the beginning because it is what he is used to.  When he sees that his actions actually drive her away (she literally runs into a wolf-infested forest in the middle of the night to get away from him) he realizes he needs to rethink his behavior. 

The Beast is never a bad guy, and really has a huge heart.  He is just awkward and very self-conscious in the beginning of the movie, angry at the world and what has been done to him, and it makes him lash out at those around him.  Belle is the only person who doesn’t take his shit.  He has lived his whole life with servants jumping at his commands, and people being afraid and intimidated by him.  When Belle refuses his command to attend dinner their first night together, his response is a temper tantrum because no one has ever refused him before.  He also is in a panic because he is running out of time to break the spell, and Belle is most likely his last chance.  He overreacts, but this is in no way appealing to her.  She is actively trying to avoid being around him.

The major turning point for the two is when Belle runs away.  Again, she willingly rides into a dark, dangerous forest in the middle of the night to get away from the Beast after he goes berserk on her for sneaking into the West Wing, his private domain (which he forbid her to go into).  She is attacked by wolves, but had she not been, she would have kept going and would never have gone back to the Beast ever again.  The wolves surround her and she tries to fight them off, but there are too many.  Suddenly, the Beast appears out of nowhere and begins fighting off the wolves.  There is a bit of “why was he following her?” floating in the back of your mind…he could have realized she would fall into danger, or again, panic that he wouldn’t be able to break the spell without her could have motivated him.  Whatever the reason, it doesn’t negate from the fact that he risks his own life to protect her.  I’m not going to lie…this is my favorite part of the movie.  Then, when he has won and collapses into the snow because he is so hurt from the fight there is a moment where she almost leaves him there!  She turns back to her horse as if to keep going, but hesitates.  Finally she goes and drags him back to the castle to tend to his wounds.  So, what lesson can we take away from the movie so far?  If a guy is a jerk to you, leave his ass!  And unless he does something epic like SAVE YOU FROM A FREAKING PACK OF WOLVES, don’t give him another chance.

The great part about this whole rescue thing is that Belle doesn’t swoon at his feet and say, “I’m now madly in love with you!”  She is not an idiot.  In fact, they get into a fight almost right away!  Belle is cleaning the Beast’s wound that he received from the wolves, and he is a bit of a baby about it and yells at her, but she yells right back.  He blames her for going to the West Wing, and she shouts back that he should learn “to control his temper”.  Belle is no pushover, and the Beast knows she has a point.  The next section of the movie shows a blossoming friendship between the two.  Belle realizes that the Beast is not as rough and beast-like as he first appears, and the Beast recognizes that if he acts more like a human being, she will treat him more like a human being.  He acts a little more civilized, though he definitely stumbles along the way, and starts wearing shirts.  They come to care for each other, that much is for sure, but neither make mention of love yet, and the Beast seems to be falling faster than Belle.

A WHOLE FREAKING LIBRARY!

Let’s pause in the storyline to do a quick comparison with the other suitor in Belle’s life.  Gaston is, by all accounts, a dick.  He wants Belle only for her beauty, and would rather see her barefoot and pregnant in his kitchen (or giving him foot-rubs by the fire as he quite bluntly puts it) than living out her dreams.  Gaston, early on in the movie, even criticizes Belle for her constant reading, saying “It’s not right for a woman to read.  Pretty soon she starts getting ideas…and thinking!”  The Beast, on the other hand, knowing how much she loves books, gives her his WHOLE FREAKING LIBRARY as a gift.  In a scene that was cut from the original movie, the Beast even takes her up on her offer to teach him to read.  Gaston thinks Belle’s father is crazy and uses Maurice to try and manipulate her into marrying him.  The Beast realizes that Belle cannot be completely happy if her father is not well, and he lets her go at an incredibly crucial point in the story to be with him (more on that later).  Gaston is handsome and everyone fawns over him (except Belle of course), and this just feeds into his considerable ego.  The Beast is, well, a beast and people tend to fear him before they get to know him, so he is cautious and unsure of how to act around others.

This. Is. Adorable.

So, let’s return to the actual storyline, when things start to reach their climatic end.  Everyone remembers the lovely scene of Belle and the Beast dancing together in the ballroom with Mrs. Potts singing “Beauty and the Beast” in the background.  Classic, wonderful, but it’s the scene that comes right after that I am most interested in right now.  The Beast asks Belle if she is happy…because he gives a damn…and she says yes, but she misses her father.  Wanting to make her happy, the Beast gives her his magic mirror to check in on ole’ Maurice with.  Maurice, having set out to find and rescue his daughter because he believes the Beast to be a monster, is seen collapsing in the wood from sickness.  Belle is obviously concerned about her father, and wants to go to him.  The Beast…wait for it…let’s her go!  Even though she is still technically his prisoner having promised to stay at the castle for the rest of her life, and even though letting her go pretty much guarantees his curse won’t be broken and he will stay a beast forever, he lets her go.  He.  Lets.  Her.  Go.  Why, do you ask (because Cogsworth certainly does)?  The Beast’s answer is simple.

“Because…I love her.”

 The Beast has fallen so selflessly in love with Belle that he is willing to give up his very humanity so that she can be happy.  He is willing to give up the humanity of everyone else in that castle as well!  Belle doesn’t know about any of this…she doesn’t know staying with him and loving him will break the curse.  He doesn’t tell her.  The Beast never tells her about the curse and how it can be broken.  She leaves…and she leaves so easily, without giving any indication that she will come back, that you wonder if she is actually in love with him yet.  The Beast’s heartbreaking roar as she gallops away doesn’t even make her pause.  Of course, she eventually does come back after being locked away by Gaston, who then leads the townspeople on a man-hunt…or beast-hunt, as it were. 

Now things are really getting intense.  The Beast doesn’t put up a fight, initially, when Gaston barges into his room and shoots him with an arrow.  Really, though, what is there left for him to live for?  He can’t change back into a human because the woman he has fallen completely in love with has left.  Sure, he could try to live out the remainder of his days as a beast, but the past ten years of it haven’t been that great, and the townspeople knocking down his door to kill him just because of his appearance is probably not that reassuring either.  It’s only after he sees Belle charging towards the castle that he gets a little pep in his step and starts whooping some serious butt.  Do note, dear readers, that unlike many other Disney movies (or lots of non-Disney movies, because it’s a popular theme) the Beast is technically not saving Belle from anything (except maybe a crappy marriage).  She was captured, but the teacup Chip got her out.  Did she have to go back to the castle?  Nope.  No one was guarding her, or had put a spell on her.  She didn’t have a prince coming charging in to fight her dragons.  Belle goes back to the castle to try and stop Gaston from killing the Beast.  She wants to rescue the Beast!

I , for one, would not want to be on the receiving end of that!



There is nice little mini-lesson that can be learned from the Beast and Gaston’s showdown.  When the Beast starts fighting back, he obviously is going to win because, come on…he’s a beast.  However, when he has his hand around Gaston’s neck and is dangling him over the edge of the castle, pretty intent on dropping him, he doesn’t.  Even though it ultimately would have saved him a knife to the back, the Beast releases Gaston and snarls, “Get out”.  That’s a positive message.  No matter how much you are provoked, just walk away.  Of course, Gaston still ends up falling off of the castle and dying anyway because he stabs the Beast, who rears back in pain and knocks Gaston into the air.  That’s an accident though.  The point is, the Beast is a role model.
           
The ending then, of course, has the Beast dying with Belle kneeling over him.  As he breathes his last, tears spring to her eyes and she begs him not to die, softly proclaiming her love.  Then magic marbles fall from the sky, the Beast turns into a Prince, and they live happily ever after.  The End.  It’s nice and sweet, and everyone is happy.  So, yes, her love does change him in the end…but it changes him physically, not mentally or emotionally.  He did that all on his own, and Belle would have happily walked away and never looked back had he not changed his treatment of her.  She was able to get past his beastly appearance to see the big heart he had always had underneath.  That is the intended message of this movie.  Look beyond the physical to the beauty beneath.  And that is a message I think our world really needs right now.  So, let’s give the Beast a break…he isn’t the bad guy.

Until next time!

Erin Broich

Enjoy the original theatrical trailer before you go :)

Queer/Story: Stereotypes & Life Lessons

(Names in this blog post may or may not have been changed. Also, for purposes of this blog, “queer” refers to the naming of a person who does not identify as heterosexual. It caters to the belief that sexual orientation is a spectrum, encompassing lesbian and bisexual people.)

I have a system of categorizing women, based on lots of stereotypes and a little life experience.

There are three categories, upon first view of a woman, that I place her into:
1. This woman is definitely straight:










2. This woman is definitely queer:

3. These women may or may not be queer:

(Photos have been used with permission and were taken from subject's own profile pictures.)

The system has proven very effective, but, to be fair, here are a few examples of my failures:

When I moved to Minneapolis last August, I met a whole new group of people. Up until this point, I would have likely said that stereotyping of any kind was WRONG and we SHOULDN'T DO IT. EVER. But I was single and living in one of the gayest cities in the U.S....what's a girl to do?

Then I met a woman, let's call her Emily. Emily worked for an LGBT organization. She spoke queer language (yes, we have our own language). She dressed in flannel and plaid. My gay-dar went off every time we talked.

Come to find out, Emily is straighter than an arrow. The girl likes men. If Emily was a lesbian, she would certainly be taking the title. But seriously folks. She is into dudes. In fact, Emily often has to come out to people as straight, because she fits so well into lesbian stereotypes. After many conversations about this topic, we named her a cultural lesbian.

Next is a story about two good friends of mine. One, Anna, identifies as heterosexual, and the other, Jamie, identifies as a lesbian. I went through a phase last year in which I teased Jamie about all of the categories she fits into that are stereotypical of lesbians. One day, my example was her tie-dye t-shirt. It was my assertion that that tie-dye made her look gay. She argued that her t-shirt in no way identified her orientation. Anna jumped in, asking if she put on the tie-dye t-shirt if she would look gay. So they switched shirts to prove a point.

Jamie was wearing Anna's form fitting green sweater (and looking mighty uncomfortable, I might add). Anna had on Jamie’s t-shirt. And let me be clear - Anna looked as straight as ever.

So it wasn't the tie-dye.

And at some point I began to reconsider the stereotyping I had become accustomed to. Maybe people didn't need to be categorized. Maybe I don't need to make assumptions about other people's orientations.

Enter Sarah, my dear bisexual friend who just started grad school. She told me about a girl in her class who made a comment about the rainbow sticker on Sarah's water bottle. (Indicator number one.) I asked a few questions. Does she have short hair? What kind of clothes does she wear? But the next piece of information I got was even better. THIS GIRL PLAYS RUGBY. Folks, rugby and softball are lesbian gold mines. Game, set, and match. (Ok, I realize that's a tennis expression, but just go with it.)

"Sarah!" I exclaimed. "This girl has got to be queer. She. Plays. Rugby. And loves LGBT stuff!" Sarah was a little more skeptical. But then the girl asked Sarah out to drinks. Done and done. And over the course of the night, this girl shared with Sarah her love of women. And I patted myself on the back for being so wise, without ever meeting this girl, I might add.

Final story. Literally 10 minutes after coming out as queer to my then-self-identified-straight-friend Lisa, she pulled a wallet out of her back pocket. "Lisa!" I exclaimed. "You know that's super stereotypical lesbian of you, right?" Her face reddened and she stammered out something about not knowing that.

We were dating three months later.

If I work to present myself as female, why can’t I work to present myself as lesbian? I don’t believe dresses and heals are embedded in my mind as things I need to wear simply because I have a vagina. There’s a heck of a lot of socialization that goes into the way I was taught to dress – and act – simply because I was born with female parts.

So why would it be problematic to also consider that some people present as queer? That it may not be because I have flannel on, but because I consciously chose to have flannel on, that identifies me. Unless you live in north country, because people, please. It's cold up there and people need to stay warm somehow.

To be fair, I don’t fit a lot of lesbian stereotypes. I like my long hair. I wear dresses, the occasional pair of heals, and I sometimes even shave my legs. But then again, I’m in a softball league, I own a lot of flannel, and my favorite outfit is a t-shirt and jeans. Just as I do with my femininity, I also make some decisions about how queer I do or do not look. (Ok, and a lot of it is based on me being particularly lazy when it comes to my presentation.)

I was in a conversation with a friend of mine last week. The friend, who identifies as heterosexual, was laughing about a time when she was rocking a “lesbian outfit” and someone made a comment about her looking like a lesbian.

“Oh my gosh, right?” I teased. “It’s so frustrating when people assume I’m straight.”

So you tell me. Stereotyping in the queer world: good or bad? Is there such thing as looking straight or looking queer? Am I correct in my categorization of my fellow bloggers?

The Backstreet Boys vs. 'N Sync

My life was changed forever when I got my first Backstreet Boys CD. 
It was like the gods had rained down sweet, sweet blessings down onto us mere mortals in the form of a quintet of 20-year olds. Sure, they were a little old for me... but as an 8-year old, I didn't know the difference. All I knew was that I was listening to greatness.

I hated 'N Sync. Oooh did I hate them. They were the devil. They were the Satan to the God that was The Backstreet Boys. They were the enemy. I managed to have friends that preferred 'N Sync to The Backstreet Boys, but it was, admittedly, a rift in our relationship.

Through the years, I have, perhaps, matured more. I have listened to the occasional 'N Sync song, and I have come to the conclusion that I may have been a bit hasty to dismiss them. From the black and white world when I was 8, I have discovered that the world is made up of shades of gray (maybe more than 50 though), and neither side had to be "good" or "bad." Maybe they could both be good!

I'll admit it; after being a lifelong Backstreet Boys fan, I bought four 'N Sync CDs at the store the other day. Their title album, "No Strings Attached," "Celebrity," and one of their Christmas CDs. I admit it, and I'll even admit that they're good. Really good. I've been jamming, ok.

But, as the feminist that I undoubtedly am, I found myself listening to the lyrics and wondering, "Which boy band is more woman-friendly? I wonder which has a more inclusive message?" I mean, I can't have my future little girls listening to music which doesn't treat her like an equal. So, here begins my study: ARE THE BACKSTREET BOYS OR 'N SYNC MORE FEMINIST-Y?*

*Yes, I will be using the word "feministy" in this entire blog.

For the sake of my study, I picked one CD each. Both CDs are from around the same year and are both the second CDs of each band. I haven't looked at the songs or lyrics from either CD yet, so I honestly have no idea which one will win out here.

Vs.

And here we have the contenders: On the left, The Backstreet Boy's "Millennium." On the right, 'N Sync's "No Strings Attached." Both good CDs. "Millennium" was released in 1999, and "NSA" in 2000. 12 tracks in each CD. I'll look at 4 tracks each to keep this blog below 16 pages/scrolls. LET'S DO THIS THING.

Since the BSBs are on the left and I read left to right, we'll start with them. 

"I Want it That Way." 
From first glance, I'd say F-. Don't be demanding things of me. I'm not your slave, I'm your partner. THEN you listen to the song. Brian comes in all sexy-like, "You are my fire // the one desire // believe when I say // I want it that way." YES SIR, BRIAN. You see, he likes me the way I am. I set him on FIRE WITH PASSION. And Nick comes in, "... Can't reach to your heart // when you say // I want it that way." I totally get it. You can't be demanding of each other in a relationship. You have to work together. At the same time, Nick should really listen to your feelings and concerns if you really have a problem and WANT it that way. Maybe you even need it. Maybe I don't like like the way you folded the clothes. Maybe you accidentally put rat poison in the soup. I don't want it that way. I think this song is about listening to each other and not demanding your own needs go before everyone elses'. That's my take. I give it a B+ for being Feministy.

"It's Gotta Be You." 
This seems troublesome. "Baby it's the way you make me // kinda get me go crazy // never wanna stop." YOU'D BETTER STOP IF I SAY NO. And in NO WAY did "I" make you go crazy. You are in charge of your feelings and your penis. I'm glad I inspire passion in you, cause that's hot. And just because I'm a feminist does not mean I don't like you and maybe wanna do some cool things with you. But don't act like you have no control over your hormones, cause I know you do. "I can't control it any more." WHAT DID I JUST SAY?! You know I love you, but you are not doing a good job of listening to me and you are responsible for the control you have over yourself. Ok cool. D+ for being Feministy.

"Don't Wanna Lose You Now." 
Ok now, my boys are pulling through on this one! "Never thought that I'd be left behind // that I was stronger than you, baby." Thank you. I don't think I'm necessarily stronger than you either, and I really appreciate that you think we're equals. "Whatever reason to life that I've had // my place was always beside you." I LOVE IT WHEN YOU TELL ME SEXY THINGS LIKE THIS. "Don't wanna lose to loneliness // girl I know we can win." I KNOW WE CAN TOO CAUSE WE'RE A TEAM. OMG I LOVE YOU. Solid A for being Feministy.

"The One." 
I'm a little split on this one, mostly cause I really love it. "I guess you were lost when I met you // still there were tears in your eyes... There are you, wild and free // reaching out like you needed me... I'll be the one // Who will make all your sorrows undone." I'm gonna be honest, this seems a little cocky to me. Like, "I will help you, poor dear, because I will protect you from all the scary things that you can't deal with." But at the same time, this girl they're singing too clearly needs some help. She's crying, and she needs a shoulder to cry on and someone to tell her it's going to be alright. I've been there. "You need me like I need you // we can share our dreams coming true." OK SOLD. I think this is a feministy song, right? It's maaaybe on the edge, but feminists cry too. Feminists need help and love and stuff OK. B for being Feministy.

Ultimate grade: B

OK NOW ON TO THE 'N SYNC-NESS.

"Bye Bye Bye." 
I mean, how was I not going to do this song? "You're probably gonna start a fight // I know this can't be right... I loved you endlessly // when you weren't there for me // so now it's time to leave and make it alone." Is it just me, or this totally a song about a woman getting out of a shitty, abusive relationship? PERHAPS. And perhaps the gender doesn't matter and feminists can support ANYONE getting out of a shitty, abusive relationship. GO GIRL. OR GUY. DO YO THANG. I SUPPORT YOU. Don't stay with someone who doesn't appreciate you. GOOD MESSAGE. Solid A for being Feministy.

"It's Gonna Be Me." 
I'm not so hot about this one. "That it made you believe in // no man, no cry // maybe that's why // every little thing I do // never seems enough for you... Baby when you finally // get to love somebody // guess what // it's gonna be me." Ok, I get it. I know you're frustrated cause this girl doesn't seem to dig you and she's been hurt and that is frustrating for you. I'm sorry that your life is so terrible because of her pain and all those pesky feelings. I know that you like her and you'd really like to have her like you in return, but that is NOT ALWAYS THE CASE. And what the hell makes you so sure that if she EVER loves again it will be you? You seem kind of judgmental to me. "You've got no choice, babe // but to move on... You're just too blind to see // but in the end you know it's gonna be me." OKAY NOW.  Watch this video and THEN get back to me. 

I get that it's annoying that women have feelings sometimes. You will have to get over it. D+ for being Feministy (you get a plus because it CAN be annoying. But so can you).

"It Makes Me Ill." 
I'm not even sure what to say about this... "I was hanging with the fellas // saw you with your new boyfriend, it made me jealous... I can tell by looking that he's not the one // he's not the type you said you liked... Come on girl, let him go // I want you back." OH I DIDN'T KNOW THAT ONCE WE BROKE UP YOU GOT TO CHOSE MY NEW LOVERS. COOL. I GET TO CHOOSE YOURS TOO, RIGHT? Honestly, I don't care if this is "Feministy" or not, it's just plain annoying. SHE LEFT YOU, AND PROBABLY FOR A REASON. LET IT BE, DUDE. For the love of God, stop creeping on her. I'm not saying girls don't do this too, cause we do. Just look at Pinterest and all the "He's gonna be SORRY" and "Haha his new GF is FAT" pins there are. Also super annoying. But the feminist point here is, you don't get to choose who she dates or hangs out with. She's an independent woman! And men deserve the same respect, so leave your ex the HELL ALONE. OK COOL RANT OVER. C- for being Feministy.

"No Strings Attached." 
Here's what I'm looking for! "I see the things he does to you // all the pain he puts you through // and I see what's really going on // staying out at night while you're by the phone." OMG I'VE EXPERIENCED THAT. Preach it JC. It's not cool that he's being a douchetool. I'm not cool with that, and it sounds like neither are you. Girl, you don't have to stay with someone who's controlling and tool-y. "But if you want it, here's my heart // no strings attached." Thank you! I appreciate that you're treating me like an equal and not putting unnecessary strings on your love. B+ for being Feministy.

Ultimate grade: C+

I'm calling this one for the Backstreet Boys!

Why yes, I found this on Google.

There we have it, folks. The Backstreet Boys are more feministy than 'N Sync. Which I think means they're better in every way. I KNEW THE WORLD WAS ACTUALLY BLACK AND WHITE... Or... Black and Blue! ;D

But in all seriousness, do you agree with the scores I gave the songs? Do you think I was too biased? Did I do some misinterpreting of lyrics? Do you somehow love 'N Sync more than the Backstreet Boys? Tell me your thoughts! I want controversy here!

Love - Madie