Stupid Girls

I love the lyrics in Pink's song Stupid Girls. I think it reflects exactly what our culture is obsessed with in terms of image, beauty and material wealth. When I was growing up in the 70's my mother always said to us, "You can be whatever you want to be". Ok, I wanted to be a cat but that is a different story. She was making sure that my sister and I knew there were no limits to what we could achieve and who we could be except the ones we placed on ourselves.

I went to college and received a BA in English. I was the Clinical Coordinator of a Psychiatric Rehabilitation facility outside of Boston. I went to Vanderbilt Divinity School and earned a Masters of Divinity. I worked as a Chaplain on the psychiatric unit at the VA in Nashville. I was the Development Officer for a Pastoral Counseling Center in Nashville also. I achieved all these things because my mother showed me through her actions and life that I could.

I now have a daughter. She is four. I always wanted a daughter. Someone who I might inspire as my mother inspired me. Well my daughter is very concerned with how "beautiful" she is and whether her clothes are pretty. She has said many a times to me that she would like me not to be "the most beautiful one" because she wants to be. She loves her Barbies. Yesterday she told me she wants to marry a prince. When I asked her why she said "because they are so good."

My daughter is also smart. She is very smart but that is not what she values. So I am valuing it for her. I am always trying to catch her doing something smart... haha. And when she watches her Barbie movies, The Twelve Dancing Princesses, The Princess and the Pauper, Mermaidia and Fairytopia, etc... I point out how brave and smart Barbie is being. Lately she has started saying "Mommy I am smart." and I have to agree.

Here are some lyrics from Stupid Girls by Pink. If you want to see the video its on YouTube here.

What happened to the dreams of a girl president
She's dancing in the video next to 50 Cent
They travel in packs of two or three
With their itsy bitsy doggies and their teeny-weeny tees
Where, oh where, have the smart people gone?
Oh where, oh where could they be?

Maybe if I act like that, that guy will call me back
Porno Paparazzi girl, I don't wanna be a stupid girl
Baby if I act like that, flipping my blond hair back
Push up my bra like that, I don't wanna be a stupid girl