The Onion Pinks Out
By Christine Cupaiuolo — May 7, 2007
Check out The Onion’s very special “Women’s Issue.” Sure, some of these stories will be familiar to Onion fans, but never before have we had it all packaged together, so pretty in pink.
The lead story is the classic “Women Now Empowered By Everything A Woman Does.”
“From what she eats for breakfast to the way she cleans her home, today’s woman lives in a state of near-constant empowerment,” said Barbara Klein, professor of women’s studies at Oberlin College and director of the study. “As recently as 15 years ago, a woman could only feel empowered by advancing in a male-dominated work world, asserting her own sexual wants and needs, or pushing for a stronger voice in politics. Today, a woman can empower herself through actions as seemingly inconsequential as driving her children to soccer practice or watching the Oxygen network.”
“Shopping for shoes has emerged as a powerful means by which women assert their autonomy,” Klein said. “Owning and wearing dozens of pairs of shoes is a compelling way for a woman to announce that she is strong and independent, and can shoe herself without the help of a man. She’s saying, ‘Look out, male-dominated world, here comes me and my shoes.'”
Eating energy bars specially fortified with nutrients “for women” has become a feminist trend, as well.
Also enjoy the top euphemisms for menstruation and “How Can I Use Feminism to My Advantage?”
The Mother’s Day section includes household tips for women and a women’s history timeline.
Happy Monday!
I got a good laugh out of the lead “article” in the “women’s issue” of the “Onion”. It was parody at its best.
I do hope this article is understood by all to be a SCATHING indictment of the modern “feminist” trend–eagerly glommed onto by advertisers–to completely de-politicize feminism.
I wish it weren’t so, but the attitude that anything a woman does PERSONALLY is now a FEMINIST act, has stood the original meaning of “the personal is political” on its head–it originally meant that what we suffer from in our “personal lives” often has a political (social) cause and therefore we can band together in movements and change things.
Unfortunately our quest for equal power, got reduced to “empowerment”, a word with no real meaning (is it a feeling? an attitude? Or an actual increase in worldly power?)
The article, like most good humor, takes us to the logical conclusion of this confusion, beautifully skewering the mish mosh we are now in. (Wish I knew who wrote it).
Thanks for posting it. I’d like to hear other comments on how this peice struck women on this blog and what they think of the trend it is commenting on.
pirate jenny