What do women want? According to one of our favorite female feminism-haters, Laura Grace Robins, it’s sort of a a tossup between the vote and designer purses. But that’s not what women really need — which is a husband. Oh, and milk. Can you remember to get milk?
At least that’s what I think she’s saying. See if you can figure it out from this quote from her post “Remove the Needs.” I have taken the liberty of bolding my favorite bits. Anyway, here’s Ms. Robins’ vision of the modern postfeminist woman:
She may have everything she wants, but not everything she needs. She wants independence, the vote, her own income, etc., but she wants all these things like she wants a designer purse. Underneath it all, it is just for show and what she really needs are the basics; like food, shelter, and a husband. She may have fancy clothes and independence, but it is the needs that nourish. She can deny the needs and focus on wants, but a life purely filled of wants is typically shallow and empty. Feminists have been the advertisers that make us buy into wants instead of our needs. If we know what our needs are then we can walk down the aisle of feminism and not be allured by the glossy packaging of independence and income. I’m not here for the “Starbuck Frappuccino”, but for a gallon of milk.
But what if the woman in question is lactose intolerant? IN YOUR FACE, LAURA GRACE!
Also, I’m wondering what exactly a “Starbuck Frappuccino” is. I would love to have a Frappuccino with Starbuck. Either one, actually.
Ms. Robins concludes:
Now most women live hollow lives filled with closets full of shoes and purses, while homes are empty of husbands and children.
I think that, like a lot of the people I write about on this blog, Laura Grace Robins has confused reality with Sex and the City.
The show ended nearly a decade ago! At least get a current TV show to confuse reality with!
Thanks, Cassandra, I love being compared to a tween.
@katz
That is beautiful. 😉
Hey, you were pretty comfortable insulting the taste of anyone who likes McQueen and/or “designer” punk in general.
It’s kinda hard to talk about fashion dislikes without sounding like you’re trashing other peoples’ tastes. I feel like maybe I did that a little bit to hellkell, by maybe sounding a little holier-than-thou about not spending $2K on a purse — sorry about that, hellkell. And McQueen is not for me, but that’s just personal, so sorry if that was also insulting.
🙁
…Are you feeling okay today, Cassandra? Because you are being really rude to me and I don’t know why.
I’m OK with either an atmosphere where anyone’s fashion preferences can be mocked, or one where mocking fashion preferences is off limits. I’m not OK with an atmosphere where whether or not it’s OK varies depending on whose favorite things are coming in for a bit of ribbing.
McQueen I’ve always been off and on about. Sometimes I love McQueen stuff, and then sometimes they make the bumster pants and I wonder if they’re being held up by super glue.
It was a silly photoshopped picture, you moron.
I do in fact have a kitty bag, this one:
http://www.tapestrycrochet.com/KittyBag.htm
Mine’s pretty much in the same colors, too. I made one for my mom as well, so she’s stop threatening to steal mine.
It is big enough for my kindle and keys, or a smaller knitting project.
Just to be clear, you think that saying the silly photoshopped picture looks tween-ish is rude, but calling someone a moron is OK?
I am comfortable calling someone a moron if they feel the need to announce that they would hate a random photoshopped picture as an actual fashion choice, yes. Next you’ll tell me that you wouldn’t decorate your house like this either.
Here is some fashionable fur for you auggziliary:
http://media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/49/6a/2a/496a2ab3c5a05d09c4797a59b29c982e.jpg
neuroticbeagle,
as you can see from my avatar, I prefer prints to black 🙂
I choose to focus on a much superior Laura Grace instead.
Well, someone does appear to be in rude mode today. Anyway, moving on…
Auggz
Brightly colored fashion fur maybe?
The only designer handbag I own, I bought at a local consignment store for $30. I can’t justify spending more than a couple hundred, tops, for a really good quality bag that one intends to carry for years…otherwise, one is only paying for the name.
Anyway, I was of the impression that the women who actually crave those trendy, overpriced bags are all right-wing trophy wives, not ordinary working women. In other words, Laura Grace there is projecting HER fantasies on the rest of us. Perhaps she wishes she’d married a millionaire, and this is her bitterness escaping in the wrong direction.
Those bags in the photo for this post look cheap & hideous. The most I’m willing to spend on a bag is about 40 quid.
Talking of backpacks, I’ve just bought a targus one for all my art stuff. It’s a bit heavy but that’s because it has wheels (I’ve got dodgy knees too). Once it’s on my back, it doesn’t feel so heavy. It’s also got plenty of pockets which is one of my main requirements of a bag.
I am so sick of women on blogs spouting off about how they don’t think they need independence, the vote, or their own money. She better be glad other women DID want those things or she wouldn’t have the independence to say these things on a blog and do countless other things, and it’s legal and she’s heard.
Most expensive things I’ve bought are airline tickets. Mum helped pay for both my computers, back in the day. Cars and houses are way outside either of our budgets, alas. I baulk at paying more than fifty bucks for a bag.
Plus, it’s always possible that her husband could one day suddenly exit the picture…either by dying, or by running off with a 19-year-old, or just getting sick of “nourishing” her. What will she do then?
Bina – sit and cry on a street corner, and men will give her stuff. (See: the wisdom of NWOslave).
Most expensive thing I’ve ever bought was plane tickets to Italy.
In terms of an actual object, my Kendo armour.
As far as designer handbags go, a part of me would love a quilted Chanel hand bag with the chain handle, they are classics.
I’d only ever buy designer if it was in a classic design that wouldn’t go out of fashion (ie. not the knuckle duster clutch) and was very well made so it would last me for years.
Mulberry does lovely bags, but their make quality isn’t really up to scratch for what you pay.
There’s lots of smaller brands of bags which are lovely and are better quality, as well as cheaper, just without the shiny label.
@Kitteh,
I realize this is super late and I haven’t read all the comments yet, but I have to give a shout out for Maggie’s Bags. They are made of leftover seatbelts, so they’re amazingly durable. I have the laptop bag they make, and I just checked, they do make a backpack style:
http://store.maggiebags.net/medium-backpack-purse/
I love my laptop bag – I used to have a 17inch laptop and my old, reasonable bag just couldn’t handle it and broke. I may also tend to stuff a ton of other crap in there…
But I’ve had this one for several years now and it is still going strong. No rips or tears, since it is made of seatbelts.
Anyone who is looking for a durable, well made, even nice looking bag for less than $200 (my bag was $120 which is the higher end of their range) should check them out.
Also, they’re having a huge sale right now!
Lurkerina, hi and thank you! I’ll have a look and see if they’re available in Oz. 🙂
Well drat. I just looked at their backpack range and they’re lovely, but going from the pic of one on a mannequin, they just wouldn’t be big enough. 🙁
@Kitteh,
Hi and your welcome! I do think they ship all over the world!
As my name implies, I’ve been around awhile, but only poke my head in occasionally, when I have time or am trying to avoid work (now!). I feel like I know many of you, despite only posting a couple of times here. I get my daily stress relief reading the mockings! And (most of the time) the community is so friendly!
Also, as someone who does not like to spend money on anything, paying $120 for a bag hurt a little bit at first, but having seen how well this thing holds up, I’m glad I did.