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Chloe Angyal
Student/Intern/Writer
Chloe Angyal is a senior majoring in Sociology at Princeton University. Raised in Sydney, Australia, Chloe aspires to be a writer, a voice for her generation, and an all-around good person. In her spare time, she loves to dance, sing, ice skate, drink good wine, eat good food, rock out to bad music ...
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Real role models for real women

Aspiring to be more than just rich, famous and tanned

Monday, September, 1, 2008

This afternoon I was in the car with my best friend, and “When I Grow Up” by the Pussy Cat Dolls was playing on the radio. My friend (who is fabulous and fiercely intelligent despite the fact that she listens to the Pussy Cat Dolls) did me the favour of deciphering some of the lyrics:

Now I've got a confession
When I was young I wanted attention
And I promised myself that I’d do anything
Anything at all for the boys to notice me…

…'Cause see when I was younger I would say
When I grow up
I wanna be famous
I wanna be a star
I wanna be in movies

When I grow up
I wanna see the world
Drive nice cars
I wanna have groupies

When I grow up
Be on TV
People know me
Be on magazines

Ah, it’s so great to see the Pussy Cat Dolls encouraging girls to aim high.

Excuse me while I wipe the vomit off my keyboard.

pussycat_wideweb__470x325_0.jpg

And I so admire them for placing such emphasis on being lusted after by the opposite sex. Because as every surgically enhanced, makeup-coated starlet will tell you, being respected or liked by the opposite sex is, like, so boring.

And thank you Pussy Cat Dolls, for encouraging girls to aim for the stuff that really matters in life, like money, fame and cars. What excellent role models you are: I’m so thrilled that little girls all over the world are aspiring to be like you. We have so few semi-clad sexed-up pop stars to look up these days – thank goodness you’re here for us.

Snapping out of sarcasm for a moment (hey, it’s hard for me), it really does break my heart to see women with marginal talent, marginal clothes, and very questionable messaging held up as role models for girls. It terrifies me to think that young women are aspiring to be like the Pussy Cat Dolls.

And so, in (dis)honour of the Pussy Cat Dolls, who are truly awful role models for young women, I give you five women who are truly wonderful role models:

Nancy Pelosi
Congresswoman for California’s 8th District and first female Speaker of the House.

Nancy_Pelosi_official_portrait.jpg

Alanis Morissette
Singer-songwriter (check out her parody of the Black Eyed Peas song “My Humps”)

alanis_morissette11.jpg

Indra Nooyi
CEO of PepsiCo, Fortune’s 11th most powerful woman

nooyi.jpg

Judith Warner
Writer, blogger and radio host

judith_warner.jpg

Margaret Cho
Comedienne and gay rights activist

cho.jpg

These women are proof that there’s more to life, and more to being a woman, than being rich, famous and sexy. So let’s forget the Pussy Cat Dolls and their ilk. Let’s aspire for more than marginally talented and scantily clad. Instead, let’s aspire to be smart, talented, funny, accomplished, compassionate, respected, liked and loved.

And of course, because the Pussy Cat Dolls weren’t entirely wrong, sexy.

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ReneeCK
ReneeCK
Lemonade.
Posted Mon, 09/01/2008 - 11:16
I know, I already upset you so I'll make the confession now...I have When I Grow Up as the ring tone for "my girls".

When I heard the song, I did a doubletake as well. And I actually saw the video. However, I took the lemons and made lemonade- I remember when I was young and I wanted to be a cheerleader waitress nurse. As I got into my teens I wanted the material things, and boobies. But, now that I'm 35, I realize how fleeting the desire for those things is. (Or, should be.) Me, and my girls, have grown past judging a person's worth in the value of their cars, their popularity, or their boobs.

The sad thing here is that PCD's have made themselves mouthpieces for low standards. Pretty much anything they sing is meant to be a joke. If they are truly happy with their rock star status, cars, and enhancements, I'm actually sad for them. There is so much more to life and they will know nothing of it when "When I Grow Up" is 487 on America's Top 500. No matter how many sleek, shiny cars fill their garages, it will never fill the empty spot that is their spirit.

I hope that they and their fans understand that being grown up means moving past the low standards. It's why I enjoy the song- it reminds me where I've been and where I am.
krrobi
krrobi
I feel sorry for young girls
Posted Mon, 09/01/2008 - 17:22
I feel sorry for young girls today with idiotic heros like Paris Hilton and Linsey Lohan...they look up to Brittany Spears and yeah, The Pussy Cat Dolls. The true heros are women like Ingrid Benticourt, Pelosi, Hilary (no matter if you are Republican or Democrat), and so many others I can't think of right now. It's about the brains, not the beauty; it's about the vision to change the world, not the big boobs and skeleton bodies; it's about role-models, not big boobed super models. I am so sick of all the superficiallity, I could simply die!!!!
Jodene
Jodene
Since living here in L.A.
Posted Mon, 09/01/2008 - 20:25
Since living here in L.A. for many years, I've tried to look at the L.A. culture- and it does have its own culture- from various perspectives. I applaud the individuals who get over after A LOT of hard work. I love to hear about individuals who came from very little and found success. And I cringe at the way we hold up "celebrities" that send negative messages to young people. With so much fame and success, I would argue, comes some iota of responsibility. Yes, as a parent I can monitor what my kid consumes through media- but only to a certain degree. Rarely does our t.v stray off e.s.p.n. and books on tape are a great alternative to anything else on the radio. Last thought- thank goodness I have boys! It's a little easier...