How To Build A Girl Review - Our Feminist Secret

As I tend to ramble on about Caitlin Moran quite a bit, it is only fitting that I give you my opinion of her latest book, and first adult novel ‘How to Build a Girl’.

Let’s be thorough about this and begin with the cover. It’s very green, the font is very 60’s-70’s styled. The legs of the model girl aren’t those of a heavy girl's, yet the leading gal here is meant to be a bit on the chunky side. And to be quite honest, I find the whole cover a little contradictory.

The story itself is from the point of view of Johanna Morrigan, a working class girl from Wolverhampton, who lives on a council estate with her family, surviving on benefits. Basically, something happens which makes her believe that she needs to get a job and make money in order to save her family from squalor, a modern day twist on 19^th century based stories, where women must fend for their own, kind of like Gone With The Wind and Scarlett O'Hara declaring that she will 'Live through this'.

In between the introductions of the characters, and successfully landing a job as a music journalist, Johanna undergoes a mortifying experience, which results in her idea to destroy herself, and build a new girl in her place. This new alias of hers is called Dolly Wilde, and this new alter ego is the one who lands her first kiss, job, sexual experience, sort-of-crush and begins smoking.

At the beginning of the book, the writer states that it is ‘a work of fiction’ and that the characters are from the writer's own imagination. She also states that she isn’t Johanna and that the characters family is also not her own, along with experiences.

As much as I liked the book, it wasn’t personally what I felt it was hyped up to be. Perhaps it was because I was so excited about it, but I just didn’t feel any spark. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but it felt as if I was still reading Moran’s autobiography but with a few changed names.

In some regards it made me feel that some originality was lacked. I mean I know that the saying goes ‘write about what you know’ but as a fan, I knew already about the anecdote about the Guinness from Dublin to Wolverhampton.  And you could tell that ZZ Top was based on her husband, what with him being from Birmingham and being a guy from the office that she didn’t notice until the end, which she writes about in her book ‘How to Be A Woman’ too.

And if you think about it the titles aren’t that different either. In fact the new book sounds like a prequel.

But in the end, you see something, as clear as day. You find that she is talking to her children, telling them that we all make mistakes, we all try to better ourselves, and that it is okay to trip up and fall over sometimes in life. And I like that. Not a lot of kids can say that their parents did something as difficult and as harrowing as write a book for them. I know that I can’t.

And I will always commend someone for writing a book, and somehow manages to quote Elbow in the process. Admittedly, I was also bought over by the fact that Courtney Love and Stevie Nicks were mentioned. So yeah, I’m a bit biased.

But apart from all of this, it isn’t sexually graphic, but it does bring up masturbation a lot. The characters are lovable and each have a mind of their own, a thing, as a writer myself, I find quite difficult to do. Krissi is intelligent and demands his privacy while somehow exiting the proverbial closet, while their father plays music, forever trying to get the family out of their place in the council estate and to greener pastures. And of course, the man I ship the lead character with, John Kite, a mixture between Del Boy Trotter and Guy Garvey.

Part of me is upset with the ending. We don’t learn who Johanna marries in the end. We don’t learn how Krissi’s life turns out, or what happens with the parents of little Lupin. Nothing is known of the sexist douchebag Tony Rich, and we will never truly know what happened when she finally moved to London.

In a way it ends like how it begins.

But at the end of the day, it may seem quite all over the place, but it is planned out and you can see it once you try to actually focus. It’s a life lesson, but it is also one that you wouldn’t want your younger sister to be finding, so hide it well until she becomes old enough. Hide it like a big entertaining secret. It may not be as feministy as other books, but Johanna, is a positive being and once she ventures out into the world of men she is optimistic and sees herself as objectifying men, NOT the other way around.

It’s a secret I commend you hide, like a good bottle of champagne, only to be brought out for special occasions. One big feminist secret.

P.S This was written in July, I just had no internet for the rest of summer but I will be making a post about going home to Ireland and seeing Wales this year.

Habitual Disclaimer: No, I don't own the photo used on this post, it has nothing to do with me, and I will be remaining broke for not creating anything successful, or anything picked up by anyone in 'the biz'.

The Other Side Of Catfish

I'm not sure if I have ever mentioned this, but I'm sure my friend who also runs a blog (sunrisewithmysadcaptains.blogspot.co.uk) has mentioned the fact that we met online.
YES! I have met my best friend/roommate/co-writer on the internet!
Who would have guessed!
We began talking after I gave her a nice review on a writing website, and one thing led to another and I moved in with her (we're both straight by the way) and now I currently go to the same college as her.
I know, you're probably thinking how dangerous it is, speaking to people online and trying to meet them, let alone move in with them! But in fairness, we had our parents meet each other and we skyped in advance. And you know what? I don't regret any of it for a minute, not for one second.
Sure I miss my family, but my eyes have been opened to some new culture and people from all stretches of life. The city life of Liverpool, highly contrasts my rural Irish upbringing.

And this is what this post is about.
The fact that some catfishes can work out and be real.
In Season 2, of the hit MTV show, we saw Lauren and Derek, who had actually had their meeting delayed over Derek's anxiety of meeting Lauren's son, which in my opinion only cemented my views on him being a decent guy that actually loved her.
Then in Season 3, we met T-Lights and Antoinette who met over Instagram. They both ended up being real but didn't become a couple, both mutually agreeing that they didn't want a long distance relationship, yet both relieved that the other hadn't been lying.
But every other episode is always someone that is just lying to someone else, either someone who was snubbed at a party, is a vengeful girlfriend of your ex boyfriend, or is your best friend who just felt like lying to you. And it can be quiet heart breaking.
Don't get me wrong though! Some people deserved it! Like that one guy who was cyber cheating on his real life girlfriend who loved him so much that she got him matching shoes. AND THEN SHE TOOK HIM BACK! What the hell girl? You can do way better, and you deserve way better, than him! You may feel you love him but the fact he did this to you once already, what makes you think that he won't to it again?!


Let us not forget that guy who had a girlfriend but pretended to be a woman because he felt that it was his job to catch cheaters, as if he were some sort of vigilante, fighting on behalf of victims of cheaters. As hurt as the 'victim' was in this case, I admit that my roommate and I still laugh at it. I mean how can you not? Especially the bit where he denies being gay and they say 'well you've been in an online relationship with a guy', to which he just responds, 'you got me there'.
What else can you say? You thought it was a girl, it turned out that it wasn't, and now you have to go home and explain everything to your girlfriend and be thrown out on your ass, because this episode is going to be aired, especially as YOU have signed a contract allowing for YOUR story to be shown on INTERNATIONAL television.

Ah mate, you need to get your priorities together.

When they blatantly cheat, why do they risk going on international television? You've obviously watched the show, so you know how they drag those pictures into Google, so why not do it yourself and conduct your own fucking research? Or better yet, break it off with your girlfriend and THEN call in the Catfish guys.
Or better yet!

STOP FLIRTING ONLINE WITH OTHER WOMEN WHEN YOU ALREADY HAVE A GIRLFRIEND!

But this post is about the other side of it, although I don't see how the new season can be darker after some of the twats to already grace our televisions.

Catfishing isn't always about lies. There are people who meet online that create strong friendships and are some of the best duos ever. I admit I've lied, but only saying that I am one year older then I actually am, not that I'm single when I'm actually not!(No worries there, I'm always single anyway) No one is innocent here! There is no such thing are your perfect, innocent, squeaky clean person!
I'm basically saying that it isn't all lies! Out of 7 billion people on this planet, there has to at least be 3 billion of them nice people who mean to do well and strike friendships.

Even if you are one of those women who become a leecherous succubus that get friendly with every man for fear of them becoming rich and missing out on their fortune that will inevitably come hand in hand with the fame (although there are also male versions of this, hello! K-Fed!)

But from another angle, how do these women and families feel in the after-math? The parents must feel so guilty for raising such a narcissistic child that lies to their significant others and is capable of cheating! I know this comes across as a re-occurring theme within my blog but seriously, we are facing an epidemic! Serial monogamy is no longer the case, people are getting risky and chancing everything, just trying to go out with two people at once! Before long, it won't just be America demanding blood tests before marriage, the whole world will need to do it because you could be marrying a half sibling!
And these women aren't just hurt, they must feel betrayed, angry, they must end up becoming cynical, once they recover with a tub of ice-cream and a Dirty Dancing Day. They probably feel stupid for putting so much into the relationship, but honestly ladies, how is anyone to know?

And as a parting note, I LOVED Nev and Max's reaction in Season 2 to Skylar. It's the first time we truly saw them swear, and we have seem them meet a LOT of douchey people! I loved the protectiveness they showed the poor girl who had been heartbroken. And this new season has even shown them being removed by their own producer for getting a little too argumentitive. Also, has everyone here seen Nev fling that guys iPhone into the river?! It was amazing! It needed to be done! It's what everyone would have done, or at least wanted to do anyway!

I think we are seeing the men becoming more and more bad ass, as they watch first-hand the heartbreak being caused everyday and highlighting these problems!
I like to think that Catfish is making others stop catfishing, making online stalkers stop what they are doing, and with Catfish highlighting more and more internet problems, I like to think that those horrible online paedophiles are even stopping. Because awareness is now being brought to everyone, and people are becoming less and less technophobic.
I sense an online revolution coming.

To quote Sherlock "There's an East wind coming"

Disclaimer: All images are not mine and are the property of MTV

Trusting Men?

As mentioned in a previous post, I became close to my mother over the past few years. This is not only because I happened to stumble upon an amazing book that gave me confidence. It was actually because of a personal thing that had happened within my family at the time. I'm not going to bore you with details, but I will tell you that, as a result of this, I came away from that experience with an awful fear of commitment and of dating men.
Before this, I had never really been a dater, hell, I'm still not. The only boyfriend I ever had, I avoided once it was declared that we were together, so obviously that wasn't a long and fruitful relationship.
But my point is, I find it difficult to trust men, or to tell people that I love them.
I've lived with my college roommate/best friend for almost nine months now, and in that time I've only said it around three times, tops. It's not something that comes lightly to me.
Recently, I read a post on Facebook about some girl who said something along the lines of 'oh men only tell you what you want to hear'. And a part of me was like YEAH! ROCK ON!YOU TELL IT SISTER! While another part of me was saddened by the way that things have gone.

Let us please take a moment to  brush away misogynistic comments and the whole 'men don't have to shave, so why should I?' debacle for now and just look at this from another perspective. I admit, men can be liars, assholes in fact. I complain about them all the time, just as much as I complain about women (just because I'm a feminist doesn't mean that I have to agree or like all women, in fact there's one that I'd love to throttle right now).
But this guy had obviously used this girl and broken her heart. She had jumped into a relationship with him, giving him her time and effort, and he's just tossed her aside like trash! I hate it when all you hear is stories about men telling lies and such rubbish! Men may defend themselves saying 'she's easy' but that is NOT the case. Women talk to men and act confident while dressed up because they want to feel pretty and not wait around for you to make the first move. Why is it that confidence is always confused with being a slut? I'm terrified, perhaps, at the thought of being blinded by some sort of relationship bias, causing me to be vulnerable to happenings such as these!
But for the men here, or those of you thinking that I'm some sort of Radical Feminist, I also freely admit that women can be bitches. Yes we can be absolute whores, have three men going at once, even match men in their lies. These women may also begin to say that the men were 'easy' as some sort of rebuttal to the sexist things said about us, you never know.
I like to think that for every asshole of a man, there is a bitch of a woman.
Everyone has to find some sort of 'diamond in the rough' as it were. There are genuinely good guys out there, whether you're looking for them or not. Christ, most of the music nowadays is all about failing relationships or unattainable partners! I'm sick of it! It's placing a stigma on relationships, for those like me in my position! Perhaps I am terrified of looking like a fool, perhaps I'm subconsciously scared of being too close to someone, or of the confinement of commitment. I honestly can't see myself married, after all, where do I find a guy who's idea of a date is a MacDonalds and a Lord of the Rings marathon? Hell, if I ever felt comfortable enough to marry him I'd have a Game of Thrones styled wedding (minus the deaths of course). And where am I to find a guy like that? 

And with men objectifying women, as proved by the guy on the train leering at me on the way home today, I now give myself full permission to do the same to them. If you are hot as fuck, I will watch you and that is that. And with this self-permission, I have become quite the Picky Penny (shit use of alliteration, I know). I know what physical traits I want, mostly a good head of dark hair and brown eyes. It reminds me of that scene in P.S I Love You when Lisa Kudrow is pulled up on staring at a guys butt and she gives herself full permission for being shallow, because men stared at her tits all the time. ( I feel you there sister)
And just because men can be assholes, don't think that it ends there. It's the same with men treating their partners like shit in gay relationships, just as it is for women being bitches to their partners in lesbian relationships, again proving that women can be just as bad as men.
It's more likely to be publicized or written into a soap opera about men lying and cheating and doing only God knows what else, than for a woman to be caught doing those things, when we obviously can, whether we deem it right or not (although personally I will always see it as wrong, no matter what).
I'm sorry that this post isn't as colourful as they usually are, it was better planned in my head on the train while being stared at.
My point at the end of the day is this: it's so difficult to trust men when it comes to the idea of relationships, but women can be just as lethal. But if you're straight, gay, bi, transgender, or that other one that's been added to posters that I can't remember, just keep in mind that you are always worth it and that you shouldn't take shit from anybody, even if they make you feel inferior or not good enough, then get rid of them. You are your own destiny, and the only person that stands between you and happiness is you and you alone.
I hope that someday, I will over come my trust issues and heal, but until then, I'm gonna be that hot piece of ass that walks around and doesn't get tied down by any man, all I need is my red lipstick and ruffled hair and I'm out that door as an empowered woman, in charge of her own life and happiness, and hopefully so will you too. (lipstick being optional)

xx

All images or not mine, and all rights go to respected photographers and companies.

All comments, discussions and messages are welcome. 

Women Can't Fucking Swear?!

So while I sit around waiting to watch the new episode of Game of Thrones (because living in the UK can have its cons) I have decided to write a post on a thing that has long irked me.
The fact that people think I can't swear.

Fuck that.
Yes, I'm a female and yes sometimes swearing can be fucking disgusting (see what I did there). But there are so many things that can be said on the topic. Why is it men are less likely to be shouted for swearing? Personally I love to swear, I do it like a sailor and I'm not even aware that I'm doing it most of the time (as my friend once pointed out on the train). Going back to Game of Thrones for a second, one of my favourite lines was when Robert Baratheon said 'Piss on that!' I've taken to saying it too. Hey, I'm so sassy sometimes that I walk in saying 'Waddup bitches!'

Don't worry. I'm not vain, I just like a good sarcastic laugh.
I'm a feminist. I'm not a radical one that says that men are the enemy. I just agree that we should all be seen as equals and that if I want to swear, drink and smoke then I shouldn't be frowned upon for doing so. As I have mentioned in a previous post, I sorta live by the book How To Be A Woman. And within those pages the author talks about encountering sexism and beginning a policy of asking 'do the men do it?'
I find this to be quite a good policy actually.
Think about it. If we, as women, don't shave and accidentally gain a few pounds then everyone jumps up and goes 'you're getting a bit chubby' or 'wow you got some meat on your bones'. Men are repulsed at the idea of a woman having hair on her legs, even though they have it themselves. Women can't be expected to be perfect at every second of everyday. We aren't there just to serve men and appeal to them. Just as we aren't here to be told that we can't fucking swear.
Another of my favourite phrases was something that I began to say around September. This phrase is 'shit the bed' and one of my good friends has currently taking to declaring it also. It's actually quite amusing to watch. It makes me feel proud of myself, passing on a legacy of forever swearing females.
And swearing has also been seen as a proven method of pain relief. If you don't believe me, you should check out the link on the bottom of this post. But if I forget to add it, Stephen Fry did it and you should look it up. But really, if its a pain reliever, then why shouldn't women be entitled to it, we do bleed once a month and give men children after all! I haven't gone through the pain of child birth, but that shit looks hard man. And it'd be bullshit if women were allowed gas and air, epidurals and painkillers, yet no right to swear.

Debra Morgan from Dexter, as played by Jennifer Carpenter

Apparently it's not 'lady like' but if we didn't have women swearers, then we wouldn't have such legendary characters like Deborah Morgan from Dexter, not to mention real life celebrity women who aren't afraid to push society's boundaries and let lose, such as Lily Allen and Courtney Love. 
So let lose my fellow females!
Don't fear four letter words!
In fact, make them as fucking colourful as possible!
Shit that bed
Fuck that bucket
And above all, enjoy every single moment of that shit!
We are independent women, ladies, and if a man doesn't like your mouth or the way you speak, then that's a man that ain't worth it and you need to dump his ass because you are worth so much more.


xx

Link to the Swear Test: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JaY7VTftPdY

All pictures don't belong to me and all credit goes towards respected photographers and companies. This is a none profit blog.

If you have any inquiries, just message me in the comments and I'll get back to you. Feedback is always welcome

Feminist Idols

Before I begin, I just want to say that I was reading a 'how to' article on running a successful blog and it said something along the lines of 'write self help articles for your readers' and 'don't jump from irrelevant topic to irrelevant topic'. So before I begin, I'd just like to state that I may, now and again, commit this oh so heinous crime, and write a little something about a horrible day, or about how much I love a certain celebrity......well maybe not the latter, that may be turned into an odd article on obsession.

But enough of that, my feminist idols is who you're here for.

I thought that I would discuss my top three for this article:

 the first being the fabulous Caitlin Moran.

When I was 16, I was turned on to the book 'How To Be a Woman' written by this fabulous dame. I had the book read within two days, and couldn't stop telling my mother all about it. In fact, I think that it gave me the confidence to talk about really personal girl things like the menstrual cycle, for example. Before I had read the book I'd just be doubled over in pain and really shy going 'Mam...mam....Can I have painkillers?....why?....because...it's my time....my time for the thing!"
After reading the first half of the book, I could say the words 'fat,period, and feminist'.In fact I talk to my roommate about everything now, and I mean everything. I've never read a self help book. I may be a college student studying psychology in England, but to be honest, I don't buy into it, all that self help malarky is just a DIY on your cognitive habits. And that's the beauty of this book!
I hadn't gone looking for it, but it had found me! And at the right time too, before I moved to England and could feel self conscious among city girls in their designer clothes and perfect make up and hair at nine in the morning. On top of it all though, it brought me closer to my mother (which is a long story).
Anywho, after reading the book, and agreeing with everything that was said in it, I was confident and ready to face the world. Don't get me wrong, we all have bad days, but I still have moments when I think about the bit in the book that says that people should compliment others more often in order to brighten up their day, and it really works!

But this is a post on idols, not book reviews, although I may do one someday with a complete breakdown of books I have read and loved. This is a post on feminist idols and about the amazing Ms. Moran.

Upon finishing the book I decided that I wanted to be just like her when I reached adulthood (which I have by now). I wanted to be this person (hair and all, but that also goes into my next idol on the list). Like this idol of mine, I had a busy household with siblings and shared bedrooms. People are terrified when I eat fast, but its just the way I was raised. It was a case of snatch and grab because we always had to race for food before everything was gone. I was a recluse that never went around my housing estate, and fictional worlds were my main escape.

But this woman has said a huge FUCK YOU to the patriarchal system in which we live and hasn't been put off of sharing her opinions and ideas, instead becoming a journalist and printing these views in the funniest ways possible. Strong willed, fast talker, and shameless, this is a woman that I will always look up to. On top of spreading the good news of feminism, I also admire how she has slammed stereotypical radical views, and rather than burn a bra (which I'd love to do on the basis that they can hurt) she has settled down with a family of her own, showing that feminism isn't about women coming out on top, it's about equality and women doing what they want to do without being frowned at for it. If women want to have a career and never get married, they should have the right to do so, and if they want to have a family, they should as well. They should never do things just because society expects them to.
All in all, she is definitely someone that I would love to go on a night out with, or at least stay in with a cup of tea....or a bottle of wine, whichever floats your boat.

Next up, the Quirky Kate......Nash, that is.

Ranging from songs about stalking crushes and silent,black dress wearing girls, to songs about falling out with your best friend, and rapping about social inequalities of the genders, this is your woman. If you want something with a simple piano tune, or an empowered female screaming into a mic, she is definitely the go-to gal.

And, going back to my earlier point on hair, she also had Caitlin's style of having a white streak of hair contrasting against the rest of her dark hair (although full credit goes to Caitlin for starting the trend). It's gone now though, Kate went pink.
I first found this woman circa 2009 and saw her live last October. I must say, you should see her if you ever get a chance. She's wild, energetic, obviously inspired by the next woman on my list, and easily creates a kick ass atmosphere whenever she rocks out.
Also like Caitlin, Kate helps people to reclaim words that society has deemed unacceptable for young ladies. Not only is it unlady like to swear (and I do it like a sailor) it is also wrong, apparently, to use derogatory words like 'slut' and 'whore' if you're a woman. What society forgets is, when us females are really close, it's how we greet each other. We're not exactly serious when we say it, unless we see our arch nemesis in an amazing pair of shoes. Life isn't like Mean Girls, where we all have a secret vindictive agenda and mean what we say when we great each other with insults, we use them so we can learn to brush them off instead. My roommate has called me a slut more times than I can count, and if you were to even try it now, it wouldn't affect me.
After finishing her hit song 'Do-Wah-Doo' Kate then proceeded to spend the next minute walking around the stage saying 'bitch bitch bitch bitch'. And she was so happy doing it! It was adorable! I can't listen to that song anymore without having a smile on my  face!
The entire Girl Talk album is one big rant on behalf of women, and it's an amazing thing, seriously why isn't it platinum yet?! I'm actually waiting for her to work with Lily Allen, that would make my day.
And with that quirky gal of sunshine, I shall now end with my last feminist idol!

The glamorous, no shit taking, and I quote 'testosterone in a dress', Ms. Courtney Love Cobain!

I know I know, some people are probably reading this like 'seriously?!', but if you move away from the conspiracy theories for a second and look at the bigger picture, you'll see where I'm coming from, so bare with me.

She didn't have the best childhood, she had to do all she could to survive, and remained a strong and confident woman. She knew what she wanted to do, she admitted on a few occasions that she can't sing, yet she is still a multi-million record selling woman! She does what she loves, she doesn't take shit, she's honest, even sometimes brutally so. And she's so funny, if anyone here has seen her YouTube Channel. And despite all of the rumors and allegations around her, she still continues on, tells the world to fuck off, and enjoys life.

And people will turn around and say 'yeah but the drugs'.
Yes. I won't deny it. She into them, but so has Keith Richards, and Ozzy, but does anyone care about them doing a line of coke? No! But once Courtney does heroine, or once Stevie Nicks does coke, people just go insane. Her life was in a dark place and she fell, but we all fall. Some people get drunks, other people do worse things, but she pulled out of it for her daughter, she's been clean, and yes she starts fights and goes to court, but that's because she won't take anything sitting down. If you slap Courtney Love, you'll get a black eye, and that's precisely the reason I love her.

And honestly, she's a gifted lyricist, I love her new track and I can't wait to see her in Manchester next month.

And that's what I admire about all of these women. They remember that life is short and precious and that you can only do things if you make them happen. The only person that limits you in life is yourself, and while I may dream of writing a successful screenplay (which I have to begin because I'm that lazy) I still make sure that I enjoy myself when I get side tracked and turn to fanfiction instead!
This idea of life being so short has made these women ignore the haters, say a big giant FUCK YOU to people who put them down and continue to do what they love and enjoy themselves, ignoring mysogny and sexism.

I want the toughness of Courtney, the wittiness of Caitlin and the confidence of Kate.
Courtney, Caitlin, Kate (great alliterations eh?)

And thanks to these women I am, to quote Kate, "An independent women of the 21st century"

xx

I do not own any of the pictures used in this post, and all credit goes towards respected photgraphers and companies

Manipulative Feminism to Beat the Cheeky Patriarchs.

Manipulative Feminism to Beat the Cheeky Patriarchs.

Firstly, welcome to the blog and my first ever post.
In case you don't know, I'm a college gal in England. I was raised in a village in the middle of nowhere and busy Liverpool has been a huge culture shock for me. While all of the girls (or most) shop in River Island or Top Shop, I revert to Primark and secondhand shops. But don't  go thinking that I'm a country bumpkin though, if anything I'm a harsh little leprechaun that swears like a sailor.
But don't worry, this information is relevent...okay maybe not the swearing bit.

Now. That's all sorted.

Today began too early for me. I had to be in Liverpool for 9am, was told I had a test first thing, and ended my 9-4 day with Math and History. On the way out of college, I had to go to the desk to collect this terms Train Pass, and in doing so I was pushed to the back of the line, by a guy and his friends.
I'm a Feminist, but I'm not a radical one. If it had been a group of girls that had done it, I'd be just as equally pissed. But when it happened, I was so angry that I wondered what I could of done to have changed the outcome of that scenario, and I reached the conclusion that if I had worn make up, smiled and perhaps even wore a dress (even though I wore one yesterday) these guys would have left me in my original space.

I was also reminded of a piece of advice my mother gave me when I was a child, when she was driving us home from a day of shopping. She had been trying to pull the car out and needed a fellow driver to let her out, in order to follow a line of cars, and it had been a male driver to let her pass, to which she jokingly said to me "When you drive, make sure to catch the eye of a nice male driver".

Perhaps, if I go against my own lazy morals, and dress up more often and put more effort into my appearance, people will be nicer towards me, or leave me be, instead of push me to the back of the queue. I've been dolled up before and had random passers-by smile (and I admit it's a confidence booster). Also, I refuse to believe that women should go against their own morals for a man, but if I were to do this, I'm in control. I'm getting something out of it, it may not be a full respect and I may be objectified, but I may feel like Marilyn Monroe. People found her to be dim-witted and stupid, yet she was a certified genius that always read, and rarely read fiction at that. She revolutionized feminism in film (pushing the boundaries when it came to wearing clothes on screen) and was also a huge supporter of equal rights.



The only thing that holds me back, is the fact that I'm lazy and would have to wake up at the crack of dawn to apply cheap make up to my face in order to manipulate people, be they women or cheaky men who think they can do what they want, like cheat and skip queues.

I don't want to be one of the girls that starve themselves to pay for Top Shop designer clothes and gets spots because my pores become clogged with make up. I like cheap, outdated, vintage clothing and I like stuffing my face, and even though I may change and put more effort into my appearance and look in the mirror and see myself as being a bit heavy in places, the rest of me will never change. I will forever be the blogging, procrastinating slob that I've always been. After all, it's get my eyebrows done or read fanfiction. And I think we both know which one will win out at this stage.

And the best part, these strangers don't even know they've been mentioned in a blog....plus I didn't miss my train.

xx

I do not own photographers used in this post and all credit and copyright rights goes towards respected photographers and companies.