Honesty vs New Age Feminism

I have been reading a great book, Packaging Girlhood. It has been thoughtful and unsettling at the same time. For example, I am now feeling guilty for buying my six-year-old a cheerleading costume from High School Musical. The book confronts messages that young girls are hearing from media, stores, music and anywhere from contemporary culture. It critically examines how the concept of "girl power" has been used to market specific identities to young girls. Part of the book includes discussion of how parents can work with young girls to be more thoughtful regarding advertising, culture and our own conversations. They even give an example of subtext female conversations:

One might say: These are the huge thighs of the Nelson family. She hears: We bond or belong by putting ourselves down. Your body (whether the thighs are huge not) will become a great source of disappointment to you.


Suggested You Say: Look at these thighs. They're just like Grandma's . We were born to be strong and solid like shot-putters or runners.

Hmmmm, I thought as I read. So, they are saying that when my daughter comes in and sees me shaving the hair off my toes, I should not grumble about feeling like a misshapen, hand-dragging creature. Instead, I should say, " Look at these toes, we are made to be warm in even the fiercest of conditions. Just like our missing link ancestors!"