Be A Lady, They Said

[FM123]

(HuffPost) There are so many ways, big and small, that women are criticized or punished every day for simply living their lives in public. A new video narrated by Cynthia Nixon explores those impossible standards.

In the video, released by the magazine Girls Girls Girls, a steely-faced and utterly convincing Nixon reads a shortened version of writer Camille Rainville’s “Be A Lady They Said.”

[silverweb]

1. WOW!

Mandatory viewing for both men and women! This is messaging that's about as powerful as it gets, and there is NO mistaking or misinterpreting its meaning.

[onethatcares]

2. I like this better

"gonna be an engineer" Peggy Seeger.

[lunatica]

3. Yup. I've heard every single one of those.

They left out, “Don’t burst his fragile ego bubble.” When I was young it was the subject of many a long articles in women’s magazines. That and these commands she spoke were all in those articles written specially for women.

It’s one of the reason I swear now. Just to reassert my own damn free choice.

[not_the_one]

4. Incredible!

All the contradictions in one message.

I feel so ashamed that we, as a society, are putting our young women in such a "no win" situation. I have heard myself say some of those exact comments.

Must viewing, by everyone.

[hamsterjill]

5. Powerful reminder that we still have a long way to go.

Young women, ALL women, need to feel empowered.

This isn't true simply for young women, although I certainly am not trying to minimize the effect for young women. But it remains true throughout a woman's life. Expectations. Limitations. At any age.

I'm happy to see this addressed so that we, as a society, can do better.

[smirkymonkey]

6. Wow.

Pretty intense.

[Skittles]

7. my standard response anytime I have been told to smile

"go fuck yourself"