"I'm a hot chick!" What the F*** does this mean...?

[bliss_eternal]

Seriously?

I'm watching something on tv, that's been on for almost an hour. During the course of the hour, I've heard her refer to herself several times this way.

"Well, you know I'm a hot chick, so maybe she was threatened by me..." "He saw me--I'm a hot chick, he was probably interested, you know..." :wtf:

I would just think her insane but I've heard other young women these days refer to themselves this way, and young men (and older men, etc.) refer to women this way. If it wasn't for this, I would have just written her off as a shallow idiot--but since this seems to be a new 'understood' term, I thought I would ask here for others to weigh in on this.

While women that refer to themselves this way, obviously have no idea how it demeans them or our entire culture, what makes me angry is that she (and others) seem to think this is framing a woman in a positive light.

Where the hell did this come from? Am I the only one disturbed by this trend? Why are some women so comfortable with such a label?

[bloom]

1. It's that mentality

which will get me to cancel cable.

When women buy into the idea that they have status solely on the basis of their temporary "hotness" - they must not realize how fleeting youth is.

I think it does demean women in general - when people reinforce the idea.


This is a good rant on the subject:

"The Death of Sexism and Other Myths"

http://ilyka.mu.nu/archives/025496.html

[bliss_eternal]

2. It's what pissed me off sometimes

when watching something like Howard Stern. When they got around to how old a woman was, and the girl said she was 18 or 22--I practically yell at the television, "Oh Fuck YOU! Who WASN'T HOT at 21?!?" Seriously. Impress me, put on a woman that looks great over 45 or 50 and talk to her about something OTHER than the way she looks. Then bring back said 18 or 22 year old and have HER talk about something OTHER than the way she looks. Wonder who they'd have a better interview/conversation with? I really don't have to wonder, but you know what I mean.

It's SO insulting and yes it is a good, if not great rant. Thank you for the link!

[ismnotwasm]

3. TV sucks

It controls culture to point of old science fiction ideas.

I heard this as well, but usually "I looked hot that day" or "I have to look hot tonight"
The majority of men and women are average looking.(Too me) Once in a while a type of beauty comes along that turns heads in our everyday, average world. Interestingly, it's seem to be the face that draws us in these cases. And it's all subjective, or used to be, but the beauty myth has been shoved at us over and over.

The most beautiful woman I've ever known hands down (TV, models, and movies included) is a mixed race woman who never was petite, but curvy. Her face was symmetry itself. She was human art in that way.

The most beautiful man I ever saw was a Samoan male standing in the market in traditional dress. He too, was art.

Would I call them "hot"? Hell no. The term degrades what I felt looking at them.

I guess "hot" means sexually desirable. Which is fine, but not when that's all you have to offer. Women suffer more because much of our perceived value is still based on our appearance. Instead of rejecting that, many young women seem to have decided to give in. They've been fooled.

I remember reading an interview with Cher many years ago. Her mother evidently told her that their was always going to be someone prettier, more talented, more desirable and to make the most of what she had.

So what are these "hot" young women feeling when someone considered more attractive comes along? One of those beautiful persons that seem to need very little artifice? How do they react? What internal resources to they have to bolster their self esteem? Do they lose more weight, hit the tanning salon, Hit the bottle? It's an alarming trend. And many of these young women are well aware that they'll age. I've heard "I have to use it while I have it".
Sadly,
"It" doesn't last all that long.

[bliss_eternal]

4. Not long at all--

You bring up such interesting points. Like you, those outside of television and film that I find 'beautiful' don't all into any sort of category that the advertisers can utilize.

What becomes of a 'hot' woman? I actually thought about starting a thread about this a day or so ago. In terms of what becomes of women when that 'it' factor starts to fade away. Of course, women that have developed other aspects of themselves always seem to triumph and fare quite well. The others concern me.

Think about women like Mamie Van Doren, who was part of that 'blonde bombshell' era of Hollywood. She's still around, but sadly she seems to be one of those women that desperately clings to what was--wearing too much makeup, has had too much plastic surgery--doesn't seem to look real anymore. Former pin-up queens that can't let go of that old glory of being a fantasy of beauty and desire.

Makes me wonder what's to become of today's pin-ups such as Pamela Anderson or Carmen Electra...

[StellaBlue]

5. IMHO Pam's already in Mamie Van Doren mode

I just don't get it. I think she was your average girl to being with, and is now actually quite ugly in her current, plastic, inflated incarnation. The woman does not have a pretty face. I suspect that Pammie will end up a lot like Bardot, though.

[bliss_eternal]

6. What was Bardot's fate?

Forgive me--I'm not up to speed on all the blonde bombshells. LOL!

Oh, and I agree with you about Pam being in Mamie mode already. I see older pics of her like when she started on Baywatch--she looks softer and prettier. Now...more of a hard edge to her--heavier makeup, particularly around the eyes, more surgery, etc. Sad in a way.

But what does one do when one makes a career of being a sex symbol?

[StellaBlue]

7. bardot

[atommom]

8. Women who buy into the "hot chick" mentality have to see other women

as the competition. Since conventional "hotness" is so fleeting, they have to live with the dread of losing it and becoming "average." That's a lot of pressure, and it can cause women to compete against each other in very self-destructive ways. I think this is what's behind a lot of the female misogyny we see at DU and elsewhere. Criticizing, sabotaging, mocking other women ... it's a far cry from what life could be if women saw each other as allies.

[bliss_eternal]

9. So true!

Thank you for making this incredibly important point!

I've never understood or related to women with those sort of attitudes toward other women, even as a young girl. It was very confusing to me in middle and high school. All of it was really lost on me and I struggled a great deal.

I've always tried to see other women as allies and wished more did. I hate to say this, but I tend to avoid women now that I find to be that way--critical, sabotaging, mocking, two faced, etc. Life's too short for that kind of stuff...

I really love the way you tie this in to the whole hot chick phenomena--it really makes a lot of sense! :hi:

[atommom]

10. The term "hot chick" may be new, but the concept certainly isn't.

It's being presented as empowerment, but it looks to me like more of the same tired idea: You're only as valuable as the men you can attract.

I never understood it either, and I've sought out women who feel the same way to be my friends. Thanks for the kind words. It sounds as if we've been walking the same path. :hi:

[bloom]

11. I may have a bad memory

but I think it's worse - with more and more advertising - with TV shows that are get even more and more shallow. I think society/culture really is getting more lame.

I think it's related to people who go along with the rah rah patriotic non-thinking nonsense - like Bill O'Reilly talking about women newscasters on FOX in a demeaning way - it's not accidental. That is part of why when I see people support that mentality around here - I find it really disturbing. It's not just one part of society. I see it as a pervasive view of the world - that is encouraged by FOX and the right-wingnuts.

[atommom]

13. I think you're right. The mass media is selling us down the river.

There's a lot of casual misogyny, and it seems that most people just accept it as the norm. :shrug:

[bliss_eternal]

14. It doesn't help that the status of 'hot chicks' has been

elevated in society, with clothing that represents 'hooker and stripper chic.' Commercials that air about 'Girls Gone Wild' show young women froliking about on beaches, lifting their shirts, making out with each other--not because they are sincerely lesbian and bisexual but because it is deemed 'cute' or 'hot' by the boys.

I was out briefly with dh last night, and we walked past some girls. One of them thanked the other for 'the lap dance.' As dh and I overheard this, we looked at each other quizzically and I lamented the current status of young women in today's society.

[bliss_eternal]

12. Anytime!

I wish that women like this were more easily found though...or maybe I just haven't been looking in the right places. It just seems women like this are so rare...

:hug: