Ladies, listen up.
It's that time of year again where it's getting warm and more girls are or will be getting in trouble at school for their dress code violations. I've already seen the posts circulating around the internet about how sexist dress codes are.
When a girl gets sent home, or has to have someone bring her a change of clothes, she rants about how it's so sexist that she has to do this in order to "not be a distraction to the boys." Yes, many school dress codes are in place to avoid distractions, but this doesn't just apply to girls and their booty shorts and tank tops. Some schools also have rules preventing everyone, boys and girls, from wearing extremely baggy clothes, which can become a safety concern due to how easily weapons can be concealed, shirts that promote illegal/dangerous activity, or even dying your hair an unnatural color (i.e., pink, purple, blue, etc.). The only way this is sexist is if the rules about girls not showing too much skin are the only rules that are enforced, which I'll admit does happen more often than it should. If all dress code guidelines are equally enforced, I see no problem here.
The real issue I have with this topic is when girls say that instead of teaching girls to cover up, we should teach boys not to sexualize/objectify girls, or that school dress codes are teaching girls to be ashamed of their bodies. I'll agree that boys should be taught to not objectify girls, but it's a two-way street. You have to do your part to help them. Also, by dressing modestly, you present yourself in a much more respectable manner. There are a lot of girls who dress inappropriately with the purpose of getting the attention of guys. It's hard to tell the difference between a girl doing this and one who is simply dressing for the weather. Dressing in a modest, respectable manner will also make it harder for other girls to say catty things about you.
Dress codes are also not about shaming you or your body. It's about all the things I've already discussed. There's nothing wrong with your body. Stop using this argument.
All I'm saying here is, we need to get rid of this "women can do what they want and men just have to deal with it" mentality. It's incredibly selfish. Stop playing the victim and blaming the men for everything.
Friday, March 31, 2017
Monday, March 27, 2017
Date The Boy Who...
Date the boy who watches your favorite movie with you, even if he hates it.
Date the boy who sees you in your sweatpants and still calls you beautiful.
Date the boy who saves your favorite flavor of gummy bear for you.
Date the boy who makes you laugh.
Date the boy who makes you feel safe.
Date the boy who makes you feel loved.
Date the boy who answers the phone when you need him.
Date the boy you can cry in front of.
Date the boy who believes in your dreams.
Date the boy who doesn't judge you.
Date the boy who encourages you.
Date the boy who's proud to have you.
Date the boy who'd do anything to see you smile.
Date the boy who builds you up, instead of tearing you down.
Date the boy who treats you like the most special and beautiful girl in the world, not the one who flirts with every girl he sees.
Ladies, you deserve the best. Don't settle for anything less than that.
Sunday, March 26, 2017
Faithful, Not Successful
"God does not call us to be successful. He calls to be faithful."- Mother Teresa
In the midst of school, work, family, friends, faith, and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to balance everything. Trust me. I know from experience.
However, God doesn't need us to be perfect. He just wants us to try and do our best. That's it. I know, this is hard to remember sometimes. There is so much pressure from to world to do everything and to do it all perfectly. All the magazines, TV shows, movies, and everything else can make you feel like you have to work out all the time so you can be a size 2, make sure your hair, makeup, and outfit are always "on fleek," maintain a 4.0 GPA, work at least one job, join every club and/or sports team, have a million real-life friends and social media followers, and still somehow manage to get an adequate amount of sleep. But here's the thing....you can't. It's literally impossible. You can do a handful of those things, but you can't do them all, at least not perfectly. AND THAT'S OKAY!
We don't have to be perfect. In fact, none of us are perfect. We're human. All we have to do is our best. That's all God asks of us. He wants us, in all of our messy imperfection. All we have to do is be faithful and try.
Don't let the world convince you that you need to be perfect. It's a lie. God loves you for who you are right now, inside and out. Let Him.
In the midst of school, work, family, friends, faith, and extracurricular activities, it can be hard to balance everything. Trust me. I know from experience.
However, God doesn't need us to be perfect. He just wants us to try and do our best. That's it. I know, this is hard to remember sometimes. There is so much pressure from to world to do everything and to do it all perfectly. All the magazines, TV shows, movies, and everything else can make you feel like you have to work out all the time so you can be a size 2, make sure your hair, makeup, and outfit are always "on fleek," maintain a 4.0 GPA, work at least one job, join every club and/or sports team, have a million real-life friends and social media followers, and still somehow manage to get an adequate amount of sleep. But here's the thing....you can't. It's literally impossible. You can do a handful of those things, but you can't do them all, at least not perfectly. AND THAT'S OKAY!
We don't have to be perfect. In fact, none of us are perfect. We're human. All we have to do is our best. That's all God asks of us. He wants us, in all of our messy imperfection. All we have to do is be faithful and try.
Don't let the world convince you that you need to be perfect. It's a lie. God loves you for who you are right now, inside and out. Let Him.
Wednesday, March 8, 2017
#ADayWithoutAWoman
Hi friends!
I have been hearing a lot about people celebrating International Women's Day by partaking in A Day Without A Woman. For those of you who are not aware, A Day Without A Woman is something the creators of the Women's March have come up with to "empower" women. They are encouraging women to take the day off of work, avoid shopping at businesses not owned by women or minorities, and to wear red in solidarity. The purpose of this is, supposedly, to prove how important women are.
Ladies, we do not need to prove our importance to anyone. We know we are important. Staying home and avoiding work and shopping doesn't really prove anything anyway.
Did you know that multiple school districts had to cancel classes for today because of the amount of teachers unwilling to show up for work? It's ridiculous. We are depriving children, many of which are young women, of education in order to make an unnecessary point. You might not be aware of this, but millions of children are on free and reduced lunch at school. For some of these children, the meals they eat at school are the only meals they eat. So, not only are we depriving children of a day of education, but many are being deprived of a day of food as well. Let that sink in,
This all just seems very backwards to me. The early feminists fought for women to get basic rights such as the right to work and an education. Today, we are proving our worth as women by not going to work and depriving children, male and female, of education? It just doesn't make sense. In all honesty, there is a good chance that at least one employer is considering the possibilities for replacing those who are refusing to show up for work for no reason other than "empowerment."
Think about the choices you're making ladies. This isn't just about you and your feelings. It's about the future of our country and our children.
I have been hearing a lot about people celebrating International Women's Day by partaking in A Day Without A Woman. For those of you who are not aware, A Day Without A Woman is something the creators of the Women's March have come up with to "empower" women. They are encouraging women to take the day off of work, avoid shopping at businesses not owned by women or minorities, and to wear red in solidarity. The purpose of this is, supposedly, to prove how important women are.
Ladies, we do not need to prove our importance to anyone. We know we are important. Staying home and avoiding work and shopping doesn't really prove anything anyway.
Did you know that multiple school districts had to cancel classes for today because of the amount of teachers unwilling to show up for work? It's ridiculous. We are depriving children, many of which are young women, of education in order to make an unnecessary point. You might not be aware of this, but millions of children are on free and reduced lunch at school. For some of these children, the meals they eat at school are the only meals they eat. So, not only are we depriving children of a day of education, but many are being deprived of a day of food as well. Let that sink in,
This all just seems very backwards to me. The early feminists fought for women to get basic rights such as the right to work and an education. Today, we are proving our worth as women by not going to work and depriving children, male and female, of education? It just doesn't make sense. In all honesty, there is a good chance that at least one employer is considering the possibilities for replacing those who are refusing to show up for work for no reason other than "empowerment."
Think about the choices you're making ladies. This isn't just about you and your feelings. It's about the future of our country and our children.
Sunday, March 5, 2017
The Lenten Struggle is Real
Hi friends!
With Easter approaching in just a little over a month, we have entered that lovely season in which everyone brags or whines about what they have decided to go without for forty days. That's right. It's Lent.
I'm not going to lie. Lent can be a real struggle. Most people I know give up sweets or social media. Personally, I don't always like telling a lot of people what I'm doing for Lent. Usually, I tell a few close friends so maybe they can keep me accountable. For example, my junior year of high school, I gave up Twitter. I had told one of my best friends, and every time she would see me pull my phone out, she would make sure I wasn't tweeting.
A few years ago, one of the priests at my home parish told me that you don't necessarily have to give something up. You can also add something to your routine, like praying a rosary every day or something like that. This year, I decided to go that route and make an attempt to go to the adoration chapel on campus every day. I also decided at the last minute that I was going to try to read for a little bit every day as well. These are two things I like to do, but am often too lazy to really make time for.
I know, I just said before that I don't like telling a lot of people what I'm doing for Lent. I'm telling you all this year because I need some help being held accountable. Keeping my Lenten promises can be a struggle. My boyfriend has already been a big help. We had been hanging out last night, and when we passed the chapel as he was bringing me back to campus, he turned and asked if I had been to the chapel yet. After that nice little reminder, when I got out of the car I went straight into the chapel instead of going straight to my dorm to go to bed.
Is anyone else doing anything for Lent this year? Or do you have any prayer requests I can take to the chapel with me? Let me know in the comments!
With Easter approaching in just a little over a month, we have entered that lovely season in which everyone brags or whines about what they have decided to go without for forty days. That's right. It's Lent.
I'm not going to lie. Lent can be a real struggle. Most people I know give up sweets or social media. Personally, I don't always like telling a lot of people what I'm doing for Lent. Usually, I tell a few close friends so maybe they can keep me accountable. For example, my junior year of high school, I gave up Twitter. I had told one of my best friends, and every time she would see me pull my phone out, she would make sure I wasn't tweeting.
A few years ago, one of the priests at my home parish told me that you don't necessarily have to give something up. You can also add something to your routine, like praying a rosary every day or something like that. This year, I decided to go that route and make an attempt to go to the adoration chapel on campus every day. I also decided at the last minute that I was going to try to read for a little bit every day as well. These are two things I like to do, but am often too lazy to really make time for.
I know, I just said before that I don't like telling a lot of people what I'm doing for Lent. I'm telling you all this year because I need some help being held accountable. Keeping my Lenten promises can be a struggle. My boyfriend has already been a big help. We had been hanging out last night, and when we passed the chapel as he was bringing me back to campus, he turned and asked if I had been to the chapel yet. After that nice little reminder, when I got out of the car I went straight into the chapel instead of going straight to my dorm to go to bed.
Is anyone else doing anything for Lent this year? Or do you have any prayer requests I can take to the chapel with me? Let me know in the comments!
Saturday, March 4, 2017
April the Giraffe
Hi friends!
Unless you live under a rock, there is a good chance you've heard about April the Giraffe at the Animal Adventure Park in New York. April is currently pregnant with her fourth calf and due any time now. The park has set up a live webcam feed so people can check in and see when she has the baby. If you're anything like everyone else on the internet, chances are you have been watching obsessively. Everyone loves this giraffe and her caretakers, Cory and Alyssa. It's getting a little out of hand, but seeing everyone obsess over a pregnant giraffe is far preferable to a lot of the political junk posted elsewhere on the internet.
As much as I am loving watching this sweet giraffe and seeing everyone's reactions to her, it is raising an important question in the back of my mind. Why is it that when an animal at a zoo is pregnant, we obsess over it and anxiously await the arrival of the baby, but when a human gets pregnant people act like it's not a huge deal and even give the mother the option to kill her child if she does not want to be a mother?
A priest friend of mine pointed this out, and he even pointed out how people are acknowledging that April's baby is indeed a giraffe, but when a human is pregnant, the baby is referred to as a clump of cells with no value. Why is this unborn giraffe considered a baby, but a baby human isn't? Seems a little odd, doesn't it?
I am in no way trying to degrade the value of the baby giraffe. Heck, I'm watching the live feed just as obsessively as everyone else. I just think that if we're going to be excited about baby zoo animals and treat them with respect and dignity, we should be doing the same for the baby humans.
If you would like to hop on the bandwagon and watch April with the rest of us, you can do so here.
Unless you live under a rock, there is a good chance you've heard about April the Giraffe at the Animal Adventure Park in New York. April is currently pregnant with her fourth calf and due any time now. The park has set up a live webcam feed so people can check in and see when she has the baby. If you're anything like everyone else on the internet, chances are you have been watching obsessively. Everyone loves this giraffe and her caretakers, Cory and Alyssa. It's getting a little out of hand, but seeing everyone obsess over a pregnant giraffe is far preferable to a lot of the political junk posted elsewhere on the internet.
As much as I am loving watching this sweet giraffe and seeing everyone's reactions to her, it is raising an important question in the back of my mind. Why is it that when an animal at a zoo is pregnant, we obsess over it and anxiously await the arrival of the baby, but when a human gets pregnant people act like it's not a huge deal and even give the mother the option to kill her child if she does not want to be a mother?
A priest friend of mine pointed this out, and he even pointed out how people are acknowledging that April's baby is indeed a giraffe, but when a human is pregnant, the baby is referred to as a clump of cells with no value. Why is this unborn giraffe considered a baby, but a baby human isn't? Seems a little odd, doesn't it?
I am in no way trying to degrade the value of the baby giraffe. Heck, I'm watching the live feed just as obsessively as everyone else. I just think that if we're going to be excited about baby zoo animals and treat them with respect and dignity, we should be doing the same for the baby humans.
If you would like to hop on the bandwagon and watch April with the rest of us, you can do so here.
Why The Bird-Themed Title and URL?
Hi friends!
I started this blog to give my view on things happening in my life and around the world. The reason I titled it "A Bird's Eye View" and got the URL littlecatiebird is actually because of my friends. My sophomore year of college, a couple of my friends, for whatever reason, decided that I reminded them of a little bird. I have no idea why, but it stuck and they still call me bird from time to time. That year we also had a friend who was really into sign language and he taught us the sign for bird, which of course resulted in him, and my two friends who gave me the nickname, greeting me with the sign or bird whenever they saw me.
Ironically, my friends are aware that birds actually kind of freak me out. Don't ask me why, I have no idea, but they do.
So, yeah, that's the story. Enjoy reading my opinions of random things,
-Catie
I started this blog to give my view on things happening in my life and around the world. The reason I titled it "A Bird's Eye View" and got the URL littlecatiebird is actually because of my friends. My sophomore year of college, a couple of my friends, for whatever reason, decided that I reminded them of a little bird. I have no idea why, but it stuck and they still call me bird from time to time. That year we also had a friend who was really into sign language and he taught us the sign for bird, which of course resulted in him, and my two friends who gave me the nickname, greeting me with the sign or bird whenever they saw me.
Ironically, my friends are aware that birds actually kind of freak me out. Don't ask me why, I have no idea, but they do.
So, yeah, that's the story. Enjoy reading my opinions of random things,
-Catie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)