Who where your role models growing up and why ?

Nevyn

I don't think that there are the same cool role models for girls that there once was, esp when I look at what is aimed at young girls these days.

Disney likes to think of the Princesses as role models, but what a sorry bunch of wusses they are. Typically, they spend much of their time in captivity or a coma, waking up only when a Prince comes along and kisses them. The most striking exception is Mulan, who dresses as a boy to fight in the army, but--like the other Princess of color, Pocahontas--she lacks full Princess status and does not warrant a line of tiaras and gowns. Otherwise the Princesses have no ambitions and no marketable skills, although both Snow White and Cinderella are good at housecleaning.


And what could they aspire to, beyond landing a Prince? In Princessland, the only career ladder leads from baby-faced adolescence to a position as an evil enchantress, stepmother or witch. Snow White's wicked stepmother is consumed with envy for her stepdaughter's beauty; the sea witch Ursula covets Ariel's lovely voice; Cinderella's stepmother exploits the girl's cheap, uncomplaining, labor. No need for complicated witch-hunting techniques--pin-prickings and dunkings--in Princessland. All you have to look for is wrinkles.

Feminist parents gnash their teeth. For this their little girls gave up Dora, who bounds through the jungle saving baby jaguars, whose mother is an archeologist and whose adventures don't involve smoochy rescues by Diego? There was drama in Dora's life too, and the occasional bad actor like Swiper the fox. Even Barbie looks like a suffragette compared to Disney's Belle. So what's the appeal of the pink tulle Princess cult?

Seen from the witchy end of the female life cycle, the Princesses exert their pull through a dark and undeniable eroticism. They're sexy little wenches, for one thing. Snow White has gotten slimmer and bustier over the years; Ariel wears nothing but a bikini top (though, admittedly, she is half fish.) In faithful imitation, the 3-year-old in my life flounces around with her tiara askew and her Princess gown sliding off her shoulder, looking for all the world like a London socialite after a hard night of cocaine and booze. Then she demands a poison apple and falls to the floor in a beautiful swoon. Pass the Rohypnol-laced margarita, please.

It may be old-fashioned to say so, but sex--and especially some middle-aged man's twisted version thereof--doesn't belong in the pre-K playroom. Children are going to discover it soon enough, but they're got to do so on their own.

There's a reason, after all, why we're generally more disgusted by sexual abusers than adults who inflict mere violence on children: we sense that sexual abuse more deeply messes with a child's mind. One's sexual inclinations--straightforward or kinky, active or passive, heterosexual or homosexual--should be free to develop without adult intervention or manipulation. Hence our harshness toward the kind of sexual predators who leer at kids and offer candy. But Disney, which also owns ABC, Lifetime, ESPN, A&E and Miramax, is rewarded with $4 billion a year for marketing the masochistic Princess cult and its endlessly proliferating paraphernalia.

so who were your role models growing up and why ?

Crumble Froo

ah, that passage was quoted in a recent thread on another board im on, found it quite interesting...
some good articles here... http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0838/is_n76/ai_17347046
here
http://princessculture.wordpress.com/2007/05/13/disney-on-ice-and-domestic-violence/
here,
http://media.www.thelamron.com/media/storage/paper1150/news/2007/03/08/KnightsLife/Wac-Examines.Disney.Princess.Stereotypes-2769751.shtml
and here..
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8CWMCt35oFY

i think there was one more, but i accidently forgot to copy paste before i closed the tab.

growing up, i was actually generally too busy to really think about role models and the likes. i played most sports at some stage, and was passionate about hurling/camogie, so that between that and homework and the fact i didn't watch much tv (really strict parents), i never really had an 'idol' as such. haha, i suppose i always did kinda want to be david attenborough... does that count? i'd watch 'wildlife on one' religiously every thursday evening.

WindSock

Most of those Disney Princesses are from 100/200 year old fairytales, and some of those animations were created within the last 60 years.
The most recent Disney animations aren't really based on fairytales. So I think it's fair to say that they aren't current role models.

I wouldn't describe fictional characters as role models.
My favorite fictional characters as a child were Big Daddy, Barbar, Nancy Drew, The dad in little house on the praire, kit and Murdock.

My role models were Mammie and Daddy.

Jules

I don't think i really had any role models, I know i looked up to my brothers and sisters a lot, im the youngest of five and also my Mum and Dad. But don't ever remember being inspired by anyone, well acccept maybe Sir David Attenbourough. Seeing him travel all over the world working with animals and conservation.

*Lees*

I don't think I had any role models either, I certainly didn't see cartoon characters as role models! I did have a crush on 'Donatello' from 'Teenage Mutant Hero Turtles' when I was about 5 or 6! (He had a purple headband and purple was my favourite colour!!!)
I never really thought about having role models before, I've always looked up to my grandmother because she is so creative, she's a fantastic dressmaker and makes amazing wedding cakes! I suppose I've always wanted to be as talented as her!

Quality

My Mammy, My two Big sisters who were 14 and 8 years older than me and My brothers girlfriends. He always had the most beautiful looking girlfriends,,,,,, we never knew how he got them...

LadyJ

When I was younger I always looked up to my mother and my cousins too. My mother died when I was 11 but she was the most amazing person I've ever known (and I don't say that just because she was my mother).

I still consider her a role model even now and I'm so glad that she influenced my life even a little bit. She had me at 33, was unmarried but independent enough to handle it. She started her degree at 36 and began her PHD at 40. She had a brain hemorrhage at 42 and was left with short term memory loss. At 44 she had a second hemorrhage and died.

I've never known anyone more human. She had a life filled with love and with loss but she felt every emotion to it's fullest extent and she was stronger for it.

She was witty and intelligent, loving and liberal. She touched the lives of so many people and her death broke the hearts of every single one of us. I could not name a more worthy role model.

If I can be half the woman she was then I couldn't ask for more.

tbh

LadyJ wrote: »

When I was younger I always looked up to my mother and my cousins too. My mother died when I was 11 but she was the most amazing person I've ever known (and I don't say that just because she was my mother).

I still consider her a role model even now and I'm so glad that she influenced my life even a little bit. She had me at 33, was unmarried but independent enough to handle it. She started her degree at 36 and began her PHD at 40. She had a brain hemorrhage at 42 and was left with short term memory loss. At 44 she had a second hemorrhage and died.

I've never known anyone more human. She had a life filled with love and with loss but she felt every emotion to it's fullest extent and she was stronger for it.

She was witty and intelligent, loving and liberal. She touched the lives of so many people and her death broke the hearts of every single one of us. I could not name a more worthy role model.

If I can be half the woman she was then I couldn't ask for more.

Your mam sounds amazing. I've been debating whether or not to go back to college - thinking I'm too old. I think your post is a sign. thanks.

LadyJ

tbh wrote: »

Your mam sounds amazing. I've been debating whether or not to go back to college - thinking I'm too old. I think your post is a sign. thanks.

It's funny how a person can still influence the lives of others even after they're gone.

My mom used to tutor a lot of mature students as well. She was convinced that it was never to late to start studying something that you have an interest in and a passion for.

I hope you go fot it tbh, tbh!

Jules

LadyJ, you have made me cry. Your Mum sounds like the most amazing person. Should make the rest of us apperciate our mums even more.

WindSock

Thats a very touching and sincere post, LadyJ. I enjoyed reading about your Mum, and I'm sure you still feel her loss, but as you said she still influences people to this day. I too am thinking of heading back to study, and stories like these are very helpful.

DubLegs

Lady J - i agreed with the OP your mam sounds amazing Lady.

Me not having any older siblings or any sisters, my mam would be my role model and i still think of her as my role model. Think all girls do!

Princesses and Barbies are only ever around for a short phase in a girls live - Mammies alway outlast them!

Nevyn

Gods no, growing up the last thing I wanted to be was my mother trapped at home with 5 kids.

For me it was wonderwoman a princess who never needed to be rescued and never hung about waiting for a prince oh and ms piggy.

Crumble Froo

ah, i kinda misunderstood the thread a bit... never quite occurred to me to name people i actually *knew* growing up.

i suppose, like thaed, i most certainly would never look to my mother as my role model, though my nana - strong, funny, independent, caring, loving and easy going, is the kind of person i always loved and copied for years, and now, have a very strong relationship with her, and if - god forbid- i should ever grow 'old'... i wana do it like her

the other person i would have looked up to most would have been my older cousin, who introduced me to music in general - the prodigy, rage against the machine, primus - while i was still listening to my b*witched and westlife cds. *cringe*. always thought he was really cool, and he definitely influenced my way of seeing the world and people.

Maple

nope my mother would never have been my role model. Not a chance.

My role model would have been my dad. Still is. He's a great man. He loved us for who we were, not who he wanted us to be. He listened to us and got great enjoyment out of watching us grow up and hearing about our various scrapes that we got ourselves into. He relished our independence and wanted us to go far and be free. He always told us that he loved us and that he was proud of us. He never told us we were stupid or ran us down, he gave us confidence in ourselves and our abilities. He is always there for me, through absolutely everything i've ever gone through. Nothing is ever a problem for him, absolutely nothing is an issue. If we need him he is there.

panda100

Thaedydal wrote: »

ms piggy.

She's still my role model

When I was growing up the only females that featured on me in any shape or form would have been Aeriel in the little mermaid and the Spice girls. There was a distinct lack and still is of decent female role models for young children.


I never aspired to be like my mum though she is the best mum in the world

Piste

I don't think it's really correct to state that Disney Princesses are role models, and I think that that article reads into Disney Children's cartoons far too much. Kids like a fantasy world where they can look pretty and be happy and dance around and sing with animals so they dress as princesses andplay at being princesses, and there's nothing wrong with that.


I myself didn't have any role models, though I suppose I looked up to my friends a bit.

Nightwish

I had no role models as such growing up. I was the eldest, and quite introverted around other kids. I only really came out of my shell when around adults. I never wanted to be a Disney princess - the only movie I enjoyed was the Little Mermaid, and that was for Sebastian the Lobster. I suppose the Disney princesses arent such bad role models these days - Bratz are much much worse. They are horrendous dolls that no girl should be let near.

simu

I didn't have role models really but my family members all assumed I'd do well at school and so on so I suppsed that influenced me.

I did play with the odd princess Barbie and they didn't turn me into a bimbo! It's how kids play with toys that's important - I used to make little computers and books out of cardboard and old magazines for my Barbies and dark clothes out of old socks because all the pink was a bit boring and unrealistic, I thought!

Rozabeez

My mother in particular, she's brought us all up alone for 10 years and dealt with some tough things before that, she's not your typical Mammy in the way that rather than strict rules, she brought us up to respect each other and know right from wrong ourselves.

Not once have I been grounded, nor have I felt the need to do any of the "bad" things my friends did growing up, out of respect for how she brought me up.