Thank you for this -- such great insight about why so many of us geriatric millennials (I'm actually a Gen X cusper) wanted so badly to be the different-than-all-the-other-girls-cool-girl. Just another symptom of the colonial-religious-patriarchy we've been steeped in. Even, in my case, at an all-girls' high school! (Why weren't we reading more women???)
I hadn't paid much attention to Taylor Swift except that she seemed to have a head for business, until I listened to her Folklore album on a whim during the pandemic and was blown away by the maturity of her lyrics. My two young girls are obsessed with her, and I couldn't be more delighted.
Thank you for this excellent essay! I agree that when I was younger I thought that women weren’t funny, made worse music than men, etc. TV shows with a female protagonist were only for women, but male protagonists were for everyone. I love Taylor, and must read more Austen!
Really made me think about the conscious desire as a child and tween not to become a woman (or man either). And not because of body changes! Because in my eyes being a grown woman obviously sucked. Similar memory: coming back home at 12 or 13 crying after being harassed by grown men in the street, my mom saying “just ignore it” and my anger at her for not having a better solution. TY for the essay.
Thank you for turning me onto Taylor Swift! I’ve always enjoyed reading Jane Austen one of my favorites, but as a baby boomer I thought Swift would not be to my liking, boy was I wrong?
my mistakes - re read august institution fell for it -
in my defense dyslexic and impulsive - mistakes will be made!!
I think with misogyny/sexism there is also the issue of race, culture, sexuality too - age, disability and more, there are blind spots for us all too - if we do not have the lived experience of any of these other ways in which humans oppress and discriminate. Yet - we can only speak of our moments of "awakenings"
mine were when father Macnamara said I could not be the pope because I was a girl. Previous to that I got into a lot of trouble at home because I argued against having to do the drying up as a girl but not the bins as that was my brother's job. I have always been part of the bloody awkward squad. I think the modern world and you youngsters have different challenges and perspectives -and I know there has never been a golden age - I fear that there is a lot of regression and back sliding. Like the abortion laws in the states - and in catholic countries in europe too. Like democracy - we can never be complacement.
Therein ends my second sermon! Love this invisible woman site - and all the interesting comments that are shared too. I shall go back to reading now
You did not campaign for Jane Austen - urban myth - even the BBC - yest that august reputation, feel for it. I wonder why Jane Austen - perhaps because she was wearing a bonnet and looked demure. After all we don't want to frighten the males - but a question - how many more centuries do they need to get over it calm and be less sensitive to the idea of equality. Yet I think males are equally trapped, less painfully, but when the world, particularly if you are white middle class heterosexual able bodied person is always wrapped round and resolutely determined to maintain your best interests.
It is wryly amusing that male advocates who at the very least gaslight - these little blossoms still think they should be in charge is bizarre.
I have not really listened to Taylor Swift - yet this she is phenomenally artist, lyricist and business woman - way to go.
I loved this piece because it felt so honest and what you describe rang so true to me. I also felt like I didn’t want to identify with that stereotypical dum woman as a teenager and felt way too intelligent for the mould society wanted me to fit in. Have we moved on from this? I do hope so, at least a bit… My daughter is 1 year old and I need to remind myself that we’ll need to take every opportunity to bring female authors/artists/scientists/politicians to her attention and not just what school and society will show her.
And you’ve managed to completely shift my view on Taylor to whom I had never given that much thought before!
Oh, wow! I love the way you perfectly described the intricacies of Jane Austen (my favorite author!) and Taylor Swift’s writing (my favorite singer!) - and this explains perfectly why I love Austen above all other authors, and why I keep going back to her books, and why I have a constant discography of Swift in my head (especially amazing quotes, as you too mentioned 😉). I have been sharing your work with friends and family for a while - I can’t wait to share this one too! Amazing work ❤️🔥
Yes to all of this, as a lifelong Janeite, and as a woman who studied English literature 30 years ago when 'feminist writers' were covered in one optional module. And who has recently discovered that the lyrics of Taylor Swift strike exactly the same notes as the work of Austen: joy, anger, clarity, strength in this tilted world. Thank you for your honesty and for sharing, Caroline
Yes! I’m very glad I’m not the only who feels the parallels ❤️ (although I didn’t even get a “feminist writers” optional module! Austen was one week in the Romantics. I just chose her as my special author so I spent a whole term revelling in her!)
Thanks for enlightening me about Swift.Think she continues the long tradition of country female singers.
She's a radical feminist and I can fully identify with her growing awareness and consciousness of how patriarchy and misogyny shape our personal lives and relationships.I am 76 and battled to survive but oh my I'm having a great time.
Your article totally chimed with me…..growing up saturated in a world view delivered and interpreted by men as the accepted reality of what is right, normal, the truth, the way things are it comes as a lightning moment when one hears a (liberated not aping men) woman deliver/write/speak/sing in a similar context. Suddenly what felt like having to absorb cardboard that doesn’t chime one is hearing bells ringing and a very deep YES. I had such a moment hearing an eminent female theologian deliver a sermon at Canterbury Cathedral some years ago when I visited. Years of hearing men preach in church growing up had never really hit home for me about biblical narratives and the women in them and their lives. I remember it very well. Our lived experience is different but no less true and (usually) the world needs to be thought about and interpreted and expressed by women for that to be heard.
I'll be there Friday night with my 28 Yr old daughter...and I expect there will be many older than us as well as younger. I so appreciate what you say here, for me it's all about the lyrics. Love Story and Fifteen still make me cry with happiness and recognition respectively. And my daughters and I have long sad WhatsApp conversations worrying about her love life. (I just want her to find the sort of happy later life that I think Tina Turner did. But she's so much bigger even than Turner...)
I went to the concert at Anfield and it really struck me how incredible it was to see so many women — of all ages — taking over what was normally a heavily male space. (To the extent they added extra Portaloos to deal with the unusual number of women.)
Thank you for this -- such great insight about why so many of us geriatric millennials (I'm actually a Gen X cusper) wanted so badly to be the different-than-all-the-other-girls-cool-girl. Just another symptom of the colonial-religious-patriarchy we've been steeped in. Even, in my case, at an all-girls' high school! (Why weren't we reading more women???)
I hadn't paid much attention to Taylor Swift except that she seemed to have a head for business, until I listened to her Folklore album on a whim during the pandemic and was blown away by the maturity of her lyrics. My two young girls are obsessed with her, and I couldn't be more delighted.
Thank you for this excellent essay! I agree that when I was younger I thought that women weren’t funny, made worse music than men, etc. TV shows with a female protagonist were only for women, but male protagonists were for everyone. I love Taylor, and must read more Austen!
Really made me think about the conscious desire as a child and tween not to become a woman (or man either). And not because of body changes! Because in my eyes being a grown woman obviously sucked. Similar memory: coming back home at 12 or 13 crying after being harassed by grown men in the street, my mom saying “just ignore it” and my anger at her for not having a better solution. TY for the essay.
Yes exactly. I did not want to be one of them! Thought I could avoid it
Thank you for turning me onto Taylor Swift! I’ve always enjoyed reading Jane Austen one of my favorites, but as a baby boomer I thought Swift would not be to my liking, boy was I wrong?
Hurrah! 🙌
my mistakes - re read august institution fell for it -
in my defense dyslexic and impulsive - mistakes will be made!!
I think with misogyny/sexism there is also the issue of race, culture, sexuality too - age, disability and more, there are blind spots for us all too - if we do not have the lived experience of any of these other ways in which humans oppress and discriminate. Yet - we can only speak of our moments of "awakenings"
mine were when father Macnamara said I could not be the pope because I was a girl. Previous to that I got into a lot of trouble at home because I argued against having to do the drying up as a girl but not the bins as that was my brother's job. I have always been part of the bloody awkward squad. I think the modern world and you youngsters have different challenges and perspectives -and I know there has never been a golden age - I fear that there is a lot of regression and back sliding. Like the abortion laws in the states - and in catholic countries in europe too. Like democracy - we can never be complacement.
Therein ends my second sermon! Love this invisible woman site - and all the interesting comments that are shared too. I shall go back to reading now
You did not campaign for Jane Austen - urban myth - even the BBC - yest that august reputation, feel for it. I wonder why Jane Austen - perhaps because she was wearing a bonnet and looked demure. After all we don't want to frighten the males - but a question - how many more centuries do they need to get over it calm and be less sensitive to the idea of equality. Yet I think males are equally trapped, less painfully, but when the world, particularly if you are white middle class heterosexual able bodied person is always wrapped round and resolutely determined to maintain your best interests.
It is wryly amusing that male advocates who at the very least gaslight - these little blossoms still think they should be in charge is bizarre.
I have not really listened to Taylor Swift - yet this she is phenomenally artist, lyricist and business woman - way to go.
Well said!!!
❤️
Loved this piece , thank you- so much of it resonated.
oh I'm so glad! :)
Brilliant. Just brilliant
thank you! :)
I loved this piece because it felt so honest and what you describe rang so true to me. I also felt like I didn’t want to identify with that stereotypical dum woman as a teenager and felt way too intelligent for the mould society wanted me to fit in. Have we moved on from this? I do hope so, at least a bit… My daughter is 1 year old and I need to remind myself that we’ll need to take every opportunity to bring female authors/artists/scientists/politicians to her attention and not just what school and society will show her.
And you’ve managed to completely shift my view on Taylor to whom I had never given that much thought before!
YESSSSS!!! JOIN US 😍
Oh, wow! I love the way you perfectly described the intricacies of Jane Austen (my favorite author!) and Taylor Swift’s writing (my favorite singer!) - and this explains perfectly why I love Austen above all other authors, and why I keep going back to her books, and why I have a constant discography of Swift in my head (especially amazing quotes, as you too mentioned 😉). I have been sharing your work with friends and family for a while - I can’t wait to share this one too! Amazing work ❤️🔥
🙌 thank you!
Oh I love this post! I don’t have anything more to say, but it’s wonderful.
Thank you and enjoy the concert (I wish that I had friends who had a spare ticket - I need I need some new friends) 😁
Hahaha I am extremely lucky! And thank you for commenting I’m so glad you enjoyed the piece :)
In my haste to post, I wrote ‘I need’ twice - it must mean I really need new friends!
Yes to all of this, as a lifelong Janeite, and as a woman who studied English literature 30 years ago when 'feminist writers' were covered in one optional module. And who has recently discovered that the lyrics of Taylor Swift strike exactly the same notes as the work of Austen: joy, anger, clarity, strength in this tilted world. Thank you for your honesty and for sharing, Caroline
Yes! I’m very glad I’m not the only who feels the parallels ❤️ (although I didn’t even get a “feminist writers” optional module! Austen was one week in the Romantics. I just chose her as my special author so I spent a whole term revelling in her!)
Thanks for enlightening me about Swift.Think she continues the long tradition of country female singers.
She's a radical feminist and I can fully identify with her growing awareness and consciousness of how patriarchy and misogyny shape our personal lives and relationships.I am 76 and battled to survive but oh my I'm having a great time.
I’m so glad you enjoyed! Have you listened to Swift before?
Hi Caroline
Your article totally chimed with me…..growing up saturated in a world view delivered and interpreted by men as the accepted reality of what is right, normal, the truth, the way things are it comes as a lightning moment when one hears a (liberated not aping men) woman deliver/write/speak/sing in a similar context. Suddenly what felt like having to absorb cardboard that doesn’t chime one is hearing bells ringing and a very deep YES. I had such a moment hearing an eminent female theologian deliver a sermon at Canterbury Cathedral some years ago when I visited. Years of hearing men preach in church growing up had never really hit home for me about biblical narratives and the women in them and their lives. I remember it very well. Our lived experience is different but no less true and (usually) the world needs to be thought about and interpreted and expressed by women for that to be heard.
YES! It’s such an amazing feeling isn’t it? I really liked hearing your experience too, thank you so much for sharing :)
I'll be there Friday night with my 28 Yr old daughter...and I expect there will be many older than us as well as younger. I so appreciate what you say here, for me it's all about the lyrics. Love Story and Fifteen still make me cry with happiness and recognition respectively. And my daughters and I have long sad WhatsApp conversations worrying about her love life. (I just want her to find the sort of happy later life that I think Tina Turner did. But she's so much bigger even than Turner...)
I hope she does too! Keeping my fingers crossed that she has found her American Beefcake ❤️
I went to the concert at Anfield and it really struck me how incredible it was to see so many women — of all ages — taking over what was normally a heavily male space. (To the extent they added extra Portaloos to deal with the unusual number of women.)
I’m so nervous about the loo situation! 😱