Understanding Female Stereotypes: Insights from Guerrilla Girls

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1. To get us started, think about what you already know or think about female stereotypes. When you were reading the Guerrilla Girls' book, what really caught your attention? Did anything change the way you see a certain stereotype now that you know the origin or implications of the type? Give at least 3 examples of some new information you took away from that reading. Feel free to give more than 3 if you have more to say. I want you to be specific. (10 sentence minimum). It was a pleasant surprise when I found myself enjoying the book Bitches, Bimbos, and Ballbreakers. I thought that the content was presented in a relatable and non-aggressive way. The authors also kept the book humorous with their dry and well-placed sarcasm. What most surprised me was how little I knew about stereotypes, opposed to what I believed prior to reading the book. What really caught my attention was how much the meaning of a stereotype could change over time. For example, in the 1920s a “bimbo” meant “A terrific person of either sex” (18); but within one decade, it changed to mean the opposite. By the 1960s a “bimbo” was a bodacious blonde with …show more content…

I am intrigued with the stereotype because my friends often jokingly called me a “valley girl.” A “valley girl” is a girl who’s primary concern is appearance and shopping. The stereotype originates from privileged and materialistic teenage girls who lived in the San Fernando Valley area. A “valley girl” can be seen in almost every television show or movie, where she serves as the comic relief or antagonist. The movies Mean Girls and Clueless have an entire cast of actresses playing “valley girls.” I can also recall many books that I read as a child that were mainly about valley girls: The Clique series, Gossip Girl, and many

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