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- Attention is a Competition
- Hey Erica, is it okay if we talk later? I have been having a really hard time and could use some advice.
- Omg same, the craziest thing happened the other day while I was hanging out with the guys, it was totally wild, you probably would have hated it.
- I wish she would actually hear me.
- Wearing Makeup is a Crime
- I just like being able to express myself.
- Why do you wear makeup? Who are you trying to impress?
- The Low-Maintenance Illusion
- Suzie over here just reapplied makeup in the bathroom, isn't that crazy? Personally, I don't care what I look like.
- Why does she feel the need to point that out? Does she think it makes her look cooler in front of Brad?
- Suzie and Erica have been friends for awhile, however, recently Erica has began acting differently when they are in front of boys. Whenever the two are talking, Erica tries to refocus the conversation around herself, demonstrating a competitive interaction where she seeks to gain the most attention while contributing very little.
- Being "One of the boys"
- I don't want to say anything to her because it is going to make me seem sensitive and dramatic.
- Despite her desire to wear makeup and feminine clothing, Erica's own internalized misogyny tells her that doing so is attention seeking and something to be ashamed of. She then projects that misogyny onto her friend Suzie and perpetuates the stigma that surrounds girls who choose to wear makeup or revealing clothing.
- Smile and Laugh
- Whenever the two are interacting with boys, Erica makes an effort to point out Suzie's "girly" behaviors. She is seeking validation from the boys by distancing herself from the stereotypical roles of a teenage girl because she feels that boys will be more accepting of her.
- Deep down
- I just want to be liked.
- Suzie is upset by Erica's constant attempt to embarrass her, yet she must use emotional management to appear unfazed. She is adjusting her response by practicing constraint as to avoid seeming too sensitive. She does not want to further feed into the stereotype that women are emotional, especially in front of boys.
- Sure, I'm literally "one of the boys".
- Let's go meet my friends.
- Additionally, Erica often abandons Suzie if there are groups of boys around. Suzie notices that in social interactions between men and women, women are accustomed to smiling and laughing at the men's jokes. Feminist theory suggests that in such an interaction, women pay attention and men earn attention. Suzie notices that when boys are around, Erica gives them her undivided attention.
- Wow you guys are so funny, and much less dramatic than girls.
- You should come to our party later.
- Ultimately, The Sociological Imagination suggests that Erica's behavior is not necessarily her fault. She is the result of the continuous misogynistic ideas that are ingrained into girls throughout their lives. Her desire for male validation is rooted in sexist ideas of womanhood that have been projected on to her, and to which she must break free from.
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