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I'm not the typical Southern woman by a long shot. I'm actually quite eccentric. I was born and raised in Georgia and have never left this area to live elsewhere, I do have a few cousins living in the Midwest, but I act nothing like the "typical" SOuthern woman.
Women in the South (generally) are bred to get married early and have their families. I recently got married (April) at a later age than most women down here (34). I have always been a free spirit and wondered if marriage was a good idea for me. I am not traditional, I am not family oriented like most women down here and like the idea of a nontraditional marriage.
I am childless by choice (which some Southerners would say is a grave sin, because you;re supposed to "be fruitful and multiply" which I say is taken out of context most of the time) and prefer animals. Right now I have 2 dogs (both are DHs but he told me that the small Chiweenie is mine) a 2 month old kitten, 2 Chinese dwarf hamsters, a Betta fish, some Danio fish, an African dwarf frog, and a hermit crab.
Im also New Age-y. I have never cared for the Christian conservative culture around here. The closest I have found to home is Virginia Beach which houses the ARE center founded by Edgar Cayce but that is a different story. Im mostly interested in Eastern religions. ie Buddhism.
Lastly I am a feminist and old school feminist like the movement that stated that women should pursue careers. I am totally that way. I think women need to focus on careers. I think careers csn be extremely fulfilling. I also think women should stop thinking they can have it all. If they want to be mothers, then fine. If they want to be career women, great too. But I think they need to focus on on ething because you don't get everything you want all at one time.
Generally in the South men get the door for women and my Dh does so but I kind of like the idea of getting my own door being a feminist and all.
In the past I've been told my personality is somewhat brusque. I think I have toned it down quite a bit, but am far from being your typical Southern belle. So what do I like about the South? The food is great and the architecture...but the culture I could do without. And the fact that we have two temperatires, hot and hotter.
I'm not the typical Southern woman by a long shot. I'm actually quite eccentric. I was born and raised in Georgia and have never left this area to live elsewhere, I do have a few cousins living in the Midwest, but I act nothing like the "typical" SOuthern woman.
Women in the South (generally) are bred to get married early and have their families. I recently got married (April) at a later age than most women down here (34). I have always been a free spirit and wondered if marriage was a good idea for me. I am not traditional, I am not family oriented like most women down here and like the idea of a nontraditional marriage.
I am childless by choice (which some Southerners would say is a grave sin, because you;re supposed to "be fruitful and multiply" which I say is taken out of context most of the time) and prefer animals. Right now I have 2 dogs (both are DHs but he told me that the small Chiweenie is mine) a 2 month old kitten, 2 Chinese dwarf hamsters, a Betta fish, some Danio fish, an African dwarf frog, and a hermit crab.
Im also New Age-y. I have never cared for the Christian conservative culture around here. The closest I have found to home is Virginia Beach which houses the ARE center founded by Edgar Cayce but that is a different story. Im mostly interested in Eastern religions. ie Buddhism.
Lastly I am a feminist and old school feminist like the movement that stated that women should pursue careers. I am totally that way. I think women need to focus on careers. I think careers csn be extremely fulfilling. I also think women should stop thinking they can have it all. If they want to be mothers, then fine. If they want to be career women, great too. But I think they need to focus on on ething because you don't get everything you want all at one time.
Generally in the South men get the door for women and my Dh does so but I kind of like the idea of getting my own door being a feminist and all.
In the past I've been told my personality is somewhat brusque. I think I have toned it down quite a bit, but am far from being your typical Southern belle. So what do I like about the South? The food is great and the architecture...but the culture I could do without. And the fact that we have two temperatires, hot and hotter.
Quote:
Why do people generally stereotype Southern women as docile and submissive
The thing about stereotypes, they can sometimes live FOREVER! Or so it seems. Even if a majority no longer follow a stereotype...stereotypes seem to die a very long, slow, drown out death.
I am from the suburbs of a large midwest town, travelled to severl different continents, and now I find myself in rural Mississippi. I am definitely not a Southern Belle..but I have toned down some of my abrupt languange some (but that might also be me maturing). Overall, I like that fact that the stereotype about southern woman is still a live and well...it makes typical southern social settings more fun when my midwest antics appear out of nowhere and I get to see the shock on their faces
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,756,157 times
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I think another stereotype of southern women, that of trashy, loud-mouthed, trash-talking, trailer-park dwelling hillbillies is really more common these days. Shows like Jerry Springer certainly do not help. The old 'Southern Belle' stereotype seems sort of outdated, although there still is the stereotype of Southern women being really conservative, traditional, big hair, visit the beauty parlour a lot, loves cooking, baking, housework, look like Dolly Parton although that too is partly generational.
I think the stereotype still holds true in the RURAL south. A good piece of evidence might be if you (OP) read your own post. You basically back it up, stating that you are "not the norm", and how everyone expects you to be docile and submissive (make babies, let the guy get the door, etc...). So while it may not apply to everyone, the STEREOTYPE has some validity.
My creds: Living in NC since 1977. Time split between big cities (Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond) and some VERY VERY rural areas.
from the television show, "My name is Earl"...the woman named Joy is the REAL southern woman...very brash and always writes a check that her ass cant cash....these women exist everywhere down here and shop at wal-mart full time
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
24,606 posts, read 55,756,157 times
Reputation: 11862
Quote:
Originally Posted by Iamthere
from the television show, "My name is Earl"...the woman named Joy is the REAL southern woman...very brash and always writes a check that her ass cant cash....these women exist everywhere down here and shop at wal-mart full time
I was thinking of her. She is pretty easy on the eyes, and I actually like her accent, but she certainly wouldn't be an easy woman to live with! lol
If I were to stereotype southern women I would say they are a large in stature size 16 and up, big hair, lots of make up, fake nails, tan skin and lots of "bling" and very friendly. I love southern women. They seem so comfortable in their skin. Wouldnt say they are shy or submissive.
I think the stereotype still holds true in the RURAL south. A good piece of evidence might be if you (OP) read your own post. You basically back it up, stating that you are "not the norm", and how everyone expects you to be docile and submissive (make babies, let the guy get the door, etc...). So while it may not apply to everyone, the STEREOTYPE has some validity.
My creds: Living in NC since 1977. Time split between big cities (Charlotte, Raleigh, Richmond) and some VERY VERY rural areas.
Shucks. Nothing you wrote here even remotely applies to my experience. Southern women to me are pretty strong-willed bunch. They might be more subtle than their counterparts elsewhere, but if you make one mad, just start driving until you run out of gas and then start hitchhiking.
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