Valley Girls (Thank You) (Los Angeles, Ontario: crime, high school, living in)

[Troy Troy]

I realize there was another very long thread about this subject that ended a few months ago, however having read that entire thread I noticed that there were a lot of people bashing the valley girls, calling them vapid, and even saying the culture was made up by Hollywood in order to sell products I just have to add my two cents to this.

Even as a black guy, I for one think the valley girls and the valley of the 80s in general was a near paradise. Everyone knows which part of the valley I I'm talking about. You know I'm not talking about Pacoima. The areas were clean, crime was low and people were friendly. I didn't live in the valley on the early 80's, I lived off of Crenshaw, which makes my view on the valley even more vivid! My older female cousins were bussed out to Granada Hills high. Occasionally for one reason or another my mother and I would pick them up from school. I was only 11 at the time, but still old enough to remember girls at that school, my cousins' friends, and even my cousins speaking just like the movie! I remember the rest of the family making fun of them because it was strange to see black girls at that time speaking that way. This was well before the movie and before the song. So anyone saying that the valley girl culture was simply made up by Hollywood, is dead wrong! It may have been a tad bit exaggerated on the song, but the movie got it just right. (By the way, the Carlton dance didn't start with Carlton)

Places like Sherman Oaks, Woodland Hills and Encino were areas most working class people aspired to live in. You didn't even set foot in the Sherman Oaks Galleria unless you had just gotten paid. Yes, there was smog, but there was smog all over Los Angeles so that really didn't make a difference. Those areas were beautiful and safe. In Ventura Boulevard was a strip that you took family members from other parts of the country to show off LA. Now it looks like it's lined with outdoor swap meets!

I miss the valley of the 80s, and the valley girls. Some may consider them vapid and materialistic, but I thought they were cute, clever and had standards. The fact that they were unique enough to come up with aroma little lingo was clever, and no different than a lot of other localized young populations throughout the country. The fact that they're little way of speaking took off and changed America's dialect is simply a testament to the power of California in general, and the power of Los Angeles in particular. There might of been a group of high school kids in Baton Rouge who were speaking their own little language, but no one gives a damn, because no one gives a damn about Baton Rouge. LA is it! Or at least it was in the 80s.

Instead of being made fun of and made to seem like airheads, I think Valley girls should be commended for having high standards, being unique and clever, and for the most part good girls. It would be interesting for someone to do a documentary to see what became of them. I would be willing to bet either through themselves or through marriage, they turned out more successful than the majority of the American population! I'm a little sensitive to the subject, because it was Valley girl types and Valley dude types, albeit in the inland Empire, that help shape who I am, help keep me out of trouble, taught me to skateboard instead of becoming a thug and/or hooligan, and helped me to see a different way from the one the rest of my gang-banging cousins took. Now, instead of ending up in prison I am an administrator with the Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation. Skate or die dude! :-)

[Mashi]

Excellent points. The Valley really was a great place to grow up back in the day.

[Troy Troy]

Originally Posted by Mashi

Excellent points. The Valley really was a great place to grow up back in the day.

Thank you. I just felt it had to be said. People dissing the Valley either weren't there during the early 80s, (80-84) or were living in the wrong part. (Pacoima, Reseda) Otherwise how can anyone be in and around Woodland Hills and Encino during that time, and not be impressed? Unless they were some sort of hippie and raging against the establishment! LOL. Seriously, I only wish there was a large portion of LA left that had that type of demographic and atmosphere. My mother moved us out to Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga when I was 12 for her job, so I just missed going to Granada Hills High. Believe me I was devastated! LOL. So, I must admit that the schools in Rancho Cucamonga and even Ontario at that time were pretty decent, and I made a lot of good valley girl and Valley dude wannabe friends. LOL. When did you grow up there?

[Charles]

Originally Posted by Troy Troy

It would be interesting for someone to do a documentary to see what became of them.

Southern California's "Valley Girl" Speech Persists - YouTube


Cougar Town Season 1 Ep 1 part 1 - YouTube

[Noleto84]

Originally Posted by Mashi

The Valley really was a great place to grow up back in the day.

Where is the San Fernando Valley today of yesteryear?

[Noleto84]

Originally Posted by Troy Troy

Thank you. I just felt it had to be said. People dissing the Valley either weren't there during the early 80s, (80-84) or were living in the wrong part. (Pacoima, Reseda) Otherwise how can anyone be in and around Woodland Hills and Encino during that time, and not be impressed? Unless they were some sort of hippie and raging against the establishment! LOL. Seriously, I only wish there was a large portion of LA left that had that type of demographic and atmosphere. My mother moved us out to Ontario and Rancho Cucamonga when I was 12 for her job, so I just missed going to Granada Hills High. Believe me I was devastated! LOL. So, I must admit that the schools in Rancho Cucamonga and even Ontario at that time were pretty decent, and I made a lot of good valley girl and Valley dude wannabe friends. LOL. When did you grow up there?

I agree The Valley in the 80s was wonderful what I was told. I came in to LA in 1989 the tail end of the good years.......... Where is the The Valley of the 80s today?

[Rat Bastard]

Yeah it was a great place and time. I have good memories of growing up in Encino.
The place has changed so much. Now it's overcrowded and full of pretentious people.

The place has lost it's charm.

[Mashi]

Originally Posted by Troy Troy

When did you grow up there?

I went to GHHS in the 90's. The demographic had already shifted by then but it was still a decent place to grow up.

[jimmykem]

Like, totally well said.

The idea that the Valspeak dialect (along with skate and surf slang/dialect) permeated the English language really speaks to the cultural influence of LA/SoCal. And not only the dialect, but the way the Valley Girl look, behavior, and attitude spread across America as well. I too miss the Valley Girls of the 80's and early 90's. They were cute.

[Noleto84]

Where might all the old school Valley natives be today? Did ya stay or leave?