The Daily Prompt: 180 Degrees/ Meeting Babette Adventure

So I decided to write for the Daily Prompt, which you can find here The Daily Prompt: 180 Degrees Adventure . I knew right away what I wanted to talk about. I want to tell you about how I met the lovely Babette. The first time I noticed Babette, she was speaking in my Technical Writing class. To be honest, I thought she was a suck-up, and it is quite possible that I rolled my eyes at her. Then my teacher (the same one who had us write a blog) put us in a group based on this personality test, and the first time we got in a group, we were taking notes. I, of course, the responsible person that I am, completely forgot a pen. Babette kindly gave me a pen, and told me to keep it, adamant that I didn’t give it back. It might sound strange, but I knew then that she was a good person, and the kind of friend everyone wants and needs.

I still think she’s a suck-up, and I still roll my eyes at her, don’t get me wrong, but now she’s a lovable suck-up whom I’m proud to call my friend and roommate. (And not just because she helps me with my laundry.) She not only changed my opinion of her, but she also made me more open to others. I might have mentioned how when I talk to other people I develop razor blades bouncing around in my stomach. But I know she’s got my back and that we can just talk s*** about them if they are mean to me.

Credit to Rage Monthly
This is actually another Babette–Babette Schwartz, but this suits my Babette’s personality.

Another thing that has changed my perspective is my Contemporary Global Literature class. Like how the words “Oriental” and “Third World Countries” are actually really offensive. I hadn’t given it any thought, and how now there was a rape on a train in India and the feminists here at Harvard want to help the feminists there. It sounds nice at first, but it implies we don’t think they can take care of anything themselves, and there was the case at Steubenville where a girl was dragged from room to room. Hell, there have been two “alleged” rapes on my campus this semester. Proud of our football players aren’t we? They couldn’t have just one guy, no, they aren’t strong enough for that, aren’t strong enough to take one drunk girl. Instead let’s have 3-5 guys. My teacher said after telling us the women faculty and students were going to have a discussion tomorrow that she would jump up and down on one leg wearing a crown if the male students would actually band together to say “we aren’t those guys”.

It does seem like you don’t see men speaking out against rape really (mainly we have politicians saying how women can do something not to get pregnant by rape or was not not to get raped at all I can’t remember). If men have a problem with feminists or want to act big and strong, then why don’t they actually act like knights in shining armor from fairy tales instead of the real knights in medieval time who raped peasants while being all platonic with the “ladies”?

Here are links to the articles about Steubenville and the rape in India:

Steubenville Case (Evidence All Over the Internet)

India and Harvard’s Rape Response

I hope that women do band together, but understand women are individuals and there are things we can come together on, but we also have culture differences and pride. It doesn’t seem like my university is taking the things happening here seriously enough. But we can make a difference. Even if it means stepping out of the proverbial kitchen that I’m never in. Amazingly enough, I can ask for a sandwich from Sam without doubting his masculinity. And I can wear a skirt and the pants at the same time. Anyways, that’s enough of a rant for today. May every day be an adventure and may you have every opportunity you deserve as a human being even if you’re a male chauvinist pig (deserve is the key word)! ~LonelyBride