In the words of Tim McGraw’s hit single “Southern Girl,” there “ain’t nothing in the whole wide world like a southern girl.” But what exactly is so appealing about a “southern girl?” Sweet tea may be full of sugar, but the idea of a “southern girl” is nothing but sour in my mind.
A southern girl is stereotyped as a “daddy’s little girl” who is as fake as plastic. She is more concerned with her appearance than her education, and more emphasis is put on getting the guy than on getting good grades.
The stereotypical southern girl complies with and sometimes even embraces the idea that she lives in a man’s world. The purpose of college is to get your M-R-S degree by finding a husband, not a career, and then to stay in the kitchen while the honey goes to the office to bring home the bacon (which you will, of course, happily cook for him and serve with a smile).
Because I’ve grown up in the South, I am technically a southern girl. I do not, however, consider myself to conform to the southern girl stereotypes. To me, success is earned by hard work, not by batting your eyes. Dependence creates vulnerability, not stability. Playing dumb is not a strategic move. There is much more to a woman than pearls and an apron.
The stereotypes and unfair conceptions of girls from the South, however, have deep-rooted beginnings. A “southern belle” historically was taken care of by her daddy. The responsibility was then passed on to her new husband who assumes the provider role. A woman’s success was measured in how well she married. Your daddy may have money, your hubby may have stacks on stacks, but wealth does not dictate your own success or make you successful.
Unfortunately, however, these oppressive and misogynistic ideas are not just a thing of the past. According to a 2012 study conducted by the Blair Center-Clinton School, the percentage of males and females from the South who express “sexist” attitudes are higher than males and females from the non-South. From the non-South, 23.8 percent of males and 12.5 percent of females express “sexist attitudes”. From the South, 25.5 percent of males and 16.9 percent of females express sexists attitudes. Almost 5 percent more females from the South express “sexist” attitudes than females from the non-South. Yes, Southern women are sexist against themselves.
As girls from the South, we need to show the world that we are not pansies to be picked. We ought to recognize that the age of Scarlett O’Hara is long gone. Independence is a trait that ought to be valued along with intelligence, which is not a characteristic that should only describe the men in the South. Girls ought to be more focused on their own self-worth and dignity instead of their outward appearance. If you cannot respect yourself, how do you expect anyone else to respect you?
