The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

The Student News Site of Gannon University since 1947

THE GANNON KNIGHT

Learning what it means to be a lady

Recently I have gotten back into the show “Insatiable,” which is based on the life of Patty Bladell (Debby Ryan), a teenager who is bullied for being overweight.
After a freak accident, Bladell is forced to go on a liquid diet, which makes her not only skinny, but hungry for revenge.
On top of all this, Bladell is competing in pageants to become the next Miss American Lady.
The first season actually received bad reviews due to the message it gave off: if you are skinny, you will be liked more.
In the second season, the writers worked to prove that this wasn’t the idea they were trying to give off. Instead, they wanted to make a show about female empowerment.
In the last episode of season 2, Bladell gives a speech on what is means to be a lady in today’s America.
Personally, I wouldn’t label myself a full-on feminist, but I strongly believe in women’s rights and fixing the issue of sexism.
If I am being honest, this speech almost brought me to tears because of how true the message of being a lady is and how hard it actually hit me.
“Being a lady means you have to lie,” Bladell said.
“They say the truth will set you free, but there’s no freedom. Not when you’re a lady.
“You have to smile pretty and hide every flaw and pretend to be someone you’re not.
“Because nobody really wants the truth.
“People don’t want to know who you really are, how you feel, what you’ve done.
“They say they do, but they just want the version of you that they think you are.
“Because the real you is too much and never enough.
“Be the most you you can be. What if you’re broken? What if you’re so tired of faking it that you feel sick? What if you’re so angry you’re homicidal? What if you’re me?”
As sad as this is, it is true that we often lie.
They are not lies to hurt the people we care about, but said to protect ourselves.
When someone hurts us, we often have to lie and pretend we’re fine even if we’re crushed inside.
In some cases, we have to lie in our relationships to satisfy our partners and what they expect from us.
In today’s society, we ladies are expected to put on a pretty face and smile big, almost be a covergirl version of what we aren’t.
Thankfully there are female activists working to help females not only feel more comfortable in their own skin, but comfortable in the world we live in.
It was the ending of this speech that had me in complete tears.
How can we be the best versions of ourselves when we’re broken inside and falling apart?
I don’t agree with the homicidal part, but I do understand the aspect of being so angry with the world around us.
I am glad that this season touched on topics like this that young women need to hear.
There is a high hope that the next season will be just as insightful as this one.

OLIVIA HAHNER
[email protected]

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