The Girls Are Alright

About a month ago I started my summer internship in one of the largest (and the few left) newspapers in Athens. I've been translating articles for the international news department and even though it can often be challenging I sincerely love it. The translations are always uploaded on the newspaper's online version that's constantly updated. Even though I have an almost illegal addiction to printed press, lately I'm always turning to the site for information.

However, last week I stumbled upon a review about Girls' third season that struck the wrong chord, causing me to stop and think. Since the article was in greek, here's the translation (as well as the original text):

"Οι ηρωίδες της, δηλαδή η Χάνα, το τηλεοπτικό alter ego της, και οι κολλητές της, είναι κορίτσια «κακά» που βάζουν κιλά όταν παθαίνουν κατάθλιψη, εμφανίζονται γυμνές χωρίς να προσπαθούν να κρύψουν τις ατέλειές τους, δοκιμάζουν «βρώμικα κόλπα» με τους εραστές τους και μεθάνε άσχημα."

"Her (Lena Dunham's) characters, like Hannah, her TV alter ego, and her best friends are "bad" girls: they put on weight when they get depressed, go around naked without trying to cover up their non so perfect bodies, try "nasty" sex tricks with their lovers and get wasted."

So I couldn't help but wonder... since when are all these traits of a "bad" girl? Please note that the columnist used the word "bad" in the same way Rihanna did on the title of her album "Good Girl Gone Bad". But WHY should being confident even though you're not perfect or doing the Nutella diet (aka Nutella on everything or 24/7) and as a result gaining weight be categorized as sins? It looks like the media are not only promoting that überperfect image of women (beautiful, thin, confident, smart-ass), but they're also labeling everything else as wrong. If you can't achieve that state of perfection, get ready for (destructive) critisism. You're not allowed negative feelings, setbacks, downfalls. WTF?

To be honest, I wasn't a huge fan of Lena Dunham's show Girls -I've seen only the first four episodes- and that's because I literary hated the guy she was dating, seeing, no, having sex with. But what I really enjoyed was that her characters were raw and real. Not fearless. Not überstylish. Not having everything figured out. Not perfect at all. 

Now that I think about it they were perfectly imperfect.:)

F.

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