Women and Film : Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

I am a 17 year old teenage girl taking a Gender class in my school where 25/30 people are girls. These girls are the sterotypical girls of the 21st century meaning,

They are always texting in class instead of listening to the teachers.
They dress provacitively(IN THE WINTER)
They're loud and "jumpy"
They have NO problem to voice their opinion even if it IS rude
Their ideal man is someone who is muscular, strong, athletic, etc.
Instead of talking, they're SCREAMING, EVEN WHEN THEY'RE RIGHT NEXT TO EACH OTHER.
On Fridays, we'll usually have a 10-20 minute discussion on the Jersey Shore Episode from the night before

If it's one thing these girls LOVE to talk about, it's on class. Often times, you'll hear them going, "I Love [insert wannabe actress here] because she's so classy" or "I HATE Miley Cyrus because she's a bad role model to women". They believe A women shouldn't be sleeping with men or getting pregnant before marriage or taking off her clothes to sell music(in reference to Lady Gaga and Britney Spears)even though they admitted that if Hugh Hefner would've asked them to pose for Playboy for 1 million dollars, they would do it in a heartbeat.

What I don't understand is that they're condemning certain women like Miley Cyrus, who they're esentially a copy of: Snotty and fake women who date a lot and dress in shorts and UGGS because "it's cute".

One girl actually took the initiative to make a video on what being trashy is like by dressing and dancing provactively. As a heterosexual female, the last thing I want to see at 10 in the morning is a girl's *****. Sadly, I felt that I was the only person to be really stricken by this sluttiness. I know the girl was joking but I feel she went TOO far by making a point!

I found it ironic that the one girl who I consider "classy" is the only girl who didn't really participate in these discussions. I personally believe being classy is so sought after because you don't see many women in your life who you can really deem classy, even in our families. It's a quality that gives a woman mystery and suave but also alienates her from her peers. I feel that a classy woman, while respected, will have a hard time getting along with others as she is different. She is the rare breed.

This is just my rant. what are your thoughts? Are today's woman classy? What is your your definition of classy? Is it a physical or mental thing?

I wake up from dreams and go "Wow, put this down on paper."

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

I don't know, I was expecting this to be about class as in middle class/working class/upper class.


If today's my last day on earth, I don't want it to be socially awkward.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

They are teenagers, they will likely grow out of being stupid whores, but then again they may continue that life style, painful but true.

I lack the ability to respond with anything other than small video clips and pictures

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Stick with your own definition of the term "classy" and you'll be fine. My definition of classy would be partly appearance (attractive, but showing self respect), and mostly attitude (respectful, poised, kind, funny and confident).

One thing I've learned over the years .... Almost EVERYONE describes High School as a hellish place. High School is torture for most intelligent thoughtful people. But I've found that even some of the jocks and cheerleaders may tell you in 10 years how tough they had it back then.

High School only lasts 4 years, thank goodness.

I friend of mine wrote a book called "Is there Life After High School?" which consisted of interviews of well--known, successful people who talked about how difficult high school was for them. Seems like all the qualities teenagers think might be important are illusory. Once in the 'real' world, a person can begin to see what's really meaningful.

If I were in your shoes, I'd try to see high school attitudes, gossip and opinions as a passing phase, not to be taken too seriously.

Try to be yourself and follow your own instincts which seem sound -- even if it feels like you're in the minority. One day you won't be.

Barn burned down; now I can see the moon.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

I see where you're coming from and I mostly agree, and partly don't. For one thing, while it IS becoming disgustingly common to call pretty much anything and anyone classy (let's face it, kids today have almost no idea what real class is anymore!) because they like them, but those things you say those girls 'hate' are usually considered fine by almost anyone. I myself agree 100% about what they said is unclassy but I have never met anyone who says Gaga or whomever is trashy while admitting the Playboy thing.... Ever. At all.

Lots of girls seem to be uner the impression that as long as you dress nicely and wear neat makeup/hair, you're classy too. I was SHOCKED to know how many girls consider horrible, trashy people like Marilyn Monroe, Anne Hathaway and Disney girls like Demi and Vanessa role models! Stars like that LIVE to take their clothes off for money and attention and Monroe herself was an infamously selfish, drugged up homewrecker. I myself love classiness so much... partly because it is so rare. I adore Audrey Hepburn who is pretty much the best example of a classy, strong, modest women we've got, but sadly, she is not really appreciated for that. Girls may say that's why they like her but I don't buy it. They almost always either like her ONLY for her beauty/style or they fool themselves into thinking that liking a classy girl like her makes them classy. It's stupid! One girl I knew here agreed with me that Marilyn was a horrible role model and actually told me "Classy girls like Audrey". Later she openly flirted with several guys online while she was in a relationship, fished for compliments, got into b!tchfests, and often spoke about stuff she did at parties (drinking, making out, etc,)- not classy stuff at all. Anyway, it annoys me a little when I hear other teens say they look up to her or whatever. I see how they present themselves and think "Yeah, no, *I* am a real Audrey fan. I appreciate her humanitarianism and unbelievable modesty and everything you don't understand, besides her natural inner and outer beauty. Don't kid yourself, you're just a trendster."

To me, classiness is everything- mental, emotional, spiritual, etc. It's being strong and modest (in your clothing, which can be hard, and your attitude, which is harder) and NOT conforming to society's idea of a "real" woman, just because it says you should. You know, you're an idiot if you want to be a mom and stay home or love clothes and makeup (assuming you aren't shallow about it) and dislike sports but prefer guys/hate other girls, and basically anything that isn't feminine. Aggressive, masculine girls are applauded mightily while feminine girls who strive to be classy are considered vapid prudes and much less worthy of respect.

Sorry it's so long... I tend to rant too, especially about stuff like this. It's important to me and interests me quite a bit.

And if you aren't replying to me, do not hit the REPLY button KTHXBAI.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

I'm finding your last paragraph hard to follow, sorry. Are you saying that a 'feminine' woman hates other women and dislikes sports?

If today's my last day on earth, I don't want it to be socially awkward.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

I'm saying most masculine women who are into "guy stuff" like sports or whatever almost always have some dislike or even hostility towards femininity and feminine women. Sorry. I'm not good at explaining what I mean, especially when I get to ranting.

And if you aren't replying to me, do not hit the REPLY button KTHXBAI.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Thorn Harvestar, I couldn't have said it better myself, especially in reference to your Audrey Hepburn comments. I can't tell you HOW MANY TIMES I've come across this scenario. I know a couple of people who say they "like" Audrey Hepburn but can't even list 3 films of hers, THREE!! One girl had it as her background of her computer and when I asked if she knew Audrey Hepburn, she responded, "Who?" Audrey Hepburn was classy, but it wasn't because she dressed or acted a different way, it was something from within. Also, one must wonder how she got along with the stars of that era. I can't really imagine her with Grace Kelly, who was more... loose in that era. She was different. No doubt, she must've felt stigmatized, even in the 1950s. Hahah, but I still find it ironic that her most famous film is about a "Bisexual Hooker" and her least famous film is about a Nun .

It's all image. Guys want a nice girl but they do NOT want a boring girl. Girls feel that in order to look nice, they have to look classy. However, once they get the guy(s)' attention, they tend to like a little more pormiscous. Of course, the guy's not going to complain. Her friends might complain behind her back, but because no one is really saying anything to her face, she is going to go on and feel "sexy". Prostitutes in films dress better than girls in the modern world. I have also found that the classier a girl wants to look, the faker she is and guys tend to go for the fake girls. Maybe that's why divorce rates are so high?

IDK, I feel that we build these subtle man dominated societies, only to fill man's lust and desires. If a girl chooses not to be naked, then she is shunned. First, she gets shunned by men and when women see that men don't want her, the women don't want her either(evolutionary behavior perhaps?).

Yesterday, I was going to one of my classes and I saw this girl wearing a very short skirt and a very thin layer of tights, "texting". Now, this girl didn't even look like a student, she looked like a hooker. I wondered if she was going to school to learn or to show off herself, to sell herself. The latter made more sense to me, but I wondered why she would be at school.

I wake up from dreams and go "Wow, put this down on paper."

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

To me, "class" isn't about what you wear (or how much skin you show), or how loud you are, or what music/tv/movies you like. It's about how you view yourself and how you treat others. It's about being OK with yourself; whether you're quiet and reserved, or flashy and attention getting. It's about treating others with respect and not being judgemental.

I would call Audrey Hepburn classy, not because of her clothing style or physical delicacy but because she was a kind person who devoted herself to helping those less fortunate than herself. However I wouldn't call people like Marilyn Monroe, Miley Cyrus, Anne Hathaway or Lady Gaga trashy per se. I think someone like Marilyn Monroe was very talented and had a very unhappy life. She had elements that make her classy (like talent and intelligence) but also a lack of self respect which was most likely the result of some of the circumstances of her life. Without knowing the reasons people make the decisions they do, no one should make those judgemnts. The same goes for the other celebs mentioned: is someone trashy because she does a nude scene on film? Or because she gets pregnant outside of marriage? To me a truely classy person understands that things aren't always that black and white, that people have reasons for what they do, and doesn't condemn or make moral judgements about others.

When I think of "class" I think of an attitude: not a sense of superiority, but of knowing you own worth and using your gifts to help others when you can. A classy person will make someone feel good about him/herself, not inferior. I guess I'd say that kindness is classy, respect (for oneself and others) is classy, open mindedness is classy and fighting for what you believe in is classy.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?


You are very insightful for your age. What you describe about your peers is a multi-layered thing. It's a reaction of their education: social education much more than school Another thing I notice is how struck these girls are by pop-culture figures, and that is part of the slutiness and attitude.
it is ironic that they are Miley Cyrus clones yet they don't see it. "liberated" And we live in a society now where people do act like they have no authentic ideas of thier own. Ony what comes from pop-culture in all its forms.
I saw a girl texting in the front window of Forever 21. An employee! Sitting there texting in the front window. So I know what you mean by that going too far.


Illusion is the first of all pleasures
-Oscar Wilde-

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

This thread makes me glad I graduated high school three years ago.

But alas, there are still some of these types of girls in college with me.

Redhawkof2008
© 2004

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

When I was in high school and college (which was 1 year ago) The girls/women that I knew in high school were catty and insecure; in college, they were bland. I never heard girls talk about class. But to me, class is all about attitude. And a good or bad attitude will show how you carry yourself and treat others. Classy is also being thoughtful. Like having manners.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

From reading your post, you seem years ahead of your classmates in maturity. Stick to your own ideals and principles and you'll do well in life.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Yeah! It do bother me a lot. Have you ever watched 'Mean Girls' where a gang of plastics are there? I watched it days back may be on HBO and now I call such gang as Plastics! And plastics can't remain happy for long when they find emptiness in their life when they just turn onto showbiz!!

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

^Thank you. I can't believe you're the first one to point this out. Yeah, lets all judge women on their clothing and how provocative they are. That's constructive. Yay horizontal oppression.


From reading your post, you seem years ahead of your classmates in maturity.

Maybe that's because from reading her post, we have to go entirely by her own description of her classmates.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Thank you. You're awesome. What you said is absolutely true.

Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Even in the good old times women were taught that prostituting themselves is glamorous. That's what the idea of "marrying well" was about.


Re: Does It Bother You When Women/Girls Talk About 'Class'?

Yeah! It do bother me a lot. Have you ever watched 'Mean Girls' where a gang of plastics are there? I watched it days back may be on HBO and now I call such gang as Plastics! And plastics can't remain happy for long when they find emptiness in their life when they just turn onto showbiz!!
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