How to pronounce "catwoman"

[Music]

uh four years ago today exactly actually

uh four years ago today exactly actually

uh four years ago today exactly actually I started a fashion blog called style

I started a fashion blog called style

I started a fashion blog called style rookie last September of 2011 I started

rookie last September of 2011 I started

rookie last September of 2011 I started an online magazine for teenage girls

an online magazine for teenage girls

an online magazine for teenage girls called rookie mag.com

called rookie mag.com

called rookie mag.com um my name is toi ginson

um my name is toi ginson

um my name is toi ginson and the title of my talk is still

and the title of my talk is still

and the title of my talk is still figuring it out and the MS paint quality

figuring it out and the MS paint quality

figuring it out and the MS paint quality of my slides was a total creative

of my slides was a total creative

of my slides was a total creative decision and keeping with today's theme

decision and keeping with today's theme

decision and keeping with today's theme and has nothing to do with my inability

and has nothing to do with my inability

and has nothing to do with my inability to use

PowerPoint so um I edit this site for

PowerPoint so um I edit this site for

PowerPoint so um I edit this site for teenage girls I'm a feminist I am kind

teenage girls I'm a feminist I am kind

teenage girls I'm a feminist I am kind of a pop culture nerd and I think a lot

of a pop culture nerd and I think a lot

of a pop culture nerd and I think a lot about what makes a strong female

about what makes a strong female

about what makes a strong female character um and you know movies and TV

character um and you know movies and TV

character um and you know movies and TV shows these things have influenced my

shows these things have influenced my

shows these things have influenced my own website

own website

own website um so I think the question of what makes

um so I think the question of what makes

um so I think the question of what makes a strong female character often goes

a strong female character often goes

a strong female character often goes misinterpreted and instead we get these

misinterpreted and instead we get these

misinterpreted and instead we get these two-dimensional super women who maybe

two-dimensional super women who maybe

two-dimensional super women who maybe have one quality that's played up a lot

have one quality that's played up a lot

have one quality that's played up a lot like you know a Catwoman type or um she

like you know a Catwoman type or um she

like you know a Catwoman type or um she like plays her sexuality up a lot and

like plays her sexuality up a lot and

like plays her sexuality up a lot and it's seen as power but they're not

it's seen as power but they're not

it's seen as power but they're not strong characters who happen to be

strong characters who happen to be

strong characters who happen to be female they're completely flat and

female they're completely flat and

female they're completely flat and they're basically cardboard characters

they're basically cardboard characters

they're basically cardboard characters the problem with this is that then

the problem with this is that then

the problem with this is that then people expect women to be that easy to

people expect women to be that easy to

people expect women to be that easy to understand and women are mad at

understand and women are mad at

understand and women are mad at themselves for not being that simple

themselves for not being that simple

themselves for not being that simple when in actuality women are complicated

when in actuality women are complicated

when in actuality women are complicated women are multifaceted not because women

women are multifaceted not because women

women are multifaceted not because women are crazy but because people are crazy

are crazy but because people are crazy

are crazy but because people are crazy and women happen to be

people so the flaws are the key I'm not

people so the flaws are the key I'm not

people so the flaws are the key I'm not the first person to say this what makes

the first person to say this what makes

the first person to say this what makes a strong female character is a character

a strong female character is a character

a strong female character is a character who has weaknesses who has flaws um who

who has weaknesses who has flaws um who

who has weaknesses who has flaws um who is Maybe not immediately likable but

is Maybe not immediately likable but

is Maybe not immediately likable but eventually

eventually

eventually relatable I don't like to acknowledge a

relatable I don't like to acknowledge a

relatable I don't like to acknowledge a problem without also acknowledging those

problem without also acknowledging those

problem without also acknowledging those who work to fix it so just wanted to

who work to fix it so just wanted to

who work to fix it so just wanted to acknowledge shows like Mad Men movies

acknowledge shows like Mad Men movies

acknowledge shows like Mad Men movies like Bridesmaids whose female characters

like Bridesmaids whose female characters

like Bridesmaids whose female characters or protagonists are uh complex

or protagonists are uh complex

or protagonists are uh complex multifaceted um Lena Dunham who's on

multifaceted um Lena Dunham who's on

multifaceted um Lena Dunham who's on here uh her show on HBO that premieres

here uh her show on HBO that premieres

here uh her show on HBO that premieres next month girls she said she wanted to

next month girls she said she wanted to

next month girls she said she wanted to start it because she felt that every

start it because she felt that every

start it because she felt that every woman she knew was just a bundle of

woman she knew was just a bundle of

woman she knew was just a bundle of contradictions and that feels accurate

contradictions and that feels accurate

contradictions and that feels accurate for all people but you don't see women

for all people but you don't see women

for all people but you don't see women represented like that as much congrats

guys but I don't feel that I still feel

guys but I don't feel that I still feel

guys but I don't feel that I still feel that there are some types of women who

that there are some types of women who

that there are some types of women who are not represented that way and one

are not represented that way and one

are not represented that way and one group that will focus on today or teens

group that will focus on today or teens

group that will focus on today or teens because I think teenagers are especially

because I think teenagers are especially

because I think teenagers are especially contradictory and um still figuring it

contradictory and um still figuring it

contradictory and um still figuring it out and in the '90s there was Freaks and

out and in the '90s there was Freaks and

out and in the '90s there was Freaks and Geeks and my so called life and their

Geeks and my so called life and their

Geeks and my so called life and their characters um Lindsay Weir and Angela

characters um Lindsay Weir and Angela

characters um Lindsay Weir and Angela Chase I mean the whole premise of the

Chase I mean the whole premise of the

Chase I mean the whole premise of the show the shows were just them trying to

show the shows were just them trying to

show the shows were just them trying to figure themselves out

figure themselves out

figure themselves out basically but those shows only lasted a

basically but those shows only lasted a

basically but those shows only lasted a season each and I haven't really seen

season each and I haven't really seen

season each and I haven't really seen anything like that on TV

anything like that on TV

anything like that on TV since um so this is a scientific

since um so this is a scientific

since um so this is a scientific diagram of my brain um around the time

diagram of my brain um around the time

diagram of my brain um around the time when I was when I started watching those

when I was when I started watching those

when I was when I started watching those TV shows I was like ending middle school

TV shows I was like ending middle school

TV shows I was like ending middle school starting high school I'm a sophomore now

starting high school I'm a sophomore now

starting high school I'm a sophomore now um and I was trying to reconcile all of

um and I was trying to reconcile all of

um and I was trying to reconcile all of these differences that you're told you

these differences that you're told you

these differences that you're told you can't be when you're growing up as a

can't be when you're growing up as a

can't be when you're growing up as a girl you can't be smart and pretty you

girl you can't be smart and pretty you

girl you can't be smart and pretty you can't be a feminist who's also

can't be a feminist who's also

can't be a feminist who's also interested in fashion you can't care

interested in fashion you can't care

interested in fashion you can't care about clothes if it's not for the sake

about clothes if it's not for the sake

about clothes if it's not for the sake of what other people usually men will

of what other people usually men will

of what other people usually men will think of you um so I was trying to

think of you um so I was trying to

think of you um so I was trying to figure all that out and I felt a little

figure all that out and I felt a little

figure all that out and I felt a little confused and I said so on my blog and um

confused and I said so on my blog and um

confused and I said so on my blog and um I said that I wanted to start a website

I said that I wanted to start a website

I said that I wanted to start a website for teenage girls that was not this kind

for teenage girls that was not this kind

for teenage girls that was not this kind of one-dimensional strong character

of one-dimensional strong character

of one-dimensional strong character empowerment thing because I think one

empowerment thing because I think one

empowerment thing because I think one thing that can be very alienating about

thing that can be very alienating about

thing that can be very alienating about a misconception of feminism is that

a misconception of feminism is that

a misconception of feminism is that girls then think that to be a feminist

girls then think that to be a feminist

girls then think that to be a feminist they have to live up to you know being

they have to live up to you know being

they have to live up to you know being perfectly consistent in your beliefs

perfectly consistent in your beliefs

perfectly consistent in your beliefs never being insecure never having doubts

never being insecure never having doubts

never being insecure never having doubts uh having all of the the answers and

uh having all of the the answers and

uh having all of the the answers and this is not true and actually uh

this is not true and actually uh

this is not true and actually uh reconciling all the contradictions I was

reconciling all the contradictions I was

reconciling all the contradictions I was feeling became easier once I understood

feeling became easier once I understood

feeling became easier once I understood that feminism was not a rule book but a

that feminism was not a rule book but a

that feminism was not a rule book but a discussion a conversation a process and

discussion a conversation a process and

discussion a conversation a process and this is a spread from a Zen that I made

this is a spread from a Zen that I made

this is a spread from a Zen that I made last year when um I I mean I think I've

last year when um I I mean I think I've

last year when um I I mean I think I've let myself go a bit on the illustration

let myself go a bit on the illustration

let myself go a bit on the illustration front since

front since

front since but yeah um so I said on my blog that I

but yeah um so I said on my blog that I

but yeah um so I said on my blog that I wanted to start a this publication for

wanted to start a this publication for

wanted to start a this publication for teenage girls and asked people to submit

teenage girls and asked people to submit

teenage girls and asked people to submit their writing their photography whatever

their writing their photography whatever

their writing their photography whatever to be a member of our staff I got about

to be a member of our staff I got about

to be a member of our staff I got about 3,000 emails um my editorial director

3,000 emails um my editorial director

3,000 emails um my editorial director and I went through them and uh put

and I went through them and uh put

and I went through them and uh put together a staff of people and we

together a staff of people and we

together a staff of people and we launched last

launched last

launched last September and this is an excerpt from my

September and this is an excerpt from my

September and this is an excerpt from my first editor's letter where I say that

first editor's letter where I say that

first editor's letter where I say that rookie we don't have all the answers

rookie we don't have all the answers

rookie we don't have all the answers we're still figuring it out too but the

we're still figuring it out too but the

we're still figuring it out too but the point is not to give girls the answers

point is not to give girls the answers

point is not to give girls the answers um and even give them permission to find

um and even give them permission to find

um and even give them permission to find the answers themselves but hopefully

the answers themselves but hopefully

the answers themselves but hopefully Inspire them to understand that they can

Inspire them to understand that they can

Inspire them to understand that they can give themselves that permission they can

give themselves that permission they can

give themselves that permission they can ask their own questions find their own

ask their own questions find their own

ask their own questions find their own answers all of that and rookie I think

answers all of that and rookie I think

answers all of that and rookie I think we've been trying to make it a nice

we've been trying to make it a nice

we've been trying to make it a nice place for all of that to be figured out

place for all of that to be figured out

place for all of that to be figured out um so I'm not saying like be like us and

um so I'm not saying like be like us and

um so I'm not saying like be like us and we're perfect Role Models because we're

we're perfect Role Models because we're

we're perfect Role Models because we're not but um we just want to help

not but um we just want to help

not but um we just want to help represent girls in a way that shows

represent girls in a way that shows

represent girls in a way that shows those different different dimensions I

those different different dimensions I

those different different dimensions I mean we have articles

mean we have articles

mean we have articles called uh on taking yourself seriously

called uh on taking yourself seriously

called uh on taking yourself seriously how to not care what people think of you

how to not care what people think of you

how to not care what people think of you but we also have articles like oops

but we also have articles like oops

but we also have articles like oops oh I'm figuring it

oh I'm figuring it

oh I'm figuring it out um if you use that you can get away

out um if you use that you can get away

out um if you use that you can get away with

with

with anything um we also have articles called

anything um we also have articles called

anything um we also have articles called how to look like you weren't just crying

how to look like you weren't just crying

how to look like you weren't just crying in less than five minutes so all of that

in less than five minutes so all of that

in less than five minutes so all of that being said I still really appreciate

being said I still really appreciate

being said I still really appreciate those characters you know in movies and

those characters you know in movies and

those characters you know in movies and you know articles like that on our site

you know articles like that on our site

you know articles like that on our site that are just about being totally

that are just about being totally

that are just about being totally powerful maybe finding your acceptance

powerful maybe finding your acceptance

powerful maybe finding your acceptance with yourself and self-esteem and your

with yourself and self-esteem and your

with yourself and self-esteem and your flaws and in um how you accept those so

flaws and in um how you accept those so

flaws and in um how you accept those so what I want you to take away from my

what I want you to take away from my

what I want you to take away from my talk the lesson of all of this is to

talk the lesson of all of this is to

talk the lesson of all of this is to just be Stevie Nicks like that's all you

just be Stevie Nicks like that's all you

just be Stevie Nicks like that's all you have to

have to

have to do because my favorite thing about her

do because my favorite thing about her

do because my favorite thing about her other than like everything is that she

other than like everything is that she

other than like everything is that she is very has always been unapologetically

is very has always been unapologetically

is very has always been unapologetically present on stage um and Unapologetic

present on stage um and Unapologetic

present on stage um and Unapologetic about her flaws and about reconciling

about her flaws and about reconciling

about her flaws and about reconciling all of her contradictory feelings and

all of her contradictory feelings and

all of her contradictory feelings and she makes you listen to them and think

she makes you listen to them and think

she makes you listen to them and think about them and yeah so please be Stevie

about them and yeah so please be Stevie

about them and yeah so please be Stevie Nix thank

you