[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