Emo Creature

Today I will take a look at You Tell Me How To Be A Girl In 2010. I think it’s relevant to speak a little about the similarities between what I have come across so far in I am an Emo Creature, and Vagina Monologues. From what I’ve read (pages1-37), this book seems to be something of an epilogue to Monologues. Ensler made such a positive impact on society with Monologues that she almost picks up right where she left off and addresses the tumultuous and turbulent adolescent years of today’s society. That same self-confidence/self-appreciation/self-worth that she brought women with Monologues, she hopes to bring to young girls.

In You Tell Me How To Be A Girl In 2010, the voice DEPRESSES the hell out of me! “Each town they bomb, each human they kill is done for “humanitarian” purposes.” I take it that with this quote she is speaking with regard to our wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. Personally, her political statement gets under my skin. War should be avoided at all costs, yes, but we don’t live in a perfect world, and things aren’t so simple. For Ensler to just make this remark based on pure emotion is way too unfair and opinionated for my taste; it turns me off to this monologue immediately. “People don’t own the water in their own village and they certainly don’t own the diamonds and gold.” Unfortunately, this has been the course of human evolution. We claim valuable resources. It is probably not going to change.

“Why is everyone so much more afraid of sex than SCUD missiles?” STDs, high teen pregnancy, “kids raising kids.” How about the vast and countless amounts of kids brought up in broken homes and its effects because kids are having sex way too young. I would say that’s a valid problem and something to be afraid of.

“How come we have money to kill but no money to feed or heal?” Really…?

“Six million dead in the Congo and they never made the news…and minerals.” What else is she suggesting we do about the atrocities in Africa? She didn’t like how we went into Iraq where very similar injustices were taking place, so exactly what does she propose?

“Give me one thing to believe in that isn’t a brand name.”

 I can honestly say that Eve Ensler, through Monologues, grew on me some. I was eager to break ground on her latest book here. However, I was disappointed with her first monologue.  I see and hear so much negativity in it; my answer to the title’s inquiry is “Damn, you are on your own. Good luck.” Very depressing, way too idealistic. Fails to offer any constructive advice into the dozens of complaints and reproaches.