Okay, so those questions above are questions you do not want to be asking yourself after waking up from a long night of doing god-knows-what. Lucky for you you're not in bed with a stranger -- you've just stumbled across a new (and might I say fabulous) blog! Welcome, welcome, welcome! Let me tell you a little bit about where you are and who I am, just in case you're starting to feel nervous... ;)
What is Hope Springs Internal?
Welcome to Hope Springs Internal a new blog brought to you by the creator of Positively Present -- Dani! If you're new around here, I'm happy to have you. If you're an old friend stopping by the new blog, thank you very much for coming! Now, let me get to the point...the big question...what is Hope Springs Internal?
Hope Springs Internal is a blog about hope, a blog about the hope that there are -- and will continue to be -- positive images for women in the media. Hope Springs Internal is a blog that takes notice of positive portrayals of women in music, in film, in books, in TV shows, and in the real world. It's a blog created to show the world that there are awesome, positive female figures out and more and more are showing up every day. The site will focus primarily on positive images of women found in all forms of media -- images that aren't all that easy to come by these days.
When I first got an idea to start another blog (yes, two blogs is a little crazy!), I thought about creating a place where I could analyze songs, films, and books and how they portray women. As I started thinking about potential posts, I realized most of my ideas were negative. Certainly that won't work for the author of Positively Present! So I gave it some more thought and realized that there aren't many (any?) places that focus entirely on positive images of women in the media. Sure, there are probably a lot more negative images than positive ones out there so it would be easier to look for those, but why focus on the bad? Why give all of that negativity more attention?
Believing that it's much better to cheer on the positive than to battle the negative is how I came upon the idea for Hope Springs Internal. I decided to keep my eyes open for the positive women who are doing wonderful, inspiring things and going against stereotypical portrayals of what they "should" be. I decided, once I noticed all of the positive images, to write about these women and their contributions to the world. I will post the words to their songs. I will share what I find here on this blog so that we can all see that there are women out there who are making a change, who are going against the norm, and who are striving to be different.
Contrary to what some might say, feminism is NOT dead. At times it might seem like it's M.I.A., but it's still here. There are still strong, sassy, sensational women making a difference in the way we interpret gender. And I've created a place to celebrate them and, in a way, to thank them for what they are doing. It's much easier for those living in the limelight of society to take the easy way out and do what is expected of them, but some women don't and I applaud them for that. It's even easier for everyday people like me to fall into line and do what we "should" do, but many women choose different paths and make choices to support their own ideas, not the ideas society wants them to have. There are women out there who are inspiring women like me every single day. Plan on getting acquainted with them here.
What's On This Site?
On this site, you'll find a lot of great content cropping up in the next few months. You'll find posts about interesting, exciting women from now and from the past who are doing or did awesome things to make this world a better place for women. You'll find out how you can make the world better too, just by being you. You'll find out just how many amazing things are going on that you didn't even know about (or think about) and you will be happy you heard about them here. So now that you have an idea about what it IS, let me tell you what it's not...
THIS IS NOT A SITE FOR JUDGING OTHERS. This is not a site about negativity or judging women who are living up to the standards of society. This is not about looking at the bad or wondering how on earth feminism got so off track. This is about hope, about believing there is positivity for images women and that these images are being portrayed every day in a variety of different ways. If I see a woman doing something positive that speaks to me, I'm going to write about it. If, the week after that, I see her doing something totally outrageous and negative for women, I am not going to create a hateful post about her. When positive images are put out into the world, they are not taken back. I don't believe that women are perfect -- even the most positive, awesome ones -- and I don't expect anyone to be. This site will focus on what is good and what is positive and sometimes that is a single act or a single song. Sometimes that will be a whole lifetime spent empowering women. I am not a perfect feminist. I am, in many ways, just an average girl. So I'm not here to judge. I'm hear to celebrate the good and focus on the positive so, though I'll understand when I see comments like "This song is great but have you heard her song about....", I am determined to focus on the positive images that are expressed to the world. After all, almost all of the positive images, the bright bits of sunshine, are surrounded by lots and lots and lots of negative images. I have to focus on the positive and have hope that more positivity is to come.
THIS IS NOT A SITE FOR BASHING MEN. I love men. Love 'em. (Probably a little more -- and more often -- than I should!) There are great, positive men that support women. There are men that absolutely suck and that treat women as if we are living hundreds of years ago in a time when women were considered less than equal. The same goes for women though. There are women who support women. There are women (and plenty of them!) that don't support women. But this site is about the positive people. Not male. Not female. While I will be focusing on women here, that does not mean that (a) men don't matter or (b) that they aren't representing women positively in the media. Many, many of them are and I am grateful every day for them, but this site is about embracing what it is to be female and focusing on the great things women have to offer the world via their hearts and their minds. This is not a place to judge women who buy into stereotypes. This is not a site to judge men. This is a site about positivity, about looking for the positive representations in the media and celebrating them.
THIS IS NOT A SITE THAT SPEAKS FOR EVERYONE.This site is the opinions of Dani and (hopefully) her commenters. Maybe I will post some things that some don't see as positive. Maybe sometimes my beliefs will seem more extreme than yours (after all, my nickname in college was"Beliefs" since I couldn't seem to keep my mouth shut around the raucous group of macho lacrosse players I spent a great deal of time with). I am me and that's what you'll get on this site. But I embrace and accept differences. If you think differently, feel free to let me know. If you don't like the site and don't want to visit it, my feelings won't be hurt. I know this topic, and the way I'm approaching it, isn't for everyone and I'm okay with that. Just remember -- this is about the positive so try to focus on that when you're reading the posts and leaving your comments. If you are a guy, I love that you're here, supporting women and positive images that affect everyone. If you're girl and you're not quite sure you're down with the whole feminist thing, that's cool too. You can still support the positive images of women in the media without smacking a label on yourself. And if you're an uber-feminist shaking your head in disgust at the pink layout and the girly images, I get that. I know this isn't perfect. But it's not trying to be. It is what it is and what it is is hopeful. The world is no feminist fairytale. There is positive and there is negative, but, through it all, there is HOPE. And that's what this is about.
And, now, for the content!
For those of you familiar with Positively Present, this blog is going to be a bit different. Rather than post about whatever I'm thinking about at the time, the posts on Hope Springs Internal will fall under the following 10 categories (more may be added later... we'll see!):
- Raise Your Voice (awesome songs or musicians)
- Leading Ladies (fabulous women in film and TV)
- The F Word (all about feminism in society today)
- Kick Ass Commercials (super in 60 seconds or less)
- Write On! (great books, articles, or blogs)
- Motivating in the Media (all other forms of social media)
- LOL Love(ladies in comedy crackin' us up)
- Body Buzz (everything relating to body image)
- Artsy Fartsy (inspiring art and notable artwork)
- Everyday Awesome (women that inspire in everyday life)
I've been craving a project like this for a long, long time, and I'm very excited to put this out there for all of you to read, but I have to, for now, limit myself to what I choose to write about or I would be completely overwhelmed with all of the many, many, many wonderful topics I could focus on. I would love to write about other topics too, but this is where we are right now: at the beginning. If you have ideas or suggestions for topics I may have overlooked, please feel free to share your thoughts in the comments section.
What Makes This Different?
Two very important things make this site unique and (hopefully) interesting for readers. The first is the foundation. The second is the message.
- The Foundation: Dani The foundation of this site is the first thing that makes it different. And what is the foundation, you ask? Me! Dani, the girl! (Which, I'll admit, was the original name of the site before I realized that didn't really express what I wanted to share with the world and that is HOPE.) Let's be honest, I'm not an expert on, well, anything. But I am a girl (woman?) who spent a great deal of time studying Women's Studies while getting her undergraduate degree in English. AND I spent years studying Gender and Popular Culture in my graduate school program. I even wrote a 300+ page thesis on a very important and influential aspect of popular culture and its affect on children. In addition, I've read almost everything I could get my hands on (or look up) in relation to feminism, women's studies, and gender in popular culture (and would LOVE suggestions if you don't see a book on my list to the left). I'm not an expert, but I'm not without experience. Oh, yeah, and I've got that whole I'm-a-girl thing going on too. Being a woman kinda gives a little credibility in the field of the female. ;)
- The Message: Hope The second -- and most important -- thing about the site is its message. This site emphasizes HOPE -- the hope that there are positive women in society that are living lives that promote happiness, healthiness, and hope for women everywhere. When I started thinking about this site, I was overwhelmed by the topic of women in the media. I didn't know where to begin. I didn't know how to think about what was happening in the media without crying out in hopelessness. And then I opened my eyes a little bit wider, looked around, and I realized: "Wow! There are so many great things going on every day!" While it's easy to see the reality shows, the beauty pageants, and the makeover programs and think there is absolutely no way there could be positive images for women in the media, there are. They're not always easy to spot and they're usually not celebrated or focused on the way some of the negative images are, but positivity does exist for women in the media. Good things are happening. We just have to open our eyes, look around, and have hope.
If you've made it this far in the post, thank you. I appreciate your interest in this subject and I hope that I can do what I can here to spread the message of hope for women. If you have have any suggestions about websites, books, television shows, movies, comedians, artists, commercials, or anything else you'd like to share with me, please leave your feedback in the comments sections. I look forward to developing this site further and sharing more and more hope with you every time I post. No matter what kinds of negative, shocking things you might see or ear, remember that there are positive images for women in the media, and don't forget that it's up to you to believe in and support the images that have hope, that believe that women are more than just makeup and hair and great bodies. It's up to you to remember that...Hope Springs Internal!
It's beautiful, Dani! Congratulations and good luck. Sites like this become even more important (to me) as I raise my daughter to love and honor herself.
I can't wait to read more.
Posted by: kirwin | 06/04/2009 at 10:03 AM
Kirwin - YAY! You are the first commenter on the new site. Thank you! I'm so glad you like what's up here so far. Being a woman in today's society isn't always easy, and I imagine that it'll be even more interesting for the up-and-coming generations with all of this crazy technology today, so I hope that I can make even a small difference by highlighting women who illustrate positive, inspiring ways to live.
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/04/2009 at 10:24 AM
Congratulations Dani! What a beautiful site and fantastic topic. I am very excited to see what you come up with!
Posted by: RML | 06/04/2009 at 10:28 AM
RML - Thank you! I'm really looking forward to working more on this and coming up with some inspiring ideas. Stay tuned...
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/04/2009 at 11:09 AM
Interesting. I'm curious to see what insights you bring given your educational background.
:)
Posted by: Nicole | 06/04/2009 at 11:21 AM
Fairly new to Positively Present (great site!) but as a WS grad myself, I am very excited about this new project! What a great concept! I'm sure it will keep you busy! :) Can't wait to see what it evolves into!
Posted by: Laura | 06/04/2009 at 11:24 AM
Nicole - Thanks for the comment. I'm looking forward to sharing more with you and my other readers!
Laura - That's awesome that you studied WS too. I'm really excited about the project and get wait to get more posts up!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/04/2009 at 11:52 AM
What a truly great idea! I'll be sure to follow your new blog. I'm curious to see where it goes. By the way, I personally would also like to see a category on women in science (including science, engineering, and social sciences)... you could call it Sexy Science...or something like that. Anyways, just a thought. If you are interested in including this category, I'd be happy to help you with post ideas or contribute.
Posted by: Vi | Maximizing Utility | 06/04/2009 at 01:41 PM
This looks exciting! Will be following, I'm sure. :D
Posted by: Meream | 06/04/2009 at 02:06 PM
Congratulations on the launch, Dani! I think this is a fantastic idea, and I can't wait to see what you post on here. Incidentally, I I was thinking the other night what huge leaps society has taken in portraying healthy bodies in the media. On E! shows, correspondents frequently compliment healthy-looking women, and magazines highlight how beautiful women with curves are, like Beyonce, Kim Kardashian, et al. It's so exciting to see. I grew up in the time of Kate Moss, and that had a profound effect on how I learned to feel about my body. I digress--the point is, yay! Can't wait to read more =)
Posted by: Lori | 06/04/2009 at 02:42 PM
Congratulations Dani on the unveiling of your new, and beautiful site. Having hope is so important to all of us. Thank you for spreading the word.
Posted by: Barbara Swafford | 06/04/2009 at 02:50 PM
Vi - Thank you! I'm so glad you like the idea. I really like your idea about women in science. I will definitely consider that and would love to have a guest post from you in that category!
Meream - Great to know you'll be following. Thanks!
Lori - Thank you! :) I'm so excited that it's finally up as I've been working on ideas, etc. for awhile. You make a great point about the entertainment industry and how things have changed in relation to how women's bodies are portrayed. Good stuff for me to dive into here on the site!
Barbara - Thank you. Hope is very important and I'm happy that I can do my part to spread more of it around!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/04/2009 at 03:09 PM
Dani - I have a feeling that I am going to LOVE this site! The media has done a very poor job at advocating women. It's all about being rail thin and who's wearing the latest "hottest" designer. Yes, I get sucked it...I love E! But it does little good for my self esteem. I need to look up to women like Beyonce, Queen Latifa, even Kim Kardashian! But these women are real and not a size 0. I want to know why curves are seen as negative? Why does a little cellulite cause such drama? I was watching E! last night and they were highlighting the best and worst bikini bodies...it made me sad. So women who carry extra weight are bad? Ugly? Horrible? It's about being HEALTHY! And in my mind, being 100 lbs is not very healthy.
Oh gosh...I could go on and on for days...
I am excited about this...and hoping that I can change the way I view myself. I am sick of hating my body!
Posted by: Caroline | 06/04/2009 at 04:09 PM
Caroline - I'm so excited that you're so excited about this new site! It's been a work-in-progress for awhile now and I'm so happy to be putting it out there into the world. I'll admit that I watch a lot of E! as well (I've actually seen the bikini show you're talking about) and it's definitely not good for me, but I'm going to keep an eye out for the positive, for those women who are presenting positive images for women everywhere. It's certainly not going to be easy to find, but I know it's out there. I have hope! :)
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/04/2009 at 04:14 PM
PP, or should I say, Dani, Congratulations on Hope Springs Internal. I LOVE it! Fantastic message. I'm sure it'll take off.
Posted by: Sami - Life, Laughs & Lemmings | 06/04/2009 at 05:21 PM
Thank you so much for making this! I wish I had something like this to look at when I was growing up. I'm going to book mark it and come back again and again!
Posted by: Dana | 06/04/2009 at 08:50 PM
Hi Dani .. I think Hope Springs Eternal is a wonderful idea .. promoting the female side of life .. and showing us female examples who have achieved against all odds, and who set or have set fantastic examples for us to follow.
Great site .. Hilary Melton-Butcher
Positive Letters
Posted by: Hilary | 06/05/2009 at 03:15 AM
WAHOO! It's about time. This is marvelous, Dani. Positively Marvelous!
I'm going to go add you to my blog roll now and try to get the word out. YES!
Posted by: Chania Girl | 06/05/2009 at 10:45 AM
Dani -- I am so excited about this project! Will this focus only on modern women or will you go back in history? I can't over how cool this idea is, Dani! I'll be looking forward to Hope Springs Eternal:~)
Posted by: Sara | 06/05/2009 at 10:52 AM
Hi Dani, congratulations! Your new blog site is wonderful! I love your title and can't wait to check out all your content!
Posted by: Jodi at Joy Discovered | 06/05/2009 at 01:40 PM
Sami - Thank you! I hope it'll take off too! :)
Dana - I also wish I'd had this when I was younger. I hope it can make a difference in the lives of some people and how they view women in the media.
Hilary - So glad you like the idea! Thank you so much for all of your comments and encouraging words. They truly mean a lot to me.
Chania Girl - Thank you!! Thanks so much for adding it to your blogroll. That's awesome - and so are you!
Sara - So glad you like it! I'll be focusing primarily on modern women, but every once and awhile I may include some women from the past just to switch it up a bit.
Jodi - Thank you! :) I'm so happy you like it!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/05/2009 at 02:02 PM
I love this Dani, all of it! I look forward to more of this :D
Posted by: Rosa | 06/05/2009 at 02:29 PM
Looks great, love the concept, I am sure this will prove to be a wonderful venture.
Posted by: Mark | 06/05/2009 at 02:33 PM
Rosa - Thank you! And I look forward to sharing more if it with you.
Mark - Thanks for your support. I'm very excited about this and it's so awesome to see that other people are excited about it too!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/05/2009 at 02:58 PM
Dani, good for you. you have so much to give!
Posted by: Michelle @ Find Your Balance | 06/05/2009 at 05:18 PM
Good luck on your new endeavor. I'm sure it will be a rockin' success. And congrats to you to be brave enough to do another blog!
Posted by: Tess The Bold Life | 06/05/2009 at 06:27 PM
Michelle - Thank you! :) Your kind words are much appreciated!
Tess - I appreciate the encouragement. It's definitely not easy to have more than one blog, but I'm really excited about them both!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/05/2009 at 11:24 PM
Dani - I read through! And I absolutely adore the ideas behind this. Looking forward to more posts!!
Posted by: Jewel/Pink Ink | 06/06/2009 at 09:28 AM
Hey Dani, I see you like to read :) I want to recommend a book, I think it fits perfectly to this blog, it`s called: ¨The earth, my butt and other big round things¨ by Carolyn Mackler It`s about an overweight teenage girl, very, very inspiring, a beautiful story, and very funny too! I think you might enjoy it, here`s a link to get it in Amazon,so you can check the cover and reviews http://www.amazon.com/Earth-Butt-Other-Round-Things/dp/1844282937/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1244299321&sr=8-1
Posted by: Rosa | 06/06/2009 at 10:46 AM
What a clever name and what a great idea! Added to my Reader!!
Posted by: Hayden Tompkins | 06/06/2009 at 11:28 AM
Jewel - I'm so glad you like the idea. Can't wait to share more with you!
Rosa - Thanks so much. That book sounds right up my alley. I'm definitely going to check it out. Thanks!
Hayden - Thank you! :) I'm excited that the site made it to your Reader. YAY!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/06/2009 at 03:49 PM
Dani --- I am in awe of you and this new blogging pursuit!! It sounds so great and I look forward to seeing how it all develops. :)
Posted by: Allegra | 06/06/2009 at 07:55 PM
Allegra - Aww, thank you! :) I'm so excited about the blog and am looking forward to sharing lots of exciting and inspiring things with you. Stay tuned for more hope soon!!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/06/2009 at 09:26 PM
Very nice blog. Chris Laney sent me. I look forward to reading more and sharing this with a friend who works with teen girls!
Posted by: delicate flower | 06/08/2009 at 06:30 AM
Delicate Flower - I'm so glad Chris pointed you in my direction. :) Feel free to pass along the link to anyone who might be interested. I really hope to spread the word about positive images of women in the media to a wide audience.
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/08/2009 at 08:08 AM
Dani -
Congratulations on the new blog! I'm very excited to see where you take us all with each post.
And I really like Vi's suggestion of the ladies in science category!
Veronica
Moment-to-Moment Optimism with Dr. Russ Buss
Posted by: Veronica | 06/08/2009 at 01:17 PM
Veronica - Thank you! I'm so glad you like it and I can't wait to share more with you. Please spread the word if you know anyone else who might be interested in this site. Vi's idea is a great one and I think I'm going to take on her offer!
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/08/2009 at 02:16 PM
Hi Dani,
I'm very late coming to this - I was studying and doing exams the last couple of weeks and fell way behind on my blog reading. But now that I have found it, just wanted to say this is a GREAT idea for a blog. As we say here in Ireland, Good Woman Yourself!!
Posted by: Hilda | 06/16/2009 at 12:01 PM
Hilda - Thanks for your comment and your encouragement. I love that saying. I'm going to Ireland this summer and I cannot wait. You've just reminded me of it and I'm excited! :) Hope to see more of you around the site.
Posted by: Positively Present | 06/16/2009 at 12:41 PM