Celebrating “Forever 31”
written by Rev. Dr. Scott Paczkowski
“She dresses herself with strength and makes her arms strong.”
In the last couple of weeks, Saturday Night Live did a sketch that left the 30-somethings uncomfortable. The SNL women and female host were pretending to do a commercial for “Forever 31.” My daughter is 34 years old and is in the age group SNL is mimicking. I remember taking my daughter to purchase clothes at the real store, “Forever 21,” when she was a teen. According to “The Atlantic” article by Esther Zuckerman, “Millennial women have now lived through multiple culture-shocking events: economic collapses, dramatically changing attitudes toward body positivity, the #MeToo movement.”
Raising a child is challenging in every generation. Yet, looking back, raising a millennial daughter was particularly challenging. It was an age when malls and brand names defined a person. Young women were promised equality but often suffered the pain of not always feeling respected or safe. SNL uses humor to acknowledge that millennial women focus more on comfort and internal integrity than outward expressions of what others define as beauty. Their commitment to comfort is a political and even spiritual statement. “The Atlantic” recognizes that millennials are tired of the disrespect and misogyny of contemporary men and false expectations from previous generations.
I disagree with 30-something men going to work in shorts and a t-shirt and crabbing that no one takes them seriously. It is another issue when 30-something women recognize the disrespect of being evaluated by shallow and misogynistic, Harvey Weinstein-like men. It is about time we put our values where our mouth is and value women for their intellect, hard work, creativity, and drive instead of whether they fit this month’s acceptable style.
As people of faith, God calls us to validate people based on their value as human beings created in the image of God. We should not reinforce false definitions of beauty, success, and acceptability. Our 30-somethings have already recognized this false validation helped empower Weinstein-types. Today, reflect on how we have diminished women with our unrealistic expectations of body image and inappropriate sexual expectations. God desires all of God’s children to experience equality, respect, and safety. When wisdom and compassion meet, equality becomes a possibility. Thank you, SNL and The Atlantic, for making us consider how we affirm my daughter and all other women who deserve society’s respect.
