Mean Girls, written by the ever-hilarious and brilliant Queen Tina Fey, debuted in movie theaters when I was in 6th grade at Pomeroy Elementary. My sister, Kim, liked it so much that she paid for me to come watch it with her. I caught myself reminiscing over this yesterday, as we cult fans cheekily celebrated October 3rd as the day that Aaron Samuels asked Cady Heron what day it was.
I remember being thoroughly drawn in and amused at this display of such cattiness clad in pink. I also remember getting in trouble. I have a very vivid recollection of coming back home after watching Mean Girls in the theaters, being sat down by my stepfather and charged with a penance to write a list of every bad thing I saw and heard.
Clearly, Mean Girls was and is a big deal.
Today, I do not write to share that list of shame with you, but I write to share a different list. It is important that we celebrate the brilliant illustration that is Mean Girls and the valuable lessons that Tina Fey taught us. Alas, join me in remembering 8 life lessons that prove Mean Girls is such an important movie.
1. You don’t have to dumb yourself down for a boy to like you.
Thank you, Ms. Norbury. High school girls Women need to know that we do not need to sell ourselves short in order to get the attention of a man boy. If you feel the need to dim your intelligence, you owe it to yourself to move along. I don’t care how cute he is, don’t play dumb.
2. This satirical display of self-loathing:
Here, the Plastics are standing in front of a mirror and ritualistically bonding over the “imperfections” in their appearances. Is it hilarious and ridiculous? Yes. Does it paint a portrait of the reality that this same practice of picking one’s self apart in an obsessive way is a girl-ish normal? Absolutely – this is what we must come away from. These ways have only damaged the mentality of young women, and we need to change the way we speak to them and speak to ourselves as we define physical beauty in order to stop the cycle of self-denigration.
3. An animalistic social hierarchy is bound to break.
Ah, yes. The original Subtweet, brought to you by Gretchen Weiners.Remember when Gretchen snapped? Human beings are certainly not bees, so when you operate in a social construct that follows the Queen Bee hierarchy, Caesar just might get stabbed. Be aware of the power you have and be aware of the power you give someone else.
4. Look both ways when crossing the street.
’nuff said.
5. Female on Female crime is never the answer.
This is the obvious opposite of empowerment. Although obvious, it still needs to be said. We need to speak words of truth, power, and love into womankind, not catty hate speech. Whether it is a Burn Book or some old, dirty laundry, do not spend your precious, God-given time tearing someone down – choose to build up.
6. Tearing someone else down won’t make your life better, you need to focus on the matter at hand.
Alas, Cady’s great epiphany at the Mathletes competition. She then understood the lack of productivity that the Plastic mentality subjects onto themselves and those around them. It is a waste of time and only gets in the way of “solving the problem in front of you”. Focus on what is important.
7. Be your own weird self.
YAS, Kevin G. (insert multi-toned clap emojis here)
8. Oh, and be careful. It is a jungle out there.
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