Critical Analysis of “Our Daughters, Ourselves” by Stevie Cameron

“That we lost them has broken our hearts; what is worse is that we are not surprised.”

In the peice “Our Daughters, Ourselves,” Stevie uses the voice of a mother and a daughter. She does this by describing how she raised her daughter and how things have not changed from when she was growing up. I believe that her audience is men and women alike. However, I believe that she has different messages for each group.

Her message to men is to think more critically about feminist and sexism. Men need to start making efforts (or work harder) to treat women as equals. Men need to stop veiwing feminist as something to be feared, instead they need to adjust and change their mindset. I think it also shows men how women live. It shows how careful and alert women need to be. 

I think that her message to women is that although somethings have changed, many things have remained the same. Mothers hope for their daughters that things will be different but they are still taken advantage of. In some ways I do not believe that this piece is meant to give hope to women but rather that we need to continue to strive to be treated as equals with men.

Cameron believes that although times have changed, many things for women have remained the same.  Mothers hope for their daughters that they will be able to get ahead and be treated like equals among men, and yet they are not suprised when this does not occur. Mothers want the best for their daughters and want them to be able to do anything, yet are always nervous for their safety, physiologically and psychologically. Cameron also believes that although women are pressing forward to be treated as equals, young men are not changing and being abusive. 

Women are taught to be careful when growing up. Whether it be walking home from school, or going to a public restroom alone, women need to always have their guard up. Our mothers tell us, “We’ll pick you up at the subway, we’ll fetch you from the movie, stay with the group.” Stevie writes that daughters are getting into schools that were dominated by men and hope that “by the time they’ve graduated, things will have changed.” She provides the example of the shooting at an Engineering school and how that has struck fear into the hearts of young women everywhere and has infuriated mothers. This is also an example of how some men are abusive to feminists as “the women were seperated from the men and meticulously slaughtered by a man who blamed feminists for his troubles.” ‘Why did no one stop the killer?’ women ask themselves. 

This peice really touched my heart. I thought that she was very effectively able to portray how girls and young women grow up. It was a very straightforward peice with a lot of emotion in it, especially for women readers. The peice may in some ways put all men in a bad light (hasty generalization) as there are men that do treat women as equals and would never hurt a women. But it is very true that sexism in the workplace and even out of the work place has not decreased very much.

I was running on a trail last week with my dog and I felt afraid. I was afraid that I wouldn’t hear someone catch up to me and what they might do to me.  I didn’t think too much of it then, other than to keep on running, glance over my shoulder, and turn my music down. But as I reflect on this peice and my own life, it’s almost as if I have become immune to all the safety precautions. You become used to being afraid in a sense. I don’t run in the dark, if I return home late at night my ride ensures that I enter safely, I lock my doors as soon as I get into my car if I’m alone, I don’t cab home by myself after a night out on the town, the list goes on…. Is this fair?