Top 20 "America's Next Top Model" Fights-- Possibilities for Feminism?

     So, you may have noticed that I did not get around to publishing a new blog entry last week. My apologies. I partially must blame it on being an overworked graduate student. However, I must also acknowledge that YouTube has been distracting me from my blogging duties.

     I recently discovered that Sasquii at YouTube has posted a series of the top 20 best fights in the history of America’s Next Top Model. Clearly, I would be a fool not to take an extensive break from my work to relive all of the Top Model drama, right?

    

     You might think that I would disapprove of this, seeing as how each and every fight on this program is a reflection of the kind of squabbles and bickering that go against the feminist pursuit of unified sisterhood and solidarity. 

     However, I think these fights could possibly do more work for promoting feminist ideals than some may realize. By watching these Top Model altercations unfold over essentially petty matters (everything ranging from “Who stole my granola bar?,” to “Why are you rolling your eyes at me?,” to “Why are you on the phone so long?”, to even “Who tampered with my low fat brownies?”), critical viewers will, hopefully, see just how trivial these conflicts are in the grand scheme of things. Thus, they might aim to not focus their energies in their personal affairs on the same kinds of inconsequential problems as those catty ladies on the TV, and instead put attention on more important issues (especially those which impact women’s lives and shape their status as citizens of the world). 

     At the very least, maybe they’ll make a concerted effort to replace the pointless and detrimental “mean girl” interactions with their peers with conversations that bring about understanding, empathy, and something resembling the sort of "sisterly" bond that feminists have sought to cultivate.

     Ok, so maybe I’m being incredibly naive on this one. Maybe America's Next Top Model won't inspire reformist discourse celebrating all of woman-kind. Hey, a feminist can dream, can't he? In any event, though, this really is some great entertainment!