Mrs. Midwest 3: Feminine Racism

[JermajestyDuggar]

Her husband really is the worst kind of cop. And people wonder why so many fear the police. Because there are way too many law enforcement officers out there like Husbland. I come from a family full of law enforcement officers so I’m not a cop hater. I just hate the racist assholes that go unchecked.

[kaluce]

But she’s not consistent tho???

[cartouche]

I had a kind of revelation recently. I've been studying the right wing for some while now, and I've come to the conclusion that the whole community of female influencers who align themselves with right-wing social politics revolve around a "not like the other girls" mindset. It's been discussed here before, but it's even more pervasive than I realized. They're basically saying, "I'm better than other women because unlike those crazy feminists and egalitarians, I've admitted that I am inferior to men. I'm so redpilled!"

They would argue that they don't think they're inferior so as to not upset their mainstream followers, but of course that's not true. The fundies at least all gladly perpetuate the umbrella theory that God is the umbrella over all mankind, man is the umbrella (aka superior to) over his wife, and the wife is the umbrella over her children. I will attach the popularly shared image of this concept below. It's a really sick social dynamic that occurs, when a woman "realizes" that the only way she will gain power/influence from the type of men she values is by putting other women down. Even when Mrs. Midwest says she's trying to uplift women, she can't resist putting down career-oriented women or those she thinks are promiscuous or foolish in the way they dress/act/live their lives.

[JermajestyDuggar]

1 hour ago, cartouche said:

I had a kind of revelation recently. I've been studying the right wing for some while now, and I've come to the conclusion that the whole community of female influencers who align themselves with right-wing social politics revolve around a "not like the other girls" mindset. It's been discussed here before, but it's even more pervasive than I realized. They're basically saying, "I'm better than other women because unlike those crazy feminists and egalitarians, I've admitted that I am inferior to men. I'm so redpilled!"

They would argue that they don't think they're inferior so as to not upset their mainstream followers, but of course that's not true. The fundies at least all gladly perpetuate the umbrella theory that God is the umbrella over all mankind, man is the umbrella (aka superior to) over his wife, and the wife is the umbrella over her children. I will attach the popularly shared image of this concept below. It's a really sick social dynamic that occurs, when a woman "realizes" that the only way she will gain power/influence from the type of men she values is by putting other women down. Even when Mrs. Midwest says she's trying to uplift women, she can't resist putting down career-oriented women or those she thinks are promiscuous or foolish in the way they dress/act/live their lives.

I agree. I try very hard to support other women the best I can. And typically that’s by voting for equal rights and bodily autonomy. I may despise certain women like TAM, but I swear I would support her equal rights. Equality isn’t just for women I agree with. It’s for all women. Even if I find her hypocritical. I don’t like when women are pitted against one another in an “us vs them” mentality but our culture has perpetuated it. Especially in politics. If I knew Cait and she asked for help To leave her husbland, I would drop everything and do what I could. 

[ignorantobserver]

cartouche, I think you are right about the dynamics you describe. May I add though that a woman who follows that mindset can legitimately claim that she doesn't believe women to be inferior ? She may argue that women should be deprived of their rights, not because they are worth less, but because they are different than men, less suited to make political decisions or to get along on their own. In the 'traditional' feodal society, peasants are not worth 'less' than nobles, they have just been assigned a different role and are supposed to stay there. A peasant striving to do his duty in his natural place is a good person, a peasant (or anyone) trying to change his social status is morally bad and bound to fail (remember Molière's Bourgeois Gentilhomme : Jourdain is no more able to 'become' a noble by getting an education than a duck is able to become an eagle by taking flying lessons - but bourgeois characters are not inherently ridiculous or stupid, Jourdain's daughter, who wants to marry inside her original social class, is presented as very sympathetic). This basic idea has been mostly abandoned in Western Society in the last 250 years, but it tends to creep up again in various versions, such as in the 'umbrella of protection' you described above. I think you can be convinced that women are inherently more childish, dependant, whatever, while still keeping the Christian idea of women being worth as much as men in a spiritual sense. If Mrs Midwest wanted to live by this idea though, she certainly wouldn't act like she does ! I agree with the analysis that her religious blathering is just a cover and that she is actually completely aware that she is used as a pin-up girl by her male followers. Traditional modesty indeed...

[AmericanRose]

Personally, I've been sitting in my underwear for over a week waiting for the next blog post so I can continue furnishing my full-on wardrobe. ?‍♀️

I see a lot of 'not like other girls' in MM... I also see the butterfly clips, which gives me flashbacks to middle school which is where I had the majority of my 'not like other girls' phase. But you know, she's so pleasant and dainty and feminine, not like those ball-busting career feminists! 

[mymelody]

MM has the potential, if she hasn't already, to earn more than her husband. What happens then? will she be considered mAsCuLiNe by her own logic as she will become the major breadwinner

[AmericanRose]

16 hours ago, mymelody said:

MM has the potential, if she hasn't already, to earn more than her husband. What happens then? will she be considered mAsCuLiNe by her own logic as she will become the major breadwinner

Then they take the show on the road!

So! New video today (my world has become so small).

5 Ways to Level-Up Your Life
Usual disclaimer: Her life isn't perfect, but she knows there's a lot of young women in the 'feminine family' and a lot of people looking to level up in life. All of the content about improvement is what drew her to YT.

Spoiler

1. Get Your House in Order. MM is a self-proclaimed "natural procrastinator", though she feels she's somewhat reformed. If you want to take charge of your life, the first and best thing you should be doing is taking charge of your environment. We can show gratitude by taking care of the things we own. She feels this builds discipline, and she gets asked all the time how she grew self-discipline.
Husband interrupts with kisses, a hug, a wink for the camera, and asks "what about marrying a bald guy?" Apparently Husband helped her pay her bills and learn how to use the mail... box. 
2. Assess yourself. It's essential to know who you are and what you're dealing with from an unbiased perspective. Create an action plan to address your weaknesses. MM has struggled with envy, selfishness, and laziness. The process of being sanctified through Christ means we have to face our sins and go to the foot of the cross and ask forgiveness. She's also struggled with perfectionism and pride.
3. Do a full body cleanse. MM was once in a pit of despair and so focused on survival that she didn't have the energy to put into her hygiene/beauty/health/fitness. Once she got out of that dark place, one of the first things she began doing was cleansing herself (she seems to mean that literally with her talk of dead skin and split ends). A great starter pack for a cleanse is to start avoiding alcohol, substances, get more sleep, put a pause on your social media. If you do these things, you'll start to feel cleansed in a matter of days.
4. Create goals. Now, we know she's not a high-powered career person. She's a home-maker, a wife - that was her goal in life - and she's happily living her goal. Make mini-goals if you have a big goal. It's okay to have a goal to get married, it's okay to have a goal to find your mate - that's natural and healthy, that's how we're created. Never feel guilty if that's a goal for you. But that's a big goal, so create mini goals along the way, like working on your beauty and social skills.
5. Study the masters. Find a wide variety of role models that embody the traits you want to have. She has some women she follows on Insta for beauty inspiration, wife tips, home-making tips, femininity, home decor. Try to be realistic - find someone with a comparable life to you. Learn to be content in your reality.

She mentioned awhile back that Husband is helping her with her videos.. is he making her whiter? She seems more washed-out than usual, but perhaps I'm just imagining it. I'm not bored enough to look at her previous videos. Although, weirdly enough, her hair seems darker. Anyway!
1. How do you not know how to use a mailbox? The Husband scene seemed stage, especially with that wink to the camera, but okay.
2. I'm just going to blink a few times at the surprise!Christian bit. I don't really see how laziness can be a sin... there's so much worse things you can be.
3. Well, I was worried for a second she was going to advocate juice cleanses, but this seems really basic.
4. I find it interesting how she stresses it's okay to have a goal to be a wife... but doesn't reassure women who want to have careers. Or who want to have careers and be a wife. I suddenly feel like I'm in the 1950s.
5. No mention of those you follow who give you 'white pride' inspiration, Caitlin?

I'm pretty sure I've heard all this, or some variation, elsewhere... what exactly does she bring to the table?

Edited May 6, 2020 by AmericanRose

[kaluce]

Didn’t she already do a 5 ways I leveled up my life? I’m 99% sure. 
 

I don’t think it counts as a new video if you change it from “how I did this” to “how you can do this”. 

[AmericanRose]

1 hour ago, kaluce said:

Didn’t she already do a 5 ways I leveled up my life? I’m 99% sure. 
 

I don’t think it counts as a new video if you change it from “how I did this” to “how you can do this”. 

Oops, my bad. I forgot: this one is 5 Ways Ways to Level-Up Your Life || Start Fresh for Spring!
You see, it's totally different content. This is for spring!

[kaluce]

18 minutes ago, AmericanRose said:

Oops, my bad. I forgot: this one is 5 Ways Ways to Level-Up Your Life || Start Fresh for Spring!
You see, it's totally different content. This is for spring!

Oh yes totallllly different content 100% ???? Shes not running out of ideas at all. 

[Stormy]

On 4/30/2020 at 5:41 PM, Gretchen-weiners said:

Also she’s got fine lines on her forehead already. Homegirl just turned 25. She really is aging like milk.

I'm 25 too and my forehead looks like that.  The trouble with being white...

[Marmion]

1 hour ago, Stormy said:

I'm 25 too and my forehead looks like that.  The trouble with being white...

Spoiler

https://www.vice.com/en_us/article/mgmzva/a-dermatologist-explains-the-science-behind-the-black-dont-crack-stereotype

[JermajestyDuggar]

I think wrinkles are a mix of genetics, sun damage, and smoking/drugs. Since I don't think Cait does drugs, she may have sun bathed a lot and is genetically predisposed to wrinkle on her forehead. My forehead is not lined and I’m 37. But my eyes are insane. They look so much older than my age. It definitely runs in my family. 

Edited May 6, 2020 by JermajestyDuggar

[PrettyRobin]

I'm confused... How do you not know how to use the mailbox? What is there to know? I-

[kaluce]

1 hour ago, PrettyRobin said:

I'm confused... How do you not know how to use the mailbox? What is there to know? I-

She thinks infantilizing herself makes her more attractive. She knows how to use a mailbox but keeps up the fantasy for her thirsty af followers. 

Edited May 7, 2020 by kaluce

[Hane]

1 hour ago, PrettyRobin said:

I'm confused... How do you not know how to use the mailbox? What is there to know? 

Maybe because she’s Canadian and we do things differently in the US? Maybe she’s talking a particular type of email? Beyond that, I got nuthin’. And @kaluce has a point: her self-infantilization will make her appealing to her intended male audience.

[byzant]

On 4/27/2020 at 6:38 AM, mhainlen said:

I find it interesting that she talks so endlessly about how big her boobs are (and the need to always wear a bra and her inability to run due to their size, etc). My bra size is significantly larger than hers and while I do sometimes think it would be easier to have smaller boobs, I don’t discuss this with people and I certainly don’t post about it on social media. I’ve also found a sports bra that allows me to run half marathons. I think Caitlin wants people to notice and comment on her boobs and when she hasn’t gotten enough attention recently she brings them up again and again. Obviously an important facet of serving Jesus. 

I agree in British sizes im a 28 hh and i run marathons in a goodsports bra and sleep without a bra . The main issue is how expensive  good bras are! 

[cartouche]

3 hours ago, kaluce said:

She thinks infantilizing herself makes her more attractive. She knows how to use a mailbox but keeps up the fantasy for her thirsty af followers. 

Exactly! She's so predictable at this point, and it makes me cringe. She's trying to emulate the trope of the Disney Princess who goes out into the world for the first time and takes whimsical delight in basic activities due to her previously sheltered existence. How charming! Think Rapunzel in Tangled, Gisele in Enchanted, or the Little Mermaid. No, I'm not saying she's consciously mimicking this trope, although she very well could be, but more likely it is a subconscious action driven by her idolizing those types of female characters and believing they are the ultimate manifestation of femininity.

It's quite unfortunate that ignorance and childishness are considered desirable feminine traits as most women don't have the privilege of being sheltered and ignorant throughout their twenties and beyond. Performing these traits for the sake of attractiveness just seems... I dunno... dishonest and even a little creepy? I wouldn't want to be a fully grown woman, lines and wrinkles starting to show up on my face, speaking in a histrionic baby voice and acting like I don't know how to survive in the world.

[mhainlen]

1 hour ago, cartouche said:

Exactly! She's so predictable at this point, and it makes me cringe. She's trying to emulate the trope of the Disney Princess who goes out into the world for the first time and takes whimsical delight in basic activities due to her previously sheltered existence. How charming! Think Rapunzel in Tangled, Gisele in Enchanted, or the Little Mermaid. No, I'm not saying she's consciously mimicking this trope, although she very well could be, but more likely it is a subconscious action driven by her idolizing those types of female characters and believing they are the ultimate manifestation of femininity.

It's quite unfortunate that ignorance and childishness are considered desirable feminine traits as most women don't have the privilege of being sheltered and ignorant throughout their twenties and beyond. Performing these traits for the sake of attractiveness just seems... I dunno... dishonest and even a little creepy? I wouldn't want to be a fully grown woman, lines and wrinkles starting to show up on my face, speaking in a histrionic baby voice and acting like I don't know how to survive in the world.

Do we know what Caitlin’s degree was in?  Was it something practical or something preparing her to be a SAHW? Because I worked hard in college and ignorance and childishness were definitely not tolerated. She has such an advantage over so many fundie girls we snark on, yet she seems to want to be the damsel in distress. 

[mymelody]

15 minutes ago, mhainlen said:

Do we know what Caitlin’s degree was in?  Was it something practical or something preparing her to be a SAHW? Because I worked hard in college and ignorance and childishness were definitely not tolerated. She has such an advantage over so many fundie girls we snark on, yet she seems to want to be the damsel in distress. 

she said in a q&a she has a bachelor of arts in strategic communications. She is so lucky to have a degree and be a housewife and have a youtube channel. There are so many housewives/homemakers I know who were never allowed to pursue half of what she does. In that case Caitlin should be thanking feminism for her freedom. I am sick of her downgrading feminism and female education when SHE was able to benefit from all of it.

Edit: I also remembered in the advice for college girls video she brought up about having a lot of student loans and how it's bad (another typical red pill argument about how they don't want a woman with debt) I wonder if she paid for college in the US or her parents helped or if she has debt and isn't the perfect red pill wife she argues she is.

Edited May 7, 2020 by mymelody

[quiversR4hunting]

16 hours ago, mymelody said:

she said in a q&a she has a bachelor of arts in strategic communications. She is so lucky to have a degree and be a housewife and have a youtube channel. There are so many housewives/homemakers I know who were never allowed to pursue half of what she does. In that case Caitlin should be thanking feminism for her freedom. I am sick of her downgrading feminism and female education when SHE was able to benefit from all of it.

Edit: I also remembered in the advice for college girls video she brought up about having a lot of student loans and how it's bad (another typical red pill argument about how they don't want a woman with debt) I wonder if she paid for college in the US or her parents helped or if she has debt and isn't the perfect red pill wife she argues she is.

Plus she went to a private college. Hope college is $47,000 per year. before scholarships and aide. $34k is tuition, the rest is room/board and books. (Data from us dept of ed, 2017/2018 school year.)

[JermajestyDuggar]

I’m tired of the college debt argument because it’s so ignorant. You know how many community colleges there are across this country? Tons! There are so many programs that are way cheaper than some private fundie 4 year college. I don’t know why these people use this all or nothing argument. As if the only two options are $100,000 in student debt or no college at all. There’s something called the internet that will tell you the cost of private colleges, community colleges, and technical colleges in your area! 

[AmericanRose]

Per Insta, we're apparently going to get a gardening vlog.

She hasn't done anything on Twitter since March 24th.

And we have a new blog! I can finally get dressed!

Elements of a Full-On Wardrobe || Part 2 - Basics
Now, basics might mean something different for each person, depending on what your typical outfits are, where you live, and what kind of lifestyle you lead. But there IS a reason we call this category basics... these pieces are the go-to pieces that every person might have in their wardrobe, no matter who you are.

Spoiler

 

For every item, she talks a bit about what you can pair it with, and how she likes to wear it.

Cotton Button Down, t-shirt, long sleeve, short sleeve, fitted turtleneck, linen button up and tunic, wool sweater, floral blouse, cardigan, long sweater, satin wrap top, fitted tank top.
Everything is in various colours of white, black or neutral, though she does encourage buying multiple jewel colours of the satin wrap once you find a style you like. However, try not to get too deep of a V!

Choose one that is more fitted, especially if you have a larger chest: this will be the most flattering and attractive style, showing off your waist.
Subtle!

For pants, she pretty much wants you to buy all the pants that are on the market, as well as midi and maxi skirts. Dresses apparently warrant their own post.

Outerwear: denim jacket, black fitted and buttoned coat, long light spring coat, khaki trench coat.

 

I feel this was pretty generic. And to be honest, I think I would rather take the advice of an actual style blogger, or something. Of course, MM does wear the butterfly clips in 2020... that alone plus that Wal-mart girls top makes me question her taste.

[Timetraveler]

I feel like she is just repeating stuff she uploaded before (newest vlog).

And for the love of Rufus....can she give us a definition of 'femininity'???