Will We Ever Win?

                    If you're thin, pullin' a walking disease.
                    If you're not, they're all screaming obese.
                    If you're straight, why aren't you married yet?
                    If you're gay, why aren't you waving a flag?
                    If it's wrong, you're knowing it.
                    If it's right, you always miss.
                    You can't win, no...
                    You can't win, no.

                    If you speak, you'll only piss 'em off.
                    If you don't, you're another robot.
                    If you stop, they just say you quit.
                    If you don't, you might lose your shit!
                    You can't win, no...
                    You can't win, no...
                    You can't win, no...!
                                        -- You Can't Win (Kelly Clarkson)

    While in the car with my friend, this song came on the radio and I was suddenly reminded of my English 1A class. Recently we'd discussed controversy in media and how, while sometimes hypocritical -- for example, Dove's "True Beauty" campaign --, it really is necessary that these campaigns continue to fight these stereotypes that have rooted themselves into our society. The world is so diverse and yet in the media that we as a whole are saturated with -- movies, commercials, advertisements of all sorts -- there is this narrow-minded view of what is acceptable and proper. There are "fantasy girls" such as what Dove's campaign was trying to break away from and "Men's Men" commercials and so much more that are so disgustingly stereotypical.

    I'm not a big Kelly Clarkson fan, but these lyrics really resonated with me and it's definitely a song that I will be adding to my iPod to hear more of when I need that empowering reality check that we live in a society full of expectations and quick judgement.