"this is what a feminist looks like"
... read the shirt of the hippie chick. Now, I've got nothing against the neo-hippies. I love them because they make this town unique and create a wonderfully radical character foil with the uber-conservative southeastern Oregonians. But here she was, walking down the sidewalk with two nose piercings, three lip rings, stretched earlobes, ratty dreds and tattered jeans, her clothing proclaiming to the world, "this is what a feminist looks like."

I don't know how to feel about this sentiment. I'm glad she's proud to be a feminist, but I'm not sure she realizes that her image is contributing to a rather damaging stereotype. I'd like to see MORE people wearing those t-shirts; people of many demographics. I don't mean to sound like I might have a problem with that one woman, personally, but the message that she was sending was a bit... ironic.

And less than a minute later I biked by another girl dressed, straight-up, like an 80s hooker. I kid you not. She was wearing spike heels, fishnet stockings with pink ankle warmers, stretch capris, a mini-skirt and a leather jacket. I wouldn't have been surprised if her hair had been crimped. What would have happened had she and the self-proclaimed feminist passed on the same stretch of sidewalk? Would they even have glanced each other's direction? Would they have torn each other to pieces? I sure do live in a unique city... and sometimes I shudder at that thought.