Oh hey everybody. This week on Ask Cristen I'm setting out to prove that American women
are just simply superior. [Laughs]. No I'm not.
So this week's Ask Cristen question is coming from LizaSali who issued a challenge. 'How
do you think European and American women differ? How did they shape that country and continent
and what makes them unique?' I don't have time to and cannot sit here and breakdown
how both American and European women shaped their respective histories. I will say that
if you go in and look at women's history in Europe especially western Europe you're going
to see a lot of similar themes as you do in American women's history. But first, let's
talk about some stereotypes. When I first read this question of how are American and
European women different, I immediately thought well European women are more stylish. Obviously
I'm a French woman. And I will say from time that I have spent in Europe, that's true.
And I think the reverse is that American women are loud and a bit uncouth. [Burp]. I'm so
sorry that you had to hear and see that. But there also seems to be a somewhat troubling
assumption that not only are European women more sophisticated, worldlier and just generally
sexier they're also more sexually permissive. For instance a blog post over at mavericktraveler.com
assessing why European women are essentially superior to American women, Maverick Traveler
writes that quote, 'Unlike in America, a European girl doesn't feel like she's being "gamed"
when a man is trying to insert a penis into her vagina. European women actually find it
appealing that a man is trying to seduce them; it's a validation of their sexual attractiveness.'
Okay I am a little concerned that Maverick Traveler's definition of seduction does appear
to be inserting a penis into a vagina. Just pro-tip, you might want the seduction to happen
a little bit before that. And from internet observation it seems like the same group of
people that assume European women are [laughs] just more ready for your penis seduction than
American women also love European women more because they culturally just accept men for
men. They know that their role is to both satisfy you sexually but also satisfy you
domestically. And I have a hunch that this more sexualized stereotype of European women
really began to permeate American pop culture after World War I because that for instance
is when the term French kiss entered our lexicon and it wasn't because the French were all
like this is how you kiss with your tongues and this is the word for it. It was something
American soldiers brought back to their girlfriends and wives after World War I being like, 'oh
we must kiss in this really intense, tongue-heavy kind of way because that is how the French
women do.' But this issue of sex does lead us to a couple of ways in which America aka
'Merica has both historically and culturally treated women compared to women in European
nations. From our nation's founding over here in the U.S. of A. thanks to more religious
fundamentalism and, and puritanism sex has been something a little scary. [Scary sounds,
laughter]. Europe has had a more comprehensive approach to it, even if you look at for instance
sex education in a lot of European countries today it's far more comprehensive over there
than it is in abstinence only loving USA-ville. Not to say though Europe is completely free
of any religious hangups when it comes to things like sex and reproduction, hello Ireland
and also Spain which only passed the right to abortion on demand in 2010. Europe on a
whole has been more supportive of working mothers and that also goes back to World War
II. A lot of European populations were just decimated but at the same time the economies
were also decimated and so they needed people working so a lot of European governments at
that time implemented maternity care policies so that women could work and also be moms.
Obviously we're going to differ even within the United States, even within our own regions
and neighborhoods. But there are a lot of similar issues that women face regardless
of what side of the Atlantic they're on. Reproductive rights, bodily autonomy, sexual assault, gender
wage gap. Liza, you gave me a massive question and I don't know if I've so much answered
it as, as talked around it but it was a question that I wanted to explore and open up to a
lot of you because I know that you have so many good insights and you are sitting in
spaces that I've never sat in. Women around the globe, what are our similarities and our
differences. An obnoxious American lady just wants to know. You know what to do. Leave
a comment below. Thanks to everybody who watched and commented on last week's Ask Cristen video,
'Do gay guys have an unhealthier body image?' MelvaCross commented, 'I have several reasons
why I feel really pressured to be thinner. For me most importantly is that I want to
portray some kind of masculinity. I hate it when people see gay men as effeminate dudes.
Just because you are gay doesn't mean you like fashion, the color pink and such. It
feels like an obligation to defy stereotypes. But I think it also comes down to personal
preference. I often think to myself, "would I date myself? Do I find myself good looking?"
Even though my boyfriend was into chubby guys, I wasn't and started to get rid of a few pounds.'
And Konno Asami said, 'I've had many men state blatantly to me that "thin and smooth" is
the best for gays like me. It's really ingrained too. I see most of whom like me have eating
disorders and we just play it off like it's nothing.' Well if you've got something on
your mind, how about that transition, just ask me your questions so I can give you some
answers.