sigelphoenix

Right, right, right. The subject/object dynamic isn't bad in and of itself - I don't want to say things like, "One partner can never protect the other!" or "One partner can't be more assertive than the other!" or "One partner can never be dominant in bed!" It definitely is a matter of degree, and as long as both partners can take turns being ... er, the fly or the windshield XD, it's good.

You are right that everything is at least partly socially conditioned, so what actually makes me feel beautiful and cherished gets mixed in with what I'm told ought to make me beautiful and cherished. The important thing is to tease the two apart.

I guess what's bothering me is how strong of a reaction I'm feeling - I'm caught up almost as much as an inexperienced girl who hasn't been educated about how constructed and constricting these images are. And while I can use my education to ultimately refuse these images, I'm concerned that the "junk food craving" is still there at all, you know?

And you're right, there's nothing wrong with being addicted to a Stephen Schwartz song. ;)