09 June 2010

On Being the Blogging Hooters Girl

This recent increase in traffic to Girl and Guitar has caused me to reflect on why I'm a Hooters Girl and perhaps more specifically why I write this blog.  It has become obvious through comments and emails that the Hooters stigma is far more prevalent than I perhaps realized.  It seems that in many ways Hooters is some mysterious curiosity centered on the Hooters Girl.  While many people love and adore Hooters, there are some that view it harshly.  Often this negative view is not so much that people dislike Hooters, but they really don't understand it often because they haven't experienced it.  People listen to rumors and hearsay - as is human nature - and develop an opinion that is often totally unfounded.

In a way, this is why I started this blog and began detailing my life as Hooters Girl.  While initially based as a way for me to journal for personal reasons, it rather quickly grew into a memoir into the life of a Hooters Girl as I become more cognizant of the Hooters Girl mystique.  In going to work and explaining my job and writing this blog it became apparent that my job stereotyped me.  My job placed me into a certain mold that really didn't reflect the dynamic person I am.  My job sometimes made me look like someone I'm not.  This is not so much because a Hooters Girl is a certain thing or a certain type of woman, but rather because people have the wrong understanding of what a Hooters Girl is.  For some reason the Hooters Girl is often viewed as vapid, shallow and vain.  She is viewed as unintelligent.  She is viewed incorrectly.  I suppose to simplify, I saw the blog as a way to show the real girl behind the Hooters Girl. 

So what I am behind the Hooters Girl?  I am a college graduate with a B.S. in Marketing.  I am a former collegiate athlete who nearly high jumped her height.  I want to go to law school.  I am waitlisted to get into the law school of my choice and worried about it.  I love buying shoes.  I use running as my emotional outlet.  I love to read classics, but secretly indulge in chick-lit.  I consider my guitar my most prized possession.  I have to sleep on my left side.  I love sports of all kinds.  I got stood up on my first date in months last Thursday.  I love writing papers, especially those that analyze literary symbolism.  I love ESPN.  I still have a teddy bear.  I eat string cheese every day.  I love hiking.  I love Montana.  I am a Dutch citizen and an American citizen.  Chili is my favorite thing to cook.  I like to draw portraits.  And a million other things that don't involve orange shorts and chicken wings.

When I tell people what I do, most don't believe me.  Honestly, if you had told me three years ago I wouldn't have believed it either.  I too had a misconception of what a Hooters Girl was.  I thought that girl wasn't the girl I am.  For some reason I judged a Hooters Girl as a girl without substance.  But when the job fell in lap, I realized very quickly that while a Hooters Girl is an American icon it is still just a job.  Being a Hooters Girl is not a definition.  It might be part of a definition, but it is certainly not a whole.

I work with forty beautiful, fun, amazing woman.  Most are in college, some of us have even graduated.  We have cheerleaders and athletes and nerds.  We are different, but share the commonality of being Hooters Girls.  For some reason however, the fact that we wear the same uniform seems to create the idea that we are the same person.  That's the thing about Hooters Girls, while we all wear the same orange shorts and scrunched socks we are hardly the same.  We are all gorgeous individuals with varying interests and personalities who happen to have the same job.

And honestly, it's a job that I totally love.  When I started did I think I'd love it?  No, I thought I would feel objectified and underappreciated and unchallenged.  There are certainly times I feel that way, but this is not most of the time.  Most of the time I love going to work.  I get to be goofy and show my personality and talk sports and play my guitar at work and even have intellectual conversations now and again.  I get to be myself.  It just so happens that this involves lots of spandex and Lycra.  And you know what, I'm ok with that.

I know that one little blog in the vast expanse that is the Internet is not going to singlehandedly change opinions, but I don't expect it to.  I suppose what I do expect is that a few people may chance by it and see a different side of something.  Perhaps this will enlighten them in someway.  Perhaps it will shed some light.  Perhaps it will change an opinion here or there.  But that is not up to me.  All I can do is continue to write.  I'm just one Hooters Girl writing one blog.  I couldn't be happier.

33 comments:

  1. I found your blog on the "blogs of note" and now I can't stop reading! Initially I clicked because I am a musician (singer) and saw "Girl and Guitar" and it caught my eye...
    I love reading about the Hooters stuff. I'm glad you were 'of note'! Anyway. Just commenting to say hi. :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. I guess there will always be a big swathe of society who will choose to judge a book by its (no doubt, gorgeous) cover and never care to actually find out how it reads...

    But, for the rest of us, keep up the excellent writing... :-)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Very well written. And very moving also. Your blog is a treat. Thanks!

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am one of the many who recently found your blog and I appreciate this post. Thank you for filling us newcomers in on what we have missed!

    Also, I like the post because it is a way to remind people that the preconceived notions we make are often very exclusive to all the other personality traits that exist within a person.

    I think this carries over into all servers too, not just Hooters servers. I worked as a server and bartender through the first 6 years of college education. Only recently did I have to quit due to time pressures in a doctoral program. I was disgusted though by the reactions I got from the few tables who asked what else I did (What, servers can do more than just bring you food?!?!). People were often amazed that I was in grad school which is very sad to me. It just shows what people think of their servers, when truthfully most are not crazy partyers who sleep until 2pm and spend all their tip money on alcohol...crazy concept, I know!

    Anyways, thanks for the post, its a great reminder that servers are people and deserve respect as such.
    Crystal

    ReplyDelete
  5. Wow, that's a great sort-of "intro" entry for us newbs! Yes, I found it thanks to the "Blog of Note" thing, and it's now one of my faves. I love your style and the way you've got everything set up (I may steal the cast of characters idea from you). Keep posting! Opinions and ideas are already changing... :)

    ReplyDelete
  6. Thanks! This is a wonderful post! We are so inclined to judge people, and to try and fit them into our own little boxes. Meanwhile there might just be somebody very unique, and very special, that our own misconceptions has prevented us from getting to know.
    Excellent, mind-expanding post!

    ReplyDelete
  7. Well written. Who we are isn't our career, nor is it who you marry, who you're born to, how much money you make, what car you drive... unless you let it become that. You love the person you are, that shows in your writing. Self-love, self-confidence is the most important thing you could have. Keep writing, I enjoy the read.

    ReplyDelete
  8. I'm another one who found you thru "blogs of note". Keep posting, really enjoy your writing.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Love your blog, but I probably won't eat at Hooter's any time soon. The last time I had the Hooter's Wings, there were feathers still attached. When I pointed them out on the plate, the server replied: "Yeah, that's been happening a lot lately."

    True story.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Thanks for the time you put into your blog post today. It is well written and obviously you are one smart person. I am glad that you are enjoying your life and your work. The more happy people we have, the better off the world will be.

    ReplyDelete
  11. cool blog, i love hooters lol.

    http://youfailure.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  12. You have to do something while you go for your true goals, and thankfully you're enjoying what it is you do (most of the time, anyway).

    ReplyDelete
  13. I have a lot of respect for you and your blog. I have no freedom to write publicly about my job, as much as I would love to, and I think it's absolutely wonderful corporate praised you for it. Our suits like to squash us when we have opinions, and seem to care more about getting rid of the jaded ones and spending the money to train the new and inexperienced (and consequently happy) employees every four to six months. So, reading your blog is very cathartic and entertaining.

    I also love seeing your receipt art! Whenever I eat out I try to doodle something for my server. Once a girl came running back and asked how I knew Tigger was her favorite character, haha.

    Bottom line, thank you for the entertaining and enlightening read.

    Love, peace, and chicken grease!
    Nellie

    ReplyDelete
  14. You've given me a newfound respect for Hooters girls and I appreciate that.

    Blog on, miss! I'm hooked :D

    srsly,
    panda.

    ReplyDelete
  15. You should have named this post, "How Many Times Can I Say Hooter's Girl in One Blog."

    ReplyDelete
  16. Well the blog is about being a Hooters Girl...naturally it'd come up a few time. You should call yourself, "Obvious and Anonymous."

    Oh and there's no apostrophe in Hooters Girl...just so you know.

    ReplyDelete
  17. I'm really glad you were featured on Blog of Note and I'll be honest, I've had the opportunity to apply as a Hooters Girl at the Hooters casino on the Strip and have had my doubts about it.. But you have kind of changed my mind and maybe I'll give it a chance!

    ReplyDelete
  18. So... you wanna go out next thursday, maybe catch a movie or something?

    ReplyDelete
  19. If you are happy with your job, then you're happy with your job! Who is anybody to judge you? Good luck for the future!

    http://rockershack.blogspot.com

    ReplyDelete
  20. Your blog is really writen very well!
    Thank you so much..I liked it!

    ReplyDelete
  21. I'll admit. I was one of those folks with "ideas" about Hooters Girls. Sometimes people like us just need reminders that sometimes a job is just a job, not necessarily a reflection on a person. Thanks for sharing your life with us, and teaching old farts like me not to be so casually judgmental.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Thank you so much for your fun and educational blog! I just started a blog on being the Cart Girl at my hometown golf course, and am encouraged to see that I'm not the only person who wants to talk about stereotypes as being a server/bartender or otherwise employed based on expressed appearance expectations as well as ability to do a job.

    I hope we can bolster each other and keep each other encouraged when other's perceptions start to bother us or hit too close to home!

    Good luck on the Law School list!

    ReplyDelete
  23. Hey, I came across your blog via "blogs of note"

    Interesting read for sure. I picked yours because I play guitar (not as much as I like) an on rare occasions perform - never professionally.

    Keep up the great attitude.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Whether you are a Hooter's Girl or a truck stop waitress, you are working hard and that has to be commended.

    Everyone who works with the public feels objectified, underappreciated and unchallenged at times. As long as the good days outnumber the bad ones it's nothing to worry about.

    ReplyDelete
  25. The stigma of working at HOOTERS is that you work at a restaurant whose main attraction is waitresses WITH LARGE BOOBS! Men go to HOOTERS to see this. I do not believe HOOTERS is renowned for its cuisine. I might be mistaken, but I doubt it.. It IS known, however for hot chicks in small shorts with nice tits. Sounds like a creepy work environment to me.

    ReplyDelete
  26. You tell them girl.. people are too quick to stereotype!

    Saw that you were a blog of note so that is why I am a visiting.
    Good luck with the country star gig.

    ReplyDelete
  27. This is a very interesting (and true) perspective. Nice to see you have a good head on your shoulders.

    ReplyDelete
  28. I found your blog on 'blog of note' as well. I totally get the 'being judged by what you are not who you are' stigma. And just so you know, if I didnt have a size A chest, Id totally want to be a hooters girl :)

    ReplyDelete
  29. Love the article on Hooters girls and you have nothing to feel anything negative about. Too often people judge others for their involvement in things they don't identify with or don't understand.

    Personally, I've have yet to dine at a Hooters but have heard nothing but positive things from others.

    It's a tough world out there today and jobs can be hard to come by. So working at a restaurant, regardless of dress code, is irrelevant in my book. You have a job and are being a responsible adult, if others have issues with where you work, that is their own narrow-minded problem, and they have to deal with that. Judge not lest ye be judged.

    More importantly, you have a job you love, and that is to be envied. Looking at surveys of job satisfaction and answer to the question "do you love your job?" most people don't. Having a job you love such as we do sets us apart from others in that a major part of our lives bring us satisfaction. Be happy with this and in who you are. You're one of the lucky ones, and yes, I will eventually make it over to a Hooters when I can squeeze some fun in between work and school, they keep me pretty busy.

    Best of fortune!

    - Seriously

    ReplyDelete
  30. Nice blog! Very interesting

    ReplyDelete
  31. well, thank you for bothering to correct all of us.

    ReplyDelete
  32. I stumbled upon your blog last night and it's great. This post specifically stood out. Having dated a Hooters girl, I know of the crazy misconceptions out there. I had them too, but now I'm educated. Good luck to you in all your endeavors.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Excellently written article, if only all bloggers offered the same level of content as you, the internet would be a much better place. Please keep it up!

    Job Satisfaction Surveys

    ReplyDelete

LinkWithin

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...