"You could be on a boat with a man your man could smell like....I'm on a horse."
This is one of my favorite all-time commercials. It embodies the complete sarcastic rhetoric behind socially accepted feminine ideals about men and makes fun of all those other bodywash commercials that use men's idealistic body appeal to sell their product. Note: it was much easier to make fun of idealized masculinity than idealized femininity in advertising, since women's sex appeal is used so much socially and is very entrenched. Think about that! (with the exception of Saturday Night Live, which also rocks..!)This is great social commentary!
However, yes Old Spice, you rock because of this. I know that's exactly what you wanted, but thank you for the commercial ; )
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0ZOm2YhOI4c&feature=player_embedded
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Real Life in the World: The Teaching of Male Violence
I volunteer every Friday afternoon to teach 5th grade children about permaculture gardening and the natural world at the Montessori School in Greensboro. It is a wonderful, liberating thing to know that I am using a teaching style that stimulates creative knowledge of a child, in a natural harmonious way of learning.
One of the boys was having a problem with another student, and seemed to be reacting by pushing him. I did not know the real background situation of the social circumstance, and had not known the students for more than a couple of months. Cameron (real name omitted for privacy purposes), the boy that was trying to use pushing to solve the problem, was very upset. It began to get worse, so I had to tell them both to respect one another and that violent behavior is not the best way to solve any problem. This was my general advice to both of them, since it was not my place to interfere much further.
Cameron later approached me, and told me "Chandra, I just want you to know that my mother told me that I could use violence."
I was really in shock, and was not sure what to say for a couple of seconds. This applied directly to what I had been learning in Women's and Gender Studies class, about male violence, where it starts, how it is continued, and what the cycle does.
It was hard to understand what I should say, given the position I was in. I repeated my general advice, saying that violence does not actually solve the real problem that is happening, it just ignores it. I told him that respecting others, even though they may not respect you, is important to understanding what is really going on. What would happen if everyone used violence to solve every problem?
In hindsight, what I really should have done was ask Cameron, is the person that is giving you trouble human? Is he a person just like you? Do people make mistakes? Yes, they do. People make many mistakes. In the end, their mistakes are not really anything that has to do with you. It has more to do with whatever problems they face. I understand why you are angry, even though I dont know what is really going on, but the best thing you could possibly do, is to think about where the other person is coming from, and to solve the problem through understanding why he is doing this and not to take it so personally by respecting yourself enough to see through it. How would you feel if everyone used violence to solve every problem?
These are not exactly easy concepts for 5th graders, and it is clear to me that problems in life are confusing at that age. Between 5th grade and 8th grade, children do the most growing, they mature, their intellect develops even more, and their personality becomes solid.
The seeds for male violence are everywhere, and the influence is problematic. Violence is a distraction from real problem solutions, and at the same time a side-effect. The way it reinforces itself, and is actually taught as equivalent to strength to children, is something that I hope will eventually end as society moves closer to understanding the true strength that lies in each individual. I feel that violence is really just the easy way out, a showy, survival of the fittest superficial way of dealing with things. In class, we have seen violence used in several avenues to control social power, through music toward control of women, war-crime displays for control over both women and prisoners of war who could be marginalized racially profiled groups, to keeping other men in check as a macho symbol to continue violence as a macho method in and of itself. Violence is truly a control mechanism.
At the Montessori School, teaching is intended to be through the child's creative self-reflective insight. Non-violence is also an important aspect, because teachers do not force lessons on the children, but instead allow them to explore through curiosity in a well outlined path of curriculum. This is how I had hoped to teach non-violence itself to this student in need.
How would someone else handle this issue? Is there a better way to enlighten children and people about the real nature of social problems and why they occur? These are questions for which I will continue using my Women's and Gender insights into the birdcage matrix that is part of humanity's journey through life to find real truth, to break through the illusionary control mechanisms preventing insight into the truth of things, and to set up real cycles of understanding and respect for humanity.
One of the boys was having a problem with another student, and seemed to be reacting by pushing him. I did not know the real background situation of the social circumstance, and had not known the students for more than a couple of months. Cameron (real name omitted for privacy purposes), the boy that was trying to use pushing to solve the problem, was very upset. It began to get worse, so I had to tell them both to respect one another and that violent behavior is not the best way to solve any problem. This was my general advice to both of them, since it was not my place to interfere much further.
Cameron later approached me, and told me "Chandra, I just want you to know that my mother told me that I could use violence."
I was really in shock, and was not sure what to say for a couple of seconds. This applied directly to what I had been learning in Women's and Gender Studies class, about male violence, where it starts, how it is continued, and what the cycle does.
It was hard to understand what I should say, given the position I was in. I repeated my general advice, saying that violence does not actually solve the real problem that is happening, it just ignores it. I told him that respecting others, even though they may not respect you, is important to understanding what is really going on. What would happen if everyone used violence to solve every problem?
In hindsight, what I really should have done was ask Cameron, is the person that is giving you trouble human? Is he a person just like you? Do people make mistakes? Yes, they do. People make many mistakes. In the end, their mistakes are not really anything that has to do with you. It has more to do with whatever problems they face. I understand why you are angry, even though I dont know what is really going on, but the best thing you could possibly do, is to think about where the other person is coming from, and to solve the problem through understanding why he is doing this and not to take it so personally by respecting yourself enough to see through it. How would you feel if everyone used violence to solve every problem?
These are not exactly easy concepts for 5th graders, and it is clear to me that problems in life are confusing at that age. Between 5th grade and 8th grade, children do the most growing, they mature, their intellect develops even more, and their personality becomes solid.
The seeds for male violence are everywhere, and the influence is problematic. Violence is a distraction from real problem solutions, and at the same time a side-effect. The way it reinforces itself, and is actually taught as equivalent to strength to children, is something that I hope will eventually end as society moves closer to understanding the true strength that lies in each individual. I feel that violence is really just the easy way out, a showy, survival of the fittest superficial way of dealing with things. In class, we have seen violence used in several avenues to control social power, through music toward control of women, war-crime displays for control over both women and prisoners of war who could be marginalized racially profiled groups, to keeping other men in check as a macho symbol to continue violence as a macho method in and of itself. Violence is truly a control mechanism.
At the Montessori School, teaching is intended to be through the child's creative self-reflective insight. Non-violence is also an important aspect, because teachers do not force lessons on the children, but instead allow them to explore through curiosity in a well outlined path of curriculum. This is how I had hoped to teach non-violence itself to this student in need.
How would someone else handle this issue? Is there a better way to enlighten children and people about the real nature of social problems and why they occur? These are questions for which I will continue using my Women's and Gender insights into the birdcage matrix that is part of humanity's journey through life to find real truth, to break through the illusionary control mechanisms preventing insight into the truth of things, and to set up real cycles of understanding and respect for humanity.
Friday, April 30, 2010
The Parking Ticket Exploitation Rant
Oh. Parking tickets. They tick me off. Especially when there are fewer and fewer choices for parking at the campus of UNCG, and more and more times and unique ways tickets are issued. Does this really uphold the mission statement of the University's Parking Management?
Recently, as in this semester, the paint job outlining identified parking spots was redone. Great for visibility, but they marked off plenty of spots that could have been used easily, squeezing commuter students in and limiting space. Makes it easier to survey the area for extra tickets too.
Any student that parks on a yellow triangle (that last semester was a legit place to park) is ticketed for $50 immediately. I was enlightened with this understanding when desperate to park after one of the last ice storms hit, while parking spots were blocked with ice, and almost every day at 11:00 am the parking deck was closed for those without a parking pass(which had already been very annoying and time consuming). This excludes days the email was sent out allowing parking in the horribly long-wait park and ride lot. There was no parking anywhere. Believe me, I know every parking spot that exists in the area. I appealed the ticket and won, stating that the closing of the parking deck to those without a pass almost every day at the same time in combination with ice and none of the limited free parking spaces available made parking impossible and that I should not be fined simply because the parking management at UNCG had temporarily failed. I targeted their mission statement to allow all students adequate access to parking. Keeping student parking from becoming stagnant by patrolling every 2 hours is one thing, this was indeed another.
As a commuter student that doesn't exactly have the money to buy the holy sparkling privileged year-round parking pass for the parking deck, yes that pass which goes up another $50 every year, the free 2 hour parking is a necessity. Other additions to the ticket violation list now include parking a few inches over the white lines, even if the person behind you forced you to. hmmmh.
This is checked so frequently that many tickets are issued every hour. When parking is intentionally limited and no real flexibility exercised, the city and the University is actively exploiting hard-working college students, not even middle class yet, for money. Because they can. So, in short, those who don't have a whole lot of money and are going to college and must park their cars frequently typically get ticketed. Those who have plenty of money, a pass, or dont need to leave campus for work, have it made. They also have plenty of time to study. Power and money in the university system again--people with money can move forward much faster. It does not matter how much a poorer student knows and their ability to use their knowledge... even the University grading system is inaccurate because students with less time to cram for a giant exam are squeezed out. Time is money, right? Students that must apply for Financial Aid are also required to be full-time students, even though they are very likely to be working at the same time due to only a basic financial covering aside from loans. Loans are taken out anyway, but if a student only took out loans and did not work, and was paying for their education on their own, they would end up just like many people in America: ready to start out on a career, and already deep in debt. What a way to make your debut.
Anyway, I think there should be free parking all day for commuters that have a bicycle. The cars stay there, do not waste gas moving cars every 2 hours--the Piedmont was just sited for having the WORST AIR QUALITY in the area, exhaust the cause--and students aren't exploited that must work hard already, and are instead rewarded for going to school and using less gas to do so. It also saves time.
:::::::::::::End Rant!:::::::::::::::::
Recently, as in this semester, the paint job outlining identified parking spots was redone. Great for visibility, but they marked off plenty of spots that could have been used easily, squeezing commuter students in and limiting space. Makes it easier to survey the area for extra tickets too.
Any student that parks on a yellow triangle (that last semester was a legit place to park) is ticketed for $50 immediately. I was enlightened with this understanding when desperate to park after one of the last ice storms hit, while parking spots were blocked with ice, and almost every day at 11:00 am the parking deck was closed for those without a parking pass(which had already been very annoying and time consuming). This excludes days the email was sent out allowing parking in the horribly long-wait park and ride lot. There was no parking anywhere. Believe me, I know every parking spot that exists in the area. I appealed the ticket and won, stating that the closing of the parking deck to those without a pass almost every day at the same time in combination with ice and none of the limited free parking spaces available made parking impossible and that I should not be fined simply because the parking management at UNCG had temporarily failed. I targeted their mission statement to allow all students adequate access to parking. Keeping student parking from becoming stagnant by patrolling every 2 hours is one thing, this was indeed another.
As a commuter student that doesn't exactly have the money to buy the holy sparkling privileged year-round parking pass for the parking deck, yes that pass which goes up another $50 every year, the free 2 hour parking is a necessity. Other additions to the ticket violation list now include parking a few inches over the white lines, even if the person behind you forced you to. hmmmh.
This is checked so frequently that many tickets are issued every hour. When parking is intentionally limited and no real flexibility exercised, the city and the University is actively exploiting hard-working college students, not even middle class yet, for money. Because they can. So, in short, those who don't have a whole lot of money and are going to college and must park their cars frequently typically get ticketed. Those who have plenty of money, a pass, or dont need to leave campus for work, have it made. They also have plenty of time to study. Power and money in the university system again--people with money can move forward much faster. It does not matter how much a poorer student knows and their ability to use their knowledge... even the University grading system is inaccurate because students with less time to cram for a giant exam are squeezed out. Time is money, right? Students that must apply for Financial Aid are also required to be full-time students, even though they are very likely to be working at the same time due to only a basic financial covering aside from loans. Loans are taken out anyway, but if a student only took out loans and did not work, and was paying for their education on their own, they would end up just like many people in America: ready to start out on a career, and already deep in debt. What a way to make your debut.
Anyway, I think there should be free parking all day for commuters that have a bicycle. The cars stay there, do not waste gas moving cars every 2 hours--the Piedmont was just sited for having the WORST AIR QUALITY in the area, exhaust the cause--and students aren't exploited that must work hard already, and are instead rewarded for going to school and using less gas to do so. It also saves time.
:::::::::::::End Rant!:::::::::::::::::
Monday, April 19, 2010
Media Use of Women's New Social Power: Oil and Gas Companies
Here is an advertisement promoting the immediate use of oil and natural gas for the United States of America in the name of liberating us from our current energy problems.
I'm a biology major. I've taken too many environmental courses including Biosphere to be swayed by this amazingly backward representation of what will benefit us in the future... and I've already tackled my own views and bias on the issue so don't get me started. (Unless you would like to debate daunting global realities and the boring long process of actually extracting oil/gas)
Media Scientific Fact and Influence Breakdown:
They focus on facts conveniently stacked to persuade you that this is the most viable option to agree with. Once you understand that the figures presented are the maximum statistics for extracted energy on the continent, you would also find that by the time the CO2 from that hits and before we could even possibly extract it all to use, we will have hit global warming crisis and peak oil anyway, the financial benefit to consumers spread out to be equivalent to very little, jobs that could have been for greener technologies taken temporarily, and the world gets a huge mess of consequences for the environment instead, which frankly doesnt make matters much better. It creates more dependency on current energy cycles with bad consequences for only temporary fixes that would take a very long time to create small benefits, and yes, a big bunch of money for the companies behind it now and like possible company insurance for the future. Political is personal for me. So is the environment I live in and the people I care about that must swim through the media (here I mean advertising media but it is seen in the real news too) of politically influenced information to figure out what is really going on here. The benefits she mentions, especially agriculture pesticides/fertilizers, are temporary fixes themselves that we've got to stop (several studies on organic and permaculture techniques show benefits for the environment and higher yeilds with less stress for the environment).
The focus needs to be mostly on transcending negative environmental energy cycles, but we've got to overcome the oppression of powerful companies bestowing this skewed garbage upon us to maintain that power structure. This is seen throughout history too folks. It parallels loads of environmental stories from Love Canal to water control in L.A. but that's for another blog another time.
Advertising Rhetoric:
If an advertisement is going to appeal to the most current social birdcage, and have a liberating argument, it might as well use a powerful psychological icon for representing the case. Here, a woman, and a young businesswoman at that, is promoting a strong argument for setting America on a path to independent energy control. Her voice is bold, she wears black and white for dramatic contrast, and she is extremely confident in her statements about the liberating effect of oil/gas. So they're totally ripping off what we want in Women's and Gender Studies to be represented in female rhetoric and using it to continue a power structure that actually is not very liberating in the long run, and is in fact the highest profit maker world wide. (and the branching cause of extreme environmental degradation if you include the production of plastics such as vinyl... plastic is made from oil! This is the most toxic anti-environmental dependence we have today!)
mmhmm. My internal ecofeminist is pondering these implications and the use of women's appeal in such a manipulative manner. I wonder what Charlotte Gilman Perkins might have to say on the matter.
I'm a biology major. I've taken too many environmental courses including Biosphere to be swayed by this amazingly backward representation of what will benefit us in the future... and I've already tackled my own views and bias on the issue so don't get me started. (Unless you would like to debate daunting global realities and the boring long process of actually extracting oil/gas)
Media Scientific Fact and Influence Breakdown:
They focus on facts conveniently stacked to persuade you that this is the most viable option to agree with. Once you understand that the figures presented are the maximum statistics for extracted energy on the continent, you would also find that by the time the CO2 from that hits and before we could even possibly extract it all to use, we will have hit global warming crisis and peak oil anyway, the financial benefit to consumers spread out to be equivalent to very little, jobs that could have been for greener technologies taken temporarily, and the world gets a huge mess of consequences for the environment instead, which frankly doesnt make matters much better. It creates more dependency on current energy cycles with bad consequences for only temporary fixes that would take a very long time to create small benefits, and yes, a big bunch of money for the companies behind it now and like possible company insurance for the future. Political is personal for me. So is the environment I live in and the people I care about that must swim through the media (here I mean advertising media but it is seen in the real news too) of politically influenced information to figure out what is really going on here. The benefits she mentions, especially agriculture pesticides/fertilizers, are temporary fixes themselves that we've got to stop (several studies on organic and permaculture techniques show benefits for the environment and higher yeilds with less stress for the environment).
The focus needs to be mostly on transcending negative environmental energy cycles, but we've got to overcome the oppression of powerful companies bestowing this skewed garbage upon us to maintain that power structure. This is seen throughout history too folks. It parallels loads of environmental stories from Love Canal to water control in L.A. but that's for another blog another time.
Advertising Rhetoric:
If an advertisement is going to appeal to the most current social birdcage, and have a liberating argument, it might as well use a powerful psychological icon for representing the case. Here, a woman, and a young businesswoman at that, is promoting a strong argument for setting America on a path to independent energy control. Her voice is bold, she wears black and white for dramatic contrast, and she is extremely confident in her statements about the liberating effect of oil/gas. So they're totally ripping off what we want in Women's and Gender Studies to be represented in female rhetoric and using it to continue a power structure that actually is not very liberating in the long run, and is in fact the highest profit maker world wide. (and the branching cause of extreme environmental degradation if you include the production of plastics such as vinyl... plastic is made from oil! This is the most toxic anti-environmental dependence we have today!)
mmhmm. My internal ecofeminist is pondering these implications and the use of women's appeal in such a manipulative manner. I wonder what Charlotte Gilman Perkins might have to say on the matter.
Songs about Society: Modern Radio Rhetoric!
Whatcha Say by Jason DeRulo-- a very critical analysis
I really enjoy the uplifting "sound" of this song, its background music and the tones of the artist. However, when I listen to the lyrics, the message being sung about society is just depressing for me. Of course, I could be lenient and discuss the power of forgiveness and second chances, but that's not as much fun as slamming the song to understand the potential binds that might be prevalent.
Have a listen to a fragment to hear Whatcha Say if you aren't sure about which song I'm talking about:
By the way, Tiger Woods, this song is for you... ::few coughs::
This song is all about money, disloyalty, attempts at the control of women, and *conditional* forgiveness of a woman for a man. I've noticed a lot of songs by male singers portray this mistake-forgive me-ok relationship control lyric pattern, and women a he's not here-there you are-whats the deal-ok or the rebellion of that pattern (Lady Gaga for example). Of course you have other songs that repeat "when a heart break no it dont break even" but this is all really just a recent radio song pattern I happened to notice. I'm not attempting to generalize here too much. We have just gone over the oppressive irony of Eminem in class that shows this is nothing new.
Rhetoric Analysis
Key Lyrics I Have a Problem With:
"but when I become a star we'll be living so large, I'll do anything for you, so tell me girl- mmm whatcha say, ooh that you only meant well? Yeah of course you did...that its all for the best.."
He is using male privilege here to make the statement that he will have lots of money and powerful stability, that this should be attractive to her, and she should ignore her emotions in order to be stable with him and have a higher place in society as a result. The ironic pity cries of "I can't live without you" place illusionary power and importance on the girl, in order to put her back in her place--under his control. What he really can't live without might just be that; control over a woman, specific or not.
Video: His character portrayal in the video is displaying a poor me scene with a bad ass attitude undertone. Very classic. The poor me visual runs over the "that you've always been well?" statement during the song. This is not coincidence. He doesn't want to appear to be controlling the woman, but begging to have someone he actually cares about. (which, this song can be translated to be also...) However, it is clear that he wishes for her to forget the whole thing and forgive him on the basis of power rather than emotion, when ironically his emotional rhetoric on screen is what prevails to win the relationship discrepancy.
So let's flip it on the singer. Mmmm whatcha say J.R., mmm that she only meant well? Well of course she did when she left! Mmmm whatcha say whatcha say that it's all for the best? Empowering herself TO leave! Well of course it is. Illusion and deception of power on the relationship level, demolished.
I really enjoy the uplifting "sound" of this song, its background music and the tones of the artist. However, when I listen to the lyrics, the message being sung about society is just depressing for me. Of course, I could be lenient and discuss the power of forgiveness and second chances, but that's not as much fun as slamming the song to understand the potential binds that might be prevalent.
Have a listen to a fragment to hear Whatcha Say if you aren't sure about which song I'm talking about:
By the way, Tiger Woods, this song is for you... ::few coughs::
This song is all about money, disloyalty, attempts at the control of women, and *conditional* forgiveness of a woman for a man. I've noticed a lot of songs by male singers portray this mistake-forgive me-ok relationship control lyric pattern, and women a he's not here-there you are-whats the deal-ok or the rebellion of that pattern (Lady Gaga for example). Of course you have other songs that repeat "when a heart break no it dont break even" but this is all really just a recent radio song pattern I happened to notice. I'm not attempting to generalize here too much. We have just gone over the oppressive irony of Eminem in class that shows this is nothing new.
Rhetoric Analysis
Key Lyrics I Have a Problem With:
"but when I become a star we'll be living so large, I'll do anything for you, so tell me girl- mmm whatcha say, ooh that you only meant well? Yeah of course you did...that its all for the best.."
He is using male privilege here to make the statement that he will have lots of money and powerful stability, that this should be attractive to her, and she should ignore her emotions in order to be stable with him and have a higher place in society as a result. The ironic pity cries of "I can't live without you" place illusionary power and importance on the girl, in order to put her back in her place--under his control. What he really can't live without might just be that; control over a woman, specific or not.
Video: His character portrayal in the video is displaying a poor me scene with a bad ass attitude undertone. Very classic. The poor me visual runs over the "that you've always been well?" statement during the song. This is not coincidence. He doesn't want to appear to be controlling the woman, but begging to have someone he actually cares about. (which, this song can be translated to be also...) However, it is clear that he wishes for her to forget the whole thing and forgive him on the basis of power rather than emotion, when ironically his emotional rhetoric on screen is what prevails to win the relationship discrepancy.
So let's flip it on the singer. Mmmm whatcha say J.R., mmm that she only meant well? Well of course she did when she left! Mmmm whatcha say whatcha say that it's all for the best? Empowering herself TO leave! Well of course it is. Illusion and deception of power on the relationship level, demolished.
Saturday, March 20, 2010
Not Allowed To Go To Prom---Because of Your Orientation!!!!!
http://lezgetreal.com/?p=28315
This just in-- Mississippi Lesbian Prom Story
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old lesbian high school student is challenging a Mississippi school district policy that says no same-sex dates at the senior prom.
At issue is a memo put out to the Itawamba County high school students that laid out the criteria for bringing a date to the prom, and one requirement was that the person must be of the opposite sex. The people in charge told her that if she showed up at the prom with her girl, and made people "uncomfortable" there, they would be thrown OUT!!!!
This is a huge OMG In The World topic!!!!!!!
First, is it really a problem starting with the people who would feel uncomfortable, or is it the fact that these two people happen to have this orientation?
Second, is throwing them out and canceling prom altogether necessary?! Come ON! This is ridiculous.
Where is the respect for who people are? If authority figures are using this form of--almost discipline-- to solve this social issue (which is really an issue for people that react to it poorly) imagine what that implies!
This implies that orientation can be "wrong" instead of being exactly what it is-- orientation.
Is love wrong? Should love be disciplined? Should prom be canceled because of it?
Really now.
Constance contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, who said the schools district policy was a direct assault on her First Amendment right of free expression!!!! Yes!!!
They demanded the school respect those rights or be sued. The school officials responded by canceling the WHOLE PROM. (is this really how to solve this social issue? By ignoring it?!)
“It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors… However, at this time, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Itawamba County School District, after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students.”
Ellen DeGeneres is on the case. She happens to be one of my favorite comedians. Rock on!
Home of the....free?
How is this treatment different from other social treatments in history?
This just in-- Mississippi Lesbian Prom Story
Constance McMillen, an 18-year-old lesbian high school student is challenging a Mississippi school district policy that says no same-sex dates at the senior prom.
At issue is a memo put out to the Itawamba County high school students that laid out the criteria for bringing a date to the prom, and one requirement was that the person must be of the opposite sex. The people in charge told her that if she showed up at the prom with her girl, and made people "uncomfortable" there, they would be thrown OUT!!!!
This is a huge OMG In The World topic!!!!!!!
First, is it really a problem starting with the people who would feel uncomfortable, or is it the fact that these two people happen to have this orientation?
Second, is throwing them out and canceling prom altogether necessary?! Come ON! This is ridiculous.
Where is the respect for who people are? If authority figures are using this form of--almost discipline-- to solve this social issue (which is really an issue for people that react to it poorly) imagine what that implies!
This implies that orientation can be "wrong" instead of being exactly what it is-- orientation.
Is love wrong? Should love be disciplined? Should prom be canceled because of it?
Really now.
Constance contacted the American Civil Liberties Union, who said the schools district policy was a direct assault on her First Amendment right of free expression!!!! Yes!!!
They demanded the school respect those rights or be sued. The school officials responded by canceling the WHOLE PROM. (is this really how to solve this social issue? By ignoring it?!)
“It is our hope that private citizens will organize an event for the juniors and seniors… However, at this time, we feel that it is in the best interest of the Itawamba County School District, after taking into consideration the education, safety and well being of our students.”
Ellen DeGeneres is on the case. She happens to be one of my favorite comedians. Rock on!
Home of the....free?
How is this treatment different from other social treatments in history?
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Lingerie Football....and L'Oreal Worth It
The fact that I wasn't really sure there were women's pro football teams, but knew that they must exist, reveals that it just isn't talked about or very popular. I've watched women's basketball, seen women's pro-soccer, golf, hockey, lacrosse, all kinds of sports, but not the football. Until now. This popped on TV one day, and I was both concerned and admiring. This, is lingerie football, with models that play pro-football. Of course, there is just pro-football for women, but its not nearly as popular as this, which is likely why I really heard about it first.
I love sports. I'm competitive, and love the rush. I love playing soccer and basketball, and I know I'd like anything similar to hockey. I'd kill to play quidditch if it existed. It's not just a masculine thing to be strong and want to kick serious butt cheek! Strength is beautiful in any form. That's the truth of it folks. No matter what way it is expressed, strength and wholesome health are admired in everyone on the physical, mental, and emotional level. Putting it to work together in the active form of sport is like putting this whole story into motion. It's magnificent.
HERE IS WHAT ROCKS: I think the strong, beautiful women playing football are awesome for being models and playing very serious football with great tactics. The strong woman idea has become accepted socially over time, sort of like the sought after independent woman who's got it all. (Still note that they are sought after by the guys...its still a bit taboo the other way around, just a bit) This results from women historically taking their stand and gaining respect. I like this and totally fall into wanting to be the strong pretty independent. Classic for today, and seems natural anyway.
HERE IS THE PROBLEM: WHY, oh, WHY is it that in order for women's football to be recognized, does it have to be LINGERIE football? I'll tell you why! Men are controlling that market! There it is, I've said it. They buy the season tickets to see lingerie football, not regular women's football. Women's sports aren't as popular anyway as the men's, predominantly due to gender role ideals in history. Recently, football has been idealized as so masculine, that if you're a guy and you don't like football, you might be classified into a stereotyped category. SO THERE HAS TO BE SEX APPEAL IN ORDER TO GET ATTENTION TO WOMEN IN THIS PARTICULAR SPORT?!?! That's what ticks me off a bit. Of course, sex appeal gets women attention for many, many things on subtle and not so subtle levels, especially with something in the market. Sex sells is the problem. Where did that respect go? The good thing is, once the guys have a seat, the girls actually play a great game.
But this reminds me of the commercial that came on right after I saw this TV clip. It was for a jaw line cream from L'Oreal, to make a woman look a certain way right on the jaw line, and then, after they've bought the product, after they've changed whatever it was about their natural look, only then, according to a social standard, are they worth it. Like the models.
The football and makeup extremes meet... the sexy models are free to be sporty, but both elements are subject to sex appeal here. It goes straight backward.
Excuse me, but I think all women are worth it without having to change themselves from who they are or how they naturally look, and are worth much more than all the sex appeal ideal. I think over time, women will get more involved in sports and gain even more respect for being tough.
For real. ; )
Gay Real Estate, Really? (Feb 2010)
People are people, people….
So I was scrolling through the internet to find out more things to do in Asheville, NC since I will be heading there this spring as a nice get-away. It is going to rock. I love the diversity, the artwork, music, mountain terrain, trees, open-minded people and food. It's a really awesome place to be. I found a website with some menu headings.... showing "Cabins and Cottages, Downtown Asheville, News and Articles, Real Estate, Gay and Lesbian, Maps and Weather, Hiking, Gay Real Estate, Restaurants, Outdoor Guide..." Wait. Really? Hold on. Let me look at that again... http://www.romanticasheville.com/gayandlesbian.html Perhaps I have not visited enough travel guide websites, but it was an eye-opener for me to see: First—an isolated section for Gay and Lesbian listed as a category and menu item with specific things to do, just for them--second, the Gay Real Estate subsection. Ok. I'll break it down for you in a minute. Gay Real Estate included information about gay neighborhoods and cottages owned mostly by gay men (I noted that as I searched through the site, it was a little bit stereotypically skewed to cater to gay men, an interesting intersection of orientation and gender). Hold all those phones, just hold them all for a second!!! Your horses too. There is many a cow to be had.
I love all kinds of people and have that desire for equality for all, just like many modern middle-class white heterosexual women do within a degree of invisible privilege that must be recognized, especially in a Women’s and Gender class like this. People are people, people! I think each individual person would love to do a wide variety of different things in Asheville, NC, romantic or touristy.
I can see why there is a need and a growing market for Gay Real Estate, or neighborhoods that are gay-friendly. Of course there is a gay community, and in the heterosexual bird cage, there’s got to be a social network that gives that community the freedom to find others to date, (for example, gay bars, under the things to do of the Gay and Lesbian section) and the freedom to not be judged constantly by your own neighbors. I mean, come on. As a heterosexual woman of this planet, I personally enjoy the freedom of being able to meet and date people. I also like having respectful neighbors that understand me.
What makes me pause is the fact that our society just isn't judgment free yet, and there remains a need for gay-friendly neighborhoods and website menus identifying a group with what really looks like isolated stereotypical "things they might like to do," and neighborhoods or cottages, just for "them," by “them” for “their” social protection from –those- that would oppress “them.” Who are “they?” Why aren’t they considered part of what forms us? I wish the social judgements of –those- that create touchy social boundaries ceased to exist.
Gay and Lesbian Things To Do: Highlighted in introduction text is the art, crafts, galleries, bakeries and flowers…. And pictures of gay men mostly enjoying those things. Where did the lesbian things to do go exactly? Are they stereotypically identified to enjoy the art and crafts as much? There is some balance, but it’s skewed a bit to appeal to gay men using their stereotypically identified characteristics. In addition to the highlights, they mention everything I want to do too. So the only thing that’s different in what I want to do in Asheville would be the gay bar scene. Why not just have the gay/lesbian dating ideas presented instead of an isolated things to do category?
Gay and Lesbian Real Estate: People that have been stereotyped sometimes group up as an identity to create their own freedom, because frankly, they’re not enjoying the bird cage much anyway. This can become a bad cycle when they isolate themselves as an identified group, but also something good because they aren’t being judged for happening to exist. To break the cycle, social judgment must stop here. I like how this is happening in the city of Asheville, but wary of the title, Gay and Lesbian Real Estate... it acts in a similar fashion to the things to do idea...
Why is there so much beef with sexual orientation? Is this menu item any different from having a category full of exciting things to do for Latinos based on racial stereotypes? It gets beefy when you analyze the construction of our social norm. and the fact that social behavior is even more carefully under control than judgment over something like race.
These are people, people! It is my opinion that love does not judge.
So I was scrolling through the internet to find out more things to do in Asheville, NC since I will be heading there this spring as a nice get-away. It is going to rock. I love the diversity, the artwork, music, mountain terrain, trees, open-minded people and food. It's a really awesome place to be. I found a website with some menu headings.... showing "Cabins and Cottages, Downtown Asheville, News and Articles, Real Estate, Gay and Lesbian, Maps and Weather, Hiking, Gay Real Estate, Restaurants, Outdoor Guide..." Wait. Really? Hold on. Let me look at that again... http://www.romanticasheville.com/gayandlesbian.html Perhaps I have not visited enough travel guide websites, but it was an eye-opener for me to see: First—an isolated section for Gay and Lesbian listed as a category and menu item with specific things to do, just for them--second, the Gay Real Estate subsection. Ok. I'll break it down for you in a minute. Gay Real Estate included information about gay neighborhoods and cottages owned mostly by gay men (I noted that as I searched through the site, it was a little bit stereotypically skewed to cater to gay men, an interesting intersection of orientation and gender). Hold all those phones, just hold them all for a second!!! Your horses too. There is many a cow to be had.
I love all kinds of people and have that desire for equality for all, just like many modern middle-class white heterosexual women do within a degree of invisible privilege that must be recognized, especially in a Women’s and Gender class like this. People are people, people! I think each individual person would love to do a wide variety of different things in Asheville, NC, romantic or touristy.
I can see why there is a need and a growing market for Gay Real Estate, or neighborhoods that are gay-friendly. Of course there is a gay community, and in the heterosexual bird cage, there’s got to be a social network that gives that community the freedom to find others to date, (for example, gay bars, under the things to do of the Gay and Lesbian section) and the freedom to not be judged constantly by your own neighbors. I mean, come on. As a heterosexual woman of this planet, I personally enjoy the freedom of being able to meet and date people. I also like having respectful neighbors that understand me.
What makes me pause is the fact that our society just isn't judgment free yet, and there remains a need for gay-friendly neighborhoods and website menus identifying a group with what really looks like isolated stereotypical "things they might like to do," and neighborhoods or cottages, just for "them," by “them” for “their” social protection from –those- that would oppress “them.” Who are “they?” Why aren’t they considered part of what forms us? I wish the social judgements of –those- that create touchy social boundaries ceased to exist.
Gay and Lesbian Things To Do: Highlighted in introduction text is the art, crafts, galleries, bakeries and flowers…. And pictures of gay men mostly enjoying those things. Where did the lesbian things to do go exactly? Are they stereotypically identified to enjoy the art and crafts as much? There is some balance, but it’s skewed a bit to appeal to gay men using their stereotypically identified characteristics. In addition to the highlights, they mention everything I want to do too. So the only thing that’s different in what I want to do in Asheville would be the gay bar scene. Why not just have the gay/lesbian dating ideas presented instead of an isolated things to do category?
Gay and Lesbian Real Estate: People that have been stereotyped sometimes group up as an identity to create their own freedom, because frankly, they’re not enjoying the bird cage much anyway. This can become a bad cycle when they isolate themselves as an identified group, but also something good because they aren’t being judged for happening to exist. To break the cycle, social judgment must stop here. I like how this is happening in the city of Asheville, but wary of the title, Gay and Lesbian Real Estate... it acts in a similar fashion to the things to do idea...
Why is there so much beef with sexual orientation? Is this menu item any different from having a category full of exciting things to do for Latinos based on racial stereotypes? It gets beefy when you analyze the construction of our social norm. and the fact that social behavior is even more carefully under control than judgment over something like race.
These are people, people! It is my opinion that love does not judge.
Sunday, February 21, 2010
Women's and Gender Studies: iN tHe WoRlD bLoGs!
Women's and Gender Studies is an insightful, liberating class that is continuing to bring me fresh new insights into my societal self, and how society works in relationship to itself, other people, and to me, across time and location. This self-reflection has become a powerful tool to redefine how we see what's really going on in cultural systems of the social world. I want to know where we've been and where we're going!!
Women's and Gender Studies at UNCG began with the study of women in a gendered society. Since, it has sought to study the marginalization and categorization of others as groups, challenging the definition of social identities and breaking down the borders. This is where the real change starts!!!
Here in this blog, I will seek out the eye-opening residual ironies that might work against equality, create assumptions, or trap groups in socially/politically constructed binds. I hope I dig up something good.... here goes!
Women's and Gender Studies at UNCG began with the study of women in a gendered society. Since, it has sought to study the marginalization and categorization of others as groups, challenging the definition of social identities and breaking down the borders. This is where the real change starts!!!
Here in this blog, I will seek out the eye-opening residual ironies that might work against equality, create assumptions, or trap groups in socially/politically constructed binds. I hope I dig up something good.... here goes!
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