NIU Women's Resource Center

2nd Annual Rock Against Rape: Tomorrow!

2011-03-30T12:41:00.003-05:00

April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which means it’s time for the second annual Rock Against Rape! The Women’s Resource Center and The House Café, in conjunction with several local bands, are raising awareness of sexual assault by hosting a benefit concert. So help us kick off Sexual Assault Awareness Month and enjoy some great music by socially conscious musicians and support a good cause! All proceeds will go to PAVE (Promoting Awareness, Victim Empowerment). Time: 6:00–10:00 p.m. Location: The House, 263 E. Lincoln Highway Cost: $5.00 Co-sponsors: PAVE, Alpha Phi Gamma

The Girl Effect

2011-03-25T13:58:00.003-05:00

Recently I’ve been doing a lot of academic work around the devaluing of girls globally. Basically, in places all over the world female children are valued less than male children, so they are treated differently. This includes a lack of education and choices for girls. Because they are denied education and other things that male children have, they grow up differently and are subsequently valued less as adults. This means that female children are less likely to be enrolled in school or to complete school, and more likely to be married and have children at an earlier age. USAID reports that “of the 72 million primary school aged children who do not attend school worldwide, 57% are girls, in addition, girls are 4% less likely than boys to complete school.”

The devaluation of girls causes them to be more vulnerable to poverty, gender based violence- including trafficking, and disease. Suddenly, this has become a global problem affecting more than just the girls, but everyone. How can we work to fix this?

The Girl Effect is an organization that is offering girls the opportunity to change their circumstances by going to school and earning a living; and changing the world one girl, one family, one village at a time.

I think that The Girl Effect is a great model. They’re working on the ground to change the lives of girls and increase their societal value. How much better could we do than that?

Rutger's Residence Halls

2011-03-08T14:47:00.001-06:00

After a freshman living in the residence halls at Rutgers University committed suicide after being bullied by his roommate for being gay, Rutger’s is rethinking its residence halls policies. The freshman, Tyler Clementi jumped off of the George Washington Bridge after his roommate and his girlfriend videotaped Tyler having sex with his male partner.

Rutger’s is now starting a pilot program in the fall for students who wish to participate in gender-neutral room assignment. It’s only available in select halls, and only open to 100 students (about 50 rooms). Students who receive gender-neutral rooms will be able to request the sex of their roommate. Rutgers says the program is also open to heterosexual students as well, and will not ask the sexual identity of its students.

Kudos to Rutgers. I hope all universities start implementing residence hall policies such as this one.

Woman at Point Zero

2011-03-01T12:43:00.003-06:00

I re-read one of my favorite books recently, Woman at Point Zero by Nawal El-Saadawi, and it is better than I remember it being the first time.

The novel’s narrator, Firdaus, is on death-row in Eygpt and her execution is set in one week. For the rest of the week, Firdaus recounts her life and how she ended-up on death row. She starts with her childhood; she was born to parents who didn’t love her and was given off to her uncle who married her off to an awful man who abused her.

After a particularly rough night with her husband, which ended in him raping her, Firdaus left her husband promptly. Suddenly Firdaus had to provide for herself in a culture that did not value women’s independence and most jobs were not open to women. So Firdaus decided a career in one of the very few jobs open to women – prostitution.

It proved to be a very luxurious job – FIrdaus owned her own body, something few women could say. She was able to use a word she wasn’t able to, even in her marriage: “no.” She denied men she wanted to, even men who were not accustomed to being denied by women, and got great satisfaction from it. She made good money from being a prostitute, and owned her own apartment and lived very comfortably.

After a few years, Firdaus decided to work at a factory, doing a conventional job. Oddly enough, Firdaus thought the factory was oppressive, not prostitution. She said, “These women are more afraid of losing their job than a prostitute is of losing her life.”

This book changed my perception of prostitution – for better or worse. It’s a slim novel, about 130 pages, and well worth the read. The author, Nawal El-Saadawi is a rad woman, and her biography on Wikipedia is worth a look.

When Do I Get to Vote on Your Marriage?

2011-02-23T11:15:00.003-06:00

NIU’s Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) student organization, Prism, has recently formed another organization called the Prism Activist Movement (PAM). PAM focuses on advocating on behalf of the LGBT community on campus and is currently hosting a fundraiser to raise money for future Prism events and Equality Illinois. Equality Illinois is an organization for marriage equality in the state of Illinois that does really great work; they were instrumental in passing the Illinois Civil Unions Bill and have created positive change in the lives of LGBT people all over the state.

PAM is selling “When do I get to Vote on YOUR Marriage?” buttons for $1 each today in Wirtz from 9am to 3pm. Buttons will also be available in the LGBT Resource Center (located on the 7th floor of the Holmes Student Center) today. So come out and help support PAM and Equality Illinois!

More information can be found here.

For more information about the Prism Activist Movement, visit PAM’s facebook page.

What is Consent?

2011-02-23T11:00:00.003-06:00

When I was first introduced to the topic, sexual misconduct and consent, I wasn’t sure how to respond without being too opinionated. So, I decided to do a little research before blogging to see what society defines consent as. While researching I came across a site feministing.org. This site discussed the issue of consent on college campuses and identified the idea that most campus codes of conduct explain what consent is not, but not what consent is. Intrigued by this fact, I decided to find the definition of consent.

According to dictionary.com, consent is defined as - to permit, approve, or agree; comply or yield (often followed by to or an infinitive): He consented to the proposal. We asked her permission, and she consented.

A person must give permission and or agree, before consent is formally given. Armed with this knowledge I decided to delve deeper into NIU’s definition of consent in the student code of conduct. According to NIU’s code of conduct, chapter three article 1.3a and b, Sexual Misconduct includes sexual harassment and assault.

NIU’s code of conduct states the following:
Sexual Harassment: Behavior that may include but is not limited to unwanted fondling or touching of a sexual nature, directly or through clothing; indecent exposure; or lewd behavior; any of which demeans, intimidates, coerces, threatens, or has the effect of creating a hostile or offensive environment. Such behavior may include the use of mail, telephone, or electronic communication to convey messages that are obscene or intimidating to the recipient.

Sexual Assault: Any actual or threatened sexual contact against that person’s will or where the victim is incapable of giving consent.

So once again I was given the answer to what consent is not, but not what it is. Given this information how can one truly understand the issue of sexual assault and consent, when it is not clearly stated in the campus code of conduct?

It’s about time “consent” is defined clearly and plainly so that it is accurately understood. Here’s my advice to all out there, if you have to question it then you shouldn’t be doing it.

Written by guest blogger, Jalen

That's Gay - Sissy Commercials

2011-02-23T08:59:00.001-06:00

Current.tv has a great special called “That’s Gay” hosted by Brian Safi who is always spot on with his commentary. One of the best episodes I’ve seen is Safi highlighting commercials put out by big name brands (Old Spice, Snickers, Miller Lite and others) that use macho masculinity and compulsory heterosexuality to sell their products to their target audience.

True, some marketers may make ads targeted specifically at gay men, and put them in gay magazines. However, most advertisements that have some sort of homophobic undertones are in the mainstream media.

As Safi points out, marketers are missing something vital: they are insulting and alienating consumers that have more disposable income for their products. As gay couples, specifically gay male couples, historically have not had children to care for (and to budget for), they have had more disposable income. So why would companies want to insult such a demographic? Perhaps they are making a social statement. Perhaps they feel 7%- 10% of the overall population is not large enough to be concerned about. Whatever the reason, the homophobia is off-putting to gender-conscious consumers.

I know I blacklist brands (and their parent companies!) that use advertisements full of homophobia, racism, sexism, etc. More than that, I consciously support brands that actively work against those said prejudices by buying their products and telling my friends.

The Baby Trap

2011-02-22T15:28:00.005-06:00

Why is it that Jennifer Aniston gets scrutinized for not having children yet, while other childless celebrities such as Oprah don’t receive the same scrutiny? The media portrays Aniston as a selfish person for not wanting to have children. They also blame her for the failure of her marriage to Brad Pitt. They say that he dumped her because she was not ready to have his children. They say Angelina was ready to settle down and have children and Jen was not. Apparently, Jen not wanting to start a family is what pushed Brad into Angelina’s arms, so to speak.

The fact that this gossip has taken a toll on Jen’s career is absurd. Even if Jen does not want children she could never express that in an interview because the media would bash her as a person. Why is it that in every relationship Jen has been in since Brad, magazines such as Star and People speculated about a potential baby bump? Also, recently there was an adoption rumor that got started. Bloggers and journalists said that she was going to adopt since she could not have any children biologically.

This entire obsession with her reproductive life is insulting and ludicrous. Why can’t she live her life as a happy successful actress instead of being portrayed as either selfish or infertile? The media should not scrutinize her decision to not have children just because she’s reached a certain age. I feel we need to leave Jen alone and let her enjoy life. If motherhood comes for her one day then it will and that will be her choice.

It’s interesting that older, childless male celebrities do not face the same scrutiny as female celebs like Jen.

Written by guest blogger, Sharnice

Female Candidates Faulted for Being Female

2011-02-16T10:06:00.002-06:00

Two female candidates for a Vice-President position of their college student association are being slammed for attempting to look like beauty pageant contestants, instead of respectable candidates. The college newspaper, The Concordian, had harsh words for the two women: “If you pass by a bulletin board in any Concordia academic building, you will likely find it congested with the over-sized, smiling faces of the ASFA candidates. I'm wondering — are these individuals running for student government positions or the chance to don a sparkly crown and sash?”

It’s not any secret, in fact it is generally accepted, that candidates attempt to look visually appealing. And surprise! Male candidates do the same. As Jezebel.com pointed out, “[the candidates] look like they're dressed to go to class.” And as it is a college student association, you would think that would be appealing. Do they really look like they are dressed for a pageant? I mean, they are not wearing ball gowns or big hair-dos. They are wearing feminine, casual clothes.

If a male candidate used a photo of himself in masculine casual clothing, would that be newsworthy? Would there be an article in the school newspaper about how he appears to be riding on his good looks by way of getting votes? Of course not.

It is unfortunate the article is inherently sexist and yet masked with something as benign as clothing.

Unfortunately, the direct link to The Concordian has been removed. Perhaps a sign of regret? Here is the article I referenced written by jezebel.com

Yes Means Yes

2011-02-01T12:35:00.003-06:00

I read Yes Means Yes a couple of months ago and was blown away by the unique mix of accessibility and challenging/new ideas in the collection. I expected the book to be a collection of survivor stories, or family members of survivors, but I was in for a surprise. The book goes far beyond survivor stories, and delves into theories of consent, and an ideal world free of sexual assault, while the authors use their personal experiences as anecdotes to their ideas.

For instance, one author writes about her own relationships and how every act involving physical touch must be asked for and consented to every time. This ranges anywhere from a hug from a friend to sex with a partner. She writes how that model of consent allows her and her partner to have completely open lines of communication and how she has learned to not only accept/consent to touch, but also how to ask for touch that you want. She writes that she loved consenting wholeheartedly every single time.

I thought one of the most powerful pieces was the “Not-Rape Epidemic” by Latoya Peterson. In the essay, Peterson writes that we all learn about rape. From an early age, we understand what rape is. There are countless Lifetime films devoted to rape, lectures, speeches, etc. to promoting awareness of rape. What we don’t hear about too often is “not-rape.” Peterson defines not-rape as: being pressured into losing your virginity, not being able to remember what happened when you wake to find a family member in your bed with you, having an older family member’s boyfriend ask you for sexual favors, feeling boys grope you during school, among other sexual transgressions that don’t fit the definition of rape. Peterson even includes her own painful and personal experience of not-rape.

All of the essays in the book are extraordinary and powerful. Luckily, the WRC owns a copy of Yes Means Yes, which any NIU student/faculty member can check out from our library. You can look at our entire library collection here.

Street Harassment

2011-01-31T13:00:00.002-06:00

Today, when I was walking from class to work, something happened. It happens rather frequently. You have probably witnessed it, or even have been a victim of it. So, what happened you might ask?

Street Harassment.

A car full of men shouted at a woman crossing the street asking her if she was a “hooker.” The woman continued walking, ignoring the car full of men. Those who heard it continued on their way, perhaps giving a glance at the car. Although, many people don’t think twice about it or even turn a head.

Many of us do this – namely, because we do not know how to react. We know that these instances of street harassment are not right but many of us are at a loss on what to do.

Fortunately, help is on the way. Anti-harassment expert Holly Kearl is coming to Northern Illinois University to discuss whether there should be legal repercussions for street harassment and how being cat-called affects women’s experience in public spaces. Join the Women’s Resource Center, Health Enhancement and the Campus Activities board while we welcome Holly, and learn more about combating street harassment.

Tuesday, Febuary 1st
Heritage room, Holmes Student Center
7:00p.m.-9:00p.m.

*This blog was written by WRC staff member: Lettie

"I'm Not Buying It"

2011-01-28T15:36:00.005-06:00

As the Super Bowl quickly approaches, America is busy reppin’ their respective teams, placing bets on who will win, planning Super Bowl watch parties, and flocking to Texas for the game. However, die-hard football fans are not the only ones heading to Texas in mass amounts, thousands of people, including children as young as 10, will be forcibly transported to the Super Bowl for sex trafficking’s busiest weekend of the year. Jezebel reports that the Florida Commission against Human Trafficking estimated that “tens of thousands of women and minors were trafficked into the Miami area during the Super Bowl last year.” The expected increase in occurrences of human trafficking has both law enforcement and advocates gearing up to prevent and crack down on trafficking.

The Polaris Project and the Rebecca Project for Human Rights have released this ad, campaigning for the closing of the “Adult Section” of the Village Voice Media’s backpage.com which has been used by some for child sex trafficking.

Traffic 911 has released a series of videos called “I’m not buying It” which feature a variety of people including trafficking survivors, hip hop artists, and football players talking about the sexual trafficking of children. The videos can be found here.

I'll admit that I’m not necessarily a fan of all of the content of the videos, especially the statement in one video which says “real men don’t buy sex.” I think it’s problematic to infuse anti-trafficking awareness with ideals and notions of “traditional” masculinity and “real” men; also it comes across as strictly anti-sex work. Although being anti-sex work is not necessarily bad, I think we need to remember that voluntary sex work, (if truly voluntary), is a completely different thing from underage children being sold for sex, and as such needs to be treated as adifferent issue. I do think that the ads are genuine in intent and I think it’s great that they will be shown during the Super Bowl. The videos will reach a huge number of people and are sending a message that isn’t often heard in mainstream society, I hope that the videos can serve as a conversation starter about human trafficking.

Human trafficking is a serious problem which is going to require tons of anti-trafficking awareness and support in order to stop or decrease, kudos to these groups to use one of the biggest events in United States to be pro-active about stopping human trafficking.

Blog for Choice Day

2011-01-26T11:11:00.002-06:00

Last Friday, hundreds of bloggers across the country took to their computers to participate in national Blog for Choice Day. log for Choice Day is an initiative sponsored by NARAL Pro-Choice America to get “ more people reading and talking about reproductive rights online on one of the most important days surrounding a woman’s right to choose: the Roe anniversary. Plus, it lets your readers and the mainstream media know that a woman's right to choose is a core progressive value that must be protected. “

Saturday was the 38th anniversary of Roe V. Wade. This important decision legalized abortion, giving women the crucial right to decide what happens to their bodies, and ultimately saving women’s lives by removing the need to have dangerous back-alley abortions.

Although Roe V. Wade was decided thirty-eight years ago, the right to chose is still not solidified. States are passing more and more stringent regulations with the aim at making it impossible for abortion clinics to stay open, and its working. Many women do not have a choice, because abortion is available to them only at unfair burdens. Frontline: The Last Abortion Clinic does a great job at analyzing this ever-increasing problem.

It’s important that we affirm the right of women to choose. This means that we need to call awareness to the problem and work actively to fight against it. We cannot let the fundamental right for women to choose what happens to their bodies be taken away. I urge you to find out what kind of activism is going on near you and find a way to support it.

If you are interested in pro-choice and reproductive health activism at NIU, I urge you to check at Advocates for Choice NIU, it meets Wednesdays nightst at 6 pm at the Women's Resource Center.

Active Disability

2011-01-25T12:49:00.008-06:00

We all recognize the universal wheelchair symbol. And for the most part, it has served pretty well. However, the standard wheelchair symbol might be changing. TJMaxx and other stores are using an image of a person in a wheelchair that depicts them being active and independent. I hope all wheelchair symbols will be replaced with this progressive image.

In the first image, it is often assumed that someone else will push their wheelchair for them. In the second image, the self-agency of the individual in the wheelchair is clearly defined.

Some wheelchair symbols don’t even explicitly define the person’s arms, let alone the person using them. That typical image has a passive, inactive, and dependent quality about it. And as the typical wheelchair sign is the universal symbol for those in wheelchairs, unfortunately, those passive, inactive, dependent qualities are transferred from just a sign to an actual human, and to a diverse group of individuals.

Let’s Do the Time Warp Again???

2011-01-20T15:50:00.002-06:00

Returning to campus (which, after four weeks off of school was not an easy task) I really thought about all of the events that had happened in 2010 and so far in 2011. Several of the events that had rocked my year and some days included mostly civil rights topics (disclaimer: not every event I want to list is here because let’s face it, my blogs are generally long enough as is).

In February 2010 it was announced that women in the Navy will now be allowed to serve on submarines (that was still an issue?). March 2010 brought an Oscar Award to Kathryn Bigelow for Best Director. Kathryn was the first ever woman director to receive an Oscar in that category. President Obama also signs a comprehensive medical bill in March 2010 that will insure about 95% of all Americans (Wow, even the working poor can get some help in this country? Where am I?). 21 states announce in May 2010 that they will sue the government in order to repeal the comprehensive medical bill signed in March (Oh wait, yep, I’m in U.S). In July BP finally stops the oil spill in the Gulf Coast after it pollutes the water for 86 days (while the poor who are uninsured die out, we’ll kill the environment too… Now that’s what I call multitasking). August 2010 brought the conformation of Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan (rock on Kagan!!!) and the decision in California that Proposition 8 (which banned gay marriage) was unconstitutional (Oh my. Really?). September-November brought law suits, repeals, and investigations into whether or not Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell should be repealed. December 2010, congress finally ends the bickering (say what????) and votes to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell to allow gay and lesbian service members to be open about their sexuality in the armed services. January 2011 brought a terrible shooting of a congresswoman in Arizona. Around the same time Glen Beck goes on record saying we need political tolerance (I don't even know how to respond to that).....

As we move into a new calendar year and the second part of the academic year, I can only hope we can forge through for the equality of men and women. But whatever I do, I simply can’t blink at any point this year! Doing so would make me liable to speed through the year without realizing all of the things going on around me. This would lead me to do the time warp, again.

Michael Jackson and Gender Norms

2010-12-16T10:47:00.002-06:00

I’ve finally come out of the closet as a Michael Jackson fan to my WRC peeps (so excited for the new album out this month). I tend to keep my “fanacity” close to my chest until I know I’m in a relatively MJ friendly climate. He was definitely a controversial figure to say the least and people often have strong, negative feelings concerning the King of Pop.

I’m not going to get into the controversy surrounding his numerous plastic surgeries, shocking de-pigmentation, or fascination with children. I would however like to point out one of my favorite things about MJ: his absolute refusal to adhere to established gender norms when it came to fashion.

He was a man who liked long hair, eye liner, and glitter. Glitter for days. Just thinking of him daring to wear a glittery military jacket for no reason, other than he liked how it looked, makes me smile. I imagine the military inspired clothing made him feel strong and invincible; I imagine he thought the glitter made him look that much more luminous onstage. He wasn’t afraid to merge the masculine and the feminine when it came to his wardrobe and I loved it! Haters loved to hate and speculate but MJ pretty much moonwalked on their faces, glittery socks and all.

Whatever you think about him, you have to admit he created a very particular style and stayed true to himself throughout all of the judgment and controversy. I think that’s an example that anyone who’s ever been called a freak or misunderstood could afford to follow.

It’s a Very Gay Day

2010-12-03T14:49:00.002-06:00

I came across this article in the Huffington Post (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2010/11/30/illinois-civil-unions-bil_1_n_790147.html) and was happy about the Civil Rights bill that was passed on Wednesday by the Illinois legislature. Like most good articles I find, I immediately thought of this as something I wanted to share on the WRC blog.

But after a moment of thought, I found myself wondering why I cared so much and why this was something I wanted to blog about. After all, I’m a feminist and while feminism and the LGBT issues are very much intertwined, there are still so many injustices that should be addressed and confronted in our society (like equal pay issues and stricter sexual assault sentencing for those who perpetrate violent crimes for example). It almost felt as if there was no time to celebrate because there is so much work to be done!

Taking time to think about this (only a short moment before getting back to my work), I had a very powerful realization. It dawned on me that yes there is so much work to be done, and there is still injustice that our society needs to deal with, we must take time to celebrate the victories when they happen. So, today you can see me take a breath of fresh air and be thankful for the small step in correcting injustice on such a gay day.

Bridalplasty: Wedding Competition Takes Reality TV to a New Level

2010-11-30T12:27:00.005-06:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I enjoy my share of trashy “reality” TV shows just as much as the next person. I know, I know, it’s blatantly ignorant, often horribly offensive, and just makes people look ridiculous. However, it’s also full of schadenfreude, (I mean, how bad can one really feel for someone when they agree to be on reality tv and shock: things end up not going well), and it’s pretty good mindless entertainment. Another pro? It’s always the same storyline, so you don’t have to actually watch the series to understand what is going on, usually just a single episode will do it.

Unfortunately(or perhaps fortunately), I do not have cable in my apartment right now, and actually taking the time to watch a reality TV show online every week is a level of dedication that I just do not have, but I will admit that in the past I have been known to watch Keeping up With the Kardashians, Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami, Rock of Love (I know-WHY?!), and Big Brother on a fairly regular basis. I even watched The Hills back in the day. However, when it comes to my defense of the abomination that is reality TV, please disregard all of the above when it comes to the following show.

Bridalplasty. That’s right. Bridalplasty. The show where brides-to-be compete to win a full-body plastic surgery makeover in time for the big day.

This show premiered on Sunday night, and there has been a ton of backlash about it. Check out this article on Jezebel, it does a great job of outlining some of the problems associated with the show in general, wedding culture in the United States, and the dangers of the plastic surgery cult.

I think that it’s really important to note the unhealthy nature of this show, and the fact that even though it may be a joke to a lot of us, for the women on the show, this is not a joke. This is the realization of some hope to “perfect” their bodies in order to fit the role of the “beautiful bride” on their wedding. Isn’t it scary that this type of behavior is normalized in such a mainstream way?

We need to stop this plastic surgery obsession train, and we need to stop supporting the crazy monster that weddings have become. When women are willing to jump through all the hoops and obstacles of the television show just to have a chance at undergoing all of this plastic surgery in order to fit into what society tells them they need to be for their wedding, then this is an indication of a serious problem.

Look Better Naked, Feel Better Naked

2010-11-23T10:49:00.003-06:00

Look Better Naked, Feel Better Naked
By Guest Blogger, Erika

“Look Better Naked!” an article I found on womenshealthmag.com, by Michele Promaulayko, discusses her new book entitled The Naked Truth. The article intrigued me because, as a woman, I could completely relate and find truth in most of what she said. Michele exclaims, “When we’re naked, it’s not just our bodies that are on exhibit—it’s our hearts, our souls, our very self-worth that feels exposed and ripe for criticism.” This sentence, right off the bat to me, perfectly hit the definition of what it feels like to be naked. Once unclothed, we are enabled to pinpoint every exact little tiny fleck of an issue that we have with ourselves and then magnify it in our minds. No problem spot is left unseen or unknown to anyone and that rather blatantly terrifies most women. She then goes on to discuss her personal struggle with this issue and how she feels that the book can help woman regain their high self-esteem.

According to research done by Michele, “One recent medical survey revealed that a mere 19 percent of women are happy with their bodies. In other words, of your five closest friends, only one of them thinks her physique deserves a thumbs-up.” This statement is completely saddening, yet it seems to hold true. Back home, I have a small group of five girlfriends including myself. During high school, it almost seemed as if none of us were proud of our bodies, let alone comfortable in them, with or without clothes. Anytime anyone one of us is together, the weight topic is still brought up some way or another. Every time a compliment is given, the girl just denies it and changes the topic.

Is that what we have come to with out bodies in modern day? Are we so embarrassed about our weight and appearance that we cannot even accept a compliment from a close friend? How horrible I think it is that many girls look in the mirror constantly to degrade and remind themselves of all the things that they believe are wrong with them. Unfortunately, it seems as though we have been socialized into a society that promotes the ideal woman to have a small waist, large breasts, and a tight behind.

Therefore, from the time we are little girls into the years of are adulthood, we are constantly trying to force our bodies to appear as the ideal woman and end up dissatisfied when we do not reach such high expectations that we and society hold for ourselves. A new proposed goal would be, instead of being concerned with how we look, why don’t we try to be concerned with how we feel? How we feel when we are healthier, staying active and eating nutritive foods. Everyone has fat; it has a purpose, to protect the body. It is nothing to be ashamed of. We should be concerned about our over all health. If we feel better, we are more likely to think we look better.

From what I read in the article, I think that The Naked Truth would be an uplifting read and may even change some people’s perspectives of their body. I might decide to read it over Christmas break and I’ll try to let you know more about it. If anyone has already read it, please feel free to comment.

What Privilege?

2010-11-18T15:29:00.002-06:00

Jezebel.com turned me towards this hilarious tumblr blog called “Privilege Denying Dude.” This blog is full of submitted messages about privilege on the image of a smug 20-something white hipster.

The blog satirically handles privilege of all kinds; race, gender, socio-economic status, sexual orientation, ability, etc.Whoever created the blog, gives this tongue-in-cheek explanation: “Look, I wasn't around when all that bad stuff happened. All I know is I got to where I am solely by hard work. Discrimination? I'm not going to listen to this. You obviously can't hear me: my reality is the only reality.”

All of the pictures are from the same template, so any one with a humorous caption of privilege is welcome to submit one.

The majority of the posts are hilarious and will give you the giggles, but a few are just priceless:
- “I can’t be a homophobe – I love lesbian porn!”
- “My neighbor is black, and she seems nice enough, so I can’t be racist.”
- “Why do women complain about being approached on the streets ? – I’m a man, and would love to be harassed on the streets by random women.”
- “If racism still exists – How come the President is black?”
- “Poor people are just lazy – my dad worked hard to pay for my college education.”
- “Deep down we’re all bisexual – especially lesbians.”
- “I wore black-face on Halloween – We live in a post-racial society.”
- “I can’t be ableist – I was on crutches for 3 months.”

This is a perfect teaching tool to have (privileged) people who deny or have never questioned their own privilege to really think about not only their privilege, but those who have unearned disadvantage because of that privilege. It’s a good teaching tool, and it’s so simple!

Women Athletes + ESPN= Nudity?

2010-11-18T11:35:00.002-06:00

I came across this footage earlier today and am in two minds about the women’s water polo team posing nude on ESPN in order to gain potential sponsors attention. … On the one hand, the team was paid well for their shot, which was their motivation. On the other hand, would we expect men to do the same thing to receive sponsorship?

After watching the video and thinking about how male athletes are regarded in our society, I have come to the conclusion that this is not alright with me. Call me old school, but I thought sports were about the competition and the sport, not about the sexualization of our athletes…

Maybe someday (obviously not today, thank you very much) men and women who are talented can play their respective sports instead of having to sell their body to be able to continue their craft.

Hollaback!

2010-11-17T14:04:00.002-06:00

I happened across this website called hollaback!, a “movement dedicated to ending street harassment using mobile technology.” It’s a website committed to stopping street harassment of LGBTQ individuals and women by having those who have been harassed share their stories. Street harassment happens on such a regular basis, I know I can count on being barked at, or aggresively chatted up by male strangers at least once a month.

Hollaback questions the socially accepted idea that being harassed by men just comes with being a woman or LGBTQ. Hollaback believes that street harassment is a “gateway crime” and because it is almost universally accepted across the US, that acceptance creates an environment of other gender-based violence.

Hollaback points out the clear lack of legislation that protects individuals from street harassment. This is due to the lack of solutions to stopping street harassment. Hollaback has stepped up to be that answer. Because of the explosion of smart phones, this enables Hollaback to be even more accessible. Hollaback encourages those who have been street harassed to share their stories and to support the statistics of how pervasive street harassment is, with real-life stories.

Stirrups and Stories: Reclaiming the OBGYN Patient Experience Through Imagery and Words

2010-11-16T10:01:00.003-06:00

This last week, I was lucky enough to be able to attend the National Women’s Studies Association Conference in Denver, Colorado. While there, I spent three wonderful days hearing about research, meeting people and seeing some of the amazing things that others are doing in the name of gender, social justice and empowerment.
One person that I happened to meet shared one of her projects, Stirrups and Stories, with me. Stirrups and Stories exists to allow women to share their stories, suggestions, and frustrations regarding OBGYN care. The goal is to empower women to talk about their OBGYN care (after all, who really takes the time to ask you how it is?) and to better understand women’s experiences with OBGYN care, from patients to practitioners.

The stories are reflective of a variety of different experiences, and range from notes of gratitude (“Thank you for being gentle”), to humorous (“Sooo…wanna meet for drinks later?”), to comments about consent (“If you’re going to bring 4 residents in to observe an exam, make sure you have CONSENT from the scared, pregnant 17-year-old who is in stirrups for the first time.”)

I absolutely LOVE this project. The OBGYN experience is often scary, uncomfortable, impersonal, and it is not something that we talk about. This project makes a great statement: women’s health matters and we need to talk about it. I encourage you to check out this project and maybe even consider sharing your experiences!

PAVE the Way

2010-11-12T15:51:00.003-06:00

This week I’m going to do something new. It will be wild, and you may get a little scared at times through out this blog…. (just hang with me here)… I’m going to be POSITIVE! I know that it sounds like a crazy idea, but I’m kind of tired only blogging about all of the negative things in the world. While there are a LOT of negative things happening, why not take the time to highlight something that is going on that is positive?

I’m choosing to highlight one of our many campus partners, PAVE. PAVE is an organization that promotes the rights of survivors of sexual assault and works towards a day when we, as a society, don’t have survivors of sexual assault, because that type of violence won’t happen. Period.

Recently, I came into contact with PAVE because the local coordinator was in the center shooting an advertisement about male victims of sexual assault. The commercial was meant to highlight the need for both acceptance and realization that men can be sexually assaulted and serve as a call for more men to be allies of sexual assault survivors.

My part in all of this was minimal, to say the least. I simply read a few lines off a piece of paper (about support male survivors) in front of a camera and was done. But, it was so much more than that…. As I was reading and thinking about all of the people (both men and women) who choose not to report their sexual assault out of fear or shame, I realized I proud I am to be a vocal ally. I’m thrilled that PAVE is out attempting to make a difference in the lives of survivors as we make strides in ending interpersonal violence, especially sexual assault.

Should Men Cry In Front of Their Girlfriends?

2010-11-10T09:54:00.002-06:00

Hmm…it seems as though the general consensus from his viewers is no, or rather “hell no”. But like Cleo, I can attest to the fact that many girls would really appreciate it if their boyfriends would open up, and cry damn it! Although this video is meant to be humorous and not taken too seriously, I know that most men and some women feel as if tears should be left for the ladies. Crying is a natural reaction to something painful and distressing, so why should males suppress such a reaction? People’s feelings, whether male or female, should not be invalidated, by calling them “weak” or through teasing. And frankly, using crying as a way to get out of things should be left to toddlers and young children, not grown adults. So come on people, let’s accept the fact that crying is human, and not gender specific.

Something Positive

2010-11-09T14:40:00.002-06:00

The following video is awesome. It’s a Sesame Street clip of an African-American puppet singing about how much she loves her hair. For the most part black girls receive negative messages about their natural hair. They learn pretty quickly that longer, straighter hair is superior to shorter, kinkier hair. It’s important to reinforce to young black girls as early as possible the beautiful and positive attributes of their hair, regardless of length and texture. Kudos to Sesame Street for embracing diversity and explicitly addressing a self-esteem issue that affects black girls.

Late Night Talk Shows

2010-11-04T16:27:00.002-05:00

Data was gathered over a six week period that looked at the demographic of guests on late night talk shows. The shows examined are: The Tonight Show, The Late Show, The Late Late Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, Late Night, The Daily Show, Chelsea Lately, and Lopez Tonight. The resulting numbers from each demographic featured on late-night TV were then compared to the 2008 census information.

The data would imply that women aren’t incapable of being funny. As all of the Late Night Talk Shows are comedic, the absence of women as guests (and hosts, might I add) would indicate TV Networks believe women can’t make a funny. Women dominate daytime talk shows, and with Ellen leading the daytime primetime with a comedic show, what is implied? That women are only funny before the 5:00 news? Women are funny only to other women?

No show was on par with the 2008 census information, or even came close. Some shows receive failing grades: The Late Late Show, Lopez Tonight, and the most surprising: The Daily Show. The Daily Show was under fire earlier in the year when Jezebel.com wrote an open letter to the show, accusing the show of institutionalized sexism and not having many female writers. The female workers of The Daily Show responded.

The only race that was above 2008 Census information was white people. Surprise! White people –as both hosts and guests—are overrepresented! George Lopez’s show is the only show to have fewer white guests than the census data expectation. Chelsea Handler and Lopez Tonight get passing grades for having more black guests than the census prediction. All other races on all other shows were under the expectation of the census.

However, the data is not perfect, as the data only reflects a six week period. It’s especially flawed in regards to shows that only have one guest a night, such as The Daily Show. The data might be slightly different if it was gathered during a different six week period. This graph is only meant to give people an idea of representation in late night tv.

It gives me pause that shows are still favoring white men, over any other demographic. This is just one more example of subtle, institutionalized sexism and racism that is generally accepted, especially by the untrained eye. I would be interested to see if any data comes out about a larger period, as more data would reflect more accurately. It might also be interesting to see similar types of data from 10 years ago, to see if there has been any substantial progress made. That might give me hope to think of what data might look like in the next 10 years, as far as representation in the media.

Healthy Media for Youth Act

2010-11-03T09:04:00.002-05:00

Popular culture has infiltrated the lives of many, but it has most definitely made an influence on society’s youth. With pressure from the media to look and act a certain way, it is no wonder that so many young girls are now concerned with their weight, dieting, and have a negative self image. It is for those reasons that the Healthy Media for Youth Act, if passed, would help in changing the negative effects that mainstream media has placed upon our youth. This act would provide money for educational programs about media literacy, youth empowerment, and even fund research on how female images in the media affect girls and women alike.

According to Change.org, those who are against this act accuse it of being controlling, complain of too much censorship, and even compare it to the Soviet Union. Although I can see where people are coming from in regards to the government controlling what is being fed to us, to me, it doesn’t really make a difference, since there will always be someone who is controlling what we watch, or what is being released to the public. At least with this act, the girls who watch TV, movies, or read magazines, will have less of a complex, and understand that what they see is not a standard.

A Tragic Loss ...

2010-11-02T13:22:00.003-05:00

On October 14th one of our fellow huskies went missing. Her name was Antinette “Toni” Keller, and she was a first year art student.

I didn’t know her personally but her story affected me deeply. I kept picturing what her parents must be going through, what her friends must be feeling.

Tragically her case has been re-classified as a murder investigation.

Students are being advised to travel in groups of three or more. That’s not really practical for me. My step-mother warns me not to go anywhere alone. She encourages me to hang with my male cousin as often as possible. I’ve heard people say, “Why did Toni go to the park alone?”

I say, why shouldn’t a woman be able to go to the park alone? One student commented that he wouldn’t let any of his female friends go anywhere alone because of Toni’s disappearance. It’s not fair to women! Why is it that we can’t feel safe in public spaces? Why should we require an escort?

Violence happens to men also. If Toni were a man, would people say, “Why did he go to the park alone?” I don’t think so. No one would blame a man for taking a walk in the park.

Power... less?

2010-10-29T14:33:00.002-05:00

When hanging out with friends it is socially acceptable to share your likes and preferences openly. However, I have come to find (in an uncomfortable way) that while hanging out with friends it is NOT as socially acceptable to voice your deep and profound distain for something that one of your friends thinks is awesome.

I’m referring to a situation I found myself in with one of my friends last week. We were hanging out and he had something he really, really, really wanted to show me. He told me that the new Kanye West video was a little different but completely AWESOME (and yes, he got that excited about this video).

So, he pulls up the music video for “Power” sung by Kanye West and we begin to watch it. The video itself is only 1 minute and 30 some seconds long (thank goodness). What I witnessed was essentially Kanye portraying himself as a God as all of these women fawn around him. The entire movie is just panning from one woman to the next as Kanye sings about being a man with sooooooooo much power. What was particularly interesting to me was when the two men come into the shot with swords and it looks like their attempting to bring Kanye down.

After the video was through, I looked to my friend and said, “Well, that’s some serious Baloney” (of course I used a more “colorful” expression than that but in order to keep the blog PG, edits must be made). I continued on to voice why a sincerely dislike the music video and disagree with the lyrics. To which my friend didn’t necessarily become defensive, but certainly reacted in a shocked way saying that it was awesome because Kanye is on the top of his game and he’s such an influential figure in mainstream society right now and he’s such a “man’s man” (whatever that means…).

I mean, seriously, why do we as a collective society seem think that because you can rap you’re a God? Furthermore, are you more of a man when you have women fawning around you? If so, I, tragically (or perhaps not so tragically), missed the memo; because there’s no way I could ever rap (even if my life depended on it) and I certainly do not have women fawning all around me. I just have to ask: If these are the messages we’re sending young men and women, is our society filled with power to achieve such great things as to gain adoration from others or are we just attempting to conceal the fact that we’re powerless to break free from the stereotypes of what it means to be masculine or feminine?

Who Knew?

2010-10-29T08:40:00.001-05:00

Note: this blog was written by Tracy!

I happened upon this tumblr blog called "Pictures of Muslims Wearing Things," a blog chock full of just that: pictures of famous Muslims wearing clothing. The subtitle to the blog is “Muslims dressed in their garb.” This blog clearly has its tongue firmly planted in its cheek; from its title to captions, it’s meant to poke fun at people’s ignorance.

“Iranian racecar driver Laleh Seddigh is garbed in her native racing gear.”

This blog is a response to general anti-Muslim sentiment and ignorance, but specifically to the belief that all Muslims wear a specific style of clothing, or that all Muslims look Middle Eastern and if someone does look Muslim or Middle Eastern, one should fear them. The blog also cites a specific instance of ignorance by former NPR analyst Juan Williams, who stated when he sees someone in “Muslim garb” on an airplane he gets worried and nervous. "Pictures" does a great job of challenging stereotypes and biases in a humorous way.

Higher Education - Too much of a good thing?

2010-10-27T09:46:00.005-05:00

As a junior in college, with only a few semesters left, it becomes increasingly disheartening when friends who have recently graduated tell you about their struggles looking for a job, or when you read articles like this, which states that the U.S. is producing too many college graduates, and it is starting to become a waste of time to invest in higher education. Has all the time and money I have spent on school really been a waste? With all the personal anecdotes I hear and the statistics I read, I can’t help feel like it is a waste sometimes, especially with a 22.5% underemployment rate. As the article states, due to the fact that we have so many college graduates, the pressure to have amazing credentials has increased; something so many of us feel on campus. I know many students who are currently juggling school, work, internships, and volunteer work in order to “meat up” their résumé, since the competition is so fierce.

As an incoming freshman back in 2008, was it foolish to think that I would graduate in four years and land a job that would jump-start my career? Perhaps that was a bit ideal, but my goals have changed, just as I as a person have changed. At the current moment, I am happy to be at school, absorbing every ounce of knowledge that is thrown my way, and living the college experience my mother missed out on. I am doing something which I truly believe later in life I will not regret, because I will be looking back on my experiences, not at how much money I made.

"No means yes. Yes means anal!"

2010-10-20T15:01:00.003-05:00

"No means yes. Yes means anal!"

Really?! Not the last time I checked, it didn't! But this is what Yale University Delta Kappa Epsilon (DKE) fraternity pledges chanted as part of their initiation into the fraternity, according to a change.org article found at: http://www.change.org/petitions/view/tell_yale_to_discipline_fraternity_for_pro-rape_chant.

These pledges walked around Yale campus, in the residential area, saying this chant, among other chants like: "Fucking sluts" and "My name is Jack, I'm a necrophiliac, I fuck dead women, and fill them with my semen." Keep in mind that women, too, live in this residential area and had to hear these demeaning things being yelled! Would you want to be a co-ed hearing these things from 'men' that you go to school with?

Even more unfortunate is the fact that this "ritual" has happened before! Broad Recognition, a feminist magazine at Yale, is calling for "real administrative action" to be taken against the fraternity and its leadership, who are only being made to engage in a discussion about sexual violence with the Yale Women's Center.

According to Yale's Fall 2009 enrollment, the ratio of men to women at the University is surprisingly equal. Women, and men, should not have to listen to this negative and violence filled chanting! Yes, there is such a thing as free speech, but when that speech is about degrading women and causing them physical and bodily harm...then it's not free speech anymore!

Part of the change.org article is a petition you can sign and send to Yale administration. You can add your support by signing the petition to tell Yale Dean Mary Miller and President Richard Levin to take action against DKE fraternity and help create safe campuses across the country!

Beauty and the Beast

2010-10-20T14:00:00.002-05:00

Second City Network did a hilarious skit analyzing the hidden message behind Beauty and the Beast and what is truly being conveyed to young girls.

Yes, this video is hilarious and will give you the giggles. But it’s so dead on, it’s uncanny. Beauty and the Beast is truly a film idealizing unhealthy relationships. Belle allows Beast to hold her hostage, so her father can be saved. Beast doesn’t allow Belle to have any friends, making her entirely dependent upon him and isolating her from any friends and family. To the point, Belle starts speaking to and having relationships with inanimate objects. In Beast’s defense, he does “allow her” to leave and save her dying father. And after all that, Belle falls in love with him.

It’s shocking that unhealthy relationship is romanticized and pushed on young girls. It’s frightening girls as young as three are watching this and absorbing the messages.

Second City Network also has a similar (but not as funny) video on The Little Mermaid.

LUNAFEST Returns to NIU!

2010-10-19T09:47:00.004-05:00

LUNAFEST is returning to NIU! Here's your chance to see ten new women-directed short films for just $5! LUNAFEST is a national, traveling film festival that promotes women filmmakers, raises awareness of women's issues, and supports non-profit organizations such as the Breast Cancer Fund. Ranging from animation to fictional drama, the films cover topics such as women’s health, motherhood, body image, aging, cultural diversity and breaking barriers. I am particularly excited to see Thembi's Diary, which tells the story of a 19 year old girl as she struggles to live with AIDS.

Join the Women's Center tomorrow (Wednesday) evening in the Carl Sandburg Auditorium at 7PM for LUNAFEST at NIU.

Proceeds from this event will benefit the Breast Cancer Fund and the Women's Resource Center Library.

Is This a Dream?

2010-10-15T15:53:00.003-05:00

I was in the office talking to the WRC’s AWESOME Administrative Assistant about things going on with me, with school, and life in general. Now one of the things that is constantly on the back of my mind is the WRC blog (yes, it does indeed consume my life) and what I’m going to write. Therefore, it’s no wonder that we started discussing my blog for this week….

So, because of my unhealthy obsession with blogging, and having taken note of Katy Perry’s new-ish song “Teenage Dream,” I knew I’d stumbled upon my next blog topic. Listening to it as I’m cruising around town in my red 2000 Saturn Station Wagon (Can anyone say Hottie??), I had begun to seriously enjoy the song. In hearing the lyrics (those which I could understand, so about ½ the song), I was sure that this song was very sex positive and all about women making the choice of “going all the way” and finding their voice to speak up for what they want.

Getting back to talking with the WRC’s Administrative Assistant, I found out by watching the YouTube video that had the actual lyrics on it that Ms. Perry is not sending as sex positive and empowering message as I had thought. Maybe it was my car speakers or maybe it was my lack of hearing that got in the way of me clearly hearing the song for what it was (both very possible and realistic). As soon as I finally discovered that Ms. Perry was advocating not only sex but drinking before sex (which can constitute rape in the state of Illinois) and women essentially surrendering herself to the man who makes her feel like an actual person (which anyone you're dating should respect you regardless of whether you're having sex or not) I was no longer in favor of the message of this song.

Now I know that Ms. Perry is pushing sex to a younger group of listeners (primarily teenagers), but teenagers have sex regardless of whether we want them to or not. Instead of making sex a passive part of society and something that is looked upon in shame, society should be instilling values that make teenagers and young people (and even older generations) discuss and think about sex before acting upon their desires. This helps make sex an active and responsible part of a person’s identity.

Lessons learned: 1) Don’t trust you crappy car speakers (or your crappy ears), 2) Listen to ALL of the lyrics and understand their meaning, and 3) Question what you aren’t sure of, which may require listening a few times to truly understand what’s being said and allow you to assess or critique that message.

ESPN Has Issues

2010-10-13T16:31:00.003-05:00

ESPN recently released their annual “Body Issue,” an entire issue devoted to commenting on the bodies of famous and up-and-coming athletes. ESPN is continuing the trend of infantalizing strong and independent female athletes by posing them in weak and passive positions.

The sexualization of these athletes minimizes their physical and athletic accomplishments by infantilizing them. Just take a look at the cover: Diana Taurasi is in a vulnerable, fetal position. I don’t own the Body Issue, so I can’t say if they mention Diana’s athletic accomplishments, but I am certain her success is not the focus of the article. People aren’t buying this magazine to admire women’s strength or to admire these women’s athletic feats.

On the 2009 cover of the body issue, Amar’e Stoudemire was naked and thus sexualized. However, his nudity didn’t diminish his body. Instead, it only enhanced his physically strong body. On the cover, he is in mid-air and looks as if he is about to slam-dunk. Taurasi and Stoudemire are both basketball players, yet the images are in stark contrast. She is passive, vulnerable, in a child-like position; there is no sign of a basketball anywhere. The focus isn’t her physical prowess, but her sexuality. He is active, strong, and his muscles are well-defined; he fulfills expectations of what it means to be an athlete (and a man). The focus is his physical capabilities and his sport.

The message being sent about women is: No matter how physically strong you may be, you must still maintain a soft, sexy, vulnerable part of you, because that’s what men value most. If you are too strong and don’t soften that image up with femininity, that strength is off-putting and can bring your gender and sexual orientation into question.

It’s disturbing that 1) A woman’s femininity needs to be reiterated constantly on a public platform and 2) A woman’s femininity is confirmed through pure sexualization.

Misconceptions In Magazines

2010-10-13T09:13:00.007-05:00

Admit it; we have all been guilty of uttering a sexist remark once or twice in our lives. But when a person hears that something sexist was said, it is often assumed that the remark was towards a woman. Yes, women are often the target of sexism, but men are not left out of this category. It is also important to note than many girls and women alike fan the flames of sexism for both genders, with their consumptions of popular “girly” magazines, as illustrated in this article on Alternet.org.

According to the article, the media loves sending the message that men are rude pigs who only think a certain way and act a certain way. And you know what? We as consumers literally “buy” into it. These messages are often the topic of many articles in magazines whose demographics are adolescent girls all the way through to young adults. So these misconceptions are introduced to people very early in life, by so called “experts” in the field. But just like reality television is edited to produce an interesting story, magazine articles are just as easily edited to produce interesting facts from said experts. This sort of editing is something psychologist Dr. Marty Klein has come to despise; since he was often an expert quoted in such articles. Klein stated that his issues with these articles include:

• “They stereotype men and women: men are like this, women are like that

• They ignore the reality that “men” and “women” are heterogeneous categories: they claim that ALL men are like this, and ALL women are like that

• They perpetuate inaccurate information: men do and think and feel this, women do and think and feel that."

Many girls and women often go to these magazines to find advice about the opposite sex, when really they are just warping their perception even more. The same can be said about popular men’s magazines and websites. How about we stop this so called “research,” and just reach out and get to know one another and communicate who we really are. I know, easier said than done.

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are!!

2010-10-11T16:26:00.002-05:00

From Guest Blogger: Nicole A.

Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are!!

October 11^th is National Coming Out Day and amid the recent and tragic string of suicides among gay youth, this Coming Out Day has a somber tone. It is especially important this year for those who are able and safe to be out and proud of who we are. I am a lesbian and I am coming out because I love and am proud of who I am and I’m asking all Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Straight Allies, and everyone in between come out in support and celebration of LGBTQ equality.

Visit the Human Rights Campaign at http://www.hrc.org/ncod/ to learn more or join NIU’s LGBT resource center tonight for a Drop-In Session to hear or share your coming out experiences in honor of National Coming Out Day. The celebration will begin at 7 p.m. in Grant Tower A, Room 200 (Counseling and Student Development Center Satellite Office in Grant South)

So come out, come out, wherever you are because after all, closets are for clothes!

Happy National Coming Out Day!

Is your MD a feminist? Try a DO

2010-10-08T11:04:00.003-05:00

From Guest Blogger: Katie S.

There is general assumption in our culture that when a person needs to see a doctor, they go see a M.D. (medical doctor). Those two letters at the end of a name indicate full medical knowledge and the ability to heal. While this may be the case, there is actually another group of physicians. I’m not talking about chiropractors or psychiatrists. I’m talking about D.O.s; the letters stand for Doctor of Osteopathic medicine.

Osteopathic medicine was first created as an offshoot of traditional medical medicine, created by a student who came to the realization that they human body has an incredible capacity to self heal. Instead of researching different outside forces to promote healing, this person thought that the body itself should be understood more in order to enhance and support its own natural processes. While this might not seem quite revolutionary, it was. This concept was formed at a time when the medical community was developing one new medical procedure after the next, gaining fame and notability for their ideas. Unfortunately, the human body itself was vastly misunderstood and needed to be explored further, so that normal processes were not being treated as illnesses or diseases, but rather healthy functions supporting an overall physiology.

One of the hallmarks of this training is the whole body, holistic approach to treating a patient. It is not just the symptoms that are looked at and treated, but rather the whole person is examined and discussed with regard to lifestyles and other factors. Many who see a D.O. remark on the positive conversation and connection they feel with their doctor due to this time being taken. How often do people remark about a doctor actually taking the time to get to know them not just as a patient with a problem, but as a unique person? This approach creates a partnership between patient and physician, where they can work together to nurture and facilitate full wellbeing.

Preventative medicine is a vastly underappreciated aspect of patient care. It is often overlooked or ignored in traditional medicine circles. Thankfully, D.O.’s are taught the value of this and is used in their treatment. Their extensive, full body approach to caring for their patients aims to return the body to its natural, healthy state.

When thinking about this aspect of healthcare, it can be connected to the outside overall view of health that is shared by American culture in general. Industries thrive financially on treating people with what they feel is best for that person, creating dependence on needed to buy health rather than self actualize it. This is one of ways that has ended up placing osteopathic medicine in with natural remedy circles. Rest assured that D.O.’s receive a medical education that is just as rigorous as M.D.s and often go into specialty care. They are licensed in the same manner and are held to equal standards.

In the same vein as other society assumptions, D.O.’s tend to be misunderstood because they are not of the norm. Instead of doing what is best for a person, our culture will regulate what they feel the correct path is. With the parallels drawn, the relationship between osteopathic care and feminist thought can clearly be seen. Both work to step away from convention, focusing on what is right rather than expected. Feminism encourages the advocacy and equality of all, and in a similar endeavor so do D.O.’s with patients. They respect and honor the natural processes of the individual, healing with this at the forefront of their care.

So the next time you need to see a doctor, take the time to explore all your options. There might be more than you thought. Above all, find a physician that you feel comfortable with, who empowers you as an individual to own your health process. You deserve to be seen not simply as a patient, but a unique, valued individual.

http://www.osteopathic.org/pdf/Whatisa_DO.pdf

http://www.osteopathic.org/index.cfm

Breast Cancer, or Boobie Cancer?

2010-10-07T15:02:00.001-05:00

As some of you may be aware, on Tuesday there was a breast cancer awareness campaign on Facebook that asked women to write where they put their purse as their status. An example: “I like it on the floor” or “I like it on the desk.” The people organizing this campaign probably weren’t stupid; it’s an overtly sexual innuendo. Using sex to sell an idea. Awareness is great and all, but what does where a woman puts her purse have anything to do with breast cancer? It’s silly and it’s cheap.

The tactics used to promote breast cancer awareness in general are sexualized and tactless. My least favorite is the “save the boobies!” campaign. Yes, boobs are a sexual part of the body, but that doesn’t mean breast cancer is or inherently has to be also. The “save the boobies” makes breast cancer more about the visual pleasure they bring to others, namely men. It’s a real problem when even a terminal illness is seen through the male gaze and thus sexualized.

Something as painful as cancer doesn’t need to be sexualized. Some may find jokes like that to be light hearted, but I find them to be invalidating. If a man had testicular cancer, I would never advocate a campaign called “Save the Balls!” That’s just tactless.

2010-10-06T11:34:00.005-05:00

Growing up, it was hard to consider that your teacher had a life outside the classroom. In fact, when I was very young, I thought all the teachers lived in the school and the classroom had pull out beds somewhere. As we grew older, we came to realize that yes, our teachers had real lives, real families, real problems, and that they, in fact, did not live at the school.

So it is a bit unbelievable when you hear a grown man say things like “an unmarried woman who is sleeping with her boyfriend…shouldn’t be in the classroom”, just as Republican Senator Jim DeMint stated during a rally. Wow, really? From his statement one would think that teachers are "throwing down" or “getting down” during a spelling lesson. It just becomes extremely irritating when seemingly educated people make such idiotic statements. Teachers, like any professional person, know to keep their personal lives private from their work lives, especially when there are children involved.

DeMint also said this about LGBTQ teachers: “if they're openly homosexual, we can't let them near our children.” Honestly, I would feel worried about exposing my children to foolish, closed-minded declarations from politicians, as opposed to my child being taught by a competent teacher who happens to be LGBT. I would think parents are more worried about the teacher’s ability and skill, rather than who they are sleeping with. Perhaps that is wishful thinking though…

Masturbation

2010-10-04T12:58:00.002-05:00

I was reading an article on change.org about a political candidate Christine O’Donnell regarding her views on Masturbation. She is extremely opposed to masturbation. This got me thinking about masturbation, and why it is such a contentious issue in our society.

Masturbation.

What thoughts does this word elicit? Everyone thinks it is such a dirty word, especially for women. We rarely talk about it, and if we do it is usually awkward and uncomfortable. Few like to admit that they actually do it. Why is everyone so ashamed of something that really doesn’t seem like that big of a deal? After all, when a man masturbates we label it as natural. So, here are some statistics to take some of the fear away from your own gear.

Masturbation

In a study of undergraduate college students, 98% of men and 44% of women reported having ever masturbated (Pinkerton, Bogart, Cecil, & Abramson, 2002).

Among undergraduate students, men reported masturbating an average of 12 times per month, while women reported an average of 4.7 times per month (Pinkerton, Bogart, Cecil, & Abramson, 2002).

In a study of African-American women aged 15 to 64, 62% reported that they had masturbated at some point during their lives (Robinson, Bockting, & Harrell, 2002).

About 60% of men and 40% of women reported masturbating in the past year (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).

Nearly 85% of men and 45% of women who were living with a sexual partner reported masturbating in the past year (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).

35% of American men aged 18-39 do not masturbate while 37% masturbate sometimes, and 28% one or more times per week (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).

53% of men and 25% of women masturbated for the first time by ages 11 to 13 (Janus & Janus, 1993).

5% of men and 11% of women have never masturbated (Janus & Janus, 1993).

Orgasm

Women are much more likely to be nearly always or always orgasmic when alone than with a partner. However, among women currently in a partnered relationship, 62% say they are very satisfied with the frequency/consistency of orgasm (Davis, Blank, Hung-Yu, & Bonillas, 1996

Many women express that their most satisfying sexual experiences entail being connected to someone, rather than solely basing satisfaction on orgasm (Bridges, Lease, & Ellison, 2004).

75% of men and 29% of women always have orgasms with their partner (Laumann, Gagnon, Michael, Michaels, 1994).
http://www.iub.edu/~kinsey/resources/FAQ.html#Laumann

"Man Up!"

2010-10-01T15:31:00.002-05:00

I was at home this past weekend and I came across a Newsweek sitting on my parent’s coffee table and found some serious inspiration (which is usually what ends up happening when I go home). The cover article that caught my eye was titled Man Up: Why We Need to Reimagine Masculinity.

Upon begging my mom to let me keep the copy of Newsweek (that’s right, I’m not ashamed of admitting that I still mooch off my mama), I returned to school and actually sat down and read the article which can be found here: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/09/20/why-we-need-to-reimagine-masculinity.html.

What I found in the article was an argument for the rethinking of masculine roles in the workplace and at home. Now, I (thankfully) am perfectly comfortable in my masculinity to fully accept the need for me to do things like changing diapers and cooking meals for my loved ones if I end up having children. The article was a stark reminder for me the unfortunate restrictions that gender roles play in society because I, long ago (we’re talking like 11 or 12 years old), accepted the aforementioned tasks as a part of every father’s life.

The other main topic addressed in the article is the fact that if men are serious about being successful in the work place, it’s time to rethink the stereotypes that surround certain jobs. As construction work and other “manly” types of work shrink, the need for nurses and other “girly” jobs are on the rise. The issue here is whether or not we as a society are able to help convert the norms of masculinity from industrial work to the social services.

I’m on board with the reimagining of what it means to be masculine. Now the question: How do we get others to that point as well?

What's the Color of Your Neighborhood?

2010-10-01T14:03:00.005-05:00

I happened across an article at Gawker about aerial photos of major US cities, but instead of images of the landscape, they were of the racial make-up and divides of the cities. Each pixel represents 25 people and the color of the dot signifies the race: red=white, blue=black, orange=Hispanic, yellow=Asian. If you scroll over the map, boxes appear that define different neighborhoods within the city.

The artist is Eric Fischer, and he started this project after he found a similar photo of Chicago by Bill Rankin. Fischer expanded the project to cover forty major US cities. All of the photos are available for viewing on his flikr.

While no map is a complete blend of all the differently colored dots, and thus all races, some of the photos are hopeful for what all cities might look like in the future. For instance, the maps of Riverside, CA; San Jose, CA; San Bernado, CA all have a lot of blending and no stark borders.

However, other cities get failing grades. For instance, looking at the Detroit map, you can literally see the racial divide of Eight Mile Road. It’s so stark and well-defined, you would think there was literally a physical border or constraint that restricted movement between the north and south side of the street. Washington D.C. displays so clearly its East/West divide and lack of racial integration. New York City also has extremely homogenous pockets dependent upon the neighborhood.

It’s doubtful I would pick a city to reside in based solely upon this data, but it certainly gives me something to think about. I want to live in a city that measures up to the “melting pot” label the US gets, and I want it to be accurate.

Childbirth Robot....WHY???

2010-09-29T12:55:00.001-05:00

So I stumbled across this video today. It’s a robot designed to help med student learn how to birth babies without having to practice on an actual human being.

WARNING: This video is potentially disturbing and may not be suitable for all viewers.

I am all about med students getting the training that they need in order to practice medicine. I mean, who really wants to go to a doctor who says, “I’ve never actually done this before.” I’m pretty sure that I can speak for most people when I say NOT ME. However, this robot is creeptastic. What’s with the freaky robot noise? I feel like I could record a better sound effect on my phone... The design of this robot was with good intentions, but the execution of it just comes off awkward and weird. Especially since the robot isn’t even a full female body, merely the necessary parts to practice childbirth. This is once again reducing women to their ability to reproduce and the body parts that are necessary to do so. Maybe I’m reading too much into this…what are your thoughts on the matter?

I Already Have a Pair

2010-09-29T11:45:00.003-05:00

So I'm reading some women's magazine (a mistake, I know) and I come across this article entitled: Do You Need to Grow a Pair?

Are you effing kidding me? I'm reading a magazine that is supposed to be for women and here they are perpetuating the notion that assertiveness and confidence are innately connected to whether or not you have testicles. I mean seriously! No, I do not need to grow a pair of balls because I am female. My pair of ovaries are fully functioning and give me the ability to contribute my genetic material to offspring—if I so choose.

I know what you’re thinking: calm down, Sha’Donna, they don’t mean you literally need to grow a pair. Yeah, I understand the use of figurative language just fine. But the metaphor is problematic in what it implies about the “nature” of being male and female. If the women’s magazine is trying to instruct women to go against confining gender norms that encourage women to be passive, unassertive and polite, then kudos to them because some women do need to practice standing up for themselves. But likening becoming more assertive to having a pair of balls reinforces the gender norms that they are encouraging women to resist and that is kind of ridiculous.

Can I have a Triple Bypass with my Shake?

2010-09-29T11:13:00.003-05:00

In a recent article by Alternet.org, one restaurant is under the spotlight for their interesting niche…eating to death. The Heart Attack Grill (yes that really is the name) has become famous for commodifying gluttonous eating, hospital stays, and serious health issues. In a country where people are developing Type II diabetes at an alarming rate, and children are predicated to have a shorter lifespan than their parents, I feel that it this restaurant is a bit…tacky, disgusting, insensitive, all the above.

Is there anything good about restaurant? Well, one can eat here for free, but there is a weight minimum: 350lbs. This restaurant really is all about the shock factor; the waitresses are dressed like “hot nurses” (an issue for another blog post!), hospital gowns are used as bibs, and patrons are escorted out of the restaurant in a wheelchair, courtesy of said “hot nurses”.

So what about the food? Well, as one would expect of such a restaurant, their menu consists of unfiltered cigarettes, “Bypass Burgers,” and even “Flatliner Fries”.

On that note, I’m off to get a salad or something.

How Much of a Woman

2010-09-23T13:57:00.000-05:00

Feminism, art and film - these are a few of my favorite things. So, to get them all together in one package is such a thrill for me. The artist is Liron Kroll and this short was the final project for her first degree in communication arts.

The video is about all the ways women are quantified and measured up: shoe size, height, waist measurements, bra size, age, a woman’s “number,” etc. It's not a new idea, but it's a unique way of expressing it; the rapid progression of still photographs is visually striking.

Added bonus, it’s set to Bruce Springsteen’s “I’m On Fire!”

Warning: the video does show a breast and menstrual blood. Probably not safe for work, unless you work at the WRC!

Every(Woman's)Body

2010-09-22T14:15:00.001-05:00

In our culture, thin is “in.” There are all kinds of opposing views over negative body image and how the media may contribute to it. Is it that the media promotes an ideal that we as a society passively accept, or is it that the media is responding to something that’s already there? For example, in certain African cultures, fat is “all that.” Before a girl gets married she will be sent to a “fattening” tent and force fed until she gains weight. Extra weight is considered sexy. Women put on as many clothes as they can before they step onto a scale, hoping to see the number be just a little bit higher. That is the exact opposite of the common practice of removing shoes and socks in the hopes of seeing a lower number .

People say, “Look at us Westerners, we’re so lame, we should learn from these women in other countries.” It’s not that simple. I notice two crazy things about these opposing perceptions of weight and beauty. First and foremost, why is it that the ideal is the opposite of what is easiest? As in, in our culture, where food is over abundant, why isn’t the ideal to be larger … because it’s so easy to keep weight on with all of our high calorie and affordable options? And in areas where food is more scarce, where it would be almost natural to maintain a low weight, why is the ideal heftiness? What the heck? Are we as humans masochistic?

The second and more troubling thing I notice is the gendered way these ideals manifest. Why is it always put primarily on women to bear the brunt of body size/beauty standards? I don’t have an answer to this question, but I am definitely interested in researching it, formally and informally. In order for us to do away with the policing of body size, we have to understand who’s doing the policing and why. I don’t think we can blame it all on Cosmo and Vogue… most of it, but not all.

Got To Love Technology

2010-09-22T09:49:00.000-05:00

Many have heard the sarcastic phrase “got to love technology” come from the mouth of a frustrated user. I myself have said this multiple times, usually after a fight with whatever complicated piece of equipment I just used. With all the updates that go into each laptop, mP3 player, television, and cell phone every year, one would think that it should all become easier to use; but I feel as if these constant revisions has only complicated my life more. Only three years out of high school and I already get confused at the words my little sister spews out whenever she is talking about her new iPod touch, or the latest social networking site. Twit-what? Blue-ray who? Can’t we just call our friends over and pop in an old VHS or DVD?

I suppose that I’m dealing with a bout of nostalgia, but I cannot help but be annoyed when my close friends and family would rather text me than call me. I also can’t help but get miffed at the fact that technology has changed (possibly ruined?) social interactions for everyone. Do I really need to compete against a cell phone for attention from my sister when we are out having lunch?

Now, I’m not saying that technology hasn’t made my life easier; we all know it has (hello GPS!). But do I really need to have texting, internet on my cell phone, and touch screens on everything, in exchange of actual human contact? Are people seriously buying another touch-screen device to read books from, rather than actual tangible books? Perhaps I am sipping on Hater-ade too much, but I hate the feeling of helplessness whenever a computer goes crazy or my cell phone is lost or has died. I know it’s not just me; don’t we all miss the good old days sometimes?

Creating Competencies and Understanding…about Porn?

2010-09-21T11:48:00.000-05:00

I found this article on Alternet today, and I absolutely love it. The ever-increasing availability and accessibility of porn is undeniable. As Tarrant points out,

“‘Sex’ is the number-one search term used around the globe. Every second, people spend $3,000 on Internet porn. There are an estimated 370 million Internet porn sites, and industry revenues surpass earnings by Microsoft, Google, Amazon, eBay, Yahoo, Apple, and Netflix combined.”

If that doesn’t qualify as popular, then I don’t know what does. The popularity and importance of porn is compounded by the fact that many youth are taking it upon themselves to learn about sex via pornography, due to a lack of comprehensive sex education. Not everyone is a fan of porn though; there are plenty of people who have taken a stance of moral opposition for one reason or another, and these people wish to disestablish porn in society. I have my doubts about the realistic nature of this stance. I mean, really, how well has that worked for other things? Think drug-free advertisements and abstinence-only education…

Efforts to eradicate pornography and its prominence in society will never be entirely successful. Instead, our time would be better spent raising awareness about the influence pornography has in our lives and the way it can affect our interactions within relationships and sex. The first step is starting a conversation: people want to talk about these things; however, there is a lack of a socially acceptable forum in which to do this. By at least starting a dialogue about all of the effects (both positive and negative) associated with consumption of pornography, we will be able to encourage and facilitate healthier interactions within sexual relationships. So what are you waiting for? Let’s talk about porn!

Touch

2010-09-20T16:16:00.000-05:00

I decided to drive to work today, and I got an opportunity to listen to NPR. The story was on human connections and the importance of touch. Scientists have discovered that touch, whether it be a hug or a pat on the back, can have a lot of positive affects on your biology, like releasing Oxytocin, “a neuropeptide, which basically promotes feelings of devotion, trust and bonding”.

I found this particularly interesting because sometimes all someone needs is a good hug to make them feel better, and clearly there is a biological foundation for this feeling/reaction. It is also fascinating given the gendered nature of touch. Hugging and other emotional aspects of touch are perceived as being a feminine activity or attribute, but it seems that everyone can benefit from a good pat on the back (literally). So, I urge everyone to break down some gender norms, and the next time you see someone stressed, sad, or maybe even having a great day, give them a well placed pat on the back (or a hug if they are into that kind of thing).

What's That Smell?

2010-09-20T12:15:00.000-05:00

In today’s day and age, it is apparent that sexuality is more openly shared and freely expressed. Unfortunately, a few of my co-workers and I discovered firsthand just how open sexuality is being expressed (and it was NOT in a positive way)…..

One of the wonderful staff members at the WRC, Megan Woiwodie, came into work on Thursday telling us of this “interesting” ad she and her roommates had stumbled upon over the weekend. The product, in short, is a vaginal essence spray men can use to masturbate with.

Now, I’m not opposed to masturbation if that is what a man or a woman chooses to do based upon their own morals, but to have a spray that can be used to masturbate with that smells like a woman’s vagina is a little, oh, what’s the word, CREEPY.

But if I thought that this creeptastic product for men stopped there, well, I was sorely mistaken. The staff and I logged onto Youtube to see the ad (which, for the record, when you have to log in and prove that you’re 18 years or older to see a clip, you know it’s bad news) and we were all appalled. To view the clip: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_DSTZbS6LvA

WARNING: THIS CLIP CONTAINS DISTURBING IMAGES OF A GRAPHIC NATURE AND MAY MAKE YOU SICK TO YOUR STOMACH.

So, between watching the intrusive shots of the woman sweating on the bike seat and then the man sniffing the same bike seat after the fact, I was unsure as to whether I should vomit or call the authorities as there was obviously a stalker on the loose.

Moral of the story, while sexuality may be more openly shared, there are some lines that never should be crossed and one of those lines is vaginal scented spray….

What a Waist

2010-09-16T13:59:00.000-05:00

I recently saw an advertisement for the General Nutrition Center's “Burn 60” pill. If you purchase the diet pills, you get this ugly bag free. This is yet another diet pill and yet another advertisement giving women an ideal body image that is an unhealthy one. If I only had a nickel…

The waist on the left is not unhealthy or fat! GNC is creating a problem and then giving you their product as a solution in the same breath. “You don’t feel bad about your body? Well, you should. Oh you feel bad about your body? Sorry to hear that. But fortunately for you, we can help! Buy our product. We’re always looking out for you.” This is often the type of advertisements directed at women: to make them feel bad, and then to sell the product to make women feel better. What a trap!

I also think it is terrible that a store with the word “nutrition” in the name is advocating a body image that is so clearly unhealthy. Attaching the word “nutrition” to this image of a body is giving the idea that having a waist the same circumference as your wrist is healthy.

Blame It On Culture

2010-09-15T12:15:00.000-05:00

I grew up in a rather strict household where if I wanted to spend the night at a friend’s house, my mother would retort with “why would you want to sleep in someone’s house, when you can sleep in your own house?” Bed times were set, punishments were enforced and church on Sundays was mandatory. After leaving Catholic school, I entered into a public institution were I immediately saw a difference between me and the other children; they cursed more, they had relationships (well, relationships appropriate for a 7th grader), and best of all they knew things about sex and body parts that I have never heard of.

I tell you all of this because of an article I read comparing the Dutch to Americans. The article states facts like: ‘"two thirds of Dutch fifteen to seventeen-year-olds with steady boy- or girlfriends is allowed to spend the night with them in their bedrooms.” Yet the birth rate among American teens is a whopping eight times that of the Dutch. Their reasoning is that American parents view teenage relationships as insignificant and petty, while Dutch parents treat such relationships as normal and healthy. As a result, Dutch teens engage in safe sex when in committed relationships while many American teenagers are having unprotected sex outside of relationships. They also, of course, cite Americans’ affiliation with religion, and abstinence- only education programs as being other reasons for high teen pregnancy and abortion rates, but that is old news.

It is an interesting point of view, and one I can relate with because I was once sheltered due to the kind of school I attended and the people I was exposed to while I was there. Luckily, the move from private to public facilitated an awakening of sorts, where I became exposed to more information about sexual health, although not exactly comprehensive information about sexual health.

Reading about the differences between us and the Dutch makes me a bit envious; they have comprehensive sex-ed programs, accessible reproductive healthcare, and adults who treat adolescent relationships with respect; AND THEY BEAT URUGUAY IN THE WORLD CUP! Sorry, I had to throw that last one in there; I’m still fuming about the loss.

Goin' Too Far?

2010-09-14T11:34:00.000-05:00

There’s this interesting thing that happens at the Recreation Center most evenings. The basketball/volleyball courts are surrounded by a mesh curtain to keep balls and other equipment from spilling out onto the running track that encircles all the courts. So, in the evenings, there will be a heated basketball game going on and hovering outside the mesh curtain will be a group of beautiful young women. And when I say beautiful women, I don’t mean inherently beautiful. I mean beautiful on purpose, as in perfectly styled hair, make-up, matching accessories, stylish and wrinkle free outfits, and cute shoes that have no business in a recreation center.

At first I was incredibly annoyed with these people. How dare they mill around in the middle of a racing track when people are trying to jog? That doesn’t even make sense! And how lame is it to come to the Rec, not to get exercise, but to stand around and look “cute”. Then I realized that these girls are probably freshmen, who have yet to find a real space on campus. They are still teenagers. I realized they are just trying to make friends and check out the cute guys playing basketball. They could be doing worse things.

As I was leaving the recreation center the other day, I was able to bear witness to an interesting scene.

Up ahead of me was a group of the beautiful women heading back toward the dorms. Behind me was a group of basketball players, fresh off the court, presumably also heading back to the dorms. They were discussing the girls ahead of them, loud enough for the girls to hear. Conversation quickly turned toward one girl in particular.

Man One: She goin’.

Man Two: Which one?

Man One: In the brown hat.

Man Two: Girl in the brown hat? She ain’t goin’!

Man One: Yes she is, in the brown hat, she goin’.

I figured they were talking about some party later on and I thought, “Well, the girl in the brown hat accomplished her mission: she got the attention of the boys and now they’re excited to see her at the party later on.”

They debated whether or not she was going a couple seconds more when the girl in the brown hat turned around and yelled, “WHAT?!”

“He said you goin’!” Man Two said referencing Man One’s comments.

The girl was livid. “I ain’t goin’, don’t say that!”

At this point I realized I was mistaken about the party scenario. I inferred that the term “goin” in this context meant something about promiscuity, as opposed to the Standard American English meaning. An urbandictionary.com search later on confirmed my guess.

“No, you goin, I already know!” Man One insisted.

“I ain’t goin, you goin!”

The group of boys just laughed at her retort. She said f*@k you and kept walking.

It’s sad that a young woman took the time to pick out an outfit (with a matching brown hat), carefully applied her make-up and styled her hair, and went to the Rec, probably in the hopes of catching the eye of some young man; hoping he would think she was pretty and worth hanging out with. For her troubles, she was publicly humiliated, and labeled a slut. Her friends did not defend her. None of the other men did either and neither did I …

It’s such a fine line for the heterosexual woman. Society tells you to be pretty and sexy—my own family tells me to do this—in order to “catch” a good man. Yet don’t go too far, don’t look too eager, and don’t be too sexy, because then you might be mistaken for a woman who’s “goin”: a woman who actually has sex and likes having a sex, instead of just appearing sexy.

What a hot mess.

Growing Concerns: Access to Abortion?

2010-09-14T09:28:00.000-05:00

We all know that many if not most women, face some degree of difficulty when it comes to being presented with all options during pregnancy, including information about and access to abortion. As of late, more and more laws are being passed that are slowly infringing upon the little access to abortion that women do have. Kaili Joy Gray outlines these concerns in this article on AlterNet.

Although I disagree with Gray’s comparison of anti-choicers in the U.S. to “American Taliban”, (what they do is definitely wrong, however I feel the comparison might be a bit extreme and sensationalist) she does a wonderful job at outlining what a woman who faces an unwanted pregnancy may go through when trying to access an abortion.

The right of a woman to make a choice about her body, namely whether or not to have a child, is fundamental. We cannot allow the anti-choice movement to “sneakily” decrease accessibility more and more. Even if abortion is still legal, if it’s not accessible to the women who need it most then it doesn’t matter.

*If you’re interested in learning more about accessibility to reproductive rights or making sure that we don’t lose them, check out Advocates for Choice NIU, a reproductive rights student activist group on campus.

Oh Yes, It's Ladies Night

2010-09-10T16:27:00.000-05:00

So, not that long ago I turned 21 years old, which is the dream of any college student. Personally, I see 21 as just another year I’ve been alive and another year that gives me more responsibility to conduct myself as a responsible member of society.
Since my birthday, I’ve been watching the alcohol debate go on (and on, and on). Listening to everything from how the drinking age should be lowered, to how .08 blood alcohol content (BAC) is too high, and if people want to drive, they should have a BAC of no more than .02. I could go on, but, as not to bore you, I will stop there.

Well, one of the alcohol issues I recently came across is “Ladies Night.” Ladies Night refers to women getting into the bar at a discounted cover charge and possibly getting reduced prices on drinks. The article that I read was about a lawsuit that deemed “Ladies Night” was unconstitutional because it discriminates against men. The article can be located at http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/court_rules_oh_yes_ladies_nights_are_perfectly_alright

Now, I’m risking my life as a feminist to state this point, but, I have to agree with not having “Ladies Nights.” WHOA, hold up. Don’t go away from the blog just yet. I’m opposed to “Ladies Nights” NOT because they’re discriminative against men and we have to advance the right of men (Oh, please. Society’s been there, done that), but because essentially bars are giving ladies reduced prices on booze and letting them in for cheap to draw women to their bar. And why do they do that???? So that the bar has closer ratios of men and women which makes heterosexual male patrons stick around that bar longer. You may ask yourself: Well who cares and so what? Well, then you have to examine whether or not we are willing to have “Ladies Nights” even if it’s just for the exploitation of women. For me, the answer is a resounding no.

My Mic Sounds Nice

2010-09-08T14:15:00.001-05:00

My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip-Hop is BET’s first original documentary. It aired last week but I missed it! I’ve managed to find some clips online and hopefully will get a chance to watch the full show. Even from just watching some excerpts, I’ve been inspired to really consider the state of women in hip-hop. First and foremost, this documentary is not about “video vixens” or the models that perform in many rap videos. That debate is well known and documented. This documentary focuses on female MCs or “femcees”.

I’m glad this documentary was made and I’m glad it included the voices of actual female rappers, from all areas of the genre. One point of discussion, to which there are no easy answers, is the sexualization of female emcees and the pressure to be “sexy” in order to gain commercial success. Many artists and industry professionals commented on Nicki Minaj as she is the hottest femcee commercially right now. I found it annoying that Nicki Minaj did not have a voice in the documentary. Maybe they asked her, maybe they didn’t—it could’ve been a scheduling conflict. But it was highly conspicuous that she did not appear.

I just think it’s really easy to sit back and judge a woman with a “sexy” image, as if she is holding women back or simply playing into a patriarchal hierarchy of oppression. There are women who value being perceived as “sexy”. There are women who relate to Nicki Minaj, her image, and her lyrical content. Why do we have to assume she is simply conforming to the expectations of a male audience? I think it’s more conspicuous when an artist who debuts with a more, how do I say it, masculine or androgynous image, and then suddenly transforms into a hyper-feminine version of herself when sales drop. Nicki Minaj has not been out for long, but she’s been consistent with her image. Maybe being sexy and feminine is Nicki being true to herself. I don’t know. Either way, if you’re looking for an interesting look at women in the rap game, go to BET.com and check out: My Mic Sounds Nice: A Truth About Women in Hip-Hop.

Talk Derby To Me

2010-09-08T10:00:00.000-05:00

Women from all walks of life are teaming up to participate in an alternative, stress-relieving, exciting sport: roller derby. Although roller derby has been around for years, a new wave of women has taken up the sport once again. These women, who carry on “typical” lives during the day, don a different role in the evening while practicing hip checks and crossovers. Everything about this sport is just plain awesome; from their cool derby names (Hello Hermione Danger!) to their awesome attire, this sport is both intriguing and intimidating.

In a recent article by The Chronicle, women from all walks of life are participating in derby. One particular group, who are all students and faculty from the University of Missouri, are known as the ‘Smackademics’ by their fans--awesome. Can you imagine your pediatrician throwing down with your elementary school teacher? Once you get over the shock factor, you can truly appreciate what these women are doing and the message they are sending: women are not delicate flowers and not only can they participate in contact sports, but they can excel in them too. Oh yeah, and they can kick your ass.

To read more from the article: http://chronicle.com/article/Smackademics-Join-the-Ranks/123670/

Does Carrying Condoms Make You a Prostitute?

2010-09-07T15:37:00.000-05:00

According to a recent case, no. While this seems like commons sense, this has been a question for some time, as having condoms is often included in evidence against those who are being charged with prostitution. A judge in New York City has ruled in favor of a woman who was arrested on charges of “loitering for the purpose of engaging in a prostitution offense.” She was arrested for talking to men in an area “frequented by prostitution.” Additionally, she had condoms in her bag.

Wow…what a slut! Clearly the only reason that a woman would talk to men on a street at night or have condoms in her bag is because she is a sex worker. Forget being lost and asking for directions or wanting to be prepared to have safe sex were the situation to arise.

This is a clear violation of the woman’s rights. Further, all women should be able to carry condoms or other barriers without being labeled a sex worker. Thankfully, in this case the judge understood this and ruled in favor of the woman in question. However, this is more than just a question of women having condoms or talking to men on a street, it’s about the devaluing and even criminalizing of women’s sexuality. Contrary to popular belief, women are sexual beings, and, as such, have the right to make their own decisions about their sexuality, which includes being sexually active and even being a sex worker.

Sexuality is often a taboo area. When it comes to women, society enforces double standards which allow for men to have much more freedom when it comes to sexuality than women. Women are held to a standard that they must be “pure” and only engage in heterosexual sex within martial relationships. If a woman’s sexuality does not fit into these parameters, then she is devalued, labeled and judged. It is time for this to end. Women’s autonomy (I know, you thought that autonomous women were a myth) extends to their sexuality, and they have the right to make decisions about sex, plan ahead, and protect themselves in sexual relationships without consequence. I hope that this case will serve as an example for further cases and allow for the mainstream view of women’s sexuality to change.

You can read the article I cited from in its entirety here at change.org

At the Intersection

2010-09-03T16:32:00.000-05:00

Hello everyone! I hope everybody enjoyed their summer vacation away from the worries of papers, tests, and academia. This summer I started working at the Women’s Resource Center while taking summer classes. One of the most profound classes I took this summer (or during my entire career at Northern) was in American Sign Language: AHRS 101.

As I jump back into this semester, I do so with a new found determination to appreciate intersecting identities, particularly since they are not always as apparent as everyone thinks they are. The example I’m getting at is Marlee Matlin who is an actor, a writer, and a woman who is Deaf. Not only has she made it in a profession that is very difficult for any individual to succeed in. but she is doing it as a woman with a “disability” (which according to many in the Deaf World isn’t a disability at all, but more on that later).

Recently I was determined to see Matlin in the movie Children of a Lesser God where she became the first Deaf woman to gain an Oscar award for her work as an Actress in a Leading Role. While searching YouTube, I found this incredible clip of Marlee talking about what it means to be a member of society who is seen as “different.”

All in all, I wish everyone could fully accept and appreciate intersecting identities and perseverance as much as Matlin does. Just some food for thought.

These Are Not Your Boyfriend's Jeans

2010-09-02T14:01:00.000-05:00

I have a love/hate relationship with “boyfriend” jeans and any other “boyfriend” clothing. I love that they are masculine clothes that come in my size. I hate the offensive heteronormative name for them. As a gay woman, I am not aspiring to find a nice boyfriend, thus I’ll never know the joy of wearing a male lovers clothing. Shucks.

I find the jeans a strange mix of masculine clothing for women, but policing that with a strict hetero-normative reminder to keep women in check. I mean, without the title “boyfriend”, they might as well call them *gasp* “lesbian jeans.” And big retailers just cannot be having their customers getting confused with the lesbians.

So, you have to maintain your heterosexual cutsiness by referencing a boyfriend,even if you don’t have one. Cause, remember, you’re not supposed to look butch or masculine, you’re supposed to look CUTE. Like that time when you were three and trekked around the house in your father’s work boots and everyone thought you were just so damn adorable. It’s just like that.

2010-09-01T08:47:00.000-05:00

Due to the fact that I no longer have DVR (and cannot skip through the commercials), I have been forced to watch extremely annoying advertisements for all sorts of products. But I must say one commercial I LOVE watching (besides that cute lizard guy) is the U by Kotex commercials. These Kotex commercials poke fun at other advertisements which portray the menstrual cycle as some euphoric pool/dance party. Not only does it mock silly plots for these ads, it also takes a shot at typical marketing schemes these commercials use to sell their products (i.e. dynamic angle shots, a beautiful model, etc.). This makes for a hilarious commercial.

After looking into the these ads a bit more, I learned that Kotex took it a step up by conducting social experiments about feminine products and female issues in general, and then taped them via hidden camera. My favorite experiment has to be of a man asking strangers to help him pick out some feminine products for his girlfriend. I loved this experiment because: a. it showed a man (although a bit clueless) okay with buying feminine products, b. the people he stopped (both men and women) began to realize how superfluous some of these products were (scented tampons?), and c. when the gentleman asked a women “why would they make tampons out of cardboard?”, her exasperated reply was “it’s a man’s world, and men make these products”--interesting.

Young Feminists

2010-08-31T11:37:00.000-05:00

I saw this really neat post on change.org calling for “young feminists” to make shout outs. Today, when the F word is still oh-so-dirty, it is more important than ever for young women to embrace the word and make their beliefs known! Enough with this “I’m a feminist… but” mentality! If you are for the political, economic and social equality of women, then you are a feminist! Feminism is responsible for a bunch of great things, and we shouldn’t let the movement or the word feminist be pushed aside or be deemed as a dirty word.

So say it! I am a young feminist!

Keepin' It Clean

2010-08-31T11:26:00.000-05:00

My step-mother called last week and said, “Are you coming home this weekend to help me clean?”

What the hell? I was flabbergasted but managed to hide my true reaction; I even told her I loved her at the end of the call. Maybe I should have told her that it hurt my feelings that she wanted me to come home, not just to visit, but to help her clean. I know she loves me and misses me, but as evidenced by her query, she’s missing my help around the house more than anything else.

I’ve always helped out around the house, and especially now that she’s shown me so much (financial) support as I’ve transitioned to grad school, I want to help her. But I can’t help but be a little bit angry at her for asking me to help clean. My step-brother did his undergraduate degree here at Northern Illinois. She often talks about how he would come home with laundry and she would do it for him. She never does my laundry and I can’t for the life of me picture her calling him and saying, “Will you come home to clean this weekend?”

So because I’m her daughter, her female child, I have to worry about not only adjusting to my new life here on campus, but also housework back home. Maybe I’m overreacting; maybe she’s just working long hours and got a little behind on housework; maybe my father is getting on in age and unable to help her with these duties.

Yeah, right. He’s getting old, but not that old. She wouldn’t expect my father to clean the bathroom or give the kitchen a real scrubbing—she never has, no matter how inconsiderately messy he is. She has scolded me and told me to my face, that, “As a woman, you should want to live in a clean house. Women prefer these things.” I had to look her in the eye, in a rare moment of defiance, and say, “I don’t agree with that. Because I’m a woman I’m supposed to naturally want to clean the bathroom? No way.”

She didn’t come to see things my way during that particular encounter. She believes in clearly defined gender roles. So even though I expressed my views and stood up for myself, I still went upstairs that day and scrubbed the bathroom, just as I did this past weekend. Sigh.

Beyond Appearances

2010-08-27T09:07:00.000-05:00

Today I came across an interesting article about a female blogger who is tearing down preconceived notions about women with disabilities, one post at a time. Melissa Blake has been living with Freeman-Sheldon Syndrome for all her life, and life with this syndrome is all she has ever known. To Melissa, this syndrome is a part of her, but it doesn’t dictate her life: a message she has set perfectly clear. In the article, Melissa sets the record straight on life with a disability by clearing up myths such as: “people with disabilities do not work, only want sympathy, are not independent, and do not want or need romantic relationships.” One myth Melissa addressed was that “physically disabled means mentally disabled”.

Melissa writes, “Whenever we’d be out in public, people would ask my parents questions about me when I was right there as if I couldn’t speak for myself. It was frustrating, but I suppose people saw my wheelchair and probably assumed my mind was impaired too.”

This really struck a cord with me since I feel this happens all too often, reinforcing the idea that people judge others based on appearances. It is always refreshing to read articles like this: one that addresses an issue most people shy away from in fear of offending someone or simply not knowing enough speak up. People should really remember how adaptable and resilient humans can be, and at least try to stop those ever-flowing preconceived notions.

To check out her blog: http://melissabxoxo.blogspot.com/

*Fun fact: Melissa is an NIU alumna!

Girl with the Dragon Tattoo

2010-08-26T14:58:00.000-05:00

You can’t go anywhere without seeing the books or hearing about the movies: Stieg Larsson’s Millennium trilogy. I know I couldn't. For months, I abstained from both the films and the novels, since I’m not being a fan of mysteries, but I recently caved in. And believe it or not, I was wildly impressed.

The novels and the films are jam-packed with feminism and female empowerment embodied by the feisty heroine, Lisbeth. Its overt feminism was the big shocker. In our culture where anything even mildly feminist is mocked, I was thrilled to find a place in pop culture where feminism was so well received.

One reccurring theme throughout the series is that Lisbeth takes care of herself. And others. She’s no damsel in distress, and she certainly doesn’t call on the help of men when faced with tough situations. She’s a taking-care-of-business kind of woman. And that’s something I can get behind.

So, if you’re looking for your next feminist fix, this is it.

*Warning: The film is violent and does contain a graphic rape scene.

When Did Breastfeeding Become a Bad Thing?

2010-08-16T12:26:00.000-05:00

So, I was watching this video on Current about Gisele Bundchen and the comment she made about breastfeeding being mandatory for the first six months of a child’s life and I was shocked.

I cannot believe that so many media outlets demonized Gisele and, subsequently, bashed breastfeeding. When you look at Gisele’s entire comment, it is clear that it is more of an idealist vision rather than something she is going to promote on her next run for president:

"Some people here [in the U.S.] think they don't have to breastfeed, and I think 'Are you going to give chemical food to your child when they are so little?’… I think there should be a worldwide law, in my opinion, that mothers should breastfeed their babies for six months."

Gisele is merely making a point that breastfeeding is often pushed aside and formulas, which do have chemicals that may or may not be good for babies, are used instead. She even had to make a statement to clarify her comment. Breastfeeding (in the majority of cases) has been proven to be better for newborns than formula. And let’s not forget, breast milk is the result of thousands of years of evolution and completely natural, compared to formula which is a relatively new invention and, again as Gisele noted, made up of chemicals.

I think that breastfeeding should be talked about more, but I think that these media outlets did a disservice to many mothers. I also feel that this was total crap that so many portrayed Gisele as an irrational dumb model when she was merely trying to make a point and advocating something quite smart.

School Offcials Endanger Rape Survivors in "Sting Operation"

2010-08-12T12:22:00.000-05:00

A student at Upper St. Claire School in Pennsylvania reported to her teacher that she, along with another student, was raped by one of her classmates on school property after school. Her teacher immediately informed the school officials of the rape, and offered to walk the girls to the bus after school to ensure their safety. The Principal, Dr. Michael Ghilani, denied this request, and instead decided to use the rape survivors as bait to catch students whom he believed were having sex on school grounds.

The girls were prevented from going home after school so that school officers could follow them and try to catch students in sexual acts. Instead, the girls were violently raped again, by the same offender as before.

Legal proceedings are in progress, however the school is still denying that the girls were ever raped. They claim that the girls liked the boy in question and had had consensual relationships with him. They further claim that the girls were jealous of his involvement with other girls.

Now, there is also a concern that the school district may be lying on their annual Safe Schools report, as no rapes were reported for the year that these girls were raped.

This is outrageous. Schools are supposed to be a safe place for students to go to. For some students, this may be the only safe place that they have. However, with bullying, harassment, and sexual assaults occurring at school, it is no wonder that many students do not feel safe. Both the boy and the school district in question need to be punished to the fullest extent possible in order to send a message to others that this type of behavior will not be tolerated at schools - or anywhere else for that matter.

Buying Political Office

2010-08-11T14:26:00.000-05:00

Linda McMahon –a former executive of World Wrestling Entertainment– spent approximately $22 million dollars of her personal wealth to secure a victory yesterday in the Texas Republican primary race for U.S. Senate. ABC News reports that this equates to approximately $400 spent per vote. Yet, McMahon is not alone in using her personal money to fund a bid for office; this approach to campaigning seems to be increasing on both sides of the aisle. While experts note that “self-financed candidates have a lower rate of winning elections than traditional candidates,” the increase in extremely wealthy individuals entering political races may begin to impact our democratic system by pushing other candidates to the sidelines or out of the race altogether. The ability for the wealthiest Americans to essentially buy political office is incredibly anti-democratic, and it doesn’t allow for true representation of the body politic. Furthermore, this type of self-funding runs the risk of make our political system even less accessible to women, people of color, middle- and working-class individuals, and other already underrepresented groups. I believe there should be considerable restrictions placed on how much an individual can contribute to her/his own campaign, much like the restrictions placed on individual and corporate donors.

Positive or Negative? Eminem and Rihanna's new song "I Love the Way You Lie"

2010-08-09T09:12:00.000-05:00

Ever since Eminem released his new hit song, “I Love the Way You Lie” featuring Rihanna, there has been controversy over the message it is sending about domestic abuse. Debate got even louder when the video was released. I have heard people speak to both sides of the argument. Some feel that the song is awful and glorifies domestic abuse, while others feel that it is a song that embodies what the people in abusive relationships are going through. Both Eminem and Rihanna have dealt with the issue of domestic abuse, Eminem as an abuser and Rihanna as a survivor of abuse. So, this pairing and the song itself seem like it actually might be a personal statement about abuse and be meant to get the conversation going. The video seems to confirm this.

Of course, many people (myself included) have taken a whack at trying to analyze this video and the meaning of the lyrics, but these are all only speculative. To me, it doesn’t really matter what side people take on the video’s intention, as long as they are engaging in conversation about the issue and impact of domestic abuse. Somewhere, someone in an abusive relationship might be touched by the song or outraged by it. Either way, it has sparked discussion about domestic abuse, a conversation that is normally left in the dark. The most important thing to do now is to take something positive from this whole thing, despite what the artist’s intentions were. Megan Fox donated her entire paycheck from the video to a center for battered women and children. So, clearly some good is coming from this song.

Annorexic Pretzels

2010-08-05T10:55:00.000-05:00

Okay, so I'm the first to read into ads and find the multitude of ways that they might be offensive to women. But this ad that stirring up oh-so-much controvery in NYC is not one of them.

I kind of think it's cute. I think it's being tongue in cheek about the saying, "You can never be too thin." I don't think they want people to be annorexic. I think that, at worst, they might be saying that these pretzels might be a healthy snack alternative (though the article points out that given the calorie content, they aren't). But I think we have far more disturbing advertising images to get our panties in a wad over. Really, I do.

And when you have other articles, like this one about a British Health Minister that says calling kids fat will shame them into losing weight, then I think we have bigger issues to tackle than a pretzel ad that people believe is promoting annorexia.

Pro-Woman Islam?

2010-08-02T09:38:00.000-05:00

With the summer coming to a close, I have been furiously working on all of my papers and class work trying to finish everything. One of my papers is on women’s rights in Malaysia. In researching this paper, I found a lot of information about Sharia (Islamic) law and how it disadvantages women, as well as, general patriarchal views that are keeping women in a subservient position. Women’s organizations are trying to find solutions to gender equality through Islam rather than circumventing it. One organization in particular, Sisters of Islam, is known for their pro-woman take on Islam.

The reason I bring this up is because I recently read an article on Change.org, where a woman took her husband to court on chargers of “domestic abuse that took the form of pinching all over her body, including her breasts and genitals, hard enough to leave bruises; repeated slapping, leaving her face bloody; deprivation of food; and repeated rape” (DiBranco, 2010). However, the judge ruled that no sexual assault occurred, he stated:

“This court does not feel that, under the circumstances, that this defendant had a criminal desire to or intent to sexually assault or to sexually contact the plaintiff when he did. The court believes that he was operating under his belief that it is, as the husband, his desire to have sex when and whether he wanted to, was something that was consistent with his practices and it was something that was not prohibited.”
(Volokh, 2010)

Now, if you hadn’t taken a look at the article, you might assume that this court case was happening in an Islamic nation where Sharia law is the norm, but this was in the U.S. In the U.S. civil law is the rule, no matter what your religious beliefs are you do not get a blank check to go around and break the law and be exempted because your religion Okayed it. Fortunately, this judge’s decision was later overruled in an appeals court, but it still shows that women all around the world need to fight for the right to their own bodies. Now, I don’t want this article to come off as a bashing of Islam, after all as noted in the article, Christians have tried to get away with a similar argument as well. The ever-so-wise Phyllis Schlafly stated, "[b]y getting married, the woman has consented to sex" (DiBranco, 2010).

So, for all of you who think that Islam is to blame,or that it cannot be used as a tool of liberation,I recommend you to check out the Sisters of Islam. They are doing some great work in Malaysia, urging religious scholars to reinterpret the male-centeredness of Islam and see that Islam is actually intended to give women rights rather than take them away. Personally, I think this is a really cool take on Islam, and they have a really great argument. Maybe, if the grassroots effort by the Sister of Islam is successful the new pro-woman Islamic paradigm can be exported to the world.

Shout-Out to our Awesome Student Staff!

2010-07-29T16:22:00.000-05:00

It's been a busy week, and I nearly forgot to blog. Although there are a bunch of national and international news stories I could have commented on today, I'm going to take a step back and focus a bit closer to home, or, in this case, work.

When you work in a field like mine - which intersects academia with social justice - it's really easy to get caught up in the big issues of the world along with the day-to-day stuff associated with any job. Although I feel very passionate about reproductive rights, environmental issues, and immigrant/human rights, today I want to pay kudos to the students who work/ed at the Women's Resource Center.

We have had an amazing group of students work at the WRC over the past few years. They are endlessly talented and passionate about the work we do at the Center. If you follow the blog, you've certainly read some of their thoughts. I feel very fortunate to work with such a great group of young feminists and activists, who continue to learn, engage, and push boundaries every day. So, to Lettie, Megan, Joe, Alex, Sarah, Carrie, Jamie, Monica, Jill and Patrice -- as well as Tracy, Marina and Sha'Donna who will all soon join us, you all are amazing and constantly impress and inspire!

Exes and Os

2010-07-27T12:47:00.000-05:00

Last Thursday I found myself in one of my favorite restaurants in DeKalb. I was enjoying my BBQ Chicken Wrap (it's like having an orgasm, except it's in your mouth) and chit-chatting with friends. I had met these friends in one of my classes that I’m taking this summer. There were four of us: one woman and three men.

Two thirds of the way through the meal we start talking about our exes; this is never a topic I enjoy discussing with ANYONE. After quite a while of the guys going on and on (and on) about the exes they have laid claim to, they turn to me and they ask, “Hartsoe, what gives? You haven’t been talking at all about your exes…. What? You still a virgin?"

I froze in my seat. My palms started to sweat. MY masculinity had just come into question. I answered in the only way I could, “Why do you care about my exes man?” (clearly the most manly response to the challenge on my manhood...). I know, I know, I shouldn’t have even bothered to engage him in an argument about my former partners. However, this jerk had just stereotyped me, and I wanted to say that I felt uncomfortable talking about past relationships, but saying that out loud was NOT going to help the situation. So I did what I do best: I got defensive, threw him my death glare (if that doesn't scream wuss, I don't know what does), and changed the subject.

Fast forward, on Monday morning, my boss at the WRC sends me this article “5 Stupid, Unfair and Sexist Things Expected of Men” (http://www.alternet.org/story/147626/5_stupid%2C_unfair_and_sexist_things_expected_of_men?page=entire) about how men in today’s society face sexist expectations.

All of a sudden my frustration and irritation makes sense!!!! The guys at dinner were just fulfilling society’s expectations of them by bragging about how many people they’ve been with and objectifying their partners, positing them as trophies that could be put into their collection….. The fact that this isn’t something I like to do flies in the face of society’s expectations of what it means to be a man. But WHY does that make me less "manly"????? More importantly, HOW do we change it???

Improving Feminism - I know, you thought it couldn't be done...

2010-07-22T09:41:00.000-05:00

NOTE: Before reading this phenomenal blog, it should be known that Kate has posted a fantastic blog right below it. You should definitely read that blog too. Furthermore, you should comment on her blog and give us some feedback, because I am super excited about the prospect of a garden and want it to happen.

Recently, while reading articles on AlterNet, I came across the article “10 Things Feminists Could Do Better.” Knowing that sometimes even feminists can get a bit self-righteous and forget that we are fallible, I thought this list was an excellent reminder that we still have work to be done – even with ourselves. I agree with almost all of the suggestions for moving forward with feminism, except for number seven. I think that sexuality is a huge part of feminism and women’s rights due to its ties with patriarchal norms and misogyny. Nevertheless, I present to you my two favorite suggestions (which were really hard to choose, so you should just read the whole article) from the list thoughtfully created by British philosopher and feminist Nina Power as well as number seven:

3. Feminism should not be misled by the successes of individual women at the top of their professions (politicians, CEOs, etc.). Better than thinking of these women as "tokens," though, we would do well to see them as (sometimes) being "decoys" (as described by Zillah Eisenstein in Sexual Decoys). Which is to say, simply because they are women and successful, the success (and therefore end) of feminism is frequently announced by the media, and their noxious politics are ignored (think of Margaret Thatcher). Feminism would do well to remember how the struggle for real equality and fair income can sometimes be disguised by the purported success of the odd individual woman.

5. Feminism should be wary of believing the fight has been won. Keeping up the pressure on those who would roll back the achievements of the women’s movement (abortion rights, workplace legislation against discrimination, etc.) is a matter of urgency and perpetual vigilance. In Italy, for example, female pay has dropped to 40 percent less than a man’s pay for the same work; at the same time 46 percent of women there are unemployed. Berlusconi’s TV stations spew out endless game-shows featuring scantily clad young women pretending to be stupid. Things can always get worse: the point is to stop them before they do.

7. Feminism should avoid reducing all questions of women’s lives to issues concerning sexuality and sexual behavior. Although the unhappy relation between production and reproduction forms one of the major contradictions of contemporary work, if feminism spends too much time focusing in on questions of sexuality, it risks losing sight of other significant questions -- unequal pay, non-sexual violence, and so on.

Community Gardens -- coming to a campus near you?!

2010-07-22T09:38:00.000-05:00

I love gardening. However, when you rent an apartment, and digging in the yard isn’t permissible, you have to be a bit more creative. Luckily, I have a small balcony that allows me to plant a container garden; I’m currently growing tomatoes, peppers, basil, chives, cilantro and parsley. While I’m thrilled with my mini garden, purchasing all of the containers and extra soil made it a more costly endeavor than digging a hole in the earth (not to say that’s easy or cheap, but the earth does supply a lot of the necessary resources). I’m fortunate it enough to have the expendable income, but not everyone has that luxury, and extra cash (or space) shouldn’t prevent people from enjoying fresh, organic, locally-grown food. Thus, we see the importance and necessity of community gardens, which is particularly true for college students who don’t often have access to the space or extra cash.

A community garden provides so many benefits, including bringing people together, educating adults and children about how food grows and the care it takes to transform a seedling into the food we consume, allowing people to eat locally, and expanding palates by exposing people to new herbs, fruits, and vegetables…just to name a few.

The staff of the Women’s Center is looking to introduce a community garden to NIU. The grounds crew won’t give us the bed in front of the office (I know, we’re irritated too!), but they have offered up some space over by the west lagoon. So, we’re toying with the idea of a container garden on our front porch versus the lagoon. Be on the lookout for updates!

Comprehensive Sex Education Controversy

2010-07-21T14:13:00.000-05:00

As this article on AlterNet reports, the proposal of a new comprehensive sex education program in Helena, Montana is causing controversy, stirring up opposition, and making national news. The program proposes age-appropriate progressions in the level of education that students are getting regarding sex, STI’s, and relationships, which would lead to students graduating with a more in depth knowledge in these areas than an abstinence-only program could provide.

Some of the proposed curriculum would “recognize that family structures differ” at the first grade level. At the second grade level, students would be taught to “understand making fun of people by calling them gay (e.g., “homo,” “fag,” “queer”) is disrespectful & hurtful.” At the fifth grade level students would be taught to
“Understand that during puberty, many people begin to develop sexual and romantic feelings. Understand that sexual intercourse includes but is not limited to vaginal, oral, or anal penetration. Define STI & recognize transmissions (gonorrhea, syphilis, HIV infection, Chlamydia, genital warts and herpes) Understand abstinence from sexual activity is the only 100% effective way to avoid STIs. Understand anyone can get STIs if they exchange bodily fluids orally, vaginally, and anally. Understand barrier methods of contraception (e.g. male and female condoms, dental dams can greatly reduce but not prevent STIs”

Well, if you’re anything like me you might be thinking, “This sounds great, what could be the problem with this?” Well, according to local pastor Rick Demato, this is an attempt to “eradicate Christian morals in America.” He also claims “the school system is inhospitable to Christians.” He has gone so far as to encourage parents to pull their children out of the public school district and either enroll them in a Christian school or home school them.

Although I respect the right of parents to decide what they believe is appropriate for their children, I don’t think that there is a problem with the school teaching comprehensive sex education. The role of a public school is not to teach according to any certain religious or spiritual belief. It is to provide basic knowledge that is applicable to all persons regardless of their specific beliefs. In my opinion, presenting all the facts and options, is doing just that. It is putting the information out there in the best way that it can to serve its entire population. If in fact, parents do want their children to only learn things that correspond with their own beliefs, (which is their right), then I urge them to look into alternative options, whether a private school or home schooling, whatever the best option is for their family. By catering to any certain religion, spirituality, or set of beliefs, the school would almost certainly be excluding other students.

This school district is certainly not the first to have negative responses to attempting to institute comprehensive sex education; they also will almost certainly not be the last to face this issue. However, it is important to remember that these schools are doing exactly what they should be doing. As we are supposed to have separation of Church and State, this shouldn’t be an issue of Christian morals; this should be an issue of what is best for the students and what will best provide them with the tools that they need to be safe and make well informed decisions about their life. Kudos to this school district, along with others for trying to better educate and prepare their students for the decisions ahead of them.

Half-Naked: Having What it Takes to be a Waitress.....

2010-07-20T13:36:00.000-05:00

I was in the office working with one of our AWESOME volunteers on a project. Now, Sam (our WONDERFUL volunteer) and I are talking, and she tells me of this job interview that she had not that long ago. The job was with a company who was interested in hiring two employees to waitress. In my mind, nothing scandalous or upsetting about that, right?

Now, at this point I feel obligated to step up and say that Sam is a personable, kind, and attractive individual (not to mention extremely intelligent, which of course, counted for nothing at this job interview). All of that aside, Sam was looking for a part-time job that would help pay the bills and get her through her last year in school. My questions is: at what cost should she go through to pay her bills...according to the company she was applying for a job...her body.

Of course, the restaurant expected all female employees to wear Belly Shirts (basically Bras made of cotton) and shorts that would fit so tight that not only would a woman’s butt be defined and very little would be left to the imagination, but half her butt would be popping out if she had to bend over and pick something up. My question: Would you go to a restaurant which required men to dress the same way(See the picture above? Would you want this guy serving you dinner??)??? Wait. What? You mean you wouldn't want to see a guy's junk flopping around as he brings you your meal or half of his butt popping out of his shorts when he bent over to pick something up (surprise, surprise…).

So, please remind me again: What makes it O.K. to require women to dress this way ANYWHERE (even at restaurants)? Because men get pleasure from this (do we really? I know I don’t go to a restaurant just to stare rudely at the waitress)??? Because women want to run around half naked (as if)??? Because society has said it’s O.K to objectify women in this way….. (No, I’m sorry, I do not buy that excuse).

We can do better. These are people: real life daughters, sisters, mothers, and friends that we take so much pleasure in objectifying. What’s wrong with a little respect and decency???

***My name is Sam, and I approve of Joe's usage of my story in this blog.***

The Beginning of Pro-Choice Media

2010-07-19T10:20:00.000-05:00

All too often, we pro-choicers are left out of mainstream media. T.V. shows and movies that address the issue of unplanned pregnancy usually feature a character who makes the decision not to terminate. However, recently that trend has started to shift. This Alternet article references a series of recent movies and television shows that take on the issue of unplanned pregnancies in a more balanced way, allowing women to consider abortion as an option. The main difference between these shows/movies and the ones that preceded them Is that we are finally seeing diversity in the decisions made by the female characters.

It is awesome to see that Hollywood is finally getting the memo that the world is ready to see abortion tackled in popular media in a pro-choice manner. Of course, we still have a while to go before it is truly in the mainstream (I had not really heard of the shows in the article, and, to my knowledge, Greenburg wasn’t exactly a blockbuster), but we are making progress.

In the article, in case you didn’t get a chance to read it, there is also an awesome short pro-choice film that is the ideal future direction of pro-choice media. The film below, Obvious Child, is a great and HILARIOUS take on a romantic comedy that confronts the issue of abortion head-on. It is only 20 minutes and definitely worth the time. I beg you to watch it.

Obvious Child from Gillian Robespierre on Vimeo.

Mama Grizzlies. Palin's Take on Conservative Women

2010-07-15T09:35:00.000-05:00

Sarah Palin’s political action committee (SarahPAC) recently released a video intended to stir conservative women to action. In “Mama Grizzlies,” Palin likens conservative women, specifically women who are mothers, to the mother grizzly bear. Suggesting that the U.S. is heading in an ominous direction (my word, not Palin’s), she contends that a “mom awakening” is taking place. You see, in Palin’s view, “moms kinda just know when something is wrong” and can tell when something/someone is going to “attack their cubs.” And, according to Palin, you “don’t wanna mess with the mama grizzlies.”

What?! So, if we’re to read between the lines, which is a necessity when it comes to Palin and her preference for hyperbole and euphemisms rather than concrete ideas, we see that the country is under attack by liberals and their “fundamental transformation” of this country (the latter seems like a pretty good thing to me). In order to protect their children and grandchildren and this great nation, conservative women (who all must be mothers, if we’re following the call to all “mama grizzlies”) are going to need to band together (like a herd of elephants) to ensure that politicians “respect the will of the people.”

Oy vey. Here are some of my major concerns:

1. Palin only respects the “will of the people” when it matches her ideology. Apparently the fact that Obama won the majority vote doesn’t actually reflect the will of the people.

2. Look at the people featured in the film. These “mothers” Palin speaks of are almost exclusively white women. Again, the will of the people apparently only applies to certain people.

3. Palin seems to presume that conservative women are all mothers, and that all mothers have “natural” instincts and always make decisions based upon the well-being of their children and grandchildren. Because, once a mother, that becomes a woman’s most defining identity. Eek.

4. Her reliance on the animal kingdom to connect with her supporters is expanding from infamous pit bull in lipstick references to the mama grizzly, while ending on the note of a “whole stampede of pink elephants” storming Washington. The animal jargon is belittling and offensive. Give people a reason to vote for you, not messages that make them feel defensive and urge them to live in fear of unnamed threats.

This video doesn’t surprise me, though it does irritate me. With that said, since I’ve clearly pulled a few quotes from the video, it may seem like I’m not fairly or fully representing Palin’s message. However, if you watch the video (only a minute and fifty seconds), the entire thing is filled with this mother bear jargon and little else. I’d challenge Palin to start using the SarahPAC dollars a little more effectively. Perhaps it’s time to communicate what the Republican Party will do and how it will differ from Democratic leadership, rather than treating supporters as defensive, reactive people who operate solely on animal instincts instead of informed logic.

Birth Control Excluded from "Preventive Services" List

2010-07-14T11:59:00.000-05:00

If you have been following the health care reform debate in the news, you’re probably aware that the White House is expected to reveal the list of preventives services that will be covered under new laws regulating health care.

As the Wall Street Journal reports, “Cancer screenings, including mammograms and colonoscopies, as well as obesity prevention services, immunizations, blood pressure screenings and tobacco cessation services are among those that will be available to consumers without a copayment or other direct costs for consumers on new health plans after Sept. 23.”

Guess what is missing from that list. Just guess. If you guessed birth control you would be correct. According to that list, birth control will not be included in the preventive services. However, there are a different set of regulations specifically pertaining to women’s health that have yet to come out. The Planned Parenthood Federation of America is working hard to ensure that birth control is included in these regulations. You can learn more about their work here.

We all know how important it is to ensure that everyone has affordable access to birth control. Having birth control allows women to exercise a choice to wait to have children until they are ready, or not have children at all. Birth control remains a key factor in freeing women from being viewed purely as incubators. It allows women to go to school, work outside the home, and live life according to their plans, not an expectation that they will simply grow up, get married, and continue to reproduce for the rest of their lives. Birth control is important; so I urge you to push for it to be included free of cost in preventive services in any way that you can, whether through volunteering with a campaign, writing letters, or talking to a friend or family member about birth control and sharing your story. We must ensure that women are allowed to make a choice about their reproductive options. Together we can make a difference.

Getting the "Low" Down

2010-07-13T14:08:00.000-05:00

So if the truth is told, I was caught off guard. Here I was sitting all alone at the Holmes Student Center attempting to complete my American Sign Language (ASL) homework. When all of a sudden, it struck me…..ALL of us have intersecting identities!!! (They may not always be a minority identity but their identities none the less).

I was researching individuals in Deaf culture who have made a significant impact on what is known as the hearing world (essentially everyone that is not Deaf or Hard of Hearing). I found Juliette Gordon Low, referenced as one of the influential figures that my assignment asked me to identify. Low may not sound like a household name, but amongst personal hardship and a life full of troubles (not only was she Deaf but she was divorced and ill with breast cancer toward the end of her life), she still found a way to make a difference in the lives of others.

What is significant about Juliette Gordon Low (in the center of the picture to the left) is that she founded what is known today as the Girl Scouts. Low, amidst personal struggles, gave girls in the United States (for the first time I may add) an outlet to help them realize their potential and their true ability in contributing to and shaping society. I applaud and thank Low, because it is the actions of individuals like her that make it possible for the advancement of ALL people.

With this in mind, I had several thoughts…..

First. are achievements of this magnitude occurring today? Are women and other minorities out doing now what Low did decades ago that would impact the future of the country? If I’m completely honest, I don’t see the type of achievements of women like Low in today’s society. I wonder if that’s because the media is not interested in highlighting the achievements of women or if we as a society have become so complacent with the status quo that we see no need for empowerment of women (in my opinion this is so NOT TRUE).

My second realization was that most people possess some sort of intersecting identities. Like Low, who was a minority by being Deaf and a woman, I too possess intersecting identities. I wonder if all people can, like Juliette Godron Low, reconcile their intersecting identities for the sake of advancing equality and strength for all.

You Can't Always Make Lemonade

2010-07-12T12:33:00.000-05:00

Until now, I have stayed out of the partisan debate over Sharron Angle (R), the U.S. senate candidate from Nebraska. I had heard of her far-right views and her association with the tea party movement. Naturally, I, being of the liberal persuasion, was not a fan of her politics. My disagreements with her were somewhat superficial considering that I had not done personal research on any of her positions; my concerns were based on partisan/ideological differences.

However, after reading a recent report, I now see what the controversy over Angle is all about. Angle recently stated in an interview that a young girl who was a victim of rape by her father could simply (and rather insensitively) turn lemons into lemonade. It is terrifying that a woman with extreme anti-women (and child) views could be a viable candidate for the senate. I now understand why she has been the focus of so many news reports lately, and why it is SO important to follow these elections. If Angle wins the election, it could mean a huge step back for women’s rights.

In the essence of full disclosure, I feel that I should state I am pro-choice. But, I think that many “pro-lifers” would agree that Angle takes her views on access to abortion too far. After all, according to the 2004 General Social Survey, 76.2% of the population believes that abortion should be legal in the event of a rape. More importantly, 86% of the population believes that an abortion should be legal in the event that a woman’s health is seriously endangered by the pregnancy. Both of these factors played a role in the pregnancy that Angle was referring to, and one can only guess how these percentages would change taking into account that the rape was the result of incest.

From now on I will surely be paying more attention to elections, particularly when candidates speak to issues of importance to me.

This article, courtesy of Change.org, has some more interesting information on Angle's views on the situation.

Operation Fail

2010-07-08T10:25:00.000-05:00

If you can't tell by now from reading this blog, WRC staff members are regular consumers of pop culture. But in our defense, almost all of us are also avid NPR fans."I heard a story on NPR today..." can often be overheard in our office, as can a streaming broadcast of NPR programs during the day.

Yesterday, I overheard a colleague relaying a story she'd heard on NPR right before a meeting about how women don't receive equal or adequate medical care at VA hospitals when they return home from serving in war. Her story kept bouncing around in my head, so I looked up the NPR story to listen online. You can hear the story here. The interview is with a woman who did a Time Magazine article on VA services for women veterans, which is where I found the picture accompanying this post.

This story made me so mad for so many reasons. #1 - What message are we giving women veterans? You're good enough to fight in Iraq and Afghanistan, but not good enough to merit keeping doctors on staff who can see to your medical needs? #2 - Women veterans don't get taken seriously when they have trauma because they don't serve in direct combat? You tell me where anyone (civilians, even) are safe from combat and direct fire in Iraq then. #3 - We will keep VIAGRA in stock, but not birth control pills?

I could go on and on. But listen to the NPR story and read the Time magazine article yourself and I promise you'll be mad enough to spit. I was.

Dear DC Comics: Wonder Woman's Makeover Sucks!

2010-07-07T16:11:00.000-05:00

Today I read this on Alternet, and I must say I was quite disappointed. The article details a recent makeover that Wonder Woman has undergone “to toughen her up and give her a modern sensibility,” says J. Michael Straczynski, the new head writer for Wonder Woman (according to this New York Times article). The makeover corresponds to a change in Wonder Woman’s history that seems to detract from some of her power. Now I must say, I have never been really into either comic books or superheroes; however, for a time in my childhood, I did enjoy Wonder Woman, and I think that I have always appreciated her strong feminist nature. Therefore, I am not a fan of Wonder Woman’s new makeover. She has gone from being someone who is clearly strong and a force to be reckoned with to someone who could be easily overlooked.

This is part of a larger problem though – there is such a shortage of really strong female role models. And, to me, this just makes it worse. Sure, Wonder Woman was a character in a comic book, but she is also a fairly accepted part of pop culture. As the article reports, “(new)statistics from the Geena Davis Institute on Gender and Media pertaining to female role models for young girls. In G rated movies, just one in three speaking roles is female and in PG and R rated films, about 73 percent of the characters are male. While there are notable exceptions, like Dora the Explorer and the girl superheroes in The Invincibles, young women are still hard pressed to find pop culture role models that look and sound like themselves.” In a time when TV is dominated with shows like 16 and Pregnant and the media is full of stories about young celebrities and sex scandals, eating disorders, and drug and alcohol abuse, who are girls and young women supposed to look up to now?

While this is a perplexing question with seemingly no answers, we do know one thing: we need to create a place in pop culture and the mainstream media for more strong women to become easily accessible to girls and young women as role models.

P.S. Please revert Wonder Woman back to her original look and story!

Dear John, Please Fix the Half of My Heart

2010-07-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

O.K. This past weekend was 4th of July (aka America’s birthday). This meant a weekend of celebrating our freedom from oppression and loving democracy. For me personally, this meant a 5 hour car ride (which took 8 and ½ hours – thank you lousy road construction in Indiana) and plenty of time scanning radio stations trying to sooth my desire to flip off the jerk that waited until the last possible minute to cut everyone off and merge left, thus, almost causing an accident.

Anyway, as I was driving back from Michigan I came across radio stations playing John Mayer’s "Half of My Heart" approximately 40 million times. I LOVE that song. Naturally when the radio personality informed me that it was in fact a duet between John Mayer and Taylor Swift, excited doesn’t even cover how much I really wanted to see the music video for this song.

So, I hurried home with the intention of finding this song on YouTube and playing it over and over again. What I found on YouTube, however, was a music video that got me asking some serious questions. First of all, where is Taylor Swift? In the music video she is singing along with John but she is never shown. Do we really live in such a male dominated society that when women work on projects they don’t even have the right to be seen and recognized fully for their contributions???

Furthermore, if you look at a vast majority of John Mayer’s songs, including "Half of My Heart," you will notice a vivid pattern. This pattern generally involves a guy who falls madly in love with a woman who, towards the end of the song (or maybe even sooner), breaks his heart into a million pieces and makes it so that the man is not able to love anyone ever again. At this point, I hope that readers can see the over dramatic sarcasm in my writing because it’s not like a woman has EVER had her heart broken by a man before….

My issue here is not that John Mayer makes songs about love, despair, and heartbreak. What bothers me is the fact that in almost every song he sings, it’s the woman who walks out on the wedding or destroys the perfect love that the charming couple once had. Where is the man in all of this??? Oh that’s right, he’s in the corner sulking about his broken heart… Wouldn’t that time be better spent trying to work out any problems in the relationship or just moving on?

Bottom line: John, you have perfect hair and a beautiful voice; now, let’s work on some good old fashion equality, shall we?

Rape Myth Awareness in Scotland

2010-07-01T14:33:00.000-05:00

Recently, a Scottish group, Rape Crisis Scotland, has released a PSA that dispels a common rape myth –that women who are raped are “asking for it.” This myth is victim blaming and harmful when trying to understand and prevent rape.

Here is the video:

The PSA is a part of Rape Crisis Scotland’s “Not Ever” campaign.The campaign was developed in response to a study that showed that a large minority of Scottish people believed that in some circumstances women are at least partially responsible for being raped.

I absolutely love this PSA. I think it’s a wonderful first step in dispelling prevalent myths and getting accurate information out there about rape. I hope that this campaign can inspire more like it. Although I’m not sure how likely it is, I would love to see a PSA like this here in the U.S.!

*Edited to include: Check this awesome campaign, also by Rape Crisis Scotland.

HUGE and ABC Family's Concept of Self-Esteem

2010-06-30T10:32:00.000-05:00

ABC Family recently debuted its new comedic-drama Huge, starring Nikki Blonsky. The show’s tagline is “Love Huge, Think Huge, Act Huge” with the addendum that “living a healthy life means having healthy self-esteem too!” First, kudos to ABC Family for featuring a cast of actors who do not resemble the typical Hollywood figure; I’m not entirely sure about the motives, but we’ll get back to that. Further, the tagline with its reference to self-esteem is a nice sentiment, but I don’t really believe the show’s execs and marketing team actually buy it…or get it.

Let’s take a look at this image, which ABC Family is using to promote the show. It features the main character Willamena Rader, played by Blonsky. This character looks like her self-esteem could use a “huge” boost, as she attempts to hide herself and minimize her body. If the show is really focused on promoting self-confidence and a healthy sense of self, regardless of size, this image indicates that such a concept might not be attainable for an overweight girl in a bathing suit. Hmmm.

I also wonder about the casting choice and Blonsky’s role in the show. It’s great that she receives offers to work, and as an actress, I suppose you take the best roles offered to you. However, it seems that her career is built on playing the fat girl (think Hairspray and TV movie Queen Sized), making her weight the most defining component of her identity.

I’m definitely feeling conflicted about the show and question how inclusive and representative it is to cast a number of overweight actors on a show that is focused on their weight and size. What’s your take?

Elena Who??????

2010-06-29T12:49:00.000-05:00

Yesterday was the official kickoff of confirmation hearings for Supreme Court nominee Elena Kagan. Now, I’m a political nerd who generally loves to watch the confirmation hearings unfold. I mean, who isn’t a fan of unfair questions (from both sides of the aisle), scrutiny of the most boring individuals in the nation, and (my personal favorite) those good old one-liners that are always taken out of context and twisted around to make the nominee look like s/he is either racist, sexist, or pro-choice?
This year, however, I’m not too excited about watching Kagan’s confirmation hearing take place. This lack of enthusiasm isn’t because I’ve lost my love of watching political dog fights, but simply because there’s not a lengthy record of decisions to examine and scrutinize. Kagan was dean of Harvard Law School, Solicitor General, and has never been a judge.

All of this simply means that people that oppose Kagan do so because 1) they don’t know how she will vote on hot button issues such as abortion or gay marriage (boo hoo) or 2) because, with Ginsberg and Sotomayor as justices, they feel as if there is no need for another woman on the Supreme Court. Personally, I believe that at least 5 of the justices should be women since there are now approximately more women than men in this country. But silly me, relinquishing the dominant and subordinate relationship between men and women, especially in government, is not on the docket….. for now.

GO KAGAN, GO.

R.I.P. "Targeted Women"

2010-06-28T09:52:00.000-05:00

Hello All,

Many of you who follow the blog probably know of my love for Sarah Haskins, the host of CurrentTV’s “Targeted Women.” The show had been a comedic, feminist beacon of criticism for all the crazy products that companies target toward women. Unfortunately, the Haskins era has come to an end (moment of silence). I know, I know, you are all probably just as sad and outraged as I am, but there is hope.

CurrentTV has brought in Erin Gibson to do a new series that follows the general theme of Haskins’ show. There was even a symbolic passing-of-the-torch ceremony (or, in this case, golden tampon) to usher in the new era of Gibson.

Gibson’s show is called “Modern Lady.” It might be a little too early to say whether or not she lives up to the standard that Haskins has set, but I am still excited to hear her views.

The Gaga Debate

2010-06-24T07:36:00.000-05:00

Yes, yes, I realize that this is yet another commentary on an article that I've read - and I do realize I might be becoming redundant or at the very least predictable. With that admission aside, I "found" this article in a status message update on a friend's Facebook page.

I also realize that debates about Lady Gaga are nothing new. But the debate over whether she is an empowered feminist or another victim of self-exploitation is one I found to be quite interesting. I also post this article for your perusal, judgment and hopefully comments with the admission that a good portion of my office is Lady Gaga obsessed. In fact, a few of the staff spent one day last week bringing me up to date on the latest of her strange videos.

I'll admit that I am a big fan of her music (what can I say? it's amazing workout music!), and find her videos strange, yet fascinating. A lot of this article is a bit over my head where philosophy is concerned (I flunked Ancient Philosophy in college and had to re-take it, painful though it was, in order to graduate). But I think the article, albeit an opinion piece, is a bit off base. If Lady Gaga fancies herself a feminist, and she feels in charge of the choreography and costuming for her videos (which I can only assume she does, since she goes out to public events like baseball games dressed in a similar fashion), then who are we to say that she is just fooling herself? Why do we get to tell her that she's actually NOT a feminist and that her works can't be viewed as such? Why we do have to tell her that she's actually a victim of the male gaze and not in charge of how the male gaze is fixed upon her?

The article references the Telephone video and its nod to Thelma and Louise. I appreciated the reference to this classic film, and pardon me if I don't think that poisoning everyone in the diner was a bit over the top. These ladies were mad and out for some revenge - sorry if they didn't stop with killing just the boyfriend. How unladylike. I'm no proponent of violence, but why is it that when women act for just a second like men, we start chastizing them. I would even go so far as to say that the video could be seen as - if not feminist, at least seen through a feminist lens. But keep in mind, I am able to find the feminism in just about anything so that I can justify my sometimes questionable media consumption. I have even made the argument that Nip/Tuck is a feminist show (that's a whole other blog, kids).

But I urge you to watch the video - heck, watch all of her videos - read the article and let us know what you think. And if you decide that Gaga and her videos can be considered feminist (even just to justify your obsession), don't feel bad. You're not the only one.

Around and Around We Go

2010-06-23T13:00:00.000-05:00

It’s official! Massachusetts just became the 25th state to offer a “Choose Life” anti-abortion license plate. With the sale of these license plates, revenue generated will fund “emergency pregnancy clinics” that do not inform women of all of the legal options available to them. The recent approval of the MA license plate is a huge success for the pro-life movement, especially compared to the fact that only four states have approved a “Trust Women. Trust Choice.” license plate design set forth by a non-profit organization that advocates for women’s reproductive rights.

This recent victory for the Pro-Life movement is sparking a new wave of frustration and controversy across the blogosphere. It is interesting that our way of assessing which side of the debate on abortion has more supporters is to see how many people will plaster their view on their license plate. I suppose that I just don’t understand why this frustration is present. So, pro-life organizations are putting license plates on the back of cars you can barely see as they fly past you on the interstate, what’s the big deal?

I guess my point is that I don’t see these license plates as a means of activism. I would much rather give money, time, or loyalty to an organization that I respect, rather than using my “tricked-out” license plate to show that I support an organization.

No Voice, No Brain, No Libido... No Probelm

2010-06-23T11:01:00.000-05:00

If you have ever wondered about the best way to reconcile your sexual appetite with your complete lack of desire for actually dealing with women, the solution has finally arrived!

Introducing….MyPartyDoll!

What is MyPartyDoll you ask? Well, according to the company's web site, “Party Dolls are the finest, most realistic, life size silicone dolls in the world. Each doll is carefully created using the finest available materials and craftsmanship. She moves just like a real girl, and is soft in all the right places.”

We accidently stumbled upon MyPartyDoll last week while searching for something else; Kate and I were immediately creeped out. But the creepiness factor aside, MyPartyDoll really does perpetuate the idea that women are a commodity. The dolls, which are named Leelo, are consistently personified throughout the website. The website even offers such gems as, “She should be treated with the care and respect given any other expensive work of art. Careful treatment will give you many years of beauty and enjoyment. She was created with very durable materials; but just like a real girl, should always be handled with care.”

So here is a $5600 “girl” that you can buy and use purely for your own enjoyment. Gone are the days when you have to worry about consent and someone else’s enjoyment. With MyPartyDoll you are completely in control.

In this article, sex doll consultant Alex Goldman says, “I’ve personally tested every doll on the market, these girls are a world of difference. She’s the bounciest doll I’ve ever been with…Leelo isn’t like those old blow up dolls, she’s so durable you could jack your car up with her…Leelo could last thirty years, of course it depends on how carried away you get with her.”

Personally, I find MyPartyDolls to be completely sexist, disgusting, and disturbing. As long as products like this are on the market, we will never be able to have true respect for women, their autonomy, and sexual agency.

*With the exception of quotes, which are taken directly from the MyPartyDoll website, all descriptions are my own and do not describe the feelings of MyPartyDoll.

The Real L Word: Laughable

2010-06-21T08:14:00.001-05:00

Anyone who knows me knows that I love The L Word. I have been a supporter of the show, and I used to watch it religiously. Many people (cough… cough… mostly Jill) liked to challenge me on my love of The L Word saying that it was not a feminist show/message. Articles / blogs were even written by prominent feminist sources condemning the show as anti-feminist. Still, I held my ground and did not waiver in support.

Rather than going into detail about why I believe The L Word is feminist, you can read this article which lays out the main arguments.

The L Word ended its 6-year streak and the debate seemed to die with it. However, I recently discovered that they are now coming out with a show called The REAL L Word. It is a reality show that follows the lives of real lesbians in L.A. that airs on Showtime, Sundays, at 10pm
Now, everything you just read in support of The L Word and my personal views on it as feminist is thrown out in The Real L Word. From everything that I have gathered from the website and all the videos, The Real L World, is not only an anti-feminist show but practically disrupts every argument made in favor of the original The L Word.

Now I have never been a fan of reality TV, but this show is definitely a slap in the face to feminism. If you watch the clip which gives an introduction to the show you might just see what I mean. First of all, one of the cast members has the audacity to say that they are a “diverse group” even though they all look pretty much the same to me (see the photo above). The reason I could justify the cookie-cutter characters in the original The L Word series is because it was not claiming to be reality. I’m sorry, but in reality not all lesbians are 1) that attractive 2) that successful (all of them seem to be doing extremely well for themselves) and 3) live the glamorous lifestyles portrayed on the show. It seems that this new series is truly the antithesis of what it is claiming: real. Therefore, I cannot even begin to try and defend this show as feminist or even ground-breaking. It is merely another cliché reality show.

Just incase this video is not working, here is the link to watch it.

Betty White is looking good...don't airbrush her

2010-06-17T07:59:00.000-05:00

Betty White is everywhere, and I like it! Although only claiming third place as my favorite “Golden Girl,” I’m absolutely thrilled with the increased attention White has received since the airing of her comic Super Bowl commercial in February. The ensuing request to host SNL and a leading role in the new sitcom Hot in Cleveland, make Betty White white-hot at the age of 88.

The fact that White is 88, actually looks it, and appears on TV pleases me to no extent. I appreciate that her face is plastered everywhere (while not looking like a plaster mold), serving as a reminder of what a woman who has aged naturally looks like: something we see far too infrequently in an industry that values looks above talent and youth over maturity, particularly for women. It’s fabulous that Betty White continues to claim a little piece of the spotlight, and that we can see such joy –and a range of emotions– in her unaltered, octogenarian face, while still appreciating her comedic presence and her work as an actor and animal rights activist.

NB: While searching for a photo of White, I found this article from Jezebel. To the person who authorized this airbrushing: leave Betty alone! I’d say leave all women untouched, but baby steps…

One of These Things is Not Like the Other

2010-06-16T11:59:00.000-05:00

There has been a lot of talk recently surrounding conservative women and feminism, or at least feminist ideals. Laura bush came out and said that she is pro-choice and supports same-sex marriage. Then, of course, Sarah Palin has once again announced that she is a feminist.

Of course this has caused all sorts of uproar within the feminist community, as everyone tries to set the record straight that Sarah Palin is not a feminist. I think this article from AlterNet says it best.

There is a difference between these two women, sure they are both conservative, but Laura Bush is supporting women’s rights. Sarah Palin on the other hand is using her own claim to feminism to further limit women’s rights. This has nothing to do with her being conservative, this is her being anti-woman.

That being said, so much of the attention has been focused on trying to negate Sarah Palin’s claim. Personally, I get kind of sick of all the negativity. Perhaps instead, we could focus more on what feminism is and has done, what feminism still is trying to do. Getting caught up in all this negativity doesn’t help or accomplish anything. In fact, it is more likely to distract us from working on things on which we can make real progress.

All of the above being said….Sarah Palin: please don’t talk the feminist talk if you can’t (or won’t) walk the feminist walk.

Male Feminism.... Male What?????

2010-06-15T14:35:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone!! I would like to take a quick minute to introduce myself. My name is Joe Hartsoe, and this is my first blog for the WRC. I will be starting my third year here at NIU; I study Political Science and Economics, and I enjoy music.

Oh, and I’m a ……………………..male feminist

Now the video was obviously not what male feminism is all about. But yet, one can find jokes making fun of male feminism everywhere. In fact, when I tell others that I'm a male feminist I often get one of two responses which challenge the need for men to be feminist and my masculinity because I support equality of both sexes. Either: A) People assume that I’m homosexual because no man sexually attracted to women could ever be a feminist (which is not true). Or B) People say there’s no reason for men to be feminists because women can take care of themselves. In fact, some have even argued that by my identifying as a feminist, I’m really just continuing the stereotype of men attempting to save the damsel (women in society) in distress.

To these two points of view I say: REALLY?!?!?!?!?!? First of all, men can and, I argue, should identify as feminist. It doesn’t make sense to me, from a heterosexual point of view, to not respect women as equal to men when both sexes are necessary in order to produce future generations who will either make this world better or worse off. To the men out there: Do we really want our daughters/sisters/friends to be paid less than a man doing the same job or passed over for a promotion because male counterparts think that it is wrong that a woman should have authority over male employees? I know I would NEVER want that for my female friends and loved ones.

Furthermore, not being a feminist because it is, allegedly, furthering the idea that women need a man to save them is ludicrous. My identification as a feminist is about standing up for equality of the sexes. I’m not a superhero, and I don’t want to ‘‘save’’ anyone. I am a feminist because I want to see the day when a woman’s intelligence is not questioned based on her sex. I am a feminist because I want to see a day when college campuses will no longer need to educate individuals about sexual assault because rape will no longer occur. I am a feminist because in this day and age, men and women contribute so much that there is no reason to attempt to separate the two into a dominate and subordinate relationship, but rather a interdependent free flowing relationship of respect and equality.

I am a feminist………… Are you?