Finally! Some "progress" in gender-neutrality of toys??

Hasbro to unveil gender-neutral Easy-Bake Oven

According to the Geena Davis Institute of Gender in the Media, "Hasbro has announced plans to begin selling gender-neutral versions of its long-successful Easy-Bake Oven. A teenage New Jersey girl launched a campaign, including a petition that quickly attracted over 40,000 signatures, against the company after she was unable to find an Easy-Bake Oven in a color other than pink or purple."

I give props to McKenna Pope, of Garfield, N.J., the young woman who took action against our overly-gendered culture of toys in the U.S. She's an example of how one person acting on her dissatisfaction with the status quo can positively change the culture we consume.  

At the same time, I find it disheartening that she had to do anything at all. When I was a girl in the seventies, the Easy Bake oven came in a variety of colors (among them turquoise, avocado green, harvest gold, white, and black) and its ad featured boys as well as girls. Why are we regressing?

Calling all in the multi-layered audience of YA lit

If you share Maggie Stiefvater's claim that you "don't care what a book is classified as: [you] care that it's good," then continue reading about five books you will never outgrow. Perhaps, like me, you might consider reading them, too, over break?
www.npr.org/2012/12/20/167562764/5-young-adult-novels-that-youll-never-outgrow

"Frozen" Disney Princess Movie 2013

On the topic of the first official concept art for Disney's 2013 computer-animated film Frozen:

The above images were released and met with a general disappointment for the character designs. The art is sure to be phenomenal (I mean just look at those ice-sculpture-things, wow) but many felt there was something lacking in the characters Anna and Kristoph.

I have included the rest of my post under the break. I tried not to have this post turn into a big discussion of "What Disney could have done." I am very interested in looking through original concept art of animated films, and I find it so interesting because the creators can literally create any appearance for a scenery or a person. It is always fascinating to see what could have been and what they officially decided upon.

Please read on for some thoughts on this Tangled lookalike, how it compares to the original Hans Christian Andersen story, fanart that potentially improves on the Frozen setting, and sketches from concept artists:

The Girl Effect

I just saw this posted on facebook (you all should follow Cranky Fat Feminist if you don't, she's a former Denison student!), and I though I'd share it here. I'd never heard about The Girl Effect before, but it would have been really cool to talk about... Here is the link to their website: http://www.girleffect.org/

Pink Loves Consent and Victoria's Secret

I heard about this on Sunday from Jordan, and I see it was mentioned briefly on our blog before the word broke that it wasn't officially connected with Victoria's Secret. But it seems http://pinklovesconsent.com/ is trying to do a really cool thing in making the line official, or at least raising awareness for "the consent revolution."

Googling, I found their twitter: https://twitter.com/loveconsent

A disheartened article on Jezebel from December 3rd: http://jezebel.com/5965323/no-victorias-secret-does-not-have-a-new-line-of-anti+rape-panties

A hopeful, December 4th article on Jezebel: http://jezebel.com/5965486/but-what-if-victorias-secret-launched-a-consent+themed-line-of-underpants

And a HuffPost article, "Why Pink Loves Consent Is Important": http://www.huffingtonpost.com/erica-cheung/pink-loves-consent-victorias-secret_b_2264289.html

I have some problems with Victoria's Secret that stems not from the qualities of their products, but the way they advertise, especially when compared to Dove models (which I love). I saw this comparison a while back:

Above: Victoria's Secret and Dove comparison

Above: More of Dove's Real Beauty ad

Yeah, Victoria's Secret has some different skin tones thrown in there, but all of the women are the same height and have the same swoopy hair and skinny body build. Dove makes an effort to find diversity with their models, and it's something that I appreciate greatly.

Look how fun and beautiful everyone is! Silly faces, genuine smiles, as opposed to very glossy, rail-thin models posing for "sexy." It's interesting to observe the comparison from an compositional perspective: VS models pose and contort their bodies to have angles rather than smooth edges.

Speaking of Dove, body diversity, and squeamishness over the sexuality in old-age:

Dove's Pro-Aging Campaign.

I didn't know this, but the above video was "banned in the US for showing too much skin." Sigh.

I think Victoria's Secret should seriously consider a Pink Loves Consent line. Why not? It would be extremely progressive to see such a mass-consumed company like Victoria's Secret actively participating in the molding of impressionable pre-teens, breaking of stereotypes, and an attack on rape culture.

Even so, it seems far-fetched. In mid-November at the Victoria's Secret televised fashion show (a show produced "in order to show America the true meaning of the word 'sexy'"), a model on the runway wore a mock-traditional Native American headdress. Wearing faux-Native American paraphernalia has long been seen as offensive to those of the culture.

I'm a little weak in explaining this, but the tumblr account http://this-is-not-native.tumblr.com/ calls out tumblr posts (mostly of hipsters in headdresses) and gives a list of resources for combatting ignorance. 

An important link is "My Identity Is Not A Costume for You To Wear": http://whebrhotub.blogspot.com/2009/10/my-identity-is-not-costume-for-you-to.html

Interestingly enough, in response to the VS fashion show, Jezebel also writes on this topic: http://jezebel.com/5959698/a-much+needed-primer-on-cultural-appropriation

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show 2012

Culture is not a joke, and when you are uninformed and insensitive when dealing with and displaying a person's culture merely for aesthetic entertainment, it is a serious offense. While VS formally apologized for their insensitivity (http://newsfeed.time.com/2012/11/15/victorias-secret-apologizes-after-using-a-native-american-headdress-in-their-fashion-show/), the whole thing makes me very skeptical about the potential for an official Pink Loves Consent lingerie line.

But that being said, WOW it would be awesome if this were made a reality: http://pinklovesconsent.com/pink/pink.victoriassecret.com/before_after.html
And wasn't that the intent? I agree with Erica Cheung's outlook in her Huffington Post article: "Even though I was disappointed that Victoria's Secret wasn't actually promoting this positive image, I was very happy to realize that I had been tricked. I was so impressed than an activist group was able to reach so many people and garner such a positive reaction to a campaign that has to do with women's bodies and sexuality."

This post has covered a lot of topics (Pink Loves Consent, Victoria's Secret vs Dove ad campaigns, and the importance of cultural sensitivity....), but I hope I provided some informative links!

**The group behind "Pink Loves Consent" is FORCE: Upsetting Rape Culture. You can see their news and blog here: http://upsettingrapeculture.com/

conversations between mothers and daughters.....

Reexamining identity and difference in ways unimagined only a few decades ago. Watch this video showcasing the love between parents and children grounded in the grit of experience.

http://www.onbeing.org/blog/stories-identity-and-love-difference-video/4933

Speaking of black barbies and hair?

Although facebook is very distracting and a great way to waste time, sometime every now and then I come across interesting and empowering.  I know that in one our recent classes we were talking about hair and acceptance, image, and so fourth.  While on fb I came across this page that promotes the "natural hair African American women, ummm how interesting if this was in our society; if we seen this in stores, on television, and throughout our lives, just as much as we see the white barbies, princesses, etc. Stanisha I think that you would really enjoy this and have much to say. :)

Old People and Sex?

Now when I watch television, look at magazine articles, or browse through the library looking for books, various issues we have discussed in class randomly pop up in forefront of my mind. So, as I was watching TVLand this past Sunday, I couldn't help but notice how the sitcom Hot In Cleveland covers our discussion on "senior" sexuality. That is, older men and women, 60+ in age having active sex lives and how sometimes that makes a lot of us uncomfortable. I love this sitcom because the humor that goes into defying stereotypes about middle aged and senior women is just great!

 Just to provide a little bit of context, Hot in Cleveland showcases the lives of 3 women (Melanie, Joy and Victoria), who have moved from Los Angeles to Cleveland (who would have guessed?) and happen to fall under the care of Elka, the oldest house member who is played by Betty White. Yes, Betty White from The Golden Girls. In this scene, the girls go to Elka's favorite hair salon. Her stylist, who is also in the same age range as she is, is quite flirtatious. Here's the link: watch from 2:49-4:46 and 16:35-19:10. 

Hilarious right? 

So, while we might be disappointed that the VS website "Pink Loves Consent" is a "hack(er) job," here is something we can applaud, a great list of books from The New York Times that offer diverse protagonists!

 

 

Victoria's Secret: Resisting Rape Culture (and even using the term rape culture!) and Celebrating Body Diversity in Advertising in one Fell Swoop

Have you all seen this yet? Victoria's Secret actually did something pretty cool! Celebrating women's rights to be "sexy," still wanting to have fun underwear, and also to be able to say yes and no as they choose! Also, should you need stocking stuffers... haha

http://pinklovesconsent.com/pink/pink.victoriassecret.com/about_pink_nation.html#

Entertainment Weekly Review: Brave

My contribution to the Brave discussion comes in the form of this, a review of the movie by Entertainment Weekly magazine's Lisa Schwarzbaum.

The first thing to notice about the review is that Schwarzbaum brings up one of the main things we talked about in class: Merida's hair.

Schwarzbaum explains that, despite Disney Princesses almost always (Snow White being the exception) having long, flowing hair to represent their femininity, Merida is different:

"Merida is defined by a huge unruly tumble of long bright-red curls that, in its refusal to be combed, let alone pinned down, signifies the opposite of ladylike passivity. Her untamed tresses are a Samson-like manifestation of her strength and independent spirit."

Suzanne Collins is Writing a Picture Book

Autobiographical Suzanne Collins Picture Book Slated for Fall 2013
Bestselling author Suzanne Collins will examine the effects of war for a much younger readership than that of her Hunger Games series with the autobiographical picture book Year of the Jungle, which Scholastic will publish on September 10, 2013. The book, to be illustrated by Collins's longtime friend (and Hunger Games dedicatee) James Proimos, follows the struggles of a girl named Suzy while her father is serving in Vietnam

www.publishersweekly.com/pw/by-topic/childrens/childrens-book-news/article/54928-autobiographical-suzanne-collins-picture-book-slated-for-fall-2013.html

Women, Power, and Compromise in Brave

Hanna Rosin's article on the movie Brave caught my eye because its title: "Critics Are Missing What's Radical in Brave." Written by a woman with an 11-year-old daughter, the article went into depth with themes of female power in the movie. However, it did not just focus on questions of leadership (as the author states,"it’s perfectly clear that the Queen is the only legitimate leader."), but rather explored raw female power, edging into violence, in the film.

We associate dominance with physical force, a typically male quality. However, Merida channels pure force, always moving and shooting arrows and fighting her mother, her wild red hair moving just as much as she does.
The juxtaposition of power and compromise is fostered with the inclusion of the bear themes. As Rosin relates, "in original fairy tales, bears are a mortal threat to girls ... [However,] in Brave, females and bears merge in a whole new strange way." Fairytale tropes assign bears to the role of antagonists and monsters. While Brave's Mor'du is in all instances a villain, we see a softer, protective side of animalistic ferocity with Elinor's transformation.
In addition to these notes, what sticks with me is the moment just after Mor'du's demise. His spirit rises up and gives a nod of thanks to Merida before shifting into a will o' wisp. The raw violence of the film can be frightening, but the terror is always reconciled through compassion and understanding.

I looked through a few other articles to see positive, empowered reviews of the movie and came across Amanda Marcotte's review, "The Shocking Radicalisim of Brave." Her article emphasized instances of compromise in the film.

I see the film's overarching theme as one of responsibility - to your country, to your family, and to yourself. Merida struggles to find the balance between all three, and I think that her position as a princess highlights the relevance and importance of her choices.

She finds that her individual actions can make a situation worse, and at the heart of the story, compromise and understanding are most important. I agree with Marcotte when she states, "Only when the female characters start to work together—to take the collective action so beloved by progressive organizers—does actual change occur."

It interests me that a movie can at once be so forceful in its character and dynamic plot, yet at the heart have lessons for compromise and understanding.


Marcotte, Amanda. "The Shocking Radicalism of Brave." The American Prospect. The Prospect, 3 July 2012. Web. 29 Nov 2012. http://prospect.org/article/shocking-radicalism-brave

Rosin, Hanna. "Critics Are Missing What's Radical in Brave." Slate. Slate Magazine, 20 June 2012. Web. 29 Nov 2012. http://www.slate.com/blogs/xx_factor/2012/06/20/pixar_s_brave_a_princess_with_raw_physical_power.html

Target cashes in on promoting cute over clever (err, pretty before brave)

http://jezebel.com/5913959/beauty-comes-before-bravery-for-target-girls

Gender inequality in family films

Findings from a massive study of gender inequality in family films commissioned by the Geena Davis Institute –

Does _Brave_ pass the "Smurfette Principle" test?

http://www.feministfrequency.com/2011/04/tropes-vs-women-3-the-smurfette-principle/
"The Smurfette Principle was named two decades ago by Katha Pollitt [in a NYT article], when she noticed that there were a disproportionate amount of male characters in programming aimed at young people.  Even in adult programming, when women do appear in the primary cast of a television show or movie, they are usually alone in a group of men. Sadly, this trope has made its way into the 21st century."

Ms Magazine: "The Bold and the Brave"

"Brave, Pixar’s 13th feature film, is indeed rather brave. Yes, it strays from the romance focus; yes, it gives us a strong female lead; yes, it questions hetero-monogamous-marriage as the happy ending. But the real derring-do comes from the fact that it is woman-centered and focused on a mother-daughter relationship. Less overtly, it also supplies a witty visual onslaught of gender as performance, particularly via the body-swap portion of the narrative in which Queen Elinor (Emma Thompson) acts out her uber-feminine ways in big bear drag."
http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2012/06/21/the-bold-and-the-brave/

"The war on women begins with girls"

http://ideas.time.com/2012/03/19/why-fathers-must-speak-out-against-sexis/

The vibrator or WORST Clitoridectomies

Interesting article about the vibrator and clitoridectomies. Some man once thought it was good to remove the female clitoris, what nonsense? How would he have liked it to get one of his testicles removed? Not such good idea  now uh? The removal of the female clitoris isn't something that is done in the United States on a regular today from my knowledge, however is it being taking place in other countries. What are your thoughts about that?

http://jezebel.com/5914350/vibrators-and-clitoridectomies-how-victorian-doctors-took-control-of-womens-orgasms?tag=genderal-interest

Is Merida Gay?

Interesting article I found when looking for articles about Brave. This article brings up the question and explores the topic about Merida being Gay. Now that Merida is not stereotypical, social constructed female, does that make her gay? What foolishness someone brought? Constantly judging and making accusations an empowering female character.

http://theweek.com/article/index/229891/is-braves-heroine-gay

Looking at the Real Reflected Complexities in Brave

http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomwatson/2012/07/06/brave-is-actually-quite-brave-pixars-fantastic-feminist-document/

I really like this article because (a) it's in Forbes, which is a pretty mainstream and widely read site, so yay! discussing feminism in the mainstream! (b) while it addresses some of the critiques of Brave, it's main point (and one that I thought was awesome about Brave when I watched it) is that the story reflects the complexities of a real life, and that there is very rarely a totalizing "win" in the end for any situation.

This article discusses the fact that compromises, alliances, politics, etc are all very much a part of the real world, and Brave very much speaks to that. I think that being grounded in some kind of realism actually makes Brave more empowering because it can teach viewers lessons that they can actually use to accomplish something instead of just moral goodness or a self-esteem boost (not to devalue those either...).

----------------------------------------

I'd also like to discuss in class the fact that Brave shows princess-obsessed little girls another side to being a princess. It shows the politics and power of the role of "princess,"it shows that princesses don't get everything they want, it shows that princess can be tough and still have to wear a dress, that princesses have annoying little brothers (that they still love), that you can fight with your mom and still love each other in the end, and that princesses screw up sometimes too, and I think that's pretty cool.

Review: Pixar's 'Brave' Is A Powerful But Wobbly Feminist Fairytale

This article, published on the blog "indiepower" discusses how a different plot line would have created even a stronger character in Merida than was already presented in the movie. While the article gives the strong points of the movie, it also discusses its weaknesses in creating an empowering heroine.

http://blogs.indiewire.com/theplaylist/review-pixars-brave-is-a-powerful-but-wobbly-feminist-fairy-tale-20120611

"The power of bravery starts within each of us..."

http://www.gender-focus.com/2012/07/02/feminist-review-of-brave/

This article by Jessica Mason McFadden of gender-focus.com not only touches upon a couple of topics that we discussed yesterday in class, but also addresses a number of matters that we have yet to consider/reserved for tomorrow's meeting. Here, a summary of the main points made by McFadden in her assessment of Brave:

1. Bravery belongs to all of humanity (as opposed to some singular group such as feminists, warriors, etc.), and it "propels us towards action and progress"

2. Brave is not about the journey of ONE character, but rather of two: Merida and her mother, Queen Elinor

3. Marriage and tradition are the surface issue in the film; relationships and acceptance are the core of the film

4. Listening is the key to learning; this is one of the film's strongest themes

5. "Individual growth cannot happen without simultaneous community growth"

6. The witch--and the role of magic, in general--represents escapism. Escapism "is not without suffering"

7. "Lastly, and of particular interest to self-identified feminists, Brave fearlessly but indirectly asserts that gender convention is a source of family discord."

The last 5 paragraphs of the article (continuing on from the quote I included as #7!) are particularly insightful. A teaser:
        "Bravery is facing the reality that change is not instantaneous, that it does not occur in a vacuum."
        "There are ways of reconciling traditional gender roles with progressive ones."
        "The power of bravery starts within each of us but is only realized when it is actualized in our  relationships with each other."

I think that McFadden's discussion of what "bravery" entails is a particularly important one, and one that very few reviews (that I've seen, in any case) have attempted to have. To be further discussed tomorrow, I hope...check it out!

Brave: A Mom's Review

I stumbled upon this review of Brave by a mother and I found her discussion of the film to be very interesting:
http://impressyourkids.org/brave-movie-review-pixar-mom/

First, she discusses some of the elements of the film that she enjoyed, including the lack of a romance or love-interest for Merida and the strong mother/daughter relationship presented. Then, she goes on to list several reasons why you and your kids might not want to watch this movie together. Her reasoning for this is based on Merida's "bad attitude" toward her mother as a "rebellious daughter" as well as the crudeness and scariness involved in the plot.

Overall, the author of this review really did not approve of younger children watching this film due to the way that Merida disobeyed her parents and put herself and her own desires first. I think it's really interesting that she sees Merida's defiance of traditional gender roles as a bad example for children. Though it is important to respect one's family, finding one's own sense of independence and happiness is the more significant message to take from Merida's disobedience.  

One Perspective on Brave

Times Magazine Article "Why Pixar's Brave is a Failure of Female Empowerment"

Mary Pols believes Brave was a "halfway embrace of female empowerment."

Main Points from the article:

1. Although Pixar finally created a movie with a female lead role, the story line is simplistic and does not show much of Merida's true strength. 

2. Merida does not transform into an empowering character. She becomes less of a tomboy and more of a pragmatic princess. 

3. Why does Merida need to be a princess? According to the article, we are back at chapter "one of what girls can be."

4. Merida was undirected, floating through life without a clear direction. 

5. Pols hopes the movie does well enough that Pixar will create more movies with female lead roles.

I think this article is relevant to our class discussion about Merida's relationship to her mother and how she used the system to get what she wanted. Pols's includes a few quotes from Peggy Orenstein as well. Her discussion reflects that Brave can be an empowering movie, but cannot accomplish everything a feminist could want. Hopefully we will see more movies with female lead roles (maybe some not even in the fantasy genre!) and we will have a plethora of feminist role models for children and adults. 

Pols, Mary. "Why Pixar'€™s Brave Is a Failure of Female Empowerment."Http://ideas.time.com. Time Magazine, 22 June 2012. Web. 27 Nov. 2012. http://ideas.time.com/2012/06/22/why-pixars-brave-isa-failure-of-female-empowerment/.

A more contemporary example of girl's hairstyle as self-determination

http://feministing.com/2012/11/27/quick-hit-the-smiths-believe-in-raising-a-girl-in-command-of-her-own-body/

Peggy Orenstein on Mother/Daughter dynamics in Brave

http://peggyorenstein.com/blog/at-least-shes-not-dead-brave-mothers-day-trailerhttp://peggyorenstein.com/blog/at-least-shes-not-dead-brave-mothers-day-trailer

Brave, Heteronormativity, and Gender Roles

I found this article on Feministing about critics' responses to Brave. The author questions why comments have been made regarding Merida's sexual orientation, as well as whether mother-daughter conflict is a creative, or feminist, theme for a film. The comments at the bottom (specifically in addressing the latter) are particularly interesting. http://feministing.com/2012/06/26/brave-has-a-gender-problem/

The "Pleasure Paradox"

..."we do our girls no favours by refusing to acknowledge the raw complexities of their own sexual desires."

I recently stumbled upon an article (hyperlinked below!) that revisits a course theme we haven't discussed in a while. While it only provides one solution to the "Pleasure Paradox," its proposal is certainly an interesting one; and, generally, it has some interesting/insightful comments on the "unspeakable" topic of masturbation/the idea that a girl can possess a "healthy libido." It is a refreshing piece on sexuality, regardless of its somewhat narrow focus. If nothing else, the comment section offers food for thought that is also relevant to our course material...and while we haven't recently addressed this topic, the article highlights the necessity of reframing girls' sexuality and eliminating the cultural stigmas that surround it: a topic that will be relevant until it no longer exists as a "topic."

http://jezebel.com/5950658/if-its-not-a-secret-its-not-safe-girls-boys-and-the-pleasure-paradox?tag=genderal-interest

Feminist Frequency on _Hunger Games_

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8428XSejp0&feature=relmfu

Human Barbie

http://shine.yahoo.com/beauty/human-barbie-valeria-lukyanova-did-she-way-184700407.html

Fan Fiction + Howl's Moving Castle

     In a July 2011 issue of TIME magazine, journalist/novelist Lev Grossman wrote: “Fanfiction is what literature might look like if it were reinvented from scratch after a nuclear apocalypse by a band of brilliant pop-culture junkies trapped in a sealed bunker. They don't do it for money. That's not what it's about. The writers write it and put it up online just for the satisfaction. They're fans, but they're not silent, couchbound consumers of media. The culture talks to them, and they talk back to the culture in its own language.”
      Though I don’t read fanfiction on a regular basis, I find it to be a fascinating subculture and enjoy exploring/taking note of available works from time to time. As fanfiction based on literature often springs from fantasy novels (think Harry Potter, Twilight, etc), it is perhaps unsurprising that there are thousands of fanfiction works based upon Diana Wynne Jones’ book Howl’s Moving Castle and its movie adaptation. Many of these works develop the romance between Howl and Sophie, satisfying many readers’ desires to see them “together” in a more concrete, sexual sense; however, many of them also tell the original story from a different perspective, develop particular plotlines, provide alternate endings, elaborate on topics felt to have been glossed over in the original text, place the original characters in different situations, etc.
     I encourage a perusal of this site: http://www.fanfiction.net/anime/Howl-s-Moving-Castle/ !! It is interesting to see the personality traits (of Howl, Sophie, etc) that writers (fan readers) have latched on to, as well as to see what plotlines they were not satisfied with or burned to develop. Many of them offer commentary on the themes that we addressed in class, often providing unusual, creative, and thought-provoking insights. Though fanfiction is an often-discredited cultural movement, it shouldn’t be; we stand to learn a lot from fanfiction writers who “talk back to the culture in its own language.” Check it out for yourselves!

Bella Swan Cullen--Superhero?

Just in time for Thanksgiving, food for thought.... Also, who among us will admit to wanting to see this film?

100 Young Adult Books for the Feminist Reader

Check out this list released by Bitch Magazine in 2011 for their top 100 recommendations for Young Adult books for feminist readers! Many of them are already included in our syllabus and author presentations but there are also some new ones that are worth checking out!

http://bitchmagazine.org/sites/default/files/bitch-young-adult-list.pdf

Katniss BARBIE® doll!!

http://www.barbiecollector.com/shop/doll/hunger-games-katniss-doll-w3320

Is nothing free from being Barbified? If you are intrigued (curious, outraged, I recommend reviewing the postings on our Blog from March and April of 2012 on Hunger Games). Also, some Denison students from last semester posted excellent commentaries to an online academic discussion board, In Medi Res, the week it featured Hunger Games:
http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2012/03/26/girl-youll-be-woman-soon-gender-politics-mother-daughter-bond
http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2012/03/27/adapting-trauma-novel-screen

http://mediacommons.futureofthebook.org/imr/2012/03/30/hunger-games-and-disruption-reality-tv

College Men and Women's Rights

"Frat-talk": conversations on a topic that college men don't seem to fully grasp...

http://captainawkward.com/2012/09/12/350-lets-crowdsource-some-feminist-sex-ed-for-frat-guys/

also, here's something about consent:

Consent is…

            Non-coercive: If you’re cajoling, threatening or otherwise trying to “convince” someone to engage in a sexual act with you, you are breaking consent. If you asked 16 times and got 15 No’s and 1 Yes, you still did not adequately obtain consent. Also, you’re a weak individual.

            Not fixed: What I mean by this is you shouldn’t take for granted that after asking once for consent that you now have consent forever. It’s not like landing a gig as a Supreme Court judge. You don’t have consent for life. It should be continuously negotiated.

            Dynamic: Related to the above note, consent for one act does not necessitate consent for all acts. Consent is not an EZ Pass. It should be re-addressed constantly for different acts.

            Conscious: Yeah, I want to believe I don’t have to explain this one. Bad enough I had to list it. But ok, yes, an inebriated/asleep/passed out or otherwise not fully coherent person cannot consent. There, you can’t say no one ever told you.

            Unambiguous/Explicit: Assume all of the following to mean “no.” — “Maybe,” “I’m not sure,” “Not yet,” “Kinda,” “Wait a minute,” …I could go on.

            Not contingent upon sexual interest nor sexual arousal: We know. Blue balls are a motherf**ker. Still no excuse. Neither your NOR the expressed/implied interest of any potential partners is an invitation to any act. Also, neither your nor the (assumed) arousal of anyone you might want to have sex with is an invitation. Yes, someone might be aroused and still not want to f***. Crazy times. I know.

            Not compensatory: Yeah, that dinner and a movie were nice. Still not an invitation to f***. And if you thought it was, you’re a world class a**hole.

            Not something that requires a qualifier: No one needs to explain why he or she is not granting you consent. No is enough.

Via: girlebony.tumblr.com

Rape Is No Joke

So, here's the movie I was talking about in class today.

Annie is a shy 14-year-old who strikes up an increasingly intimate online friendship with “Charlie," who claims he is 16, later on admitting to being in his mid-20s. Later on in the film, “Charlie” takes a plane to visit Annie when she later discovers that he’s actually in his mid-30s. He takes her back to his hotel room and sweet talks the terrified but mesmerized girl into bed. When Annie's parents discover what has happened to Annie, their coziness is shattered. Rape charges are filed (Annie, in deep denial, at first denies she was raped) and the FBI conducts a manhunt for “Charlie,” who has a long list of previous victims. 

Also, Annie’s dad is an ad executive who specializes in risky clothing campaigns, he somehow blames himself because he felt as if he threw his daughter in this world where she felt that she needed to look a certain way and have to have things like Victoria's Secret lingerie on. 

The story line is different in comparison to the book Speak but the concept of rape is the same. Annie has always been inside this bubble created by her conservative parents, thus giving her the desire to wanting to branch out and take things from the strings for a chance. After having sex with "Charlie," she is feeling differently and is acting weird around her friends. Her parents and therapist have to literally shake it out of her the idea and reality that she had been raped. After reading the book, I was able to connect Annie because the feelings and process of being raped is hard to settle. 

'Human Sexuality is Complicated'

Here's a great little video I found. Concise, informative, and accurate.

Heartbreaking example of devastating effects of 'Slut Shaming'

My heart is broken by this needless loss of life just the day before yesterday; in addition, I am enraged--especially upon reading that four of the men allegedly involved in the sexual encounters were part of the bullying that ensued.

The Big O!

So, I believe that many of us attended I <3 Female Orgasm program earlier this week and my oh my! I MUST say... it was AWESOME. It was educational, and made students COME without even giving it a second thought. ANYWAYS, I really wanted to hear people's opinion about it because I know some people did not feel comfortable about it and some thought it was an "inappropriate" program to bring to campus. Granted, I was ease dropping BUT that is completely normal being at Denison BUT as the normal Denison student, I approached the people because I wanted to know her reasoning by saying that. She was caught off guard but hey, it's a good way to meet people. Ultimately, she believes that a woman's body is private, therefore she does not believe that there shouldn't have been a program discussing such "vulgar" areas of the human body and what not.

WHAT?!

Yes, a woman's body is private (in some aspects) but talking about sexuality is like talking about the weather for the week... it'a natural and BOUND to happen. Sex is natural and I think that talking about ORGASMS and the things that follow up with that is NATURAL. This program covered many aspects of a woman's thinking and that's the part of the program that I liked the most. I felt as if it brought many women together and even men that they saw how it's not just about them but WOMEN take a crucial part within sex and what not.

I don't want to go on a tangent about this but you get the idea!

No One Would Tell

Hey! So, here's the video I was talking about in class. This is the scene that literally covers everything. Stacey wants to break up with Bobby because he has been constantly hitting her in public/private. He follows her everywhere and always knows where she's at. At school, she finally tells him that it's over but Bobby gives out these crazy vibes. She cannot stop talking about him and how she is the blame; and he tries using his charm to get her back. She goes back and they get into another fight but this time... she never made it back home. Bobby slit her throat because "if he couldn't have her, then no one can." Bobby was convicted for first degree murder. During the trial, their friends were testifying and going based off of what they saw... ultimately, none of them tried their best to stop what was happening.

Ultimately, how much can friends and family do? It was an obsession and she saw it as love. Granted, she hated the way she was treated but I think that she at first saw her mom being in a verbal abusive relationship and went off of that but after all of the times he would publicly hit her... it would happen multiple times.

In high school, I've seen so many abusive relationships and everyone that it was either "sweet" or "adorable" because someone can care so much for someone but what other aspects play into relationships that we should admire and accept? If someone sees a sign of abuse... it's no game to play around with because you never know what a person can be capable of. In this case, Stacey's relationship led to murder and there were signs everywhere.

Laci Green's "Sex +" Youtube Channel

Here's the link to lacigreen's Youtube page: http://www.youtube.com/user/lacigreen?feature=g-all-u

She has some really interesting things to say, and really talks like she knows and cares about the subject. Here are a few choice selections:

Losing your virginity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kdYtYveJI1Y&feature=g-all-u

You can't POP your cherry http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9qFojO8WkpA&list=UUJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg&index=13&feature=plcp

Men & Femininity http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=77lPjNhL5X4&list=UUJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg&index=12&feature=plcp

All in all, a really good sex ed channel.


And, pop culture!
Twilight? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8gpHK5orJQ&list=UUJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg&index=32&feature=plcp
50 Shades of Gray? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o92hv7La9Sk&list=UUJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg&index=3&feature=plcp
The Hunger Games (*spoilers!!*) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LHxQx-Zi5oQ&list=UUJm5yR1KFcysl_0I3x-iReg&index=16&feature=plcp

Love activates the same region in the brain as drug addiction

http://io9.com/5920291/love-activates-the-same-region-in-the-brain-as-drug-addiction

Latina Princess? Legit?

http://nbclatino.com/2012/10/18/disney-set-to-unveil-first-latina-princess-sofia/

In one of our previous classes we talked about several Disney princesses and how they are being portrayed among little girls (younger audience) but let's be real and honest, it obviously affects us too because why would I be blogging about it if it didn't. Anyways, I recently spoke about this new "Latina" princess to my step-mom and the first things that I said to describe her was "Light skinned, brown hair, blue eyed girl with no accent" and granted I said all of this in Spanish in a pretty anger tone. Why am I angry though? What if Disney made her brown skinned, black hair, brown eyed with an accent? Oh, wait... that's me. Would I honestly have this reaction? I have cousins who have blonde hair and green eyes and they are Latina. This Disney Princess is practically white; her name is Sofia and at times, I feel as if it okay to make things look credible but not offensive. I don't expect Disney to make a princess look Chola or "Beaner-Like" as people depict Latinos but I would not like to call this Disney Princess the first Latina princess when she's not but Disney says, "but she is." And you know, everything Disney says is right... (Sarcastic moment). I am very skeptical in seeing this movie because I will have more of a debate after I see where this is placed and the story line. Ultimately, where do we draw the line, in terms of labeling and stereotypes? How far can a person be stereotypical in order to make things credible? From what I've seen in the commercials, I see that her mother marries a King (who's white) and Sofia is getting carried away from a little village to a castle. They can make Sofia look "Not-Latina" but what is really going to start off controversy is the story of whether her mother was a maid and she married someone rich. Since they claim that she's Latina even though she doesn't really look like the typical Latina, we'll see if the story-line is based on stereotypes. Let's be real here. We'd worry more about the princess effect on little girls than the shades of its characters. But, yeah, it's Disney: What did I expect, Dora the Explorer? 

Cats against Catcalling!

For those of you who love CATS and dislike catcalling, check out this website=

http://catsagainstcatcalling.tumblr.com

Just a little reminder not to feed into male patriarchal culture and to ignore societal norms that oppress and objectify women!

Information and research on kids and media

Common Sense Media, an independent nonprofit foundation advocating for kids in a media age (whose advisory board includes Deborah Tolman), is engaged in research, state and federal policy and legal action. They offer advice, reviews, educator resources, and outreach to families and parents. Take a look, for example, at the six recent studies regarding kids and media use or exposure:
http://www.commonsensemedia.org/about-us/policy-advocacy/research-kids-and-media

Video: The Factuary - What Do Feminists Have Left?

Educators or Entertainers? Deleted Scene in Disney's Lilo & Stitch

(Sorry, I ramble a bit. Skip to about halfway down this post to see the video link.)

I saw this post online before we had our class screening of the Mickey Mouse Monopoly, and I think it speaks to many of the "issues" with Disney that we saw today.
I love Disney, and I think that there are many good points to female empowerment, as well as other issues addressed in their films. However, I also think that their films really are a product of the time. (For example, Snow White came out in the 1920s, so while I think it is fair to analyze the movie for discussions on media in that decade, it feels a little cheap to bring it up in today's world and blame Disney for the choices they made back then.) In any case, my feelings about Disney are vast and complicated and I don't think I will be able to articulate my stance eloquently enough at this moment.

What I will say is that animation has a lot to offer, and I think that companies should seek to wholly fulfill their role in the lives of children - not just as entertainers, but as teachers and educators. I believe that strong and possibly even dark issues should be addressed to children at a young age, but that doesn't mean that they should be made into a big deal. With animation and cartoons, a child can be introduced to ideas in an environment that feels "safe" and "harmless." But in the long run, the cartoons that a child chooses to watch (like the Disney movies a kid will watch over and over again) in their childhood greatly affects who they are as an adult. And in addition, teenagers and adults will constantly reminisce about their childhood pastimes, even revisiting old movies and reinterpreting them as adults. My point is that these movies keep coming back, even once you've "grown out of them."

One more example before I get to my post. In the recent Studio Laika claymation movie ParaNorman, at the end of the movie (*spoiler alert*) the main jock older brother character that Norman's sister was pining over the entire film, responds to the sister that he'd love to catch a movie with her sometime, and that his boyfriend loves chick flicks. (/end spoiler) My friends and I paused for a moment before hurriedly turning to each other Did we just hear what we thought we heard? I mean seriously, that's awesome. It is incredible that a film can so subtly and so easily mention a gay relationship without any kind of complication or further explanation. He's dating a boy, that's just how it is. The whole issue of "should we, shouldn't we, and if so, how?" on introducing young kids to tough (well, touchy) subjects could be resolved so simply. Calmly introduce an idea, and then it is up to the parents or guardians (or older siblings, role models, what have you) to follow up and unwrap that idea.


Too long; didn't read:

Animation and programs directed at kids are (well, can be, should be) powerful.

Here I found this post about a deleted scene from the 2002 Disney movie Lilo & Stitch: http://fleursciortino.tumblr.com/post/32730300694/coelasquid-snoozlebee-leidis (please watch the video and read the comments)


In it, Lilo plays a prank on the tourists who come to visit Hawaii. It's played to exhibit Lilo's knack for mischief, but it also illustrates her feeling of loneliness and alienation in her own hometown. And perhaps her sense that "these people don't understand." These people don't try to understand.
Furthermore, the scene rings with significance to demonstrate the native Hawaiian frustration (irritation? There's a better word for this sense of... hurt, somehow) that some feel towards insensitive, often ignorant tourists. I do not think that all tourists can be like this (how is the best way to act as a tourist? Not to try and mimic someone else's culture, but to be respectful. But how can that be appropriately accomplished? I suppose it's another discussion for another day), but it is important to reflect on the ignorance of the people who are.

The fact that the scene made it so far into development frustrates me. All in all, it comes down to finding the appropriate amount of "edge" in content. How much is too much? What is and what isn't appropriate for the time? ParaNorman was released this year, and with a strong wave of gay rights movements, its gesture is appreciated and applauded. Within the circles I visit online, I have seen no bad press regarding the film.
I suppose I wish animated films would be a little more adventurous with their progressivism. Yes, movies are for entertainment, but they do hold a strong influence on the development of children simply because cartoons are the main sort of media children consume. Addressing racism is a huge and important step - and it should be just presented simply. Why does it society have to make it so complicated? Why can't children's stories speak out against these kinds of things instead of falling back onto stereotypes (here I think of the lyrics for "Arabian Knights") because they are "safe" and will be overlooked by the majority watching the film?


Alright, I'm done. I could go on and on about animation forever, but I'll leave it at that. The knowledge of this deleted scene doesn't lessen Lilo & Stitch in my mind, but it does make me a little sad wondering what could have been. But what's done is done, and in these cases, I just want everyone to be aware of the deleted scene, understand the significant points it makes. It is significant not only because of the content in scene itself, but in the reasons why it was chosen to be left out of the film (yet included in the special features on the dvd release).

Mom That Bleaches her sons

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RoQgMsKGZbM

Here's a link to a mom that bleaches her sons, because she feels they look more handsome when they are lighter. Here's an example of the role of a parent in her children life. Is she sending the wrong message to her children? These are males, how would this effect them and their views on the world compared to females?

Baby Teeth Does Not Equal Sexy

After watching Buying Into Sexy, I literally was disgusted by how far this whole idea of sexy as gotten out of hand. I watched this with friends and we remember being "tweens" but never like this. This video is talking about young girls ages 8-14 and how they no longer want to be kids but at the same time, not wanting the responsibility of a teen/adult. The girls that we're interviewed in the video said things such as, "I'm not a cute girl. I'm expensive" while she proudly shows her Ka Ching t-shirt, while another girl states, "I like these jeans; they're nice and tight." Personally, if people are trying to be "sexy" then they should be matured and knowledgeable about the things that surround them. Young girls that are trying to be like the GIRLS on TV have a rude awakening/misunderstanding because those girls that are referred to as "women" on TV are not even matured or knowledgeable themselves. Young girls are trying to be sexy when they still have their baby teeth. Young girls have this twisted idea of who to look at as a role model and when I was that age, my grandma and other educated women were mine but in the video, you can see that the parents even "blame" themselves because they know that their kids follow their example. At times, mothers wear promiscuous clothing that will obviously make their daughter want to wear but they don't want to "limit" their daughters like they were limited when they were their age. Young girls encounter sex/sexy on a daily basis by posters, clothing, make-up and heels because they want to be fit in. It's not so much by being noticed by the opposite sex but more of having "the look" that "popular" people have. What is this whole concept of being popular? I never understood it but of course, not everyone grows up with this want to be an individual until high school. The media enforces adult products, teen attitudes on younger kids when they have NO business in learning that yet. There are parents that allow their kids to dress and act in such ways and haven't even spoken  to them about the "birds and the bees" or how I like to call it, SEX. Young girls insist on following the trends because if they don't then they'll be loners. I get extremely annoyed when the media insists on believing that what they're doing is okay and provides "empowerment" for girls when in reality, they are destroying the innocent minds of what is suppose to be a sweet 8 year old girl that is in such a hurry to grow up. The media tries to fight the opinion of parents or concerned adults by saying, "It's okay to let young girls be sexy and what not..." Is it really? Why does sex/sexy have to be fun? I thought the whole concept of sex was the save it for someone or only limit it to a special someone or something... I don't like to ramble but the ages are changing and next thing you know an 9 year old gets pregnant but then again, the media has a saving by NOT having the say with how they kids interrupt marketing/advertising of things that they see on a DAILY BASIS. I guess no one really gets the message of how things are being interpreted by the obvious case of young girls wanting to be sexy when they haven't even reached an appropriate age. Is there an age? Should girls even allow themselves to be seen as that? All I know if that a young girl still has baby teeth than being sexy should be far from their  mind. 

Follow up on Boys who like "girl" toys: Bronies

Adult Male My Little Pony fans? Bronies are true rebels. 

There's no reason a quality cartoon about love and tolerance shouldn't inspire passion in young straight men, argues author Rebecca Angel.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/oct/01/my-little-pony-bronies-rebels

Disallowing men to choose to identify as a My Little Pony fan is just one more way we arbitrate boys and girls into rigid categories of what is acceptable in terms of gender roles. What I find disturbing (but not surprising) is the vitriolic backlash commentary that follows Angel's article. 

The intensity with which others 1) mock adults for liking something meant for children and 2) reinforce the arbitrarily gendered nature of entertainment provides further proof about the costs of (resisting) gender conditioning. The teasing, whispering, shaming, and ostracizing evident in the comment sections exemplify some of the costs associated with those actions that resisting gender conditioning.

Jayson Gaddis takes a similar position in his discussion of his son's desire for pink: "Not wearing pink is just another way we box boys in to what’s acceptable and what is not in terms of gender roles. If a boy plays with guns, sticks, trucks, and plays sports, he’s a “normal” boy and conforming to acceptable boy behavior. If he plays with dolls, wears pink, is overly emotional or sensitive, or dresses up like a girl, he’s going to face the gauntlet of shame and judgment. Other boys will tease him. Other parents will whisper about him. Some teachers, pastors, or coaches might even try to change his preferences or they might overtly shame him for it. These are some of the costs of gender conditioning (the biggest obstacle facing men today)." As upsetting as the readers' comments on Angel' s article in the Guardian, it pales in comparison to the chart Jayson Gaddis found "encourag[ing] masculine behavior in our sons." As the Princess Free Zone has also expressed, I find upsetting that such a list still exists in 2011.
http://goodmenproject.com/featured-content/my-son-wears-pink-hes-either-gay-or-a-girl-right-raising-boys/

Tricky Dilemmas just in time for Halloween Season

A 6th grade girl writes about the challenges of finding a not-sexy Halloween costume. A fascinating and troubling article!

Tricks and Treats: Return to Innocence

 

The 6th-grader's commentary makes me think of a line from the movie Mean Girls, “In the regular world, Halloween is when children dress up in costumes and beg for candy. In Girl World, Halloween is the one night a year when a girl can dress like a total slut and no other girls can say anything about it.”

 

Miss Representation, a film worth seeing *NOW* if you haven't yet seen it, also makes an interesting observation on the subject of Halloween costumes:

http://www.missrepresentation.org/business/re-thinking-halloween/

And, here are some tips for "Halloween costumes that are classy, not trashy."We can address the ways that sexualized and sexy are conflated in class, if you are so inclined.

Little Girls Gone Wild

An article from Redbook magazine, "Little Girls Gone Wild: Why Daughters Are Acting Too Sexy, Too Soon":

"Push-up bras, pedicures, hip-hop dance classes: These are now the social currency of the under-10 set. What happened? And how can we help our girls stay girls for longer? Rachael Combe reports."

Read more: Sexualization of Young Girls - Media Effects on Young Girls - Redbook

Empowering Girls: Is concern over girls' sexualization justified?

Empowering Girls: Is concern over girls' sexualization justified?: Ruth at The F Word (UK) blog asks whether the panic over girls’ sexualization is justified and/or whether it distracts from the issue of ge...

Empowering Girls: Researchers Determine That Social Media Is Ruining...

Empowering Girls: Researchers Determine That Social Media Is Ruining...: While this article is quite critical of the research (which it calls 'specious'), the study nevertheless raises interesting questions about...

"Creep Shots"

Well, this is disturbing.

I came across this Jezebel article about a high school teacher who was fired for posting candid photos of his underage students online. According to the article, he had been posting the photos on a new subsection of the popular site Reddit, known as /r/creepshots.

Jezebel, of course, is infuriated, and curiosity got the best of me and I decided to check it out for myself. I am just beyond words. Countless photos of women, going about regular chores, on the beach, at the gym, etc. Each photo is taken without the subject's knowledge and posted without permission. The "community" even encourages its 12,000+ members:

"Use stealth, cunning and deviousness to capture the beauty of your unsuspecting, chosen target."

And in response to the recent attention and outrage the community has garnered:

"When you are in public, you do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy. We are no different than paparazzi. Except we celebrate beauty without being paid for it."

Actually, I do have a reasonable expectation of privacy. I have a reasonable expectation that photos of me--my face, my boobs, and my ass--will not be "deviously" captured and posted for the perverts of the internet to enjoy.

This all just leads me back to the quote we wrote on the board on the second or third day of class: Our bodies are not public spaces.

Child Labor and the Social Construction of Childhood

Interesting article by Gwen Sharp, Assistant Professor of Sociology at Nevada State College:

"Today, most people in the U.S. see childhood as a stage distinct from adulthood, and even from adolescence. We think children are more vulnerable and innocent than adults and should be protected from many of the burdens and responsibilities that adult life requires. But as Sidney Mintz explains in Huck’s Raft: A History of American Childhood, '…childhood is not an unchanging biological stage of life but is, rather, a social and cultural construct…Nor is childhood an uncontested concept' (p. viii)."

Click below to read further!
http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/09/04/child-labor-and-the-social-construction-of-childhood/

Interesting news story to take a look at

Thought I would share the link to this news story about a high school girl being spanked by her male vice principal as a form of punishment. There are so many things wrong with this situation...it's hard to believe sometimes that this is 2012!

Success and fails at encouraging girls into STEM professions

Scientific American addresses the perils of "Barbifying" science.

Astrophysicist Neil DeGrasse Tyson, from Brain Pickings, on why science is in our DNA. Why We’re Wired for Science & How Originality Differs in Science vs. Art.

NYT article about the importance of mentoring in STEM professions: "Hundreds of prominent women working in science, technology, engineering and math will become online mentors for college students next month, part of a six-week program to encourage young women to pursue careers in STEM fields."

Online Mentoring Program to Encourage Women in Sciences

Link between boys’ school underachievement and girls’ low self-esteem?

Why Boys Are Inclined to Under-Achieve and Girls Lose Self-Esteem in Early School Years:

Marianne Møllmann, Amnesty International, argues that the two social phenomena are linked.

Interesting topic, one that Philip Lombardo, professor of Psychology at Stanford and leader of the infamous prisoner's experiment from the 1970s, also addresses in a TED talk, "The Demise of Boys?", from March 2011.

Worth checking out!

Interesting How Adult Women dress as Princesses

I was sitting with my friend and she came across this pic.  I thought it was interesting how adult women are dressed like Disney Princesses.  Not only are they dresses like princesses, they are in some ways over sexualized. We briefly touched on how Disney has changed the look of their princesses, here's something else to think about.  Is this what we really want our young girls to look up to?

Class Notes 9/18/12

Roberta Trites: "Disturbing the Universe" 

Importance/meaning of title: making active choices, "disturbing" the world as it is.

-Power: institutional, question in all novels.
-Trifecta: reader, text, and outside world or culture.
-Universal question for adolescence: what is my role in the world?
    -"The Chocolate War": disturbing the universe, rebelling, complicated workings of power
-Adolescence as liminal space: both empowered and disempowered

Themes/elements in most Young Adult literature:
-school
-boys, relationships, parents
-sexuality
-religion
All of these lead to social institutions

-Adolescence is also about how adolescents learn about power, not just rite of passages.
-Trites to change typical approach to Young Adult literature: ideas of power from Althuser, Foucault, Butler, and Lacan.

Althuser: Hegemony imbedded in this Ideological State Apparatus
can see his ideas in school: what you are learning- how to be successful in life

Foucault: Power as action- something you do, not something you have.
Power is everywhere, not just possessed by individuals

Butler: Relies heavily on Foucault (power more of a process)
Creates subject and subordinates subject

Lacan: "Assomption" - individual power and recognition of social forces that require them to change- based on their role in society.
Struggle between external and internal forces that compete to empower/repress individual power  

Mary Pipher: "Reviving Ophelia" 
-Reaches wider audience - not solely academics
-From 1994 but doesn't feel that dated. Written during the 90's- time of deregulation of children's TV; media's large effect on children and girls

As you read...
What are you getting from this book?
What are you giving to this book?  

Ideas from this section:
-Girls pulling away from parents and toward their peers.
-Weight issues- perfection, influence of media, pop culture
-Creation of "false selves"