Category Archives: Uncategorized

Your Boycott is a Waste of Time

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I’m sure by now many of you have heard about the boycott of Target for those who are against their change in bathroom policies. If not, basically the American Family Association (AFA) started a campaign that already has over 500,000 signatures of folks who plan to stop shopping at Target because of their gender-matching bathroom policy. This potty policy allows transgendered employees and customers to use the restroom they feel that matches their gender identity. AFA members and supporters are furious because they believe this policy will endanger children to exposure to pedophiles. In response to their anger, they created this campaign that has been AFA’s most popular thus far that boycotts Target for everyone who signs the petition. Yet, do they really think Target is the only store/business that is going to accept this policy?

The Daily Beast wrote an article called “All the Things You Can No Longer Buy if You’re Really Boycotting Trans-Friendly Businesses” that details a list of businesses/stores/restaurants that support transgender rights. According to the article, if Target boycotters were truly against businesses that support transgender rights, then they “can’t buy an iPhone, eat an Egg McMuffin, drink a Sprite, stock up Budweiser, or fill your prescriptions at either of the nation’s two largest pharmacy chains (Walgreens and CVS)” (Allen, 2016). That is because Apple, McDonald’s, Sprite, Budweiser, Walgreens, and CVS are among a large list of popular and large companies that support transgender rights, which includes gender-identity bathrooms.

Perhaps AFA members, supporters, and all Target boycotters should have done a little more research before creating and signing that petition. Then maybe they would realize that the world in transforming into a transgender friendly place and they are simply falling behind. If the boycotters really wanted to impress me, then perhaps they should plan to boycott all places that support transgender rights. What do you think?

Check out “All the Things You Can No Longer Buy if You’re Really Boycotting Trans-Friendly Businesses” by The Daily Beast here:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2016/04/26/all-the-things-you-can-no-longer-buy-if-you-re-really-boycotting-trans-friendly-businesses.html

Assigned in the Pool

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Currently, I am involved in an internship that allows me to conduct my own research. Luckily, I was able to conduct that research right here on campus! During my observations, I observe children with different types of disabilities play in a pool with Longwood TR student (we call the LU students “helpers”). As a side note, I can honestly say it doesn’t even feel like research because the observations are so entertaining and fun to watch. But anyways, as I was watching for nonverbal behaviors, I noticed that all the girl helpers seemed to be playing and watching after the preschool and elementary school children, while the boy helpers played with the older high school boys. I couldn’t help but think about our class and how women are seen as the nurturers and how men are seen as the rough and tough kind of guys. I was really tempted to ask the professor of the class if it was done on purpose… but then thought maybe not. She might think I was implying something and I need her on my good side!

A waitress waits my waiting dad

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I can’t believe I’ve never noticed this before, BUT when I was out to dinner with my family our waitress was just so great. She was so nice… to my dad. She was so polite… to my dad. She was just over the top… to my dad. At the end of our dinner the waitress brought the check around and as my mom lifted her hand from under the table, the waitress made a b-line straight for my dad’s hand and gave him the check. I couldn’t believe it and I’m almost positive this has happened more than once, but now I notice it all the time and I see it at other tables as well. I wonder if it’s the same with a male waiter.

Different Perspectives: Gender Neutral Bathrooms

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As I was scrolling through my Facebook feed, I came across a story about a women’s angry letter to Target. I was automatically intrigued because, I mean, how can anyone be mad at Target?? The blogger wanted to let the internet know that she decided to cut up her credit card and boycott Target because of the new policy changes of Gender Neutral bathrooms. You can read the article here!

Right after I saw the letter, I saw a link from Mashable called:Bathroom phobias trans and non-binary people think you should actually have.

It was really interesting to see the different perspectives really back to back, and I really liked how I could look at this topic as a whole. I personally am pro gender neutral bathrooms and don’t think it is a big deal at all. It is something that has to change, we have so many other genders and expressions of identity, that it would be unfair to force them to choose a bathroom that makes them feel uncomfortable or even unsafe.

Take a look at both and let me know how you feel!!

 

 

 

 

 

The Pink Tax

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Becoming gendered

I was scrolling through my Facebook news feed and found a very interesting video titled the “The Pink Tax.” This video talked about how woman’s products such as razors, clothing, and shampoo are typically more expensive than men’s and how this is sexist. Why are women paying more for the same products that men are using? This brings me back to chapter 7 in our textbook. At an early age if kids are seeing that certain items are cheaper and they can get more items if they get the item that is essentially just “a different color” they”ll probably go for the cheaper item. This however could really effect a child’s gender identity. Being an unconscious process that is shaped at an early age, our gender identity is our own private experience of our own gender.

If you would like to learn more here is an article titled why do women’s clothes cost more than men’s?

 

NC and Mississippi Laws

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Whether it be through Facebook shares, news channels, Twitter, or whatever; many of us have heard about the LGBT laws recently put into play in North Carolina and Mississippi. In a nutshell, The New York Times reports: in North Carolina, a bill was put into place to override their nondiscrimination laws that were previously in place. It also bans transgender people from specific public restrooms. In Mississippi, a new law has been enacted that allows anyone with religious objections to deny services to gay couples.

Huge objections are being made by large corporations. BuzzFeed posted an ongoing list of the stars and businesses who are refusing to work in these states due to their laws:

  • Pearl Jam
  • Cirque du Soleil
  • Ringo Starr
  • PayPal
  • Bruce Springsteen
  • Etsy
  • Patagonia
  • And a ton more

Big corporations dropping out of whole states completely could potentially be hard on North Carolina and Mississippi’s economies, as well as consumers missing out on companies they enjoy… No PayPal?! Now what?!

Naked Selfie (Dis)Empowerment?

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Since some of our recent class presentations, I had been thinking about the line between women feeling confident and unrestricted about their bodies, but also only having a small range of body types that we typically see on social media with this type of #empowerment.  Is it really empowered if only young women with small waists and large breasts/butts get to flaunt it?  And, does being celebrated for their bodies yet again direct attention to “appearance matters” as a more important sign of value than their actual capabilities and character?

The New York Post recently ran an editorial on the Kim Kardashian naked selfies that stated, “Whenever a woman suggests, explicitly or implicitly, that her worth or value or power comes from her appearance, she loses. Women everywhere lose. And feminism, the kind that taught that a woman’s life is not about her body, loses, too.”

On the other hand, if we had more men, women, and people who are intersexed of all ages, shapes, sizes, and gender identities posting, and those people were celebrated instead of shamed, then perhaps the whole idea of “appearance matters” would lose it power for women.  Because if everyone’s appearance was considered one of many interesting and unique parts of who they are, then we could celebrate the whole person.  

Check out this Tumblr #redefiningrealness that is trying to do exactly this!  I’d love to see that get as much attention as Kim Kardashian.  Related image

What do you think?

Men Can Be Victims, and Survivors, Too

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Many people don’t realize that men are also victims of sexual assault and rape.  This CNN article profiles two men’s stories.  One in six men report sexually abusive relationships, according to research presented in the article.

Part of a RAINN campaign to raise knowledge about the experiences of and resources for both men and women rape survivors.

Owning Your Body: Body Shaming Comebacks

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This is an interesting article about how a number of men and women celebrities who have been body shamed for both being “too skinny” or “too fat.”  Prison Break star Wentworth Miller is particularly interesting because he breaks norms of masculinity described in chapter 7.  He discusses his depression, an issue commonly faced by many men, but one that often is not talked about publicly.

Miller responds to a meme that went viral mocking his weight gain.

Of course, my favorite response is Amy Schumer’s!  But, you’ll have to check out the article to get her take on it.

#aerieMAN

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When scrolling through my Instagram I came across this post from American Eagle advertising their new product under Aerie. This is a store owned by American Eagle that sells pajamas, underwear, and workout clothes. I, at first, thought the long haired individual was a women but when he turned around I was surprised to find out that he was a man selling men underwear.

*click video to view commercial*

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1qtgSW14kE[/youtube]

This video first caught my attention because Aerie is both advertising male and female undergarments, whereas many stores you can just find one for each gender. Another aspect of this video that caught my attention is the model in the video. In the TED talk “Looks Aren’t Everything: Believe Me I’m a Model done by Cameron Russell she talks about how she won in the genetic lottery. She also states that models are taught to be a sexy girl. She also states that we, as a society, has define beauty as being tall and slender. It was very refreshing to see an underwear model that was not the “typical” model. This model had a bigger butt, bust, and does not have a thigh gap. I know this commercial is about Aerie making men underwear and it’s great that this company is not just targeting women, but its also great that this company is using “normal” body figures in women and men.

What do you think?