Wednesday, November 28, 2012

Women in Literature


If there’s one story that everyone knows, it’s that of Adam and Eve. Adam and Eve were placed on Earth and given the instructions to not eat the fruit from a tree. A serpent tempted Adam and Eve, and Eve gave in and ate an apple from the tree. This story makes women look like weak beings who give in to every temptation. But did you know that as soon as Eve ate the apple, she handed it off to Adam who also took a bite without hesitation? Womankind’s poor portrayal in literature is probably due to the fact that one of Earth’s earliest stories started the fire.

We were taught from childhood that women are weaker than men, and we need saving. Take Rapunzel for example. She is locked in a tower, and a prince climbs up her long hair and saves her. I’m pretty sure she could have made a rope or ladder of some sort in the many years she sat up there. She could have easily saved herself, but instead she waited for Prince Charming to come along and save the day. When I have kids, that’s not the kind of story I want to read to them!

However, as much as the ‘weak girl in need of saving’ storyline is played out, you can also find some inspirational heroines. There are many famous characters, timeless classics, to even the most recent books. Scout Finch, Matilda Wormwood, Jane Eyre, and even Katniss Everdeen, and so many more female characters knew exactly what to do and when to do it in order to stand up for themselves, and be courageous in everything they did. If more of these females could appear in literature, I think more people would realize just how empowering women could really be.

Now let’s discuss the other side of literature, the author. Women authors sometimes sign their books with a pen name. Louisa May Alcott, author of Little Women, wrote under A.M. Barnard, because men authors were taken more seriously than women authors. Sadly, the same thing happens today. J.K. Rowling, author of the worldwide sensation, the Harry Potter series, is a female who wanted to target a mixed gender audience, but feared that her work would not be accepted by male readers, so she used a pen name that made it harder to tell her gender. But even with mysterious pen names and old fashioned mindsets, some of the greatest writers are women.

With so many characters that show girls as housewives, simpletons, and incapable people, sometimes it’s hard to find any female empowerment in literature. But with amazing writers and the feisty female characters we all know and love, we can all feel a little more confident with women’s role in society.

-Julia Ma


Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Mom


“Life's all about moments, of impact and how they changes our lives forever”- Channing Tatum

Who is one person you can say that has made an impact on you from your personal life? Think about it, does one person come right to your mind when I ask you that? I know someone did when I asked myself that question. Someone who I love more then she will ever know: my mother. My mom has made such an impact on me. She has taught me how to be strong, patient, kind, loving, and to believe in myself. My mom is everything a girl wants their mom to be. She is a best friend, a shoulder to cry on, a hero, and a teacher. She is there when no one else is. She picks me up when I’m down, and she makes me believe in myself. Not everyone has this and for that, I thank her.

The picture on the left is of me and my mom. My mom had me at the young age of 15. There is a 16 age year difference between us. I found that it is not common for people my age to have a small age difference between their parents. My mom had to grow up and became an adult before she finished being a child, and instead of resenting it, she embraced the situation and took responsibility for her choices. For her to do that at the age she was surprised me at one point and time, but having her as a mother has made me see that she didn’t mind changing her whole life just for me. I never, ever doubt that my mom loves me. She proves it to me every day by taking care of me and my sister. She puts us before herself. She is never selfish and always kind. (Except for when I’m in trouble, of course.) As a child I was bullied and the person I turned to was my mom. She was there when I needed her most. And when I feel lost or confused about things I go to her. She drops everything just for me. I could never ask for anything more. 

 I love my mother as the trees love water and sunshine - she helps me grow, prosper, and reach great heights. - Adabella Radici

A daughter is a mother's gender partner, her closest ally in the family confederacy, an extension of her self. And mothers are their daughters' role model, their biological and emotional road map, the arbiter of all their relationships. - Victoria Secunda

So as you read this, think of someone who has impacted you. I mean, really impacted you. My mom has changed my life and as I grow up, I hope to be as smart and warm-hearted as she is. I hope that I can be the mom she was to me to my future children. Sometimes I take her for granted and I never really think of how much she has done for me and my sister, but then there are times like now when I think about this question and I see how much she has and always will do for me. My mom has made me who I am today. She is my biggest fan and always will be.

A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world. It knows no law, no pity, it dares all things and crushes down remorselessly all that stands in its path. - Agatha Christie


- Myranda Zanol-Pacheco



Friday, November 9, 2012

The Representation Problem in the Media


It’s easy not to realize how severely underrepresented women are in the media. But most of our culture is still incredibly male-dominated, and women often end up taking a subservient role. Think about film and television. How often do you see a female protagonist who is appreciated for her intelligence and not for her looks? And behind the scenes, men drastically outnumber women, especially in higher-level positions.

Let me begin by showing you a few statistics.

·         Women hold only 3% of high positions in the mainstream media (telecommunications, entertainment, advertising, and publishing).
·          7% of film directors and 13% of screenwriters are women.
·         37% of newspaper reporters, photographers, and editors are women.
·         Women make up 40% of the total television news force, and 29% of the radio news force.
·         9% of sports reporters, writers, and editors are women.
·         40% of all fictional television characters are women.
·         In the 100 top grossing films, only 1/3 of speaking characters are women.

Obviously there’s something wrong with this.

Considering women make up 51% of the US population, the number of women in high-level professional jobs pales in comparison to the number of men. Women represent more than half of journalism and mass communications graduates, but not nearly that amount of the media workforce.

Onscreen, female characters in film and TV are usually not portrayed in leadership roles, and are less likely than male characters to achieve their goals. Also, female characters are typically white, younger than their male counterparts, and more likely to have an “undefined” employment status. Most female characters are underweight, and those that are overweight are often the subjects of rude jokes and comments about their bodies (usually made by male characters).

All this inequality is happening right before our eyes, yet not many people notice it- and those who DO notice it seem to accept it as normal. However, there is an effort to make people aware of inequality in the media, and to make a change.

You may have heard of the film Miss Representation, which was created as an attempt to expose and spread awareness about the inequality of women in positions of power. It premiered on OWN, the Oprah Network, a year ago, and has received attention worldwide. You can watch the trailer here, or visit their website, www.missrepresentation.org, to find a screening near you.

The film emphasizes the media’s impact on our thoughts and decisions and focuses on how the media influences young people into believing that the value of girls and women depend on youth, beauty, and sexuality. It also features interviews and stories from teenage girls as well as politicians and famous people such as Gloria Steinem, Condoleezza Rice, Nancy Pelosi, Katie Couric, and Rachel Maddow. The startling facts and statistics in the film, some similar to those mentioned above, leave audiences with a new perspective.

Young girls are constantly subjected to negative influences from the media – it’s unavoidable. Take, for instance, a magazine like Seventeen, which targets young teenagers. It’s pretty well known that the articles and ideas presented by Seventeen are not a positive influence on girls. You only have to look at some of the titles of their articles – a lot of the focus is either on how to look pretty or how to impress boys, rather than anything of real substance, or real topics that girls may be interested. Some examples of articles I found on their website include “20 Things You Shouldn’t Say to Him,” and “How to Get Him to Ask You Out.” In an article titled “13 Ways to Snag your Summer Crush,” one of the options was literally, and I quote, “wear a tiny bikini.” I should also mention that this magazine claims to have a “Body Peace Campaign” which encourages girls to be comfortable with themselves no matter what their body type is – yet they publish articles with titles like “Smart Weight Loss Tips” and “What Diet is Right for You?”

Seventeen is not the only guilty magazine, though. Nearly every mainstream magazine or website directed at teenage girls is a negative influence – affecting girls’ body image, self esteem, and inhibiting them from realizing their full potential as human beings. This is not to say that makeup tips are a bad thing, but there are so many other topics that should be available to girls. And the problem is that girls continue to read these magazines and websites without realizing the potential harm they cause.

Thankfully, there are people who see how outrageous this is. Remember when, a few months ago, 14-year-old Julia Bluhm gained worldwide attention when she created a petition asking the magazine to publish non-airbrushed photos of their models? The petition was successful and Seventeen agreed to the terms, but only after several months and 84,000 signatures. As for whether or not they’ll actually carry out their promise – we’ll just have to wait and see. (I honestly can’t say I’ve picked up their magazine from the newsstand to check…)

Also, there is an alternative for those who want to avoid mainstream magazines (at least one that I know of in particular). When 16-year-old Tavi Gevinson couldn’t find what she was looking for in any existing teen magazine, she created her own. Rookie Magazine, an online publication (www.rookiemag.com), launched last September and has since gained a readership of thousands of girls around the world.
Though Rookie is not very well known among teenagers, (I actually only know about it because I know one of their writers…), I feel that their content appeals more to girls whose interests range beyond those which typical magazines offer. Their articles range from things like DIYs about how to make glitter shoes to advice on how to deal with stress or depression or bullies; and it also features art, music, and fashion. They also have a great feminist vibe that makes me very happy. I would recommend Rookie to every teenage girl ever, always. So go check it out!

Things like Rookie may be a step in the right direction when it comes to influencing young women in a positive way. But if you’re looking to change the way women are represented in the media, (and you should be after reading this), you first have to realize that nothing is going to happen overnight. Decreasing the discrimination of women in the media, as well as in all aspects of life, will take time and hard work. But you can start by supporting existing efforts, such as projects and petitions. You can also write letters to people or organizations that are discriminating. Visit www.womensmediacenter.com for some ideas.

And don’t forget to realize the progress that is being made right now! Tuesday’s election resulted in a record 20% of women being elected to the Senate. It’s nowhere near equality, but it’s a start. And hopefully more things like this will continue to happen. In the meantime, be sure to talk to other people about why this is an issue, and help continue to raise awareness!

-Sarah


Sources:
www.missrepresentation.org
www.policymic.com
www.rookiemag.com
www.seventeen.com
www.womensmediacenter.com

Friday, November 2, 2012

The Female Evolution Revolution


Back in 8th grade, I learned about “mean girls.”  It happened after the Snowball Dance.  I was finally friendly with some of the popular girls and we were hanging out together in school and during the dance.  At the end of the festivities, it was customary to meet at a restaurant to continue the night and sometimes have a sleepover.  We were going to meet at Friendly’s.  My closest friend and I went there and waited for the rest of the group to arrive.  They never did.  They went somewhere else and neglected to let us know.  We found out later we were also excluded from the sleepover. The next day, these girls still had the audacity to show up at my house to swim in my pool.  They acted as if they were entitled and were completely reckless with our feelings.  On those few days, I learned how to be apprehensive about female friendships.  How would this mold me in the future?

Fast forward to senior year.  The mean girls have added to their brood and continue on their road to exclusivity.  They arranged a prom house in which you will need a special wristband to stay at their house and attend their parties. Only handpicked people need apply.   Normally, seniors would go from house to house to attend each other’s’ parties.  If I was still in 8th grade, I would have been devastated.  I am not.  What changed?

I am guessing you are thinking I am going to go into an explanation of how I have grown and do not need mean girl approval.  This would be true.  Or that I found other groups of people and other activities that interest me.  This would also be true.  Or that I unfriended them on Facebook and spend some of my time gossiping about their lack of intelligence, style, or their evil personalities.  This would NOT be true.  What?

The interaction of girl versus girl has been well documented.  We have pretty and dumb versus plain and intelligent.  We have skinny versus fat.  We have the mommy wars between working women and stay at home women.  We have Jersey Shore.  *skid sounds* We pick a side and go at it.  And we all laugh at Snooki.  I think we should have a Female Evolution Revolution.  Why shouldn’t it start with me?

Well, it has.  Truth be told, I am still friends with some of those mean girls.  What I recognize is girls have worth of some kind.  We need to stop throwing stones at girls who are not like ourselves.  We need to prop each other up.  We need to become fans of each other’s ability and not be afraid to say so.  The pretty, dumb girl probably has makeup tips we all could use—then she isn’t so dumb after all. That nerdy science girl might come up with strategies on how to prevent cancer.  Tell her you are glad she got the A in the AP Biology test.  All women look good in different styles whether fat, skinny, or average weight.  Tell them how good they look.  As for the Mommy Wars, we need to recognize all jobs have difficult components.  Working moms may want some more time with kids and can take stay-at-home moms’ kids with them on a weekend.  Stay-at-home moms can carpool for the working mom or take pictures and video for her.  We need to open our tents and let everyone inside.  We need to celebrate our differences and toast our likenesses.   As for me and the girls in my class, I look at them with an open mind.  They really are not so mean.  Don’t you think I should crash their party?

--Kiersten Campbell