Does Anybody Know Where I Can Find Playboy's 1992 Interview with Betty Friedan?

I love Friedan's frequent reminders that the patriarchy hurts men, too. She goes into further detail in the article, but I can't find anything more than a few quotes:

• Friedan: There was a masculine mystique, too.
• Playboy: What was it?
• Friedan: Men had to be supermen: stoic, responsible meal tickets. Dominance is a burden. Most men who are honest will admit that.

• Playboy: What's behind the current's men's movement?
• Friedan: I think it's partly a reaction against feminism, partly envy of feminism, and partly partly a real need of men to evolve through the burden of the masculine mystique, the burden of machismo.

• Friedan: I thought it was absolutely outrageous that the Silence of the Lambs won four Oscars. [...] I'm not saying that the movie shouldn't have been shows. I'm not denying the movie was an artistic triumph, but it was about the evisceration, the skinning alive of women. That is what I find offensive. Not the Playboy centerfold.
• She also said in 1974 "Men weren’t really the enemy — they were fellow victims suffering from an outmoded masculine mystique that made them feel unnecessarily inadequate when there were no bears to kill."

Goodness! This is disturbing.

This article is certainly a tough one to stomach. It alleges that during a rap music video shoot in Oakland California, a toddler along with six other victims (five of which are males between the ages of 14 and 26) were critically injured by gun shot wounds.

Here's a prime manifestation of the problem with the close association of rap music and violence.

In the spirit of the false narrative of Thanksgiving...

Do you think we would revere Pilgrims or the founders of this country if we constantly subjugated them and vilified them like we do modern day immigrants?

Masculinity Around the Thanksgiving Table

So when I went out of town this past weekend for Thanksgiving I ended up at my mom’s friend’s house in Tampa. Well my mom is very conservative and her friends are fellow right wingers who’s children have clearly never been prompted or encouraged to check their own white, male, cisgendered, heterosexual, upper middle class, educated, Judeo Christian, able-bodied privilege. Often times light hearted conversation will not go much past the superficial “joke” or statement. However, when you have lived in the world where you have found a feminist lens, it is extremely difficult and even morally challenging to try to not look at things through that lens. The conversation went from racist generalizations, to apathy about the working class, to sexist comments about the “availability” of women in sororities without even touching on sex positivity, or social constructs that not only perpetuates the degradation of sex positive women but vilifies them, then it moved to hazing.  

Growing up in a hyper conservative household where authority was key and was not to be questioned, and women were naturally inferior and thus did not have a voice, it is an interesting experience sitting in a family setting where to speak out would be to leave home – to leave the comfort that home once provided. But it was impossible for me to keep quiet and thus I ended up leaving that comfortable space of silence that housed me all my life to speaking out against the continuing slurs and oppression.

The point is a particular conversation was stricken that hit the context of this class. When hazing came up it was not about the psychological torture hazing can provoke, or the scarring and subjugation it effects but how it happens to men and men need to suck it up because if he’s new then he deserves to pay. Pay? Pay for what? Pay for wanting to be a part of a group that he has probably been conditioned to think is “fitting in” (aka fraternities)? It strikes me as really ironic that the way to fit in on a college campus is to be a part of a fraternity, HOWEVER, in order to join you are alienated and marginalized within that group and oppressed in an extremely overt way – and damaging psychologically and physically. Then my mom’s friend’s son, Kevin started talking about how he couldn’t believe that his fraternity got in trouble for hazing because they made the pledges memorize a lot of detailed information about the frat and if they missed a question then they would receive one of various punishments that were “harmless”. Then I started asking him, well what purpose does it serve to have them memorize the information in the first place? Did they NEED to know the information to be a member of the frat by campus bylaws? His answer: “Well…..no…we just did it to do it…” They mentally harangued and physically punished hundreds of men just for fun. That was the point.

It’s hard in any situation, but like we talked about in class today, micro interactions can change a lot and I know it changed my family’s view of me and their level of comfort around me. We’ll see how it works out, but I feel like it was a really important moment for people who have never been checked on their oppressive ideals never mind recognize them. 

Even WebMD likes to casually reinforce gender stereotypes...

I personally hate articles like these that attempt to "clear up" gender myths but reinforce a two-gender, essentialist binary.

Brawling "Geezers" stun football fans

Just another example how sports brings out the worst in men even at old age ...

http://www.rr.com/video/2171617606 <

Federal Health Officials Push ‘Strength Through Affirmation’ of Black Gay Men

An interesting HIV prevention campaign, which specifically targets black gay men. "Testing Makes Us Stronger" was chosen to display "a diverse range of strong men in community. We hope to show that there isn't one idealized form of masculinity but men who represent different forms of strength that come from a place of affirmation."

Dr. Pepper 10: diet drink for men?

I was visiting with my folks over the holidays and some of my family members were sitting around watching some television and this really bizarre commercial came on. Now I haven't had a TV of my own for quite some time so I don't know this commercial is old news by now or what but this just seemed really weird.

Apparently the new Dr. Pepper drink is diet enough to be considered a diet drink but still has enough calories to be considered manly? In the commercial, the ultra-macho manly man says, "You can keep your romantic comedies and diet drinks. Dr. Pepper 10 is for men." So, this ad is specifically trying to appeal to a certain kind of male with this new diet drink. I wonder to what extent this type of ad is effective.

hmmm

Lets make a rule on sexual harrassment...

Needs to be figured out already!

Fundraiser for Planned Parenthood?

Hey guys!

I thought this would be the best place to post this and gauge interest. Along with a couple of friends, I'm trying to put together a fundraiser to benefit Planned Parenthood. Our idea is to partner with a gay club (we're hoping for Mr. Sisters) and have a portion of all food and drinks sold on the night of the fundraiser go to PP. I know several of you are involved with VOX and the like, so let me know if you're interested in helping to set this up!

What A Man Wants

When posting my last post I came across this on the main page of Yahoo. It is disturbing that this is what we are confronted with every day. The men portray women mainly as sex objects and not only does the host make racist remarks, but she agrees with the men's views and then tries to turn their sexualization of their ideals in women into meaning they just want a woman with confidence. Ha.

I am Not a Rapist

I was looking for an article online that came to mind last class when I came across this article about reporting rape, or lack thereof. What surprised me, and I knew this before but being reminded of it shocked me again, was that rape victim's insurance companies or rape victims themselves often have to foot the bill for the processing of rape kits. The author puts it best when mentioning that this is the only crime in which victims have to pay police to do their job. It is so unfortunate that society views rape in such a way as to not burden itself with having to pay to solve some of the most heinous of crimes.

The article I was looking for was first presented to me in my initial women's studies course textbook. It is by one of my favorite feminist/ gender studies authors John Stoltenberg. His work focuses mainly on sex, violence, pornography and power, but this particular article seems to fit perfectly with what we have discussed in class about men, rape, and their responsibility. "'I Am Not A Rapist!': Why College Guys Are Confronting Sexual Violence," is definitely worth a read if you get the chance.

Penn State and the Crisis of Masculinity

Here's an interesting look at the Penn State scandal that seems to be dominating the news cycle of late. I was shocked when the news first broke and I saw slews of university students rioting over their outrage that Joe Paterno was stepping down from his position as head coach of Penn State's highly regarded football program rather rioting on behalf of the fact that nothing was done in support of the victims when such abuses were brought to light. This evidences an incredibly skewed since of priorities held by the students as well as the administration at Penn State.

The fact that such heinous crimes, which are perhaps the most deeply disturbing atrocities one human being can inflict upon another, were perpetrated defenseless children is sickening. However, the inclination of those who comprise the administration to protect the reputation of the institution rather than tend to the well-being of the children is even more nauseating. When reading about this, I find a lot of parallels between Penn State's reaction to the crimes committed within their institution and the reaction of the Catholic church when similar allegations were brought to light against it. It seems that priority number one is: Protect the reputation and credibility of the institution at all costs.

Gross.

Anyways, the article I attached takes a look similar approach to the issue to that of our class. Writer Niobe Way examines the role that masculinity played in reaction to the scandal. I think she may be on to something here and the point she makes should lead us to a long needed conversation on the role of masculinity within our culture. Very interesting.

Teaching Good Sex

Article from the New York Times today! This is exactly what we were discussing last night...thoughts?

Stop Trying to Define Franky!

Skins is a British television show that focuses on a group of teenagers attending what is called "College" in the UK, but to us would be junior and senior year of high school. Every 2 seasons, the cast grows up and is replaced with a new set of characters at the same college. The show addresses some very controversial issues that are still very taboo for American audiences-- so in my opinion, it's no surprise that the US version of the show MTV tried to launch was a total flop.

In the most recent season of Skins available in the US, one of the main characters is Franky Fitzgerald, pictured above. Franky is female-bodied and the adopted daughter of a gay male couple. She androgynous and implied as being genderqueer in some sense. Throughout the entire season, despite being questioned and sometimes harassed, Franky never "defines" hir sexual orientation or gender identity, other than saying ze is not into men or women, but just people. Ze does, however, attempt briefly to be more "feminine", and struggles with depression, feeling lost, and feeling weird.

I think it's wonderful that these issues are being addressed in popular television, even if it's in Europe! All 5 seasons of Skins are available on hulu plus, which you can get free of charge for a month if you use your UCF e-mail address. In addition, the title of this post links to the first episode of the season which centers on Franky on youtube. Check it out!

"Exposed in Iraq"

After reading "Exposed in Iraq: Sexual Harassment And Hidden Rank Structure of the U.S. Army" I thought how similar behaviors are true in all workplaces and even in public space. Any woman that exceeds in the workplace-- the higher the position she achieves-- will find herself surrounded by more and more men. This will place her in a vulnerable position in regards to her exposure to sexual harassment. Having worked in an environment with all men (valet/bell service) there were many times that I felt out numbered. When i worked at the hotel I feared that if I ever questioned their actions or words that I would be the one with more to lose. In this subculture largely dominated by men any opposition from my part would be deviant.

Marshall Thompson asks himself "Why did she play along? Maybe it was a defense mechanism-- an easier way to deal with the problem... But why did the female sergeant on the bus merely laugh and shake her head when her male commander made a joke about them sleeping together? Why wouldn't my coworker file a complaint against the men who had made her feel so worthless?"

Sadly, I feel like the answer is that it happens so often that we are casehardened to such actions. It's bothersome, but it would be destructive to pay mind to every demeaning word/action. It is a defense mechanism. However, it is as equally destructive to internalize all the anger that builds up overtime. More importantly, if as women we never speak up and stand up for ourselves then who will? There is no perfect answer. All I can say is that we should not feel shame, instead we need to take pride in the strength we use day to day.

"Smell Like a Man, Man" Campaign

Appealing to women in order to tell men what "real men" look like, smell like, etc...
What do we think?

"Over It"

This link pretty much speaks for itself. "1 out of 3 women will be raped or beaten in her lifetime" and as sad as this is it gives me the motivation/drive to speak up and take action. Growth requires for you to look at who you are and question yourself (ideals, moral, values, identity, speech, dress etc).

"I am over women still being silent about rape, because they are made to believe it's their fault or they did something to make it happen."

I am over being silent. And I am over accepting a culture that allows such a constant disrespect of women. After reading this I knew that I had to change the way I talk (using words like bitch or pussy to degrade someone), the music I listen to and in general I have to be more aware of the culture I participate in. More importantly I have to ask all the men in my life where have you been?

"I am over the passivity of good men. Where the hell are you?

You live with us, make love with us, father us, befriend us, brother us, get nurtured and mothered and eternally supported by us, so why aren't you standing with us? Why aren't you driven to the point of madness and action by the rape and humiliation of us?"

Transgender kids: Painful quest to be who they are

I found this article weeks ago but was having a hard time posting to the blog (new to blogging) :) ... I found this article interesting. If I had a child that saw themselves as the opposite sex then what they were biologically born with... I question what would I really do? How would I react? Being a mother I know I would support my child 100% but I also feel mommy-mode would kick in and want to protect my child from the hardship I know society would inflict on her.

UK Gay Men Blood Donation Ban Lifted*

Gay men will now be able to give blood as Government restrictions are officially lifted, the Department of Health (DoH) said.

A lifetime ban on blood donation by men who had had sex with another man was put in place in the UK in the 1980s as a response to the spread of Aids and HIV.

But following a review by the Advisory Committee on the Safety of Blood, Tissues and Organs (Sabto), men who have not had homosexual sex within a year will be able to donate if they meet certain other criteria. The move will be implemented in England, Scotland and Wales.

*Really, it's more 'cis men who have sex with cis men' as not all cis men who have sex with cis men are gay, but you get the point.

Herman Cain accrues whooping $9 million in light of sexual harassment charges

Wow. So, I'm not sure if y'all are following the 2012 GOP field but Herman Cain, the current frontrunner, has been making headlines lately. In October, Politico brought to light a settlement Cain made with two women who accused him of sexual harassment during his tenure at the National Restaurant Association in the early 1990s. Since then, two more women have also come forward alleging that Mr. Cain had sexually harassed them in the past. Now, with the way that these things go in politics, we know that this doesn't necessarily have to be a career-ending indictment but we would think that this should at least lead some to question their support for the candidate, right? WRONG. The first article attached details Cain's campaign contributions for the month of October since these allegations were brought to light. The candidate accrued a total of $9 million in the month of October which is twice as much as he has received in the previous nine months since he first announced his candidacy.

Now, I know that in this country there is a presumption of innocence until proven guilty but what does this tell us about the importance (or lack thereof) placed on something as serious as sexual harassment?

Oh, these aren't the first acts of disrespect committed by Mr. Cain either. He has since called the former speaker of the House of Representatives "Princess Pelosi" as well as cracked jokes about whether or not he'll receive support from Anita Hill, the woman who accused Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas of sexual harassment twenty years ago. I attached a second link detailing these issues.

Gosh.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/11/10/herman-cain-fundraising-numbers_n_1087335.html?ref=politics

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/herman-cain-goper-accused-sexual-harassment-beat-obama-beat-a-cain-article-1.976183

Rape is Rape!

During last night's class, Leandra briefly mentioned the problematic legal definition of rape, as well as the need/efforts to redefine rape legally and socially.

I thought it'd be helpful to post some information about this so that we can all be on the same page.

Note: While this is still a very important issue, it is worth noting that the FBI has finally changed this definition, as a result of many people's hard work for this issue to be recognized!

About the initial issue:

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2011/04/20/rape-is-rape-no-more-excuses/

About the change:

http://feministing.com/2011/10/20/update-fbi-changes-official-definition-of-rape/

"Why We Need to Reimagine Masculinity"

I came across this article which was originally published in Newsweek. I think it is really interesting, and poses some good points, yet it is still problematic in many ways which it does not even seen to acknowledge. The article is fairly lengthy, so I thought it'd be better to link it in the title rather than to post the entire in the text.

Just incase, here is the link:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/newsweek/2010/09/20/why-we-need-to-reimagine-masculinity.html

What do you guys think?

Rick Scott Throws an Anti-Abortion Party at the Governor's Mansion...wtf?!

http://blogs.browardpalmbeach.com/pulp/2011/08/rick_scott_anti_abortion_bills_party.php

Apparently Governor Scott had enough time to throw a part at the Governor's mansion in July to congradulate himself and others for passing 5 of the 18 anti-choice bills introduced that session.

The party included guests such as John Stemberger, president of Florida Family Council; Dr. Michael McCarron, executive director of Florida Catholic Conference; Pam Olson of the International House of Prayer in Tallahassee; Bill Bunkley, legislative and government affairs consultant to the Florida Baptist Convention; and Jim Styer, president of Sarasota/Manatee Right to Life. And as they partied and congradulated themselves they celebrated the elimination of choices people could make regarding their reproductive health and reproductive justices. Rick Scott clearly had an interesting view on choice, considering he has never considered himself "pro-choice" so he clearly was reaching out and testing the waters with this new definition of "choice": "Scott also displayed his garbled interpretation of the phrase 'pro-choice,' telling the Miami Herald, 'You should have the opportunity to see an ultrasound of your child. It's your choice. You don't have to. This creates choice. I think it's very positive.'" .....Meanwhile, back at the ranch we all recognize that the bill just passed when this party was happening made it MANDATORY for the pregnant person to get an ultrasound and to have the fetus described to them before they could have an abortion...

Dear Governor Scott,

Making something mandatory eliminates choice.

Thanks,

Alexa Nelen
Member of the "Not an Idiot" club

Our Governor should not have any sort of control over our bodies regardless. What is he doing celebarting this and spending so much money just to congratulate his closest endorsers? Well, that seems like a stupid question that seems really self explanatory so never mind. I think I grasp the point.

If an outsider had to have anything to do with my uterus I'd rather the only thing they would be able to do is celebrate it from the outside, not be all up in it and celebrate their control over it. But I'm pretty sure we could all agree on that.

Only Rapists Can Prevent Rape

(i have seen this in various places online--i've linked this to one)

A lot has been said about how to prevent rape.

Women should learn self-defense. 

Women should lock themselves in their houses after dark. 

Women shouldn't have long hair and women shouldn't wear short skirts. 

Women shouldn't leave drinks unattended. 

Fuck, they shouldn't dare to get drunk at all.

Instead of that bullshit, how about:

If a woman is drunk, don't rape her.
If a woman is walking alone at night, don't rape her.
If a women is drugged and unconscious, don't rape her.
If a woman is wearing a short skirt, don't rape her.
If a woman is jogging in a park at 5 am, don't rape her.
If a woman looks like your ex-girlfriend you're still hung up on, don't rape her.
If a woman is asleep in her bed, don't rape her.
If a woman is asleep in your bed, don't rape her.
If a woman is doing her laundry, don't rape her.
If a woman is in a coma, don't rape her.
If a woman changes her mind in the middle of or about a particular activity, don't rape her.
If a woman has repeatedly refused a certain activity, don't rape her.
If a woman is not yet a woman, but a child, don't rape her.
If your girlfriend or wife is not in the mood, don't rape her.
If your step-daughter is watching TV, don't rape her.
If you break into a house and find a woman there, don't rape her.
If your friend thinks it's okay to rape someone, tell him it's not, and that he's not your friend.
If your "friend" tells you he raped someone, report him to the police.
If your frat-brother or another guy at the party tells you there's an unconscious woman upstairs and it's your turn, don't rape her, call the police and tell the guy he's a rapist.
Tell your sons, god-sons, nephews, grandsons, sons of friends it's not okay to rape someone.
Don't tell your women friends how to be safe and avoid rape.
Don't imply that she could have avoided it if she'd only done/not done x.
Don't imply that it's in any way her fault.
Don't let silence imply agreement when someone tells you he "got some" with the drunk girl.
Don't perpetuate a culture that tells you that you have no control over or responsibility for your actions. You can, too, help yourself.

Note:

This goes for any gendered rape, male on female or female on male or female on female or FTM on MTF or non gendered to dual gendered and so on and so forth....

-author unknown

Read more: http://sexgenderbody.com/content/only-rapists-can-prevent-rape#ixzz1dBDlcfYg

A Brief History of the Bromance

the actual website is another blog post entirely... feel free to write it:) Leandra

You Offend Me, You Offend My Family

So, this website is supposed to be about issues (political, personal, pop culture, etc) in the Asian-/American community. It's an example of progressive, political Pan-Asianism and it's desperate need for intersectional analysis of oppression. I meant to post this article a while back--it's a piece about the "I'm not a costume, I'm a culture" movement. Basically, it's a (ironic) analysis of racism that excludes gender oppression and fetishizes the white female body.

Granted, this can be read through postmodern, ironic lens as a form of counteridentification, but I'm struggling to buy that argument.

Where Our Boys at? Involving Young Men as Allies to End Violence Against Girls

In class tonight we will discuss gender-based violence--violence not only perpetrated against girls and women but violence driven by and illuminating the relationship(s) between gender/gendered constructs, which does not only include violence against girls/women but various forms of violence. With that said, violence (especially sexual violence) is still carried out disproportionately against women and girls throughout the world, making this "toolkit" a valuable resource for education and activism. Thank you to Christine Mouton from UCF Victim Services for providing the link.

Hey, Bro, That's My Little Pony!

You mean men can enjoy a show with a largely female cast and a target audience for young girls? Astonishing!

But, indeed, it's true. My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic, a clever remake of the 1980's television show, introduces the fun of MLP to a new generation. Among these new fans are male fans who call themselves 'Bronies'. It's true. I'm not too fond of the moniker admittedly as it seems like it goes out of its way to justify the masculinity of the fans who enjoy a television show aimed at girls, but baby steps, I suppose.

The wonderful thing about the popularity of My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic among male and female fans alike is that the show proves that a series featuring a primarily female cast (who aren't objectified for the male gaze) can be successful! In the cartoon world, you see, there's still a long way to go. Cartoons aimed at children audiences mostly feature male protagonists [4 male characters to 1 female character]. The argument is generally that boys won't watch a television show featuring a girl. So, it's nice to see an instance when that theory is proven wrong.

Boys being punished for "being boys"?

Text:
"Does your son act too much like a little boy?"

"Is he fidgety and rambuctious?" 

"Does he have trouble listening or have a puerile sense of humor?"

"Is he easily distracted?"

"Does he have a propensity to get dirty?"

"Does he enjoy playing with violent toys?"

"If you answered 'yes' to any of these questions, then it might be time to medicate your son. Even if he doesn't have ADD or ADHD, you'll most certainly agree that he's annoying. Well, now you can curb the boyish tendencies in your son and make him almost [unrecognizable word] in the process. E-MASQL8 Plus has been clinically proven to reduce in boys all signs of unwanted boyishness. You'll never have to deal with snips, snails or puppy-dog tails again".

"E-MASQL8 Plus; A Cure for the Common Boy"

This picture/ advertisement is clearly a parody, pointing out the over medication of youth because a lot of the time the behavior is seen as "inconvenient" whether it's in school, in social situations or at home. This faux ad really stuck out to me because it recognizes all of the traits we usually attribute to masculinity or burgeoning boys in how they're supposed to be, and yet we suppress that a lot of the times and try and shut it down after we spend so much time and energy reinforcing those behaviors, or rather punishing boys who do not have those behaviors. 

It's really funny to me how our society can be so centered around making sure boys display proper amounts of masculinity throughout their development but we don't know why these negative tendencies come out of such traits. 

Medicating it is not the answer. Clearly. This ad not only touches on the over medication of youth but also the ignorance of our society to notice the habits we perpetually reinforce and their direct consequences. "Masculinity" doesn't just come out of nowhere.

Kanye West wearing a skirt

Earlier I read someone post about a rapper gender bending and wearing lipstick. When I saw this it reminded me of the article and it is great to see how popular mainstream artist can break norms (at least norms in American culture). I didn't like Ariel Kaiser's comment about "at least he is not wearing pink..." because this is suggesting that there is clothing that is gender specific. The article tries to justify that wearing a skirt can be masculine. Ignoring that this is one of those poorly written gossip articles I really hope trends can change for anyone to dress with whatever makes them feel comfortable without having their sexuality or their gender identity being questioned.

Rappers wear lipstick??!

Well at least Rapper Dphillgood from Dallas, TX does.  He also wears printed tights and feels that his "XY Movement"that blurs gender lines will help others catch on. When asked his sexual preference he says that he is not gay, and his girlfriend says she is supportive of his gender bending expressions.

Check out his video
http://www.the33tv.com/videobeta/d2fa9d49-ab73-4244-b7f0-2f1b872146b0/News/11-2-11-XY-Movement

NEW My Tide Commercials Aimed at Dads

I happened to overhear one of these commercials the other day. The commercials are still somewhat gendered in that the character attributes the strength, intellect and problem solving to his "fatherly" side and his nurturing loving side to his "motherly." Regardless though,  I'm glad to see a laundry detergent not aimed at women only, or women cleaning up the mess/mistake of men.

Check out the below links:

Dad Commercial #1: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z1qW7Po-1KI

Dad Commercial #2: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M28l-6LUp3w&feature=relmfu

"Real Men..."

Less than a year ago, I heard about Ashton Kutcher's mission to help end "child sex slavery." While the mission is noble, his way of attracting attention with his advertisements is lazy. After you watch, how does this commercial limit men (and women) and how do you feel about it?

Another Tide Commercial

In search of the previous Tide commercial I posted, I came across another "interesting" commercial. This commercial operates with the same father as the previous one. However, in this commercial, he identifies himself as a "dad mom." How do you feel about this term and its connotations that "nurturing" is designated to femininity? 

Tide Commercial

I have been seeing this commercial all over television. Since we were just discussing the unequal allocation of housework in class (Theories of Masculinity), I thought I would post this. How do you feel about how Tide addresses fathers (or men) doing housework?

Inequities for children of gay parents

When I was checking the news this morning, this headline caught my eye. This article illustrates some of the very serious legal inequities (as well as the social stigmas) faced by households with gay, bisexual, and transgender parents. While we all know that marriage equality and equal rights for all of those who are not heterosexual are hotly contested issues today; I was not quite aware of the extent to which the exploitation of children was being used as a weapon on behalf of equal rights opponents in order to achieve their end. I think there is a touch of irony here, or probably more accurately this could be deemed outright hypocrisy and, if it wasn’t so sad, I’d laugh. I think this article shows us some of the negative, tangible effects of this bizarre, mythological normative social unit we refer to as “the nuclear family.”

I think Maryland Attorney General Douglas Gansler said it best when he said: “Same-sex marriage is a pro-family measure.”

Dealbreaker: He Has Low Self-Esteem

This article is pretty interesting. We follow a feminist author who engages in a months-long text-relationship with a man with low self-esteem (lack of employment enables him not to "feel like a man"). The author explains her mixed feelings- the feminist in her wanted to liberate him from his own problematic gender expectations while she allowed him to manipulate her emotional investment. To rub salt into the wound, he ends up meeting another woman! I'd like to know more about this other woman and why she "won" (although, this guy doesn't seem like much of a prize). Was she far less successful than he was? Was she just unsuccessful enough to make him "feel like a man"? Did she enable his "identity crisis" more than the author? The reason why this interests me so much is because if a successful woman makes this guy feel emasculated, what in particular does not emasculate him? That in itself, I'm sure, is entirely problematic and in need of some serious unpacking.

He wants to be a Girl Scout,

I was skimming the headlines on cnn.com and ran across a story about a boy in Colorado who identifies as female who wants to be in the Girl Scouts and was told no. He was told that "boy parts" aren't allowed in the troop.  Check out this video to hear more.

He wants to be a Girl Scout

Hegemonic Masculinity in 90's Pop Culture

The other day I was watching "Roseanne" - I can't lie, it's one of my favorites! - and I noticed that the episode was called "Stand On Your Man."

In this episode, we can see hegemonic masculinity at it's "finest" in 1990's popular culture. In the first clip, the first 2 minutes or so, we can see Dan and his "buddies" playing poker and adhering to their ideas of hegemonic masculinity within their society. Arnie's ex-wife nancy has recently come out as a lesbian, which he feels is a threat to his masculinity.




This entire episode deals with issues of masculinity, as Dan feels he must display his masculinity and "protect" Roseanne now, after she is attacked by a man in her restaurant. We can see this in the last few minutes of the clip above, and in the first few minutes of the following clip. The part of this episode which first caught my attention begins around 5 minutes through in the following clip: Arnie comes to talk to Nancy to "reaffirm" his masculinity after learning that she is a lesbian.

Sticky Fingers, Male and Female

This article addresses the differences between male and female shoplifters. It was surprising to read an article for the New York Times (written by a female) include assumptions like a "lesser" gender, bored and lonely women who steal just because they are broke, or repressed female sexuality and psychic injuries woman suffered as children. Although the author (somewhat) attempted to debunk these myths linked to shoplifting, the presentation provided more attention to previous bogus assumptions and failed to provide any current analysis. What do you think?

Dealbreaker: She's a Bro

Okay, there is so much to unpack in this article! It definitely reads like one of the more problematic articles in "Men Speak Out", but there are many interesting things going on at the same time. The author (a heterosexual man) is talking about girls that he dates who he deems "bros". The term "bro" or referring to something as "bro-y" is somewhat new to me in pop-culture, although I think I have a handle on it's implications. I think some of the things that would be considered "bro-y" for a male would be along the lines of polo shirts, fraternities, those cheap ray-ban sunglasses imitations with the neon sides. The author talks about girls who are "bro-y"- namely in conjunction with sororities, knowing all the words to "Don't Stop Believing", and, my personal favorite, girls who fetishize gay men because they want a "sassy" best friend (a role that the dominant culture has informed both women and gay men that is acceptable). The article brings up many interesting points, but I was wondering why the "type" of girl he is describing still falls under the category of "bro". Is this sexist? Is the entire article sexist? What do you agree with and what do you find problematic? I'd be interested to know!

Hormone Therapy for Pre-Teen

We recently talked about different "types of lesbians" and we watched Venus Boyz so I felt this article was pretty relevant to what we have been discussing in class.

Personally, the biggest issue I see is that the long term side effects are unknown for this therapy on a child. From what I know medicine works differently in adults than it does in children. I feel like more medical research should be done to improve such therapy. However, from what I understood this is not a sex change, just a hormone blocker. So using this for a couple years is not making the decision to change his sex/gender at an early age, but instead preventing puberty so that Thomas has more time to make a proper decision.

What do you all think?

American Military Officer "Schools" Iraqi Police

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_embedded&v=JGbQBl8KlCo

This link will take you to a video where American military hyper masculinity is clearly displayed. This video is about 5.5 minutes of one American Military officer shouting at and insulting Iraqi police for being "pussies" for being "women" for not initiating aggression and conflict but instead relying on American soldiers to do it all.

"You want fuel and guns and shit from me but you don't get off your lazy asses and do anything"

He even threatened to beat all of them and show them how to be "real men".

This video clearly displays what American hyper masculinity in the military is all about and what is pretty much expected from men entering the military. The tactics this officer was using on the Iraqi police are tactics used on Americans in training - degradation, subjugation, and threatening and frequent emasculation.
This treatment of men and degradation of women is constantly perpetuated by actions like this in the United States and overseas. This is how some men in our military wish to represent "strong, capable, courageous, independent, FREE" American men and by extension American women as weak and ill-willed things to be ridiculed.
Is this how we want our military representing us? I think not.

"No means Yes, Yes Means Anal"

This was discussed in last night's chat if anyone did not know the reference I've linked the article.

Heinz Deli Mayo Commercial

Heinz Deli Mayo Commercial

Take a look at this video. Would they play this Heinz commercial in the U.S.? I will answer for you...NO!

Paws for Peace

Unfortunately, one of the ways that masculinity is expressed in American society is through domestic violence. Often, pets are harmed in violent homes. According to Harbor House, Orange County's DV shelter, 48% of DV victims delay leaving their homes because they fear for the safety of their pet. 88% of animals living in DV households are either abused or killed, and 57% of survivors entering DV shelters in the US have had a pet killed by their abuser.

It is unacceptable that pets are being treated as collateral damage in domestic violence situations. That's why you should join Harbor House in their 2nd annual Paws for Peace walk, as they raise money to build Central Florida's first shelter for pets of residents in their shelter! Click on the blog title for more information.

Update: Dr. Pepper TEN's Sexist Campaign

If you remember a few blog posts back, I wrote an entry about Dr. Pepper TEN's campaign about how it "isn't for women". Stefanie Harmon made another post with some more info.

In any case, the website has been edited to remove the 'not for women' bit. But the commercials are still going strong. Sign Change.org's petition to help get it removed!

Milk PMS Advertisement

I'm sure we've all heard about this pleasant advertisement from the "Got Milk?" campaign....I found a video online of the commercial.

I have been reading about this since July and clearly repulsed but I have yet to see an actual commercial or advertisement for it other than their website. They pulled the ad campaign early but still called it a "success". http://www.adweek.com/adfreak/got-milk-pulls-pms-campaign-early-yet-calls-it-success-133591

The comments at the bottom are startling, one person goes: "These ads made me laugh and there is truth to all of them. We should accept the fact that we are emotional and can be psychotic during this time. Men accept it and love us still:)" ....ARE YOU KIDDING ME?

Only one came to a slight defense of women but in a backwards way, she said that yes, calcium reduces PMS but makes symptoms (ache, tenderness....etc) worse....yeah, well not to mention the multitudes of HORMONES that are in non organic store bought cow's milk...

This campaign is ridiculous and I'm so glad they pulled it but I have no doubt that they really did think it was a success because people, like the above commenter, supported it and bought into it, showing the power of mainstream media in constructing gender roles based on biology and constructing them in such a way to have people say "Oh, poor guys! Their masculinity is always being threatened by crazy women on their periods!"

Michael Monet

http://michaelmonet.wordpress.com/

This is the Michael I was talking about in class last night. This website documents his experience with transitioning. He is a beautiful writer. He's also a personal trainer and has designed programs specifically for the trans body. Hope you'll check out his thoughts and writings. He removed his videos from youtube, so I'm not sure if he's going through something right now.

When I Was a Boy

This is one of my favorite songs and I thought it applied to this past week's focus on female bodied masculinity (and male bodied femininity for that matter.)

Dar Williams: When I Was a Boy

Click Here

Dr Pepper 10 "Is Not for Women."

A great Article on the most recent campaign by Dr Pepper.



Here is the current commercial airing.

CLICK HERE

What do you think?

Legalizing Domestic Violence(?!?!)

I just ran across this article and I have to say that this is absolutely ridiculous! I think it is important not only to think about the immediate implications of this plan, but also what this says about masculinity and domestic violence. It seems that this plan is saying that it is not that big of a deal to act violently towards women, as long as you are not a repeat offender. WHAT?!


Legalizing domestic violence: Topeka's 'terrible' plan to save money
Just in time for Domestic Violence Awareness Month, Kansas' capital city is on the verge of decriminalizing domestic battery as part of a budget standoff
posted on October 7, 2011, at 11:35 AM
Due to budget cuts, domestic violence cases may no longer be prosecuted in Topeka, Kan., potentially sending a "terrible message" to victims of domestic battery.

Due to budget cuts, domestic violence cases may no longer be prosecuted in Topeka, Kan., potentially sending a "terrible message" to victims of domestic battery. Photo: Gaetano/Corbis SEE ALL 24 PHOTOS

The Topeka City Council will decide next week whether to essentially legalize domestic violence in the Kansas capital, in a budgetary game of chicken with Shawnee County, which encompasses Topeka. The fight started when Shawnee District Attorney Chad Taylor, facing a 10 percent budget cut for next year, announced Sept. 8 that his office would no longer prosecute misdemeanor cases, including those involving domestic violence, inside Topeka city limits. The City Council is betting that if it strikes Topeka's ordinance against domestic battery, it will force Taylor to reconsider. Here's what you should know:

What happens if Topeka follows through?
If the City Council repeals the domestic-battery ordinance, municipal courts wouldn't be able to take on those cases, effectively sending the ball back to Taylor's court. Domestic violence is still a state crime. But "because only Taylor has authority to decide what cases he files and prosecutes," domestic violence prosecution could slow to a trickle, says The Topeka Capital-Journal in an editorial. Repeat offenders are charged as felons, and the D.A. would still take those cases.

How bad could this get?
Already, the standoff is putting victims in grave danger "in the world that does not exist inside of an Excel spreadsheet," says Erin Gloria Ryan at Jezebel. Taylor has rejected at least 30 domestic violence cases since Sept. 8, and the 18 people arrested in Topeka for domestic battery have all been released from county jail because no charges were filed. And even if Taylor eventually blinks, and decides to resume prosecuting first-time offenders, the City Council's decriminalization of domestic violence would still send "a terrible message to victims of domestic battery and the entire community," says The Topeka Capital-Journal's editorial board.

How dire is the financial situation?
In 2012, the D.A.'s office expects to see $347,765 cut from its budget — which is $3.5 million this year. Of course, if nobody takes these domestic violence cases, it could save some money in the short run, says Marie Diamond at ThinkProgress. But domestic violence has "staggering financial consequences" — medical costs, for instance. There are bigger human costs, too, says Topeka victims' advocate Claudine Dombrowski. If the city and county keep up this "disgusting" fight, "they need to invest in headstones, because these women are going to end up in cemeteries."

Who should shoulder the blame?
Everyone involved says they believe domestic violence needs to be prosecuted vigorously, but that they can't pay for it, says Maya Dusenbery at Feministing. And "it’s hard to blame them too harshly for that," given the deep budget cuts hitting states and cities. "Thanks, austerity!" Maybe, says National Organization for Women's Kari Ann Rinker. But right now, local officials are just "finger-pointing and blaming" like 5-year-old children, and they all deserve "some amount of blame" for putting women at undue risk.

Masculinity in Disney Movies

This video illustrates the various portrayals of masculinity in all of our favorite Disney movies. It's crazy that you never even think about it or realize these things when you are a child, even though they play such a huge role in your socialization!

Rethink Breast Cancer Campaign

This video caught my eye and made me smile. The men in this video embody stereotypical "masculinity" however in context of the video they do not come off as "aggressive" or "powerful" or "dominating." How do these men fit into the modern concept of masculinity?

Why Men Are in Trouble

I would like to preface the article by noting that it is woefully problematic. The author, William J. Bennett, is an upper-middle class white man- and that is exactly the angle presented in the article. The most startling statistic he offered was "Today, 18-to- 34-year-old men spend more time playing video games a day than 12-to- 17-year-old boys." Although his points of men's lack of maturity and ambition are provocative, his solutions (industriousness, religion, marriage) are archaic. The article read as if it intended to register fear in men that "the women are getting ahead" (as if that would be a bad thing). It is full of sexist language (i.e. the dawn of "mankind", men are the "dominant sex") and concludes with masculinity crisis inducing "it's time for men to man up". What Bennett fails to talk about is HOW men got this way- and it's not by lack of faith- it's because of the harmful effects patriarchy can have on EVERYONE. The masculinity crisis is one that should be taken far more seriously than Bennett seems to realize- men don't need to "man up", they need to be able to express emotion, become vulnerable, heal, and join forces with women, transgendered individuals, and gender queers. In my opinion, steps toward a harmonious and progressive future would be far more advantageous than attending weekly church services.

The Fountainhead

In one of my film classes, we recently watched The Fountainhead. The basis of the film (written by Ayn Rand) revolves around her desire for people to be individualists above all. Attached is a clip (http://youtu.be/VkAz8rw8kqY) from the film including the protagonist of the film, Howard Roark, played by Gary Cooper. Disregarding that, what is glaringly missing from the speech?

Gisele Bundchen Ad: Degrades Women or Underestimates Men or Both?

Recently, I read an article (http://gu.com/p/329p6) about Gisele 's sexist ad and the subsequent banning of it in Brazil. The attached article discusses the heightened female violence (domestic violence and murders) in Brazil and how this ad relates to the serious and severe female issues there (Portilho-Shrimpton). Furthermore, the ad can be dissected in a myriad of  ways in relation to the message. Does the ad portray women as sexual objects or does the ad underestimate men and their "self-control" or both? Also, read some of the comments (if you have time) and see how some people digested the ad.

Works Cited

Portilho-Shrimpton, Thais. "Gisele's sexist lingerie ads are no laughing matter in Brazil." The Guardian. 30 September 2011. Web. 5 October 2011.

Should Facebook Ban Rape Jokes?

Found this article from Slate.com this morning. It's very frustrating to read, because the author just attributes these rape jokes to "silly male teen humor". The author also asserts that the point of comedy is to make light of tragedy. What the author completely ignores is the fact that Facebook is a main source of information for teenagers, making these "silly" jokes viable sources of social conduct. It was a disappointing read from a "progressive" site like Slate. The article's defense of the jokes is almost as insulting as the jokes themselves. There is no author cited, but I'm willing to bet that it is a man. These are exactly the kind of casual and nonchalant attitudes towards rape that need to be eliminated!

Chief Raoni, I cry with you.

Chief Raoni crying when he learned that the President of Brazil approved the Bel...o Monte dam project on the Xingu indigenous lands. Belo Monte will be bigger than the Panama Canal, flooding nearly a million acres of rainforest & indigenous lands. 40,000 indigenous and local people will be forced off their native lands (as well as millions of unknown species & plants) In the name of "progress" --NorthAmerican WebDesign

In these moments of quiet contemplation, I try to forget what it feels like to live in anger. Not because anger doesn’t have its place. Not because we don’t have every fucking right to be angry. No. But because sometimes great sadness needs the space to sink in. I let it take over completely. Get lost in the kind of despair that shakes apart entire families like a bulldozer ready to fuck over sacred land. We don’t understand how land is sacred. We only understand using land and owning land. But land is alive and it gives life to our body and our spirit. It teaches us to have patience and to wait— as we watch and listen to the earth to get nourishment for our body, for our soul and for our community. It carries the history of people and connects us to dimensions of consciousness, places to understand time. But we forget this. We always forget how things arrive.

Congratulations, Television! You Are Even Worse At Masculinity Than Femininity

Click the title for a link to a great NPR article on the ineffective representation of masculinity in television. It mainly critiques a new show, How to Be a Gentleman, that premieres on CBS tonight and literally is about one man training another to be a "real man". I can't think of anything more pertinent to this class!

My Love Hate Relationship With Feminism

Today has been a tough day for me. I have a lot of anger, better explained as rage, directed to men. Before this class I was one of those people that rationalized masculinity and its oppressive nature as "boy will be boys" and "this is how men act". I am not going to go into detail of where most of this anger originated, but to provide some background from the age of 7 i promised myself I would not be "that girl". The images of women I had were very feminine, loving, and strong women but at the same time inferior. From this age I knew I would not have a man dictate how I live my life. I remember the exact day where the seed to this rage was planted and from this day on I became power hungry. I wanted control. I wanted independence. I did not want to be weak therefore I could not be feminine.

Fast forward to the present I have not done so bad for myself. The point I wanted to make is that after taking this class I have become more deeply disgusted with the system/society that has allowed these ideas of masculinity to dominate. I am now concious that instead of rebelling to this gendered image of a female I have done nothing more than attempt to be more masculine. And well we have thoroughly discussed and will continue to discuss how oppressive our American culture has constructed masculinity.

I love this class because I am learning. I love this class because I am becoming more aware. I love this class because it is relevant. I feel priveleged to say that I am receiving the type of college education that many of my peers miss out on. Then again I hate this class because the behavior that I used to excuse is now something I can no longer tolerate. I hate that I can no longer be one of the boys without being disgusted by how many of "my boys" think, speak, live! Days like this I love/hate everything that I have learned. I have a stronger drive to become an activist, but a deeper confusion of who I am or need to be.

Dr. Pepper is Not for Women

Advertising executives sit around all day trying to think of clever ways to get consumers to buy their product. Dr. Pepper TEN should be easy enough. It's Dr. Pepper! With ten calories! Luckily, in America, we love learning new ways to lose weight. Ta-dah! Easy sell, right?

It must be much more complicated than I thought. For you see, Dr. Pepper TEN is not for women. The site doesn't say why. I can only imagine that should a woman take a swig of Dr. Pepper TEN, she'll have sudden desires for motorbikes, wrestling, and beer, and that would ruin everyone's precious sensibilities of masculinity and femininity. On a lark, I'll take a guess that Dr. Pepper TEN plans on advertising itself as a MAN's drink. Since, you know, men and women are the only genders to exist in the lovely binary paradise that is commercials.

If you think that Dr. Pepper TEN can, in fact, be consumed by women, here's some ways to contact customer service.

Telephone: 1-800-696-5891

Online Customer Service Form: http://www.econsumeraffairs.com/am_bev/contactus.htm?F1=drpepper

Also, ladies? Feel free to ride motorbikes, watch wrestling, and drink beer. It's all good.

"Straight White Male" by Andrew Jackson Jihad

Alright guys, I was at a show tonight and one of the bands, Andrew Jackson Jihad, played a song that fit beautifully with a lot of what we talk about in class. I've provided a link to a youtube video of the song if you click the title of this post. The quality isn't great, so if you have a service like spotify that might be a better option. Here are the lyrics (and fyi, there are some swears in case that bothers you):

I am white and I've got everything I need.
No one clutches their purse when they're in a room alone with me
and I can drive through any neighborhood
I please at any hour and the police don't do a thing.

Chorus:
So if I see a penny on the ground,
I leave it alone or fucking flip it.
I'm a straight white male in America.
I've got all the luck I need.

I'm a guy getting paid more than a girl with a degree
and I can walk down the street at night and no one wants to rape me.
And I can get a girl pregnant and just as easily flee.
Just like my straight, white male dad did to me.

(Chorus)

I've got a pile of broken mirrors and I'm walking under ladders
and I'll spill a ton of salt because to me that doesn't matter.
'Cause my skin and my gender and my orientation
are the best things to have when you live in this nation.
I recommend it highly.

(Chorus)

Shit's gonna work out for me.
I'm a straight white male in America.
I've got all the luck I need.

As With Most Men

Click the link to watch Mark Gonzalez's spoken word piece 'As With Most Men'.

Here's a transcript for those that need it:

"As with most men it is easier for me to give hugs than to accept them

Lest the truth be known that men are nothing more than emotional sky-scrapers built with glass infrastructures spray painted the colour of steel and nick named strength

Strange isn’t it?

What walking contradictions are we called men

Men are taught to colonise at the age of 5 through gangs like cops and robbers, cowboys and Indians

At the age of 8 we are given helmets, and told to
hit each other in the head with it, bleed but do not bleed, cut but do not cry, be a man, join the military, die for your country

And if death comes to you look it in the eye and say “bring it on motherfucker I fear nothing…but intimacy”

When it comes to intimacy men quiver like fault lines,
crumble like cities

What walking contradictions are we called men.

Men sign peace accords while abusing their wives, Accept the Nobel Peace Prize while reducing health care, Pledge to rid the world of terrorism while simultaneously denying government aid to any country that defends a woman’s right to choose

During the 1970s, the US government forcibly sterilized an estimated 50% of the indigenous population of America’s mid-west, telling them the process was reversible.

Can you say ‘biological terrorism’?

And in a global war against terror maybe testosterone is the real terrorist

And if so, how many of these star spangled singing,
flag waving citizens would continue to do so if terror was not racialised. But gendered?

Would the US military turns its guns on itself
For its sex crimes throughout South East Asia, Africa and the Americas?

Would MTV be firebombed for its objectification, hypersexualisation of our womens of colour’s bodies?

Would we stop looking towards the Muslim world for misogyny and instead turns our sights to Madrid, Montreal, New York Los Angeles

And now I understand my sisters when they say “every woman has a story that’s been told a maximum of once or maybe less”

And that is why you will never hear me call a women slut, bitch or dyke. No matter what she does. Cuz I do not blame her.

I blame the men who have emotionally and physically raped her. I blame these corporations whose images tell her they hate her. And I put my arms on her shoulder and tell her how grateful I am to God that she created her.

Men take note this is how you give love this is how you receive hugs

Press flesh to flesh ‘til breasts crumple

Like emotional origami."

Are Men Finished?

Found this the other day. You can read the transcript of the debate by clicking on the link at the left (it's in a PDF format). Does anybody else have thoughts on the debate?

Allowing Teenage Boys to Love Their Friends

I found this article on the New York Times website. The article discusses the book "Deep Secrets: Boys' Friendships and the Crisis of Connection" by NYU professor Dr. Niobe Way. The article highlights boys fear for being seen as "too girly" or gay for expressing or feeling attachments to one another. The article also notes boy's lack of expression of vulnerability and how these stereotypes are reinforced in our society- it reminded me a lot of the "Dude, You're a Fag" article we read for class from "Men's Lives". Dr. Way's book is a compilation of 20 years of interviews and reminded me of a format similar to "Men Speak Out". Exciting news is that it is ALREADY being taught at three different schools and required reading for faculty at another- just one step closer to exposing and dismantling patriarchy's harsh effects on men and boys and solving the male crisis.

Hip-Hop has translators!

Just in case you always wanted to know what was really being said during a rap battle, Two guys figured out a way to do so. Funny or stereotypical? You decided.
Hip Hop Translation

Caveman Rationale

In watching the series premiere of the new sitcom, Whitney, I thought it was very interesting to come across this reference to caveman masculinity.  I always thought, after reading the Caveman Masculinity article, that this was something relatively common and very interesting, but I have never noticed it so much in popular culture until now! This man's rationale is seriously flawed, as he implies that men are inherently against monogamy. I do love how Whitney's boyfriend replies to his ignorance, though!

VIEW CLIP HERE

"If cavemen were monogamous, there would only be like six people."