My Dress is Not a Yes

Ladies, all of those lessons we have learned from our mothers, you know, the warnings and advice like keeping mase handy, have your key poking out between your fingers in a fist when walking to your car, avoid dark alleys, never leave your drink unattended, and for the love of God, stay away from those white vans, well, a Toronto police officer has the solution to all of our worries: if you want to avoid rape don’t dress like a slut!

Wait. What?! Did he really say that? Yes, he did. And on a college campus, too. This man’s absurd comment was the spark to feminism’s biggest international series of protests in recent history (Valenti). “SlutWalks” have been organized throughout the world to protest a culture that is too permissive about rape and sexual assault. It is too common that we take the fault from the offender and blame the victim and because of this, we live in a society that teaches how not to get raped when we should be teaching don’t rape!

 
First, lets discuss the concept of what it means to be a slut. A person, especially a woman, considered sexually promiscuous is the technical definition of a slut. There is a negative connotation put on the term so much so that calling a woman a slut is the same as saying she is cheap and easy, she has no self respect and little self esteem. However, in our society, there is a conflict between appearance versus reality. Even if she is a virgin, people will assume a woman who dresses provocatively is a slut or “looks slutty.”

In the 2010 film, Easy A, Emma Stone’s character, Olive, is an intelligent and modest high school student who helps her homosexual friend gain popularity with the cool boys by pretending to have sex with him. Later, she allows all of the school’s nerds to claim they have had sex with her in hopes that they too will rise in social standing. Olive quickly develops a reputation as the school’s slut and decides to make it a positive thing by dressing more provocatively. Her female classmates are quick to scrutinize her and even her best friend deserts her. A boy at school contracts a sexually transmitted disease and wrongly blames it on Olive. After an unfortunate date, the boy Olive is with expects to get sex because he “paid” for her and is upset after she dismisses him. Feeling like an outcast and disgusted with her treatment from others, she divulges the truth on the Internet to take back her innocence.

Easy A demonstrates how our society misjudges women who appear to be sexually alluring and the mistreatment they receive because of it. Olive was a virgin throughout the film but because one boy claimed to have sex with her and because she tried to own her sexuality by dressing “slutty” she was regarded as a diseased prostitute. Even if she was having sex with all of these people, if she enjoyed it and was proud of her sexuality and seductive appearance, she still would be likely to be called a slut. “Essentially, the idea of a “slut” is a myth told to women to keep them in their place. Just as Santa will not actually bring you coal on Christmas if you break a few of the house rules, you will not actually turn into an intrinsically tainted, unpalatable creature if you break one of society’s rules and have sex with one too many men. The word “slut” isn’t a criticism for having too much sex necessarily, but for being a woman: a real, living, breathing woman with quirks, foibles, normal sexual feelings, and personality; and failing to live up to the societal ideal for a woman: the passive, pliable, perpetually innocent, and sexually available Barbie doll” (Women’s Glib). One of the goals of the SlutWalk protests is to destroy the derogatory ideas behind the term “slut” so that women can express themselves as sexual beings and be socially accepted without fear of being chastised.

When that Police officer, Constable Michael Sanguinetti, said that to avoid getting raped, women should avoid dressing like sluts, he was basically saying that girls who wear revealing clothes are “asking for it.” He is taking all of the blame off of the rapists and making women feel responsible for their victimization. Rather than making men who rape feel disgraceful and pathetic and disgusting, his words make victims of rape or sexual harassment feel ashamed and humiliated.

Many of the SlutWalk participants are often scantily clad to bring awareness to the degradation and “slut-shamming” women face for expressing their sexuality and to assert their right to wear whatever they want without fear of rape. “It’s not too much to ask men and boys to ‘look, but don’t touch.’ A young woman who wants to be noticed, even desired, without being assaulted isn’t making an unreasonable request. She’s not defying the facts of biology. She’s asking to be watched, appreciated, and left unharmed. Saying that she’s asking to be raped is like saying that a talented actor who portrays an unsympathetic villain particularly well on screen is asking to be attacked by an outraged member of the movie-going public. There’s a difference between a performance and an invitation, and it’s not that hard—really, it’s not—to distinguish the two” (Shwyzer).

What this officer, and those who think similarly, doesn’t understand is that rapists do not discriminate. It doesn’t matter at all what a woman is wearing, the rapist looks for vulnerable, physically weaker victims. According RAINN, “15% of sexual assault and rape victims are under age 12. 29% are age 12-17. 44% are under age 18. 80% are under age 30. 12-34 are the highest risk years. Girls ages 16-19 are 4 times more likely than the general population to be victims of rape, attempted rape, or sexual assault.” Being a victim of rape has nothing to do with clothes. Rapists attack those who are easiest to rape not those who show a little leg. Many participants of the SlutWalks are dressed in casual attire, some are victims of sexual violence who wear the same clothing they had on when they were assaulted.

The SlutWalk protesters are not only hoping to convince people like Constable Sanguinetti that “my dress does not mean yes” but they are expressing their anger and frustration about having to live in a society that not only allows but encourages women to live in fear. It is not surprising that most sexual assaults go unreported. Why should women go to the cops when they will be told that they were asking for it because they were wearing “suggestive” clothing or any other lame excuse anyone can come up with to blame the victim? It is so common for women to “deal with” sexual assault that they are perpetually in a lose lose situation. It becomes so normal to women after a while to be harassed that it would be wonderful to just be able to say “no” without fear of getting hurt but after realizing the dangers of potentially angering men, women tend to be sweet about it; they smile and play nice because they constantly fear that this one guy might be the one to hurt them and if he does, she will be told that she lead him on.

The cultural misconception that what women wear or how they act make them a target for rape is dangerous and damaging. When we as a society blame victims of rape and sexual harrassment we are perpetuating the myth that they were somehow “asking for it.” If we keep teaching women how not to get raped rather than teaching men not to rape and holding sexual assailants responsible for their actions we will remain an unequal population with half of us living in fear. This is not to say that all men are rapists; “most men can be visually stimulated, act decently and enjoy non-threatening, healthy ways of expressing their attraction to a woman. They can then, with consent, enter into dialog and relationships -- short or long -- with them” (Chemaly). There are many male participants in the SlutWalk protests who support the women’s movement. These are the men we need to help teach our boys not to rape.

There is a huge double standard for men and women. The message society is sending to our young people is that men are sexual creatures and if they don’t “get any,” they take it and they shouldn’t be blamed for rape because they are men and they are sexual creatures and women, who are not sexual creatures, who get raped must have put themselves in that situation because they either look a certain way, dress a certain way, or act a certain way.

Remember Grease? Do you remember singing along to “Summer Nights” while one of the T-Birds gleefully inquired as to whether Danny had raped Sandy? “Did she put up a fight?” How has nobody caught on to this? It is as if casually asking your buddy if his girlfriend put up a fight is the same as asking if she had a single friend. What is even more odd about that scene, is when Kenickie asked about the fight, nobody batted an eyelid but when Sonny wanted to know about the potential friend, the guys halted mid-song to give him a dirty look. Why? Danny and the T-Birds can sing about Danny’s summer having sex while his friends question possible rape but God forbid Sandy and the Pink Ladies sing about anything other than drinking lemonade and being home by ten o’clock. Grease has displayed a gendered double standard in musical form.

The media has maintained a societal acceptance of sexual harassment. “Public media harassment of women, particularly in the political arena, is the same sexual harassment; it's just a larger street. Tell me the difference between a man that calls me a ‘dumb bitch’ for not smiling nicely to him on the street and one that refers to Hilary Clinton as emasculating while recapping her debate performance or Sarah Palin as a MILF after hers? Both are predicated on the idea that all women’s bodies are available and accessible to men” (Chemaly).

SlutWalk is about igniting change. We need to change the way society regards sex and sexuality. We live in a country that is supposed to be free, where its citizens are all equal but when a woman cannot freely wear clothing of her choice without fear of being criticized, when she cannot freely enjoy sex and openly express her sexuality without fear of being mistreated, when she cannot freely be alone in certain places without fear of being attacked, when she cannot freely say, “no,” without fear of being hurt, and when she cannot freely report a rape or sexual assault without fear of being blamed for her own victimization, “this is a social injustice that undermines our most lofty claims about what America represents” (Chemaly).

Film Analysis- Romy and Michele's High School Reunion

“What ever happened to so-and-so?” is a question you don’t have to wait ten years to answer anymore thanks to social networking. High school reunions used to be an anticipatory event, “who got fat, who has kids, how successful or unsuccessful are people?” These questions have become the standard biography section of a Facebook profile. We don’t even need to have high school reunions anymore because we have them everyday on the Internet. However, Facebook can be deceiving.

Social networking allows people to put off a certain image that doesn’t truly reflect their reality. You know those people who check-in everywhere they go, that girl who has 80 pictures of her face, and the guy who gives you his entire day’s schedule? If you saw them at your high school reunion, you might find out that the girl with the photo album of her face weighs 500 pounds and the guy with the itinerary works a boring nine to five. These people are using Facebook as a medium to make their lives look better than they actually are.

Before the days of Facebook, the best way to snoop and show off to former classmates was at the high school reunion. In 1997, Mira Sorvino and Lisa Kudrow starred in “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion,” a movie about two dimwitted friends who devise a ridiculous lie to impress the “A-list” group who tormented them in high school. This silly, feel-good comedy follows a predictable formula, the popular kids peaked in high school and the misfits turn out to be successful but the ambiguous concept of what it means to succeed, especially for women, is an interesting topic throughout the film.

Romy and Michele share an L.A. apartment, one works as a cashier while the other is unemployed and they spend their time making fun of movies and hitting up dance clubs. When they get news of their ten-year high school reunion in Tuscon, an event that typically demands you be on the road to success, they realize that they don’t have much to brag about and the popular girls will probably be looking to demean them all over again. The girls decide that they will pretend to be business tycoons, the inventors of post-it notes, and the way to pull off this scheme is to show up riding in an expensive car and dressed in professional-looking suits.

 For two ditzy girls with no real ambition, the fact that they decide pretending to be driven careerists to impress their former classmates implies that they are, in fact, post-feminist women who value intelligence and independence.

 When we see the A-group at the reunion, they are all very pregnant and boasting about their happy marriages. The popular girl married the jock and had his babies and to her, that is success. Acquiring a relationship and family fits the pre-fiminist stereotype of what it means to be successful. You can be the fashion editor of Vogue Magazine but if you’re not married with kids, she is not impressed.

Throughout the night, the truth comes out and Romy and Michele are exposed as frauds but rather than fleeing in embarrassment, Michele tells Romy, “I never knew that we weren’t that great in high school, we always had so much fun together, I thought high school was a blast and until you told me that our lives weren’t good enough, I thought everything since high school was a blast!” The girls realize that despite anyone else’s format for success, they have been happy with their lives all along.

 Later in the night, the concept of image versus reality is further exemplified when we discover that the jock/husband is an alcoholic and a cheater. Now, Romy and Michele’s aimless existence seems much happier in comparison. The women in the A-group are stuck in an empty marriage tied down with children while the “nerds” get their revenge simply by living well.

Whether it is at a high school reunion or everyday on Facebook, “Romy and Michele’s High School Reunion” teaches us that there is no fork in the road to success leading to either financial gains or a family unit, there is only one simple way to achieve success and that is to be happy in whatever we are doing despite what other people think.

Song Analysis- No Doubt "I'm Just A Girl"

The mid 90’s witnessed an emergence of the underground music scene which focused on social commentary most notably featuring the hardships of the black community evident in the east coast vs. west coast gangster rap, and apathetic angst-filled grunge rock. With the exception of R&B and dance pop, the music of the 90’s was male dominated but it wasn’t just the boys who had something to complain about.

No Doubt, a California based band released “I’m Just A Girl” in 1995, an upbeat ska sound, very different from the average gloomy grunge of of the time, written by singer, Gwen Stefani about her resentment for female stereotypes. The title of the song alone is packed with animosity. Rather than saying, “I’m a girl” which in reality embodies a variety of qualities, saying, “I’m just a girl,” is like trying to justify the classification of all women into one certain type. “Just” a girl is degrading. Simply using the word “just” in the title exemplifies how women are thought of as a “typical prototype.” The word “just” embodies Stefani’s sarcasm used throughout the song and the catchy tune demands to remain in your head.

The lyrics in the first verse introduce Stefani’s complaint that “this world is forcing me to hold your hand,” meaning that as a woman, she cannot be fully independent. The chorus is sarcastic, saying, “I’m just a girl, little ‘ol me/ Don’t let me out of your sight/ I’m just a girl, all pretty and petite/ So don’t let me have any rights.” Her sarcasm makes fun of the male notion of having to protect women as if they were all frail and fragile beings unable to fend for themselves.

“Oh...I’ve had it up to here!/ The moment that I step outside/ So many reasons/ For me to run and hide/ I can’t do the little things I hold so dear/ ‘Cause it’s all those little things/ That I fear.” These lyrics portray the warnings women constantly hear. Women are taught to be afraid of doing casual things alone because being female, according to men, somehow makes one more vulnerable to the supposed dangers of the world so women couldn’t possibly leave the house without the threat of trouble.

“I’m just a girl, I’d rather not be/ ‘Cause they won’t let me drive/ Late at night. I’m just a girl/ Guess I’m some kind of freak/ ‘Cause they all sit and stare/ With their eyes.” In an interview with BAM Magazine, Stefani said, “I wrote that because my dad got mad at me for going to Tony [Kanal, No Doubt bassist]'s house and driving home late at night. I mean, c'mon, I'm, like, going on 30 here! I wouldn't trade [being female], but I really don't think guys understand what a burden it can be sometimes.”

Throughout the rest of the song, Stefani states that girls are “typical prototypes” because “that’s all that you’ll let me be.” By the end, Stefani leaves sarcasm behind and calls out men with full force repeating, “I’ve had it up to here!” shouting along with the fast paced music like a pissed off girl who is done with being treated like a porcelain doll. The progression from a slow, catchy tune and relaxed, mocking voice to shouting, repeating, and faster music depict Stefani’s decrease in tolerence and she has finally exploded.

While American girls can easily identify with the song, No Doubt’s music video speaks more to the personal struggle Stefani has faced being the only female member of a rock band. The video begins with the band packing up cars to presumably go on tour with Stefani shown in the backseat between two band members. Further, the band is shown in a hotel where two rooms are separated by a wall. The men are packed in one room while Stefani is alone with two bodyguard-like maids in the other. Quick flashes of the rooms depict the symbolic differences between males and females. The men's room is a dark and gray restroom with urinals on the back wall and Stefani’s room is brightly colored and has beautiful bouquets of flowers and fruit baskets.

The men take out their equipment and begin playing together while Stefani sings alone. Eventually, the men's room becomes a party with dancing and socializing and Stefani remains alone until quick flashes of women applying make up appear and later join Stefani in her room. The video ends when both parties collide and men and women are playing music and dancing together.

In the male dominated music scene of the mid 90’s, especially within the rock genre, Stefani had faced the difficulty of being seen as an equal to men. “I’m Just A Girl” uses sarcasm to poke fun of the male-mindedness in rock, exposes women’s exasperation over gender stereotypes, and helped paved the way for future female rockers.

TV Analysis- Parks and Recreation

It’s pretty commonly known that blonde girls are ditzy, black guys are great rappers, Asians are geniuses, white men are nerds, Latina women are tough, and gay men can and should make-over your house and your wardrobe. Right? I mean, I see it all over TV so it has to be true, right?

Television and media in general exploit all kinds of stereotypes to help tell a story because stereotyping is a great tool for the audience to understand a character’s “type” without actually having to explain it. The problem with typecasting roles and stereotypical characters is it blinds audiences to the complexities of the regular human personality. This encourages the general public to apply misleading stereotypes in real life which can possibly lead to discrimination. Gender stereotyping, for example, is evident throughout television history because the roles we constantly see women portraying are one-dimensional; meaning, women are often seen as a family member, a victim, a love interest, desperate for love, or a force in the workplace, where those are their one and only characteristic.

In 2009, NBC launched a new comedy, Parks and Recreation, destroying any racist or sexist stereotypes there could possibly be all while bringing the audience knee slapping laughter. Shot in a single-camera mockumentary style, Parks and Recreation is set in Pawnee, Indiana, and focuses on the employees of a branch office of the city government.

 
Amy Poehler stars as Leslie Knope, a highly ambitious and hardworking woman whose ultimate goal in life is to be the first female president of the United States. Leslie is clearly a feminist with something to prove to “politics as usual.” She takes charge, she is highly organized, she is the go-to-girl to get things done. Poehler plays Leslie’s character as an overachiever however, the writers of the show have not succumbed to the feminist stereotype allowing Poehler to portray Leslie also as an endearing woman who cares about her friends and her town. Leslie is a woman, like any other, with insecurities and interests outside the workplace that Poehler exposes in a hilarious way.

 

In perfect contrast to Leslie Knope, Ron Swanson, played by Nick Offerman, is a mustache wearing, wilderness loving, manly man. Ron, the director of the Parks and Recreation department is a libertarian and believes in as little government as possible. The irony of this character is further portrayed by his relationships with women. Ron Swanson can eat all the bacon and eggs you have but when it comes to his ex-wife, Tammy number one or his other ex-wife, Tammy number two, he is whipped. Ron and Leslie’s friendship is an example of crushing gender stereotypes throughout the series. Ron has no problem with strong women, in fact, he is attracted to them while Leslie is not intimidated by Ron’s masculinity but she isn’t too proud to seek his advice either.

Parks and Recreation dedicated the majority of one recent episode solely to address the issues of gender equality by overdramatizing Leslie’s feminist ideals and Ron’s masculine standards. In this episode, the two characters are leaders for a boy/girl scouts-like group of children. Ron and the Rangers boys are focused on learning survival skills and how to live in the wilderness but much to the boys dismay, they are not having as much fun as their counterparts, the Pawnee Goddesses who work together to earn badges for best blog or for cooking a homemade meal, making s’mores and having pillowfights.

Leslie created the Pawnee Goddesses because girls were not allowed in the Rangers and when one of the boys opts to leave the Rangers to join the Goddesses, Leslie turns him away. The girls question their leader and request a public hearing discussing Brown vs. The Board of Education. The result is that the boys are allowed to join the Goddesses and in the end, a new group is formed: the “most hardcore wilderness group,” for boys and girls who “march to the beat of their own drum, and made the drum themselves.”

“This episode revealed some revolutionary concepts in the backwards world of girls on television: Girls can fish and play in the woods, and girls can throw a puppy party and a s’more competition. They can be smart and silly, tough and sensitive. They can be a Goddess and a Ranger. And boys can too—one of the best parts of this episode was that the boys weren’t afraid to join a group of Goddesses if it meant they could eat candy and hug puppies and hang out with their new friends. There was no flirting or rampant cooties, just kids having fun together” (Moshenberg).

The writers of Parks and Recreation shatter sexist stereotypes with clever irony and humor within just these two characters Ron and Leslie. What is so impressive about Parks and Recreation is that while it is a scripted, fictional sitcom, the characters showcase more easily identifiable traits than seen on most Reality Television, the mainstay of the mediums productions and the supposed mirror of ourselves. Not only does this show give you a belly full of laughs but it allows the audience to learn that people do not simply fall into a “type.” It is admirable and refreshing when someone can watch this show and be fully entertained while exposed to the complexities of individual personalities.

No Doubt- Just A Girl

 Lyrics

Take this pink ribbon off my eyes
I'm exposed
And it's no big surprise
Don't you think I know
Exactly where I stand
This world is forcing me
To hold your hand
'Cause I'm just a girl, little 'ol me
Don't let me out of your sight
I'm just a girl, all pretty and petite
So don't let me have any rights

Oh...I've had it up to here!
The moment that I step outside
So many reasons
For me to run and hide
I can't do the little things I hold so dear
'Cause it's all those little things
That I fear

'Cause I'm just a girl I'd rather not be
'Cause they won't let me drive
Late at night I'm just a girl,
Guess I'm some kind of freak
'Cause they all sit and stare
With their eyes

I'm just a girl,
Take a good look at me
Just your typical prototype

Oh...I've had it up to here!
Oh...am I making myself clear?
I'm just a girl
I'm just a girl in the world...
That's all that you'll let me be!
I'm just a girl, living in captivity
Your rule of thumb
Makes me worry some

I'm just a girl, what's my destiny?
What I've succumbed to Is making me numb
I'm just a girl, my apologies
What I've become is so burdensome
I'm just a girl, lucky me
Twiddle-dum there's no comparison

Oh...I've had it up to!
Oh...I've had it up to!!
Oh...I've had it up to here!

The Secret of Womanhood

Throughout the history of mankind, womankind have been keeping a deep dark secret. “The average woman will menstruate almost a quarter of her fertile life” and due to the social stigma put on menstruation, women have been ashamed of this naturally occurring process. In male dominated society, the unspoken topic of menstruation has remained a cause for anxiety in women. In many cultures and societies, a woman’s period has historically been viewed as taboo. Evident in religious texts and cultural traditions women were often secluded, thought of to be unclean or poisonous, not allowed to cook, touch plants, have sex, or sleep in the same room as a man during their period.

Although we now understand that biologically, menstruation is one of the woman's reproductive stages, this primitive regard towards menstruation has lead to women's internalized oppression. For example, even today in modernized western countries like the U.S., simply talking about menstruation is considered rude or even disturbing especially in the presence of men. Not surprisingly, this discomfort is reflected in advertisements for feminine hygiene products.

1920's

In the 1920’s, the invention of the disposable sanitary pad manufactured by Kotex faced many challenges in it’s initial presentation to the public. Early advertisements reflect how hesitant people were to simply refer to menstruation so much so that “the prototype ad in around 1920 was centered on men as seen in the tagline ‘To Save Men’s Lives Science Discovered [Kotex]’” which makes no reference to menstruation or what the product actually was.

1940'

In the 1940’s and 50’s, Kotex published puberty and menstruation booklets that sparked discussion between mothers and daughters. Although it seemed that having this discussion was becoming more acceptable it is still evident that during this time menstruation was a personal topic that should only be discussed privately. While Kotex was supporting communication between women, taglines in their advertisements such as, “Kotex has flat, pressed ends that never show…never give away her secret” still suggests that having your period is something to be embarrassed about and should be hidden.

1960's

 In later decades, we see how advertisements reflect women’s position in culture. The rise of feminism is portrayed in advertisements by showcasing the average lives of independent women. Kotex ads in the 60’s and 70’s claiming, “Kotex is confidence” often feature high fashion-like photos. In the 80’s and 90’s, women are often portrayed as active members of society, usually seen playing sports, dancing, or working. These advertisements may seem to support the notion that the discussion of menstruation was becoming accepted in general society; however, they remain ambiguous. The obscurity of these ads are reflected in reality when on television or in movies during a discussion between characters, menstruation is often given a vague nickname like, “Aunt Flow” or “Crimson Tide.” This perpetuates the women’s embarrassment of menstruation.

It was only recently when the U by Kotex campaign aired a commercial that parodies feminine hygiene product advertisements of the past asking, “why are tampon ads so ridiculous?” Their website promotes education by allowing guests to ask questions anonymously with professional assistance as well as supporting peer outreach through discussion boards. This kind of advertising sells more than just products, it is selling morals and values. The U by Kotex campaign is battling the social stigma of having to purchase sanitary pads and similar products by allowing girls to design them, not only making girls feel more at ease but also making it fun. The website encourages girls to “break the cycle” by getting involved with Girls For A Change, an organization that is “empowering girls to create social change... [by] training hundreds of girls across the U.S. to change the conversation around periods and vaginal care. The trainings focus on breaking down myths and stereotypes around women’s health issues and giving girls the tools they need to enact change."

While it seems evident that history, regarding the social stigma put on menstruation, does repeat itself, it is also evident that now, the generation of women and girls of the information age are beginning to ignite social change. Hopefully soon the secret will be out and people, men included, will no longer feel ashamed or embarrassed but rather supportive and accept this naturally occurring physical process.

Fantasy Power Woman for Young Girls

Amy Jo Johnson as Kimberly Hart (Pink Ranger)

Growing up in the 90's, there were plenty of television shows for kids, specifically girls, who portrayed positive female role models. We had all the girls in The Babysitters Club, Blossom, Clarissa Explains it All, one of my favorites, Topanga from Boy Meets World, and many more. But of all these wonderful girls, I wanted to be like Kimberly Hart, better known as the Pink Power Ranger.

The numbers just worked out really well for me and my cousins when it came to assigning roles when we played Power Rangers. I was the only girl of five kids (at the time) so everyone got to be a certain Ranger and nobody was left out. OK, so the numbers didn't exactly work out well for my brother, the youngest of us all, who was stuck being the yellow ranger, a girl, but for me, it was perfect! Besides, I liked Kimberly for many reasons other than the fact that she was the designated girl of the group (after all, I had two to chose from, although I suppose it was bad enough for my brother having to be a girl, I don't think he could have handled being the pink girl).

Although she was probably supposed to be "girly," Kimberly was just as tough as the guys! Other than the fact that she wore pink all the time, she was pretty bad ass! She used her talent in gymnastics in her abilities to beat the villains. I mean, Jason (the Red Ranger) practiced his Karate everyday (fighting and defensive strategies) and Kimberly with her acrobatic skills could fight off Rita's minions just as well! She fought alongside the boys, drove around a giant mechanical pterodactyl, and balanced it all with school, a job, and a hobby. I think she was a great role model! I still think she is awesome.

Other than the fact that she could hold her own with the boys, I liked that she was still cute and feminine. I liked that her femininity was never portrayed as a detriment to her ability to contribute to the group. She was tough and smart and cute and nice all at the same time. And she was brunette! Personally, I felt like girls who were idolized by my friends were always Barbie doll blonds and since I have dark brown hair and eyes but I'm NOT Latina, I could never identify physically with girls in pop culture. Kimberly Hart was someone I could both identify with and someone I wanted to be more like. Girl Power!

Hail to the V (Opinion on Summer's Eve ad)

This commercial for Summer's Eve feminine hygiene cleansing wash and cloths doesn't really sound like it's advertising a feminine hygiene product. By using the term "it" in place of simply saying vagina makes the topic a bit ambiguous as if the fact that women have a vagina is some sort of mysterious secret. However, this ad portrays men throughout many generations fighting, battling, and dying for "it" so, I guess they've known about its existence the whole time. Surprise, women!

This ad does a good job executing the portrayal of powerful women but it is an example of the fantasy of power. We don't see Hilary Clinton or Rosa Parks telling women to clean their lady parts. Instead, we see a montage of women who have more of a sexually powerful reputation. Eve, known for committing original sin, Cleopatra, who had an affair with Antony, a Geisha, also known as a high end prostitute, and a queen gladly watching two men kill each other then giving the winner a very seductive glance are all shown lurking around and being rather passive whereas the men are engaged in epic battles. In fact, all of these femme fatales seem to be satisfied with themselves because they use their sexuality to control men. I mean, men are fighting for "it" like it's the freaking Holy Grail!

"So come on, ladies, show it a little love!" Men have been doing so much work forever for it, the least you can do is make it smell nice. That way, you can control the world!

Lose The Blubber (Advertising Effects On Culture)

The largest animal rights organization in the world, People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) doesn't hold back when it comes to using shock value in their advertisements. They proudly expose companies who "mistreat" animals often using mock advertisements, produce informational videos using extremely graphic images, and they have been known to cause controversy with their many public protest demonstrations.

But these animal rights activists don't seem to care much for the ethical treatment of other humans.

PETA is all for the welfare of animals but what about women? This advertisement above is a blatant attack on women. Basically, they are insulting any woman who isn't a vegetarian by calling them a whale. Making women feel guilty is not a healthy way to promote weight loss, rather, it IS a great way to promote eating disorders.

PETA's advertising has shifted from promoting awareness of the unethical treatment of animals working with the sympathy of the public to forcing people to feel guilty and ashamed. This particular advertisement is perpetuating female stereotypes. According to PETA, consuming meat is a horrible offense and should be ashamed of. However, the marketing tactics PETA is using is also causing women to feel ashamed of their appearance. This billboard is telling women to "lose the blubber" by becoming a vegetarian; basically saying, if you eat meat you are fat and therefore are comparable to a whale. PETA, I would assume, would consider whales to be beautiful creatures who deserve a safe place to live. Why then are they using whales as a negative comparison to women? Essentially, with this ad, PETA has not only gotten women to question their morals but they are attacking their physical insecurities. They want people to give whales a safe environment to live in but in doing so, with this ad, they are harming the mental safety of women.

Most of the celebrity endorsers for PETA are proud to participate in their advertising campaigns but how does PETA treat their celebrities based on gender? Most of the celebrity endorsements I found on the internet feature an outstanding number of naked women quoted as rather doing anything naked than wearing fur. But these women are slim, young, white, sexy women. The male celebrities are usually found cuddling with their pets, fully clothed. Not only is this evidence of a gender bias but also a racial bias. PETA should be trying to appeal to everyone but it seems they are using the slim, young, white, sexy women in their marketing campaigns and a large portion of their members and fellow protesters are also slim, young, white, sexy women. According to Gloria Steinem in her article, Sex, Lies & Advertising, "the ad world often creates black and Hispanic ads only for black and Hispanic media" and PETA is playing right into Steinam's theory by mostly using the slim, young, white, sexy women in their mass audience campaigns.

Recently, PETA has announced that they will launch a porn website. According to The Huffington Post, PETA has said, "the aim of the site is to promote the organization's animal rights and vegan diet message, and reach a broader audience."

Sex sells. I get it. Advertisers have been using sex appeal in marketing for generations. In her article, Sexualized Images in Advertising, Jane Tallim says, "advertising often pushes the boundaries of good taste because of competition for 'eyeballs.' Any image that entices a reader to linger over an ad - whether tasteful or not - causes that person to remember the particular brand advertised. Even controversy can be effective in getting a brand or name into the public eye." But PETA is an organization that is supposed to promote a positive change in the minds of the public. Ethically, morally, the thoughts and actions of the public should be the target of their audience but they have instead decided to take revenge on people by objectifying them the same way animals have been objectified. The effects of PETA's marketing strategies are not aiming to show the public that animals are living creatures with feelings and emotions and raising animals up to a human level, instead, they are degrading people, particularly women, to an animal level.

Who Says Women Aren't Funny? (Favorite Memory of Women in Pop Culture)

Comedy has a huge influence on pop culture. Movies and television are more than just the actors and actresses you see on the screen, there are writers and directors behind the scenes whose roles, up until recently, were pretty male dominated. However, there is a new generation of comedians proving that ladies know how to induce a round of belly laughs.

One of my personal favorite memories occurred in 2008 when the cover of Vanity Fair magazine’s April issue featured Sarah Silverman, Tina Fey, and Amy Poehler dressed as Greek Goddesses and posing the question, “who says women aren’t funny?”

The article discusses sexism in comedy and the varying styles of female comediennes. It gives about a dozen women as examples of comedy styles but it brings up a point that the women are now taking more of a leadership role by writing and acting and having more control than women of comedy in the past. Mary Tyler Moore and Lucille Ball, for example, while loved in the comedy world, did not write their material.

Women like Tina Fey and Amy Poehler are not being funny according to men's rules. In her book “Bossypants,” Fey talks about her personal run-in’s with sexism and how she and her fellow comediennes dealt with it.

“Amy [Poehler] was in the middle of some such nonsense with Seth Meyers across the table, and she did something vulgar as a joke. I can’t remember what it was exactly, except it was dirty and loud and ‘unladylike.’ Jimmy Fallon, who was arguably the star of the show at the time, turned to her and in a faux-squeamish voice said, ‘Stop that! It’s not cute! I don’t like it.’ Amy dropped what she was doing, went black in the eyes for a second, and wheeled around on him. ‘I don’t fucking care if you like it.’ Jimmy was visibly startled. Amy went right back to enjoying her ridiculous bit. I should make it clear that Jimmy and Amy are very good friends and there was never any real beef between them. (Insert penis joke here.) With that exchange, a comic shift took place. Amy made it clear that she wasn’t there to be cute. She wasn’t there to play wives and girlfriends in the boys’ scenes. She was there to do what she wanted to do and she did not fucking care if you like it.”

These women are role models for younger generations. They are proving that women in the comedy world belong there and that they can hold their own along with men. Women are funny and they are worth so much more than just playing second fiddle to their male counteparts.

The American Dream

There are many ways one can interpret the American dream. Traditionally, the concept of the American dream has been molded as a process typically occurring in the order of: working hard, buying a house, and raising a family. Immigrants have long traveled to America with the promise that if they work hard they too can achieve that American dream.

In recent decades, the importance of education has been stressed on America’s youth. With a proper education, you will not have to work a physically exhausting job like your ancestors, rather, you can pick any career path that interests you which will lead to more opportunities to acquire that dream home and support that dream family.

I think many people misinterpret what the American dream really means. The American dream is commonly misunderstood for what is simply achieving the materialistic prize; the house, wife and kids. However, the true American dream essentially is the process itself. The true American dream is having the opportunity to attain what you desire; the freedom to pursue happiness. I think the misconception about the American dream is people think it is something to achieve whereas I think it is something to be lived.

Thomas Jefferson explained the American dream in the Declaration of Independence, the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. To me, the key word to remember is “pursuit.” No one is guaranteed to be happy. Everyone must work for what they want. What makes America unique is that even through times of adversity we still progress. Though it may take time, American’s have hope that if they work hard it is possible to achieve happiness.

The civil rights movement, women’s liberation, gay and lesbian rights, these are prime examples of people, Americans, who worked hard and continue to strive for equality so that they can continue living their dream, the American dream. Understanding that in the face of adversity they have the power to change the current mentality of fellow citizens, having hope that they can change minds, working to achieve their goals, and knowing that their efforts will lead toward positive progression is living the American dream. Working for progression politically and socially to truly be free to pursue happiness, no matter what the end product is, to me, is living the American dream.

Personally, I feel like I am living the American dream. I am the first person in my family to be born in this country, the first person in my family to graduate high school and attend college. More than that, I am the first person who has had the ability to change my mind. This is all thanks to those who came before me who sought to achieve their individual American dream. My grandparents moved to this country with the dream that they could secure a home for their family. My parents encouraged me to earn an education to see their dream of their daughter become an independent woman who, unlike past generations of women, would not need to rely on the support of a man.

Because of the dreams of those who have come before me I have the opportunity to pursue happiness in any way I chose. To live the American dream, I do not have to fit the mold set for the connotation of "success" or "the American dream." I can be independent. I have the freedom to change my mind. I can do what makes me happy and I know that if there is some obstacle I have to overcome, I can overcome it. I may not end up with a house and kids but if I am happy doing whatever I am doing, I am a success and that is living the American dream.