Vol. 13, Issue 4
1 Horace Mann School’s publication for gender issues
letter from the editors horace mann
folio 51
volume 13, issue 4
Editors-in-Chief Vivianna Lin Alexandra Brachfeld Chiara Heintz
Managing Editor Hallle Liebman
Layout Editor Brenda Zhou Amanda Zhou Edite Comas Shinil Kim Justine Potemkin
Section Editors Riya Satara Edie Comas Amanda Zhou Simone Aisiks
Art Editors
Jessica Gartenstein Greg Swong
Vol. 13, Issue 4
front cover by anon back cover by Greg Swong
Letter from the Editors Dear Readers, In the very last days of the school year, we present you the last issue of Volume 13 of Folio 51. You are currently reading the Junior Issue, which a new board came together to create. In bringing a fresh group of underclassmen into the creation process, we hope to continue the legacy of this magazine. This issue upholds Folio 51’s mission to bring to light gender issues and differences by exploring a variety of topics and issues, from a closer look at Chinese feminist artists, to the link between coffee and depression in women. In addition, this issue features the artwork of our own HM students. We would like to thank Ms. Woods and Dr. Groppi for their support and guidance and all our editors, layout editors, and writers for their dedication and hard work. Without them, our magazine could not have been possible. Finally, we thank you for reading Folio 51 and we wish everyone a great summer. If you would like to become involved with Folio 51, please don’t hesitate to email any one of us! See you next year! Vivianna Lin, Alex Brachfeld, and Kiki Heintz
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table of contents
C ntents
HM International Arts Science & Health
HM’s First Female Class: Interview of Dr. Delanty by Rebeccan Okin Miss Representation Comes to HM by Jessica Rile The Women’s Issues Dinner: A Reflection by Abigail Zuckerman Are Women at a Disadvantage When it Comes to Sports? by Claire Hayes
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Linking Coffee and Depression: Boosting Your Mood? by Isabella Brodie A Struggle for Health by Isabella Brodie Domestic Violence by Lauren Futter “Female” and “Male” Occupations by Vivien Ikwauzom
10 11 12 13
Chinese Feminists Influencing Society Through Art by Brenda Zhou Fashion of the 20th Century: Estee Lauder and Chanel by Isabella Brodie Women Artists Throughout the Ages by Jessica Gartenstein Lauren Cuthbertson: A Female Dancer’s Rise to Success by Kylie Logan
14 15 16 17
The Birth Control Crisis by Tyler Bleuel and Elizabeth Maghakian 20 A Working Mom by Sophie Dizengoff 21 Prenatal Opiate Use Impacts Newborns by Edie Comas 22
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Horace Mann HM’s First Female Class
Dr. Delanty has been worked at our school for over 20 years as both a science teacher and a dean of student life. However, what many members of our community do not know is that she attended Horace Mann as a student and was a member of the first female graduating class of 79’. Q: What was your old school like before you came to Horace Mann? A: I was in a co-ed public school here in Riverdale. I found it very easy; it was not at all challenging and I didn’t like it. I was really glad when I found out that Horace Mann was going co-ed! That was the year I was entering high school so it was a logical thing for me to take the entrance exam and apply. Q: How was your transition from your old school to Horace Mann? A: Coming from a public school I had some major holes in my knowledge and was not as prepared as others. I had never been formally taught grammar so when I came to HM I remember I had to get extra help in terms of just that basic knowledge. I also remember in my history class, at my public school, I had never learned anything having to do with geography, so I didn’t know about maps and where places were. Even though in my public school I was one of the top math students, I was not exposed to the things that the Horace Mann students were exposed to so I was in the algebra one for ninth grade as opposed to geometry. Q: What was it like coming into a school that used to be all boys? A: There were 30 girls in my class out of 150. It was a lot of fun. I think [the administration] probably spent a lot of time thinking about how they were going to make this school welcoming to girls, however, because they hadn’t had girls before it was a challenge for them. The bathroom wasn’t quite large enough and the field that we were playing our sports on (Four Acres) was very wavy, which wasn’t ideal. There were very few of us so we started all our own teams; anybody that wanted to be on a team could be whether or not you knew how to play the sport. I had never been exposed to field hockey, yet, of course I was on the field hockey team because anybody could be on the field hockey team.
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Q: What was it like at school? A: It was wonderful place to be; I loved it. In the public school that I was in before, I was not very comfortable. I was actually afraid sometimes. They were not nice people. I was afraid in the hallway; it didn’t feel good. When I came here everybody was very polite. The door was always held for you and it was really quite nice. I loved it. Q: Did you feel like your voice was heard a lot? A: I wasn’t very vocal about things at the time. I came and it was wonderful. I had lots of friends, and worked harder then I had ever worked before because at my public school I never had to work. When I came to HM I found myself thinking I was really smart - then all of a sudden I came to Horace Mann and I had to work a lot harder then I had ever worked. Q: How has the school changed? A: It is totally different now. The ratio of boys to girls is about 50:50 and has been for years. The school is now absolutely equipped to handle the needs of girls. We [the first females] were the pioneers; we were leading the way. In the cafeteria we started the salad bar; we used the carts that you use in the science lab with the three tear little metal carts. We decided that we were going to man the cart each period we were free, so we signed up to do such a thing. It was just a bowl of lettuce and maybe some carrots and some tomatoes. The girls wanted salad and so we were the ones who started the salad bar. It was quite a silly little thing, but it was something that I guess they didn’t foresee that we might want to have. Q: What do you think about the current position of women at Horace Mann? A: We have strong women in really high leadership positions that actually do something. We’ve had women GC chairs, we have had women who are editors of the Record, the Mannikin. We’ve had women who are doing these high positions that actually have substance. In fact the first female SBP -the one and only female SBP- was in the 80s. Q: Why did you chose to come back and teach here? A: Because I loved it, and teaching is really fun.
Reporting by Rebecca Okin
horace mann
Miss Representation Comes to HM
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Jessica Rile
n Monday, April 29th, students, teachers and parents in the Horace Mann community were invited to a screening of the film Miss Representation. The screening was followed by a talk about the film by Horace Mann alumna and executive producer, Regina Kulik Scully, along with writer/director Jennifer Siebel Newsom. Miss Representation is a documentary that seeks to uncover the truth about how women are portrayed in the media. The film exposes the under-representation of women as leaders able to hold influence and power in America. Missrepresentation.org says, “The film challenges the media’s limited and often disparaging portrayals of women and girls, which make it difficult for women to achieve leadership positions and for the average woman to feel powerful herself. The collective message that our young women and men overwhelmingly receive is that a woman’s value and power lie in her youth, beauty, and sexuality, and not in her capacity as a leader.” Patricia Zuroski, the head of Horace Mann’s Office of Diversity, first saw Miss Representation at a screening in October and discussed the idea of bringing the film to Horace Mann with Scully. A screening for the Horace Mann community was arranged and Scully invited Newsom to participate so that they could both share their views and comments with the audience. The documentary helped show our community that we can make a difference in how women and men are displayed in the media. Halle Liebman (11), who helped to organize the event, says, “While the movie really highlighted the atrocities against gender in the media, it also did a wonderful job of providing new ideas, initiatives, and solutions that we can all use to combat the issues at hand. The main message I took away from the movie was that by taking on an active role, our whole generation can take a stand and make our voices heard.” Liebman also noted, “The speakers featured in it were all incredibly impressive and intelligent. The film did a great job of educating while keeping our interest at every single moment.” Ms. Zuroski said that the movie “is very successful in communicating that the way women are portrayed in media is not simply what we see on the screen. It really is about what goes
on behind the screen”. She went on to explain that “what is displayed over and over in the movie is that there are actually decisions made by people that result in things like media that we see on the screen. For instance, we assume that things like news shows are going to give us good information but the way it is reported by people has a lot to do with http://.utexas.edu/ what we hear and believe. What reporters choose to put as the top stories in the news or how much attention is put on a particular news story really does affect our views of the world and current events.” After the screening, Scully explained to students the ways in which female beauty is used in commercials and advertisements. In commercials, women portrayed not only for their beauty, but also to make the product look more valuable. Scully made a point to that one has the choice whether or not to support companies that exploit women like this. If one chooses not to buy these companies’ products, they will have to change the way they market their products. This is one way all of us can help make a small difference. Scully told the audience, “If we don’t change and intentionally learn to express something else about women, then we just re-enforce the same problem. Even by going up to your friends and saying that their hair looks so great instead of asking them how their day was or how their test went or asking them something of more substance about them as a person, then women fall into the same default.” “Regina’s message,” said Ms. Zuroski, “is that we’re all influenced by these ingrained and very strong media messages. It’s not a question of anybody being at fault but it takes a lot to counter effect the social media.” Scully explained that people are not choosing to be influenced, but that social media is everywhere you look, in front of you when you turn on the TV, open a magazine, look at a billboard, or look on the Internet. “It comes at you just like junk food.” says Ms. Zuroski. “If you take in too much of it, it’s not good for you but you don’t realize it as you’re doing it.” These points were stressed in the film and in Scully’s remarks. The film has been shown in around 3,000 schools and 28 countries this year. Scully hopes the movie will continue to be shown for a long time and hopes to continue educating children starting at a young age about the issue of women social media.
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horace horacemann mann
The Women’s Issues Dinner: A Reflection
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Abigail Zuckerman
he Women’s Issues Club Dinner, which took place several weeks ago, was an unbelievably moving evening that gave everyone present a whole new sense of pride to be a part of the Horace Mann community. The four guest speakers at the dinner, either alums or current students at Horace Mann, told her own incredible story. The dinner focused on female role models as well as graduates from our school that had made a difference, faced adversity, and accomplished great things. The evening instilled in everyone a new respect for the school and demonstrated the admirable individuals who had once been, or still were, students at HM. There was no better way to, in an evening, give students new aspirations and goals and display the accomplishments of those who had once been in our position. We all learned about the importance of determination and perseverance in being a woman in the professional world, and in life in general. The first speaker was Ruthie Birger, who graduated from Horace Mann in 2002 and is currently enrolled in a PhD Program in Ecology and Evolutionary Biology at Princeton University. She described the difficulties of being a woman in the field of science, and the great impact her feelings for Horace Mann’s had in shaping the person she is now. In stating that her years at Horace Mann had been some of the most formative of her life, she made us all view our high school careers here in a new light and with a new significance. In Ruthie, we could see the many possibilities which would open up to us once we left Horace Mann. She showed us that we would all have the opportunity to succeed and made us realize the importance of the time we would spend here at HM. For anyone interested in math and science, Ruthie represented what could be accomplished after graduating from Horace Mann and how important it is to take advantage of every moment while we are students here. The second speaker of the evening was Sondra Markowitz Miller, class of 1946, who was in the first class of women to be admitted into Harvard Law School and who received the Distinguished Alumni Award from Horace Mann in 1994. She went on to practice law in family court, but one day realized that she really wanted to have an effect on the practice of law, and was ultimately selected for the New York Supreme Court. Many of her decisions had a great impact on family law and children’s rights, and she is always looking to support women’s rights. Ms. Miller was able to share and describe her many admirable accomplishments, along with the challenges she faced as a female
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pioneer in law while still maintaining a connection with all of the present students. Ms. Miller showed us the extent of the vast achievements that an HM student is really capable of. She emphasized in her talk the importance of working for what you believe in, and always striving to have an impact for the better in anyone’s life. The third speaker was Yvonne Cha, a current senior whom many of us may know or have at least seen walking through the hallways. Yvonne shared with us her family’s struggles, the amazing opportunity that being accepted to Horace Mann presented her with, and how thankful she was for those opportunities. It was probably one of the most moving and inspirational stories many of us had ever heard. Our daily problems were put sharply into perspective, and our eyes were opened to the good fortune we’ve had. Yvonne has displayed unbelievable courage and determination in facing the obstacles in her life, and has not only managed to handle the stresses of being a Horace Mann student, but has become a distinguished and valued member of our community. She sings in the Chamber Choir here at HM, tours potential new students as a student ambassador and is a president of East Wind West Wind. She was also awarded a distinguished scholarship from The New York Times and Horace Mann’s own Alexander Capelluto award, an opportunity with which she introduced current events into the Middle Division curriculum. Yvonne reached everyone in the audience when she spoke, and all the students present could easily relate to her. The last speaker of the night was Jennifer S. Rademacher, who graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. She served in Kuwait during the second Gulf War as a part of the 82nd Airborne Division, and has since received several awards and medals for her services and achievements in the military. She served in the military for five years, and left with the rank of Captain to serve as a reserve officer for several years. Jennifer imparted to us the importance of determination and perseverance in a field dominated mostly by men, and told stories about serving in the army. She also described the difficulties of being a woman with a family and continuing to be involved with the military. Her husband is currently serving in the army, and she shared with us her constant worry, especially now that she has children to care for as well. Jennifer reminded us of the importance of setting high goals, and never giving up on reaching them, and that even when you feel as though you cannot go on, there is always a way to pull through.
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We ended the evening with a question and answer session with the panel, allowing us to connect with the speakers even more and learn to apply the lessons they had learned through their experiences to our own lives. We also heard more interesting, inspiring, and sometimes funny anecdotes from the speakers. It was an incredible night, and I could not be happier for having decided to attend. Everyone present was inspired by the evening, or at least given a great deal of food for thought. The panel of speakers at the dinner proved to us we are all capable of accomplishing great things, and gave us new determination to do just that. In one evening, we were given a whole new window into the possibilities that await us after graduation, and a resolution to make a difference in whatever ways we can.
HM students read “Ain’t I a Woman?�
Yvonne Cha (12) giving her speech.
Photos by Deborah Leffell
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horace mann
Are Women at a Disadavantage When it Comes to Sports? Claire Hayes
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or every man who tears his ACL, six women tear theirs. As a result, an increasing number of females have been learning the rewards of sports participation. Throughout the lengthy process of tearing my own ACL, I heard many theories on why women are more prone to this injury. The answer was not something that could be averted; rather, it all came down to the anatomical differences between the two sexes. During puberty, females’ hips develop in such a way in order for them to carry and give birth to a child. Causing a lot of stress on our knees, this development results in females landing with their feet facing inwards rather than straight. Sports such as soccer, lacrosse, basketball, and tennis, involving constant lateral movement and rapid change in direction further strain women’s knees. Males don’t have their anatomy impeding on their ability to play sports. So when it comes to sports, are women at a disadvantage? The anterior cruciate ligament, commonly referred to as the ACL, is a long “rope” in the center of one’s knee that connects the femur to the tibia. If the stabilizing ligament majorly tears, it will not heal itself and requires orthopedic surgery. Recent advancements in medicine have allowed the surgery to be done arthroscopically, with minimal invasion and small incisions. Last June, while playing soccer on Father’s Day, I tore my ACL, presenting my father with the perfect gift. As I turned to
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chase the ball, which was few feet to the right of me, I hyperextended my leg and my kneecap slid out of place. I heard and felt a small popping in my knee. I immediately fell to the ground where I was then carried off. Realizing that I was unable to put any weight on my left leg, my parents rushed to call a doctor. When I woke up the next day with my knee the size of the balloon, we knew that something was wrong. The following week was a complete nightmare. First, we went to an orthopedic doctor who examined my knee and made me a splint. Then, we had to wait twenty-four hours until another doctor was able to look over my MRI. Finally, he called us with the tragic news that I had torn my ACL. I cried for about a day as I envisioned all of my summer plans soon falling apart. Three days later I was in New York City at the Hospital for Special Surgeries meeting with an orthopedic surgeon who after looking at my MRI, described my injury as if a grenade went off in my knee and my ACL exploded. The strong ligament, sometimes referred to as a thick rope, had completely snapped and surgery was absolutely necessary. There are a few options when one has ACL reconstructive surgery. In order to make the graft for the ACL one can use a cadaver bone, a hamstring muscle, or patellar tendon. I used my hamstring muscle because it has the least likeliness of infection post surgery and my surgeon said I had strong hamstring
horace mann
http://www.regenexx.com
X-ray of the ACL, the anterior cruciate ligament. muscles, which would provide a strong graft. During the surgery, muscle was taken from my hamstring, and then doubled over so my leg would not be a complete noodle, making a graft to use as my new ACL. Everyone has different recovery rates when one tears his or her ACL, depending on one’s fitness before surgery, how seriously physical therapy is taken before and after the operation, and age. Overall recovery takes between 6 and 9 months; however, for some cases in older men and women recovery takes one year. After surgery, I did physical therapy three times a week for eight months. I wore a hip to ankle brace for the first 8 weeks after surgery and the range of motion on my brace would slowly increase a little more week by week until I could walk normally. I had surgery in July so I knew I would not be able to play on the school team in the fall, something I had always yearned to do ever since I was young. For me, recovery was all about resilience and trying to look at the positives of the situation. Therefore, after months of continuous physical therapy, when I was finally given the “okay” to participate in lacrosse in the Spring, I was completely ecstatic. Many people who have not gone through an ACL tear say
that even after surgery one will never feel 100%. Although that is slightly true, constantly icing and wearing a metal brace for the following year greatly increases your chance of doing so. Additionally, after surgery, the ligament is stronger than it has ever been and there is no feeling of instability. Anyone can tear his or her ACL, but women in some ways do have a disadvantage. What can girls and women do to prevent this serious injury? The advice given by most physical therapists and surgeons is to practice jumping and landing correctly so that one’s feet automatically go straight. Another recommendation is to build up the leg muscles, especially the hamstring and muscles around the knee. There are many machines in Horace Mann’s fitness center to do so, and it is also advised to go backwards on the treadmill and elliptical. An ACL injury is considered an epidemic among women of all ages, but one can takes steps to lower the risks and to try to prevent it depending on how one takes care of herself. For years, women have tried to be equal with men, even today women face challenges that men do not have to deal with. But to put my own spin on a common saying, “It’s not about who gets injured and who does not, it’s about how you play the game.”
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International
Linking
Coffee and Depression: Boosting Your Mood? Isabella Brodie http://ganocafe-coffee.blogspot.com/
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or all those women who crave a cup of joe in the morning, new studies have been released regarding the possible psychological benefits of caffeine. According to The New York Times, women who drink caffeinated beverages are 20 percent less likely to suffer from depression than non-caffeine drinkers. And the more the merrier: those who drink four cups a day have a 20 percent lower risk of depression compared to those who drink 2-3 cups a day, averaging about a 15% decrease. In a world where medicine is prescribed so casually, coffee may be a new, cheaper, and less dangerous method to relieve depression. Even with a lack of scientific evidence, researchers are certain of the benefits based on statistical evidence and experiments. Studies on animals have concluded that caffeine protects against neurotoxins. Caffeine activates receptors that are linked to those that cause depression. When caffeine enters the brain, it activates the release of dopamine and serotonin, neurotransmitters that can alter mood. This evidence substantiates the short-term theories, but scientists are still searching for long-term benefits. There are many possibilities as to why coffee drinkers are less depressed. One to may be that people who aren’t depressed are more interested in drinking coffee than those who are depressed. Scott Bea, Psy.D., a psychologist, said that “non-depressed people tend to be more ‘behaviorally activated,’ and coffee drinking may therefore fit in better with their lifestyle.” Since there are so many possibilities to consider, and with no legitimate scientific evidence, we cannot be sure of any real claims. Psychologists are studying the behavior of those who are clinically depressed and
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researching how depression affects everyday lifestyle choices. Proof that depression may be linked to diet is sparking interest with both the FDA and the NPAP, the National Psychoanalysis Professional Organization. Recently, CNN Health released an article containing new developments on caffeine and depression. Researchers have concluded that while the benefits are rewarding for short-term use, there may be long-term consequences. While many unknown, some downsides of long-term caffeine are serious: blood pressure and blood sugar can skyrocket over time. Also, caffeine exaggerates stress levels, which can lead to chronic anxiety. According to James D. Lane, a professor of medical psychology at Duke University, “At the cellular level, caffeine locks the receptor normally used by adenosine, a brain modulator that provides feedback to avoid overstimulation of nerve cells.” He continued, “If adenosine is locked up, nothing keeps the nervous system from getting too excited at a cellular level.” While short-term benefits are certainly cogent, users need to be aware that prolonged overuse can lead to health problems later in life. The center of this perpetual debate: does caffeinated coffee really affect later on in life, or do the effects last only a few short hours? Although the answer to this pressing question is unknown, as of now, it is safe to assume that coffee definitely affects us both short-term and long-term. The most widely used psychoactive drug in the world, caffeine has the ability to alter our mind, moods, and nerves.
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http://www.123rf.com/
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Isabella Brodie
A Struggle for Health
besity is an obstacle for many women in today’s society. There are more and more cases of obesity arising in 2012 then ever before. Being overweight or obese poses serious health risks and even the risk of cancer. It is important for everyone, especially women, to know about the serious health risks. New studies show that obesity is directly linked to breast cancer, the number one killer of women in our time. An article in PR Newswire recently released substantial evidence regarding women and their knowledge of obesity. The study conducted proved that most women do not about the health consequences of obesity. The lack of knowledge was extensive: ranging from women being uncertain about the coverage of their health insurance to women believing their health insurance offered prescription drug reimbursement. The level of awareness of obesity, particularly women’s awareness, is nowhere near where it should be. For those that don’t know the official definitions, overweight individuals have a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, while obese individuals have a BMI greater than 30. Staggeringly, 50% of women in the US are overweight. We have a serious epidemic on our hands! Even a 5% deflation in one’s weight will benefit them both short-term and long-term. While weight-loss is a constant struggle for many people, if one can stick to a specific diet and exercise plan, results will come instantly. For the most
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extreme cases, surgery is considered. The main struggle many people endure is mental: endurance and self-restraint are extremely stressful and hard to achieve. Women can also find help online: Healthy Women is the “nation’s leading nonprofit health information source for women” which helps motivate women to tackle obesity and stay healthy.
“50% of women in the US are overweight.”
Online discussions lend support to women who struggle with obesity and weight loss. In addition to tremendous support, online discussions include encouraging stories from women who have been successful with weight loss. It’s important to know why you’re losing the weight and what your body gains from weight loss. It’s important to know what you’re dealing with in order to fix it.
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international
Domestic Violence Lauren Futter
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http://en.wikipedia.org/ http://theinspirationroom.com/
ne day in 2010, Bibi Aisha, a young woman from Kabul, received a copy of the latest issue of Time Magazine from a friend. Although Bibi had never heard of Time Magazine and was unable to read or write, she recognized the picture on the cover. The picture was one of her. Aisha is an girl from Afghanistan, and had been married off to a Taliban fighter. Despite the fact that she did not do anything wrong, Aisha’s husband beat her. After she escaped from her husband, he found her and cut off her nose and both of her ears. As people living in the 21st century, we like to believe that women have experienced numerous forms of liberation and are equal to men in most respects. While it is true that women have achieved some forms of equality, many glaring issues still remain. One in particular has damaged the lives of millions of women: domestic violence, such as the kind Aisha experienced. The New York State Coalition Against Domestic Violence (NYSCADV) classifies this types of abuse as being either emotional, psychological, economic, isolation, or stalking-related. Emotional abuse is characterized as the tendency of the victim to be called names, experience put downs, and “other acts that seek to lower the victim’s self esteem.” The NYSCADV further explains psychological abuse as the perpetrator using threats and instilling fear in the victim, while economic abuse prevents the victim from “maintaining a job, controlling the money, or assets belonging to the family.” Isolation entails the prevention of contact between the victim and their family, and stalking involves “repeated and unnecessary contact.” These forms of domestic violence take place not only in lower class neighborhoods, but also among the privileged elite. It is estimated that around 25 percent of all women in relationships are abused. Although the experience of domestic violence is horrifying and traumatizing, many women do not report the violence that they experience. Often times, these women find themselves
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in the emergency room before they report the abuse. We can attribute the lack of reports of domestic violence to numerous concerns: victims receive threats from their abuser, believe in change, or truly believe that they are the ones doing something wrong. Only now are government agencies and correction services understanding the gravity of domestic violence and are attempting to stop it. “Prescreening,” as experts call it, has become a common method of detecting domestic violence. “Prescreening” traditionally involves a caseworker, doctor, or detective who asks questions to a victim at a prenatal or typical doctor visit. During the course of the visit, the doctor may ask the woman several questions about her safety. In the event that the woman discusses abuse or the doctor believes abuse exists, a therapist will be contacted and local authorities will be called. Fern Gilkerson, a health education specialist from the Pennsylvania Coalition Against Domestic Violence, states, “Screening lets them know that there’s help when they’re ready to get it.” Overall, doctors and researchers are hopeful that screening will decrease the probability of abuse and the amount of victims. With “prescreening,” women everywhere might find themselves safer and happier.As much as we try to get rid of domestic violence completely, there is no way to ensure that it will be eliminated from society for good; however, we are extremely blessed that we live in a country where domestic violence offenders can be prosecuted. Other countries around the world do not have the economic means and protection services that we have here. And yet, most cases go unreported, unnoticed, and violence continues to prosper. If you know something, report it! The best way to stop something is to spread it, by means of communication and information. Domestic violence is a main factor is 70% of all homicides, but a factor that can easily be prevented.
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“Male” and “Female” Occupations
Vivien Ikwuazom
“M
ommy I want to be a fire-fighter when I grow up,” the young girl said to her mother. The mother peered down, shook her head, and chuckled. Women have outnumbered men in many occupations; however, many professions still exist where the number of women is scarce. In April of 1997, the Monthly Labor Review published data showing the percentages of men and women in certain occupations from 1985 to 1995. The jobs that attracted the least number of women were farm managers, law enforcement officers, lawyers, physicians, architects and industrial truck and tractor equipment operators. Although the number of women enrolled in these jobs increased from 1985 to 1995, not as many women registered for these jobs as opposed to the large number of women who wanted to become animal caretakers or educational counselors. We have slowly shaped and defined what establishes a female occupation or a male occupation, which has led to these restricted boundaries and the small percentage of women enrolled in certain jobs “meant for men.” This division/gender discrimination is still present in our society, despite the common conception that our twenty-first century society is an egalitarian one. Although the number of women that become physicians has increased, the number of women in many occupations is still lacking, due to the segregation of occupations and the stereotypes of what jobs women should have. An article from the Cornell University Newspaper, the Chronicle, by Susan Lang discusses the inequality for women and men in the fire service and how women are not really given a chance by many firehouses. Another case deals with a college student, Breana Clev-
en, a graduate from Northeast Wisconsin Technical College (NWTC). Cleven was one of the two women to receive a certificate in welding. According to the article from Greenbay Press Gazette, educators say, “certain areas of study continue to be dominated by women or men. Women, for example, are slowly gravitating to fields typically favored by men, including welding, science or engineering.” For Cleven, working on the farm and amongst men was habitual. She “has always worked on farms;” she received a job in welding the summer before her senior year in college and also participated in welding in high school. Sources from MWTC show sciences classes full of men and a typing class in which a majority of the students were men. The problem is not that women are not moving into these men dominated occupations such as science or electrical automotive and engineering programs, but that it is the fact that the rate that women are moving towards occupations in these fields is not “as fast as people would assume.” Gender-specific occupations are also associated with equal pay amongst men and women in certain occupations. The Institute for Women’s Policy Research found that “men earn more than women in most fields that require a two year degree or certificate. The median salary for a female childcare worker, for example in 2010 was $18,336, compared with $23,716 for men. Gender discrimination or inequality in the workplace is not only apparent in the United States but in other countries as well such as in China or India. Traditionally in India, women are discouraged from receiving an education. They are subjected to more domestic work. Women can be as good as men in any occupation. Just give us a chance - we can do it!
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Arts Chinese Feminists Influencing Society through Art
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Brenda Zhou
n March 2012, three women dared to challenge tradition by bringing to China a new outlook on the female role in society. Undeterred by the officials’ interruption, these female figures led the way to an expressive and powerful feminist movement. Lan Jiny, Xiao Lu, and Li Xinmo, all famous for their success in contemporary art, took a stand for Chinese women through the opening of “Bald Girls”, a feminist art show in the 798 arts district of Beijing. Since the show was advertised as China’s first feminist art exhibition, a revolutionary thought in itself, the fact that the authorities intervened was not surprising. During the morning, not long before the opening of the art show, officers, dressed as common people, barged into the Iberia Center for Contemporary Art and demanded the removal of two of Lan’s paintings. One of the removed pieces glorified the radical artist Ai Weiwei, who openly criticizes the Chinese government’s stance on democracy and human rights. The second of the two offending images portrayed Lan posing as Jiang Qing, Mao Zedong’s late wife. The officials’ rush to hide the portraits from public eye is evidence that in the eyes of the government, the display was too close to overstepping the strict boundary on freedom of expression. The artists’ works were not actually revolutionary, at least from a Western perspective. However, the Chinese government keeps a strong eye on any radical movements that can evolve from ideas such as feminism. Even speaking against the government in a public manner will result in authoritative action. Therefore, most women choose to stay silent. The true assertion of femininity was rooted in the actions that the artists took to create another dimension by instilling the movement. In front of a crowd of almost 100 awe-struck people, each woman took turns in shaving her beautiful long black hair. The exhibition became, literally, the showing of “Bald Girls”. The strands of the artists’ long, glossy hair flowed into a pile that represented the abandonment of Chinese ideas of female beauty. As Xiao explained to the New York Times, “We wanted to declare in a public place that we were feminist artists.” The shaving represents the feminists’ declaration of war against
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http://upload.wikimedia.org/
the traditional sexist views of women. Today, China is thriving economically and is serving as a model of a powerful country. However, in order to keep government in power and unite the country as a whole force, authorities believe they must control internal and external dissents against the government, even if it means sacrificing freedom of speech for many people. Today’s China is very much an improvement from an age when muttering even a word against the government could lead to execution. Even though China’s stance on restricting freedom of speech has loosened, freedom of speech is not completely given to the Chinese citizens. However, the three artists are not exactly fighting against the government. They are battling against the rooted prejudice against women that is fostered within society. In the New York Times, Lu expressed, No matter what female hero you look at in Chinese history, at their side they all had a very powerful husband. And only by using their husband’s power did they realize their goals and influence. In China, women don’t have their own power that truly belongs to them. The imbalance of power between genders is not a myth, even in the Western world. Many important Chinese figures, such as Wu Zetian, the empress of the Tang dynasty and the only woman to rule China as an Empress Regnant, achieved their power through their husband. Using the presentation to invoke the hidden feminists, Lu, Xiao, and Li aim to give power to the female figure. The artists’ statement is unforgettable. Not only has this show made an impression on the people who visited the exhibition, but it also has created a large impact on the history of China. Nobody in China has ever shown such strong opposition to society as the artists’ did with the symbolism of cutting their hair. These women have cut their ties to tradition and the image that society expects. Shaving off your hair, the symbol of a woman’s beauty, takes a mountain of courage and dedication to the cause. Lan Jiny, Xiao Lu, and Li Xinmo are truly strong symbols of a movement towards gender equality.
arts http://cafemakeup.com/
Fashion of the
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20th Century Isabella Brodie
stée Lauder was one of the most accomplished women in the beauty industry and one of the wealthiest women in the world when she died of cardiopulmonary arrest in 2004 at age 98. However, life did not start in such a glamorous way for Lauder. She was born the daughter of working-class immigrants, and lived above her father’s hardware store in Corona, Queens. Her mother Rose was Hungarian, and her father Max was Czech. She was born with the name Josephine Metzner, or “Esty”, which was changed to Estée. Metzner started selling cosmetics at beauty shops, beach clubs, and resorts, with help from her uncle, John Schotz, who was a chemist. When Metzner was in her early 20s, she met Joseph Lauder, and they married in 1930. This last name along with her nickname later would become her brand name. In 1946, Lauder established the company Estée Lauder. In 1948, she wanted counter space at Saks Fifth Avenue, so she persuaded them, even though she was not wellknown at the time. With the new counter space, she used her own marketing techniques and was always in charge of her advertising campaigns. One of her marketing techniques was to give her famous friends and acquaintances samples because she wanted everyone to know about her brand. She wanted her brand to be used by those who were known to have the best. Even after forty years of business, she attended every single launch of a shop or product. Estée Lauder is still one of the most successful cosmetic brands with the bestselling products in the country. Lauder was able to create a multi-billion dollar company after growing up in a modest, working-class household which
http://seedofhappiness.files.wordpress.com/
is unbelievable and inspirational. Not only did she create a successful company, she also stayed at the core of her company and worked with dedication to improve her business. Estée Lauder is a good example of a woman with a thriving career in the twentieth century, a time of much change regarding the female roles in society. Over time, more and more women became a part of the fashion industry, changing the popular style from oversized dresses to pantsuits and short hair. In the mid-1800s, skirts were very full, with hoops and wire underneath. Women wore extremely tight corsets and puffy sleeves. At the beginning of the 1900s, style became more modern and more like the clothing we wear today. Skirts were raised to the knees and dresses became sleeveless. Then, Gabrielle Bonheur “Coco” Chanel, changed the fashion industry significantly in the 1920s. She designed clothing with a “boyish” look, such as a short, straight dress. She cut her hair very short and set the trend of a “bobbed” haircut. At the same time, Yves Sainthttp://2.bp.blogspot.com/ Laurent introduced fancy pantsuits for women, which was an enormous change. Only centuries before, women only wore dresses, and pants were seen as inappropriate for women. Women like Coco Chanel really changed the fashion and beauty industries and opened the door for Estée Lauder and many others. Even at the time when Estée Lauder began her business, it was hard to be a woman working alongside many men. Coco Chanel marked a turning point in the fashion industry in the 1920s, and Estée Lauder did the same for the beauty industry in the 1950s.
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arts
Women Artists Throughout the Ages Jessica Gartenstein
http://americanart.si.edu/
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or many centuries art had been a male dominated field. Unfortunately, female artists suffered through a large amount of oppression and criticism from the men that controlled the world of art. In the article “These Women Refused to Stay in the Kitchen”, Eve M. Kahn gives insight into the tragic yet remarkable lives of various female artists who have risen above the stereotypes of their time. Biographies and primary sources about various female artists have recently been uncovered. For the most part, the lives of these incredible women have been extremely tragic. For example, Helen M. Turner and Elizabeth Colborne are two women artists who were subjects of numerous shows and catalogs in 2011. Both women had lost their parents and were orphaned at young ages. Eliza Greatorex was a 19th century artist who created many scenes of European villages and New York City farmsteads. At the age of 39, Eliza lost her husband. She raised four children alone, two of which became artists as well. Greatorex successfully played the role of a mother and an artist. She was able to raise her children and make a living doing what she loved. This dual life was almost unheard of in the 19th century. She traveled all over the world sketching various landscapes. In the 1880s, Greatorex’s daughters collaborated on a floral mural that would be placed in the sitting room of an apartment in New York City. This work of art is supposedly located in the Dakota in New York City. Art historians are attempting to excavate some of the walls of the building in order to find this marvelous mural. Another remarkable artist, Susie M. Barstow, had a passion for drawing nature. Historian Jamie Krieger wrote in the catalog for a 2010 show at the Thomas Cole National Historic Site in
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Catskill, N.Y, that for the sake of her art “[Barstow] is believed [to have] climbed 110 different mountain peaks over her lifetime and would traipse 25 miles a day through blinding snow” Women in the 20th century produced some of the most meaningful and beautiful works of art. Frida Kahlo and Cindy Sherman are two examples of women who created iconographic works of art. Frida Kahlo was born in Cayoacán in 1907. At the age of six she developed polio, leaving her right leg much weaker than her left. During her life Frida Kahlo created over 200 surrealist paintings. When asked why she painted herself over and over Kahlo responded, “Because I am so often alone....because I am the subject I know best.” Frida considered her paintings to be her biography and used art to tell her story. She saw the beauty in introspection. Cindy Sherman, born in 1954 was a photographer who challenged her place in society. She dressed up as various different celebrity icons, such as Marilyn Monroe, and photographed herself. The stereotyping of women in films, television, and magazines upset Sherman. Sherman never put her name on the photographs of because she believed that they were not selfportraits. Many consider her a hero for uncovering the truth about the female role in the media. Sherman was a genius photographer who used her skills in order to prove a point and partake in some thing that she loved at the same time. Today many of her works can be found in the MoMA. Nowadays, female artists are becoming more recognized all around the world. It is disappointing that women were not able to freely express their talents throughout the history of art. If they were, the world would be filled with even more beautiful works of art.
arts
Lauren Cuthbertson:
A Story of a Female Dancer’s Rise to Success
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Kylie Logan
eroine: A woman admired or idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, or noble qualities. In Lauren Cuthbertson’s case, all three apply. Most young women endure problems with confidence, self-worth, and making it out in the big world. Miss Cuthbertson is no different, aside from the fact that she dealt with everything while breaking into a world with a bigger and brighter spotlight – ballet. As a toddler born in Devon, England, Lauren was already one to look out for. She had incredible energy and drive. So much, in fact, that her mother needed to find an activity to help Lauren let it all out, to preserve fragile items in the house. The wild and free three-year-old began taking dance and gymnastics, but the classes were just daytime activities, preparation for school in a year or so, and practice with listening and cooperating. As classes continued, ballet gradually began to intrigue to Lauren, although not even her dance instructors Pamela de Waal and Corrine Coremi could tame her stubborn ways. By the time Lauren was ten years old, she had followed in her brother’s footsteps to The Royal Ballet Lower School, White Lodge. Even as a young pre-teen, Lauren was determined and confident that she would be a principal ballet dancer in the company by the time she turned fifteen. Unfortunately, as she continued to work
with minor roles in productions, Lauren came to the realization that this was a dream with no chance of coming true. Lauren explained years later, “A ballerina is very special. Not everyone here is a ballerina, even if you’re with the Royal Ballet.” Rather than practicing the art of fitting in, Lauren needed to strive to be different – to be the best. Her strong passion and charisma carried her on, as she performed expressive dance, winning her the Lynn Seymour Prize. She finally gained the privilege to attend The Royal Ballet Upper School. Once Lauren turned eighteen, she had worked up her image enough to be put into the third-year level at The Royal Ballet. She was touring with her new group when two contracts came her way. She could either choose to be a soloist with the Birmingham Royal Ballet or to join the corps de ballet within her home, the Royal Ballet. Despite Lauren’s headstrong persona, the memory of her crestfallen self, dancing small parts as a tenyear old with big dreams to be a lead, stayed with her. She was well aware that her world required intense preparation and she needed to provide proof that she was ready for the real deal. Before long, Lauren’s name belonged with the talented and budding dancers in The Royal Ballet’s corps de ballet. http://www.worldartstoday.com/
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arts Miss Cuthbertson was ready to go. Witty, spunky, and quite care-free, Lauren was cast as an understudy for many roles, and performed on stage countless times due to the main roles’ injuries. Despite her stints on stage, she began feeling that she would never get where she wanted to be. Her former undying perseverance began to fail her. She was inactive for a full two years. She had lost her self-worth, which was much worse than losing a lead role. Thanks to an old instructor, Lauren got back onto her feet, and entered a Bulgarian dance competition to see what would happen. Before she knew it, she had won second place. By now, Lauren realized that if she could so easily be second best, then being the absolute best was possible. She proved herself through many last-minute rehearsals at The Royal Ballet, once only given thirty minutes to learn a routine before the performance. Finally, Lauren was given the coveted role of Juliet in Romeo and Juliet. Not surprisingly, she was an utter success. A few years after, around the age of twenty-two, she acquired the role of First Soloist. Suddenly, the memory of her determined ten-year-old self was cheering, absolutely thrilled, and of course, ready to move forward. Lauren thrived in the world of ballet. She danced as “Aurora” in Sleeping Beauty and even as the classic Sugar Plum Fairy. Unfortunately, Lauren’s health began to fail just as she was offered more honorable opportunities. Lauren was shoved away from her career for a second time. She suffered from glandular fever and tried incredibly hard to perform without showing any signs of her sickness. She was soon bed-ridden even after her illness died down because she was hit with post-viral fatigue syndrome. Looking back on the time, Lauren said she kept
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thinking, “This could be it. It could so easily be it.” Due to her health, Lauren’s characteristic confidence crumbled yet again. As she slowly recovered over a course of months, Lauren realized something quite strange, yet rejuvenating; despite her admirable intrepidity, she had not taken herself seriously enough. Now, she was ready to listen, cooperate, and look at herself as a serious, long-lasting ballet dancer, who would thrive in the industry. “When I came http://markronan.files.wordpress.com/ back to work, “ Lauren stated, “I was burning.” And so she was. She danced in Cinderella, Alice in Wonderland, and became known as a strong and witty female performer who brought certain originality to her performances. Cliché was never a part of Lauren and never will be; “If I’m going to be truly confident in a role, I have to go into it naked,” Miss Cuthbertson said, “It’s only when I know where I’m coming from that a role makes sense and I’m away.” Lauren had a dream, one that at times seemed far out of reach as her career was at a standstill. Being the strong woman she was, she never quit. She brought something quite unique to her art, as she incorporated a very real presence in her expressions and movements. There is something truly heroic about the way that Miss Cuthbertson faced adversity in her field, overcoming sickness and moving slowly up from the corps de ballet, all the while forming her own take on ballet. She progressed from being an overly energetic toddler to a teenager merely floating about her dream to a woman confident in herself and in her work, “idealized for her courage, outstanding achievements, [and] noble qualities”.
arts gillian miller-lewis ‘12
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Science & Health The Birth Control Crisis
T
Tyler Bleuel and Elizabeth Maghakian
his past February, President Obama announced that he would mandate employers to provide birth control, with no co-pay, for female employees. His speech met immediate protest from conservatives nationwide. The plan first received criticism from Roman Catholic institutions deeming birth control sacrilegious. This opposition sparked a firestorm of controversy. Sandra Fluke, a student of the Catholic Georgetown University law school in Washington D.C., testified before the House Democratic Steering and Policy Committee after having been blocked from testifying at a House Oversight Committee hearing on insurance companies providing contraception coverage. Fluke argued against the conservative view, speaking of her friend who had prescription birth control pills for a medical condition, yet was still forced to pay for the treatment out of her own pocket. The debate regarding the validity of her argument went completely off the rails when radio show host Rush Limbaugh insulted Fluke personally, thereby shifting the focus away from the issue at hand and onto the outrageous nature of his comments. “Who goes before a congressional committee and essentially says that she must be paid to have sex, what does that make her? It makes her a slut, right? It makes her a prostitute.” He accused Fluke of expecting taxpayers to “pay for her to have sex” and called her testimony a declaration of sexual promiscuity. Journalist Maureen Dowd expressed her opinion in a withering column in the Sunday Times: “Rush and Newt Gringrich can play the studs, marrying again and again until they find the perfect adoring young wife. But women pressing for health care rights are denigrated as sluts.” Many angered citizens demanded that Limbaugh apologize. The next Saturday he issued a state-
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ment saying, “I chose the wrong words in my analogy of the situation. I did not mean a personal attack on Ms. Fluke.” He ended with his “sincere apology to Ms. Fluke for the insulting word choices.” In the meantime, President Obama announced a compromise, in which faith-based employers morally opposed to contraception are allowed to shift the cost to their insurance companies. Planned Parenthood has representatives travel across the nation speaking to parents, schools, and Congress members promoting female reproductive rights, notably access to affordable contraception. Around the same time as Limbaugh’s attacks, the organization received word that President Obama’s 2013 budget includes funding for the Title X Family Planning Program. The program has suffered under recent criticism from the Republican Party. Many House leaders aim to cut off access to birth control. Funding for Title X has dropped since. Just a few weeks ago, on May 10th, the House voted in a proposal to drastically cut Medicaid, leaving low income women and their families without health care. Not only does this budget cut halt access to birth control, but it also prevents many women from having breast and cervical cancer screenings or STD screenings. Medicaid is primarily responsible for America’s family planning and contraceptive availability. The current birth control crisis will most definitely impact the lives of American women. This issue will surely play a major role in determining the results of the 2012 presidential election. The conflicting Obama administration budget and rulings of the House cannot disagree forever. However much we would love to avoid the topic that has been debated for one hundred years now, it seems that birth control remains a crucial issue.
science & health
A Working Mom Sophie Dizengoff
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child’s uninfluenced mind is the sole example of the boys. “When [people] argue that it makes sense that so many human brain in its purest form. It allows researchers to women are going into biology and medicine because those are study cognitive psychology and the organization of the the ‘helping’ professions, well, I remember when being a doctor human brain beginning from the basics. What, if anything, are was considered far too full of blood and gore for women and humans born knowing? Elizabeth S. Spelke is a mom and a pro- their uncontrollable emotions to handle.” fessor of psychology at Harvard University. She studies infants Dr. Spelke is truly the epitome of a well-rounded individual: to “identify the bedrock categories of human knowledge.” In do- a scientist, a teacher, and a mother. She has earned the respect ing this she hopes to eventually construct a basic ingredient list of her colleagues and students of both genders across the board. from which all human knowledge is built. Her daughter Bridget added, “As a new mother myself I don’t Predictably, Dr. Spelke is careful about the messages she know how my mom did it.” sends her children and grandchildren. Her mother was a Juilliard graduate. In order to raise Dr. Spelke and her siblings, her mother abruptly ended her singing career and never returned to work. Dr. Spelke expresses guilt for she felt directly responsible for preventing her mother from pursuing her passion. Dr. Spelke, now 62, makes a conscious effort to balance her studies with motherhood so as not to subject her children to the same guilt she felt as a child. In one of her earliest experiments Dr. Spelke introduced an infant to cartoons in the hopes of studying the child’s reactions. To her surprise the toddler ignored the cartoons, preferring to follow the nearby adults’ conversation, while striving for attention. Dr. Spelke noted that even at a young age there is a need for social interaction. “What they really wanted to do was engage with other people!” she exclaimed. In her quest to navigate the workings of the young brain, Dr. Spelke has studied infant interactions through both decoding infant gaze and examining the role of language. “I don’t place much faith in my intuitions, except as a starting place for designing experiments,” she told The New York Times in its recent article describing her work. Spelke founded her research lab with colleague Susan Carey. The lab’s childish appearance belittles both the seriousness of Spelke’s work and her acclaimed reputation in her field. School was always easy for Dr. Spelke and contributed to her now confident manner. She welcomes arguments as she searches for the truth in all aspects of life: “It’s not about being right, it’s about getting it right.” In 2005, Harvard’s then president Lawrence H. Summers suggested that the relative scarcity of women in the physical sciences could be attributed to their shortcomings in math. Dr. Spelke eagerly brought her data to the debate using her research Psychology Professor and mom Dr. Elizabeth S. Spelke as proof that there is no cognitive difference between girls and
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science & health
Prenatal Opiate Use Impacts Newborns Edie Comas
D
r. Stephen Patrick of the University of Michigan’s Intensive Care Unit studies medicine especially for newborns. A few years ago he noticed that he was often hearing a very distinctive cry from the babies he worked with: a cry of withdrawal. He began his study in 2000. The number of pregnant women addicted to opiate drugs has spiked over the past decade, he says. These moms give birth to babies showing withdrawal symptoms. The Journal of the American Medical Association documented the issue for the first time and the statistics are incomprehensible. 13,500 babies each year are born in the US with problems from opiates. These problems include seizures, dehydration, breathing problems, difficulty feeding, etc. The babies must spend the first few weeks of life in and out of hospitals being treated with morphine and
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methadone. They must be weaned from their mother’s drug. Prescription opiates are more of a problem because people who wouldn’t use heroin use it. Since the issue is so recent there is no proof whether there will or will not be any problems in the long run. It is the same sort of craze that happened in the 1980’s over cocaine addicted mothers’ babies. Developmental problems were a possibility then and are now. The number of mothers using jumped 5 fold in just nine years, while newborns displaying symptoms almost tripled. The cost of caring for each baby skyrocketed from $39,400 to $53,400 (taking inflation into account) in this short time period. Since 2000, the average time spent in a hospital has not decreased - doctors have yet to figure out what they are doing. The babies were exposed in utero to the calming opiates
science & health
and after birth no longer have that to calm them. So far doctors have yet to find a treatment more effective than tapering off morphine or methdone. Occasionally placing them in a dark
room and cuddling them will help. Doctors must find a careful balance in dosage. Too much medication, and the baby could overdose. Too little and they will end up back in the hospital. Mothers are taking heroin, methadone, and prescription painkillers. In 2000, for every 1000 births 1.19 of the mothers were using opiates. By 2009 the figure jumped to 5.63. The study also looked at hospital bills for “neonatal abstinence symdrome.� This is what the babies suffer from after birth. In 2000 hospitals received 190 million dollars to treat NAS. By 2009 a staggering 720 million dollars were collected. Intensive Care Units nationwide saw an increase in NAS babies. The Center for Disease Control found that sales of opiates to the general public has quadrupled over the time period studied. Researchers wondered if the problem was only targeting low income families. This information is not yet entirely clear as researchers did not distinguish between the forms of opiates, but it seems that victims come from all classes. Heroin, Vicodin, Percocet, and methadone were all used. Women you would never suspect to be using opiates because they can function so well in public turned out be doing so. What are the solutions? If a woman is using before she knows she is pregnant, should she quit cold turkey? If she does, studies show she could lose the baby. The best option would be to find a treatment program. Doctors can begin drug screenings for pregnant women. Making this standard practice would encourage women using to enter treatment centers, giving their babies the best chance at health and survival. In addition, states can monitor opiate by observing opiate prescription.
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