Callisophia 2014 by Jan Kather

Callisophia Society Song In our classic College halls Wisdom’s fount is springing: Here the living water falls, Precious crystal flinging. Each may catch its diamond spray, Each may watch its gleaming, Heaping treasure day by day, Gems with radiance beaming.

Callisophia 2014 A publication created collaboratively by Elmira College students and the Women and Gender Studies Program

In the palmy days of yore, Gracia claimed its waters, Drank the youths and sages hoar, Ne’er her dark eyed daughters. Thus when Rome her legions led In a march victorious, Only round the manly head Twined the laurel glorious. Deeply let us sound the fount, Mingling Love’s pure nectar; And to heights of beauty mount, Wisdom our director. Sisters all, in heart and hand, Let us prove untiring; Beauteous Wisdom’s chosen band, Heavenward e’er aspiring.

he first issue of Callisophia was published in 1993. The title of this journal was taken from the first women’s society on the Elmira College campus: the Callisophia Society. The Society was dedicated to education for women in the sciences such as astronomy, chemistry, physics, and technical math. The women conducted intense reading seminars and workshops and eventually erected an observatory on campus. In 1886 the Society published their first bi-monthly magazine called The Callisophia which was dedicated to the sciences. It published articles by women students as well as their professors and important scientific news of the time. Eventually the magazine became more general in content and began to include poetry and stories. In every issue of The Callisophia the Society song was written on the first page. We continue to carry on this tradition. Callisophia

Collage Amy Fedin’14

The Elmira College Student Journal of Feminist Thoughts and Ideas

Front Cover by Haley Martin’14 Front Cover (inside) by Alex Hood’15 Back Cover by Liz Roosa’16 Back Cover (inside) by Logan Hardy’17 ©2014 Callisophia All contributors retain sole rights to their work. Contact info for the Women and Gender Studies Program: Dr. Martha Easton, Coordinator Visit the Elmira College Women and Gender Studies Program Facebook page for more information on events held in 2013 – 2014: https://www.facebook.com/groups/75567251784/ Visit the Elmira College Women and Gender Studies Program page for more information on the WAGS minor: http://www.elmira.edu/academics/programs/Majors_Minors/ Womens_Studies/index.html

Painting Rui Arichika’17

Digital Collage Logan Hardy’17

Editorial Staff: Ana Reznikovskaya’16 Miranda Satterly’17 Corissa Comfort’17 Liz Roosa’16 Jan Kather

Contents 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 10 11 13 14 15 16 19 20 21 22 23 24 28 29 31 32

Callisophia Song Collage by Amy Fedin’14 Digital Collage by Logan Hardy’17 Painting by Rui Arichika’17 Collage by Logan Hardy’17 Painting Diptych by Aubrie Nelson’14 Poem by Emily Castelli’17 Painting by Maggie Zurbruegg-Ramey ‘14 Bow by Miranda Satterly’17 Digital Image by Miranda Satterly’17 Humanitarian Heart by Lauren Price’16 Photo by Eva Bouchard’15

Collage Logan Hardy’17

Drawing by Frankie Leonard’15

Manual Transmission by Miranda Satterly’17 Photo by Emily Castelli’16 Response to Tish Pearlman’s Poetry Reading by Rebecca D’Agostino’15 Gender and the Disney Princess Spell by Anna Jantz’14 Painting by Christina Nurczynski’14 Painting by Christina Nurczynski’14 Sculpture by Melinda Mondock’14 Sculpture by Melinda Mondock’14 Women and Gender Studies Events Youthful Indiscretion by Anna Jantz’14 Quiet Desperation by Jinsy Jacob’15 Poems by Emily Castelli’16 Collage by Logan Hardy’17 Women and Humor (an excerpt) by Lilly Pasty’16 Painting by Aubrey Nelson’14 Drawing and Quote by Lauren Price’15 Quote by Ana Reznikovskaya’16 Sketch by Callan Little’16 Greek Women as Portrayed in Art by Cynthia Marchionda ‘14 A Waste by Corissa Comfort’17 Photo by Matthew Feldman’14 Elmira College Women’s Studies Program: A Brief History by Allison Nobles’14 & Anna Jantz’14 Painting by Elizabeth Paolucci’17 Response to Elizabeth Paolucci’s Painting by Danielle Raymond’14 Reinstein Symposium Student Presentations by Ana Reznikovskaya’16

Painting Diptych Aubrie Nelson’14

A poem in response to Aubrie Nelson’s paintings I like you I love you It’s funny how hard we try to impress, Putting on make up, our fanciest dress Why do we believe that perfect is best? When flaws are just as beautiful as the rest. You make an acquaintance, soon a friend, and then more You’re willing to try slips, slithering out the door Days, weeks, months, and years go by You’re finally comfortable, no longer shy. Your perfect façade gone and shattered, But your imperfect beauty was all that mattered. It showed who you were, And what’s more beautiful than that? For the concept of perfection will never last. Emily Castelli’16

Painting Maggie Zurbruegg-Ramey ‘14

Bow He kissed me hard, but not with vehement passion. He clumsily yanked at my silvery belt buckle, struggling at first to release the metal prong from the punctured leather, but promptly jerking the belt harder and thrusting the encumbering parts aside. He unfastened the button of my ivory shorts so hastily that I barely took notice until he crudely pulled them off and flung them onto the disheveled pile of other stray garments on the floor. He stopped the stripping long enough to shoot me a grim smirk, savagely staring at me with his hardened hazel eyes. I tensely averted my gaze, instead fixing my eyes upon the bright fuchsia bow that adorned my silky lace panties. _____ The little girl scampered around the flower garden, following the mother as she watered the blooming perennial plants with her faithful watering can that early summer evening. The mother graciously smiled down at her as she stooped to sniff a tuft of purple buds on the little lilac bush. Her damp, freshly-washed hair, holding the highlights of afternoon sun and smelling of fruity detangler spray, hung loosely down her back as she crouched close to the fresh mulch. She balanced her agile frame on her sturdy heels without grazing her just- lathered-in-sudsy-soap skin against the dirty ground. The mother playfully sprayed her arm with a drizzle of water that evoked a giggly shriek and backwards leap from the little girl. She was steadied by the mother’s unwavering arms and drawn in for a snug warm hug and ticklish butterfly kisses upon her rosy cheeks. The mother set the little girl lightly back on her feet and smoothed out the wrinkles in her petite white tank top. The little girl stood still for the most part, fiddling only with the tiny pastel- pink bow at the midpoint of the slow-sloping neckline of her tank-top. _____

Digital Image Miranda Satterly’17

I swiftly slid out from beneath his sturdy body, my steady feet landing firmly on the floor. I snatched up my garments and slid them on as I glided towards the door. “Where are you going?” he asked as he lunged forward, with confusion, annoyance, and insistence in his voice. I whipped around sharply, staring at him with fiery eyes. “I remember what love is like,” I said. “This isn’t it.” Without pausing even for a moment to hear a response, I swung open the door and strode out to find the love that I knew was out there, somewhere. Miranda Satterly’17 5

Humanitarian Heart Being a student nurse is truly a blessing Experiences and learning make up for all the stressing After a while you realize the profession’s beyond the books Caring for people is much more difficult than it looks A nurse brings hope, security, comfort, and love Like a hero bringing energy and life from above We tie the medical world and the real world into one We lace this earth together and keep it from becoming undone Mending hearts and lessening fears We catch our patients’ falling tears A driving force within us makes us want to care for others Maybe it is just part of our nature, or a trait picked up from our Mothers I don’t know where it came from, or how it was meant to be But it’s a burning, powerful feeling that’s growing inside of me We are all individual energies walking this earth Exposed to light, sound, and touch from birth

Photo Eva Bouchard’15

As a nursing student you see life in different perspectives You learn about life through experiences rather than following objectives Yes I would have to agree; nursing is a difficult major to pick But if I were to choose something different my heart would be lacking soul, a lot like a candle with an unlit wick. Nursing is deeper than any ocean on this earth You learn about people and truly about what life is worth Talking less, listening more Understanding the world right down to its very core Being a humanitarian should be a trait inside all of us Building that bond with people and allowing for trust Is it really that hard to care for others? Or would people just rather not? Being a student nurse is learning how to give back without a second thought. Lauren Price ‘16 Student Nurse Drawing Frankie Leonard’15

Manual Transmission Miranda Satterly’17 Lydia: Hey Jake! Do you wanna join Manual Transmission Club? It’s really neat and everyone is getting involved! Jake: Manual transmission? What do you guys do, install transmissions into cars while learning to drive standard? Lydia: Do I look like a mechanic? Jake: I don’t know about your hidden talents. Oh wait, I get it. You started a group to do snazzy handshakes with. Is the purpose to share companionship, or germs? Lydia: That’s so fifth grade Jake. Jake: Whatever you say, but I could swear I saw you fist-bumping Danielle just the other day. My last guess: you talented members put your deepest, darkest thoughts onto paper then sit in a tight circle and read your poetic words aloud.

Lydia (continued): Jake, I think you would be a great contributor to the group. Your knowledge of sailing and boating regulations would surely help each of us at some point in our lives. For example, when I’m abundantly wealthy with three yachts, I’ll benefit from knowing how to dock them and maintain their superior structures. Jake: I was honestly buying this up until the part where you get rich. Then I noticed the falseness of your pleas. I’m sorry Lydia, but I’ve got to get going. Lydia: Wait! Remember when your date Hannah left prom early last year, because she was “sick?” The only thing she was “sick” of was your absolutely ridiculous dance moves, Jake. I was embarrassed for her. Jake: (blushing) What does that— Lydia: (interrupting) What does that have to do with anything, you ask? There are manuals for that, Jake. You can get help. It’s not too late to fix this.

Lydia: And…you’re wrong again. I appreciate the effort though. We transmit manuals dude. It’s kind of an obvious concept.

Jake: (mumbling with defeat) Where do I sign up?

Jake: …I don’t get it.

Lydia sheds a victorious grin, reaching for her group list to add her newest recruit.

Lydia: Well here, let me read you our mission statement. “Manual Transmission Club, formed with the intention of enhancing each individual’s random knowledge, is committed to the sharing of all types of manuals, including (but not limited to) how-to- guides, step-by-step instructions, social and religious regulations, health and lifestyle enhancing tips, installation processes, building guides, and a plethora of other focused manuals. By increasing awareness and intelligence of a variety of subjects, individuals become significantly more well-rounded and prepared for unexpected situations.” Photo Emily Castelli’16

Response to Tish Pearlman’s Poetry Reading Rebecca D’Agostino’15 In all honesty, I really did not think I was going to like the Tish Pearlman presentation. I simply did not think I would like it because after years of writing crappy poetry I tried to convince myself I did not really like poetry. I think I was scared to realize how much writing poetry had been helping me, especially when I spiraled deeper and deeper down into my depression that I had been dealing with since I was thirteen. I have not written poetry since my senior year of high school. I, like Tish, was trying to avoid going into that dark place. Writing my feelings out helped, but it also made me look at all that was going on in a way that I had never really been able to understand until it flowed out onto the paper. On that note, I really did enjoy listening to Tish read her poems and it was an overall great presentation. I am really glad I was able to give an hour of my time to get to experience this wonderful poet and her life challenges. Throughout her readings, some lines of her poetry really stuck out to me. What I did was I wrote down those words and I wanted to transform them into something that combined them all together, but kind of shows how I put them into play with my own life. After I went to this presentation it made me realize how much I miss writing poetry even if I thought it was awful. I really want to pick it up again because it is something that helped me to get out my feelings, but I think it may be something that can really help me when I am unable to express my words when I go to counseling. If I could honestly thank Tish for her presentation and affect my life today I sincerely would! Gone I am lost in dense chaos Death caught me by surprise Someone drowning in sorrow, blind to the stroke of life I sense only a blanket of snow covering over my former self Retreating into a dark undertow Her pain still visible in the distance She was addressed by something else that needed her The poem that I wrote using segments from Tish’s poems represents what I went through last year when I lost my grandma. My grandma was and will continue to be my best friend even though she is no longer with us. Her death was really surprising to me,

but when it comes down to it I know that she is in a better place and she is no longer suffering or feeling like a burden to the people who love her. After my grandma passed I was in a dark place for a really long time. I let my sorrow take over and there was nothing anyone could do or say to make me realize life would be okay. The 23rd of January this year, represented the one year anniversary of losing her. I pretend still that I am no longer feeling the pain of her being gone, but it is still off in the distance where only I know it is there. I know though that God had this plan for my grandma and he needed her now more than we did. My world is chaotic and I do not have my best friend to make silly faces at me or to cheer me up on a rough day. Luckily my mom is another best friend to me and I have had her to lean on. Pain The spiral downward into something unreal Questioning everything it isn’t a big deal The world is blackening as I get lost in my thoughts Feeling the glares and so much despair Feeling as though you’re living a life that’s unfair Words that were said without a care You stand out; you’ll never fit in Never good enough, don’t even bother Spiraling downward into the unknown My mind is a dark hole I’m miserable This poem, “Pain,” I wrote tonight because it kind of demonstrates the way I sometimes feel now, but it really depicts all of what I went through in high school. I was always that kid to get picked on and made fun of. I was bullied so bad for being overweight that it was literally destroying my life. My mind became this dark hole where I could not escape those mean words that were said without a care in the world about how they would affect me. When I started to get lost in my mind I did not really question it and I started to believe everything people said to me. People would talk about how fat

and disgusting I was and I really started to believe and feel that. I still sometimes do. Words have had a really strong impact on my life and for a long time I was really a miserable girl because I could not escape the pain ever.

Scars Wanting, waiting, wondering Can hardly bear this anymore The pain is so unreal Hurting myself to feel something real Scars is all I know Controlling something that I can feel Battling the demons, can you win? Silly girl, silly girl Razor to the skin Stop it you can win It really is like battling demons in your own mind. Sometimes you do not really know if you can win or not. It’s a hard battle to be facing, but I know I am stronger. It also helps that I have great supporters and an awesome counselor to help me to come to this conclusion. Life has thrown a lot of adversity my way and it can be really overwhelming, scary, and dark, but I know I can face the difficulties and take back my life. I really hope you enjoy my poems! They’re all about something that has really impacted my life. I am so thankful I went to this presentation today because I am glad to be writing poems again. It honestly felt so good to get those words out.

Gender and the Disney Princess Spell Anna Jantz’14 Doll or truck, high heels or sneakers, urinal or stall, princess or prince, gender is everywhere. From the clothing a person picks out in the morning, to the way that person walks down the street, it is all determined and influenced by gender. Gender is far from just a person’s reproductive organs, it is a performance; it is the role of a lifetime, and it starts the moment a baby is born. During the first few years of life, children are continuously taught what the “correct” gender behavior is; parents, siblings, and the often forgotten characters of every Saturday morning cartoons or sing-alongs children watch are the teachers. Simple comments like, “what a strong and brave boy you are,” or “you wouldn’t want your pretty dress to get dirty outside would you,” are all ways that gender is not only communicated to children, but also policed. One of the most pronounced policing tools for gender are children’s heroes, in which these fantasy characters are minced by children due to their excessive masculinity or femininity. In the industry of children’s popular culture heroes and images, Disney reigns king. For many people, Disney films have become synonymous with childhood; some of the most popular are the films that are centered princesses. The first Disney full-length animated film was the princess icon, Snow White, sparking the later obsessions with princess films such as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Cinderella, and Sleeping Beauty. The Disney princess line alone has over 25,000 productions and has made $4 billion in sales in 2008 (England 554). With their unbelievable popularity, it is not surprising that children have desired to become just like the images in which they see in Disney movies. With the excessive use of gendered traits in the films, the desires of children to emulate characters effects the way children understand the gender roles people play in society. Gender is taught through exposure to extremely gendered images and socializations to children during development. The children’s Disney princess films illustrate themes that perpetuate children’s unhealthy perceptions of traditional definitions of the male and female gender. The binary gender system is a powerful organizational tool used by Western societies to keep people categorized into different assignments. Most people in these societies are under the assumption that a person’s gender is determined by their sex, which is determined by biology. In the eyes of Western society, biology is fixed, and in turn society has used that thinking to justify other aspects of sex and gender as being fixed as well; thus creating a situation fostering the idea that culturally, gendered notions are innate to humans. However, in biology it is clear that there are more than just two categories an infant could be placed in when determining it’s sex assignment. In actuality gender,

has very little to do with merely a person’s biological sex. Rather, “Sex is a determination made through the application of socially agreed upon biological criteria for classifying persons as female or male”(West, Zimmerman 127). Biology, in the case of gender, is based on science and the way in which society wishes to interpret that science. In addition, the sex of a child is predominantly decided at birth; from that moment, gender becomes a child’s identity. With such an early association with gender, it is easy for the understanding of gender to be unequivocally defined, natural, and essential to a person’s identity, in order to be accepted by individuals. Due to people’s deep attachment to gender notions, as an aspect of personal identity, it is hard for people to think of themselves as rather one of the many in a massive societal system, which continues the process of accepting gender as natural. As sociologists began to challenge the understanding that sex and gender are innate and biologically established, theories began to develop based on the acquisition of gender through socialization. Two such theories include the Polarization theory and the Schema theory. Polarization theory is based on the idea that society provides children with super gender socialization during early years of development, most notably the first five years of life, displaying clear divides between male and female identity. As children are bombarded with gender customs and visuals, they are soon able to identify them and chose to embrace these cues as fundamental in all people’s actions. “Children are gender detectives who search for cues about gender who should or should not engage in a particular activity, who can play with whom, and why girls and boys are different” (Martin, Ruble 67). The time in development, when children are not able to understand complex situations, from birth to five, such as a women performing masculine behavior, is when gender is established in children’s thinking. It is also during this time of life that conventional aspects of life, such as clothing, are hyper gendered. Children during this period look at gender in absolute terms, and apply those terms and cues to all people: Children are wonderfully skilled in using these cues to form expectations about other people and to develop personal standards for behavior, and they learn to do this very quickly and often with little direct training. By the age of 5, children develop an impressive constellation of stereotypes about gender (often amusing and incorrect) that they apply to themselves and others (Martin, Ruble 67). This type of thinking in young children is understandable, especially with media images children are consumed by. In the case of Disney images, clear steps have been made to portray male characters as having certain traits that female characters do not have, and are rarely shared. Also because of the way

the children look at the world in absolute terms during this phase, they make massive generalizations that if one image displays males or females in a certain light, then all members of society fit that criteria; but if they do not, something is wrong with that person. In Disney films, depictions of characters that fail to meet the societal norm of gender are deemed villains. Gender-Schema theory is very similar to Polarization theory. In many ways, it works in addition to Polarization theory to develop gender constructs in children. This theory is defined as a theory “based on the idea that children form organized knowledge structures, or schemas, which are gender-related conceptions of themselves and others, and that these schemas influence children’s thinking and behavior” (Martin, Ruble 67). Even though there are many differences between these theories and concepts, both are centered on the understanding that gender is taught during a child’s development, is constantly reaffirmed throughout life, and the many aspects of gender that are taught, have little to nothing to do with genitals. In fact, it appears that children cultivate an understanding of cultural cues about gender before they comprehend sex traits, challenging the fundamental understanding that gender comes from a person’s biological sex;…although fully 80 percent of American two-year-olds can readily distinguish malesfrom females on the basis of purely cultural cues like hairstyle and clothing, as many as 50 percent of American three and four years-year-olds still fail to distinguish males from females if all they are have to go on are biologically natural cues like genitalia and body physique (Bem114).

images of princesses, but these highly gendered displays have a more powerful role on a child’s development than most parents realize. Due to the fact that Disney’s images are contextualized in such an innocent light of animation and music, it is easy to forget how dominant Disney culture is in the lives of young children. “Disney and its princess phenomenon have been identified as a powerful influence on children’s media and product consumerism, contributing to a new “girlhood” that is largely defined by gender and the consumption of related messages and products (England 557). The Disney franchise understands that “Pink, it seems, is the new gold” and they plan to keep it that way (Orenstein 1). The princess brand has brought together eight heroines, old and new, and “homogenizing them by highlighting their common beauty ideal and washing out their slight variations in personality” creating the prefect traditional woman that any young girl can be molded into no matter their race, socioeconomic class (Wholwend 66). Walt Disney brought the phrases “happily ever after,” “prince charming”, and “loves first kiss” to the masses with his works, which established not only traditional notions about gender, but also standards for heterosexual relationships. Even in the twenty-first century, a time of evolving gender equality and new age feminism, Disney princess films are still gilded as wholesome, family friendly films and a healthy alternative to the evil, sexualized images of reality television. Under close examination though, it is obvious that Disney princess films, as innocent as they may appear, have strong gender messages that are arguably just as detrimental as more explicit forms of media that children are shielded from.

Children are more aware at a younger age of the social cues created about gender than they are aware of the basic physical biological aspects of males and females. This introduces the idea that even without biology, there could be gender. With evidence such as this, the question becomes if children are learning gender from images, such as those produced by the children’s entertainment mogul, Disney, what perceptions about gender are these images teaching. The number of oppressive gender images, especially those conveyed through the female characters found in Disney films, is shocking. These gender notions are taught as the societal norms to viewers, who are typically young children. These viewers absorb these ideas when viewing these seemingly innocent

Painting Christina Nurczynski’14

“Who is the fairest of them all?” is one of the most iconic phrases that provided the opening of the first full length Walt Disney film, Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Even this simple, seven word phrase delivers a powerful directive about the female gender. This question is asked repeatedly by the evil Queen to the image of a male face with a deep masculine voice that is personified as the mirror. This scenario tells children that male figures provide women with approval, and that women should desire to achieve this approval when it comes to physical beauty. From the moment the Queen is told that she is no longer the fairest of all women, she becomes consumed with the need to obtain male approval and that can only occur with the death of Snow White. This presents the notion that if a woman does not have beauty, then she does not have power. The film is essentially based on the tale of two women, the evil Queen and Snow White, competing for the approval of a man; a man who is, of course, none other than the prince. Snow White appears to be unaware of the competition because for Snow White, being an image of femininity comes naturally to her. Snow White is first shown as doing domestic work as she sings about finding the man of her dreams, hoping that he will come and find her. She is described as being a beautiful, young woman with feminine curves of an adult, accentuated by her dress and the bow in her hair, though she has the innocent and very high- pitched voice of a child. Even when Snow White moves from place to place, she seems to dance as walking is not feminine enough for her, perpetuating the idea that a woman always must present herself with an air of grace. During the first interaction between the Prince and Snow White, the young girl flees from him like a skittish animal, always needing to be protected by the great walls of the castle she lives in. The evil Queen expresses the other side of the gender spectrum; she has masculine qualities, such as being violent, having a deep voice, wearing dark colors, being completely independent of a male companion, demands authority and control over men. There appears to be an ongoing theme in Disney films of the portrayal of women that challenge male authority, or woman in positions of control being casted in a sinful light.

go off to work at their physical job in the mines, Snow White remains home to take care of the house. It is when Snow White is left alone, that the Queen is able to attack her, a time when Snow White had no male to protect her, leaving her vulnerable to make poor decisions, such as letting strangers into the house. Even after the evil Queen casts her spell over Snow White, she is deemed too pretty to bury and even in her believed state of death is preserved in a glass casket so she can be used as an image of pleasure for those who pass. Teaching that even a dead woman is worth preserving, though she cannot think, move, or speak, her main purpose of being a visual ornament remains maintained. Twelve years after the creation of Snow White, 1950 Cinderella continued the domestic princess legacy. Once again, the villain of the story is an overtly masculine and authoritative woman, Cinderella’s stepmother that has run the family household alone since the death of Cinderella’s father. This projection of independent women once again develops a fear in children for those that do not conform to traditional gender constructs, these people are not just different but evil. Cinderella is the epitome of the ideal that women are to be passive, obedient servants, she has the appropriate womanly skills as well, she is able to cook, clean, sew and she does it all in a dress with a graceful matter. No matter how her stepmother and stepsisters mistreat her, Cinderella is always willing to give more of herself for others. She is described as selfless, nurturing, and agreeable, the very traits that are desirable in a traditional wife and mother. In addition, this passive behavior communicates to young female viewers that degrading treatment by others is acceptable and if they embrace this treatment, they will be rewarded with their own Prince Charming, developing a culture of young women with little to no self-confidence. Through the interactions of the prince and females in the film, there are standards set for the romantic relations between men and women. From the announcement of the ball, it is expected that all of the eligible women in the kingdom will come to present themselves at their best, based purely on physical After the Queen forces Snow White out of her appearance, to the prince in hopes that he will pick home, Snow White takes on the mothering role for one of them; there is no example of a woman that the household of seven male dwarves. She tells the voluntarily chooses to not participate in the ball. At the dwarves that she will earn her keep if they let her stay ball, during which Prince Charming and Cinderella by cleaning, cooking, sewing and doing the wash. This are believed to have fallen in love with each other, their codependent relationship between the dwarves and only interaction is during a dance, in which they are Snow White teaches children that domestics are the never shown speaking to one another, yet they both only skills of value that women have to offer men, claim to be in love even though the prince does not establishing a later continued theme in Disney movies even know Cinderella’s name. In this scenario, beauty that “women are domestic and likely to marry” (Towbin has been deemed the determining factor in loving 31). This relationship sets the standard that men are relationships. When Cinderella realizes the time and naturally filthy and it is a woman’s job to clean up runs away from the ball, Prince Charming physically after them; being that men are much too busy with tries to prevent her from getting away, when she does, concerns that are more important. When the dwarves he sends knights to forcefully catch her, displaying

yet another Disney gender theme that males “are not in control of their sexuality” (Towbin 28). In the close of the film, it is Cinderella’s measurements that determine her status as Prince Charming’s one true love, displaying the importance looks have on female identity. After their marriage, the story ends like most of the Disney princess tales, creating the idea that after marriage there is no more to the story for women. The film Sleeping Beauty is centered on the perception that women are in a state of dangerous vulnerability when they are young and unmarried, and during the time prior to a woman being rescued by a man she is in a sleeping state. This displays the idea that women do not have meaning until they are paired with a man. Even though for most of the climactic action scenes, such as when Prince Philip defeats the evil witch in her dragon form, Aurora is asleep. During the period before the spell, she is viewed like the Disney princesses before her as a perfect woman. Aurora has long, blond, flowing hair, a tiny waste line, and is accomplished in dancing and singing. When Aurora is born the first gift that she receives from the fairies is beauty, she never receives any traits from the fairies based on intellect, showing that it is not important for a woman to be knowledgeable when she has been given the gift of beauty. After the masculine, evil witch threatens to harm Aurora, the fairies sneak her off to the woods, protecting her from the dangers of the outside world which is illustrated by the image of the witch furthering the idea that women have to be hidden away behind the protection of the home. Prince Philip, Aurora’s male counterpart, is able to move about the kingdom as he wishes because he is deemed strong enough to care for himself. When left unattended and unprotected, Aurora is attacked by the witch, displaying a warning to young girls about the possible harm that could befall on them if they do not remain protected at all times. This movie, at the same time, teaches young boys that it is their responsibility to protect women. Sleeping Beauty is a powerfully gendered story that teaches children that females are the weaker gender and it is the responsibility of males to save them. The Little Mermaid appears to have the introduction of the progressively modern image of Disney princesses. The main character, Ariel seems to break the tradition with her focus on adventure and

her willingness to challenge the authority of her father, her mother is never mentioned. The lack of a mother is a common trait in Disney films “absence of the mother from the tale is often declared at the start, without explanation, as none were required” (Do Rozario 52). Even with her great desire to be independent from her father, and her unwillingness to conform to the ways of the kingdom Ariel does not see any problem with giving up that independence for her marriage to the love of her life, Prince Eric (Hynes 211). Ariel sees Eric doing his physical job as a sailor; she appears to be in awe of him and his strength. Due to the fact that she is a mermaid and he is a human, Ariel is told by her father that she is never to associate with him. Overwhelmed with her irrational feminine ways, she is willing to give up almost anything to spend time with her Prince. Providing children with the unfairly gendered belief that it is the woman job to make sacrifices to be with the man she loves. Left with no other options, Ariel goes to see the most evil creature in the ocean, the sea witch, Ursula. Just like the other evil women in Disney films, Ursula is portrayed as extremely masculine, having a deep voice, short hair, and holds a position of power and control. Ursula informs Ariel that there is a way for her to become a human, but it will come with a price, her voice. When Ariel asks, “If I become human, I’ll never be with my father or sisters again?” she is informed by Ursula “but you’ll have your man. Life’s full of tough choices, isn’t it?” (The Little Mermaid). This statement introduces the idea that young women are expected to be willing to give up their familial ties once they become involved with a man. Nothing should be as important to a woman as her man, not even her

Painting Christina Nurczynski’14

father. When the innocent Ariel asks Ursula how she is expected to communicate with Eric, if she is not able to speak to him, Ursula responds with these powerfully gender perceptions about the role of women, You’ll have your looks, your pretty face, and don’t underestimate the importance of body language, ha! The men up there don’t like a lot of blabber. They think a girl who gossips is a bore! Yet on land it’s much preferred for ladies not to say a word. And after all dear, what is idle babble for? Come on, they’re not all that impressed with conversation. True gentlemen avoid it when they can, but they dote and swoon and fawn on a lady who’s withdrawn. It’s she who holds her tongue who gets a man (The Little Mermaid). According to Ursula women are to be seen but never heard, though in the Disney films that came before The Little Mermaid, this message was never expressed in such bold terms it has been a recurring theme that has been seen all of the Disney Princess images. Ariel’s actions also reinforce the theme that without a man, a woman will never find happiness. After agreeing to the terms, Ariel is given three days to make Eric fall in love with her and have him give her ‘loves first kiss. Just as the other films, this story gives children the impression at true love occurs quickly, and with little knowledge of one’s partner. When the two lovers are left alone in a boat, sea creatures sing a song with a poignant message to Prince Eric telling him to “kiss the girl.” Within the song though there are less memorable comments made that Eric to be forceful and make a move without asking Ariel if she is comfortable first, and hints to the fact that she is unable to speak. This offers young viewers a disturbing understanding of idealized romantic relationships, in which the male partner is forceful when pursuing sexual behavior and the female partner, is unable to accept. Even with the early talk of adventure that Ariel dreams of, it is obvious that with the introduction of a male dominated romantic relationship, girls are expected to turn in those dreams for a wedding gown. Belle, from Beauty and the Beast, like her Disney Princess sister Ariel, had hopes of living a life of adventure, but that plan drastically changed with the introduction of the Beast in Belle’s small town life. Belle opens the film dancing around her town in hopes that she will finds excitement herself and her love of the books that she reads. Instead of being viewed as an intellectual girl, with an aptitude for learning, the towns refer to her as strange. The town’s people make offhand comments about how lucky Belle is such a pretty girl, because with odd habits like reading, men, normally, would not be interested in her. The first man that sees Belle as a love interest is Gaston, who is the image of masculinity, he hunts, eats large amounts, spits

and is covered in hair. All of these traits are deemed to be marks of a “real man.” When he first sees Belle, he tells his male friend that she is “The most beautiful girl in town that means she is the best,” and he intends for her to be his wife (Beauty and the Beast). Throughout the whole movie, it is clear that Gaston intends for Belle to be his wife. When he first asks her, he becomes aggressive, by turning over furniture and pinning Belle up against the door when she tells him that she is not interested in marrying him. It appears that in some ways Gaston sets the stage for Belle’s future relationship with the even more violent Beast. Belle comes into contact with the Beast when her senile father gets lost in the woods and wonders into the Beast’s castle looking for help, which leads to him being held prisoner by the Beast. Being a devoted daughter, and her father’s caregiver, Belle goes out looking for him. Selfless Belle martyrs herself for her father and promises to stay as the Beast’s prisoner for the remainder of her life, there by teaching young women to always be self-sacrificing for the men they love, even if that means giving up one’s freedom. The Beast displays an image of masculinity as wild, uncivilized, and in some way abusive : “He (the Beast) terrorizes his household staff. And he intimidates his lovely prisoner, as well. Although he isn’t violent with Belle, that always seems a distinct possibility. It is her poise and exquisite beauty that tame his savagery” (Maio 2). The romantic relationship between the two is unsettling due to the fact that Belle falls in love while she is being held, as the Beast’s prisoner. The film romanticizes a clearly abusive relationship. In the end, Belle’s womanly ways civilize the Beast and it is her devoted love that cures him of the curse. Establishing the gendered idea in children that it is the responsibility of women to “fit” troublesome men, and if she fails, it is because she does not truly love

him. This thinking removes the responsibilities of male behavior from men and places it upon women. Overall, the whole film is based on a powerful theme of men communicating through violence and having women provide them with a moral compass. With today’s expanding technology, children are now even more consumed with sources of gendered images. During children’s socialization by people, images, and customs around them, they develop not only definitions of what it means to be a man and a woman, but also where they themselves fit in those definitions. By the time children reach the age of about five, they have established an overarching schema about the rules of gender. Due to Disney’s powerful influence over productions and children popular culture images, the franchise undeniably has an effect on the way children understand gender norms, especially with Disney movies that contain the princess theme. While most viewers and parents are paying attention to fun songs and silly dances during these films, they greatly overlook the oppressive gender messages. In almost all of the Disney princess movies, women with authority that challenge men, are casted to be villains, such as Ursula, Maleficent, Cinderella’s Stepmother, and the Queen in Snow White. While these evil women were portrayed as masculine, the princesses are seen doing their domestic duties as traditional women. As young girls are being taught the importance of a clean home through the behavior of princesses, young boys are learning unhealthy and dangerous ideas about their role of dominance over women. Repeatedly, these ideas are centered on abusive habits. In addition, by the end of the films, all of the princesses are saved by their princes and the stories always fade with either a marriage or a some kind of romantic commitment between the main characters.

Disney films prove that no matter how harmless an image may appear, gender constructions can be found all over society; especially in children’s productions. Parents must be aware of what their children are being exposed to because children are the most susceptible audiences to oppressive gendered ideas. Works Cited

Beauty and the Beast, Dir. Gary Trousdale, Kirk Wise. Perf. Paige O’Hara, Robby Benson, Richard White, 1991. Film. Bem, Sandra Lipsitz. The Lenses of Gender: Transformating the Debate on Sexual Inequality.” New Haven: Yale University Press, Print. Cinderella, Dir. Clyde Geronimi, Wifred Jackson, Hamiton Luske. Perf. IIene Woods, Eleanor Audley, 1950. Film. Do Rozario, Rebecca-Anne. “The Princess and the Magic Kingdom: Beyond Nostalgia, the Function of the Disney Princess.” Women’s Studies in Communcations. 2004. 34-57. Print. England, Dawn Elizabeth et al. “Gender Role Portrayal and the Disney Princesses.” Spring Science and Business Media. 2011 Feb. 10. 556- 567. Web. Hynes, Ashlee. “Raising Princesses? Gender Socialisation in Early Childhood and the Disney Princess Franchise.” Critical Social Thinking: Policy and Practice. 2010. Print. The Little Mermaid, Dir. Ron Clements, John Musker. Perf. Jodi Benson. Samuel E Wright, 1989. Film. Martin, Carol Lynn and Diane Ruble. “Children’s Search for Gender Cues: Cognitive Perspectives on Gender Development.” American Psychological Society. 2004. 67-70. Print. Maio, Kathi. “Disney’s Dolls.” New Internationalist 308 (1998): 12. Academic Search Complete. Web. 1 Apr. 2013. Orenstein, Peggy. “What’s Wrong with Cinderella?” The New York Times 24 December 2006: Print. Sleeping Beauty, Dir. Clyde Geronimi. Perf. Mary Costa, Bill Shirley, Eleanor Audley, 1959.Film. Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Dir. William Cotterell et al. Perf. Adraina Caselotti, Harry Stockwell, 1937. Film. Twobin, Mia Adessa, et al. “Images of Gender, Race, Age, and Sexual Orientation in Disney Feature-Length Animation Films.” Journal of Feminist Family Therapy. 2003. 20-44. Print. West, Candance, and Don H. Zimmerman. “Gender and Society.” Sage Publications, Inc. 2 June 1987: 125-151. Print. Wohlwend, K.E. “Damsels in Discourse: Girl’s Consuming and Producing Identity Texts Through Princess play.” Reading Research Quarterly. 2009. 57-83. Print.

Ballet Inspired Sculptures Melinda Mondock’14

Women and Gender Studies Program Events in 2013- 2014

The Second Annual Elmira College PRIDE Symposium

Our Big New World: Gays and Lesbians in a Changing Society Keynote Speaker: Dr. Sara Warner Dept. of Performing and Media Arts Cornell University Author of Acts of Gaiety: LGBT Performance and the Politics of Pleasure

My painting, Youthful Indiscretion, though at first glance appears to be only about the conflicting relationship between religion and science, it is also about the complicated relationship between mother and child. In the painting the child is being supported by hands coming from the darkness, showing the support and sacrifice provided by mothers that is too often forgotten by children. I hoped that by blacking out the Madonna that viewers will wonder about her absence and in turn recognize the importance of mothers. This painting asks viewers, are you putting your mother in the darkness? Anna Jantz’14 19

Quiet Desperation

Drawing Jinsy Jacob’15

The hope was to render an individual in her current circumstances of life. The woman you see before you is at a standstill of sorts. Many describe this period of her life as one that should be carefree. Instead, what she sees is a state of mind that has entrapped her. Unable to control its effects, she withers and feels the onset of complete body collapse. The sensation begins as such, chest palpitations, followed by pressure on the vocal chords and throat, loss of concentration, and inevitable hysterical tears. And so, she begins to pace furiously with a desire to rid her mind and body of such feeling. You may wonder why I have spoken of this situation through the context of a narrative. Sometimes, dissociation is the easiest to address our flaws and struggles. However, why is it then that I have decided to do this very image, to even convey my personal matters in words? It is when we speak openly of such issues that they lose their power, they lose their hold. Perhaps the ultimate goal of this piece was to not only convey the deadening effects of anxiety and depression, but also to revitalize the soul within that very body and mind. The hope here is to understand healing and its very possibility. Jinsy Jacob’15 20

(Untitled)

He sees a beautiful girl, She sees a shadow.

What a shame, What a fool, Feeling stupid in her shoes.

He sees the world in her, She barely sees the next day.

Dirty looks, Dirty thoughts, No escape is what it’s brought.

He believes in her, She wants to believe.

Will she learn, Will she care? Questions hanging in the air.

He loves her, She tries to love herself. He has found her, She is lost.

Feeling lost, Feeling blue, Nothing she can do.

He sees a beautiful girl, A beautiful shadow of a girl.

Trapped in despair.

A girl who doesn’t see herself clearly. He sees her for what she is.

Emily Castelli’16

She, she’s still looking, Trying to see past the shadow. Trying to understand The cruel, beautiful world. Emily Castelli’16

Collage Logan Hardy’17

Women and Humor (an excerpt) Lilly Pasty’16

“Before you open your mouth first ask yourself: Is this interesting to anybody?” This quote, taken from a“This American Life” podcast, is intriguing because of the statement it says about humor and women. Women are taught from a very early age that holding their tongue is the most important thing to remember in a social setting. I think that this is the main reason that feminists, and all women, have been accused of not having a sense of humor. Not only is unacceptable for a woman to say something funny, but in reality, women have been taught that silence is more conventional. This quote that I pulled, which was a rule given to Ninon by her mother, shows that women are taught that unless they have something interesting to say to a group of people, they should not say anything at all. Another interesting thing is the power that is given to women through the use of humor. Take for example this quote from Gloria Steinem’s “If Men Could Menstruate”: “What would happen, for instance, if suddenly, magically, men could menstruate and women could not? The answer is clear—menstruation would become an enviable, boast-worthy, masculine event: Men would brag about how long and how much.” Now first of all, no woman is going to talk about how long her period lasts or how much she bled in a positive way. When talking about their periods, most women will complain about both of these issues. This quote shows a completely new idea of menstruating if it were men that were lucky enough to live through it. This use of humor to state what would happen if men had periods instead of women allows women to show just how much the male gender is glorified in everything that they do. Men, regardless of their actions, are always seen as godlike figures simply because they have a penis. For instance, take the example of sleeping around. When a woman sleeps around with multiple men, she is considered a slut or a whore. But, when a man sleeps around with many women, he is considered a pimp or a badass. By poking fun at the thought of a man with a period, women are able to show that society is absurdly putting men on a pedestal for things that, if they were performed by a woman, would be looked down on and ridiculed. This ability to put a man in a woman’s place gives women the power to show society the truly unequal views that are given to both genders. A third issue that should really be discussed is the more serious points that can be made through humor that cannot necessarily be made through a more considered discussion.... A woman’s ability to use humor to discuss more serious political issues can allow women to make these issues more prominent without making them controversial. Although this is the 21st century, women discussing controversial issues is still a controversy in itself. Having the ability to talk about these controversies in a non-controversial way allows women to discuss important issues without be ridiculed for being women. Works Cited: This American Life podcast prologue “A Menstruation Story” Act One (7 minutes) http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/511/the-seven-things- youre-not-supposed-to-talk-about?act=0#play Steinem, Gloria. “If Men Could Menstruate” Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions. Henry Holt & Co.New York. 1987.

Painting Aubrie Nelson’14

Drawing Lauren Price’16

One of the main ideas that feminism sparks in me is the idea of never allowing anyone or anything make you feel inferior about who you are. Lauren Price’16 I believe that modern feminism is all about finding yourself and making your own choices. We should be able to make any choice we want, without label or stigma, as long as our choice does not hurt anyone, does not intrude on others’ personal freedoms. That is what third wave feminism is about. It is owning the “prude” and “slut” labels, so they become meaningless, no longer applicable. It is making decisions about careers and children, being able to pick one, both, or maybe even neither. Ana Reznikovskaya’16

Sketchbook Callan Little’16

Greek Women as Portrayed in Art Cynthia Marchionda ‘14 The role that women played in Ancient Greek society was a complex one. While they had virtually no political rights, they served very important purposes in the religious aspects of daily life, and of course their roles as mothers and wives were perhaps the most important of all. Ancient Greek artists sought to illustrate these important roles, and also use them as a metaphor for what it meant to be a “good” Greek woman by polarizing these illustrations with non-Greek people. These barbarians, as they were commonly referred to in many ancient writings, had many characteristics in common with the Greek women to whom they were being compared. But there were also some extremely important and sometimes subtle differences that distinguished the two from each other. These differences can be seen in various examples of art including black and red-figure pottery, standing sculpture, and temple decorations like friezes. It is important to first distinguish what it meant to be a good Greek woman. Numerous vases, statues and even some grave markers explain these ideas very well. One popular theme in Attic black-figure pottery that extended into the Classical period is the home textile industry. While women were not allowed to participate in politics, they were able to produce things in their homes and then sell them in order to make their families money. One of the major industries that women participated in was the textile industry. They would spin wool and create garments that they could then sell. One of the most famous and well known examples of this industry can be seen on the inner frieze of the Parthenon. The Panathenaic festival, which celebrated Athena, centered on the act of dressing the cult statue of the goddess in a new peplos. While most of the procession frieze on the Parthenon is made up of soldiers, men and other people as they make their way up the hill to the acropolis, the final segment shows the young women who are unfolding a peplos to put on the cult statue. They are the characters closest to the divinities at the very front of the temple. The placement of the women in the frieze and the act of weaving and placing the garment may indicate the divine and religious nature of the textile business, which was something that most, if not all, “good” Greek women participated in. Another important job given to elite Greek women during this time was the carrying of water in hydria. The act of collecting water has been the subject of many vases, often accompanied by satyrs. This was one of the only times Greek women were able to get out of the house and socialize with other women that were not their family, so it was an important place and job for them. An excellent

example of this in art is the scene entitled “Women at a Fountain House.” This scene was painted in black figure on a hydria. The scene itself is of six women standing between two ionic columns. One is leaning down to fill her hydria from a lion head spout. Several more women wait behind her for their turn at the spout, and two more are even further back. From the motions of their hands, it would appear they are in conversation about something. This piece is on display at the British Museum. However, the act of collecting water can link women with their important jobs at home, and also important religious ceremonies that required water to be brought to a temple or sanctuary. The subject of the aforementioned hydria is still being debated as to whether it is a religious or domestic scene. Religious ceremonies could include many different jobs, and one of the most important was the transportation of water from springs and fountains to be used in various ceremonies and purification rituals. A common religious ceremony in which water was transported using hydriae was during the Hydrophoria on the final days of the Attic festivals for Dionysos. These festivals were known as the Anthesteria. Wine from the “previous fall vintage” was sampled during the Hydrophoria, during which water was usually required to mix the wine. Also during this celebration, the dead were allowed to sample the wine, so water had to be transported to the cemeteries for them as well. Another job Greek women engaged in that became a very popular subject of vase painting was being a nurse or babysitter. Childbirth in itself was a huge part of women’s lives in ancient Greece, and it was mostly taken care of by women. Doctors were called in to assist only in a few select emergency situations. Thus, women were expected to be midwives and, occasionally, wet nurses. There are many examples in red- figure pottery from the Classical period that show a baby being passed between two adult women, which shows how important a job nursing was to Greek women.

It is usually only in red-figure that scenes such as that are found, however, due to the new-found interest in domestic scenes during this period. In sculpture, the Parthenon frieze and the entire building itself are good examples of Greek women and the importance of the textile industry. It also may show the importance of marriage in Greek life. While the Parthenon was built to celebrate Athena and the greatness of Athens, it shows several scenes throughout all of the decoration that have the theme of marriage. The Trojan War, which started because a non-Greek decided to “[subvert] civilised marriage-exchange systems” when he stole Helen is the subject of the northern metopes. Marriage is also a common theme on vase decoration, in addition to metope and frieze decoration. Although there is no evidence that there were any actual marriage ceremonies in ancient Greece, the Amasis painter depicted a procession on one of his vases in which the bride, bride’s mother, groom and guests all proceed to the groom’s house. The groom’s mother waits in his house with a torch. This particular vase was painted in black figure with a red background. It can be assumed that the only “marriage ceremony” involved some kind of torch-lit procession in which the groom leads his new wife to his house with both of their mothers present. There are also many vases that show gifts being brought to the new or soon-to-be bride, as a celebration of married life.

both used almost exclusively by elite women in ancient Greece. The pyxis is thought to be a kind of jewelry box or toiletry box, and the hydria, as previously mentioned, was used by women to carry water. Marriage scenes abound in this new period of Greek art. Two examples, one by the Eretria painter and one by the Mykonos painter, seem to celebrate the actual process of a woman preparing for her marriage. The Eretria painter’s scene on a pyxis shows the bride seated on a stool with a child in front of her lacing up her sandals. A woman behind the bride, possibly her mother, holds a pyxis. Two more women on the other side of the vase are lighting candles, probably preparing for the actual procession. As previously stated, these scenes show women the riches and wealth one may be able to acquire upon marrying. The Mykonos painter presents a similar scene in which a woman, probably the bride, sits on a stool in the center of the vase. She has a vase of the same type as that on which she is painted in her lap. Two more women surround her and present her with gifts. The scene is painted on a lebes gamikos, which was traditionally used in marriage ceremonies.

While Greek women did not have nearly as many rights as their land-owning male counterparts, there was one area in which women were able to experience a level of independence and importance that was almost unheard of, especially in ancient Athens. The occupation of priestess Later on the black figure vases were slowly but gradually was one of special importance to young women everywhere replaced by red figure designs, which was considerably in the ancient world. In ancient Greece especially, there easier for artists to craft and decorate. Red figure is also was a definite separation in the pantheon according to associated with the Classical age, which, according to gender, so naturally, that separation would come down to Boardman, saw an increase in male interest in women and the mortal world as well. Women predominantly cared for their activities. In general, the “women’s parlour” became temples associated with goddesses, and men were the usual a very common setting for most of the activity of vases, caretakers of the gods’ temples. Many temples for the gods which may indicate the rising status of elite women in the were also cared for by women, however. This important social sphere. This is because most vases were created and job was immortalized forever on vases, particularly red- sold by men, so men most often decided what should be figure, and stele. There is also much archaeological painted on those vases. The scenes themselves also give the evidence that supports the claim of elevated female status idea of happier women that do not have to work as often as due to the occupation of priestess. Thus becoming a women who were depicted during the black figure period. priestess was “publicly sanctioned and validated women’s Scenes of women playing with children and other women role in the community.” abound in red figure pottery, and also women getting dressed up with ornate jewelry and not celebrating cult The occupation of priestess was often inherited through rituals, but marriage. large wealthy families in ancient Greece. Through the study of ancient inscriptions, roughly twenty-five women have What is particularly important about this change in the been identified who served as priestess of Athena Polias in representation of women in art is the almost celebration Athens, which was one of the most distinguished offices of women in the home. A married woman was able to a woman could hold in the Greek world. There was a enjoy a happy life in her domestic sphere. This could be “great deal of intermarriage” between most of these women viewed as propaganda for young women, because this type and their families, which shows that they generally come of decoration was found predominantly on pottery that was from the same family group. It therefore could be seen used almost solely by women. Hydriae and pyxides were as an honor to be able to continue the family tradition of

becoming a priestess for Athena.

Treasury at Delphi and the Erechtheion in Athens. The treasury building has two life size women in front of it Along with pottery, statuary was another popular art form acting as columns. These statues are purely for decoration in Ancient Greece that showed the social differences and not for support, but one possible message can be between men and women and could therefore be considered discerned. Women support the home just by being there, propaganda. Numerous statues of various sizes have been and they often protected the family wealth. This rather static found that depict idealized young men and women that have representation may allude to the fact that women should been named kouroi and korai. The kouroi are models of the remain firmly rooted in the home, or else there is a risk of perfect male form and were usually found in temples and collapse from no support. sanctuaries. The men were always shown nude, and were often depicted in a stiff forward striding pose, reminiscent In art, “good” Greek women were often contrasted directly of the pose common for Egyptian pharaohs of roughly the with women from other cultures. These other women were same period. This contrasts sharply with the korai, or female almost always referenced as barbarians, simply because they statues. These figures were always draped in some kind of were not Greek. One of the best examples of this that can heavy cloth and their legs were almost always together. be seen in numerous works of art is the Amazonomachy. Differences between the types of statue go deeper than these There were a number of named and unnamed battles against two obvious physical contrasts. Because the male statues the Amazons in Greek mythology, and most of them are were depicted in the nude, it is assumed that the male body centered on Greek heroes like Herakles and Theseus. As was the example of human anatomical perfection. Because such, some famous amazons include Andromache, who women were covered in drapery and never shown in the fought with Herakles, and Antiope, who was queen of the nude, then, it gives the idea that women are not perfect amazons when Theseus fought them. and must therefore be hidden. Blundell implies that “the female…must therefore be seen as somehow less whole, less In general, the amazons were always depicted with white essential, less eternal than the male.” The arms of the korai skin, like their Greek counterparts so that they could still were usually in an uplifted position, where the kouroi usually be distinguished as women. However, particularly at the had their arms straight at their sides. While some have start of the Classical age, amazons started to be painted argued that this was to contrast with the legs, because the wearing armor that resembled Persian armor. The addition male legs were shown in action and the female legs were not, of Persian-like armor can be interpreted because of several it may actually be a reflection of the duties associated with different reasons. First, one of the proposed locations of each gender. Women would often carry their burdens on the mysterious amazons was in what had previously been their heads, and so often raised their arms in order to place the Persian Empire. Secondly, according to Blundell, things there or to balance them. Greek artists could not depict current events on their art work, especially sculpture, for fear of angering the gods However, korai were often found in temples and they were because they were gloating. Showing a generic scene like also often used as grave markers. Early korai, or statues an Amazonomachy in which the mythological enemy just constructed prior to approximately 550 BCE, would often happened to be wearing Persian armor was one way the have only one hand raised and it usually held a pomegranate. artists sought to avoid angering their gods. There could have The hand was either by its side or else raised to the chest been very serious political undertones to depicting amazons in a gesture commonly referred to as adoration or perhaps in art, especially considering the very prominent places mourning. This gesture could allude to one of the many in which they were displayed. However, what made the jobs women had the opportunity to hold, which was to be a amazons such a popular theme if they represented such an professional mourner. Wealthy men paid women to come alien idea to the Greeks? to funerals and mourn for someone who had passed so that person seemed far more famous and well loved. It was also Their popularity may have actually been because of their the women’s responsibility to mourn for family members alien nature. The amazons were always heralded as great who had passed as well. After the political reforms of warriors, able to conquer whole countries because they had Solon in the early sixth century, professional mourning was trained for war from a very young age. The Greeks probably technically made illegal, but it remained a large part of the respected them as the warriors that they were, even though women’s sphere of influence. they had never met the amazons in battle. There is also something inherently attractive about someone who goes In addition to korai, another type of sculpture that may against the social norms attributed to a specific group of reflect the roles women played in Greek society is the people. Because the amazons were so different, they became carytids, which were female statues in place of columns. The interesting for the Greek men who created these vases. most notable of these statues can be seen in the Siphnian

However, as popular as the amazons became to Classical Greek men, they were always depicted as losing the battle in which they were engaged. There are many vases and sculptures that illustrate this story and many of them can be considered “generic” Amazonomachy scenes. One particular vase of the Herakles Amazonomachy, however, illustrates the ideas discussed above quite well. The three amazons on the vase are depicted in armor, but they have very white skin to denote the fact that they are female. The amazon in the middle attempts to defend herself from Herakles’ attack, which will probably be a vain attempt. The other two amazons act as though they are about to attack Herakles, but in general, the women are shown to be on the losing side of the battle. This is an earlier black figure representation of the Amazonomachy. Another example of Amazonomachy in art is a sculpted metope from Halikarnassos. This metope from the High Classical Age shows several important points that have already been discussed. First, the males in the piece are all depicted in the nude except for their helmets. The two amazons do not wear armor, which is unusual. Instead, they are wearing robes similar to the daily life scenes found on contemporary red-figure pottery. One amazon is being clubbed to death by the victorious Greek warriors, while the other is being pulled off her horse. The difference in dress of these amazons compared to many others may represent a critical point in the idea of propaganda. Because these amazons look far more like the Greek women that may have been viewing these metopes, it could have served as a very real warning to these women. If they acted like the amazons, then what happened to the women in the metope may very well happen to them. Another popular mythological story that showed the concept of the “other” in Greek art can be seen in the story of Perseus and Medusa. Numerous vases and friezes exist to this day that depict the moment right after Perseus beheaded Medusa and was then being pursued by her Gorgon sisters. It was not until the Renaissance that the actual battle between Perseus and Medusa is depicted in art work. However, it is not the actual story of Perseus that proves to

be the propaganda in this myth. The reason why Medusa became a gorgon more directly relates to women and what it means to be Greek. Medusa was a priestess for Athena and worked in the temple. She was originally seen as one of the “ideal” Greek women outlined earlier. However, Poseidon saw how beautiful the virgin Medusa was and lusted after her. Considering her would-be suitor was a god, Medusa did not have much choice. Poseidon raped her in Athena’s temple, thus breaking one of the cardinal rules of being a priestess in one of the sacred temples. Although it was not really Medusa’s fault that it happened, she still greatly angered Athena by soiling the consecrated ground in her temple and thus took away her beauty and exiled her to a far-away island. This story served to impress in women’s minds everywhere what might happen if they angered the gods by acting against the rules instilled by the divinities. Engaging in sexual activities in a temple, especially one dedicated to a virgin goddess, even if it was not consensual, is not something a “good” Greek woman would allow to happen. As such, Athena’s decision to turn the once beautiful Medusa into a hideous gorgon and make it so anything she looks at turns to stone could serve as a reminder to Greek women. If they stray from their duties as priestesses, or even as good women, the wrath of the gods could be brought upon them. Again, Perseus and Medusa scenes were very common on pottery so most of them are considered to be generic. Most of the scenes that have survived today show Perseus running away victoriously with Medusa’s head tucked safely under his arm or in his bag while Medusa’s gorgon sisters pursue him. One vase shows Medusa moments after Perseus cut off her head with Athena behind her and Perseus just beginning to flee. The presence of Athena serves several purposes in this scene. First, Athena chooses to assist Perseus in his quest, so she becomes a kind of patron deity to him and all of the stories associated with him. Secondly, she can be viewed as the exact opposite of Medusa in everything she represents. Athena is a virgin goddess and is a good Greek woman, the only exception being that she is the goddess of war. Medusa defiled her temple as well, which may be another reason the two are depicted together. Art, as in other places in the ancient and modern world, served a political purpose in ancient Greece. It was used

as propaganda to teach women the correct way to behave so that they could be considered good Greek women. They did this by illustrating what constituted a good Greek woman on vases and other types of pottery often used by women. The potters and painters also sought to polarize Greek women against barbarians, or non-Greeks, by painting the non-Greeks in the form of monsters or simply being beaten. This propaganda served the purpose of teaching women what happened to those who did not follow the “norms” put in place by society. With the rise of red-figure pottery, there also seemed to be a sudden interest in portraying the woman in the home, thus more daily life scenes began to appear, and women became the sole subjects of many more vases than in previous periods. This style of pottery is a good example of how complex a role women actually played in Greek society. Although women had no political rights and could not own land, they could still gain some sort of power and influence through religion and many different aspects of home life.

A Waste

Works Cited

Corissa Comfort’17

Ancient Greek Art and Iconography. Edited: Warren G. Moon. Madison: University of Wisconsin Press, 1983. Boardman, John. Athenian Black Figure Vases. New York: Oxford University Press, 1974. Athenian Red Figure Vases: The Classical Period. London: Thames and Hudson Ltd., 1989. Blundell, Sue. Women in Ancient Greece. Cambridge: Harvard University Press, 1995. Connelly, Joan Breton. Portrait of a Priestess: Women and Ritual in Ancient Greece. Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2007. Women’s Roles in Ancient Civilizations: A Reference Guide. Edited: Bella Vivante. Westport: Greenwood Press, 1999.

Photo Matthew Feldman’14

My mother always told my father “Don’t buy me flowers, they will just wilt away and die.” But, if she was right, does anything have worth, if it just dies anyway?

Elmira College Women’s Studies Program: A Brief History of its Beginnings

letters to Dr. Meier, as well as from accounts from faculty. It seemed that many felt Julia was being manipulated and taken advantage of in order to get more money for the Allison Nobles’14 & Anna Jantz’14 college. At one point Julia’s sanity was questioned based on typos in her letters. Julia’s daughter was not supportive The Women’s Studies program started formally in 1990, of her mother giving more money to the college. Faculty though talks of beginning a program probably dated back speculate this was for the reasons listed above, as well as the to at least 1985. Candace Widmer remembered discussing open homophobia at Elmira College at the time. a women’s studies program with colleagues around this The women’s studies program was academic of course, time and shortly after a “Women’s Studies Task Force” but also incorporated travel, conferences, and public was formed. Bob Shephard explained seeing flyers for events. The first academic goal of the program was to Task Force meetings upon his arrival in 1987, trying to get generate enough courses for a major. There were a few faculty involved. Nancy Koshmann, Kathleen Gale and courses cross-listed as women’s studies courses, including Candace Widmer were instrumental in starting these Task human sexuality and women’s health. Faculty were paid Force meetings. The minor was approved in 1990 and in ($300 or $500) to write proposals for courses that could be November of the same year, Julia Reinstein announced her cross-listed as women’s studies courses. The introductory gift to create a women’s studies program at Elmira College. course, Women and Society, was designed to be team- taught in order to incorporate multiple perspectives. The Before Julia gave money specifically for the women’s program was one of the first to include team taught classes studies program, she funded the purchase of New York that were not in term III. Bob, Liz, and Jan all taught the State history books for the Gannett Tripp Library. After introductory course. Bob and Jan taught together multiple exhausting the purchase of New York State history books, times. Bob has taught with Nancy Koshmann, and Jan has Liz Wavle-Brown discussed expanding the purchase of books taught with Martha Easton. Liz taught with Diane Maluso. to issues relating to women’s history, women’s movement Professors who team taught were paid a full overload, and gay and lesbian issues. Julia later changed her gift for instead of half which the administration pushed for. It was the library to include books in these areas. Julia’s gift for often difficult to find professors to teach women’s studies the women’s studies program was officially announced in courses because of scheduling conflicts. One year there were November of 1990, though of course it was negotiated prior not two people willing to teach the introductory course and to its announcement. Her original gift included $25,000 from then on the course was taught by one professor. per year for three years, though she renewed her gift later on. A very small portion of Julia’s gift still remains and is A major has been discussed multiple times and it was the used sparingly by the women’s studies program each year. intention to eventually have a major. The biggest obstacle In the eyes of the program , Julia’s gift was meant to be seed is the lack of one person dedicated to the women’s studies money and it was the hope that the college would step in program. All of the professors involved have their own and take the program on. This never happened, though the departments as their first priority. Thus, it is extremely stipend for the coordinator of the women’s studies program difficult to plan for the future. Julia offered to give money is paid from the Academic Affairs budget. To manage for a women’s studies chair. However, Dr. Meier told Julia it Julia’s gift, an advisory board council was created in January would cost one million dollars and this was not something 1991 at Julia’s request. The board was in charge of making Julia was willing to do. This seemed to be one of those times decisions regarding Julia’s money. The advisory council when the administration sought to take advantage of Julia’s was made up of faculty, as well as a student representative gift. and a person from the community. Jan Kather remembers a woman from the YWCA serving on the board. Julia felt Some other important components in the beginning of it was very important to involve the community. Meetings the women’s studies program were conference trips and were open and inclusive. Anyone could attend. public events. Students and faculty attended the New York Julia seemed to be very invested in the college. She was State Women’s Studies Association conference and other particularly concerned with many of the faculty in the conferences every year in the beginning of the program. women’s studies program. There is correspondence The conferences were paid for completely by Julia’s gift. between Julia and Jan Kather in which Julia inquires about Sometimes students and faculty presented together. Jan Jan’s newborn son which indicates an emotional tie and remembers presenting once with Nancy Koshmann and friendship with some of the faculty here. Jan and Liz have a student. Conferences were also a great time to network even visited Julia’s home in Buffalo, NY. However, Julia’s with other women’s studies groups since this information relationship with the administration at the college seemed was not widely available on the internet as it is today. Jan to be much more formal. This was observed in some of her specifically mentioned these conferences being particularly

conscious raising, especially regarding white privilege. The conferences allowed those who attended to experience multiple perspectives in feminism. There were many public events associated with the women’s studies program, as well. Nancy Koschmann had a number of connections in Ithaca and therefore was able to bring speakers from this region quite often. Julia’s money was used to bring in speakers and this may be a reason that there were so many at the beginning of the program and many fewer now. Jan mentioned that various clubs like the diversity club and AGAPE (now PRIDE) would sometimes work to bring in more well-known speakers. Geraldine Ferraro was one of the speakers students met at a conference at Russell Sage College. The Reinstein Symposium was one event that was held at Elmira College each year. The symposium started with the program and was originally not intended to be run by students as it is now. Instead, it was set up as a conference to attract other scholars to attend. According to Jan, one year in the late 90s the conference was not going to occur and students stepped in. From then on it has had a student focus. In addition, the club Gender Issues group, currently the Women’s Studies group, was formed out of the creation of the women’s studies program. In 1992, when it was formed, it was called “Women’s Issues.” The name changed when one of the member’s boyfriends and his friends joined. They wanted to change the name to reflect a focus on stereotypes about men. However, some women decided they still wanted to meet separately to talk about issues specific to women without men involved so Liz met with them though she said these meetings were short-lived. It seems as though AGAPE and the diversity group worked closely with Gender Issues and according to Liz, had many of the same student s in all three clubs. In addition, in 1993 a student by the name of Kristen Baron (spelling?) restarted the magazine, Callisophia. Of course, there were and are still a number of issues with the program. Funding may have been the biggest of these issues. Julia’s original gift was only for three years and was intended as seed money for a program that would grow. This did not happen. Concerns about what to do when Julia’s money ran out can be observed from the beginning. Since the administration did not wish to take on this task, the members of the program were forced to look for funding elsewhere. However, there seemed to be a stigma about asking for money and they were specifically told that they could only solicit money from one decade of Elmira College Alumni, those that were already giving the least. It is clear that the administration did not fully support the women’s studies program. There is speculation that Dr. Meier and the administration would have prevented the program from even starting if Julia’s money was not

involved. There was the feeling that the administration was paranoid that those in the women’s studies program were trying to undermine Elmira College somehow, that they were being too radical. Another issue relates to involvement. As was mentioned previously, it was difficult to find professors to teach courses, especially to team teach the introductory course for the minor. There was not one person dedicated to the women’s studies program, so scheduling these classes was secondary to the faculties’ department obligations. Student involvement also presented an issue. Like today, many of the same students are involved in the related clubs. Today these are Women and Gender Studies Club, Voices for Planned Parenthood, and PRIDE. Getting men involved has also been an issue and still is an issue. Bob mentioned that only one or two men would take the introductory course, meaning there was only the possibility of several men minoring in women’s studies. Bob hoped that a male team teaching the class would make men more likely to join, but this seemed not to be the case. When the program began, it was very important that it based on equality and that people were paid what they were due, because it was a women’s studies program. Many of the founders, including Kathleen Gale, were adamant about women faculty acting as role models for students. It was important for them not to simply teach these ideas, but also to put them into action so they made a point to have women faculty hold lectures for students. Faculty were paid speak and give lectures, as well as to write proposals for new classes. In the meetings, decisions were originally made by consensus. However, it was difficult to reach decisions quickly and eventually the program became more hierarchical. There were also concerns about having a male coordinator for a women’s studies program. Bob declined when he was offered the position on the grounds that he does not have any special background or expertise in women’s studies. However, Charlie Mitchell did act as coordinator. Currently the women’s studies program does not hold meetings regularly. They will usually meet once formally during the year and also hold a social. There is a very small amount of Julia’s money that is left from her gift and this is used sparingly each year. In a discussion with Liz, Julia mentioned that more money may be coming to the program after her daughter dies, though it is unclear whether this is actually written in Julia’s will. The minor is now called Women’s and Gender Studies. A major has been discussed and proposed, though it does not seem likely that someone will be hired for position devoted (or half-devoted) to women’s and gender studies. Liz, Jan, and Bob reflected that the success of the program is really the students who become interested in these issues. They are

proud of the program because of the students that have come out of it. They also reflect on how much views of gender have changed since the start of the program. Gender has become a much more fluid concept and it appears the way we think about gender will continue to change. It is our hope that this reason, among many others, will keep women’s studies and gender studies alive, not just at Elmira College, but everywhere scholarly discourse occurs. Now What? This summary of the women’s studies program at Elmira College is by no means complete. Nancy Koschmann and Kathleen Gale should be contacted, as they were instrumental in starting the program. Jan can contact Nancy, but we need to find Kathleen’s contact information. Other faculty at Elmira that might be good to speak with are Charlie Mitchell, Diane Maluso, and Myra Glenn. I am sure that it would be beneficial to speak with Jan, Bob and Liz again. One interview has

been completed with Liz, Jan, and Bob together, but of course everything was not covered. When speaking to anyone about the program, it would be great to record the interviews and store them in the archives. Both Jan and Bob gave us access to their files and these definitely need to be sorted through more closely. Jan has the most materials, which include photos, Reinstein Symposium pamphlets, minutes and reports from committees and meetings, copies of Calliosophia, correspondence from Julia, as well as much more. Bob’s files are organized from 1987-2000 and include mostly minutes from meetings, but also some other materials. Bob mentioned donating these files to the archives. There are some folders already in the archives with information about meetings, public events, conferences and other things that should also be sorted through more closely. All of the notes we have taken for this project will also be stored in the archives.

Elizabeth Paolucci’s painting interested me because of the scanning icon that was painted on the faceless woman. I thought that was a very modern twist on the bar code or serial number. The icon, which can be used by smartphones to look up more information on brands and topics online, strips the woman of her identity and leaves her faceless. This says both that everything you need to know about a person can be found online, and that through the overuse of technology, we lose ourselves. The scanning icon takes away the humanity of the faceless woman, just as technology can take away our humanity as a whole. Danielle Raymond’14 Painting Elizabeth Paolucci’17

Reinstein Symposium Student Presentations

more masculine and more successful. Somehow, there’s no option to mix and match. She also expressed how Ana Reznikovskaya’16 princesses have changed and started doing things rather than just waiting around. She also brought up the very The Reinstein Symposium started off with presentations interesting point that we discourage girls from indulging from Elmira College students. They researched three in princess and boy band fantasies, but we do not do the feminist issues. The topics they covered included men and same with superheroes for boys. Finally, she pointed out feminism, the devaluation of femininity, and sexual assault. how it has become more and more normal for girls to be These subjects all seem to be interconnected, as most topics masculine, but not the other way around. regarding feminism generally are. Allison ended her presentation by asking whether or Anna Jantz’14 started by discussing the importance of not femininity is worth saving. I think that something feminism for men. She explained how in 1950s America, that needs to be initially considered before tackling men were portrayed on television as the perfect husband that question is the difference between biological and who could solve all of his children’s and wife’s problems. behavioral femininity. Even though feminists fight for She then described how this ideal gradually changed women’s equality, we are not stupid: we realize that men and men on TV started evolving into different roles: the and women are biologically different, mostly in our build teenager and the criminal. She described the teenager as and ease in developing muscles and body strength. I a married man who fits the norm, but who, unlike the would further argue that if a woman wanted to be strong fictional fathers in the 50s is not happy with this lifestyle. and muscular, she could develop that ability by training Instead, he rebels and lets go of his responsibilities. She at the gym, but that’s just an aside. Women’s bodies are cited Lester Burnham in American Beauty as an example. capable of carrying children; this, of course, leads to some Lester is the perfect husband and father. However, he is hormonal differences. We have mothering instincts. These not happy. His wife is cheating on him and he is slowly are feminine qualities biologically. However, if a man becoming enamored with his daughter’s friend. Lester fits wanted to become a nanny per se, he should be able to, the teenager role because he snaps and decides to shirk his if he has the necessary skills. There is no shame in being duties to the family. Anna defined the criminal as someone caring, even if it is feminine. We have to stop associating who does not want to be the moral compass of the family, masculine with good and feminine with bad. I think that but wants to be the “bad guy”. Walter White from Breaking is one of those societal norms that we have grown so used Bad is the example she uses. He is lives a normal life before to, but that is rooted deep in our subconsciousness and is a he starts dealing meth. He initially begins this business to major cause of sexism. help his family, but soon loses his interest in his family and only does it to break the rules. The last presentation was a lot heavier than the other two. Leita Powers ‘14 discussed sexual assault and violence I think this was a fascinating topic to explore. Many against women. She explained how there is a giant back extreme Men’s Rights Activists insist that feminists all hate log of rape kits and how many officers do not believe that men, complain about being placed in the “friend zone” a crime had occurred. Rape kits are evidence. Women and are utterly terrified of relinquishing the power they sometimes have to pay for rape kits and of course, they have in society, fearing that feminists aim to emotionally don’t always get tested. She also told us the surprising fact, (and maybe physically) castrate the entire male population. that marital rape did not become illegal until 1993, merely However, Anna brings up a great point. The patriarchy twenty years ago. hurts both men and women. Extreme feminists and extreme Men’s Rights Activists are not gonna solve the I don’t understand how these people who are supposed to issue. Little boys are told to “man up.” It is inappropriate be in charge of helping protect everyone, can be so callous for them to show feelings. Men are misrepresented in the in regards to rape survivors. I am personally terrified of media, as blundering fathers who need their wives to come rape, more than I am of being murdered (I know those are in and clean up their messes. There is injustice on both both relative extremes, but I’m trying to insert personal ends and I think it is wonderful that feminism can expand opinion). I could not imagine having to go through this to address it all. experience, having to live with the memory and then not being able to get justice for it. I do not believe that rape is a Allison Nobles ‘14 presented on how femininity is often crime in this country, since there is no repercussion for the valued less than masculinity in our culture. She discussed rapists and no consolation for the victims. There is a defect how this occurs in the workplace and how women are in our system regarding a very important and serious issue. stuck between being more feminine and likable and