THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE

THE SIREN FEMINIST MAGAZINE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE

THE SIRENS FALL 2014

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF SOPHIE ALBANIS

VISUAL DESIGN SOPHIE ALBANIS

ILLUSTRATION/ART

ALEXA VILLANUEVA ELISE SEDEY

PHOTOS KIARA KASHUBA

WORDS

MONICA NUNAN DOMINIQUE EHMIG KATHRYN BURNEY GABBY URENDA ALEXA VILLANUEVA MARINA CLAVERIA NAYANTARA JOHNSON HANNAH LEWMAN ZACH LUSBY SOPHIE ALBANIS

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OFFICIAL BUSINESS

The Siren is published and produced by the ASUO Women’s Center. We are the only student-led feminist publication on campus. It is our mission to cover contemporary feminist issues and act as an outlet for the creative and intellectual development of women. Our staff consists of an editorial board of Women’s Center staff who solicit contributions from volunteer writers and artists.

COVER, MASTHEAD, AND TABLE-OF-CONTENTS ILLUSTRATIONS BY ALEXA VILLANUEVA

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TABLE OF CONTENTS - FALL 2014 CONTRIBUTORS EDITOR’S LETTER NEAT/HURLS NEWS BRIEF NEWS BRIEF NEWS BRIEF ARTWORK FEMINIST OF THE ISSUE WELL ARTICLE WELL ARTICLE OUR BODIES, OUR HEALTH OUR BODIES, OUR HEALTH ON CAMPUS REVIEWS DO-IT-YOURSELF FEMINIST FUN MOMENTUM POETRY REAL TALK

04 05 06 07 08 10 11 12 14 15 16 17 18 20 22 23 24 26 27

CREDIT WHERE CREDIT IS DUE THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE CODING, SORORITY GIRLS, AND DISNEY PRINCESSES RAPE CULTURE UNWRAPPED THE INSTITUTIONALIZED INEQUALITY OF GREEK LIFE EMMA WATSON BRINGS FEMINISM TO THE MAINSTREAM VISUALS BY ALEXA VILLANUEVA JENNIFER FREYD: THE PSYCHOLOGY OF PATRIARCHY-SMASHING TERRY RICHARDSON: MENACE OF THE MODELING INDUSTRY IS THE GENDERING OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE HURTING US? THE “ANTI-RAPE CONDOM” DEBATE WHY THE EBOLA OUTBREAK IS A WOMEN’S ISSUE MEET THE 2014-2015 WOMEN’S CENTER STAFF SUMMER MOVIES AND THE BECHDEL TEST THE ART OF SELF-CARE HALLOWEEN COSTUMES FOR THE FIERCE-ASS FEMINIST PRO/CON: WEAPONS FOR WOMEN STILL ALIVE SIXTY MORNINGS AFTER THE FIRST TIME

contributors

MONICA NUNAN

Monica is a sophomore at the UO majoring in Women’s and Gender Studies and English. Her talents include watching days of uninterrupted supernatural crime dramas, knitting a scarf in, like, four hours, and getting too excited about dogs and bubble tea. She spends her free time taking Buzzfeed quizzes, going to shows, and thinking of new ways to smash the patriarchy over ‘za with friends. Feminism is a huge part of her life and who she is, and it has positively affected every facet of her life. She couldn’t be happier to be a part of the Siren team, and she hopes that her writing can interest and support others in any way!

GABBY URENDA Gabby grew up in the oh so conservative town of Salem, Oregon, where being a liberal democrat AND a vegetarian was a sight to see. Lately, she’s developed an obsession with photography and doesn’t mind taking a hike once in a while. She is passionate about dogs, being Mexican, tennis, and bread. She is also majoring in journalism with a minor in Women’s and Gender Studies.

Gabby plans on using her journalism powers to bring awareness to social justice issues all around the world. After she’s established world peace, she plans on adopting all of the dogs from the animal shelter and teaching them rad tricks.

ALEXA VILLANUEVA Alexa is an Interior-Architecture major who daydreams about designing a personal library in her future home and swimming pools filled with nothing but cream cheese frosting. When she isn’t busy in the studio, she enjoys sippin’ on green tea and discussing feminist ideas and women’s issues with anyone willing to listen. As she enters her junior year at the UO, she hopes to continue on painting whimsical little worlds, learning to play more songs on her ukulele, and contributing more of her art and writing to the wonderfully powerful Siren magazine.

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THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 4

EDITOR’S LETTER

S E X UA L VIOLENCE: THE ISSUE AT HAND O

PHOTO BY KIARA KASHUBA

ver the last few weeks, as I was putting together the magazine you now hold in your hands, compiling all of the articles, poems, and artwork from each of THE SIREN’s brilliant contributors, it occurred to me how fitting it is that we call this finished product THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE. Of course, we call it that because this issue of THE SIREN focuses primarily on subjects concerning the horrific form of oppression that is sexual violence against people of all genders. More importantly, however, the name demonstrates the urgency we must employ in addressing this trend. In short, we need to talk about this, the sexual violence epidemic that surrounds us—the sexual violence issue.

And there is perhaps no better time to talk about it than right now, the beginning of a new school year on a college campus that is—let’s face it—known for being less-than-effective in its handling of sexual violence cases. I’m sure I hardly need to remind anyone of the grim statistic that one in every four American college women will experience sexual violence during her academic career. As we enter the first weeks of another fall term in Eugene, so too do we enter the Red Zone—the period of time in which campus sexual assault is at its peak. And it’s no coincidence that THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE coincides with the Red Zone.

But the fact of the matter is, sexual violence affects everyone— men, women, children, people of all genders, ages, races, and religions. It does not discriminate, and it is entirely unforgiving. Every two minutes, someone in the United States becomes a victim of sexual violence. It is always the mission of THE SIREN to represent as many identities and experiences as possible. Consequently, we have included several articles that address sexual violence through perspectives that

differ from society’s dominant narratives regarding the issue.

For example, in “What About the Boys?” Marina Claveria explores the notion that sexual violence is a women’s issue and a women’s issue alone, a myth that has come to effectively silence thousands of victims who do not idetify as female. She argues that feminists fighting for sexual safety must broaden their cause to include victims of other, less “traditional” communities (page 15).

First-time contributor Zach Lusby gives a face to this issue in our back-page essay, “The First Time.” He explains his own experience with sexual violence and how it made him grapple with conventional ideas of victimhood and male sexuality. At the heart of Zach’s piece, however, is the belief that everyone—no matter their gender, age, or class—needs feminism (page 27).

In “Preventative Measures,” Nayantara Johnson explores the debate on rape-preventative devices like Rape-aXe, more colloquially known as the “anti-rape condom” (page 16). Do these inventions serve to empower women by physically punishing rapists, or do they act as an outlet for subtle victim-blaming? You be the judge.

All this and more awaits, dear reader! This being my first issue as Editor-in-Chief, I must also express my immense gratitude to each and every person who helped make this finished product possible, from the first-time contributors to the Women’s Center staff who provided support and encouragement. This magazine would be nothing without all of your hard work and fiery feminist passion! It is so very important that we have candid discussions about gender, violence, and sexual health, and THE SIREN’S contributors have taken excellent steps in assuring that these conversations are taking place on our campus. I look forward to the year that lies ahead for THE SIREN and its readers; may it be filled with knowledge, laughter, feisty feminist literature and, of course, positive social change! With that, we hope you enjoy THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE. Boom! Patriarchy smashed.

SOPHIE ALBANIS, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 5

NEAT/HURL NEAT: Google prioritizes girls

HURL: Hating on Sorority Girls

WORDS BY KATHRYN BURNEY Although computer science is a consistently growing field, few women are entering it. Google, however, is trying to change that. The company’s new initiative, Made W/ Code is a program designed to encourage young girls to pursue computer science. What’s important about the initiative is that Google has made the realization that young girls are potentially interested in coding, but that their interest diminishes as they get older. This is due in large part to societal conventions that discourage girls from pursuing STEM fields based on the stereotype that women simply aren’t as good at math and science as men. In a world where girls are expected to limit their skills and interests to fields that are perceived as less important or superficial, it’s not surprising that many are scared away by the prospect of coding. These societal messages produce very real results; after all, when you’re told over and over that you can’t do something, you begin to believe it—and you limit yourself. Google is taking this very seriously. The company have devoted $50 million to the program, which will create PSAs about female coders, reward teachers who encourage coding amongst their female students, and provide girls with beginning coding projects, such as making .gifs.

By attempting to make coding accessible for girls, Google is creating opportunities for women that they may not have known existed for them. Part of what makes the program valuable is that it features strong, remarkable women who use coding in their current professions, such as fashion design, choreography, and humanitarianism; the result is the portrayal of coding as an integral part of women’s occupations and lives. These role models, however, fail to represent more traditionally male-dominated math and science jobs, such as engineering or computer science. By representing a wider range of possible jobs, Google could expand upon their message that coding is for everyone.

Despite the program’s flaws, Made W/ Code is important to the future of women’s employment. As the job market becomes more and more competitive, Google’s validation of math and science fields as an option for girls serves to fight against harmful societal conventions that hold women and girls back, creating more diverse job opportunities.

WORDS BY HANNAH LEWMAN There are plenty of valid reasons not to join a sorority. These social organizations can be expensive, elitist, and time-consuming. Yet one of the most common reasons for not wanting to join a sorority is also one of the most misogynistic: “Girls are so bitchy.” Those who think they’re being progressive by slamming these institutions as frivolous hubs of sexism and painted coolers often go about their criticism in a very problematic way. Some of these critiques of sororities can be classified as internalized misogyny—the sneaky, pervasive sexism that teaches women to resent other women without even realizing it.

When people stereotype sorority girls as catty, emotional, uncooperative, overdramatic, gossipy, backstabbing “bitches,” they’re really taking a dig at all women. What they’re saying is that when women live together, when they take leadership positions, make decisions, and try to work cohesively, things are bound to turn out badly because those are not things women are meant to do, not things they are capable of doing well. And why would a woman, even a strong-willed and self-respecting feminist, believe and project such things about other women? It’s because these are messages that she has come to believe and internalize over a lifetime of exposure to negative stereotypes and sexist messages about women.

I’m not shaming the girls who have used this excuse, and I’m also not encouraging anyone to go out and rush. I’m challenging everyone to think harder about the language they use and learn to question the stereotypes they’ve been fed. It’s time to think critically and fight back against internalized misogyny, and this is just one of the many opportunities to do so.

So instead of focusing on how “bitchy” sorority girls are, lets call Greek life out for the right reasons. Let’s talk about the prevalence of sexual violence in the organizations, let’s talk about the fact that a recent Guardian article cites a statistic saying that fraternity brothers are 300% more likely to rape, let’s talk about how we can end this. Instead of funneling our attention and voices into stereotyping and making fun of “catty sorority sisters” let’s redirect our efforts to calling out the actual injustices in Greek life. We have voices and if they’re loud enough to perpetuate stereotypes, they’re loud enough to create positive change.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 6

NEAT: Battered Princess WORDS BY GABBY URENDA For as long as I can remember, I’ve known every word of every line of every song of every movie created by Disney—including (and most especially) those that feature a princess finding her prince and their life of “happily ever after.” I wanted that. As do many girls.

During the transition from childhood to young womanhood, most girls long for an ideal relationship. A princess, like Cinderella or Snow White, will endure and overcome anything to keep her prince. But as we all grow older, we begin to see this storyline for what it really is: bullshit.

Someone who seems to agree is an artist by the name of Saint Hoax, who recently created a Disney princess-inspired campaign called “Happily Never After.” The campaign features pictures of popular Disney princesses who have been badly beaten, sporting black eyes and bloody noses. While these are not meant to be comforting images in any way, it’s empowering to see an artist straying away from the glorification of Disney princesses and their princes.

“Happily Never After” also raises awareness that sexual, physical, and emotional abuse really can happen to any person, no matter how charming the prince may seem. Taking a stand with iconic images of Disney princesses allows young girls to ask, “When did he stop treating you like a princess?” Inside of each and every one of us, there is a little girl blissfully singing “Under the Sea.” The most important part of this campaign is that these little girls—both the real ones and the ones that live in our grownup hearts—realize that “ever after” is never too late to bring an end to violence.

RAPE CULTURE UNWRAPPED

NEWS BRIEF

The patriarchy wants you to believe that nothing is wrong. We’re not buying it.

WORDS BY DOMINIQUE EHMIG

O

f all the plagues upon our society, arguably one of the most pervasive is the influx of rape culture in every aspect of our lives. Almost every action and reaction that occurs is affected by rape culture—even nuanced microagressions that some may shrug off as merely imagined or taken too seriously. What is most frightening about the onslaught of rape culture is that many are not even aware of it or educated as to the effects—both tangible and psychological—that it creates. This ignorance is not entirely our fault for rape culture itself coaches the population into believing that nothing is wrong.

The definition of rape culture is rather nebulous; it is a concept that can be difficult to define under one solid meaning. Rape culture can, however, be summed up as the trivialization and normalization of rape and sexual assault amidst societal conventions, trends, and institutions. It is also the rationalization of misogynistic practices. There are many tangents of rape culture, some of the more prominent examples being victim-blaming, sex-shaming, the practices of the pornographic industry, and the presence of rape as a part of the vernacular. Each of these concepts have drastically affected the way our society operates, often in ways that our population is not aware of because they have been so ingrained into our way of thinking.

As far as assimilation of sexism into our daily lives goes, victim-blaming is a grandiose example as to how our motives of thinking have been altered by misogyny. Victim-blaming is the practice of relaying the occurrence of sexual violence as the fault of the victim, whether it be attributed to their dress, mannerisms, speech, etc. This practice is particularly harmful due to the implications it fosters—that rape is an uncontrolled phenomenon that will occur if a person exhibits certain behaviors. Perhaps most notable about victim-blaming is the notion that victims were “asking for it.” Victim-blaming creates the stigma that rape victims are to blame, which is incredibly harmful for obvious reasons; rape is an awful act of violence against a person, and one of the main psychological repercussions of rape is the feeling by the victim that it was somehow his or her fault. To feel such a way is incredibly detrimental to victims and their consciences, so to have a third party reinforce their feelings of guilt by stating that it is indeed their fault is incredibly damaging—not to mention morally cruel. Rape is never the fault of the victim, ever. To believe such a thing shifts blame away from the rapist—the only guilty party in the scenario of rape.

Another tangent of rape culture that is very present in our society is sex-shaming. Known more colloquially as “slut-shaming,” this practice involves shaming people—usually women—who participate in non-reproductive sex, wear certain types of clothes, or act in any manner that misogynists would consider immoral. Sex-shaming ties in directly with victim-blaming, for it states that not only is someone “depraved” for participating in specific acts, but that rape is the direct consequence of his or her actions. To say, then, that the behavior a person exhibits will result in rape removes the choice to behave in a way that is comfortable, and this is a violation of basic human freedom.

Another sickening aspect of sex-shaming is that women are sexualized in every aspect by the media, and are expected to be sexual beings.

When a woman does participate in these sexual activities, however, they are shamed. This double-standard cannot be solved by the changing of individual behaviors, but rather by adopting more open attitudes towards each person’s choices. It is necessary to make the realization

that a person is free to make whatever choices they feel regarding sex, and no person should be shamed for these choices.

One of the more overlooked aspects of rape culture, due to its supposed entertainment value and cultural impact, is the normalization of sexual violence against women, as perpetuated by the media, advertising, and the pornographic industry. It’s no secret that the media constantly bombards us with images that normalize rape and violence against women. One of the most pervasive examples of normalized violence occurs within the acceptance of porn and its widespread consumption across the country; it is a well-accepted and often jokedabout fact that most men consume porn on an almost daily basis. There are, however, many problematic aspects to the porn industry. One of the more prominent issues is that the premise of most videos involve dominance over women—many of whom appear to be underage and rather helpless. What is portrayed in these videos is not love or even real sex, and it is nothing romantic or admirable. More often than not it is a young women being treated objectively by a man, choked, thrown about, slapped; it is this idea of sex that has pervaded the minds of many men, and they have begun to assume that this is how all male-female sexual interactions should occur. Now, the point here is not to shame the women in these videos, or to shame those who participate in these sexual activities, but rather to point out that what is marketed as sexy and normal is indeed violence against women. In addition to the problems that occur in each individual video, the porn industry as a whole is massively misogynistic in treating its actors. Up-and-coming female porn actresses are often forced into videos with more violent actions, and not all of the sex portrayed is entirely consensual. The fact of the matter is, as time goes on consumers will inevitably want to see more—and this manifests in the form of growing demands for increasingly disgusting acts against women. Sexual violence has become the norm; it has become justified as an expected part of sex and an accepted part of society.

There are many more aspects of rape culture, most of which are routinely desensitized and ignored. Part of what makes rape culture so difficult to combat is its pervasiveness, which in turn makes the concept and its many facets so very difficult to explain and even more difficult to prevent. We must not forget, though, that for every misogynistic action, there is an adverse reaction to prevent it. While it is never the job of the oppressed to educate the ignorant, more and more resources for education are becoming available and accessible. It is not an easy task to combat rape culture, as it is a presence that is inescapable for women, but more education begets more progress. Another difficult aspect of reform is that critics often disparage feminism as exclusionary. This critique is untrue, as rape culture—and all other aspects that feminism combats—affects people of all genders, sexualities, and races, particularly those outside the gender binary and LGBTQIA folk. The point of fighting rape culture—and the point of feminism in general—is not to give advantages to any particular group of people, but to even out the inequalities that currently exist. Combating a culture that is ingrained into our minds since birth is not easy; it involves unlearning and relearning concepts of sexuality, privilege, and human rights. The first step is to teach others, and to constantly teach yourself. Reform for our culture is possible, but it starts with awareness. Only then can we begin to correct the misogynistic attitudes that surround us.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 7

NEWS BRIEF

“HE GRABBED MY ARM AND INSISTED I SIT NEXT TO HIM ON THE BED.” In the wake of several date-rape allegations against UO fraternities, one sorority member exposes the dark side of Greek life.

SUBMITTED ANONYMOUSLY

T

he Greek life system institutionally promotes traditional gender roles. Gendered interactions are a large part of going Greek.

Males are expected to exude masculinity through conventional traits: authoritative voices, dominant physicalities, even disrespecting women on some occasions through jokes and remarks. Women, on the other hand, are encouraged to err on their feminine side through behavior and appearance. There seems to be no leniency in between these standards. Although the Greek system at the University of Oregon is highly respectable for its values and philanthropic contributions, fraternities and sororities institutionally promote a gender and class divide that must be mended, because it is otherwise detrimental to its participants and the overall campus environment.

For many people, choosing to join a fraternity or sorority is what they call the best decision of their lives. A close group of friends living together in one house with themed parties and philanthropic events every weekend— it sounds ideal. My whole family, dating back to my grandparents, consists of people who have loved their Greek life experiences. So, naturally, I rushed during fall term of my freshman year, and I remain an initiated member of a sorority here at the University of Oregon. I see the perks of being in Greek life; there are many benefits, which is why the Greek system remains so popular. I like my “sisters,” but they are a different type of friend to me than other people around campus. Although I am grateful to have a bond with other young women through my sorority, I can’t shake the feeling that we wouldn’t be friends in the first place had they not evaluated my worth during rush.

During rush, sororities and fraternities look for potential new members who would be beneficial to their organization, be it through appearances, wealth, academic standing, what-have-you. Potential new members are objectified as their peers evaluate them based solely on how they present themselves during the rush process. In sororities especially, it can be a cutthroat practice. Girls undergo miserable conditions. I felt like cattle during rush. I was given a number, a schedule, and a book of what I was supposed to wear each day. I ruined my only pair of heels running from one chapter house to another, because if I were late I would be kicked out of the whole process. It’s no surprise to see a girl crying during rush week. I looked across the street and saw potential new members at fraternities laughing over a barbeque and joking with each other.

Sororities analyze potential new members down to the most excruciating of details, all on a shallow level. It makes me wonder if my sisters really want to get to know me as a person or just want me in their house for whatever benefits I could potentially bring to the table. This process, however, isn’t the way it is because of the sororities here at the University of Oregon. In fact, rush processes have been known to be much more harsh in other parts of the country. The entire developmental process of sorority and fraternity chapters has been a calculated tradition for generations. As a result, sororities and fraternities inevitably reproduce an atmosphere of inner conformity and outer exclusivity.

Each fraternity and sorority has generalized stereotypes of its members, whether they actively seek to perpetuate those themselves or not. At the same time, they elevate themselves on the social ladder in an attempt to convince others that their fraternity or sorority is desirable, the best opTHE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 8

tion. It turns into a marketing technique that says, “You aren’t cool until you’re one of us.” All of the initiates are expected to conform to that image, as well. This attempted superiority complex excludes other community members on campus, making it more difficult for others to join.

Additionally, Greek life requires money. Thousands of dollars are expected each year just to be a member, along with appreciated donations. One needs specific clothes to wear, because the group should match. One should be able to spend money on trips with his or her fraternity or sorority; otherwise, he or she does not get the full bonding experience. One needs to have ample time to spare for required events and contributions. The organization oftentimes expects a member to skip out on work for a Greek life event. Working students and those with financial aid are likely to struggle in the Greek system. There is financial help, but not nearly enough to make a difference for many. As a result, the majority of the Greek life system is made up of wealthy students. Only the privileged can pass into the Greek system, and this manifests itself in extremely low levels of diversity throughout the Greek community. There are few minorities in Greek life when compared to the University of Oregon’s total minority population, and this is due in large part to the American wealth gap that has been perpetuated by institutionalized racism.

Racism is incredibly difficult to avoid in a system that advantages the financially and socially privileged. Due to the Greek system being predominantly white, many Caucasians in fraternities and sororities don’t even recognize their own positions of power. They may not think twice about racial differences in Greek life because it seems like the norm to them, which is why their white privilege is never questioned.

As a result, many participating in Greek life contribute to racism on the University of Oregon campus, usually without realizing it. Minorities are not expected to be a part of fraternities or sororities, so they are less likely than their Caucasian peers to be accepted in such a social situation. An African-American sorority member at the University of Oregon explained, “It’s difficult because these are your sisters and friends.

It’s uncomfortable to bring up race, but it’s evident to me that white girls are still favored over colored girls. I love my sorority; I think it all reflects society as a whole.”

Traditional gender roles dictate behavior between and within fraternities and sororities. Girls are expected to spruce themselves up with perfected makeup, hair, and outfits. Each organization’s individual aesthetic must be so pristine and coordinated that girls are told to wear very specific outfits on many occasions. This is no different than the dress codes in school and the workplace that dictate women’s clothing and self-expression. Girls in sororities oftentimes even threaten their peers if they do not conform to the collective image. One cannot wear a black dress on preference night, and if ones does, she will not be given a bid by her favorite sorority. Girls may be quickly and easily rejected based on the clothes they wear. Especially during recruitment season, girls are faced with actual consequences if they do not conform to the

specific dress code. This is a form of body-policing that unjustly punishes those who do not conform. It is objectification to insist that girls exaggerate their physical features in order to impress other women. On top of that, purchasing so many clothes for single occasions is not an accessible luxury for most women. While this further excludes those who do not find the value in various types of heels, it also objectifies women by equating their social worth to their physical appearances.

This perpetuates the idea that a woman’s image is an outward manifestation of her personal worth.

Women are further showcased like models and dolls in their interactions with fraternities. During functions, men flaunt their masculinity while women seek their approval. Fraternities even elect “sweethearts,” or sorority women who are decided as favorable. They are paraded with a title and a weekend trip with the fraternity. The whole affair resembles a pageant that decides which girls are worthy enough to earn the fraternities’ approval. While being a “sweetheart” seems like harmless fun with the boys, it reflects a mindset where women are subjected by dominant males who decide their overall worth. Both fraternities and sororities alike contribute to the objectification of these elected sweethearts by establishing her individual value as something based wholly on how a group of men view her. It further creates a problematic atmosphere for other women, because it implies that those who do not please the fraternity boys are not worthy of recognition.

During my entire time spent with sororities and fraternities, I have never met or heard of a Greek-affiliated member who outwardly identifies as LGBTQ. The relations between and within sororities and fraternities promote a traditional gender binary for cisgendered people. I can imagine an LGBTQ community member having a difficult time feeling accepted amongst the strict gender roles promoted by Greek life. A gay male student revealed, “Even though I feel comfortable in my own skin, I definitely feel that there is an unspoken exclusion of outed queers in Greek life. If you find the right group of people that you connect with, it’s great, and sexual orientation doesn’t matter. But I’m not exactly sure why more LGBTQ members aren’t in Greek life.” This student wished to be kept anonymous for fraternity recruitment reasons.

Not only are the social implications of Greek life problematic, but there are physical dangers that arise as well, particularly for women.

Fraternity functions can oftentimes feel almost predatorial, as men seek and sometimes expect sexual favors from women. Men are frequently taught that they should make the first move in seducing women, so sometimes they might take overly-assertive measures to ensure success.

“

I should not have to purchase pepper spray, whistles, or color-changing nail polish to protect myself from roofies.

I experienced this personally at the first fraternity function I ever attended. I was talking to a guy, and he invited me to another room to hang out. There were many other people in the bedroom we walked into, but a few minutes after we arrived, everyone left. Another boy closed the door on us behind him, suspiciously just leaving the boy and I alone. I felt uncomfortable and made an excuse to leave, but the boy grabbed my arm and insisted that I sit next to him on the bed. I told him I didn’t want to and headed for the door. He blocked the door and told me I was too drunk to leave. I clearly was not. He started to pull me away from the door, so I pushed my way past him and back into a common area of the house. This is threatening behavior that should never be condoned, but the Greek system only serves to contribute to a rape culture that normalizes predatorial behavior by men.

For example, Delta Tau Delta and Sigma Epsilon at the University

NEWS BRIEF

of Oregon have recently faced allegations regarding their possession of roofies. Unfortunately, sexual violence is considered typical on college campuses, especially at parties and amongst freshmen girls. But contrary to popular belief, women do not owe men sex. Women should not walk into a social setting and have to fear for their safety. Women and their bodies should be respected as people, not dolls made available to satisfy someone else’s needs. I should not have to purchase pepper spray, whistles, or color-changing nail polish to protect myself from roofies. As much as precautionary measures can be important, consent between a couple should not be a difficult concept to grasp. If someone is intoxicated, they legally cannot consent to sexual activity. A preceding, sober, and sincere “Yes” is necessary communication between sexual partners to prevent unwanted sexual violence The Greek system perpetuates superiority and insecurity complexes alike. While fraternities and sororities may gain a sense of pride by creating exclusive environments, the shallow processes involved in joining them may foster self-esteem issues based on one’s perceived social worth. The highly gendered standards of male and female behaviors further exclude those who do not conform to those expectations—a possible explanation for why LGBTQ- and trans-identified people are rarely found in Greek organizations. Steep financial requirements further restrict those of middle and lower classes from participating, effectively excluding students of color, as well. Greek-affiliated chapters can be exclusive, but also dangerous to those involved. In a patriarchal culture where men dictate women’s value, women are expected to please the men around them. Rape culture is most prevalent at universities, and while our campus has many resources and activists, college students remain at an abnormally high risk of sexual violence. The Greek system perpetuates many problematic mindsets and practices that should have been eradicated long ago. Nonetheless, I have hope that by spreading awareness and raising voices, a difference can be made on the University of Oregon campus.

The way Greek systems function across the country institutionally perpetuate these methods and trends. I am entering my second year with my sorority here. I have grappled with internal conflicts on my feelings with Greek life the entire time. I witness racism, sexism, and classism far too often. But while I believe that the traditions are problematic, the people I have met are reason enough to stay. At the end of it all, the core values of bringing students together over common traits and goals is admirable. While sororities and fraternities can be shallow, they also seek positive qualities in potential new members, including kindness, generosity, and sincerity. Sorority life can be progressive towards women’s rights as well, despite being regressive through upholding outdated traditions.

Greek life’s philanthropic and charitable events give women an active voice and influence in the community. Sororities can help provide a platform for women to make a difference in their communities. I encourage people to rush if they desire to; there are many benefits to being involved in Greek life. But as with any powerful institution, exposing the flaws within Greek life is important for raising awareness and creating social change. While I understand that time-honored traditions like these are not easily changed, I hope that with more awareness and compromise by Panhellenic and Greek organizations, the University of Oregon can combat potentially negative social results.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 9

NEWS BRIEF

EMMA WATSON, HEFORSHE, AND THE PITFALLS OF MAINSTREAM FEMINISM It’s hard not to love Emma Watson. She’s got the Girl Power thing down, having brought the feisty Hermione Granger to life and now settling into her role as UN Women Goodwill Ambassador. Some have hailed her recent speech at UN Headquarters as a “game-changer.” But just how revolutionary was it?

WORDS BY MONICA NUNAN

W

e want to burst with hoorahs and great feminist praise for Emma Watson, her heartfelt speech at the UN, and the new HeForShe campaign. We want to—but the reality is much less rose-colored. My intentions in writing this piece are not to put down Emma Watson, her peers, or her fans, and I do not want to exclude them or anybody else from taking part in discussions of gender inequality. Rather, I am here to push mainstream feminism to embrace a more inclusive, educated stance.

As an ambassador for UN Women, Watson was given the task of introducing the new HeForShe initiative. The campaign’s mission is to get men involved in issues of gender inequality, because men are also negatively governed by gender, and what helps women overcome inequalities can also help men.

Watson even formally invites men to fight for equality in her speech.

The gist of Watson’s speech and the campaign itself are not completely without warrant. Yes, men do struggle in the wake of gendered stereotypes and, yes, everyone would indeed benefit from a dismantling of the patriarchy. But it is one thing to be governed by ideas of masculinity and not be allowed to cry. And it is something entirely different to be systematically denied full status as a human being based on your gender.

One in four women will experience sexual assault in their lifetime.

On the other hand, only one in seventy-seven men will become victims

of sexual violence. The average white, cisgendered woman earns 77 cents for every dollar her male counterpart earns, and these numbers are only more shocking for working women of color. Trans women are the single most at-risk group for sexual assault. All of these things Watson seemed to have missed in her discussion of gender inequality.

Since the beginning of the movement feminists have called on men to mobilize for the cause in the name of shared equality. It is great that Watson wants to invite men to answer the call of feminism, but she isn’t the first to do so, and in that sense, her speech isn’t all that much of a “game changer.” The only problem with a patriarchy is that, at its core, it benefits the male gender and masculinity. The gender rules that keep dudes dry-eyed are the same rules that also allow them male entitlements—to women, to public spaces, to higher pay, to safety, etc. It starts to become clear why feminism hasn’t really caught on amongst frat guys.

Obviously, Watson’s speech was not all bad. In fact, I want to commend Watson. She’s given a voice to the idea of feminism as a mainstream form of thought, but she isn’t quite there yet. Her views are simplistic and palatable for a conventional, uncritical audience. But to say the very least, Watson has created a larger discussion of gender and feminism that is widely accessible, and if or when she delves deeper into the cause, she could be a force to be reckoned with.

EQUALITY:

BETTER THAN SEX. WRITE FOR THE SIREN. THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 10

VISUALS

ARTWORK

ART BY ALEXA VILLANUEVA

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 11

FEMINIST OF THE ISSUE

INSIDE THE MIND OF

JENNIFER FREYD:

WHERE FEMINISM MEETS PSYCHOLOGY

BY THE TIME SHE WAS 29, JENNIFER FREYD HAD ALREADY ACCEPTED A TENURED POSITION IN THE UO’S DEPARTMENT OF PSYCHOLOGY. NOW, SHE IS AN INTEGRAL MEMBER OF THE UO’S TASK FORCE TO ADDRESS SEXUAL VIOLENCE AND SURVIVOR SUPPORT—NOT TO MENTION A HIGHLY ESTEEMED MEMBER OF THE AMERICAN PSYCHOLOGY COMMUNITY. FREYD’S WORK HAS EVEN INFLUENCED PRESIDENT BARACK OBAMA IN HIS EFFORTS TO CURB SEXUAL VIOLENCE, BUT MOST IMPORTANTLY, FREYD STANDS UP FOR STUDENTS IN THE FACE OF A SEXUAL VIOLENCE EPIDEMIC.

RIGHT: From right to left, Gloria Steinam, Freyd’s daughter Sasha, Robin Morgan, and Freyd herself share a meal and each other’s company earlier this year. Freyd refers to both Steinam and Morgan as “astonishingly important feminists that I am lucky to count as my friends.”

INTERVIEW BY ALEXA VILLANUEVA

S: Can you please tell us about your educational background and past work experience?

JF: When I was in high school, I dreamed of becoming a judge and then a US Senator. I wanted to change the world. I went off to the University of Pennsylvania. In college, I got involved in local politics. I was elected to be a Committee person for the Democratic Party in my area. I also ran as a delegate for Morris Udall in the 1976 Presidential primary, but I was not elected… My experience with politics in college taught me that I really care about changing the world, but that so much of what people were concerned about had to do with issues that seemed petty to me. In the meantime, I was changing majors a lot. I went from Philosophy to Fine Arts to Anthropology. After three years of college, I took a year off to travel around the world with my then-boyfriend. We spent most of our time in Asia. I taught English in Japan. I learned a lot that year.

Right before we left, I took my first psychology course and I spent much of my traveling year thinking about psychology. When I came back to finish college, I decided I wanted to go to graduate school in psychology. I went to Stanford and studied issues of memory and perception. I really enjoyed research a lot and found the material fascinating. I got my PhD at Stanford and then took my first job at Cornell in 1983. In 1984, I married JQ Johnson and we had our first of three children in 1985. In 1987, we moved to Eugene and I accepted a tenured position at the UO. I was 29 years old.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 12

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S: I understand that you work for the Department of Psychology on issues surrounding gender, abuse, and institutional betrayal.

What drew you to work in this field and focus on these issues?

JF: I was still focusing on perception and memory but had, over the years, become very interested in feminist issues. In 1990, various matters in my own life—particularly related to my family of origin— drew my attention to sexual abuse and trauma. I started thinking about issues of memory—why people would forget some traumas and not other—and I developed the beginning of betrayal trauma theory. Over the next few years, I changed my research focus from perception and memory to feminism, gender, and trauma. I developed a course called the Psychology of Gender and then another course called the Psychology of Trauma. These courses are both in our curriculum. One reason I love studying trauma and gender is that these are topics that touch on people’s real lives. If we can understand these issues better we can make the world a better place. They’re fascinating topics. I think the combination of intellectual fascination and practical application is very exciting. In the last few years, my focus has shifted some from individual trauma to the situation in which people are betrayed by larger systems and institutions. This has been a particularly exciting research program. In all my work, my students—both graduate and undergraduate—have been crucial. They bring the energy and passion and ideas that fuel everything. I have been blessed by great students for many years. Right at this moment, we are running a big survey of

[Feminism] is so core to who I am... I know myself and the world through feminism... I am so grateful for the feminists before me.

FEMINIST OF THE ISSUE UO undergrads regarding their experiences related to sexual assault. I think the results from this survey will prove to be very important for our community. We have had to be strong in the face of many obstacles, but I believe it will be worth the effort.

campus climate than about underlying rates of sexual violence.

When schools discourage reporting, they collude with many societal forces to cover up sexual violence. Sexual violence thrives on secrecy; if students do not feel they can safely report, the assaults will continue unchecked.

TS: As a member of UO’s Task Force and UO Coalition, can Even worse, the institutional behavior involved in discouraging you tell us more about what they are and how they are going? reporting appears to cause additional harm to sexual assault vicWhat role do they play in our campus community? tims. Doctoral candidate Carly Smith and I discovered (and reported JF: Both the task force and UO coalition have the potential to push in 2013 in the Journal of Trauma Stress) that colleges’ failure to the UO forward on the issue of sexual assault. Both groups emphaprevent sexual assault or respond supportively when it occurs — size transparency and actively addressing the situation. what we call institutional betrayal — can exacerbate post-traumatic distress. We found that students who were sexually assaulted and TS: How would you suggest we do more to prevent sexual vioalso experienced institutional betrayal on average showed higher lence on our campus? rates of sexual abuse trauma, anxiety, sexual dysfunction and dissoJF: There is a lot we need to do but the very first step is to be ciation. accountable and transparent. Sexual violence thrives in secrecy. We The most prevalent explanation for college rape culture is that it need to make everything very open before we can really fix anything. comes hand in hand with an alcohol-infused party culture that objectifies and sexualizes women. These elements of campus culture TS: How has feminism played a role in your life? are indeed fundamental to the creation and maintenance of a rapeJF: It is so core to who I am. I have made so many friends through prone campus. But our research suggests that just as responsible my feminist activities. I know myself and the world through feminism. is the institutional cover-up of the violence. When administrators To me, it is extremely liberating. I am so grateful for the feminists implicitly or explicitly hide sexual assault on their college campuses, before me. they are not simply failing to fix a problem; they are responsible for contributing to it and are thus guilty of promoting it. The instituTS: What do you like to do on your spare time? tional cover-up is at the root of a rape-tolerant culture.

JF: Be with my children, who are now young adults. Take long walks -—with friends. Travel, camp, hike. Read novels. Very sadly, my partner The resistance [of universities to perform sexual violence surJQ Johnson (who was a feminist, too) died in 2012. veys]—combined with a tendency for colleges to retaliate against faculty who speak up about sexual violence on their own campusTS: If you had one word of advice for women in college, what es—has created a difficult climate for sexual violence researchers. would it be?

For example, when I requested help from my university to JF: Follow your passions! conduct such a survey, officials turned down my request and then, in explaining that decision, speculated to the press about my supposed bias due to my personal opinions. Those personal opinions were presumably related to my criticism of the university regarding its response to campus sexual violence. This public attack on my reputation and integrity as a scientist was unfounded and irresponsible. Unfortunately, for those of us who have criticized our universiAN EXCERPT FROM FREYD’S RESEARCH & WRITING ties or attempted to collect data about the rates of sexual assault on our own campuses, it’s not unusual. I worry about the chilling effect WORDS BY JENNIFER FREYD this sort of institutional response has on individuals who want to art of the challenge of tackling campus sexual assault is speak honestly but lack my job security and credibility. that sexual abuse typically starts in adolescence, prior to Each college and university now has a choice: nervously guard the beginning of college. Perpetrators have often been victimits reputation at the profound expense of student well-being or ized themselves. Many college victims also have a prior history courageously invest in student safety, health and education. Colof abuse. These are important factors that my laboratory has lege campuses need to know what they are fighting. Enabling the studied for years. Ultimately we must address the underlying methodical collection of data—and encouraging their transparent society-wide problem of child sexual abuse that contributes to distribution and study—will signal to campus communities across college sexual violence. But in the meantime, college campuses the country that institutional betrayal can be replaced by instituoffer a remarkable intervention point for sexual assault: They tional courage. have resources. They are limited in number (thousands of instituREPRINTED WITH PERMISSION FROM JENNIFER FREYD tions of higher education versus millions of families, for instance).

They influence young people on the cusp of adult responsibility.

Jennifer Freyd has published over 150 articles on sexual abuse, memory, trauma, But only when such violence is reported can victims access and institutional betrayal. To read more of Freyd’s research and writing, visit: services and colleges hold perpetrators accountable. For most colleges and universities, however, discouraging reporting “Official Campus Statistics for Sexual Violence Mislead”: http://dynamic.uoregon. edu/jjf/articles/freydclimate2014.pdf appears to remain the norm. Colleges can make it difficult to determine how to report; they can also make life harder for students “Institutional Betrayal Makes Violence More Toxic”: http://registerguard.com/rg/ who do report by shaming, invalidating and even punishing opinion/32040093-75/institutional-betrayal-makes-violence-more-toxic.html.csp them. This is why the reported rates likely tell us more about the

OFFICIAL CAMPUS STATISTICS FOR SEXUAL VIOLENCE MISLEAD

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THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 13

WELL ARTICLE

NOT-SO-MODEL BEHAVIOR

Lights, camera, oppression: Terry Richardson and the modeling industry’s sexual violence trend.

WORDS BY ALEXA VILLANUEVA

I

f you make it a priority to keep up with the world of fashion and celebrities, you might already be acutely aware of the likings of Terry Richardson. If you don’t recognize his name, this is all you really need to know: Currently, Terry Richardson is the darling of the high fashion world, the favorite photographer of basically all attention- and streetcred-seeking celebrities and pop culture publications in the contemporary world. You might recognize Richardson’s work by his signature white background and overexposed portraits of relevant pop culture figures. He is highly recognized for his photos depicting nearly-naked, provocatively-posed models and celebrities. He has strong ties with the top fashion magazines in the industry, including Vogue and Harper’s Bazaar. Richardson is even adored by feminist bigshots like Beyoncé, Lady Gaga, and Madonna.

But not everyone is enamored by Terry Richardson. Multiple models have come forward to report that he is a rapist, describing their experiences of sexual exploitation while working with the photographer.

This can’t be too surprising, considering the fact that he insists on being called “Uncle Terry” (ew) and has been known to make rather odd requests of his subjects, including asking a model for her tampon to make “tampon tea” (EW). In other instances, he has pressured models to give him hand-jobs while his assistants cheered him on. Among these models is Jamie Peck, who wrote a letter to Jezebel describing her uncomfortable experience in the lion’s den. Peck wrote, “Before I could say ‘whoa, whoa, whoa!’ dude was wearing only his tattoos and waggling the biggest dick I’d ever seen dangerously close to my unclothed person (granted, I hadn’t seen very many yet). ‘Why don’t you take some pictures of me?’ he asked. Um, sure.”

If this evidence isn’t enough to make your stomach queasy, Richardson has already admitted to this unacceptable behavior. Just like any rapist, he seems to believe that his forceful behavior is justified, claiming in an interview with The New York Observer in 2004, “A lot of it starts with me saying to a girl, ‘Do you want to do nudes?’ And they’re like, ‘I don’t want to be naked,’ so I’ll say, ‘I’ll be naked and you can take the pictures. You can have the camera. You can have the phallus.’” He even had the nerve to add, “And since I’m in so many of the pictures, aren’t I objectifying myself a bit?”

Of course, this notion is entirely incorrect. In theory, objectification refers to the phenomenon of treating women as objects that are merely valued for their utility. When a woman’s body is detached from who she is as an individual, she essentially becomes a physical object for male eyes. In this scenario, Richardson has the power to control how, where, and when his body is portrayed, while his models are pressured by him and his team to pose in ways that are quite obviously uncomfortable. It is also common in situations like this for rapists to find ways to blame their victims. Richardson and his followers might argue that because these models volunteered to pose naked, they should have been aware of what kind of favors might be asked of them. But it is important to realize that all people must have the right to show their bodies to whomever they please and, by extension, the right to have complete control over it. Richardson has denied the accusations against him, claiming that he only collaborated with adult women who were “fully aware of the nature of the work.” He fails, however, to include that “the nature of the work” included “[whipping] his condom-less dick out,” as Jamie Peck recalls, to see just how far he could pressure his models.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 14

The question here is, why hasn’t he been imprisoned yet—put behind bars so that no other woman can suffer from his creepy behavior? There is no investigation currently underway because the industry’s structure fails to provide models with any resources if a photographer behaves inappropriately. Speaking out would be risking a job or a relationship and could easily lead to punishment from the agency. On top of all that, it becomes even harder to speak out when the particular photographer is as loved by the media as Richardson.

Maybe it’s because his perversion is seen as “edgy,” or maybe it’s because sexual exploitation has become so commonplace amongst our media that his actions are just another case where we have turned a blind eye. It is baffling to think that despite all of the allegations against him, Terry Richardson continues to gain popularity and adoration from the pop culture community. If not for his fame, it’s very probable that Terry Richardson could be in prison right now. Instead, Richardson remains a hot commodity in the fashion world; each time he is hired, Richardson is essentially paid to fulfill his sexual desires through the coercion and exploitation of young women. The modeling industry isn’t a perfect world, but it is people like Terry Richardson who fill it with nothing but shameful garbage.

Richardson’s indiscretions are just additional indicators of how women are sexually exploited and abused in the modeling industry— almost as part of a routine. Of course, this routine is also representative of larger global trends that continue to position women and their bodies as objects. The difference in this specific case is that Richardson currently stands on a pedestal where his position and his products have the power to influence future generations’ ideas regarding womanhood and sexiness. This is especially true in his portrayal of women like Beyonce, Lady Gaga, and Madonna. These women have been hailed as feminist role models, yet their support for the photographer blurs these lines. Can we really think of these performers as feminists if they do not actively voice their opposition to a man who has oppressed other women? Sexual objectification is gender inequality in action; if men like Richardson continue to take advantage of working female models—women trying to make their living—how will women ever gain parity in the workplace? Workplace equality is just as important in the modeling industry as in any other field. Richardson’s actions may not affect all of us directly. But his work contributes to a rippling effect that greatly alters the way women are viewed in a broader sense, and for that reason we should all be very, very concerned.

WHAT ABOUT THE BOYS?

WELL ARTICLE

Why the gendering of sexual violence is ultimately hurting all of us.

WORDS BY MARINA CLAVERIA

I

f you’ve ever attended a lecture or workshop on sexual violence, or had a friend or family member disclose to you that they were sexually assaulted, you already know that the best—and the easiest—way you can show your support is to believe them. Plain and simple. Hear their story, and accept it as true.

Yet there are already a million forces out there trying to invalidate the experiences of sexual assault survivors. Well, was she drunk? What was she wearing? Weren’t they dating before? It’s almost involuntary to insert the female pronoun into these phrases. I catch myself falling into the trap of envisioning every sexual assault statistic as a twenty-something, straight, attractive, cisgender woman. I never stop to wonder how, in trying to validate women, I have narrowed my own understanding of who sexual violence affects and how. When we talk about sexual assault, we often talk about it in terms of gendered violence. While this gendering of the issue has helped to organize around sexual violence as a feminist cause, there is an unspoken understanding that the definition of sexual violence is somehow dependent on male aggression towards women. In many cases, this is inaccurate.

Statistics show that women face sexual assault at higher rates than men, but the difference between the two are less significant than one might think. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network (RAINN), one in six women has been the victim of an attempted or completed rape, as compared to one in thirty-three men. When we keep quiet about sexual violence against men, it’s hurting both men and women. This suppression is embedded in a longer history of male domination and female subordination. Consequently, male victimhood is nearly unintelligible in our society, which rejects male vulnerability.

So when we speak up about sexual violence against men, we legitimize an unexpected male gender role.

If you Google “sexual assault on men,” most of the hits tend to discuss sexual violence within institutions like prison or the military. To quote Oscar Wilde: “Everything in the world is about sex except sex. Sex is about power.”

So is sexual violence. In these gender-segregated environments where individual agency and identity are limited, it makes sense that rates of sexual violence would increase. In emasculating another man through rape, dominance is achieved. To be on the receiving end of this type of violence, however, is the ultimate humiliation in a society that shames both homosexuality and male submission. The perpetrator is relinquished of any sort of homophobic shaming, because the unspoken motive is power, not sexual desire.

Prison rape is not news to anyone. The problem is we’re still not talking about it in a way that addresses sexual violence within government-funded institutions as anything with real consequence. We aren’t talking about how victims of sexual assault are six times more likely to suffer from PTSD, or twenty-six times more likely to abuse drugs.

It’s as if we believe the college sexual assault epidemic that’s getting so much media coverage is somehow separate from the sexual violence in the rest of the world. I would guess that’s because college students are more likely to fit the bill of our expected victim. This is dependent

“

on whether or not they’re shamed for not having prevented a situation almost entirely out of their control.

But it’s okay if these women are victims, because their victimhood does not threaten our society’s proscribed definition of masculinity. In a kind of twisted way, it enforces it—she’s young, attractive, probably white, and middle-to-upper-class. In turn, she’s everything that would make all the Chads of the world “lose control” of their sexual impulses.

Well, I think men are better than that and that their actions cannot be reduced to a higher testosterone count. I also think male survivors of sexual assault need support, and that this type of thinking perpetuates gender roles that keep survivors silent.

Yes, we need to be addressing the terrible reality of sexual assault on college campuses. Yes, even if you face privilege in a million other ways, our society has done you a huge disservice if you’ve been the victim of the sexual harassment and violence it normalizes, but that’s not the ending point. Sexual violence is most often perpetrated by men against women, but it happens in so many other ways. It can look like a woman assaulting a man, sexual assault in a gay relationship, or the unwarranted sexual violence faced by the trans* community. When we talk about sexual violence as a straight, male-on-female issue, we are doing a disservice to these other communities, as well as failing to fully address the root of the problem.

Multiple national studies report sexual violence against trans* people somewhere between 40 and 66 percent. Some studies even report that half of all trans people will suffer completed rape in their lifetime.

Such high rates of victimization combined with a lack of resources demonstrate just one of the many cases in which the trans* community has been erased. Even when the media acknowledges trans* people, it’s usually as a novelty, or in an overly sexualized way.

The eroticization and novelty of the trans* community is one way in which the perception of trans* people is made to seem less than human. In this way, society-at-large has no obligation to address their needs or the violence they face. Undoubtedly, the high rates of sexual assault against the trans* community has to do with our society’s rigid views on gender. To reject the gender proscribed to you at birth is to completely upset the patriarchy’s attempts to define your autonomy as an individual. When what we know to be fact is exposed as naturalization, there are huge efforts made to destroy whatever is exposing that truth. In many ways, the trans* community is being made to suffer, because their lives expose the fact that gender is both fluid and a social construct.

So next time you hear a blanket statistic about sexual violence, reconsider who your mind jumps to visualize. Remember that a one-sizefits-all approach to sexual violence treatment only serves to ignore the thousands of men and trans* folk that have been victimized in addition to the straight, female, cisgender twenty-somethings. Think about the ways in which our gendered framework of understanding sexual assault is failing us, and how simply believing someone’s story can be the first step in legitimizing their experience where it’s being erased.

When we talk about sexual violence as a straight, male-on-female issue, we are doing a disservice to other communities, as well as failing to fully address the root of the problem.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 15

OUR BODIES, OUR HEALTH

PREVENTATIVE MEASURES

The ‘anti-rape condom’ has sparked a debate on the ethics of sexual violence prevention and support.

WORDS BY NAYANTARA JOHNSON

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rior to the 2010 World Cup, rumors surfaced regarding an anti-rape device that was supposedly being distributed to the susceptible population of South African women. It was a controversial idea, to say the least—a female condom called Rape-aXe, built to seriously injure the male reproductive organ. The woman who developed Rape-aXe, Dr. Sonnet Ehlers was working as a medical technician for the South African Blood Transfusion Service. After interacting with so many rape victims through her work, Ehlers took it upon herself to create a drastic change.

South Africa is, after all, the country with the highest incidence of sexual assault in the world. According to a 2006 study, a woman is raped every 17 seconds in South Africa. It doesn’t stop there; in a 2009 report

by Amnesty International, over 20,000 reports of rape led to only 1,600 convictions. One in every four South African men have confessed to rape, and half of those men have admitted to raping multiple times.

In South Africa, rape is seen as a male bonding experience, a cure for lesbians and, perhaps most horrifying, a remedy for children with AIDS. Rape-aXe itself is a latex female condom embedded with angled barbs. Upon penetration, the condom does not immediately hurt the rapist, but is excruciatingly painful on the way out. The device is meant to clasp onto the penis so tightly that it can only be removed surgically.

This feature makes it quite clear when a man has committed an act of sexual violence.

The idea reportedly came from one of the victims Ehlers was working with, who said, “If only I had teeth down there…” Surprisingly, this is not a revolutionary idea. To those well-versed in Hindu mythology, the philosophy behind the Rape-aXe may seem vaguely familiar. The vagina dentata--or, the toothed vagina--originates from an ancient story of Hindu deities seeking revenge upon each other; the myth has been popularized through centuries of folklore and has even become the basis of mainstream movies. These myths, however, have a chauvinistic undertone, in the sense that they debase the female reproductive organ to something insidious and evil. But maybe there’s some feminine agency shining through. By Ehlers’s logic, women must be empowered to use their bodies as weapons, just as men have for far too long. It’s time for men to realize that they are not the only ones with sexual power.

Similarly, the functionality of the Rape-aXe device follows the same philosophy of the mythical vagina dentata. It reminds me of the time I decided to stick my finger through a Wet Wipes lid because the towelettes weren’t coming out; what I didn’t realize is that the wipes come out easily, but going back in--not so much. My finger went in easily, but I couldn’t get the lid off and eventually had to cut the lid with scissors.

At first glance, Rape-aXe might seem like a possible cure to the ageold epidemic of rape. The question is, are we fighting fire with fire? Will women use the anti-rape condoms as weapons of seduction? The Rape-

aXe website reads, “It’s the twenty first century, man has supposedly evolved into a more civilized being… yet rape statistics are on the rise!

Child and infant rape has increased 400% over the last decade!” Rape is, according to Ehlers, a “medieval deed” deserving of a “medieval consequence.” If the prevalence of rape continues to rise, Ehlers’s rather drastic solution may begin to seem increasingly practical.

Mass production of Rape-aXe was supposed to have begun in April of 2007, but the device has not been distributed to date. This may be because of intense criticism from the public. Critics claim the device is a violation of human rights, reminiscent of a chastity belt, and fails to address the real solution to rape: educating men. It is important to remember, however, that this product was not made with the white feminists of the Western world in mind; on the contrary, it was initiated in South Africa for a reason. Many have also speculated that the condom could cause anger in the rapist, continuing the cycle of violence and furthering the victim’s pain.

But while rape is especially rampant in South Africa, it is ultimately a global issue. The media continues to portray aggressive male behavior as something that should be expected in our society. Of course, most everyone remembers the controversy of Robin Thicke’s chart-topping hit in which rape and consensual sex are vaguely separated by “blurred lines.” Some might be more familiar with Tyga’s song “Ice Cream Paint Job,” in which he raps, “Money ain’t a thing / to the Young Money gang baby / Our navy, our ate and leave and rape your lady…” Then there’s Lil Wayne with, “We be thuggers, stunners, hustlers / Kidnap mothers, rape with no rubbers.” Tyler, the Creator says, “You call this shit kids, well I call these kids cum / And you call this shit rape, but I think that rape’s fun.” More recently, pop artist Cee Lo Green has made comments that it isn’t rape if the woman is unconscious—and if it is, he has raped at least two women. There is no way for these artists to justify such lyrics and comments. Even if the statements are not meant literally, the perpetuation of this behavior continues to lead young boys to accept the commodification of females as a norm.

According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network, ninety-seven percent of rapists will never spend a day in jail—and that’s in the United States alone. Although there is no doubt that educating young men is the real solution to rape culture, the current situation calls for an extreme and more immediate remedy. Rape-aXe is not without its own flaws, but it does what so many law-enforcement organizations have been too lazy or negligent to accomplish: it provides concrete proof of rape’s prevalence. It forces us to acknowledge the fact that rape does occur and that victims do not make it up out of spite or revenge. Perhaps a few more Rape-aXe horror stories in the media is all it will take for a man in Johannesburg with an inclination towards rape to consider his options a bit more wisely.

WRITE IT DOWN. SEND IT IN. SEE YOUR NAME IN PRINT. THE SIREN IS NOW ACCEPTING PITCHES, POETRY, AND ARTWORK FOR UPCOMING ISSUES.

EMAIL SIRENWC AT GMAIL DOT COM. THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 16

EBOLA: A WOMEN’S ISSUE WORDS BY MONICA NUNAN

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he recent Ebola outbreak in West Africa reads something like the prequel to Zach Snyder’s Dawn of the Dead. Ebola is a terrifying virus that was first discovered in the late 1970s, and until now there has never been such a large outbreak in the virus’s known history. Ebola is highly contagious, spread through bodily fluids and the infected surroundings. The virus has spread exceedingly fast through rural communities in West Africa and is slowly crossing city limits and country borders. With no definite treatment or cure, Ebola overruns the central nervous system and kills its host within a matter of days. Its high infection rate coupled with a lack of education and medical resources have led to the decimation of communities in Liberia, Guinea, Sierra Leone, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and now Nigeria. The current death toll from the virus is slowly climbing to 2,000 peopke, and the Center for Disease Control predicts that if Ebola continues to spread faster than efforts to stop it, the death toll in coming months could reach as high as 30,000.

The real threat of Ebola, however, is not the sickness itself, but rather its ability to isolate and perpetuate systems of poverty and gender inequality. The narrative of the recent outbreak is less a story of sickness and more a reoccurring tale of the privileged versus the unprivileged. The virus’s devastation of communities and families has resulted from and maintained a general lack of resources at a local level, and it is West African women facing the brunt of the virus’s wreckage.

Ebola, like many other environmental and medical issues, has affected women in far greater numbers than men. This is due to a system of gendered labor that demands a more nurturing and caring role for women to fill. In West Africa and across much of the globe, women are the primary caregivers and traders for their families. It is women who care for the sick, cook for the sick, clean the sick, and cross geographical borders to trade for food to feed their sick families. Women are the front-line soldiers in times of both crisis and calm, taking on dozens of roles to provide and care for their loved ones in increasingly difficult and dangerous environments.

Some estimates account women for 75-percent of Ebola-related deaths. Without proper care facilities or accessible medical treatment, women become caregivers to their sick parents, children, and husbands.

Cleaning infectious vomit without gloves, feeding the sick, changing a dying loved one’s sheets or clothes, preparing a highly contagious body for burial—all of these chores fall to the women of West Africa, and each holds the chance of contracting the virus. What’s worse is that an already weak medical infrastructure is stretched all too thin in West Africa. Many clinics do not have basic necessities—like gloves—to care for patients; coupled with the fear and hysteria surrounding Ebola, doctors and nurses are too afraid to care for anyone, even those uninfected by the virus. Many West African women might not be sick with the Ebola virus, but they will still die as a result of the strain and hysteria the virus has left in its wake. For example, women are being turned away from hospitals for conditions that are entirely unrelated to the virus, perhaps due to overcrowded facilities or the fear of further spreading the virus.

OUR BODIES, OUR HEALTH There are dozens of stories of women who have died as a result of untreated birth complications, malaria, or diabetes. Ebola does not discriminate, but the virus has systematically targeted the women of West Africa, and traditional ideas of gender and gender roles are to blame.

Contrast these women’s stories to the wife of Dr. Kent Brantley—an American who contract the Ebola virus while providing aid to West African victims—and the discrepancies in privilege become glaringly apparent. After testing positive for the deadly virus, Brantley was rushed to Atlanta for treatment with an experimental drug in the hope of creating a cure for the virus. Flash forward a month, Brantley is recovered and awaiting discharge from the hospital. His wife and family couldn’t be more relieved; Brantley, after all, did the impossible, surviving a 90-percent death rate with a little help from the leading minds in western medicine and disease control. Hark! Ebola is not a threat to the Western World! Society as we know it lives another day!

There is some form of a sick joke to be made here, that when one white American dude gets the “incurable, untreatable, certain death” diagnosis of Ebola, a treatment surfaces within a month. Two thousand West African lives apparently were not enough to light a fire under the ass of Western Medicine. Black, poor, unprivileged lives—and especially those of women—don’t matter, or at least not as much as white lives.

Privilege, it seems, is much more than accessible medical resources and education. It is literally the ability to make the impossible possible, to survive a 90-percent fatality rate.

“

Women are the front-line soldiers in times of both crisis and calm, taking on dozens of roles to provide and care for their loved ones in increasingly difficult and dangerous environments.

Meanwhile, in Sierra Leone, another mother falls ill with the Ebola virus and is unable to care for her family, tend to her small flock of livestock, or walk the several miles to market to buy food or medicine. West African women were failed when the Ebola outbreak went unreported in mainstream Western media for months, leaving women to fight the virus in silence. West African women were failed when basic medical care was not provided to their communities out of lack of resources, leaving them to treat the virus alone. The women of West Africa were failed when hospitals were too strained to care for them and their sick relatives, requiring them to take on roles they were unequipped to handle. West African women were failed by strict gender roles, expecting them to perform the kinds of tasks that ensure the spread of the deadly Ebola virus. Healthy West African women were failed when doctors turned them away out of fear, leaving them to die of treatable causes.

West African women were failed long before the Ebola outbreak began—or rather, they were never meant to succeed. These women have all odds stacked against them: a lack of education, unescapable poverty, and lack of political or economic power. Rated as second-class citizens, these women are at the bottom of the privilege chain, so to speak, and they have been for as long as anyone can remember. It isn’t a wonder as to why 75-percent of Ebola-related deaths are women, and it’s not because women are weaker or less immune; it is because women live and work in a lack of privilege. Women, and especially those in impoverished countries, get the short end of the stick because they haven’t got the voice or the power to fight it. The Ebola outbreak has only provided us with a statistic for what has been the reality for these women—and thousands of other women around the globe—for centuries.

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MEET THE 2014-2015 New year, new staff! Meet some of the feminist folks who will work tirelessly to make campus safe for all genders.

CLAIRE WEIL

VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR I am a double major in International Studies and Economics. I hope to work in conflict mediation or journalism.

Working at the Women’s Center is not inherently linked with my future, but it is fundamentally connected with who I am as a woman and as a human being.

A quote from one of my favorite French philosophers: “One is not born, but rather becomes, a woman. - Simone de Beauvoir, The Second Sex) THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 18

LIBBY

(SARAH LIBBY)

LGBTQQIA COORDINATOR Libby is a queer feminist from right here in Eugene. They are just beginning what they hope to be a lifelong career working for gender justice and as an ally to other badass social justice movements. They are super stoked to be representing the LGBTQA needs of our community at the Women’s Center and look forward to a year of community and coalition. In their free time, Libby enjoys writing, playing in the woods, eating nooch toast and reading Social justice related news online.

CHENLE XU

INTERNATIONAL ADVOCATE What’s up, ducks?! My name is Chenle, and I am the new International Student Advocate at the Women’s Center. I’m a sophomore with a psychology major. As you can see, I want to be a psychologist one day. During my free time, I like to watch movies, listen to music, and maybe practice my guitar a little bit. As an international student who come from China, it’s really exciting for me to work at the Women’s Center. With a comfortable and confident place like this, I believe I can grow to a better me!

ABBIGAIL OLSON

OFFICE ASSISTANT This is Abbigail’s first year attending the University of Oregon.

A junior majoring in Biology, Abbigail has a strong passion for issues that center on women’s sexual and reproductive health. Her hobbies include: drinking coffee and hanging out with fluffy animals. She is so excited to be a new member of the Women’s Center staff!

ERIKA SUZIE LINCANGO BARRIENTOS

PROGRAM ASSISTANT I’m Erika Lincango. I am originally from Quito, Ecuador. I am a migrant indigenous journalist specialized in public relations, advertising, and international cooperation. I am passionate about social and environmental justice. My personal and professional efforts are committed to foster positive change and open opportunities that can improve people’s lives.

LISBET RIVAS

OFFICE ASSISTANT My name is Lisbet Rivas Ruiz a senior studying Family and Human Services. I come from a family of six and originally from Corvallis, Oregon. I’ve been working for the Women Center for 3 years.

DIVERSITY COORDINATOR My name is Suzie Barrientos and I am a Junior year transfer student. My aim is to major in Family and Human services as well as Cinema studies. I am from Salem Oregon, love to write, bake, and dogs and rabbits are my favorite animals. I am super excited to be part of the Women’s Center this year!

SIERRA JAMISON

OFFICE ASSISTANT I’m Sierra Jamison: a student, friend, and mother. I grew up in Klamath Falls, Oregon. I graduated from Klamath Union High School in 2011, and I had my daughter Aubrie in 2013. I also graduated from Klamath Community College in 2014. As a junior, I’m currently majoring in Communication Disorders.

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REVIEWS

OUR FAVORITE SUMMER BECHDEL-BUSTERS We put some of the summer’s biggest blockbusters to the test—the Bechdel test, that is—to determine where women stand as actresses, characters, and viewers in modern-day film.

WORDS BY MONICA NUNAN

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s summer blockbuster season, once again, comes to a close, it is easy to become nostalgic for the silver screen. Movies seem like the timeless equalizer, and whether you are more of a RomCom diehard or an action scene junkie, there is something that seems to unite all those who sit in overly air-conditioned, dark, velveteen-covered rooms. Going to the movies is a unique and special experience, one that has enthralled Americans for nearly a century. Our country really takes the cake as far as media consumption is concerned; many studies have found that we spend about 34 hours a week watching movies and television. With such a large percentage of our time spent in front televisions, our habit-forming relationship to the screen presents a question that demands an answer—what exactly are we watching? Of course, on the surface we’re watching fairy tale remakes and teens taking part in dystopian death matches, but what messages are we receiving—both consciously and unconsciously—from these stories, and what are their implications? We’ve turned to the Bechdel test in the hopes of figuring it out.

The Bechdel test is a term you may have heard your Cinema Studies friends toss around from time to time, but its significance goes far beyond an impressive term to name-drop during your average Academy Awards wine-and-cheese soiree. The test was created by American cartoonist Allison Bechdel in 1985 as part of her comic strip, “Dykes to Watch Out For.” The test is quite simple and follows three straightforward rules for determining women’s roles in the film industry: 1) At least two women must be in the film. Some variations of the test also require that the two females be named.

2) The women must talk to each other.

3) And they must talk to each other about something other than a man.

Seems easy enough, but the reality is that the majority of Hollywood-produced films fail to satisfy these basic requirements. The Bechdel test is designed (albeit very basically) to gage a film’s representation of women in terms of character depth. What this means for the large portion of movies that fail the test is that women are either missing entirely or only possess minor roles that serve as backing for the main character—who is often male. Of increasing concern is that even films and TV shows that are aimed towards women often do not pass the test; Sex and the City is one example of this, owing to the fact that the female characters rarely have conversations that do not center on men.

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REVIEWS This past season of summer blockbusters was surprisingly more saturated with female heroines than in summers past. Here are a few of the films that we enjoyed and that—more importantly—passed the Bechdel test.

MALIFICENT: Angelina Jolie fits perfectly into the title role of Malificent, the Sleeping Beauty villainess-turned-heroine on her journey from fairy princess to vengeful, black-clad badass. This film passes all three Bechdel requirements and, as an added bonus, is not at all short on female cast: Jolie, Elle Fanning, Imelda Staunton, Juno Temple, Ella Purnell and Leslie Manville all play strong female characters that rarely (if ever) concern themselves with men. This film takes an interesting twist on the traditional fairy tale format; instead of acting as a damsel in distress, Malificent seeks power and revenge after she is betrayed by the man she loved, eventually finding solace in nurturing young Princess Aurora’s aspirations and goals. Replete with great costumes and greater girl power, Malificent is a must-see!

LUCY: This film, starring Scarlett Johansson, only narrowly passes the Bechdel test, thanks to a scene in which the main character, Lucy and her roommate share a brief exchange about health. Despite its rather small female cast, Lucy is inarguably an empowered female heroine.

She does, after all, dismantle an empire of male drug lords, defeating threats of harassment and exploitation along the way. This isn’t your average sexy superhero film; there is an obvious effort to create something more meaningful. Lucy starts out as a common female archetype—the ditzy, naïve girlfriend—but she soon takes control of the narrative, making the outcome something entirely her own.

BELLE: The only movie on our list to center on a women of color, Belle is the story of a young, bi-racial aristocratic women, Dido Elizabeth Belle )played by Gugu Mbatha-Raw) in 18th century England. The film follows her unique experience of race, class, gender, and love. Belle features several named female characters who speak to one another about a number of issues. Based on a true story, this film is unique in its focus on complicated social issues amidst a period-piece feel. Main actress Mbatha-Raw brings life to Dido’s character, who is multi-faceted and, unlike most other female leads, is more than a pretty face for a simple story line. This film tackles tough issues without being too overbearing or grim—a must see for the film-savvy feminist!

Despite these three popular films, very few of this summer’s most hyped films featured strong characters—much less multiple female characters. Two headlining blockbusters that received widespread popularity and viewership were The Dawn of the Planet of the Apes and The Grand Budapest Hotel. Both these films were popular amongst critics and audiences alike, but both severely lacked female characters, bombing the Bechdel test.

DAWN OF THE PLANET OF THE APES: I know what you’re thinking: “C’mon this movie is about apes, so of course there wouldn’t be many women featured in the film.” Fair enough, assuming that the Bechdel test doesn’t serve for animals—even speaking, walking, relationship-having animals. There are several human characters in this film, only one of which is a woman. Ellie, played by actress Keri Russell, is a character so stereotypically formulaic and overdone that her subordinate nature will transport the viewer back to the 1920s. She is the wife of the main human character and, get this, a former nurse. Not even a doctor?! Talk about gendered careers! Ellie is merely on screen to provide a babysitter for her husband and kids, as well as the occasional

vaguely medical-sounding one liner. Including the apes in the film’s Bechdel score, the gender disparities get so bad it’s almost shameful. I wish this was a joke—there is also only one female ape featured in the entire film, and she is named Cornelia. Like most of the apes in the film, not including Ceasar and Koba, Cornelia cannot speak; in fact, Cornelia’s only memorable scene is when she gives birth to Caesar’s son. Apes, apparently, are just like us: they get married and live by the same socially-enforced gender roles EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE NON-HUMAN WILD ANIMALS. Unsurprisingly, Dawn of the Planet of the Apes did not meet Bechdel standards any way you slice it. The only real surprise here is that it is 2014 and male-centric films like this one are not only allowed, but are also more common and accessible than the alternative.

THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL: The Grand Budapest Hotel is the newest film from critically acclaimed director (and President of the Bill Murray Fan Club) Wes Anderson. While this film features Anderson’s trademark lightheartedness and striking visual beauty, it failed miserably at featuring a diverse female cast. The film follows the story of lobby boy Zero and his mentor, hotel concierge Gustave H, after the death of the hotel’s owner, Mme. D, played by Tilda Swinton.

What follows is a tale of theft, family fortune, and first love. A real cinematic gold mine, if you aren’t too hell-bent on equal gender representation, that is. There are really only two main roles filled by women, one of which dies less than halfway through the movie. Agatha, the only other female character, is little more than a love interest for the lobby boy. Oh, and she makes the occasional cake too! Every other minute of screen time is filled with male characters. At times it seems that Anderson’s greatest cinematic technique is pointing the camera at a man. It is incredibly discouraging to see a director as artistic and youthful as Anderson turn such a blind eye to female character development. It’s something that we come to expect from mainstream, corporate film-making, not Anderson’s genre of unique and alternative film. Hopefully Wes’s next work will feature at least a few more leading ladies, preferably alive when the curtains close. Despite the quirky sweetness of the story, the sets, and the humor, this film left a bad taste in our mouths and, unfortunately, the courtesan au chocolat wasn’t to blame.

For years, the Bechdel test has given us the tool and the authority to highlight glaring issues of gender bias in film and other media.

The test, however, is not without its own flaws; many critics of the test label it too simplistic in that it often indicates quantity of female performers over quality of the characters themselves. At its core, however, the Bechdel test is a simplistic, generalized indication of larger social trends. In this case, the lack of strong female characters in film can be connected to a loftier, more all-encompassing conversation regarding bias and the marginalization of women in media and all other aspects of society. The Bechdel test gives real-world weight to discussions of misrepresentation and lack of female presence in modern film, providing a quantitative measure of female stage time.

This year, women in film have seen a huge leap forward in closing the gap between themselves and their male counterparts. But there is still a long way to go, with less than a third of all speaking roles going to females—a statistic that has hardly improved since the 1940s. Each and every tier of the film industry, from directors to actors to visual effects, must represent the audience. Women make up 51 percent of the world population and, thus, they deserve equal representation in media and especially in film. The Bechdel test is the tool to help reach and sustain such a standard of equality.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 21

DO-IT-YOURSELF

THE ART OF SELF-CARE Do yourself a favor. The Siren insists.

WORDS BY KATHRYN BURNEY

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veryone has bad days. It happens. It’s possible, however, to turn it around with a little self-care. Simply put, self-care is the devotion to taking care of one’s self in a positive and nourishing way. What each individual person does for self-care is different, depending on personal interests. A good way to manifest self-care is by thinking of yourself as your own best friend. If your friend were having a bad day, what would you do to cheer them up? Go for a hike, grab a bite to eat, craft? Anything fun and positive has the possibility to serve as self-care.

STEP ONE: GIVE YOURSELF PERMISSION Sometimes taking time for self-care can feel selfish or unnecessary, but it’s important to let go of those insecurities and pay attention to what you really need. Giving yourself permission to set aside time just for yourself is vital. If you’re feeling tired, jaded, or generally down, it’s okay to cancel or reschedule plans. It’s alright—and maybe even necessary—to skip a party to watch movies, or spend the afternoon on a bike ride instead of doing something more “productive.” Decide that the day is yours and yours alone, and spend it doing anything that makes you happy.

STEP TWO: ASSESS YOUR NEEDS Because self-care can take so many forms, it’s important to determine what you need on any particular day. For example, sometimes the selfcare you need will be alone time to recharge without having to spend energy on socializing. Other times, friends are exactly what you need to pull yourself out of a funk. Recognizing the kind of activity you need is crucial too. Do you need to spend an hour reading in the park, or would it be better spent exercising? It’s okay to be unsure of your needs. If you can’t decide, try out a few different self-care methods until you discover what you need that day. Remember, you won’t always need the same thing. Though one form of self-care may have helped in the past, it may not be what you need all the time.

STEP THREE: DO WHAT YOU NEED Now comes the actual self-care. If it improves your mood, it can be self-care. So many things can qualify as self-care, from taking a walk to spending time hanging out with your pet to organizing your bookshelf.

What distinguishes it from other activities is the deliberate choice to do that thing because it makes you feel better. Additionally, it can be helpful to write down a list of possible self-care activities specific to you that you can look back on later for ideas.

STEP FOUR: CHECK IN Don’t forget to regularly check in with yourself. Self-care is a part of routine maintenance that everyone needs. You may not realize you need to take some time for yourself until you’re already out of the energy and patience required to get through the day. Therefore, it’s vital to remind yourself that self-care can be just as important as your other daily responsibilities.

Self-care is especially important on those days when something’s got you down; maybe you know exactly what it is that’s bothering you, or maybe it’s just a general sense of feeling under the weather. Whatever it might be, figure out what works so you’re prepared when things go south.

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SELFIES AS SELF-CARE: because sometimes taking cute pictures of ourselves is enough to help us remember that WE ARE BEAUTIFUL.

Self-Care Suggestions Because self-care is different for each person it can be difficult to narrow it down. Here are some suggestions if you’re having trouble getting started. However, don’t feel like you have to stick to the list—remember, certain things on this list won’t apply to every reader. It’s important to try out different things until you discover what kind of self-care is most helpful to you. Self-care should reflect your interests, so if the things on this list don’t appeal to you, that’s perfectly okay.

• • • • • • • • • • • • • •

Go for a bike ride or a walk Make a playlist of songs that make you feel good Call a friend or family member Send some time alone Meet up with a friend Read a book Spend time outside Watch something funny Go for a drive Set time aside for a hobby Cook a nice meal Take a shower, get dressed up, do your hair or makeup Catch up on the news Curl up with a cup of coffee

FEMINIST FUN

This Halloween, smash the patriarchy in style! We’ve compiled some costume ideas for the fierce-ass feminist.

WORDS BY DOMINIQUE EHMIG // ILLUSTRATION BY ELISE SEDEY GENDER-SWAPPED DUO: There are plenty of fantastic choices for partner costumes out there in the realm of pop culture and media; many of these duos, however, are both characters of the male gender. If you and your Halloween partner identify as any gender other than male, put a spin on your favorite male/male duo and make it your own. Examples include Chewbacca and Han Solo, Beavis and Butthead, or Walter White and Jesse Pinkman. Shock the traditionalist fans by showing them that no matter what the gender of the character, they’re still fantastic and memorable roles.

TAMPON: If you are going for a particularly spooky costume this year, a great choice would be a wrapped tampon. We all know that the most terrifying thing for a teenage boy is a lone wrapped tampon.

It’s true—throw one of those babies into a crowd of teen boys and watch them disperse, running for their lives in blind panic. One can either go all-out for this costume and glue a few of those bad boys directly onto your person, or even just carry a box around with you. I guarantee you’ll be the most terrifying partygoer around.

EQUAL RIGHTS BILL: A vital cause in the gender rights movement are laws regarding reproductive health, such as safe and easy access to abortion and contraceptives, non-discriminatory laws regarding the treatment of sexual assault, and punishment for the perpetrators in those situations. Unfortunately, trying to establish these rights in the form of laws has been an elusive and long-fought struggle. Sometimes it seems as though when we are close to making progress, a counter law is created to set the movement backwards. Emulate the elusiveness of equal rights by dressing up as your ideal law regarding gender equality, whether that be a law regarding transgender and non-binary rights, or a law providing safe abortions in all states.

This costume is easy; it could simply be a white t-shirt with a summation of the law written in black on the front. To really emulate the struggle of the equal rights movement, hide in the shadows at every event you attend, or challenge your friends to try and catch you. When they get close, dash away in a flurry of equality.

WHATEVER YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE IN: Halloween is all about dressing up to be fun, silly, or to show off your interests; above all else, any Halloween costume is great if you feel comfortable wearing it. Whether that means you are covered from head to toe or wearing nothing but pasties and panties, as long as you are comfortable and having fun, nothing else really matters! Remember that no person can tell you you’re wrong for wearing what you want. If you want to be a sexy cat and to go out in your favorite lingerie, go for it!

If you decide that your cat costume will include no skin showing, then more power to you! The most important thing is that you wear whatever you want or feel comfortable in, and you allow others the same freedom of self-expression. know Loving your costume automatically makes it a great one, so have fun and stay kind this Halloween, kids!

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE

ISSUE | 23

MOMENTUM

PRO CON

WEAPONIZED WOMEN

Women—especially on college campuses—are often encouraged to carry pepper spray or knives in order to protect themseles from sexual violence. Ultimately, does this advice abase women or empower them? You decide.

PRO: PROTECTION FOR ALL WORDS BY SOPHIE ALBANIS

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ringing an end to sexual violence will require a drastic rethinking of, well, lots of things—gender, education, law enforcement, and a myriad of other societal institutions and norms.

And things like this take time; the fact that the media has finally begun to shed light on the prevalence of sexual assault does not mean that we are anywhere close to resolving the issue. It could be years or even decades before women feel entirely comfortable walking alone at night. In the meantime, it doesn’t seem unreasonable that some of us choose to carry weapons.

At this point in the conversation, somebody usually pipes up with, “But it shouldn’t be women’s responsibility to prevent rape.” And if you’re that person piping up, you’re right. It is never a woman’s responsibility—or a victim of any gender’s responsibility, for that matter—to prevent sexual violence. The fact that sexual violence occurs at such alarmingly high rates is not due to victims being unable to protect themselves; it is due to our society’s failure to teach potential perpetrators (usually of the male gender, but not always) which behaviors are wrong.

The media has perpetuated the popular image of rape as a sudden, violent act between two strangers, and most potential perpetrators understand that exploits like these are illegal and immoral. Upon hearing the word “rape,” our minds do not immediately conjure up the image of what contemporary rape has become: something that usually occurs between acquaintances, often aided by alcohol or other date-rape substances. Consequently, hordes of would-be perpetrators do not understand—or, rather, have not been

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taught—where their actions cross the line.

I don’t mean to play Negative Nancy here, but the fact of the matter is that the odds are not in our favor, ladies. In fact, they are stacked against us. We are not safe on this campus or on most other campuses across the nation. But possessing the feminist chops to understand criticisms of roofie-detecting nail polish or anti-rape condoms will not prevent someone from deciding to assault you. Neither will carrying a weapon. There is a chance, however, that carrying a weapon could protect you if it became necessary.

The key distinction here is between prevention and protection.

Nobody is trying to say that carrying a weapon will automatically deter the occurrence of sexual assault. It is completely likely that a weapon-carrying woman could become the victim of sexual violence. It’s entirely possible that she could freeze up or misuse the weapon. It’s also entirely possible that she could succeed in using the weapon, escape her assailant, and report her experience to the police.

But what happens if she doesn’t succeed? Many critics would argue that carrying a weapon and failing to use it properly could lead to a woman being blamed for her own assault. This, unfortunately, is probably true. It seems, however, that anything can become grounds for victim-blaming, at least according to the white, cis-hetero males that one finds inhabiting the comment sections of Youtube and Facebook.

Victims of sexual violence are wrongfully blamed every day. Haters, as they say, are going to hate.

The way I see it, you can never be too cautious. And if the statistics are true (they are), it makes logical sense for college-aged women to assume they could become the targets of a sexual assault. I know what you’re thinking: what a dismal way to lead one’s life, always in anticipation of something so horrible. One female sophomore explained, “I don’t necessarily carry it because I think I’m going to be assaulted at any given moment. It’s more for peace of mind. That way, I know that I have it there if I need to use it.”

Weaponry itself is so often thought of as a male concept. In her essay “The Carrier Bag Theory of Fiction,” author Ursula Le Guin explores—and rejects—the theory of weapons as the first human tools.

MOMENTUM She writes, “We’ve heard it, we’ve all heard all about all the sticks and spears and swords, the things to bash and poke and hit with, the long, hard things…” Essentially, since a very early stage in the evolution of human culture and technology, weapons have been thought of as phalluses. For a woman to carry a weapon, then, is to shirk this outdated trope, to take the gendered symbol and use it against the very force that oppresses her.

The solution to ending sexual violence lies in educating potential perpetrators on mutual respect, bodily autonomy, and healthy masculinity, rather than telling women how to deter rapists. There is no doubt that critics of weapon-carrying are correct in this respect. We must teach men that they are not inherently owed anything from anyone, be it friendship, sex, or unquestioned respect. And we must create outlets for women to feel empowered in a world that actively works against them. It is everyone’s hope that these objectives will one day become reality, but things like this take time. Until then, sexual violence remains a very real threat to women and to people of all genders, and it only makes sense to take as many precautions as possible.

It’s nice to imagine a world where there are no victims and no perpetrators, but it is foolish to act as though we already live in it.

CON: STOP FIGHTING VIOLENCE WITH VIOLENCE WORDS BY GABBY URENDA

G

rowing up with a brother in the Marine Corps taught me that safety is undoubtedly what’s most important. My brother always managed to supply me with pepper spray, and I never thought much of it. After starting my freshman year at UO and taking classes in the Women’s and Gender Studies department, I started questioning why I needed to carry the spray in the first place. The notion of women being given a weapon to protect themselves in college is as normalized as men being given condoms to match their new twin XL sheets. Reinforcing the idea of weapons for women only suggests that men are free to have sex, while women must protect themselves from it.

A safer and better alternative for both women and men is a self-defense class. I took a women’s self-defense course during spring term of my freshman year, and it helped more than carrying pepper spray ever did. The class made me feel empowered to be a woman, and I rose above the notion that my gender could hinder my safety. A self-defense class fosters conversation about the awareness of being a survivor, rather than a victim. The instructor was knowledgeable on the amount of sexual assault cases reported per week at the University of Oregon, and there was an unspoken agreement that the class meant more than simply learning how to defend one’s self. Some days we didn’t even practice self-defense exercises; instead, we discussed different topics concerning women’s safety on college campuses. The true value of the class was not just completing a physical education credit, but discussing

what issues bothered us on campus without feeling judged or worried about our true feelings leaving the room.

Encouraging women to carry weapons without taking a self-defense class doesn’t teach them that sexual assault isn’t their fault. It is easy to hand someone a weapon and say, “Defend yourself,” but it is more important to explain that if the weapon fails, it is still the assailant’s fault—and nobody else’s. Teaching women that their fate rests on how effectively they use a weapon may lead to feeling helpless instead of in control. Normalizing the trend of weapons for women could easily lead to faulty logic such as, “She was raped? She was carrying a weapon? Well, then it’s her own fault she couldn’t properly use the weapon to protect herself.”

Victim-blaming has been one of the most prevalent reasons that women have feared coming forward in situations of sexual harassment or assault. Many survivors have admitted to feeling guilt for having the “tools” to prevent their life-altering situation, but not using them correctly because they suddenly froze up or did not realize that it was too late to access a weapon. Physical weapons, it seems, carry too much of a risk. A woman may forget to carry her weapon, or she may not know how to properly use it, and these could be huge sources of guilt for a weapon-carrying rape victim.

Yes, not every woman has the resources or the time to take a self-defense class, but that’s where our mindset needs to change. It should be a given that self-defense classes are highly accessible for college student. They should also be free; that way, there’s no excuse for not attending one. For this to happen, every college campus should allot a certain amount of money to supply the demand of women who want to be educated on self-defense.

Though knowing how to defend one’s self with a weapon is significant, women should feel empowered with or without one.

Education—for both women and men—is the most important weapon we should be using to correct the issue of sexual assault and violence. We must empower young women by giving them agency of both body and mind with a strong sense of community, because women should feel safe where they live and work, knowing people will stand by them. Women should not feel like the responsibility to prevent rape; it should never fall solely on them, because they are not the ones committing the act. If we want to break the cycle, we can’t fight violence with violence. It’s important that we learn why old methods (like weapons) haven’t worked and what new ideas we can create to make the world a better and safer place for everyone.

Creating conversations about the importance of respect and empowerment will ensure that the women of future generations do not have the same chances of becoming victims.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 25

POETRY

Still Alive Sixty Mornings After telling yourself you aren’t good enough is a self fulfilling prophecy I scream into empty space ‘I don’t hate myself anymore’ The thunderclouds are my Round of applause For I am tiny fury, I am a storm but barely contained My malice seeps through my pores and I clench my fists so hard my fingernails Graze my bone but What my problem is The size of a fist Closing around the last shred Of what I am supposed to feel And I think Was this your purpose, to Make it difficult to see the light Even when staring at the sun Is this why you closed your ears And my eyes and The door So that I may feel the need To break free from my mind From my wrists From my stomach From whatever space upon myself I can allow The sadness to seep out through my veins You made me miss what I assumed loneliness to be For you taught me that Being lonely can also mean being a stranger Within your own body For it was used to commit actions It never desired I never wanted Who knew cruelty was the best teacher I never asked for

However If your intention was to breed malice within myself For whatever time I was given on this earth Such plans fell short For relief akin to staring into the blackest black Of your childhood nightmare Only to be awoken in the warmth of your mother’s arms I can now feel clean of your touch Not due to the million showers Of thoughts dipped in cyanide I drowned myself in But because I taught myself how to clean the wounds That for too long had been left to rot There is no clever contortion of the mind To expel the sadness they left inside you Except perhaps to tell yourself that cruelty has no purpose But infliction I can hold your hand if you want And we can feel numb together because I also know how it feels to Put back together the parts of yourself They split in two But believe me when I say You are a tiny fury And the fire within yourself is strong enough to burn A million of those weak enough to close their hearts to your cries Time may not heal all wounds Being raped will always burn to the touch But, from third degree to first The scars will fade But only after you put down the knife And tell yourself you love yourself If you still want to hold my hand We can scream into the heavens that we are survivors And wait for the thunderclouds’ applause —Dominique Ehmig

D O N‘T J U ST G ET T H E W O R D O UT .

GET YOUR WORD OUT. WRITE FICTION. WRITE POETRY.

SUBMIT TO SIRENWC AT GMAIL DOT COM. THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 26

THE FIRST TIME

REAL TALK

Why feminism matters—for you, for me, and for the world—as explained by a boy.

WORDS BY ZACH LUSBY

I

didn’t feel comfortable the first time I was really with another guy.

Even though we’d been planning on it for weeks and had gone over every last detail time and time again, I wasn’t ready. But I was too afraid to tell him no, too afraid that I’d be judged or rejected. So instead of just saying stop, I let him go through with it. Even today, I wish I hadn’t.

I never really realized that I hadn’t actually consented to having sex with him. Even though what happened to me wasn’t violent or outwardly malicious, it was scary and uncomfortable. It was humiliating, dehumanizing. It felt like my entire sense of agency had vanished in just a single moment. The whole time, I just wanted to tell him to stop.

But I couldn’t.

I told myself for years that what happened wasn’t that bad, that I never really said no. It wasn’t really his fault, right? I mean, I had even told him I wanted to take our relationship a step forward just a week before. I told myself—convinced myself—that men just couldn’t be violated like that. In fact, it wasn’t even until just weeks ago that I figured out the truth; I had been pressured into sex with him.

It was just that I believed he hadn’t actually wronged me. I believed, somehow, that I had wronged myself. I forgave him before he ever apologized and I continued to engage with him sexually, tainted by the discomfort and unwanted advances I had experienced with him.

We would never be able to have a healthy sex life and I began to resent myself for our dysfunctional relationship; after all, it was my fault.

What I’ve learned over the past few years is that sexual misconduct isn’t confined to explicit rape and assault. Without consent, sex is a horror. It’s terrifying, it’s wrong, it’s completely abasing. It is indescribably awful.

Initially, I didn’t realize my boyfriend had been pressuring me.

He said he had been “waiting for so long,” so long that we could do it anywhere, he said. We wouldn’t get caught, he said. He tried to get me to do it in a coffee shop bathroom. Then a public restroom. Then our friend’s car.

That time, he got his way.

I was too mortified to finish, too scared and hurt to go on. He eventually justified my “problems” by saying I was just too nervous about getting caught. He told me it’d be better when we tried again. Of course, it never was. Every time we tried again it just got worse.

Feminism changed everything I thought I knew about what happened to me.

It is difficult to iterate just how important consent is to sex. Without it, there is no sex. There is crime, violence, and emotional damage—sometimes beyond repair. There is me trying not to cry while my boyfriend does things to me I was nowhere near ready for, but there is certainly no sex. Feminism explained to me in clear, concise letters exactly what consent is: the clear, vocal and comfortable agreement between two sober parties that they want to have sex with each other.

What happened between my boyfriend and I was not consent, no matter how hard I tried to convince myself it was. Patriarchal culture persuaded me into believing that I was asking for it, that, by never saying the words “no” flat out, I was giving permission. That, because I said I was interested in sex, he had complete access to my body at all times,

even in places I didn’t find comfortable.

But I learned, most of all, that coercion is not consent. My boyfriend pressured me into having sex with him, and even though I never said no, I didn’t want to do what we were doing. While traditional ideas about sex infer the “absence of a no equals a yes,” I have learned that you need to ensure that your partner is comfortable before you go any further. And that’s something my boyfriend never did.

When you’re a man, you’re expected to be aggressive and dominant in bed. You’re supposed to value sex more than anything else. These ideas were almost fundamentally ingrained in me by the time my boyfriend and I were dating; I never questioned my sexual nature so on the surface. It didn’t feel as if what was happening was really happening.

It’s hard to imagine the personal politics and ideology of the feminist movement being so applicable to myself. I’ve always tried to put my subjective experience far behind the voices of truly oppressed women working to call out inequality. But it’s undeniable; feminist ideas benefit us all, especially when it comes to sexual oppression.

I know that men don’t experience this kind of stuff nearly as much as women. Though men—especially gay and trans men—are still at risk for sexual assault, we have no idea just how often women have to endure this specific brand of oppression. The horrors of sexual assault, violence, and coercion are far more devastating than any statistic can ever encapsulate. We all know that one in four women will experience some form of this in college, but we can never account for the unquantifiable amount of torment they can and likely will experience for years to come.

For me, I still feel all these memories today as if they just happened. Every time I get close with someone romantically, I become terribly afraid. I get afraid that the same things are going to happen to me; that I’m going to be pressured into sex with my partner, and that if by some miracle we do go through with it, I’ll be too afraid or damaged to enjoy myself.

My experience has taught me how to be a better feminist. Though it wasn’t clear at first, my definition of consent is more explicit than ever. I believe I am more empathetic to survivors than I could have been before, and I believe that I finally understand the way patriarchy creates a sexually hostile culture for all of us.

Feminism is not about everyone. It is not about me, my struggles, or my privilege. But feminism is something we can all benefit from.

With it, I know we can create a culture where sexual violence against anyone, no matter their gender, is discouraged instead of ignored. With feminism, we can change the rape culture we live in.

Feminism isn’t about me, but it saved me nonetheless.

THE SEXUAL VIOLENCE ISSUE | 27

“Feminism is for everybody.” -bell hooks