Jack and Jill

emerson college: first year writing program

jack&jill jack&jill 121-04

created by the students of katie vagnino’s research writing section

121-06 a project of katie vagnino’s research writing class

jack&jill a project of wr 121-06 editor in chief

KATIE VAGNINO

designers

KEELY DONNELLY RYAN SWEENEY

contributors ISAAC AMERLING KYLE ARMSTRONG BRADLEY CRYAN AUSTYN DAVIS ZACHARY FILKOFF TAYLOR GILROY ESTHER GLASIONOV PHILLIP GOHARY AMANDA GOLDMAN JAKE GREENSTEIN RILEY HUNT ERIN MAHONEY NOELLE PLOURDE MARY QUIGLEY FRED TRACY STEPHANIE WHEELER

a letter from the designers Hello good folk of the freshman showcase (and perhaps the world at large!) and thanks for checking out jack and jill. The zine you are holding, and/or reading off a screen, is a product of Katie Vagnino’s Research Writing Class at Emerson College. Our semester long class delved into a variety of writing styles and techniques, explored through the lens of gender. This zine is a selection of some of our pieces.

The magazine is hodgepodge, in a sense, a patchwork of differnet themes - reflected by the different designs of each section. All contain a common theme, and a common design element.

Let the zine take you on a journey, explore the many constructs of gender. Thanks for reading!

Keely and Ryan

Great Expectations Editor’s letter

W

e are the byproducts of Social Media and Societal Questioning.

It was the movies, the books, and the pop songs that took Webster’s place and claimed, “This is a man! This is a woman!” The Romance languages-languages of love-placed a sexist predicate before every noun.

We became either Marlon Brando or Vivian Leigh, James Dean or Marilyn There were those who came before us who raised their hands politely, stood up, and asked, “What about this...” This sparked a myriad of questions, and a plethora of confusing What is a bromance? Are there varying degrees in which one can express their sexuality?

Is it wrong that a boy sing about a boy over jangly guitar riffs? Does any of it matter?

The ancients told us that we were only allowed to kiss a porcelain facade; Tip!the pixies said that we could touch the skin of everyone as much as we want.

We will not lie to you, we are being paid by the word. Each one we ponder upon gains us 15,000 experience points. We forewarn you, though, what you have grown to anticipate is not necessarily what we are preaching. This is our coming-of-age. This is our bildungsroHugs and Kisses Love Always, Mary Quigley, Zachary F ilkoff, Esther Glasionov, and Kyle Armstrong

If you’re looking to watch a serious movie, I Love You, Man is not going to work for you. The movie follows friendless Peter Klaven’s quest to find a best man for his approaching wedding, which eventually lands him in the throes of a beautiful and hilarious bromance with the extremely independent Sydney Fife. Despite the prevalence of outlandish behavior, the comedy is rooted in the realism of Peter’s search for his first guy friend.

The energetic and growing relationship between the characters lessens the fact that the film does not have any other particularly redeeming qualities beyond the comedy. Leading gentlemen Paul Rudd and and Jason Segel deliver an uncanny example of the triumphs and weaknesses of a strong, platonic male relationship. The value of I Love You, Man comes from the ridiculous, charming, and bro-tastic friendship between Peter and Sydney.

Peter’s abnormality first appears when Zooey is calling her friends to announce their engagement, but Peter does not call anyone. This is not because he is unexcited, but simply because he does not have any friends in the first place. Peter’s friendlessness appears highly peculiar next to Zooey’s solid popularity; Peter is almost less of a man

because of his “friend defect.” The fact that Peter’s sole connection is to his wife makes him appear somewhat effeminate at times, which is only emphasized further when Peter is seen making root beer floats in the kitchen to deliver to his wife and her friends.

Peter embarks on a series of “man-dates” in order to meet a societal norm of having a best man and to become more independent from his wife.

Sydney is the one who aggressively pushes Peter to become a man with his own interests; interests that may not revolve around his relationship with Zooey. Both men draw strength from their friendship, as did the classic and bro-tastic dynamic duos in The Blues Brothers (Landis) and Men in Black (Sonnenfield), though Peter and Sydney’s adventures are far more realistic.

The routine problem of moving to a new place and knowing no one but a spouse is a subject many audience members could connect to. Someone watching the film may be able to sympathize with Peter’s difficulties making friends, especially since Peter’s troubles are so exaggerated. Everyone in the audience can at least remember a time when making friends was painfully awkward, and so can appreciate the humor derived from Peter’s friendlessness. Peter has everyman problems and so inspires everyman humor.

Between the jokes and cracks, the serious subject of growing up brings down the humor to provide a social commentary. When tensions build between the friends as the wedding gets closer, Peter points out to Sydney how his other friends have moved on with their lives to careers and kids, leaving Sydney behind. He is the womanizer who spends half the time in his garage-turned-man cave, hidden from typical male adult responsibilities. Sydney becomes less of a lone ranger and more of a lost man at this point; a common occurrence in films that include a very independent but careless character.

Sydney’s genuine strengths and weaknesses make him a relatable character even if his enthusiasm for living by his own rules surpasses expectations. But Sydney’s predicament is not so alien to an audience, as every character in films considered romantic comedies tend to fall into similar situations.

Apparently bros are not safe from this trend.

The simplicity of Peter’s friend issue is what makes the comedy so easy to digest. Peter’s efforts to make friends create different situations for a lot of different types of humor; what could inspire more

The Everyman Bromance

By Mary Quigley

hilarity than varying man-dates that nosedive, crash, and burn? The best comedies are usually the ones that are not trying too hard; they allow the circumstances to guide the jokes and cracks.

Simplicity and finding comedy in commonplace settings is a hallmark of Director John Hamburg’s style. His well-known work Along Came Polly incorporates the use of many different faces of comedy, though none of them alienate the audience by their ridiculousness. Every interaction in I Love You, Man is believable and so enables an audience to appreciate the efforts and comic plights of the characters. Hamburg mainly derives humor from Peter and Sydney’s wild friendship in comparison to Peter’s more docile relationship.

I Love You, Man would not be nearly as enjoyable without the brilliantly bro-tastic dynamic created by Paul Rudd and Jason Segel. The storyline is only mildly funny on its own; it needs life breathed into it before it goes anywhere. The film’s success is carried by these two actors naturally delivering their lines so to relay a convincing friendship. As with many comedies, the actors adapted their lines to better suit the feeling of the scenes and ad-libbed a fair amount to keep things flowing; these efforts are apparent in the extensive blooper reel. Peter and Sydney’s innate bond over boyish pursuits create op-

portunities for hilarity without the help of elaborately staged comedic settings some actors need.

If nothing else, the effortless friendship of Peter and Sydney pays tributes to friendships that inspire confidence and uncensored camaraderie in those involved. Hanging with Sydney makes Peter more of a man; not because they do manly things, but because Peter possess a previously untapped confidence. The realistic settings and scenarios peppered with ridiculousness prove to an audience looking for genuine humor that bromances such as Peter and Sydney’s are possible. It demonstrates that somewhere, for any friendless guy, there is a special bro.

During the summer of 2008, I was the luckiest kid in the world. School was out, and I was enjoying bonfires, beaches, and finally being able to sit behind the wheel of my new Jeep Wrangler. It was a beautiful machine. Two removable doors attached to a clean (but not for long) black frame.

I took pride in its manly fourwheeling capabilities. Its bare bones style frame allowed for fifty smiles to the gallon. The best part about it was not only the fact that I felt more like a man than ever before but the fact that I had one free year subscription to Sirius satellite radio.

Every day I would hop into the front seat, crank the ignition, and turn the radio straight to Alt Nation. I still listen to Alt Nation whenever I get the chance because it never fails to deliver some of the best new music in the world of Alternative/indie rock. Each new song I discovered flowed through my ears and purred louder than the V-6 engine that was cranking beneath my hood.

Every ride was like a trek over a rickety bridge, to get to the top of a castle where I would discover some of the best new bands that have still remained on my top ten list to this day.

I’ve decided to keep subscribing to satellite radio even though my free year has expired and it has always managed to be my auditory pal.

However, I will always remember the summer of 2008 as the year I realized how valuable the content of satellite radio truly is. It was pal. However, I will always remember the summer of 2008 as the year I realized how

2008 as the year I realized how valuable the content of satellite radio truly is. It was a perfect 75 degree day. The pedestrians on the sidewalk moved at a 75 degree pace with 75 degree expressions. The world was in balance. I had the windows rolled down and the music bumping through every speaker. After I stopped singing along to the radio, which I realized made me look like a fool to the people in the car next to me, a new song came on that I had never heard. The beat was giving off electro-pop vibes and I was probably subconsciously snapping my fingers. Eventually the lead singer started reciting the lyrics and that’s when I almost turned the volume off because I thought if I turned any dial to the left I could rewind what I just heard and play it again to make sure I heard correctly. Unfortunately, hitting buttons did not make any productive effort to rewind the radio content and so I decided to just keep listening and wait for the chorus. A minute after the start of the song, called “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How to Dance With You,” the chorus came back, reassuring me that what I heard was not, in fact, a mistake. The lead singer who was a male in his early twenties was repeating the line, “You are the girl that I’ve been dreaming of/ Ever since I was a little girl.”

Wait. What?!

This is a boy. Not a girl. I couldn’t make heads or tails of these lyrics and for that reason, I got angry. Is the singer trying to make people believe he’s a girl? And if he’s gay then why is he dreaming of girls? Every

scenario just didn’t make sense.

Questions popped into my head filling me with an exhausting, feeling of confused anger. The lyrics were jumbled together, overflowing in my brain, which activated my arms to vigorously roll up the windows. Then one simple thought brought me back down to Earth and forced any humor that was hiding behind this fury to burst out in laughter. The thought was that I’m not alone. I’m not the only one confused by these lyrics. This band is purposely trying to confuse people!

The more I pondered the idea of mass gender confusion, I wanted to shake the hands of each member of this band and congratulate them on a job well done. In a sense, this band of 20-year-old hipsters known as “Black Kids” are much like the Joker in the latest Batman movie. There is a scene where the Joker takes all the money he stole and simply burns it. At first, it causes confusion and anger among his “co-criminals” but then they realize, along with the audience that the Joker doesn’t care about these official pieces of green paper. The city of Gotham is literally burning down and the only thing people are worrying about is money. The “Black Kids” created this song as a way of saying, why should people care so much about these official names of genders and who should have sex with who when there are so many bigger problems in this world. the only thing people are worrying about is money. The “Black Kids” created this song as a way of saying, why should

Gender Role Radio

By Zachary Filkoff

listening to this song are the ones paying for satellite radio or the college-age hipsters who frequent indie music blogs online.

This is just one of those songs that is locked up in the top of that castle, over the creaky bridge away from the mainstream media to ensure that no one gets the wrong idea. I realized that gender-neutral songs are not what the media deems popular and from then on, I would consciously criticize the pop songs that played at my school dances.

Two years later Rhianna’s “Rude Boy” was blasting through all the radios. Now, I love Rhianna as much as the next guy. Her songs are catchy and always fun to hear at a party.

However, when she features lyrics such as, “Come on rude boy, boy/ Can you get it up/ Come on rude boy, boy/ is you big enough,” along with referring to her partners as captains, she is actually complicating the lives of girls and boys across America who are listening to this on FM radio. I’m sure I’m not alone when I say that after hearing this song I was sweating my balls off (pun intended) wondering if I was “big enough”. She goes on to sing, “I like the way you touch me there/I like the way you pull my hair/Babe if I don’t feel it I ain’t faking.” Now girls hear this and think if they want to be like Rhianna, they have to be freaks. Another popular hip/hop song I’ve heard lately is “Good Feeling” by Flo Rida which features the lyrics, “Giving up’s not an option, gotta get it in/ Witness I got the heart of 20 men/ No fear, go to sleep in the lion’s den.” Sorry Mr. Rida but did you just compare yourself to a lion after stating that your only option in life is to “get it in”? After almost 19 years of listening to songs like this, I have such a twisted image of what sex should be like along with how I should act as a man.

The “Black Kids” song made me realize I could care less what Rhianna thinks! I’ll make love like Zack Filkoff, not like a “captain” or whatever else she calls it. And forget what Flo Rida says! I’m not a lion. I don’t need to be a lion and I will never call my bed the den! In fact, my favorite animal is a seal. So ladies, welcome to the Pacific Ocean.

Maxim considers itself a ‘man’s magazine’ and in 2004 launched a campaign proclaiming that, “men” were dying out. Part of the campaign included brochures titled “Are You Dying Inside?” which “warns of a disorder called Mantropy, a spiritual degeneration among men that that is indicated by manicures, excessive smoothie consumption and frequent seaweed wraps” (NY Times). Another part of the million-dollar campaign included an application that looked like it was meant for the government.

The petition wanted to list ‘man’ as an endangered species. “’Disappearing habitat,’ the cover page reads. ‘Metrosexuality. The proliferation of in-line skates. Man is in terrible danger. In fact, he’s rollerblading on the brink of extinction’” (NY Times). The petition “concludes that without the protection of a government ‘endangered’ listing, ‘man will surely succumb to the ravages of an effeminate, feng shui world gone mad’” (NY Times).

The underlying notion here is that Maxim encourages certain behaviors in men, and that, “monthly doses of Maxim Magazine, and strict adherence to the lifestyle outlined in its pages, have proven effective in curing even the worst cases of Mantropy” (Maxim Magazine).

In their articles, Maxim highly sexualizes women.

Rather than viewing a woman as someone who should be courted and dated, Maxim is more of a fan of one night stands with attractive women.

In a Maxim article entitled “The Maxim Guide to Hit-

Maxim

By Esther G

ting On Girls,” the author describes a few ways to enter a conversation with a girl, and calls it “the art of successfully meeting and connecting with people you want to bone – er, date” (Maxim Magazine). Here is the indicator that sex comes first. You don’t want to “date” the girl; you simply want to have sex with her, which is what Maxim encourages. You’re young and have a libido, so why not

seize every opportunity you get?

When spotting a “super hot 10” among her friends, the article suggests that you “don’t focus on the superhot girl.

Go for one of her friends. They’ll like you more because they’re sick of men only hitting on her. And she’ll wonder why you’re not hitting on her” (Maxim Magazine). So from this tip, it’s clear to see that you should manipulate one woman in order to catch the interest of a hotter one. There is a blatant disregard for the women’s feelings here, because they are something that should

Vs. GQ

Glasionov

be conquered for a night. After all, you’re not really looking to date her.

You only want to bag and tag that.

GQ Magazine has been called the “men’s version of Vogue” as it is a men’s magazine that focuses on fashion, style, and culture for men. It contains a variety of articles that range from food, movies, fitness, sex, music, travel, sports, technology, and books.

It is much more “cultured” than Maxim and targets an audience that is more “in touch” with their metrosexuality, and not afraid to pamper themselves.

The GQ man is a gentleman, or at least considerate of others. In an article titled “How to do ‘friends with benefits,’” the GQ man isn’t supposed to leave his lady friend hanging.

GQ informs its reader than just because you and your lady have a mutual agreement, it doesn’t mean that you can just ignore her and still have your merry way. The article also mentions “when she plays hard to get, she’s just not that in to you. It’s

not a game, it’s a sign” (GQ). Unlike the Maxim man who thinks a woman playing hard to get means that she’s into him but doesn’t want to come off as too slutty, the GQ man understands that when a lady is acting uninterested, it literally means that she is uninterested in you. The GQ man is in a higher caliber than the Maxim man in the way that the GQ man knows how to treat a lady, and treat her well. A woman is not simply a plaything, as the Maxim man knows her. No, she is something much more than a tool for a night of fun.

By flipping through a Maxim magazine, it is clear to see just what type of masculinity it portrays: a Maxim guy is a guy’s guy, who likes alcohol in one hand and a hot woman on the other. He’s in the prime of his life and plans on enjoying it. The GQ man is a gentleman who enjoys the high life and who isn’t afraid to pamper himself.

It doesn’t make him any less manly; it merely means that he cares about the way he looks. The GQ man is certainly of a higher caliber than the Maxim man, and it seems that the Maxim man has quite a bit of maturing to do before he can reach the GQ man’s standards.

As long as the Maxim man doesn’t read too deeply into the magazine and follow it’s every suggestion, then he eventually has a chance of maturing into a GQ man who is the type of man that women look for.

NAME THAT GENDER! Desk Chair This chair could be a girl or boy. If it was a chair owned by a boss, would it be masculine? According to a Gallup poll, in 1953 66 percent of Americans preferred men as bosses and only 5 percent preferred women with 29 percent having no preference. In 2009 the same poll showed that only 46 percent of Americans preferred male bosses and 22 percent preferred women. Women are becoming much more equal in power in the workplace but there are still more male supervisors in America. So which gender would this chair have?

See the poll: http://www.gallup.com/poll/149360/

Stove Stoves are paired with cooking, which tends to be paired with females in the media. However, some of the most successful chef’s are male. According to the Daily Meal ranking of the 25 most successful chefs in America, the top four are all male with Wolfgang Puck at number one and there is not even a bit of femininity in that name! So which gender does the stove boil down to?

Videogame Controller Men are supposed to be the competitive gender. They are portrayed as lazy and immature a lot of times in the media. Many games are directed towards boys such as war games and racing games but many game companies are making games focused on females in the last few years. In fact an astounding 40 percent of gamers were female in 2009 as opposed to 12 percent in 2001 as noted by the local ABC News website in Los Angeles, CA. So which way will this controller lean in the game of gender?

Shoes According to shoe commercials and the general media, girls love shoes. And it sure doesn’t help their case knowing that in 2007, the average woman owned 19 pairs of shoes according to an article on Reuters.com by Belinda Goldsmith. This may be the easiest object to assign a gender when, according to an article on Cracked.com notes that only 38 percent of men own over 7 pairs of shoes. You decide, but it looks like girls win this won. Sorry men.

Car Called “La Voiture” in French, which is a feminine word, and “El coche” in Spanish, which is a masculine word.

The word car seems very gender ambiguous amongst the languages of the world.

But cars always seem to be a topic among male magazines and male focused television and film. So if a car could only choose ONE gender, which one would it drive towards?

To mom, With Feeling

By Kyle Armstrong

“Mommy says, ‘Stop your crying.’

Mommy says that bec-because the boys in the movies don’t cry. What’s my favorite movie? Disney. My favorite c-hara-c-ter? Hmmm...ummmmm...Simba. And the Little Mermaid! Oh, and sometimes, when I’m drawing, I watch that movie - what’s it called? - Fantasia! That’s a funny word. I don’t like the music, though. Be-cause! It’s so sad! And slow.

Likekjbkjbk in ch-church...church. Mommy says I always fall asleep. One time, though, I took my Gameboy in without telling her, and she got real mad at me. She k-kept saying, ‘You’re a bad boy.’

I don’t like being a bad boy. I didn’t mean to! I just didn’t want to fall asleep like a baby.

What if I missed something? Mommy had to be taking me to show me something special.

Maybe everyone has to get really, really, really sad before they get super happy. Like, BOOM! There’d be dancing and jumping all around. I wanted to do that. It sounded fun!

But that didn’t happen. Mommy just yelled at me. A lot. So everyone outside saw. I hate being a bad boy...

I’m-I’m sorry, Mister. I didn’t mean to cry. It’s just that Mommy always says to never hold in my emotions.” *** “Mommy sounds like quite the hypocrite.”

“A hippo-what?!”

“A hypocrite,” I stupidly repeat. There are nothing but adult words to define what I suddenly realize is a highly sophisticated title. In the mind of a child a ‘hypocrite’ is only a profusely rotund individual.

“How old are you, Monkey-Man?” I asked in an effort to change topics. Whenever Little X comes around, he only talks about one thing. You would think since each memory is so recent he would be capable of randomly picking any one for discussion. The Law of probability and nature seems to deem it impossible for him to say the same sentence twice. But as the author of his life I can assure you from experience that this is not the case. I can imagine what exactly will one day be his first recollection of life on Earth. It’s already there. I felt it.

Little X extended his index finger and pulled it back with his other hand. Farther and farther, so far in fact that if he had gone any more, it would have broken off. He craved the pain. It occurred to me that surely Little X had fallen down a flight of stairs at least once.

Boys constantly collapse. They disobey the parent saying, “Don’t ride this Sesame Street car down the stairs.”

I can make an educated guess and say the stairwell itself was L-shaped, with a small landing towards the bottom. This would mean that Little X hit his head twice - once against the wall, and again on the tile floor. Otherwise, the memory would not be traumatic enough to stick so vividly.

By now, Little X had moved on to the next digit. This one, however, was treated with a higher degree of elegance similar to that of a kiss. Not from a family member, but between a specimen of the opposite gender. This was his first. Radiant blonde hair, curled at the ends. Blue top. White skirt. The name is bound to escape him, but never the overall moment It happened in the ball pit at Chuck E. Cheese’s. She might be in his morning Pre-K class - I can’t see that far. No make-up, unlike the ones soon to follow. It was all so fast that the details vanished without a trace. This was the introduction of beauty into his youthful life, but it was also the beginning of countless long, painful nights that would turn into months without end. A fantasy had been experienced, to which all of femininity would be judged. Not even pin-up girls in Playboy or lingerie magazines would have such an impact, because this was pure. She defined the XX chromosome that one can only idealize.

She was still being idealized. This was the love everyone dreams of but can never have.

Especially Little Xs. He would miss this girl more than any yet to come.

I had traversed so deeply into my illusion of his past that I had begun neglecting Little X, arm reaching towards my face, showcasing his weight in experience. Before me are a ring, middle, and pointer finger, all equidistant from each other, and a baby finger suppressed tightly under a tiny thumb.

“Oh, so you’re quite the big boy, then?” I can’t think of anything else to say.

“Yeah,” Little X responds rather unenthusiastically. I take the hint.

“Do you play any sports?”

“No.” “Well, what do you like to do for fun?”

“I like to draw.” I should have known. He probably likes old bedtime stories and when R&B songs come on the radio. Not that he is going to tell me this, but I can see it.

I figure it’s about time to get down to business. I ask, “Can you say the word ‘cat’ for me?” Neither of us want to be here. Little X complies. This process continues for about ten more minutes as I ask him his name, where he lives, his little brother’s name, and then to list a few animals and colors. Finally, I have him recite the alphabet. Then I lead him out into the waiting room.

A woman approaches me, whom I have come to know as Little X’s Mother. We exchange a friendly - though forced - hello. What comes next is strictly policy. This is my favorite part of my job.

“Ms.” I always begin, as you can never tell nowadays, “after talking to Little X over these past few visits, I think I’ve been able to pinpoint the major problem. Now, keep in mind, there may be other, less noticeable issues, but over time and with a lot of work this whole thing can be resolved. Just give it time. More importantly, make sure that he works on what we practice here on his own too. Watch him and pay close attention, and if you pick up on anything correct him and help him out.” So she can understand, I turn to Little X, who is tightly grasping his Mother’s hand, and ask, “Can you say the word ‘cat’ for me?”

“Csat.”

“Do you hear it?”

“Yes,” she confessed. I know she didn’t. No one ever does.

“Now, as you know, I only do three sessions in order to locate what letters a child has the most difficulty pronouncing, so from now on Little X will see someone who can work more closely with him.” I hand the woman a clipboard with my coworker’s profile. “Don’t worry, my colleague is absolutely wonderful. You’ll love her. In fact, I think she has a son who’s about the same age as Little X.” As I say this, the Mother looks up from the profile, claiming, “Oh, yes! They play on the same T-ball team.”

“That’s great!” is all I could muster. T-ball is not a sport, it’s surgical precision. I believe this conversation is about to end. Apparently I’m wrong because Little X’s Mother decides we are just getting started.

“I cannot thank you enough, Sir!” She shakes my hand vigorously. “Me and X’s Father never heard anything wrong, but X’s pre-school teacher, she picked right up on it. Like that!”

She snaps her fingers so loudly - so quickly - that they could wake the dead. I am telling her that most teachers are trained to look out for this kind of thing. “Maybe so,” she responds,

“but I guess there were these girls in his class who were making fun of him, saying he talks funny. That’s how the teacher go involved. She said he wouldn’t stop crying.”

“Kids can be cruel.” It’s the best I’ve got.

“So true.”

I bend down to Little X and, roughing up his hair, say, “You be good, Monkey-Man, ok?”

He agrees.

After filling out some paperwork, we exchange goodbyes. The door shuts. They drive some unknown distance home. I get to work. This is the last time I see Little X. *** Mommy said, “Stop crying like a little three year old!”

Mommy, I cannot postulate a more accurate manner in which to articulate my ennui. The source of this dullness is both unbeknownst and contrite, though these facts hold no grand importance to the matter at hand. I will never come out and speak of it directly, for I fear Karma’s inevitable repercussions. You were splendid. You raised me in accordance to the proper laws at the time. Support and compassion are all one can ask for, and I received both and more some. I often wonder, however, whether or not I have been a matter of sheer convenience. You wanted two boys, so this wish was granted.

You have a Boyscout and an artist, and unfortunately the latter came first. Not that you protested, as boys can draw and listen to music. There were never any fascinations with dresses or dolls. You navigated almost everything with the utmost ease. Boys do not feel pain. Therein lies the tipping point.

Cry. I can say the ‘c’ now. Maybe I always could, at least under my breath. Every fight with Father, every movie, every cassette, every girl. This innate aching is the result of natural selection. This confession is not to critique or accuse you. I just hope you comprehend that I need this. I have found my voice. I no longer stutter or stress. So before I get too caught up, I just want you to acknowledge the boy underneath the streams and strains.

The car door shuts. There are no swerves, no horns, no breaks. There is no sign of accidents, no crashes or explosions. Nobody dies in this story. A house is entered. The door is locked. This is the last time these sessions occur.

The End

By Kyle Armstrong

Nem cor aligent

Mod quaspic tecusam et quatus eicabores

Dear Readers, Tip! Define strength using the first few words that pop into your mind on the subject. Now define strength in women. Do they differ? If so, how? Is it even possible to separate different types of strength and categorize them as either feminine or masculine? Our editorial team tries to answer those questions by offering some explanations, examples, and diverse points of view through different genres. However we aren’t looking to shove our ideas down peoples throats. Everybody has a different experience, different outlook and different opinion when it comes to this potentially controversial topic. Confusion and hate muddle this spectrum of research and thought, however when getting past all the haze, all that matters is the stance you choose to take. And how you hold on to that because it’s what you want to believe, not because of what someone has told you to believe. This is true (gender neutral) strength.

So when we talk about strength in women specifically, we are pulling from different experiences and knowledge. We are trying to convey that there are all sorts of women and therefore all sorts of strengths. If we get right down to it, in order to focus solely on the many strengths we say exist in the female spectrum, we need to eliminate what doesn’t apply to this topic: race, origin, and medium.

So Bitches, here’s the gist. What do Peach and and the Dresden Dolls have in common? For that matter, where does Ripley from Alien fit into this? Truth is, they have nothing in common where it doesn’t matter.

(Yeah, Tip! your mind better be blown). They are all female portrayals of strength in the most popular forms of Tip! media. The pieces in this section convey those strengths and prove that they are relevant and important in today’s society. A research article on the history of the word “bitch” opens your eyes into how a single word can have so much diverse power. A review of a girl band and a review of the movie Alien comments on the aspect of girl power and what that means. Finally, a memoir focusing on childhood video games, and how a single girly character can have so much impact. In a generation where feminism is a taboo word that makes men role their eyes and most women cringe in distaste, we aren’t looking to promote female empowerment.

Only that strength exists in diverse forms in the female character.

Brad, Noelle, Riley and Stephanie

ON A SCALE OF PEACH TO RIPLEY 1. If you’re on a date, and he spends most of the time texting someone else, you... b.) Sigh and roll your eyes, giving subtle hints that you’re annoyed. If he still doesn’t get it, you’ll ask him to put the phone away. c.) Grab his phone out of his hands and throw it against the nearest wall. That’ll teach him!

2. How strong do you think you are? a.) Why do I have to be strong when I can get other people to lift things for me? b.) Eh, strong enough but it’s not like I care c.) Very, I can beat up any guy!

3. What would you rather wear on an adventure? a.) Adventure? Seriously? Yeah, no thanks. b.) I dress to impress, you never know who you might run into c.) Clothes I don’t care about because let’s be real, adventures are dirty.

4. Your career goal is... a.) Well, I’d like to have a job but my boyfriend says he wants me to stay at home with our future children, so I guess I’ll do that. b.) Substitute teacher...maybe. c.) Champion mixed martial arts fighter. Those guys don’t have anything on me!

5. You have trouble writing a paper. Do you: a.) Tell no one and brag about your writing abilities? b.) Attempt to finish the paper as best you can? c.) Go to the Writing Center or ask your friends for help?

6. You’re at a concert in the standing-only floor section. You’re about to make it to the front when someone pushes you to get in front of you. You... a.) Do nothing and continue to shrink to the back. These people probably like this band better than you anyway. b.) Tell your boyfriend to push them out of the way for you. c.) Push them out of your way, and everyone else too. The band is playing your favorite song!

You are stuck in a tower, do you: a.) Wait hopelessly for a prince so come save you?

review

b.) Wait to grow your hair really long, at which point you hope to have gained the courage to escape? c.) Risk angering your stepmother and figure out a way to escape yourself?

Jhon Doe Designer StockInDesign

CHARACTER GUIDE ON NEXT PAGE

HOW STRONG ARE YOU?

a.) Don’t say anything. You’re not that interesting anyway so it makes sense that he would want to talk to someone else.

Bitch: The Reclamation

Noelle Plourde

The word “bitch” has gone through many transformations in its short life. The derogatory use of the word can be traced back to the fourteenth century, but during the second feminist movement, the word was used as a compliment, to mean a strong, aggressive, independent woman.

The second feminist movement was sparked by the 1963 publication of the Presidential Commission on the Status of Women and Betty Friedan’s The Feminist Mystique (Bayley). Both works shocked society in pointing out the unfair lack of respect for women and the oppressive nature of society’s expectations for them. It really was new news that every woman in America didn’t want to spend her life having babies, vacuuming, and cooking dinner. These two publications were all that those women needed to start the movement. So again, just as in the first feminist movement, the oppressive veins of society called them loud bitches.

This time, though, something new happened. The feminist “bitches” realized all the characteristics that made them “bitches” in the eyes of society: assertiveness, independence, resilience, and courage to speak out and to resist oppression. Just like that, the word became a compliment to those at which it was thrown. Joreen’s (formerly Jo Freeman)1968 The BITCH Manifesto describes the word’s new meaning: What is disturbing about a Bitch is that she is androgynous. She incorporates within herself qualities traditionally defined as ‘masculine’ as well as ‘feminine’. A Bitch is blunt, direct, arrogant, at times egotistic. She has no liking for the indirect, subtle, mysterious ways of the ‘eternal feminine.’ She disdains the vicarious life deemed natural to women because she wants to live a life of her own.

Joreen’s Manifesto made official the new aspect to the word “bitch.” Yes, men and women alike still used it derogatorily, but now, along with that, some women were embracing it for the compliment that it had become. Those unsatisfied housewives wanted to be bitches. The word provided a model for all the women who were sick of the old way of thinking. By this time, “bitch” had also lost a meaning. It was no longer used to mean a sexually desperate woman who was, in that sense, worse than a whore. The derogatory use of the word was defined more in the way we know it today: an pushy, aggressive, or mean woman.

The next feminist movement, in about 1996, marks the attempted reclamation of the word. Andi Zeisler’s Bitch Magazine is perhaps most responsible for this. Zeisler started the magazine to give a “feminist response to pop culture,” and stated that she gave the magazine its title for the main purpose of reclaiming the word: “When we chose the name, we were thinking, well, it would be great to reclaim the word ‘bitch’ for strong, outspoken women, much the same way that ‘queer’ has been reclaimed by the gay community. That was very much on our minds, the positive power of language reclamation” (Bayley). Soon enough, the world had been desensitized to the word, and it could be found everywhere. Not only were feminists using it, but all women were using it.

a’s

PEACH

from MarioKart

You need to take a lesson from the girls ranked below. It’s not the 1800s any more! You are woman, so let people hear you roar!

b’s

AMANDA PALMER

of the Dresden Dolls

You can speak up for yourself when you need to, so you’re not a total push-over. Remember, though, “less is more” isn’t always a necessary philosophy. Don’t be afraid to get what you want!

c’s

RIPLEY from Aliens

You’re ready to kick ass and take names! You’re the epitome of a strong woman, especially since you can admit when you need help. Just be careful with the unnecessary violence....

WHY DO I HAVE TO BE PEACH?

STEPHANIE WHEELER

I never consciously noticed the clear division between boys and girls when I was younger. But then again, what elementary school kid does? During those years boys were boyish and girls were girly, no questions asked. That was just the way things were and everybody just accepted it. It’s only looking back now that I realize that gender roles were so much more prominent, yet less significant, when I was younger.

My closest friend when I was younger was named Freddy. He was my babysitter’s son, two years younger my junior. Because both my parents worked long hours I spent a lot of time with Freddy. Despite the age difference we got along great, and to this day most of my fondest childhood memories are of my time with him. From swimming to playing hide-n-seek to playing video games, Freddy and I managed to wear ourselves out each and every day we spent together.

Thinking back on it now, though, I can’t help but laugh at the clear show of diversion between genders when it came to spending time with him.

When we played tag or hide-n-seek with the neighborhood kids, who were mostly boys, I had a clear handicap. I was either expected to follow Freddy to find the “best” hiding spot where I would be “safest”, or he would purposefully not look for me and instead try to find someone else so I could have a chance at winning. When we raced in the pool I was either given a head start or allowed to win. (At least that what he told me every time I won. I think he forgot that I was part of a swim team at home. Even at the age of eight, male pride is ever troublesome).

But there was only one thing I didn’t appreciate when it came to Freddy and I hanging out, and that was video games. I was naturally not very good at video games when I was forced to play. I could get over the fact that I sucked royally at Mario Party or Mario Kart because I was a girl and girls weren’t expected to be good at video games. What really irked me was the fact that I was forced to play with the “girly” character every single time. I had no say in the matter, I had to be Princess Peach when we played Mario Party or Mario Kart.

If I refused, then we couldn’t play anything and I was being a “party pooper” and “not fun to hang out with” (accompanied with long drawn out whiney noises). So I stuck it out and played with crappy Princess Peach. To this day I still don’t understand why she has to wear a big puffy pink dress when she’s on life-threatening adventures, or why her voice is squeaky and annoying when she exclaims “Alright!!”. It wasn’t enough that I was really bad at the games, I had to be stuck with a visual representation of how much I sucked.

My being forced to drive as Peach in Mario Kart was a whole other inner turmoil for me and is probably why I am so car crazed today. Anybody could watch me play for less than twenty seconds and know that I was rotten at it. However the snickers and out right laughs would’ve been easier to take if I was able to drive as a better character. Freddy always played with Yoshi. The character doesn’t exactly correlate with a badass image, however, combined with his skilled video game driving, I couldn’t help but wonder what he would drive like in real life. Unfortunately, I never got the chance to find out what he would be like driving on the road as I moved across the country when I was twelve. What’s even more tragic is Freddy has no idea what a skilled (jealous people say “aggressive”) driver I am in my red, loud, and badass car.

To this day, I whine if I have to play Peach, because, gender roles aside, she really is a lousy character. But over the years, I’ve improved my skill and I realized that I actually had the ability to play well; I just needed to work at it. When it comes right down to it, Peach is a female character that just doesn’t have a lot of strength. Instead, it’s up to the driver -- it’s up to me -- to apply my strengths to win.

IN SPACE, NO ONE CAN HEAR YOU REDEFINE GENDER ROLES

RILEY HUNT

The greatest heroes are often the unexpected ones. The underdog and the outcast are classic heroic molds that have, at one time or another, risen to the challenge in many stories. What makes the protagonist in Alien so unconventional, is that at first she is nothing more than another crew member, with nothing overtly special about her. Yes, her. Ellen Ripley is one of the most famous action heroines in recent years. Since the release of Alien in 1979, few female protagonists have captured the same portrayal of a strong women as Sigourney Weaver.

Not many action/horror movies involved a female protagonist at the time, so her character was already unique in that regard. However she is not the stereotypical action woman, she is not a hardcore feminist, she just happens to be a woman. While she’s a little tougher than most people, she also has moments of classic femininity. When a dead facehugger falls onto her shoulder she shrieks and hurls herself into a corner like a 50’s housewife seeing a mouse and a male crewmember places an arm protectively in front of her. She also has a pet cat that she is particularly fond of and goes to great lengths to save.

These classic elements of “femininity” are offset by her sometimes cold demeanor at the start of the film. For example, she refuses to let her crew-members in after one of them has been attacked by the alien, saying that she needs to follow standard quarantine procedures, and that letting them in might infect and kills them all. This moment is especially poignant because she is absolutely right. Over the course of Alien, you see that Ripley is a more vulnerable and developed character than we had believed from the beginning. She is pragmatic and courageous, but also vulnerable and afraid.

That dichotomy is what makes her character so effective. Ripley is convincingly human, she shows some moments of fear, doubt and desperation. Ripley is intelligent and logical enough to know the very real danger she is in, but she also knows what she has to do to survive. She never falls into the womanly coward stereotype, or the more recent overcompensating over-butch stereotype of women in action movies. More than just a strong woman, Ripley feels like a real person, forced to perform acts of extreme heroism out of necessity and her own good nature.

Ripley’s realistically strong woman needs an appropriate antagonist, and the alien suits the bill nicely. The alien is sinister Freudian mechanism in its design and mannerisms. The facehugger bears resemblance to a vagina, and its phallic offspring bursts through John Hurt’s chest in a suitably disgusting fashion. Even the fully grown alien’s second mouth extends slowly like an erection from hell, dripping ooze that is literally KY Jelly (apparently the special effects crew had a lot of it). The alien comes off as a sort of inhuman rapist, penetrating or impregnating each member of the crew. In the scene where the only other female character in the movie is killed, the alien’s sharp tail sneaks up behinds her, and appears to hook her by the crotch in an unnervingly sexual fashion.

What better antagonist to a strong, human, and distinctly feminine woman than a twisted alien sexual predator?

If you separate the facehugger and the offspring you can see how intensely masculine the Alien is, it is gestated and “birthed” out of a man, there is nothing feminine about it. Ripley is able to defeat it by being herself, resourceful, intelligent and above all, brave. Ripley proves more than a match for the alien, and she shoots it into space, even when it had cornered her in her underwear (in case you didn’t have enough sexual undertones).

In this light, Alien becomes more than a struggle for survival. Ripley is trying keep herself from becoming a mother to another monstrosity. She chooses to see herself as more than a womb, as a person who can choose her own fate. The type of motherhood the Alien offers is the direct opposite of itself, a hyper-feminity that is nothing but supplicant, with no free will to speak of. Ripley demonstrates that she can be more than that: feminine, but not just an unwilling tool of procreation.

She is human, with all the strengths and weaknesses that includes. Ripley shows that women can and should stand up defend themselves, defending their lives and the lives of others, and should be able to choose what type of mother they want to be, if at all. She may not have been what people may have expected from an action hero, but you would be hard pressed to find a man or woman so capable and yet so fundamentally human as Ellen Ripley.

Girl Anachronism: Strength in The Dresden Dolls Brad Cryan The Dresden Dolls’ self-titled debut begins with a mistake -- a music box sample that loops a beat too early and jars the listener. And thus sets the tone of a perfectly flawed recording by this dynamic duo. The Dresden Dolls is the brainchild of lead singer, pianist, and songwriter Amanda Palmer, who since this recording has become a self-described social media queen, married renowned fiction writer Neil Gaiman, and re-structured her career to one of the most forward-thinking business models in independent music. But before all the hype and recognition, she was the Amanda Palmer she presents herself as in this 2003 release -- A self-critical, over-dramatic, and neurotic personality.

Sound like a criticism? It’s quite the opposite. The Dresden Dolls is the treasure that it is because unlike many recordings by female-fronted acts, Amanda Palmer throws gender expectations to the wayside and not only reveals, but flaunts her imperfections. The mistake that many well-known female singers make with their lyrics is assuming that in order to come off as a strong woman, they can never show their weaknesses. Popular artists such as Lady Gaga, Rihanna, and Katy Perry sing their songs with a phony omniscience and an unfaltering sense of power, embodying thousands of admirers’ ideas of what a woman should be. But as evidenced by her lyrics, Amanda Palmer realizes that it’s not perfection that makes a strong woman -- it’s humanity.

The Dresden Dolls is a notably honest recording. In this way, it becomes very easy to think of The Dresden Dolls as a character study as much as it is an album. The climax of this lyrical approach is “The Perfect Fit”, which happens to be one of the best songs on this album. In it, she describes her skills, her shortcomings, and the ways in which she has changed.

Without inhibitions, Palmer uses this song to give her audience a remarkable window into her mind. By revealing her flaws, she helps us to connect with her on a human level.

As an extension of the persona Palmer takes on in the lyrics, the music of the album is much the same: flaunting the ways in which it deviates from the norm. Though the album dabbles at times in progressive rock and other genres, it’s fair to think of it as primarily a pop album. The music does, after all, follow pop tropes: verse-chorusy, vocal-centric songs with lyrics that deal with small-concept subject matter. But this isn’t your twelve-year-old cousin’s pop music. There are no electronic instruments, there is no auto-tune, there is no gloss and no perfection. That’s not to say that the musicianship is poor -- on the contrary, Amanda Palmer is a solid if not fantastic piano player and vocalist, and her drummer, Brian Viglione, could hold his own with the greats.

But, like the most memorable bands, they’re not afraid to get a little sloppy. At one point in “Bad Habit”, Palmer gets so enthralled by the energy of the performance that she slams the piano with no regard to what notes she is playing. In her vocal performances, she occasionally wails, yelps, screams, and doesn’t sing perfectly in key. Furthermore, rather than sitting in the back with a clean, steady beat, the drummer vies for attention, dowsing his performance with stylish fills. It’s a similar logic to all those wonderfully sloppy guitar solos in classic rock songs -- sure, it doesn’t fit the mold, but isn’t that the point?

These performances wouldn’t quite fly on a top 40 radio station, but really, they’re better for it. With the application of some clever strategies, the music on this album reaches highs that pop rarely approaches.

Altogether, The Dresden Dolls is a beautifully put-together recording and an album that’s been in my rotation for the better part of a decade with no signs of leaving. By accepting even the negative aspects of herself and not giving into the pressure to portray the feminine gender roles when they’re not true to who she is, Amanda Palmer has created a modern masterpiece. In embracing the ways that it isn’t perfect, this album has the potential to dig much deeper into the listener’s sensibilities than the vast majority of music being made today. It’s catchy and complex, relatable and specific, very much imperfect and bordering on perfection.

! n a M , h O

Fred Tracy, Amanda Goldman, Erin Mahoney, and Phillip Gohary

Editor’s Letter Do you ever wonder why Mr. Clean and Windex commercials always show women cleaning the bathroom and washing the windows instead of men? Or why Budweiser commercials depict men, not women, sitting around watching sports while sipping beer? The answer is simple. Women are expected to be the ones cleaning all day around the house while men it’s acceptable for men to hang around the house drinking beer. Our theme in this section is to explore the expectancy of male dominance and how it takes form in culture and media. Through our various pieces of works we have the goal to show how gender roles are connected to media in our everyday lives.

As Emerson students, we serve as the future in this media-driven pop culture world. Through collaboration we hope to make an impact in how society views gender roles. Attending a city that ranks among the top opportunity to lead the pack in the entertainment industry. Our section ranges from areas of music, advertising and personal memoirs that all serve to bring roles of gender already in society or whether societal roles are shaped by the media?

Our section, Oh, Man!, works to illustrate the personal connection that relates to all Emerson and creatively driven students who read it. We feel that male dominance is so prevalent and cannot deny the fact that Hollywood is contributing to this ideology. As the images of gender roles and stereotypes increase in the media, men become more afraid of engaging in “women activities” , and for women vise versa. More then male roles by contributing and exploiting gender stereotypes and the male dominance associated with that. ments depicting men as dominant and strong and womreckless and domineering men, through the controversial lyrics of our favorite artists, and in the reality of Hollywood as a man’s land. But do we blame these nation in society, or do must we blame today’s social standards for being the ones to put out these ideas in the media?

The Power of the Male Rapper

By Fred Tracy Over the past few years, hip-hop has become an art form that serves to consistently reshape the attitudes of the many teenage listeners. One of the most predominantly known icons, Eminem, has recently put out his latest album, entistudio-recorded album, the artist has left many fans as to wondering what direction of style he will pursue.

The album’s name itself, Recovery, serves to illustrate the overall theme of the work, but has the artist really changed the message? The tracks tell of how a once tormented and damaged soul, Marate between the lifestyles of Marshall, Eminem and his alter-ego Slim Shady.

However, with many tracks still conveying degrading and violent lyrics tobegin to question if the so-called matured Eminem has really grown up.

Since the late 1990s, Eminem has been successful in the music industry with the help of friend and former N.W.A. rap member, Dr. Dre. Within the past decade of selling 42 million albums in just the United States, Eminem has always been held to high standards with multiplatinum selling albums targeted towards white-middle class teenagers.

With a long history of drug and alcohol abuse, the rapper constantly blames his horrible childhood and abusive, drugaddicted mother in songs. After listening to the album in its entirety, one can see where the raw rage and anger in his music stems from.

Even though Recovery is not as violent as his past albums, some of the lyrics be a nicer to woman the day Michael -

rogatory terms and metaphors makes listeners question whether he has really changed. When asked if he was homophobic because of phrases used in the album like Eminem has been the target of protest from gay and lesbian activists in the past that objected to his lyrical endorsement of violence against them. However, Recovery shows that Eminem’s homophobia is not simply a matter of lyrics, but rather a requirement The album itself has created controversy like all other past Eminem albums. However, this time the debate is whether Eminem still has talent or not. The album won a Grammy for best rap album of the year, but if an album like this that speaks so condescendingly towards women and gays is the genre, listeners need to step back and reassess hip-hop’s overall message. Recovery has a theme of remorse and strength but the numerous punch lines drown tracks with an underlying message of male dominance.

Gender Quiz: Just How Much Do Men Dominate Our Media? of 2008, what percentage of speaking parts were given to women?

A 56% B 33% C 70% D 12% tors are women?

A 8% B 20% C 35% D 58%

4. What percentage of the guests on ABC’s Nightline were male? (early 1990s) A 50% B 76% C 89% D 66% 5. What percentage of the guests on PBS’s Macneil/Lehrer NewsHour were male? (early 1990s) A 74% B 43% C 55% D 87%

“revealing attire” in 2008. What percentage of women wore similar attire?

A 10% B 20% C 30% D 40% Answers: 1;B 2;A 3;D 4;C 5;D

Through the Lens of Gender

By: Amanda Goldman

in Hollywood normally means to have the power of on set. However, for ages this word has been reserved only for the mass number of men that make whelming unevenness in gender, especially in the area of directing, one of the positions held in the highest of esteem. According to a recent luloid Ceiling: Behind-the-Scenes Employment of ducers, producers, writers, cinematographers, and editors working on the top 250 domestic grossing ed for only 5 percent. The big question is why. dustry, and why are the women making initiatives still not getting the respect they deserve?

l S t e t

D

c

w p

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amine dominance men currently possess. The estry, describes the possible reasons for this male

t

is made that Hollywood is a male-dominated industry, because the mainstream movies being produced are much more male-friendly than female-oriented.

This, in turn, has led to Hollywood actually being a male-dominated industry‌the early gender-

w

Dalke and Blankenship imply that because men were

skewed male perspective, Hollywood and the industry have grown up with this gendered viewpoint.

Though even faced with this challenge of entering

2011 study concluded that women did in fact compromise 18 percent of all directors. But who are these women? Although making movies, they are

n m

h s T p g h

c a r

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t [Kathryn Bigelow at the 2010 Academy Awards]

that has managed to grab recent spotlight for her Academy Awards to win for best director. After this monumental event, Bigelow began to receive

s o h

lar to say Steven Spielberg or Martin Scorsese. Although this was a gain for the recognition of women behind the camera, Kathryn’s success also gave light to how the press receives the success of

slim — fashionably beautiful. She has and is the sort of in restaurants, on

dressed, startlingly big eyes and big hair woman who looks good the fantail of a yacht

Hunter’s analysis of Kathryn’s physical appearance is an indication that even behind the camera, women still cannot escape the standards of physical judgment that socicess in her essay Kathryn Bigelow: On Her peded by unnecessary focus on her looks.

Beside her looks, her past relationships with various US and international newspapers over this period of time reveal eron. Even though she is now independent, she was still endlessly linked to Cameron, and her success was even attributed in herself from gender issues, while simultaneously aligning herself with tradiwords of Rick Fulton of the Daily Record, During the 2008-2010 period of Bigelow’s

tance to discuss the gender politics of

with the industry, one cannot blame Bignine status. As history shows, to be a man means to gain the most recognition her gender, there can be more room instead for her work to shine.

The media’s obsession with gender is also prevalent through their handling of Bigelow’s new star status. At the time of her success, she could not be seen as cally as a female director. According to an interview in the Toronto Star, Kathryn remarks that she thinks of herself as a maker. The media doesn’t refer to male

their gender is an indication that they

a woman’s reputation as a director through Although Kathryn Bigelow’s success and ploitation in the media and inability to tor show that even when gaining success, roles. As an article featured in abc news every woman that directed, wrote or pro(Canning) get their earned respect, and even when recognition is received, it is often for the wrong reasons. The possible solution to this problem? Women must continue to story written about Bigelow at the peak of her success featured her looks and that there can be hope that more of these her past relationship with director James works, and the women behind them, will be

Sex Not Scents By: Erin Mahoney The fragrance industry reinforces gender stereotypes through over masculine images for men and over-sexualized images for women. Such ads cater to males’ desire to be physically fit or attractive, and to be the dominant, overpowering sexualized male figure in a relationship while they cater to the woman’s desire to be the sensual, petite and gorgeous woman that gets the man. Fragrance ads sell sex not scents.

Fragrance marketers attract men and women in different ways, although they are trying to attain the same benefits.

It has become undeniable over the recent years that many ads use sex appeal to market their products. Yet, fragrance ads take it to a whole new level and they know just how to target their desired buyers. If one takes a look at gender stereotyping based on masculinity, they will come to the conclusion that men crave to be the dominant, aggressive, powerful, and masculine type.

Most of the time, these personality traits will appear when presented in an image with a woman. In a study done by Soley and Reid, after researching fragrance ads, they found that “21 percent of heterosexual couples engaged in explicit sexual contact in 1983 in relation to 53 percent in 1993”.

This statistic proposes that using sexual interactions to advertise has increased over the decades and only continues to increase.

Marketers can use this tool by placing both a man and woman into an ad and having the man demonstrate such traits.

We live in a society where male stereotypes are predominant and pressure males to be like what they see in ads. Callen Gustafson, a senior at the University of Southern California, discussed Axe body spray as an

example of such marketing. She said that their ads “target 18-24 year old men and play on their insecurities of achieving a higher social status and getting the girl” (Advertising Undressed). The ad makes the consumer believe he needs the product to feel sexy, thus winning over the girl. It’s a simple equation: if you buy this scent, you get what you see in the ad…except not quite. Another example is a Dolce and Gabbana ad for their fragrance “Light Blue” for men. The ad for the fragrance depicts a brawny, tan-skinned male, shirtless with his arm draped around a young girl’s waist. He is leaning over her as though he is more powerful than she is. There is waterfall scene behind the two and they are both dripping wet. The girl has a bikini top on and the man also exhibits his power over the girl by looking directly into the camera while her gaze drifts off.

Since this ad was targeted at men, the consumer will be drawn to the image presented in the ad and the sex appeal and power it gives off. Many men crave to appear like and to have what the male figure has in this advertisement and it is all due to gender stereotyping and the male dominance role that is so prevalent in society today.

Although fragrance marketers aim to sell their products, some people react to their ads negatively depending on how much sexual appeal is in the ad. Susan Cummings, a researcher for the American Demographics Magazine conducted a study to see how exactly people respond to sexual ads. She concluded that “75 percent of women and 53 percent of men aged 35 to 54 said that sex in advertising can be offensive” (Cummings 1994). She also concluded that the 20 percent of women who were “occasionally” offended and 29 percent of women who were “frequently” offended, avoided the products overall because of their explicit images (Cummings 1994). While an older generation of people took offense to sex in advertising, the younger generation felt differently. John Fetto ofnt of people aged 18 to 24 said that they would be

Demographics reported that 44 percent of people aged 18 to 24 said that they would be more likely to buy a product from an ad containing sexual imagery. Concluding from the statistics, younger people are more attracted to sex in advertisements than older people. Reichart said that “The effect may be heightened for young adults, for whom sexual expression and experiences are still relatively new” (Journal of Consumer Affairs, 2003). This opinion supports the research that suggests younger generations are more willingly to look over an ad with sex appeal and be drawn in by it.

When it all comes down to it, one may wonder, what exactly is the point of a fragrance ad if you can’t even smell what’s being marketed? You look at a picture of a fragrance and see two sexually attractive models, but then how do you decide if you want the fragrance or not? Are you geared toward it because you like what you see or because you have a genuine interest in the scent of the fragrance itself? Lilly White, a blogger from the UK spoke on this topic and said, “If I were perfume manufacturers I’d spend my money on free samples rather than some supposedly ‘arty’ effort” (Hubpages). The purpose of an ad is to sell the product that is being marketed.

One cannot know what a certain fragrance is going to smell like just by looking at a picture. Just like White explained, if fragrance marketers spent more time focusing on making the scent of the fragrance known rather than what may happen to one if he or she was to buy the perfume, more people would be drawn in. Also, many offended consumers would not have as much negative attitudes toward most fragrance advertisements.

Trapped by Gender in Ali: Fear Eats the Soul

By Phillip Gohary

The familiar story of forbidden love is a tale that has been told numerou

or community. Rainer Werner Fassbinder’s Ali: Fear Eats the Soul manages to co

norms of relationships. Their comfort and happiness is short-lived, however, a

ostracism from their respective social groups. For Emmi, it’s her fellow nativ who part ways, and for Ali it is his Moroccan friends who share the pain of b

their actual personalities are submerged beneath common stereotypes.

to be accepted back into their previous social groups, the gender roles becom

sence from them, begins once again to speak and behave like them, losing some pendence she gained with Ali. She seamlessly transforms back into the female

Ali faces a similar obstacle when he returns to his young, male friends. back into his gender role quite easily as well. He is even shown working on a that the couple has an argument that ends with Ali and his cohorts mockingly

gender roles can be, completely changing Ali’s viewpoint even after he has fac rejection from his social group following his public acknowledgement of his lo What is perhaps most dangerous about this sudden reversion is how easy it is. able to show that the comfort and convenience of these social roles are perha them so long-lasting and hard to break.

As mentioned before, Ali is not without its subversions of the typical ge

bed, he is comforted by Emmi at his side. Typically one would see the woman i

the young, muscular Ali that is bedridden and needs the comfort and strength tive Emmi. Despite this glimmer of hope, there is no sure sign that these ent roles will be overcome any time soon.

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of the diminutrenched gender

WITHIN OURSELVES

We are the saint and the sinner, the narcissist and the self-loathing, we are the selfish and the se occupy the different roles that we play in our day-to-day lives. We wear these masks because w see this in the media through paparazzi and the power it has to ‘make’ or ‘break’ someone in a co that other people perceive us is unavoidable since it is something that society places importance define us. Even in high school, we are labeled the ‘athlete’, the ‘nerd’, the ‘beauty’. But by labeling as the ‘athlete’, or vice versa (despite the athleticism within the nerd or the brains within the athle ent masks are our cultural and personal identities. Although society is constantly asking us to ‘be When trying to figure out who we are, we face a constant struggle to find a

Our section explores the ways in which gender dictates a person’s actions, thoughts, and feelings ent outcomes and whether or not the outcome is related to gender. The pieces revolve around ev trolled environment; they are real events that actually took place in the real world, with real peop two surf-rock bands (one male- and the other female-based), Isaac created a poll that explores the ing the theory of gender and its place in society.

elfless, and we are the faces and the faceless. Society asks us everyday to wear many masks as we we are all subjected to a kind of panopticism upon which our society has been built. We especially onventional sense. Because of this, we can never fully see our true selves, even in a mirror. The way e on. When putting on these different masks, we create a multitude of tangible labels that come to ng ourselves as one thing, that very thing consumes us. This closes the ‘nerd’ from ever being seen ete). These labels are tangible in that they reflect an image, or a mask. At the root of all these differe’ something, it doesn’t offer us much help in finding a balance between these parenting identities. a balance between how society perceives us and how we perceive ourselves.

s. In short, we want to question how people take the same initial situation and come up with differeveryday events in order to connect to a vast audience. They are not hypothetical studies, in a conple interacting with each other. In this section: Jake recalls an account in gym class, Austyn reviews e connection between gender and conflict, while Taylor connects all the pieces together by discuss-

-Austyn, Taylor, Issac and Jake

To construct an identity can be dangerous in itself. Identity derives from the Latin adverb ‘identidem’, meaning repeatedly. The root of ‘IDENTIDEM’ is idem [et] idem, or same [and] same. If achieving this internal and external balance signifies the creation of an identity, then creating a single tell-all label to define one’s self by negates the human capacity to grow and change. Thereby stunting the evolution of individuals in a culture or society. But, then again, it is only through a mass group of individuals that society can exist. Since society necessitates that we ‘identify’ as something for the sake of organization, we are asked to ‘identify’ with one gender: a concept that is most easily conceptualized in a polar fashion as male or female. To illustrate this, consider the fact that infants aren’t born into rooms painted pink or blue to suit their preference…someone painted the walls for them according to society’s concept of what’s masculine and feminine.

Thus, the idea of gender is socially constructed. This is inherent in its definition as “the behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits typically associated with one sex (Merriam-Webster Dictionary).” And so, we are asked to ‘be’ not one biological sex, but one socially constructed gender. Those who fall short of one, or who simply aren’t either, are a minority. These people then are considered the ‘lepers’ or the ‘outcasts’ to society only because they are unwilling or unable to abide by normal societal standards . . . . . .

GYM CLASS by jake greenstein

“Alright everybody, absolutely NO lifting the puck and NO curving the blade of your stick.

Got it?” Ms. Xenose explained. To us, it seemed as if she was taking all of the fun out the game by putting on these handicaps. I didn’t care what she said; I went on curving the blades and planned to elevate the puck to have that competitive edge. My thought, it was only middle school gym class, as if it really mattered in shaping my future.

The only other person in the class that I can remember specifically being on my team was my friend David, who was also on my hockey team outside of school. David and I were curving our blades, just going over some set plays that we about to perform as Ms. Xenose was going over the rules. All we heard was “blah blah blah….David, Jake! Here you two are, curving the blades right as I’m telling everyone that is against the rules, right in front of me none the less.” If one was close enough to her, I bet that they could feel the anger radiating off of her, building up inside of her, just trying to keep it bottled up until class is over. But as soon as she turned to face the other way, David and I just continued to fine-tune the curves of our hockey sticks. Ms. Xenose finally shut up only after taking her time explaining the basics of how to play the game, but there were still those dumfounded people who even after her lengthy explanation still could not line up right for the face off. It was painful, all ready to go as if it was a real game, only to look around and see that your line-mates cannot figure out where to stand, and will most likely not be of any use once the game has started.

The puck dropped and my classmates were not distinguishable from each other. Boy, girl, tall, short, blonde, brunette, it did not matter, they all were just objects I needed to pass to score a goal. David won the face off with ease, passed it to me on his right side. I then stick handled right past the opposing left wing while David was streaking up the middle, splitting their timid defense. I saucered him a pass, it landed right on the blade of his stick. In one fluid motion, he drew the puck back and gave off a full motion wrist shot. In the blink of the eye, the puck landed in the back of the net. A high screeching whistle sounded, followed by Mrs. Xenose shouting, “Are you two serious right now? Do you want to sit out the rest of class? You go and do exactly what you’re not supposed to do again. Unbelievable.” She was probably thinking something around the lines of “its always the boys that seem to ignore the rules and do what they please.”

As Ms. Xenose attempted to make her point clear, her voice kept getting louder as if her voice had a volume knob and was being turned from 6 to 10. The end result, David was traded to the other team in attempt to keep the teams on the same level. Our thoughts: Whatever, now there was somebody that would actually pose a threat.

The fact that I played hockey outside of gym class for several years did give me an advantage.

There were other times when the other boys in my class would be better than everyone else because they played that sport outside of class. For the most part, the people who were the best would rotate through most of the boys in the class and a few of the girls who were athletic.

But there was always some group of girls that would do anything in order not to participate in the activities. To me, gym class was a break from sitting at a desk and being lectured. I tried to take advantage of the time I was given away from the classroom. Everyone had their own view of gym class and acted on it how they saw fit.

GENDER IN CONFLICT: A SEARCH FOR ANSWERS

Boys and girls share differences not only in sexual organs and hairstyle, but also in the way they react to different situations. It has always intrigued me whether gender, personality, or both dictate a reaction. Does someone react a certain way because they are a boy or a girl? Or is it just how that person was raised and the environment which they were brought up? I was determined to find out.

I took a poll between fifty boys and fifgirls. The two groups consisted of students, working class, and even senior citizens. I wanted as wide a variety as possible to try and ensure as accurate a result as possible. I gave everyone the same prompt and then asked a simple question with a few possible answers afterward. It followed like so: You are with your signifcant other at a social gathering. You leave for a few minutes to grab a drink and when you return, you see another boy/girl obviously hitting on your loved one.

You can do one of four things: A. You go up to the person and start a fight, B. You go up and insult the person but avoid physcal contact, C. You go kiss your partner and make it obvious she is a relationship, or D. You do not say anything.

Of the group of men I interviewed, 20 men, a whopping 40%, chose A, saying that they would get physical if the opportunity presents itself. Another 17 chose C, they would make their presence known, 12 men chose B, saying that they wouldn’t be nice about it. i nOnly one person said that they wouldn’t say anything.

The women had a different take on things.

Two t y women total chose A, 10 women chose B, 16 woman said C, 22 women said D. The female interviewees were not as prone to confrontation.

The results seem to reflect the common

i -

stereotypes that society has placed upon men and women, but you should draw your own conclusions on this mini survey.

Some may think the female statistics suggest that females are more level headed and have more self-control. Others might argue that women are afraid to stand up for themselves. Many may say that men i are more primal and driven by the need to prove and distinguish themselves. But in some suggest that society has created this complex that men feel the need to fight and be tough to be respected. The evidence is subject to interpretation. It brings up a lot of interesting questions and points about society, nature, and the relationship

ISAAC AMERLING

. . . . .The word ‘culture’ is derived from the Latin verb ‘colere’, meaning to grow or cultivate. Growing and cultivating suggest change; to grow or to cultivate suggests evolution. Since gender is in part a construct of a society and its culture, it stands to reason that there is some logic in the evolution of gender’s role in life. Because there are two biological sexes, “gender constitutes one of our many ways of dividing the world and then classifying and ordering the divisions” (Pomerance, 7). Gender offers a tangible form of public solidarity through assumptions and generalizations while discouraging civic difference. But as soon as we label ourselves as one thing, that very thing consumes us. Every day that we identify with something, we are forced to understand what it means to ‘be’ that thing, and we are stuck living within the walls of the ‘room’ it has created for itself. Judith Butler, in her essay, Imitation and Gender Insubordination, battles with a question that undermines the schism normally placed between genders, “how is it that I can both ‘be’ one, and yet endeavor to ‘be’ one at the same time?” (Butler, 311). Her question gets to the heart of discrepancy between gender and sex. We are all born a certain sex; it is an unavoidable fact, our biological nature. And yet, throughout most of our lives we struggle to fit the conventional molds placed on gender—masculine and feminine. Butler says that when we identify as either one “we are out of the closet, but into what?... Being ‘out’ must produce the closet again and again in order to maintain itself as ‘out’… the closet produces the promise of a disclosure that can, by definition, never come “(Butler 311). Going with this image, there is then a sense of performativity within the idea of gender. As a society, we feel pressure to live up to the identities by which we define ourselves because we know that we are all victims to peoples’ perception and judgment. We self-monitor our behavior not only to live up to the identity that we hold internally, but to outwardly reflect the identity with which society labels us. . . .

WE ARE ALL VICTIMS TO PEOPLES’ PERCEPTION AND JUDGMENT

Notorious for being a rowdy group of musicians, the trio that makes up Wavves has finally (or so it seems) streamlined their bad boy ways upon the release of their third album, King of the Beach. Leaving behind a track record worthy of Lindsey Lohan-level disdain at the hands of front man Nathan Williams, Wavves’s new image also comes with a new sound. Born out the surf-rock vein, it seems this San Diego-based band no longer wants to be known for the angst-y, lo-fi sound so predominant in their first two albums.

Opting for a cleaner sound, this album’s Technicolor melodies and sugary vocals miraculously rise above the fuzzy guitars and muffled distortion, calling to mind a blend of Beach Boys cheer and Orange County skate-punk attitude. Known for simultaneously defying and embodying everything California, Wavves’s angst-filled lyrics and bright, forceful musical accompaniment contain a striking dichotomy that is sure to bring out the disparaged teenager longing to get away in all of us.

Despite cleaning up his act, it is obvious Williams isn’t quite willing to let go of his sulky, self-deprecating ways that fueled his previous work. Irony and apathy still fill almost every note Williams howls, maintaining his signature downbeat, loner persona.

Even the title of King of the Beach underhandedly pokes fun at the on-going indie fascination with seaside fantasy. And the digs just keep on coming.

His off brand of humor becomes even more apparent on the track “King of the Beach,” which features lyrics challenging the sun to “burn my eyes/ Let it burn my back”. Williams is certainly not shy about showing a defiant attitude to the all-too perfect world around him. A desire to dispel the Californian paradise is expressed on multiple other tracks throughout the album as well (“Baseball Cards”—“I don’t wanna walk outside/ Because where would I go?/ We won’t know”). Yet despite many proclamations of isolation, boredom and sexual inadequacy (“Misery/ will you comfort me?/ In my time of need/ would you understand?”), the mood surprisingly never becomes oppressive; it, in fact, remains just the opposite. Through careful crafting, Williams has created an album that brings listeners into the world inside his head: one filled with weed, girls, loneliness, skateboarding, the beach, the sun, and the sanctity of being inside. Altogether, it makes for one very interesting journey of California through the eyes of an unsure, angst-ridden teenager.

WAVVES v

vs

BEST COAST

Take a look into Best Coast singer/ songwriter Bethany Cosentino’s deep dark musical past and you’ll see just how far a cry their first album, Crazy For You, is from her previous gig in Pocahaunted. Leaving behind an extremely progressive sound based on improvised drones and distorted reverb, Cosentino and band mate Bob Bruno took inspiration from 60s girl-group pop, surf-rock a la the Beach Boys, and 80s punk rock to create a unique sound and image.

Originating out of Los Angeles, Best Coast taps into the laid-back surfer vibe California is known so well for to deliver an enchanting sound that’s somehow fresh and timeless. With a skilled combination of cooing vocals, get-to-the-point melodies, upbeat drumbeats, and pulsating, reverb-soaked guitar, Crazy For You instantly invites listeners to escape into an alternate always-sunny universe conveniently located in California. A quintessential “summer album” if there ever was one, Cosentino embraces the Cali vibe by filling each song with breezy “oohs” and “ahs” that remind one of a warm summer breeze floating across exposed skin.

But, as we find out in the opening track titled “Boyfriend”, there seems to be trouble in paradise. An aptly crafted first song, it introduces a few basic motifs that remain throughout the album: absent boyfriends, unreturned affections, insecurities, laziness, weed, cats, and an emotional spectrum that stretches from here to Timbuktu. Although broken love affairs can be a potentially morose subject, Cosentino manages to walk a tightrope-fine line between tongue-in-cheek and vulnerable that suits the cheery mood perfectly. It is this honesty displayed in her straightforward lyrics (she unabashedly admits to being insecure when compared to “the other girl” who is “prettier and skinnier” than she) that makes her bubbly songs so relatable to love-torn teenagers everywhere. Despite some petulant tendencies (the droning funeral dirge “Honey” comes to mind), in the grand scheme of the album, these songs are still pretty fun and easy to listen to. And while her lyrics may not be the most profound or soul awakening, it is pretty obvious that in writing this album Cosentino never strove for lyrical grandiosity. What she does achieve, however, is an honest account of the complicated, exciting, and crazy thing known as love, and it speaks volumes.

society . . . . In this way our society is an interesting paradox. “One is totally seen, without ever seeing…[and] one sees everything without ever being seen”; however, we are a living example of both roles (Foucault 470).” Again, we are both the faces and the faceless. However, Judith Butler says, ”I ‘come out’ only to produce a new and different ‘closet’. The ‘you’ to whom I come out now has access to a different region of opacity…before you did not know whether I ‘am’, but now you do not know what that means” (Butler, 311). In other words, when we associate with being a woman or being a man, we have ‘come out’. However, in labeling ourselves as one thing in society and to ourselves, we now face the unspoken obligation to embody what it means to be a woman or what it means to be a man from then on. But just as we are a million different things (the saint and the sinner, the narcissist and the self-loathing), in being human we are unable to live solely within the confines of traditional femininity in what it means to be a ‘woman’, or that of masculinity in being a ‘man’. . . .

Perhaps in our speeding strides we have lost touch with the simplicity of the matter, which is that no one can ever fully fulfill or wear one label. Duality exists within us, and transitively within society; we are the saint and the sinner, the narcissist and the self-loathing, we are the selfish and the selfless and we are the faces and the faceless. In the story of Adam and Eve, she is made from the rib of Adam. For many years, society got wrapped up in the tangibility of this. Considering the fact that religion has been a strong force in politics since its conception, this story played a role in creating the foundations of gender roles throughout history. However, looking past the literal meaning of the text, this story suggests something bigger. Eve was made from Adam’s rib; Adam is in Eve, and because a piece of him created her, Eve is also in Adam. Why have we, as a society, come to label man and woman in such black and white terms when, in reality, man embodies woman and woman embodies man. We are capable of being saints and we’re capable of being sinners. A girl doesn’t wake up one day, decide she’s a woman and perfectly embody that. It’s part of an evolution, part of many evolutions within us that ultimately manifests differently in each individual. Therefore, the labels we thrust upon ourselves and upon those around us have a sense of permanence that is stifling in an infinitely evolving society.

jack&jill thank you for reading please recycle

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