Newspapers / The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.) / Sept. 13, 2013, edition 1 / Page 9
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OPINION SEPTEMBER 13, 2013 feminism’ siiouid not be a dirty word BY OLIVIA NEAL Stapp WwTie Man-hater. Lesbian. Socialist. Feminazi. These are all accusations leveled against feminists. Anti-feminists and men's rights activists have been complaining that the feminist movement has gone too far with its activism and has become about hating and limiting the rights of men. The stereotype that all feminists hate men is simply not true. There may be some women who hate men and serve to bring them down, but this attitude does not belong to the majority and certainly does not represent the movement as a whole. "There are different feminisms," said Julie Winterich, associate professor of sociology and anthropology. "There isn't one theory of feminism or one type of activism." The MRA website Women Against Men serves as a place where people express their concern for "feminists, government and society trampling men's rights and their dignity into the ground — pitting women against men." Essentially, the site seeks to combat misandry or the hatred of men. However, the views expressed on the site only perpetuate more hatred. One of the articles on the site said, "One of the main problems with 'feminism' is that it exploits the legitimate claims of equal rights as a cloak to usher in its divisive, hateful and neurotic interests; interests that are plainly anti-male and not at all about equal rights." The idea supported by the website — that feminism is based on the hatred of men — is destructive and false. "Certainly throughout its history, there have been groups that have advocated for separatism where women should have women-only communities," Winterich said. "But that has not been the dominant discourse in feminism." Feminism is about supporting women. Supporting women and trashing men are not mutually inclusive. "For me and a lot of other scholars, feminism is the end of sexism," said Winterich. "And sexism is a form of oppression against any gender based on the idea that one has more power Recently, I heard the following riddle: a father and son are in a car accident. The father dies instantly, and the son is taken to the nearest hospital. The doctor comes in and exclaims, "I can't operate on this boy! He's my son!"... Let me be clear: this should not be a riddle. than the other." Sexism comes in many forms, and no form is supported by feminists. Despite its best efforts, the backlash and negative connotation surrounding feminism is not going to stop the movement. We still need feminism. Misogyny is still present, oppressive and supported by the system. Recently, I heard the following riddle: a father and his son are in a car accident. The father dies instantly, and the son is taken to the nearest hospital. The doctor comes in and exclaims, "I can't operate on this boy! He's my son!" But that's impossible. Because the surgeon couldn't possibly be his mother — she's a woman! Get it? Let me be clear: this should not be a riddle. According to a study by the research organization Catalyst in 2012, 34.3 percent of all physicians and 69.7 percent of all medical professionals were women. Titles like "doctor" and "surgeon" should no longer be immediately equated with "man." Fixing the assumptions made about feminists starts with standing up for them. The reason people think it's okay to be anti-feminist is because no one will correct them.-There should be open discussions between MRAs and feminists where no one ends up laughed at. If conversation fixes the problem, shouldn't we start talking? ‘Orange is the New Black’: revelation or exploitation? BY OLIVIA WERNER Staff WmTiR This July, Netflix released ite original series "Orange is the New Black." Soon thereafter, Netflix subscribers picked up the show and raved about the diverse cast and portrayal of queer women. That is, until the media slandered the show for being ridden with what they called racial stereotyping. While media sources made racist claims about the show, I believe the show's writers did a superb job of developing each character and giving them a personal story. This was often accomplished through flashbacks to their lives before prison. In doing so, they gave each woman authenticity. Each character is portrayed as an individual who made a faulty decision which brought them into the prison system. In contrast, the media has pointed out that while there is a range of diverse female actors on the show, they play the role of prisoners. "I'm simply not entertained by shows that feature large numbers of black people exiting, entering or already in prison," wrote Allison Samuels in an editorial for The Daily Beast. Media sources such as Aura Bogado, contributor to The Nation, have compared the concept of "Orange is the New Black" to a slave narrative. This is the idea that a white person must authenticate a black person's experience before it becomes credible. "All of these characters must be filtered through Piper Chapman, the white protagonist who will experience the inevitable erosion of yuppie convictions that make her so wide-eyed," wrote Doug Barry in a similar editorial for Jezebel. The real-life Chapman, Piper Kerman, wrote the book "Orange is the New Black" with the intention of reforming the prison system, although the media attributes Kerman's rise to fame to her being an out-of-place white woman in the prison system. But the show's popularity shouldn't be accredited to the fact that a white person validated this story, and should instead be attributed to creator Jenji Jones for her ability to present such a compelling show. "I think the intention was to portray her story in the truest form, so I credit the popularity to how realistic her story is," said sophomore Kaitlin Sullivan. While some reviewers denounced the show for its racial implications, many have praised the show for the portrayal of queer women on television, as there were multiple, intricate lesbian relationships on the show. "'Orange is the New Black' does a solid job representing queer women as part of a larger spectrum beyond sexuality," wrote Michael Gold in an editorial for The Baltimore Sun. Progressive for the entertainment industry today, the cast includes transgender actress Laveme Cox, who plays a transgender prison mate. In an industry that typically places transgender individuals in prostitute roles, this show provided Cox the opportunity to portray a character with depth. 'The topic of transgender individuals has become more mainstream over time, which can be seen as a sign of progress," said Assistant Professor of Sociology and Anthropology Naadiya Hasan. These racial accusations only became an issue when the media created this controversy. The industry thrives off of creating scandals that will appeal to the general public. Mass media ultimately controls the information we receive and the way we perceive our world, which is unfortunate in cases such as this when racist accusations are made against a high- quality production. In order for progress to be made, we must first create our own stance on an issue before considering the media's biased message. This will prevent the spread of embellished information cultivated by the media with disingenuous goals in mind. The Guilfordian - treat us like a classic forum In the glory days of andent Rome, there existed in many dties a. s’pace 'called "the forum." Forums were,open- air squares featuring shops, baths and temples. However, the forum was not simply a market: there, dtizens would rendezvous, engage in political debate and deliver public speeches. They were one of the most important spots in town and a fixture of Roman dvilization. Of course, today we have the Internet, an immense yet bodiless heir to The concept originated by those lon^gone Latins. Just as well, the idea of the forum still thrives. In fact, until rather recently, the Opinion section of this newspaper was titied "Forum." So, what are we getting at? Think of it. Fair Reader: The Guilfordian can be your forum. We, the Editorial Board of The Guilfordian, cordially extend a warm,* open invitation to you: write to us. If you have something on your mind — about Guilford College, a national issue, a cultural event. The Guilfordian itself, re^onably anything — feel free to draft a Letter to the Editor. We will happily publish your story. If you'd like to be heard, we'd like to hear you. So would everyone around campus. Your name will be in print, and your opinion will be dispersed throughout the community. It's kind of like being famous. Doesn't that sound fun? Believe us; it is. In her chan|png-of-the-guairi address, Editor-in-Chief Kate Gibson stated to you, "We're here to listen." And that fact holds true. We aspire to mirror the diverse population and points of view inhabiting our campus. We strive every week — no, every day — to be the voice of the college, and your voice contributes an essential element to ours. So let's begin our conversation. Let's engage in intellectual commerce. Let's build a classical forum in otir modem world. Refleqing Guilford College's core Quaker VALUES, THE TOPICS AND CONTENT OF StAF EDITORIALS ARE CHOSEN THROUGH CONSENSUS OF ALL 16 EDITORS AND ONE RV:ULTY ADVISER OF ThE GuILFORDIAN's Editorial Board.
The Guilfordian (Greensboro, N.C.)
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