Medusa

Check out Issue 6! Just released today!

2011-10-28T15:36:00.001-07:00

Role Reversal

2011-10-28T15:33:00.000-07:00

As we thought about fashion photography and feminism for our Fashion Issue, we considered the ultimate battle mostmodels must face: objectification. Typically, females are portrayed as the weaker subject in a photo, based on who's showing more skin, who's got the stereotypically seductive facial expression and pose, and how each model is clothed. By switching roles and positioning females in typically masculine poses, MEDUSA seeks to question the familiar standards of beauty
and sexualization in glossy fashion magazines. We hope that this role reversal facilitates a critique of the rigid structure of fashion photography and illuminates the
possibility that fashion photography doesn’t always have to be portrayed in such a binary way.

An Eyelid Tutorial

2011-10-28T15:07:00.001-07:00

Here's a link to a video tutorial: the process of creating an artificial eyelid fold.

http://www.theunexpectedtnt.com/2009/02/more-impossible-beauty-standards.html

Events - Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/Syracuse Region

2011-10-28T14:51:00.000-07:00

Events - Planned Parenthood of the Rochester/Syracuse Region

Medusa Documentary Picks: Gender and Society

2011-08-21T16:35:00.000-07:00

The following is a list of documentaries that may be of interest to our readers that are currently available online. The descriptions were not written by Medusa staffers and the publication does not necessarily endorse the views portrayed in these documentaries. If you happen to watch one of these documentaries, or any others that you feel may be of interest, feel free to submit a review to us at medusamagazine@gmail.com, or tweet your opinions @medusamagazine.

China From the Inside – PT 2/4 Women of the Country

China’s women have always been under pressure: from men, from family, from work. Now more and more are under new pressure — from themselves — to take control of their lives; to get an education; to have a career; to marry for love. It’s a slow, difficult process, and it is changing China. Mass migration from the countryside to the cities is increasing prosperity, but fracturing families. It also gives women new roles — whether running the farm back home, or as wage-earners in the city.

The film also explores the discrimination suffered by Xinjiang’s Muslim women, the hardships of life in Tibet, and China’s tragic suicide figures: China has one of the highest suicide rates for women in the world: 150,000 a year. One every four minutes. Finally, we see a glimpse of urban life where the younger generation of women has left the countryside for factory work in the cities. The hours and conditions are tough but the women are slowly gaining confidence and independence.

Though Guise: Violence, Media & the Crisis in Masculinity

The question that really comes out of this is ‘why are boys behaving in this way?’ ‘Why is 90% of violence committed by boys and men?’ It’s not just in these few places (like video games or movies) but it’s in what passes for normal culture. It is part of the normal training and conditioning and socializing of boys and men. That’s a point that a lot of people don’t want to hear, but if you look at the culture these kids are immersed in, violence is a normal, natural part, not just of the world, but of being masculine or being a male person in the world. It’s not just in these few places (like video games or movies) but it’s in what passes for normal culture.

In this innovative and wide-ranging analysis, Jackson Katz argues that widespread violence in American society, including the tragic school shootings in Littleton, Colorado, Jonesboro, Arkansas, and elsewhere, needs to be understood as part of an ongoing crisis in masculinity. This exciting new media literacy tool– utilizing racially diverse subject matter and examples– will enlighten and provoke students (both males and females) to evaluate their own participation in the culture of contemporary masculinity.

Very Young Girls

In the United States the average age of entry into prostitution is just thirteen. The film takes us into the work of a former sexually exploited youth-turned-activist named Rachel Lloyd, who started the New York City organization GEMS (Girls Educational and Mentoring Services) to help victimized young women escape their pimps and find another way of life.

Every F*cking Day of My Life

Married at 16 years – with 18 years of violence following – left Wendy terrified. She summoned the courage to deal with her husband the only way she knew possible. Originally as One Minute to Nine, this documentary finally arrives at HBO with a somewhat more in-your-face title – and, in a stark, spare way that has come to characterize the pay channel, delivers a pretty bracing wallop. A harrowing portrait of domestic abuse, the project draws heavily on video shot by the dead abuser, as his wife, Wendy Maldonado, spends her final days of freedom before going to jail for his murder. The net result is every bit as chilling and depressing as one might expect. Includes captions for the hearing impaired.

Louis Theroux: Thai Brides

This documentary features the ‘Introduction Services’ available in Thailand to men from overseas seeking Thai women for marriage. Although presented in a fairly light-hearted format, it was very thought-provoking. Of course, to most of us the notion of these agencies is abhorrent to say the least. However, largely due to the style of presentation, it was quite revealing to listen to the viewpoints of the ‘clients’ and owners, who seemed to feel comfortable expressing their views. Louis Theroux’ style, which does not at first appear overly challenging, allows a truer insight into a person’s behaviour and makes him/her less defensive and consequently more candid.

The Virgin Daughters

Cutting Edge explores the purity movement in America, where one girl in every six pledges to remain a virgin, or to save her first kiss, until her wedding day. Award-winning documentary-maker Jane Treays investigates whether this decision is made by the girls themselves or their parents, and follows a group of fathers and daughters as they prepare to attend a `purity ball’ in Colorado Springs, run by Randy Wilson and his wife Lisa.

The Business of Being Born

Birth: it's a miracle. A rite of passage. A natural part of life. But more than anything, birth is a business. Compelled to find answers after a disappointing birth experience with her first child, actress Ricki Lake recruits filmmaker Abby Epstein to explore the maternity care system in America. Focusing on New York City, the film reveals that there is much to distrust behind hospital doors and follows several couples who decide to give birth on their own terms. There is an unexpected turn when director Epstein not only discovers she is pregnant, but finds the life of her child on the line. Should most births should be viewed as a natural life process, or should every delivery be treated as a potential medical emergency?

Medusa Documentary Picks: Gender and the Body

2011-08-21T16:29:00.000-07:00

The following is a list of documentaries that may be of interest to our readers that are currently available online. The descriptions were not written by Medusa staffers and the publication does not necessarily endorse the views portrayed in these films. If you happen to watch one of these documentaries, or any others that you feel may be of interest, feel free to submit a review to us at medusamagazine@gmail.com, or tweet your opinions @medusamagazine.

The Perfect Vagina

Fronted by Lisa Rogers, this documentary focuses on the rise in vaginal cosmetic surgery, specifically labiaplasty. For the uninitiated, labiaplasty involves cutting off the inner labia so that they don’t ‘hang’ below the outer labia. Ouch! The labiaplasty business has skyrocketed over the past few years, and Lisa’s mission was to find out why so many women hate the appearance of their vulvas to the point that they’d willingly have pieces of them surgically removed.

Living With Size Zero

The celebrity trend for size zero has been criticised worldwide for encouraging women to starve in secret. This film explores the impact the trend is having on real people living real lives. From Kellie who is striving dangerously to achieve the skinny look, to Victoria who feels that her natural size zero frame is a poisoned chalice, this film exposes the contradictions surrounding women’s perceptions of size.

The Truth about Online Anorexia

Fearne Cotton examines the ongoing trend for super-slim women and immerses herself in the worrying world of pro-ana websites who encourage anorexia and starvation as a life choice. As Fearne explores the diet and exercise regime of a pro-ana, shell try some of the extreme regimes that they endorse and meet other girls whove embraced the same lifestyle. She will explore the seductive nature of these support groups, examine the world of competitive dieting, and look at relationships that ordinary women have with each other when it comes to diet and body image.

Killing Us Softly 3: Advertising’s Image of Women

(Also see: The latest installment in the series, Killing Us Softly 4)

Jean Kilbourne continues her groundbreaking analysis of advertising’s depiction of women in this installment of the Killing Us Softly series. In fascinating detail, Kilbourne decodes an array of print and television advertisements to reveal a pattern of disturbing and destructive gender stereotypes. Her analysis challenges us to consider the relationship between advertising and broader issues of culture, identity, sexism, and gender violence.

Sections: Does the beauty ideal still tyrannize women? | Does advertising still objectify women’s bodies? | Are the twin themes of liberation and weight control still linked? | Is sexuality still presented as women’s main concern? | Are young girls still sexualized? | Are grown women infantilized? | Are images of male violence against women still used to sell products?

The Boy Who Was Turned into a Girl

Bruce was a normal boy, not an intersex child, and yet the decision was made to turn this boy who had lost his penis, into a girl. Under the guidance of Dr Money and his team at Johns Hopkins University this baby boy was surgically changed into a girl. After surgeons at Hopkins had castrated baby Bruce, he became baby Brenda. The family were instructed how to bring up Brenda as a normal little girl. According to Dr Money’s theory she would grow up believing herself to be female and would go on to live a normal happy life as a woman. It seemed the ultimate test that nurture could override nature.

Thirty years after Bruce became Brenda, the impact of this extraordinary story continues. After almost 14 years living as a female, Brenda Reimer reverted to her true biological sex – the case of the boy who was turned into a girl had failed. Brenda took the name David and for the last twenty years he has lived anonymously in his hometown of Winnipeg. For almost all this time no one knew the outcome of John Money’s celebrated case. But now that David has gone public, the case is being widely discussed once again and its impact on John Money’s theory of gender development and the treatment of intersex children is being hotly debated.

Medusa Issue #5 is Live!

2011-07-27T17:07:00.000-07:00

Issue #5 of Medusa Magazine is now available for download! Just click the link below to start reading!

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=LML6GT90

Dear Everyone, Please Stop Trying to Make Me Hate My Body

2011-07-26T20:24:00.000-07:00

BY KAT SMITH

My mom has recently gotten on a health kick in an effort to get fitter, so I’ve been accompanying her to gym sessions and meetings with nutrition specialists (aka phony herbal supplement salespeople). They’ve asked us both what our health-related goals are. My mom cites a numbers of pounds she’d like to lose but when they ask me, I always say, “I just want to live a long and healthy life. I’m not really concerned with weight, I just want to stay healthy.”

I thought that’d be a reasonable answer, but yet, every time they pause as if they are waiting for me to add to my statement before they ask “So… how much weight are you looking to lose?” And I respond, dumbfounded, “I don’t know… I’m not really looking to lose any. I mean if it happens, fine. I’m just trying to stay active.”

Now, I’m an average height, and know for a fact that I’m well within the healthy BMI range. I have no chronic health problems and eat my fruits and veggies on the regular. My nutritional habits might not be perfect (as my penchant for peanut butter can attest to) but all in all, I think I’m doing pretty alright at this point.

So I’m kind of wondering why everyone— from my family, to the media, to so-called “health professionals”— seem to equate diet and exercise strictly with losing weight. Maybe I’m on the treadmill because, well, I like to run? Or maybe I’m eating carrots because I haven’t had my daily dose of Vitamins C? I’m trying very hard to understand this obsession with size, but seeing as my brain doesn’t really get fatter or skinnier depending on what’s on my plate, I’m finding it a little difficult to care at this point.

Yet, no matter how confident I try to stay in my own body, other women are always there to keep me in check. “She’s really gained some weight”, my mom comments on a friend’s Facebook photo before turning to me to say, “You might think about losing a few pounds too.” Why do we feel the need to police each other? If Kim Kardashian gains 10 pounds, it’s an instant headline. But what difference does her or anyone else's weight make to your own life? We are conditioned not only to hate ourselves, but also to take issue with any other woman who doesn't have the picture-perfect bodies we're so constantly shown.

We can't entirely put the blame on each other, but it still feels like everyone wants me to be concerned about the number on the scale? I’ve been actively trying to work against an idea that has been beat into me for several years now by pretty much every ‘Women’s Magazine’ on sale today, but it’s starting to feel like people actually want me to hate my body and equate waist size with self-worth. Has self-hatred really become the expectation for women everywhere?

Fortunately, I stopped putting up with that a long time ago when I went on the feminist diet, which means I eat whatever I want, guilt-free. It must be working so far because I feel better than ever. No self-loathing required.

A New Princess on the Block

2011-07-11T21:28:00.000-07:00

BY ERIN CARHART

If you’ve been keeping up with your movie media recently you’d know that Pixar released their newest trailer for a film called Brave. Now, this isn’t the typical hero tale of a toy that saves the day or about an older man who finally learns to let love in again. No, no, this movie is about a young woman, Merida.

In Pixar’s Brave, Merida plays the first female lead in their animation history. Her character is a young woman who defies the tradition of her country and instead of following suit, Merida takes a strong interest in archery. She isn’t the classical Disney princess nor is she the damsel in distress. Merida is simply asking for a chance to decide for herself. However, this narrative does seem to ring the classical fairy tale bells. A young girl defying tradition, eventually seeking help from an elder, and then forced to face the ultimate challenge…so wait, is there a happy ending?

Could it be a fairy tale that will end with a woman not happily married to a man? Though the challenge is left for Merida to face and she takes on quite a burden because of her “mistakes”, leaving some feminists to ask: Has the movie industry finally got it? Will Merida be the breaking point in which fairy tales no longer predictably end with companionship or that the female role must sacrifice for others? This movie has an opportunity to bring stronger and empowering messages to younger generations, but now we wait until opening day to see what exactly Merida’s bravery will bring to our conversation.

Pink Carriages: Peace of Mind or Unnecessary Protection?

2011-07-10T21:00:00.000-07:00

BY KAT SMITH

Why is the urban world made to feel so perilous for women? In the half an hour it takes me to take the LRT and the KTM to my internship every morning, my mother worries, my father worries and even I worry for my safety more than any other time of the day. What frightening train-riding perverts or robbers might I incur today?! It’s frustrating to feel like I need to be escorted everywhere I go, and equally infuriating that everyone is so concerned with my safety simply because I am a woman. If I were a man, would the big bad world be so big and bad in their eyes?   

Until I was 10 (and even then, very reluctantly) I was never allowed to walk to school without my older brother by my side. When I was 15 I fought my mother for the privilege of walking the less than a mile walk to the high street where I volunteered. Mind you, I lived in a small, sleepy English town full of elderly people and school children. Hardly the cesspool it had been made out to be.  

Now having gained my independence for the first time, I stretched it as far as I possibly could by going to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for the summer. Everyone keeps telling me how “brave” I am to have come here “all my myself.” I’m not quite sure if I should take all this as a compliment or re-enforcement of my perceived limitations as a woman.  

But I hate to admit that this constant fear mongering has gotten to me. I find myself picking up the pace when I’m alone, clutching my bag tighter and looking over my shoulder on a regular basis. Now, I know that not everyone is out to get me, but I’ve been conditioned from the point I was born until now to believe that “it only takes one time.”

However, the thing that puts me most at ease during my daily commute is knowing that in Malaysia the KTM has a section dedicated solely for women. These pink train cars, plastered with “Women Only” icons were introduced in 2010 not out of religious sensitivities as I had assumed, but as a deterrent for sexual harassment in the country.   The segregated cars also have the added benefit of being less crowded during the intense KL rush hours. The gender segregation is not mandatory, and women are allowed to use the other cars as well, although men receive intense stare-downs if they ever unintentionally board the pink carriages. Women-only train cars also exist in Tokyo, although some men are petitioning for men-only carriages as a measure of gender equality, and to avoid false accusations of groping.   

So then what is the Feminist stance on women-only carriages? Is it a good safety measure as a deterrent of sexual harassment? Other women like me who are travelling alone at night may feel sense of security from the measure, but is it reinforcing the idea that women need to be protected and setting back gender equality at the same time? How would women in the U.S. react to the introduction of women-only cars? Is the pink necessary? Hit up the comment box or tweet at @medusamagazine to let us know your thoughts on segregated travel.

MEISA presents: Nervous but Excited and Sarah Aument

2011-04-15T10:58:00.000-07:00

Looking for a musical way to celebrate it being Friday WITHOUT the annoyingly catchy Rebecca Black? Tonight, MEISA is presenting their third show of the semester in downtown Syracuse at the Redhouse. Michigan based Folk duo Nervous but Excited will be here with an opening performance by none other than Syracuse University’s own Sarah Aument.

Nervous but Excited, comprised of singer/songwriters Kate Peterson & Sarah Cleaver, has been described as a “pleasantly aggressive folk duo”, and has shared the stage with artists such as Ani DiFranco, Catie Curtis, and Iron and Wine. Their arsenal of instruments includes guitars, a mandolin, a violin, a ukulele, harmonicas, dead-on harmonies that will shake your insides, some dancing, lots of laughter and a glockenspiel in a performance that provides both a sound and an experience that will resonate with audiences long after they’re gone. Their songwriting varies from intelligent, introspective narratives to tactfully political…interspersed with songs of love and loss that will undoubtedly tug on your heart. You might cry, you’ll definitely laugh, and their hope is that you’ll leave feeling your heart has grown just a little bigger than it was before you arrived.

And of course, it’s hard to be a music fan on the Syracuse campus without having come across Sarah Aument. A singer-songwriter based right here in Syracuse, her style is best described as Folk-Rock but her imaginative songwriting crosses over to multiple genres. Her debut album entitled "Vertical Lines" was released in Sept. 2010, and anyone who has been to one of her many shows on and around campus knows that she brings a wonderful energy and sweet sincerity to every one of her performances. Aument is currently touring the Northeast with her band, and has made a promising start to her early music career, already having shared the stage with the likes of Dawes, Erin McCarley, The Spring Standards, Sharon Van Etten and Ari Heist.

So come on out Medusa readers, and show your support for these wonderful and talented women! It’s going to be a great night of incredible music presented by three fantastic performers. I promise, you don’t want to miss it.

Is Rape Funny? (Don't Worry, the Answer is No)

2011-04-03T14:34:00.000-07:00

BY LAUREN STEFANIAK

It's come to a time where political correctness has everybody watching what they say, except for one group of people- comedians. Yet why should they be exempt from the same standards everyone else abides by when some things just aren't funny? Luckily we're not the only ones who think serious matters such as rape aren't a laughing matter. Check out this website and share it with your friends so that next time someone tries to make a joke about rape, you can kindly direct them here and tell them to shove off: http://www.israpefunny.com

Spoken Like a True Feminist...Continued!

2011-03-28T11:58:00.000-07:00

Like what you saw in Medusa? Want to check out more of these incredible writers work? Check out these links. And if you don't recognize the names, well then you'll just have to check out the most recent issue of Medusa first now won't you!

Check out Olson's work here: http://alixolson.com

Check out Gibson's poems "I Do" and "For Eli" here: http://www.andreagibson.org

MEDUSA ISSUE #4

2011-03-22T23:37:00.001-07:00

Oh hey! Medusa Issue #4 is oot and aboot!
Download it here!
Drop us a line at medusamagazine@gmail.com

I love you very much,
Sammy

Gender by Andrea Stopa

2011-03-08T20:01:00.000-08:00

Red stains in my underwear,

I woke up to a mess.

I cry to my mother

who gives me a pad and tells me everything will be ok,

that that's life.

But I don't really believe her.

Because she doesn't really believe herself.

Once a month

I will bleed for my gender

I will bleed to be a woman

I will bleed for my baby-making purpose

So that man can recreate

And what about that?

Squeezing a cranium the size of a melon past my pelvis out into the world?

I will stretch and tear to let life out of me,

But I am the weaker sex.

I am the one who is here to serve.

To make dinner after a long day at work.

To give comfort to the kiddies and give pleasure to my hubbie to give nothing to myself because

like that giving tree,

I give give give,

that's just how it is is is.

Wear pink, play with dolls, kiss a boy, hold his hand,

Wear mascara, blush your cheeks, don't say fuck, find a man

Cross your legs, lose some weight, buy a bra, get a date

Raise your hand, wait your turn, be a lady, let him win

No means yes, lead him on, give a kiss, let him in

Tone your arms, stand up straight, lift your ass, shrink your waist

But make sure all this stress never creases your face!

Get a house with a fence, and a man that gets paid

Get a mother-in-law, have some babies to raise

But don't lose your career! Just juggle and fake it

And blame PMS when you're starting to hate it.

Tears in her eyes,

I woke up to a mess.

She cries on my shoulder

I tell her I will kill that bastard, that it wasn't her fault.

That everything will be okay.

But I know she doesn't really believe me,

I don't really believe me.

He robbed her

Of her freedom

Of her innocence

her smile.

She bled because she was a woman

She bled because TV makes violence the norm

And she won't cry out because chances are her story won't hold up in court.

She will live her life running form ghosts, from the monsters in the night

Because he had an urge

That she couldn't fight.

But she is the weaker sex,

The one who's not worth as much pay in the boardroom but has to pay everyday for a choice

she didn't make.

What will it take?

What will it take.

Calling All Feminists!

2011-02-15T18:20:00.000-08:00

This is Emmery here, you may have seen my name a couple of times on this wonderful website before as a contributing writer but guess what? Now I’m here to stay. That’s right, you’re talking to your new blog editor for Medusa Magazine’s wonderful world of blogging! I figured I would say hello and let you all know who I am because, lovely readers, I’m going to need your help. See this blog is a great way for all of us who love the magazine to voice our fabulous feminist opinions and share some really awesome and important stories in a more informal setting. And I highly doubt that all of you want to read everything from my point of view for the rest of your lives so, I’d love if you’d give me a hand. I want to hear what you have to say. Send me story ideas, things you want to write about, things you want me to write about, and let’s do our best to make it happen. I hope you’re as excited about this as I am, and I look forward to hearing from you all. Let’s get this party started! Just shoot an email to medusamagblog@gmail.com with your ideas and suggestions! I can't wait to hear from you all!

Medusa Issue #3!

2010-12-21T18:01:00.000-08:00

Just in case you got all caught up in final exams and you didn't get to grab the newest issue of Medusa, here she is!

Tell us what you think!
medusamagazine@gmail.com

Love,
Sammy!

BroBible is a bunch of Jerks!

2010-12-09T07:01:00.000-08:00

Here's the link to BroBible's breakdown of college girls on Syracuse's campus

And check out Jerk's edgy response piece!

Tell us what you think in the comments? Are we the uptight, humorless feminists the BroBible is aiming to irritate?

An Introduction to Members of Women Transcending Boundaries

2010-12-08T17:25:00.000-08:00

The living room was filled with laughter, inquiries on each other’s health and well-being and book recommendations as three members of Women Transcending Boundaries met to talk about the organization. Jennifer Roberts Crittenden, a Catholic woman, Saro Kumar, a Hindu woman, and Jeanette Powell, a Jewish woman are all members of the book club.

While they all come from different backgrounds, their constant smiles as they spoke about WTB are the same.

Jennifer Roberts Crittenden, Secretary for WTB

Roberts Crittenden joined WTB about six years ago and she said she loves all that WTB offers. Her main project now is the sewing class with some refugee women at the Center for New Americans. At the class they teach the women how to sew the “American way” using patterns and a sewing machine. Before the sewing class she went to the center to help teach the refugee women English, along with a few other members of WTB. Their methods for teaching the refugees English earned them the nickname of the “The Hokey Pokey Ladies” because of their use of the song to help the women learn.

Every member has certain things they’re passionate about. “Every new person that comes to WTB has changed its direction.” Some of the programs she hopes will continue through the years are the Acts of Kindness Weekend and the book club.

She said she has gained friendship and intellectual stimulation from WTB. The organization has introduced her to new things. “All of us are able to expand beyond WTB, because of WTB."

Saro Kumar, council member

Kumar, who grew up in a diverse, cosmopolitan area, was drawn to WTB because she read about the different backgrounds of its members. “I read about so many religions involved in it and I said, ‘this sounds like my kind of thing,’” she said. “And I never looked back.” Kumar joined WTB about two years ago once she stopped working and her children moved out.

She also said she loves everything about WTB. One project she enjoys in addition to the book club is the community garden she works on with some refugees. “Working with the refugees has been eye opening,” she said. Some of the vegetation she thought were weeds were considered vegetables by the refugees. From the garden she has also witnessed the networking WTB uses, where people have projects they want to put into action and others will contribute goods or services.

Kumar said she has gained “camaraderie and intellectual richness” from the organization. “There’s no limit to learning. It’s been so educational.”

Jeanette Powell, an original member, a past council member and member of the advisory board

Powell became involved with WTB because she enjoyed the idea of women of different backgrounds coming together to talk and learn from each other. “We came together to talk and we haven’t shut up since,” she said. The women are able to discuss complex issues and still remain friends. She noticed that if there is disagreement it often happens among women of different denominations of the same religion. “It’s learning with a capital L,” she said.

While she said her favorite thing changes with her mood, Powell, an avid reader, said she really enjoys the book club, where she reads books she normally wouldn’t. The book club reads a book a month. They switch between different styles, such as memoirs, novels and essays, and cultures or religions. They compile a list of books throughout the year and then as a group decide what the year’s reading list will be. The book must also be available at the public library, so members of the club don’t have to buy a copy.

As one of the original members, she has been able to watch the group change over the years. “It keeps evolving.”

Baby Carrots, Baby

2010-12-07T10:21:00.001-08:00

Look for our new issue on the stands this week!!

Here's a commercial we've been talking about, and you'll read what we've got to say about it in the upcoming issue. What do you think? failed satire? Successful satire? Disgusting? Hilarious? All of the above?

Feel Your Boobies E-mail

2010-12-01T19:06:00.001-08:00

Medusa Magazine received an e-mail from a representative of The NewHouse Ad Agency regarding the article “Feel boobies. Get objectified.” in the second issue.

The NewHouse Ad Agency would like us to attribute the sexist and objectifying campaign to the students who created the advertisement, as opposed to the national foundation of the same name.

“Feel Your Boobies is not the name of a campaign, it is the name of a Pennsylvania-based non-for-profit organization whose mission is to get young females aware of breast cancer examination,” the representative wrote. “TNH took on this organization has a client this fall after speaking with founder Leigh Hurst, a 39-year old breast cancer survivor. Leigh discovered her breast cancer at age 33 by doing exactly what her organization suggests — casually feeling herself. Now she encourages other young ladies to do the same.”

Medusa Magazine regrets this small error, but the opinion of the writer does not change.

The flyer that the article was a response to advertises the YouBoob Viral Video Contest. With a $10,000 grand prize, the contest turns breast cancer awareness into a contest. It makes no mention of the medical effects of breast cancer, the proper way to give a breast self-exam, and that breast cancer can affect men, too.

To correct the error, Medusa is releasing this statement and has changed the attribution in the print publication, available for download here.

-Kelina Imamura

Link: Trusting Black Women

2010-11-22T10:47:00.000-08:00

In our last issue, we tackled the issue of abortion - no easy feat. Some people didn't like that we dedicated the bulk of the issue to this one theme - and yet, I don't think we could do it justice if we dedicated all 32 pages to it. Or more.

So here's an article I just came upon that looks at a facet of abortion that we didn't get a chance to touch upon...

http://www.ontheissuesmagazine.com/2011winter/2011_winter_Ross.php

Billboards have been erected around the country, specifically in low-income neighborhoods, that aim to convince women that the pro-choice movement unfairly tagets women of color; that abortion will make black people an endangered species. The message is different, but it's really just a repackaging of the same pro-life rhetoric we see all the time. This article discusses how a counter-campaign was started to shift the focus of the billboards to show their real agenda.

Look out for the next issue and a hopeful upswing in blogging!

-Sammy

MEDUSA ISSUE #2

2010-11-01T15:05:00.000-07:00

Here you go!

Click here to download the newest issue!!!
Put in the code on the right and click download!

Better Together Public Action Meeting

2010-10-15T15:11:00.000-07:00

I'm not sure what I expected when I decided to go to the ACTS (Alliance of Communities Transforming Syracuse) Better Together public action meeting last weekend--it was a Sunday, Hendricks Chapel was bustling (yes, bustling), somebody was playing a hymn on the organ (gave me flashbacks), and everyone was more dressed up than me (oops).

Dean Tiffany Steinwert offered an opening, nondenominational prayer, recognizing the 44 community groups present and “united” she said, toward “equal protection.” I was intrigued. School groups, Baptist churches, Catholic churches, Episcopalian churches, Jewish synagogues, Islamic societies, Latino groups, Labor unions—all together? For common goals? With sign language interpreters too? Would there be unicorns later?

I was skeptical, but I was also really, really hopeful.

I was not disappointed (well, maybe about the unicorns, a little).

The meeting was essentially a task force update and rally. The ACTS group is split into many task forces, including Healthcare, Economic Development, and a Youth initiative in collaboration with Say Yes. Three task forces presented at the meeting on Sunday: Civil Rights for Immigrants, Criminal Justice, and Food Access.

The immigration rights task force explained its goals: a viable path to citizenship; enforcement that doesn't criminalize, and doesn't function on racist principles; contextual discretion for every deportation case; and expanded family and worker visas. The chair, Aly Wane, asked a local family to relate their story of an ICE raid in their home earlier in September. With the help of a Spanish translator, (and, it should be noted, also with the immense courage it takes to come forward and speak on these issues), they described the brutish police invasion and destruction of their family unit. This was unacceptable, Wane said. It goes against the ideology of America, and it ought, he noted, go against the moral ideology of the groups present. “The God of our many understandings,” Wane said, “is not a god of apathy.”

This idea, I admit, was somewhat novel to me. As someone who has historically been at odds with religion, because of sexuality, politics, and general disenchantment, I've become accustomed to thinking of religion as an opposition to humanist work—when really, maybe they aren't so irreconcilable after all. And, hey, I know, maybe it shouldn't be such an outlandish thing, but you send an atheist to cover the Faith-Based Initiative, this is what happens, okay? And, I think we could say that in our culture, the media representation of religion is a lot more right-wing and exclusive than many of the actual religions at work out there. Or maybe not? You tell me. Comments section—go at it.

Moving on, though! The next task force was justice-oriented. Their projects lately have been concerned with enabling persons released from prison to get photo identification—something that has been unduly difficult in years past. The task force was instrumental in not only the eased accessibility of birth certificates, but also the initiative to print proof of identity at the prison which would count toward the points needed for a drivers license, or other photo ID. They also demanded change at the Onondaga County Justice Center, citing the needless deaths of Chuniece Patterson and Raul Pinet this August as evidence of the center's racism, neglect and the need to establish “meaningful accountability.”

The last group that presented was the Food Access team, and they had really impressive and specific projects in the works to improve the food situation in urban Syracuse. They reported that no grocery stores had been willing to open up in the area, but that they were working with local farmers and artisans to create a year-round market to make more food available. Moreover, they are working with local officials to reform the corner-markets to provide more healthy options, more food, and at fair prices. Their proposed methods include helping the markets find funding sources and encouraging patrons to frequent stores with healthy selections, or, alternatively, law-enforcement based pressure to oust non-compliant stores. “Every person,” chair Mable Wilson asserted, “should have the right to make sound, healthy choices in their diet.”

They closed with a hymn, and a prayer by Imam Yaser Alkhooly of the Islamic Society of Central New York, who stressed the common goal of “shelter for everyone who needs shelter, care for everyone who needs care,” and asked that we be sheltered from “ignorance, violence, and fear.”

I have to say I was really stunned and impressed and happy about the initiatives I saw in action. What really won me over were the numerous elected officials, or candidates in the upcoming election present—Dan Maffei, Police Chief Frank Fowler, Sheriff candidate Toby Shelley, Dan Young, David Valeski, Kathleen Joy, Sam Roberts, Michael Donnelly, Christina Fadden-Fitch, and Matthew Morgan-- who were asked specifically if they would help to perform specific functions in the projects that ACTS is generating. All present agreed, (the mediators of the event pointed out a few other officials who had declined the invitation to the event).

The tasks set out seem really meaningful, feasible, and organized. So, what can we expect from these folks in the future? What would you like to see happen in the community? What can Syracuse do to help? For my two cents, (and I know it's really a problematic and stressful issue, particularly/traditionally with Faith-based organizations), but I was a little surprised that there was no collaboration with the Q Center or even the University's LGBT Resource Center. Given that Queer youth and teens are at a raised risk of suicide, bullying, and violence, it seems it would be a good problem for the Youth Task Force to tackle.

The ACTS group is doing great work, I just would like to push them to continue to stretch their boundaries and be even more intersectional and transformative.

Guest post from the lovely Savannah!

MEDUSA MAGAZINE ISSUE I

2010-05-05T20:35:00.001-07:00

Download our very first issue of Medusa Magazine!

Here's the link:

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=76DJCTOT

Just enter the code in the top right, and get reading!

Learning to love your vagina: SASSE’s production of “The Vagina Monologues”

2010-03-11T12:42:00.000-08:00

The word “vagina” echoed off the walls of Hendricks Chapel on February 19.

There were other words, too. Words like beauty, orgasm, period, pain, and happiness resonated throughout the building. These words capture the essence of “The Vagina Monologues” as performed by Syracuse University and SUNY–ESF students and faculty.

“It’s about celebrating the vagina,” Caitlin Guthoff, a senior television-radio-film major and cast member, said. “It’s a forgotten body part sometimes, and why should it be?”

“It’s a roller coaster ride. Some of it is funny, poignant, some of it is really sad,” Tula Goenka said. Goenka is a professor of television-radio-film who acted as a narrator for the show.

Brianna Garcia, co-president of Students Advancing Sexual Safety and Empowerment (SASSE), the organization behind “The Vagina Monologues” at Syracuse University, said the show is more than entertaining: it is powerful.

It can help women who have been victims of sexual abuse “overcome their own trauma and come to terms with themselves,” she said.

SASSE and “The Vagina Monologues” have many common goals. “SASSE is about being empowered to make good sexual choices and to be emotionally okay with those choices,” Garcia said. “There is a lot of stigma surrounding sexuality, particularly women’s sexuality. We’re sexual beings and I think it’s important to celebrate that.”

According to the program, “The Vagina Monologues” is a play derived from feminist Eve Ensler’s interviews with over 200 women about their vaginas and sexuality. This performance included monologues about first periods, sexual slavery and abuse, lesbian experiences and the female orgasm. Proceeds from the show benefitted local organizations that deal with women’s issues, including The Vera House, Planned Parenthood, SU R.A.P.E. Center and The V-Day Haiti Rescue Fund.

“The Vagina Monologues” set gave Hendricks Chapel a new look. Benches and chairs were draped in fuzzy fuschia and candy-apple red blankets. Pink and red pillows of various shapes and sizes dotted the platform.

The all-female cast was bedecked in reds and pinks, too. They were a diverse group that included women of different ages, races and personalities. The cast was made up of undergraduates of all ages from SU and SUNY–ESF, graduate students and professors. Their clothing ran the gamut: conservative pantsuits, short skirts with bare legs, tailored vests, corsets, sky-high stilettos, ratty sneakers. But they were all clad in shades of red and pink.
“Vagina colors,” Harriet Brown said with a smile. Brown is a magazine professor and member of the cast.

Although Hendricks Chapel may seem like an odd venue for a play with such a racy theme, Goenka said it’s the “perfect space” for “The Vagina Monologues.” “It is a very spiritual piece,” she said. “It’s about reclaiming your body but also reclaiming your soul as a woman.”
There was general consensus among the women involved that everyone should see “The Vagina Monologues.”

“I can’t really think of anyone I wouldn’t want to see the show,” Garcia said. Goenka said she thinks the content of the show is very relevant on college campuses.
“It’s important on a college campus because there is a lot of sexual abuse at college that is never talked about,” Goenka said.

“I would prefer if more men saw it...they have no idea what women go through,” said Tamara Williams, a junior English major and member of the cast. Brown also said that men should see the show. “It’s important for young men to see that young women can be empowered to talk about their sexuality. It’s not just men who can talk about sex.”

Sean Eberle, a sophomore computer science major, was one of the few men in the audience of 80 on Friday night. It was his first time seeing the show and he said that it opened his eyes “to what women experience regarding their sexuality and process of maturing.”

Garcia said that performing in “The Vagina Monologues” can be an eye-opening experience for freshmen, as well. “You see them really uncomfortable talking about vaginas or periods,” she said. They feel like it is not acceptable to talk about these subjects and “we’re like ‘It is!’”

Brianna Collins, a senior communications design major and the other co-president of SASSE, can attest to the powerful effect of “The Vagina Monologues” on a first-year student. She wandered into one of the organization’s meetings by accident her freshman year, and left with a role in the show. “It was a transition for me,” Collins said, and explained how she was making her own decisions for the first time in college.

The importance of her first experience with “The Vagina Monologues” is what kept Collins from auditioning this year. “I didn’t want to take away the opportunity from anyone who walked in the door,” she said. “I’ve seen it as my job essentially to help other women experience what I experienced freshman year.”

The women said they had high hopes for the show and its impact on the audience. “I’m hoping they take away the idea that women’s sexuality is as individual as everything else about human beings. There are many ways to be sexual,” Brown said. “There is nothing embarrassing about your body, it’s part of who we are and it’s OK.”

Similarly, Guthoff hopes to remove some of the taboo that surrounds sexuality. “It’s a very natural thing, if it’s between a man and a woman, a woman and a woman, or a man and a man, it’s something to be celebrated,” she said.

After the show closed, the women reflected on their experiences. “I had tears in my eyes the first time I heard it,” Brown said about the first performance of all the monologues together.

Williams said she felt the performance had a huge impact on the audience. “It’s always profound to see the whole show together. It just makes me love vagina,” she said.

Collins said one of the most amazing things about “The Vagina Monologues” is that it “invites all different kinds of women” to bond over “a common goal.” Women are coming together because they are “passionate about what we do with the Monologues,” she said.

Williams agrees. “We all have this common bond,” she said. “We all come of age, we all get our periods...because we share this we always have something to talk about, regardless of things like age or race.”

Despite all the stress and hard work that goes into the show, Garcia was sad to see it come to an end. “The last night is always bittersweet, because it's amazing to see their growth but sad to let them go,” Garcia said. “Those ladies rock harder than they'll ever know.”

Goenka said that she believes the women who were part of “The Vagina Monologues” have been empowered by the experience and have learned about their own sexualities. “Hopefully when they graduate they can take this sense of themselves out there into the universe and continue this work in some way,” she said

by Jacqui Kenyon

Anna Holmes: Jezebel.com

2010-02-22T19:31:00.001-08:00

Anna Holmes’ visit to Syracuse was a laid back stroll down memory lane, strewn with blunt and honest advice regarding her two favorite topics; Journalism and Feminism.

Holmes graduated from NYU and moved on to work at magazines like Entertainment Weekly and Glamour. “Working at Glamour refined my hatred of women’s magazines” Holmes said as the audience giggled.

Holmes was then summoned by Gawker.com to create the “female gawker.” She decided right away that it needed to be more about making fun of women’s magazines, that “created and preyed on insecurities or just always tried to sell you something.”

Holmes is now Editor-in-Chief of Jezebel.com. Her site gets over 20 million monthly views, and has a die-hard fan base. These ‘jezebels’ often get into heated debates in the comments section, as well as share very personal stories relating (and sometimes not) to the article.

When asked about these fans, Holmes theorizes with slight frustration that “a lot of women are being underutilized in their jobs.” Because of Jezebel’s feminist and often snarky content, some companies dislike the site immensely. American Apparel, a common target for their underage-looking models and creepy owner, has not advertised with Jezebel for at least a couple years. To the angry emails Holmes receives, she laughingly says “If someone complains about me making fun of them, I’ll probably run their email on the site.”

While Anna focused more on her journalism experience during her presentation, I got to sit down with her after and talk about Feminism and women’s issues. (Yes, I was incredibly excited, thanks for asking.)

What is Feminism to Anna? “It’s called the F-word for a reason. It’s a bad word now. But I don’t think it’s something ugly or bad. I’m not going to stop using the word because it conjures up… images for some people. It’s just a marker, like anything else.”

But, how can we reach out to the upcoming generation? It seems as though Feminism just becomes a “dirtier” word as time goes on. “You have to draw girls in with stuff they want to hear. You have to hide the spinach in tastier food,” says Anna.

While she’s looking at some new projects, Anna has no idea what the future holds for her. One thing she does know is that she probably won’t be at Jezebel in 5 or 10 years… Which means you should check it out right now to see the greatness that is Anna Holmes, Editor-in-Chief at Jezebel.com.

PS- She thinks the name ‘Medusa Magazine’ is “pretty awesome.” Yes.

by Veronica Ripson

Ani DiFranco

2010-02-16T18:49:00.000-08:00

Ani DiFranco is a feminist. But she’s more than that. She is the reason that other people (men and women) are feminists. During her performance at the Westcott here in Syracuse Friday, February 5, she sang a piece inspired by an old working song from the 30’s. I don’t know what the original lyrics are, but I’m pretty sure that “feminism ain’t about women, that’s not who this is for” was not fashioned by the lovely Ms. DiFranco.

Now this is supposed to be a review of the concert, and I am going to do that, because it was my first time ever seeing her live and my life has officially been changed. However, I am also writing for a feminist magazine, and Ani has way too many interesting pieces to discuss in regards to her feminism to simply let that part slide. I was hoping she would do a couple of her extremely feminist songs at the show so that I would have a way to tie everything together but—oh well. I guess finding the common thread is my job. And actually that won’t be too difficult.

At the merchandise table, one of the t-shirts had what is possibly one of my favorite lines of hers pasted on it. It read “Feminism ain’t about equality, it’s about reprieve.” Isn’t that beautiful? The reason that so many people are feminists because of Ani DiFranco is because she gives them a legitimate reason.

When you see Ani perform live, it isn’t frightening. She isn’t some crazy lesbian butch maniac singing about roasting men over the fire. She is a tiny woman with a powerful voice and a whole string of powerful songs. She has the ability to entertain an audience—and she is a feminist. People assume because of her whole persona and because of her record label name and all of the things that anyone has ever heard about her that she is overwhelming and intimidating.

But that’s not true. I was actually surprised after listening to a couple of live albums of her music at how tame she was on stage. She made a couple of political jabs and she did her fair share of cursing at the audience, but she wasn’t preaching. And even though this wasn’t what I expected, it made me like her even more.

If you’re familiar with Ani’s music at all, she sang a lot of songs off her older albums and of course a lot of her classics—Napoleon has got to be one of the most energizing songs to hear live. She has a full band behind her but honestly she is so mesmerizing that you can’t really pay attention to them, except when the xylophone player has a kick-ass solo and everyone is cheering for him. It’s her and her guitar and the amazing lyrics that have the power to change your life and being in the room with all of these people who know every single word to every single song. That is an experience.

One of her songs, which she did not perform that evening but which always sticks with me, begs the question “why can’t all decent men and women call themselves feminists? Out of respect?” and I would like to know the answer. Ani makes identifying as a feminist something to be proud of – she markets it as a way of looking at the world, not the “bra burning, I don’t need a man” stereotype, but the idea of respect.

To Ani, feminism is the idea that the sexes be equal on all levels, and we still aren’t there yet. But we could be. And we should be. Most importantly, if everyone could get on board and realize the goal of feminism, wouldn’t we be a hell of a lot better off? I think she’s on to something. Maybe if life was like a giant Ani DiFranco concert everyone would understand. And hey, would that be such a bad thing?

Emmery Brakke

Terry McBride: The God of the Goddesses

2010-02-09T12:51:00.000-08:00

It seems that the goddesses of female music are finally smiling down upon me. My previous blog post dealt exclusively with the history of Lilith, after I discovered just how few SU students had heard of it. It may not have been very evident from my last post, but my excitement was uncontrollable when I heard the news of the Lilith revival not two weeks before my post.

And as if the news that I was finally able to witness the glory of Lilith Fair wasn’t exciting enough, at the peak of my excitement I was informed that Terry McBride was giving a lecture here at Syracuse. Terry McBride; the co founder of Lilith Fair, the person who worked with Sarah McLachlan to bring this feminist music Mecca to life, was going to be speaking here.

My previous writing was based on the written history of Lilith as acquired through my research. But lucky for you all, I am now pleased to relay the information which I learned directly from Terry McBride himself. His segment on Lilith Fair focused mostly on comparing what he called “The Old Lilith” to the soon to be revealed “New Lilith.”

Now before I launch into the tale of my evening of rapture, let me remind you: Terry is a man. He is a high-powered, male music executive. As surprising as it may be, it is also incredibly encouraging to see that the person who drove such a crucial piece of the feminist movement, an event that has practically become synonymous with feminism, is not even a woman. He put this event together because he loves good music. And he doesn’t see gender as a part of the equation that determines good versus bad. Which means that this man is very much our ally. So now that you have been properly warned; get ready to fall in love.

The main discrepancy in my historical account of Lilith was my lack of acknowledgement of the festival’s charitable involvement. From the way in which he spoke of his creation, it is clear that Terry is most proud of the astonishing ten million dollars that Lilith was able to donate to women’s aid organizations. One dollar from every ticket—and this system is to remain in place for the upcoming Lilith—is kept and donated to a charity that helps women. And at the first Lilith show, over fifteen thousand people showed up.

McBride plans to take it to a whole new level this time around. The New Lilith will focus even more on the charity aspect of the event, selecting four or five for profit organizations who show promise to achieve great things and sponsoring them.

Doesn’t sound too charitable? Think again. These businesses will be brought on the road with Lilith, setting up tents and advertising what they do at all of the concerts. Then these for profit organizations will donate portions of their proceeds to non-profit organizations, which are selected by a local talent search of sorts.

For McBride, it’s all about sustainability. His biggest disappointment from the old Lilith was the fact that although it was wildly successful and brought massive amounts of awareness when it was first created, only a few years after the last tour ended, so too did their work. People seemed to forget about it, and the charities they had helped to support were on their own again. They left a legacy, certainly, but not one with much proof of existence. McBride wants to change that this time around. His fresh approach promises to make Lilith a permanent fixture in the minds of great music festivals and great charity excursions.

Emmery Brakke is a sophomore in VPA. She can be reached at ewbrakke@syr.edu.

2010-02-06T10:23:00.001-08:00

Medusa Magazine

Promote Your Page Too

2009-12-04T09:53:00.000-08:00

Yesterday I had the good fortune to be able to attend the National Day of Action against the Stupak Amendment in Washington, DC.

When I got the first email about the event a few weeks ago, I lamented the fact the Wednesdays I have class straight from 9:30 until 3:35, and couldn't rationalize missing a Wednesday. But after receiving a few more emails, and reading up about Stupak, I couldn't rationalize NOT going down to DC. Skipping classes wasn't even a question once I thought about it. Exercising my right as a citizen, and participating in democracy is infinitely more important than one day of my classes. And what is college preparing me for, if not this? So we went. A group from my WGS 301 class with Minnie Bruce Pratt drove down with a bunch of other other students, totaling at 11!

After an eventful drive down at 4am -- I'll spare you the details, (OK I won't - we ran over a dead deer! It was so crazy! So we lost an hour off the drive waiting for AAA to come help us out. But the damage is very minor, don't worry) we made it into DC just in time for the noon rally. We were ushered to an overflow room since the main room was over capacity - and when we sat down, we noticed that our party was standing right behind the podium! Our friend Andrea was on screen the whole rally! She was directly behind so many famous and influential women, I couldn't believe it. We kept cursing that deer for making us late!

But the rally was incredible. So many women I admire so much! Cecile Richards was the emcee - it was weird seeing her right there - I'm so used to seeing her face as an icon at the bottom of all the emails I get from PPFA! Other memorable speakers were Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Rep. Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), who got the crowd really pumped, and Rep. Jane Harman (D-CA), who showed us an old campaign poster, when her slogan was "Pro-Choice. Pro-Change." My own representative, Nita Lowey (D-NY!) gave a rousing call to action that made me proud to be from the great 18th district of the Empire State. She's very vocal and wonderful and I love her a lot (She also hooked me up with tickets to Obama's inauguration, back in January!).

Many other important people spoke, and one woman relayed another woman's extremely moving story. The woman was never hugely concerned with abortion rights, since she knew that if she got pregnant, she wouldn't consider getting an abortion. But when she got pregnant with twins, and they were diagnosed with a very dangerous fetal anomaly, she was thrust into the abortion debate. The odds were that both twins would die, unless they elected to abort one in the hopes that the other survived. If the Stupak Amendment passes, this procedure won't be covered by insurance. Luckily for her, 80% of it was covered, and it seemed that it went well - she just finished paying off the bills, 3 years later. She reminded us that these diseases don't choose wealthy people, and that if she wasn't fortunate enough to be covered by issuance and be able to pay for her share of the abortion, there is no way she would've been able to have it, and she would've buried both her twins, not just one. It was incredibly moving, and refocused my thoughts on abortion and why it's necessary that it be safe and legal.

Our room began clearing out for another meeting, and the main room was open, so we went down and saw the end of the rally in person, holding up our signs and waving the our party standing behind the podium. Then we met up with KaeLyn Rich, who I'd never met in person! She told us about a free youth lunch, and about our meeting at 3:15 with Senator Gillibrand.

The lunch was one of the highlights of the day for me. Everyone says that our generation is characterized by apathy and inaction, but this lunch proved that all very wrong. It was full of youth activists and feminists, all passionate and excited. The room was buzzing with excitement. And furthermore, a host of my idols were there. I had spotted Shelby Knox at the rally, and couldn't figure out where I knew her from - and then I realized she's awesome and famous and I've seenher movie! She was at the lunch, as well as Miriam and Jos - two editors from Feministing. Latoya Peterson was there too, fromRacialicious and a host of other blogs and media. There were also representatives from a bunch of other organizations that cater to youth, who were willing to talk to us and make connections. It was really a power-lunch, and I met a lot of people I admire. A lot.

Then we walked back to the Senate building to see my senator - Kristen Gillibrand - I wasn't sure it going to actually be her, I heard a lot of people would be meeting with Aides - but sure enough, she walked right in. I sat in the front row, and it was really cool. I've never really seen a politician up close like that. I thought about how powerful she is and how much impact she has on my life, yet she's just a normal lady who is against the Stupak amendment like me. And thankfully, she made that crystal clear. She was unwavering is announcing her opposition to Stupak and her support of our cause. We asked her what we could be doing to help - she said to blog about it, and spread the word. So here I am.

Then Chuck Schumer walked in! I literally gasped when I saw him walk in, I'm not quite sure why. He has so much leverage in the Senate, and is so well-known, I just was so amazed that he was there. And he, too, was very firm and positive about Stupak. He loudly voiced his opposition to any healthcare bill that restricted abortion even further than current laws. He said that what we could do is call our Representatives and tell them that they should yield to the Senate wording (assuming that no Stupak-esque language makes it into the Senate version, which is not yet guaranteed…) of the bill. My friend Mary stood up and told him where our group was from, and thanked him for his work on these issues, and he said Go Orange! It was so exciting! Someone asked him what he would do if the Stupak amendment made it into the final version, after the discussions - would he vote for it? And he basically said No. He sad that he would try to get his colleagues to urge the bill to be sent back, and for that wording to be taken out, before voting yet for healthcare. That was very reassuring to me - I hope he sticks to his guns. I emailed him today urging him to be strong on that promise.

This post is getting long, let me wrap it up. All in all, it was a very cool day. Being in DC, walking around the house and senate office buildings, felt so good and right - this is what we should be doing: making our voices heard. Being surrounded by other pro-choice activists felt so right. It was such an amazing, empowering day. And I left feeling reassured by Schumer's comment - let's all urge our senators to put a stop to these restrictions. We can't let this language make it into the healthcare reform. Women's rights are human rights - it's as simple as that.

With liberty and healthcare for all,
Sammy

2009-11-30T20:04:00.000-08:00

The camera slowly pans down the bare backside of a woman lying in bed, pausing slightly on her round ass in a pair of exposing black panties before soaking in her long, toned legs and finally, a pair of bright pink and white sneakers – wait, sneakers?

Imagine my surprise when I first saw this commercial while the TV was on mute. I rolled my eyes, expecting it was a promotion for a new, sexy fragrance. But my eyes soon stopped rolling and began bulging from their sockets when I saw those pair of running shoes.

Seriously? This is how we’re advertising sneakers today? I now grant the award for scummiest advertising campaign of the year to Reebok Easytone. The brand is revolving their new ad campaign around the promise these sneakers will tone a woman’s butt and legs, making them irresistible.

When you take the “mute” button off, the voiceover states these sneakers will make 88% of men speechless and 76% of women jealous of your body. Where are these stats coming from? And why only 88%? I thought all men enjoyed playing footsies in bed with a hard rubber sole. I can’t begin to count the number of times I’ve rolled around the sheets in only my underwear bottoms and athletic footwear.

And just when I thought the female body exploitation was bad enough, Reebok aired a second commercial. A woman in shorts made up of less fabric than Richard Simmons’ infamous outfit, tells of the sneakers’ benefits while the cameraman zooms in for a close up shot of her behind. Twice. “I take it you agree?” she flirtingly asks the cameraman at the end, a broad smile plastered on her face. This commercial is severely uncomfortable to sit through. It made me feel like a pervert secretly watching some dude act out a sick fantasy. I half expected the host from “How to Catch a Predator” to walk out.

As a young feminist, I was nauseated to see such blatant objectification of women by a brand that should be about health and fitness, not sex and fetishism. Were you as disturbed by this campaign as me?

Erica Sanderson is a graduate student in communications. She can be reached at esander12@gmail.com

Lilith Fair: The Background

2009-11-22T19:19:00.000-08:00

In the early nineties, powerful female artists arrived from every direction. Tori Amos introduced her music to the masses, and they fell at her feet, begging for more. Fiona Apple stormed onto the scene demanding attention with her all-too--relatable teenage angst and talent beyond her years. Alanis Morissette became the ultimate “scorned female artist” and sang about it—over, and over, and over, and over again. Sarah McLachlan climbed the pop charts with her haunting melodies and entrancing presence.

There was an undeniable movement; women wanted to be part of the music world. And they weren’t going to do it by exploiting their sexuality and prancing around on stage in booty shorts; instead, they would be in charge of their own music. All of them had something to say.

For each of these women, music was about giving their gender a voice. It wasn’t necessarily all about empowerment, but kicking ass and encouraging other females to do the same was present in their defiant attitudes and in their enduring tracks.

While these artists were able to garner quite a following of dedicated fans, the general music public was not prepared for this influx of female talent. The girls found it very difficult to book concerts, to piece together shows that were demonstrations of the feminine presence in music because venue managers did not want to book shows with more than one female artist on the program. They found that if they wanted to book a show at a venue where a female artist had recently performed, they would be turned away because it was too soon for another artist of “that type.” In short, female artists were a marginalized race in the universe of music, and they weren’t just going to sit back and allow that course to continue.

And thus, Lilith Fair was born. In 1996 Sarah McLachlan decided to take matters into her own hands and booked her own tour; a tour featuring herself, Paula Cole, Lisa Loeb, and Michelle McAdorey. It was a tour with exclusively female performers—and it was wildly successful! It was clear that there was a market for female artists, even if the commercial circle was unwilling to acknowledge it. And so McLachlan teamed up with two members of Nettwerk Music Group—Dan Fraser and Terry McBride—and Marty Diamond, a talent agent from New York, and took her success to a whole new level.

A touring music festival featuring only female solo artists and bands with female leads divided among three stages began touring the country. Over sixty female artists came together for the event. Some of them were already big names, some of them still working their way up to commercial success. Others were selected through local talent searches and had never before played for a crowd of more than one hundred people.

The energy was amazing because the purpose was clear—this wasn’t just a music movement, it was a feminist movement as well. Lilith Fair was there to prove that there were women who had a voice, women who had something meaningful to say, and more importantly that there were thousands if not millions of people who wanted to hear it. The first year, Lilith Fair had a grand profit of $16 million, a large portion of which went to women’s charities throughout North America. Naturally, with this wild success, Sarah McLachlan and her army of female musicians stormed back for another year. And another. It was the highest grossing touring festival, and the 16^th highest grossing tour of all concert tours the year that it was started. The 1999 tour came to a close and Lilith Fair was over, forcing female music enthusiasts like myself to ponder why.

But fear not! After ten years, Lilith Fair has announced its return. That’s right, get ready for round two of “Girlapalooza”—coming to a city near you in summer 2010!

Emmery Brakke is a freshman in VPA. She can be reached at ewbrakke@syr.edu. Stay tuned for further updates on this event!

What Does A Coat Hanger Mean to You?

2009-11-22T18:59:00.000-08:00

I was heading to class when I saw it, the second ad in two days with a coat hanger on it. I paused and read the text. This one was for a clothing drive, the first was for a coat check.

As I looked at it, the thoughts running through my mind were not on clothes, not on the needs of refugees, but on that symbol, that image of a coat hanger brazenly placed in a public space without understanding of its historic meaning.

When I see an image of a coat hanger that takes up almost the entire space of a flyer, my thoughts are not on coats. They are one those women I have spoken to, women who have told me stories about infections, sepsis, hysterectomy, about losing women they loved.

The coat hanger retains its symbolic meaning that it has held for decades for many pro-choice people. It represents the damage done to women’s bodies when they tried to self induce abortions with any implement or means available because the law at the time did not give us any other avenue to end unwanted pregnancy.

Some of these women did use coat hangers, bending wires to shove it through their cervixes, risking their lives out of desperation to end a pregnancy.

Here is the account of one retired doctor who tells of his experiences dealing with the aftermath of unsafe, illegal abortions in pre-Roe v. Wade America. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/06/03/health/views/03essa.html?_r=1.

Have we gotten to a point in our society where we taken abortion access for granted to the degree that we have forgotten what happened to these women when abortion was illegal? How can we forget the women who so often had no choice but to risk their lives with unsafe procedures and who often also risked jail time when we still live in a country where people are killed for trying to ensure that women have access to safe, legal abortions?

These women have not forgotten : http://www.archive.org/details/when_abortion_was_illegal.

I realize that this was not an intentional slight to those of us who see the historically painful connotation associated with coat hangers. But the next time you think about putting a picture of them all over Bowne Hall, talk to the women who have been through these struggles.

You will find that these women are not some mythical figures, they are our grandmothers, our grandmother’s sisters, our mothers, our aunts, our neighbors and they do not have the luxury of forgetting the days when the only choice this country gave women was so often a coat hanger. For their sake, and for the sake of every other woman who needs or may ever need access to safe, legal abortion, we should not forget.

Cynthia Downey is a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. She can be reached at cmdowney@syr.edu.

SU Student Creates Networking Site

2009-11-16T21:50:00.000-08:00

Being stuck in an office supply closet without lighting was not what Chelsea Prince envisioned for her first internship experience. So she set out to prevent students from having her “internship gone sour” experience by creating Intern Circle, the first social networking site for interns and internship employment.

After a chief executive of a small creative agency in New York City forgot to tell his employees about Prince’s arrival, she was stuck arranging office supplies instead of contributing to major projects as promised.

“I’m not the only individual having a bad experience …” Prince said. “I wanted to create one physical portal for everything internship.”

Two months ago that desire became reality when Prince, a senior at Syracuse University, launched Intern Circle, which caters to both students and companies. The Web site, www.interncircle.com, is free for students and offers internship advice, housing information, and industry news.

Students set up a personal profile to list their experiences, agenda, education, recommendations, and a showcase to post videos, links, and their resume.

But while you can find an employer, an employer can also find you. Employers can search students by GPA, college, or location, to hone in on the intern they want. And each company has their own profile for students to see intern openings, agendas, and pictures.

The site currently has 500 members, and Prince is hoping to hire staff by next semester. “People [at companies] were really receptive to it because it’s different, it’s a different way for recruiting … right now internships are really, really hot because of the starting job freezes … so I’m kind of hitting a sweet spot right now because people are interested,” Prince said.

Erica Sanderson is a graduate student in Newhouse. She can be reached at emsander@syr.edu.

You Said It, Sister

2009-11-16T21:45:00.000-08:00

Give this lady a listen - she brings new meaning to "slam" poetry.

http://www.youtube.com/user/KairoticLaughter#p/f/11/PQOmyebFVV8

Go ahead, say it... the "f word" really isn't so bad!

2009-11-09T08:26:00.001-08:00

Check this stuff out! From our very own Sammy Lifson, and Planned Parenthood of Rochester/Syracuse.

SEX. JUSTICE. CHANGE.

FEMINISM: THE OTHER "F WORD"

Christie Hefner: A CEO Without Gumption?

2009-11-05T19:04:00.001-08:00

For the first time in my entire life, I looked at online pornography today.

But before you navigate away from this post, I will tell you that it was not for personal enjoyment. After watching Christie Hefner, the former CEO of Playboy Enterprises (yes, Hef’s daughter) give a speech in the Hergenhahn auditorium, I decided I had to give her a fair chance if she was ever going to survive the review I would give her in this post.

My friends had urged that I see her speak, and out of pure curiosity for what she’d have to say about having been the CEO of such a controversial industry, I agreed, and, freeing myself of most biases, listened with rapt journalistic attention to every word that Hefner said.

Hefner is indeed an excellent businesswoman, and should pride herself in rescuing an enterprise from what she deemed to be “extended past its limits.” She has also done much good for the preservation of free speech in the United States. In fact, she created an award in her father’s honor (the Hugh Hefner First Amendment Award), which is given out to people who have helped to preserve first amendment rights.

Despite her excellent track record, however, I found her as a speaker to be uninspiring. Hefner spoke vaguely of “achieving your dream” and “embracing opportunity,” like many inspirational speakers at high schools that are pulled from either a corny reality television show or coping with a chronic disease that has left them missing a few limbs. Twice, Hefner threw in some curse words for shock value. Though some may have found this endearing, I found it to be unprofessional and unbecoming of a woman operating a company that is constantly under scrutiny from the outside world.

Nonetheless, I was most disappointed in her failure to address the content of the industry in which she operated. When asked about the portrayal of women in Playboy, Hefner gave the same old outdated argument that she viewed it simply “as an art form,” and that it was not demeaning to women. Regardless, I would have wished that Hefner had provided more evidence as to why she felt that way.

Now, back to my original statement—I had to do some research to see how Playboy portrayed minority groups and plus-sized women. I wasn’t surprised by what I found; after getting over my initial trepidation in entering the site (believe me, I had a lot), I saw that most of the women were white, had unnaturally large breasts for their figures, and the vast majority of them were under 120 pounds and stood from 5’5-5’8 feet tall. Out of the Playmates of the month, I saw 3 Asian women and one black woman. None were what modeling industry standards would consider “plus-sized.”

Upon asking Hefner how these groups were represented in the magazine at the talk, she noted, “Playboy does better than it used to,” but that “America is less diverse in what it considers beautiful.” Hefner also said that the magazine used professional athletes, whose bodies aren’t normally considered “sexy,” by industry standards—A point I’d beg to differ with when being shown Marisa Miller, a former pro surfer turned Victoria’s Secret model. To the untrained eye, it’s hardly discernable whether or not a professional athlete’s body is any different than that of a playmate’s.

Being a woman that is honored for having so much power in business, I was frustrated that, despite expending so much energy to protect first amendment rights, Hefner would stoop to blame a lack of diversity in the magazine’s women on the narrow-mindedness of American society, and not even address that she had worked on (or intended to work on) improving what was lacking in her own enterprise.

Though the legitimacy of bringing Hefner into Newhouse as a speaker is up for debate, I will say that it sparked some interesting conversations with my friends after. And even if my research wasn’t particularly fruitful, I have learned many new words for things I only thought there were one or two terms for! Also, peanut butter probably isn’t a really good thing to use in the bedroom… and I’ll leave it at that.

Marissa Angell is a sophomore environmental science major. She can be reached at maangell@syr.edu.

Christie Hefner: Successful Role Model?

2009-11-05T19:00:00.000-08:00

Playboy has a lot of bad connotations – most people won’t deny that. I saw these connotations first hand recently. I have been giving tours of Newhouse to prospective students for the fall receptions. Last Friday, I was talking my group on the third floor of Newhouse II. One mother was staring intently at a sign that was smack in the middle of the room. On the poster was a huge picture of the famous, or maybe infamous, Playboy bunny and under it said: Christie Hefner “Transforming a Business, Transforming a Life.” The mother then proceeded to ask me, with a concerned tone, “Do you always have speakers like this come here?”

What did this mother mean “like this?” She obviously thought that Christie Hefner was going to be preaching the wonders of Playboy, and of being a Playboy bunny. When I walked into the Hergenham Auditorium on Wednesday night, I didn’t know what to expect.

Former Newhouse Dean David Rubin introduced Hefner. It was apparent that Rubin had great respect for Hefner. He spoke about how she helped to create the Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award, which is given every year to a person who has made a significant contribution to protecting and upholding the first amendment. He mentioned that Hefner was the Chief Executive Officer, or CEO, of Playboy Magazine from 1988 to 2008, but left the topic to let her speak about it. Rubin also mentioned that Hefner is now a member of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), is a Trustee of Rush Medical Center, is a part of the National Woman’s political caucus, and has raised $30,000 for AIDS treatment and research. Just from Rubin’s brief introduction it was easy to see how accomplished Hefner was.

I can’t say that I didn’t have preconceived notions of Christie Hefner before she made her first appearance. I half expected some woman with a huge chest, low-cut shirt, and bunny necklace. I had assumed that, since she is the infamous Hugh Hefner’s daughter, she was just handed the position of CEO of Playboy.

Christie Hefner took the stage wearing a conservative cream-colored blazer and skirt duo. She had shoulder-length straight hair that was a graying blonde color. She began to tell us her life-story, starting from when she was a child. It turns out that her parents got divorced when she was five – she didn’t even actually see her father that often, nor did she grow up around Playboy or on the famous “bunny ranch.” She graduated from Brandeis University with a B.A. in English and American Literature. Hefner said she loved journalism, law, and politics. After college she worked for a year as a journalist – but she had no plans to ever run her father’s business.

After a year, Hefner was planning to apply to Yale for a graduate school program. However, her father suggested that she come work at the company for a year first. In 1988, Hugh had a stroke, and it was decided that he could no longer be the CEO of Playboy, so Christie stepped up and took over the position. During her twenty years as CEO, she has transformed Playboy. She made it the first national website to go online in 1994. She also made Playboy international – it is even launched now in India and Singapore. She helped to cross media by taking Playboy from just a magazine to an Internet presence, a radio station, and even a TV station. The hit reality show “The Girls Next Door” is currently in its sixth season.

Hefner is the longest serving female CEO of a public company and stayed CEO four times longer than the average CEO of a public company. Facts like this earned Hefner the number 80 spot on Forbes’ “100 Most Powerful Women in the World” list.

Though I’m not one who is going to root for Playboy, I don’t think that Christie Hefner should be automatically disqualified as a smart and strong woman for facilitating Playboy. Hefner even said “I think the photographs in the magazine are beautiful.” She said “People don’t go to Playboy for erotic. They go to Playboy for it’s unique blend.” According to Hefner, Playboy is, “Cool, sexy, sophisticated, fun – it represents freedom.”

Regardless of your thoughts on the actual Playboy magazine – it is hard to deny that Christie Hefner is an amazing woman. She’s educated, successful, involved in philanthropy, and a staunch supporter of women’s rights. She left the audience with helpful advice such as “I don’t think you should ever stop meeting people. I don’t think you should ever stop learning.”

She ended with her thoughts that “there is something a bit off that women have to choose between showing their sexuality and being taken seriously. I don’t buy it.” Christie Hefner has created quite a life for herself and is helping to empower other women to do the same.

Alison Kurtzman is a sophomore broadcast journalism and psychology major. She can be reached at askurtzm@syr.edu.

WELCOME!

2009-10-30T09:58:00.001-07:00

Stay tuned for further updates and postings from our amazing blog staff!

Questions? Comments?

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