It was 10 years ago that Ellen DeGeneres's character on the show "Ellen" came out to the world as a lesbian. The Oxygen network just celebrated this episode's anniversary by airing a six-hour "Ellen" marathon, capped by the above referenced episode.
Now that we can look at where we are 10 years later, have we come that far? Sure..."Will and Grace" has come and gone; "Queer Eye for the Straight Guy" is just another show now; we do have some prominent gay characters on TV; "The L Word" is in its fourth season.
But there still are a tremendous number of comedies out there that still try to get chuckles out of characters who fear they might be gay or perceived as gay, only to be relieved when, thank goodness, the heterosexual truth is confirmed. Why is it still socially acceptable to view homosexuality as this "horrible affliction" that one is just so relieved that they don't have?
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Shame on Delta Zeta Sorority
I was appalled when I read about Delta Zeta sorority at DePauw University in Indiana. For those of you not familiar, Delta Zeta is a sorority that was starting to have issues with a decline in membership. Folks from the national Delta Zeta organization visited on several occasions and discussed how the sorority could be more marketable and overcome an image that they perceived as "unfashionable and unpopular".
The first thing the national organization did was hold a two-day workshop for members on how to look on campus and how to present themselves. They emphasized that it was all about the chapter's image, not the individual's image, but members didn't feel that was the message at all. At the second visit, two alumni came in and gave members makeovers and showed them how to dress and wear makeup. They told members that there was no reason they should be out on campus without makeup! Michelle Stacey, one of the members, describes in her interview with Cosmopolitan that it was at this point when the girls subjected to this started to feel as if these sessions were personal and that this treatment started to eat away at their self-esteem.
On December 2, 2006, a letter went out to 23 sorority sisters--out of a total of 35 in the house--telling them they were out of the sorority. The official reason given was that the sisters hadn't helped enough with recruitement, but everyone could tell that the girls asked to leave had something in common, they didn't fit the "image" Delta Zeta had been trying to project.
This experience caused many girls to withdraw from classes. Michelle stated she was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. Others took incomplete grades in courses. One member had to postpone her graduation because she needed to take time off during her last semester to deal with the stress of this situation.
Not only did this organization shatter the self-esteem of many of these girls, they negatively affected their college experiences, their careers, and their lives.
Let's go back to what Dr. King said all those years ago...should we not judge based on the content of one's character? Having been judged based on outward looks for so many years, I can speak to the self-esteem erosion, the negative effect on one's life, career, and overall life experience. We continue to place so much emphasis on superficial factors that have nothing to do with making society better. Couldn't Delta Zeta have looked at their falling recruiting numbers and said..."we will build a better image by being the sorority filled with the most intelligent, high-achieving women on campus" vs. trying to create some Barbie Doll image by teaching members how to dress and wear makeup?
Sororities should be there to help women progress in society...not push them back.
The first thing the national organization did was hold a two-day workshop for members on how to look on campus and how to present themselves. They emphasized that it was all about the chapter's image, not the individual's image, but members didn't feel that was the message at all. At the second visit, two alumni came in and gave members makeovers and showed them how to dress and wear makeup. They told members that there was no reason they should be out on campus without makeup! Michelle Stacey, one of the members, describes in her interview with Cosmopolitan that it was at this point when the girls subjected to this started to feel as if these sessions were personal and that this treatment started to eat away at their self-esteem.
On December 2, 2006, a letter went out to 23 sorority sisters--out of a total of 35 in the house--telling them they were out of the sorority. The official reason given was that the sisters hadn't helped enough with recruitement, but everyone could tell that the girls asked to leave had something in common, they didn't fit the "image" Delta Zeta had been trying to project.
This experience caused many girls to withdraw from classes. Michelle stated she was diagnosed with clinical depression and anxiety. Others took incomplete grades in courses. One member had to postpone her graduation because she needed to take time off during her last semester to deal with the stress of this situation.
Not only did this organization shatter the self-esteem of many of these girls, they negatively affected their college experiences, their careers, and their lives.
Let's go back to what Dr. King said all those years ago...should we not judge based on the content of one's character? Having been judged based on outward looks for so many years, I can speak to the self-esteem erosion, the negative effect on one's life, career, and overall life experience. We continue to place so much emphasis on superficial factors that have nothing to do with making society better. Couldn't Delta Zeta have looked at their falling recruiting numbers and said..."we will build a better image by being the sorority filled with the most intelligent, high-achieving women on campus" vs. trying to create some Barbie Doll image by teaching members how to dress and wear makeup?
Sororities should be there to help women progress in society...not push them back.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Progress in the Acceptance of Gays?
In reviewing some local news, I came across this article...
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/trends/6714431.html
The article has revealed that 72% of heterosexual adults say that they would not change their opinions about their "favorite" athletes if they found out the athlete was gay. I am encouraged by this progress.
This sounds quite simple, but at the end of the day, we should base our decisions on the person's ability and athletic prowess, not his or her sexual orientation.
Though I am encouraged by this news...we still have some work to do.
Jackie
http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/trends/6714431.html
The article has revealed that 72% of heterosexual adults say that they would not change their opinions about their "favorite" athletes if they found out the athlete was gay. I am encouraged by this progress.
This sounds quite simple, but at the end of the day, we should base our decisions on the person's ability and athletic prowess, not his or her sexual orientation.
Though I am encouraged by this news...we still have some work to do.
Jackie
Barack Obama
Why the controversy over Barack Obama? Again, I am amazed at the things being said about this man. He, of course, was in the center of controversy when Joe Biden called him a "mainstream" candidate who is articulate enough to get the Democratic nomination. Yet, on the flip side, he is called "not black enough" by the African-American community because Obama is biracial.
Why don't we just make our decision about whether or not we will vote for the man based on the issues and his positions? I urge you to go to his website http://www.BarackObama.com and jugde for yourself.
Jackie
Why don't we just make our decision about whether or not we will vote for the man based on the issues and his positions? I urge you to go to his website http://www.BarackObama.com and jugde for yourself.
Jackie
Why Mr. Imus?
I wanted to ask Mr. Imus why he said such hurtful things to the girls at the Rutgers basketball team.
I have been teased by others because my name is Stinky, but I know that I am a good dog and am very lovable. My mom taught me that we must accept others for all of their differences and not judge based on outward factors.
I do not understand why Mr. Imus or anyone for that matter, would use words that are so hurtful to others. He never even met these girls...why would he say such a thing?
I encourage all of you kids out there (and your parents) to make sure that you never use this type of language that hurts other people. It isn't until we all know how much words can hurt that we will treat each other with respect.
Stinky the Bulldog
www.stinkythebulldog.com
I have been teased by others because my name is Stinky, but I know that I am a good dog and am very lovable. My mom taught me that we must accept others for all of their differences and not judge based on outward factors.
I do not understand why Mr. Imus or anyone for that matter, would use words that are so hurtful to others. He never even met these girls...why would he say such a thing?
I encourage all of you kids out there (and your parents) to make sure that you never use this type of language that hurts other people. It isn't until we all know how much words can hurt that we will treat each other with respect.
Stinky the Bulldog
www.stinkythebulldog.com
Monday, April 9, 2007
Fire Don Imus!
NEW YORK - After being criticized for his racially charged comments about the Rutgers University women’s basketball team, radio host Don Imus said Monday that he’s a good person who said a bad thing and will check his acid tongue.
“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” he said on his nationally syndicated radio show. “Because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean it’s going to be what it’s been for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”
Imus said he was “embarrassed” by the remarks, in which he referred to the mostly black team as “nappy-headed hos.” He said he had made the comments in the course of “trying to be funny,” but he was not trying to excuse them.
Here is what the Associated Press reported about Don Imus this morning regarding derogatory comments he made about the Rutgers Women's Basketball team. We ABSOLUTELY need to rid mainstream America of these types of comments and language once and for all. It should not be OK to say them and then just "write them off" as trying to be funny or to just brush them under the rug as a "simple mistake". One does not say these things without meaning them in some degree. People certainly make mistakes and hopefully will learn from them, but to continue to do this over and over again is not acceptable.
Having been subject to these types of comments about my weight, I know first-hand about how destructive mere words can be. Imus, particularly being in the public eye, must realize how powerful his words are and that millions of people hear them each day. The more you refer to African-American female athletes as "nappy-headed hos", the more people will believe this to be true. Have respect for your fellow human being and the world will be a much better place!
“Here’s what I’ve learned: that you can’t make fun of everybody, because some people don’t deserve it,” he said on his nationally syndicated radio show. “Because the climate on this program has been what it’s been for 30 years doesn’t mean it’s going to be what it’s been for the next five years or whatever because that has to change, and I understand that.”
Imus said he was “embarrassed” by the remarks, in which he referred to the mostly black team as “nappy-headed hos.” He said he had made the comments in the course of “trying to be funny,” but he was not trying to excuse them.
Here is what the Associated Press reported about Don Imus this morning regarding derogatory comments he made about the Rutgers Women's Basketball team. We ABSOLUTELY need to rid mainstream America of these types of comments and language once and for all. It should not be OK to say them and then just "write them off" as trying to be funny or to just brush them under the rug as a "simple mistake". One does not say these things without meaning them in some degree. People certainly make mistakes and hopefully will learn from them, but to continue to do this over and over again is not acceptable.
Having been subject to these types of comments about my weight, I know first-hand about how destructive mere words can be. Imus, particularly being in the public eye, must realize how powerful his words are and that millions of people hear them each day. The more you refer to African-American female athletes as "nappy-headed hos", the more people will believe this to be true. Have respect for your fellow human being and the world will be a much better place!
Monday, April 2, 2007
Hate Mail
I happened to check out Eugene Kane's article from yesterday's Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=584635
The article started by talking about a piece of hate mail he received from someone who took painstaking time to put together a small album of pictures and hateful comments. This person took a picture of a group of African-American college students at graduation and wrote "too stupid to get in on their own," referring to their ability to get into college in the first place. This person also wrote "future welfare queens" on a picture of African-American children and sent this in.
How can we ever get to a state of acceptance and inclusion with this type of activity still going on?
I'd have to say that unfortunately, this type of ignorance still exists and may never go away completely, but it is up to all of us to dismiss this type of language and activity from our day-to-day lives and be mindful of what damage these words and actions can cause.
Of course, this person did not have the backbone to put his/her name on the envelope sent to Eugene Kane...that is typically the case. If you feel so strongly about something, you should be comfortable sharing your identity with the world. Why hide behind the hatred? This just tells me you know you are not correct in your over-arching sentiment.
http://www.jsonline.com/story/index.aspx?id=584635
The article started by talking about a piece of hate mail he received from someone who took painstaking time to put together a small album of pictures and hateful comments. This person took a picture of a group of African-American college students at graduation and wrote "too stupid to get in on their own," referring to their ability to get into college in the first place. This person also wrote "future welfare queens" on a picture of African-American children and sent this in.
How can we ever get to a state of acceptance and inclusion with this type of activity still going on?
I'd have to say that unfortunately, this type of ignorance still exists and may never go away completely, but it is up to all of us to dismiss this type of language and activity from our day-to-day lives and be mindful of what damage these words and actions can cause.
Of course, this person did not have the backbone to put his/her name on the envelope sent to Eugene Kane...that is typically the case. If you feel so strongly about something, you should be comfortable sharing your identity with the world. Why hide behind the hatred? This just tells me you know you are not correct in your over-arching sentiment.
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