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sigelphoenix at 05:05pm on 19/10/2006 under feminism and sexism, school, sex and body issues
sigelphoenix at 05:05pm on 19/10/2006 under feminism and sexism, school, sex and body issuesDear random-dude-in-my-class,
My sincerest thanks, and a big ol' hearty Fuck You, for thinking that it was a good idea to "contribute" to the class discussion about the slender ideal in visual media, which I was facilitating, by:
1) insisting that too many people in the U.S. are obese, so the slender ideal isn't a problem
To which I pointed out: if you're so concerned about the size of U.S. citizens for health reasons, then you sure as hell don't want people - especially women - conforming to the ideal that would have them underweight, malnourished, and most likely sporting risky breast implants in order to get the "right" shape.
2) whining that smokers like him have it so hard because "everyone" will make fun of smokers, but no one wants to "hurt the feelings" of fat people
To which I wanted to say (but, alas, did not): what's your next target, O brave crusader? The War on Christmas? Seriously, the fact that you have to face some complaints every once in a while is nothing compared to the daily abuse that fat people get faced with, for being "ugly," "lazy," "stupid," and "greedy."
3) dismissing the problem of eating disorders as something that "should be dealt with," but somehow "isn't a big deal"
Because, you know, 1 in 10 college women isn't a large number or anything.
4) ignoring the highly unequal gender hierarchy at play in body ideals in the media
I don't care if you've never read a word of feminist theory in your life, if you're a Rush Limbaugh crony who eats up all the "feminazi" propaganda - if someone shows you actual footage documenting the damaging images aimed at women (as I did using a clip from Jean Kilbourne's "Killing Us Softly"), and your classmates point this out to you, and you still fail to acknowledge the inequality faced by women in terms of body standards, and continue to insist that your experience as a previously overweight man should hold supreme - then fuck off. I don't have time for you.
Oh, and those of my classmates who kept their mouths shut the whole time - except, of course, to laugh at the clips of The Biggest Loser that my professor showed, which reduced fat people to objects of ridicule? You disappoint me.
As for my professor, whose course I took because I remember her from my sophomore year and was really impressed by her teaching style - I used to respect you a lot. And I still respect you for your intelligence with regard to literary analysis. But now? I respect you less.
Lucky for me, I'm cynical enough that I'm used to losing respect for people.
And you know what? I failed. I failed to hold my ground and point out the rampant sexism behind body ideals, or call you out on your privilege. The best I could manage was to point out the logical fallacy in your argument (logic, see? I'm a good little girl who doesn't rely on "feminine" arguments that involve emotion) and try to keep my discussion on track. I also failed to say anything at all about the sizeism - explicit in people's comments, or implicit in their laughter - and that's my fault. My failing. But the fact that I was scared to point that out, because you refused to even admit that the pressure toward unhealthy thinness was bad for "normal" people? That's all you, asshole.
But here's some good that happened today:
My philosophy professor took time to point out the inherent sexism of "we're so good for human rights" political liberalism when it fails to address the abuse of women that occurs in "private" (and therefore, not for the government to interfere in) places. And he didn't even have to be prompted to do it!
(But you know what's pathetic? That this is a special "good" thing that I feel the need to point out, instead of being "normal" or "decent.")
I bought the latest issue of Bitch for a class assignment, and there's a short feature in the back about male nudity in film, which lauds Harvey Keitel and Ewan "wanna see my lightsaber?" McGregor for their openness to baring it all for the camera: "No discussion of male full-frontal nudity is complete without a tip of the hat to these willy-waving pioneers." Really, how can you stay in a bad mood after that? XD
I also met with my advisor in C.O.R.E. about a special presentation I'll be doing for her tomorrow morning. She's a great woman, and talking with her always makes me feel heartened. I'm really glad to be able to help her out.
My sincerest thanks, and a big ol' hearty Fuck You, for thinking that it was a good idea to "contribute" to the class discussion about the slender ideal in visual media, which I was facilitating, by:
1) insisting that too many people in the U.S. are obese, so the slender ideal isn't a problem
To which I pointed out: if you're so concerned about the size of U.S. citizens for health reasons, then you sure as hell don't want people - especially women - conforming to the ideal that would have them underweight, malnourished, and most likely sporting risky breast implants in order to get the "right" shape.
2) whining that smokers like him have it so hard because "everyone" will make fun of smokers, but no one wants to "hurt the feelings" of fat people
To which I wanted to say (but, alas, did not): what's your next target, O brave crusader? The War on Christmas? Seriously, the fact that you have to face some complaints every once in a while is nothing compared to the daily abuse that fat people get faced with, for being "ugly," "lazy," "stupid," and "greedy."
3) dismissing the problem of eating disorders as something that "should be dealt with," but somehow "isn't a big deal"
Because, you know, 1 in 10 college women isn't a large number or anything.
4) ignoring the highly unequal gender hierarchy at play in body ideals in the media
I don't care if you've never read a word of feminist theory in your life, if you're a Rush Limbaugh crony who eats up all the "feminazi" propaganda - if someone shows you actual footage documenting the damaging images aimed at women (as I did using a clip from Jean Kilbourne's "Killing Us Softly"), and your classmates point this out to you, and you still fail to acknowledge the inequality faced by women in terms of body standards, and continue to insist that your experience as a previously overweight man should hold supreme - then fuck off. I don't have time for you.
Oh, and those of my classmates who kept their mouths shut the whole time - except, of course, to laugh at the clips of The Biggest Loser that my professor showed, which reduced fat people to objects of ridicule? You disappoint me.
As for my professor, whose course I took because I remember her from my sophomore year and was really impressed by her teaching style - I used to respect you a lot. And I still respect you for your intelligence with regard to literary analysis. But now? I respect you less.
Lucky for me, I'm cynical enough that I'm used to losing respect for people.
And you know what? I failed. I failed to hold my ground and point out the rampant sexism behind body ideals, or call you out on your privilege. The best I could manage was to point out the logical fallacy in your argument (logic, see? I'm a good little girl who doesn't rely on "feminine" arguments that involve emotion) and try to keep my discussion on track. I also failed to say anything at all about the sizeism - explicit in people's comments, or implicit in their laughter - and that's my fault. My failing. But the fact that I was scared to point that out, because you refused to even admit that the pressure toward unhealthy thinness was bad for "normal" people? That's all you, asshole.
But here's some good that happened today:
My philosophy professor took time to point out the inherent sexism of "we're so good for human rights" political liberalism when it fails to address the abuse of women that occurs in "private" (and therefore, not for the government to interfere in) places. And he didn't even have to be prompted to do it!
(But you know what's pathetic? That this is a special "good" thing that I feel the need to point out, instead of being "normal" or "decent.")
I bought the latest issue of Bitch for a class assignment, and there's a short feature in the back about male nudity in film, which lauds Harvey Keitel and Ewan "wanna see my lightsaber?" McGregor for their openness to baring it all for the camera: "No discussion of male full-frontal nudity is complete without a tip of the hat to these willy-waving pioneers." Really, how can you stay in a bad mood after that? XD
I also met with my advisor in C.O.R.E. about a special presentation I'll be doing for her tomorrow morning. She's a great woman, and talking with her always makes me feel heartened. I'm really glad to be able to help her out.