Monday, January 28, 2013

Red hair: hot on Rihanna, a cry for attention on your high school girlfriend.

On Lookbook, “the largest online community dedicated to showcasing member-uploaded "street style" photography” girls in three inch high flatforms dominate the “hot” page. Photographs of heavily tattooed women, their eyelids thickly splashed with glitter, are perpetually reblogged on Tumblr. Heck, there are entire Tumblr pages devoted to ladies with lilac locks.

Perhaps in show biz Lady Gaga and Nicki Minaj have long ago declared themselves queens of ko-ko, but even Katy Perry dons purple tresses, Lana Del Rey – fake grills and spiked nails. As celebrities continue to opt for standing out rather than regurgitating been-there done-that traditional concepts of “pretty,” even magazines geared towards the average teenage girl have begun to feature beauty tutorials for wild nail art and cutting edge fashion forward editorials.

If the sources in which young people look to seek style inspiration and define prettiness are experimenting with new concepts of beauty, why then, are girls with dip dyed locks and bow ties around their necks still subjected to gawks and eye rolls as they stroll the hallways of their high schools? If we, as a society, have linked recording artists and actresses as contributors to a spike in eating disorders among young girls or a glorification of rape culture, or simply put, the shitty parts of the world in which we live, why hasn’t there been a successful trickle down effect of this redefinition of what it means to be beautiful?

Are daring beauty trends only desirable from afar? Is it the fame and fortune that allows Miley to bleach and take a razor to her hair? Is Rihanna’s red do’ only sexy because while hey, it’s Rihanna, but still a big no-no for your high school girlfriend? Will we ever reach a point where we don’t have to tell our girlfriends to cover up her tattoos when you first bring her home to meet your parents?

Perhaps, by convincing ourselves that the answer is time would prove comforting. Time for Hollywood's trends to blow eastward to small town suburbia  Time for older generations to realize that our generation's pink hair is no more radical than their generation's long haired men and Afros. However, ignoring fear's role in deterring young women's experimentation with their outward appearances would be both ignorant and an injustice. As if the color of your make-up is somehow a grandiose political statement, fear of being labeled too progressive. Fear of young men's disapproval.
One of the most beneficial aspects of experimenting with personal self expression – man repelling. There is no better way to weed out immature duds than challenging traditional concepts of femininity, or what it means to be "ladylike." Experimentation , in the proper context, is a healthy and rewarding aspect to adolescence. It's yet another avenue for one to discover new skills and joys.

Bottom line: Whatever your style, whatever the decade – confidence never goes out of style.

Also, to the two glorious women who reminded me of why I blog and drug me out of my slump, I thank you.

Tuesday, January 15, 2013

Human Rights, not Native Born Country Rights.

Illegal immigration is not limited to Mexicans. Crime, including drug trafficking  is not limited to Mexican immigrants either. Don't complain about those fumbling through the language. Have you ever tried to learn another language? If so, I'm assuming you never went beyond high school requirements. Let us not forget that Spanish and French, the two languages most commonly offered in American high schools, are romance languages, thus meaning they are two of the easiest languages to learn (romance languages all derive from Latin). English, a Germanic language, is one of the most difficult languages to learn. Many of you will never even master a romance language that you begun learning in middle/high school, so if you, with all your American opportunities unavailable to these "illegal immigrants" fail to learn a second language, why do you feel that they should learn English the second they set foot in this country? Many immigrants are much older than junior high, thus making language learning even more difficult. 

So why does the common man bicker about immigration? Are they really taking careers that you would ever even consider? Do they desire anything immoral or different than the natural born rights that you take for granted daily? Does their native country give them less of a right to opportunity or freedom? America, however cliché it may sound, is a land of immigrants. Those clenching onto the belief that America is "their country" must realize how ridiculously ignorant they sound. America is a stolen land, but that's beside the point. Many of us don't have to trace our ancestry back more than two or three generations to see immigration in our own families. If it weren't for your ancestors you must likely would not be an American citizen. Perhaps you would be residing in a country with not even a fraction of the freedoms we have in America. Perhaps you would want natural rights. Perhaps you would want better for your children, your lover, yourself. Perhaps you would come to America. Perhaps you would be an "illegal immigrant."

Tuesday, January 8, 2013

If we can handle childbirth we can handle mosh pits.


Could someone do me the favor of locating the source of the notion that females are somehow incapable of moshing? I should not be subjected to comments such as “Not to be sexist, but girl, are you okay? or “Wow, you’re one tough cookie” whenever I attend a Japandroids or Joyce Manor show. Gentle reminder: the female body was designed for childbearing. We can physically hold our own at concerts.

I have long ago grown sick and tired of finding myself entangled in a pit surrounded by men, wondering where all the women are, only to realize majority of them are standing far behind me, increasingly distancing themselves from the stage. I encourage all you women who enjoy such events to put a halt to this male domination. Share the experience amongst us hormonal, commonly intoxicated, and highly excitable young people in the glory that is high contact.


Saturday, January 5, 2013

Male, it's beautiful too.

Western society's obsession with painting women as self-conscious and dependent upon male attention for self confidence has somehow translated to completely forgetting the fact that males too would benefit from being credited as beautiful.

You are all familiar with the scene. A woman gets all dressed up for some fancy evening event, her significant other’s jaw drops, and he tells her how beautiful she looks. When a guy picks up his date he compliments her on how freakin’ gorgeous she looks tonight. Now, I have never been a male before, but I’m just guessing that maybe they’d like to be called beautiful every once in awhile as well. Perhaps, men would enjoy some recognition when they go the extra mile. 

If women feel glorious when their male lovers remind them of their physical attractiveness, why would men be exempt from the potential confidence boost? Are males so overflowing with self esteem that they'd simply scuff at such a suggestion? You don't need to be lacking in self confidence to reap the benefits of kind words. Furthermore, don’t forget to tell yourself how stellar you are either. Regardless of your relationship status you don’t need anyone else’s commentary to feel great.

Thursday, January 3, 2013

Aborting Pro-Life Ideaology

The abortion debate is old, and has long ago went stale. It's not fresh nor would I ever cast it as such, but because some crazy folk enjoy arguing already settled, sealed n' dealed debates I have decided to devote a post to the topic. 

In order to justify such the notion of outlawing abortion, as a nation, we would need to completely exterminate lack of access to contraception, lack of contraceptive education, outlaw abstinence only sex education, have a massive sexual education reform, rid the world of all forms of sexual violence, exterminate all religious and spiritual beliefs that don’t adhere to this point of view, but that’s just naming a few.

And, if we do outlaw abortion, it's not like the act of terminating pregnancies is going to vanish. So then, who gets reprimanded for illegal abortion? Is it the abortionist or the woman who is brave and selfless enough to know she's unfit to go through with the pregnancy? Do we throw them all in jail? Americans love throwing people in jail, especially women of non violent crimes. That seems to be a reoccurring way for the government to “solve” social “ills” in this country. Sky high unemployment? A way to uphold white male privilege and the new racism? Newsflash, throwing people in jail for these acts is more "immoral" than abortion is and will ever be. Prison reform now anyone? Furthermore, by making abortion illegal you are cutting women off from safe abortion practices. Does the desire to terminate a pregnancy mean one deserves infection, infertility, or to bleed to death in an alleyway? 

Do you think women enjoy abortions? It’s not like everyone is running around eagerly awaiting to abort fetuses. It’s a option because one acknowledges they would be unfit, for whatever reason, to complete the pregnancy or birth of a child. So, if a woman can't decide whether or not she wants to go through with a pregnancy, have something develop inside her, give birth, who's decision is it? Simply put, if a woman doesn't own the rights to her own body, who does? The U.S.government?

Making abortion illegal is just another way to demonize women in general. Do some research before you decide to try to defend your paradoxical opinion. Try explaining to a rape victim, a mother already struggling to provide for her preexisting children, a high school student, women with no access to birth control or no education on how to properly use and obtain various forms of contraceptives, or hm, AN ENTIRE BIOLOGICAL SEX that they don’t have the right to their own bodies, and thus in the process, their own lives.

Wednesday, January 2, 2013

High End Designers, Low End Ideas: Beauty Sadomasochism.

My reason for refraining from wearing designer perfume is more calculated than the expensive price tag.

I have a problem with images that suggest all women like to be controlled by men, bound with leather, held by the neck, and dragged by their hair. I have a problem with anything that equates male dominance and female submissiveness to something that's sexy. Since when is violence synonymous with love and affection? Sexual violence is not stylish or erotic. Moreover, nothing that tarnishes the credibility of sexual violence survivors should be used as a marketing ploy.

I refuse to support designers who perpetuate a glorified rape culture with their print advertisement’s images reminiscent of gang rapes. Note how the woman has been broken down into fragments, her single exposed leg symbolizing her desirability, whereas the entirely of the males’ bodies can be seen. The surrounding men gaze upon her like lions surveying a decaying carcass.



I have a serious issue with the image above and see a direct correlation between such advertisements and the fact that according to a recent UCLA College Survey, 30% of college men (58% when “rape” was replaced with “force a woman into having sex”) would commit rape if they knew it would go unreported.

So, why do consumers, both female and male accept these types of advertisements? If we, as consumers, have allowed such images to be printed, what's preventing us from becoming the voice for change? That is, why can’t we voice our discontent, rise up with fists, and let these brands know that if they want our business they’re going to need to develop a new marketing approach.