Skirts, PDA, and Wrestling

Skirts, PDA, and Wrestling? Why would someone in their right mind even write about these? They don't have anything in common!

 



 

These are all the topics of opinion editorials that we had to read for Writing 150. All were pretty interesting and here are some thoughts!

First, the articles about skirts and PDA were petty on the surface. However, considering the audience, the writers' opinions were timely, even though they were written five to seven years ago. My main question in regards to "A Mini-Skirt," is why the author preferred to focus on the women's side of the Honor Code, when men's dress code is violated just as often, if not more. Sure, skirt/pant length is easy to judge and justify - aka, men get "bad thoughts"- but scruff on a man is still against the Honor Code. The author failed to focus on both genders when arguing that the Honor Code should be followed, which makes her argument somewhat lacking in ethos.  Then, the PDA argument.

While skimming through it, I enjoyed seeing a fresh look on the PDA problem on campus. However, while looking for actual arguments, the author seemed to argue in a bit of a fallacious way. In my opinion, good opinion editorials (see what I did there?) often look at both sides of an issue. That was a major strength of "A Mini Skirt.." However, "A Kiss-less Campus" failed to recognize that certain 'restrictions' on BYU grounds make it impossible for PDA to never occur. While I'm not saying overt PDA is a good thing, grouping "prolonged kissing, making out, cuddling, [and] fondling. . ." in the same category seems like a bit of cherry picking, in which she picks the most obnoxious forms of PDA, mixes it with an innocent one, and calls all tasteless.  Several other fallacies include: appeal to probability (it's happened to her occasionally, Helamen Halls ex., so it must happen everywhere to everyone, ) and the moralistic fallacy (a couple was making out on the couch AND I felt like I had to apologize to them, when they were doing the wrong act.) But enough of my ranting.

The final opinion editorial, "Wrestling's Dirty Secret," exposed a nasty and less reported side of a classic sport. This article did a wonderful job of exposing the secrets behind weight loss, the abuse of coach power, and proposed several solutions to what seems to be a vexing problem. This article held all the qualities of a good opinion editorial and is one worth reading again.

So, that's it, thoughts and questions on several opinion editorials. Enjoy!

 



Why I Need Feminism

(note: this is just a free write for my 150 class. It's not all thought out and probably won't be structured like this at all. Just so you know!)

Feminism. Eight letters that have morphed into being associated with bra burning, man hating, and converting the world to a matriarchy. Like every ideology in our world, it seems like the radical sides are the only ones expressed. Take for example, this situation.

                One of the people I used to follow posted a link to a blog about why women don’t need feminism on Facebook. Upset and distraught that someone would think such a thing, I responded, explaining that I needed and loved having feminism. Some disgruntled women replied, chastising me for my lack of care for men and rules and the LDS view on marriage, stating that what I needed was a man to keep me in line.

You can imagine how much that hurt and infuriated me. This isn’t a singular case though. Throughout BYU and extending to most of Mormon culture, the word “feminism” is now being associated with the breakup of the traditional family and the group Ordain Women, when in reality, those are only the extremes. The typical view of feminism isn’t about matriarchies and turning the world into one of Amazons. The mainstream view is a simply one, which can be summed up in two words: Equal rights.

Equal rights? Then shouldn’t we call it equality or egalitarianism, rather than feminism? One of my good friends, Meghan, argues that if we focus on calling equal rights egalitarianism, the oppression that women faced for decades would be simply swept under the rug. But, alas, I digress.

Back to the original question: Why do I, as a woman, need feminism? I need feminism because I want to vote, because I want to get paid for my skills, not my chromosomes. Because I have to carry pepper spray with me, just in case. Because being modest makes me a “prude” and is only useful to keep men from having bad thoughts and showing too much skin makes it okay for catcalls and harassment. Because if I didn’t want to be treated like a piece of meat, I shouldn’t have dressed like one. Because even though I wore jeans and a tee-shirt, I was still harassed every day for the last few months of high school. And because I wasn’t as well-endowed as other girls, because I wasn’t dating or having intimate relations with anyone, it was funny and not one friend thought anything of it. I need feminism like I need the air or food to sustain me. It is the life blood of my socio-political needs.

Why does anyone need feminism? Because girls are being kidnapped in Middle Eastern countries for going to school. Because women are still treated as property and in Yemen, it’s still okay for a ten year old to marry a man three times her age. Because getting paid less is “okay” since women are more likely to take off six to ten weeks or quit their job for children. Because men who get raped-yes, by a woman occasionally-are afraid to report it, because men will think they’re “queer” and “didn’t want it.” And finally, because women and men were created equal and we deserve to be treated as such.

Feminism isn’t only about bra-burning and man hating. It’s not trying to make women superior to men, but equal, in all aspects. Not just in voting, not just in pay or employment, not just in how women are treated.

 

 

 

Because Who Doesn't Love Introductions?

To all who are reading this lovely blog of mine, welcome. I hope to entertain you all with my thoughts and other little snippets of my writing during my enrollement in Writing 150. I'm really hoping to become a more persuasive writer, not only for essays, but also for better fiction writing. Plus, INow, on to the good stuff!

Until about four days ago, I was not planning on taking freshman writing AT ALL! I had assumed that my college credits would be excepted, alas, they were not. Because I am a sophomore, I had a hold placed on my account. That's right. A hold. I couldn't register for any classes until I had taken Writing 150, but that also meant I couldn't take this class. Bit of a catch 22, don't you think? Well, after much panic, here I am, in a freshman writing class as a sophomore. Funny, I know.

So, a little about me, because I know that's the only reason you'd be reading this. As I said previously, I am a sophomore and turned 19 a few months ago.

 

Me and my bud, Judd at graduation

 

I'm majoring in Civil Engineering and I love it so much! Really, it's the best major for me, because it combines math and science, two of my favorite subjects. I hope to one day design structures and other household items for individuals in developing countries. I can't wait to get started with that dream!

 

 

I'm from a little town in Texas called Muleshoe, twenty miles from both Earth, TX and Sudan, TX. Don't worry about the strange town names; they're pretty common place in small town Texas. Some interesting ones include, but are not limited to:

• Progress
• Half-way
• Circle Back
• Sunshine
• Paris
• Guy
• And a never ending variety of towns ending with -field or -view

Muleshoe is famous for, you guessed it, Muleshoes! We even have the largest muleshoe in the world, as well as a mule statue that has visited the president. 

 

 



 

 

 

 

More about me: I love reading any kind of book, except romance (they are stereotypically pretty raunchy.) My favorite genre is Young Adult and I am currently extremely ecstatic about Blood Of Olympus coming out! Speaking of novels, I am in the progress of writing one, based on a pinterest post I once saw. If you want to know more, just ask!

 

 

Writing, reading, listening to music and having random dance parties are some of my favorite hobbies. I also enjoy Sherlock, Star Trek (Jean Luc Picard is my homeboy!), Once Upon a Time, and documentaries, especially ones dealing with women's issues. That's all I can really think about in ways of introductions at the moment.