This is a post cobbled together through a few observations I've made over the past week or so. Bear with me, folks. I'm sure I have a point around here somewhere ...

FIRSTLY: Did anyone else see that commercial during the Superbowl advertising the search for the sexiest people in America (or somesuch)? They begin it by saying things like "He has an IQ of 180" ... "She's a world famous musician" ... "He's won four gold medals" ... and then say "So What? Is he hot? Is she hot?"
I didn't, but I'm sure you described the essential elements.

Okay. I'm no sociologist, and I'm no moral crusader, but ... does this seem wrong to anyone else? Are these the values we're trying to teach our children? That as long as you're sexy you'll get through life just fine, and if you aren't sexy anything you do counts for squat? That just ... sucks. *decided to boycott whatever stupid channel is doing this*
Well, here's where I've got a couple differing opinions and I don't know which holds more water.

One part of me looks at that and says "Yeah, that's what certain applications of media are teaching our youth. No, it's not right. It's a crappy situation, and it's not getting any better." This part of me just accepts that it's a fact of today's world, sad place that it's becomming.

Another part wants to say "Sure, that's what TV is saying, but your general person is smarter than that. There comes a point where you've got to step back and realize that even though Superman can fly in the show, it's probably not a good idea to put on a cape and jump off your roof." I'd really really like to raise my flag in this camp, but in brutal honesty I'm not getting much support from the youth.

SECONDLY: Observing commercials lately, and reading something somewhere (I forget exactly what and/or where), it seems apparent to me that the pendulum of gender discrimination in the media has swung to the other side. Once upon a time we belittled females in several commercials. This was wrong, undoubtedly. Yet in today's "enlightened" society, we still need to make fun of someone to sell something. We can't make fun of women anymore (rightfully so), but ... we can, it seems, make fun of men. Look at some commercials the next time you watch TV. A fair number of them portray the male as the dumb one. If it were women being portrayed this way in many commercials, you can bet there would be a fuss thrown ... so why is the opposite any better?
It's not. We just haven't complained yet. We will eventually, and everyone will be watching their step so closely to be PC that nobody will be able to express themselves anymore. Hell, that's not far from the truth now.

SIXTH AND LASTLY: Has anyone else noticed this trend among musicians? When it is a band with a male lead singer, the band usually is named so that the lead dude isn't put front and center, and everyone gets credit (Our Lady Peace, Nickelback, Creed, Counting Crows, Everclear, Smashing Pumpkins, Barenaked Ladies, Goo Goo Dolls, The Calling, Metallica ... the list goes on and on). There are exceptions, such as Enrique Inglacias and Bryan Adams, and some bands are named after the lead guy (Dave Matthews Band, for example), but generally the trend holds true.

However, when we look at bands where a female is the lead singer, the opposite seems true. Sarah McLachlan, Avril Lavigne, Sheryl Crow, Celine Dion, Madonna, Alanis Morrisette, Jewel, Shania Twain, again the list goes on. There are once again exceptions (No Doubt, Dixie Chicks, Destiny's Child, for example), but ... does anyone else see the pattern here? Are men more willing to remain anonymous and give credit to everyone in the band, while women are not? Do women change band members all the time and thus not name the band as a whole? Are women just glory-hogs? This is not to criticize anyone ... I just find the difference interesting.
I hadn't noticed, but you're right. Glory-hogs? I'm not touching that one with a 10' pole. Honestly, I don't know why. Maybe it's a derivative of women's whole Need To Be Noticed Because Their Gender Was Oppressed? I firmly believe that is a thing of the past, but there's another generation to go before its effects have been bred out of the public eye.

On a side note, if those examples reflect your taste in music then you've got some great taste in music.

FOURTHLY: A woman in Ontario sued the police for an incident in the prison. The woman was originally charged with a minor offense, but refused to acknowledge it or go to court. Thus, the police had her arrested and placed in jail for the night to take her to court the next day. The woman complained that it was too cold in the prison, but the guards would (or could not) do anything about it. So she pretended to hang herself with her bra. This prompted the police officers to take all of her clothing away from her, to keep her from killing herself (or even pretending to; it's a threat they have to take seriously). The woman, now rather ashamed at her nakedness (in view of other prisoners, some male, some female), tried to hide in her cell where the cameras could not see her. The police asked her to stay where they could see her, but she refused, and so they handcuffed her to the bars to keep her in sight and keep her from hurting herself. The judge hearing the case turned it down, saying the police were only following procedure in such matters; the woman and her lawyer have appealed, of course.
*Slaps forehead*

So ... what do you think of this? Personally, I think the woman got what she deserves, and has no reason to complain about it. If a man did the same thing, the same would be done to him, made naked in view of the other prisoners (both male AND female, remember). Would he have sued? I don't know; but it's likely that this situation has happened before, since there is a procedure for it, and I've never heard of any legal action resulting from it (at least not any successful legal action; the procedures are still in place, right?). Should women be treated differently than men in such situations? Wouldn't this be discrimination, the very thing feminists fought against for so long? Do women only want to be equal in things that are to their benefit, but not equal in anything else?
I'm a big believer in people getting what they deserve. Especially if they do adolescent little things like that. Call me vengefull or something, but it makes it all the sweeter. Removing all her clothes sounds a little harsh, but maybe she should have thought about that before hand. Maybe they could have just handcuffed her instead? There could be some rule against that or something though, I wouldn't know. At any rate, no men and women should not be treated differently. I was raised in a time and place where male and female really were equal. I'm not talking some pretense of equality striving to achieve its illusion, I'm talking about the real deal. It makes it shocking to me sometimes to hear that people expect things to be otherwise. I don't think any kind of general statement like "women only want to be equal in things that are to their benefit" is fair, but I do think that some of us are still adjusting to our new world.

Curiouser and curiouser ... Thanks, all, for reading.
Thanks very much for writing.


------Obsidian Asha'man

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* Totally *

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- - - Ninjas will always win
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*Wails* Here to stay
An Hava Rocks - hard!!