en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/757128 Comments by EmilyButzner https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68925735 I love this blog posting. I think this is a huge issue in our society. Women need to realize that the models on the front of magazines are not the ideal image of women. In my current women’s studies class, we are learning that being a woman is not a physical definition. Being a woman consists of so many things, I agree. It isn’t a secret that women, especially teenage girls, face the most pressure to conform to society’s standards. From eating disorders, skin treatments, make-up clothes, we try so hard to fit the qualities that we see as perfect. And what does this do other than cost thousands of dollars and shatter self confidence. We live in a society where plastic surgery can fix anything someone doesn’t like about their body. Does anyone not see a problem with this? Women need to learn that they are perfect the way they are. We should worry about feeling good in our own bodies rather than straining ourselves to impress others. The models and actresses we view as the ideal women are often represented in misleading light. Cosmopolitan and other fashion magazines frame the “perfect” woman on the front cover. We need to understand that these “perfect” women are airbrushed until there isn’t a single imperfection on their face or body. And these women that we view as perfect only make up about one percent of the world’s population. Beauty certainly does come in all shapes and sizes. Our society and Hollywood has gotten better over the years at representing a wider range of women. From Ugly Betty to Hairspray women who aren’t blonde-haired stick-figures are beginning to show up in our media. Another problem with society is that women are always over sexualized. Just look at the latest season of Dancing with the Stars. Pamela Anderson represents the expression “less is more.” This is a problem because women shouldn’t be expected to show their “goodies” in order to be happy or successful. A lot of times the people we idol such as the Pussycat Dolls teach us to be sexy. Sexy is good at times, but that isn’t what a woman is. She shouldn’t have to dance around on poles and chairs with no clothes on to get a man’s attention. A new trend is women beginning to invade the science and math careers. Intelligence is becoming a valued trait by women. It is important that women be appreciated for more than just their physical appearance. I really enjoyed the play that was performed the other day in class because it told the story on the other side of the spectrum. Things that men like in women are not always a woman’s favorite part of herself. With that said, women do need to love themselves before impressing society. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 05:23:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68925735 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68929331 I love this blog posting. I think this is a huge issue in our society. Women need to realize that the models on the front of magazines are not the ideal image of women. In my current women’s studies class, we are learning that being a woman is not a physical definition. Being a woman consists of so many things, I agree. It isn’t a secret that women, especially teenage girls, face the most pressure to conform to society’s standards. From eating disorders, skin treatments, make-up clothes, we try so hard to fit the qualities that we see as perfect. And what does this do other than cost thousands of dollars and shatter self confidence. We live in a society where plastic surgery can fix anything someone doesn’t like about their body. Does anyone not see a problem with this? Women need to learn that they are perfect the way they are. We should worry about feeling good in our own bodies rather than straining ourselves to impress others. The models and actresses we view as the ideal women are often represented in misleading light. Cosmopolitan and other fashion magazines frame the “perfect” woman on the front cover. We need to understand that these “perfect” women are airbrushed until there isn’t a single imperfection on their face or body. And these women that we view as perfect only make up about one percent of the world’s population. Beauty certainly does come in all shapes and sizes. Our society and Hollywood has gotten better over the years at representing a wider range of women. From Ugly Betty to Hairspray women who aren’t blonde-haired stick-figures are beginning to show up in our media. Another problem with society is that women are always over sexualized. Just look at the latest season of Dancing with the Stars. Pamela Anderson represents the expression “less is more.” This is a problem because women shouldn’t be expected to show their “goodies” in order to be happy or successful. A lot of times the people we idol such as the Pussycat Dolls teach us to be sexy. Sexy is good at times, but that isn’t what a woman is. She shouldn’t have to dance around on poles and chairs with no clothes on to get a man’s attention. A new trend is women beginning to invade the science and math careers. Intelligence is becoming a valued trait by women. It is important that women be appreciated for more than just their physical appearance. I really enjoyed the play that was performed the other day in class because it told the story on the other side of the spectrum. Things that men like in women are not always a woman’s favorite part of herself. With that said, women do need to love themselves before impressing society. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:23:48 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68929331 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/were-being-educated-for-stupidity-and-conformity-really__trashed/#IDComment68929251 I don’t understand why this idiot is speaking of stupidity in the education system. First off I would like to say that being in school teaches us to be obedient on the sole purpose that a teacher wouldn’t be able to teach the class properly if all the students were misbehaving. Second, I don’t think our teachers conform us to be just like them. Teachers are not guiding our behavior, they are shaping our minds. They are introducing us to ideas and lessons that will shape what we do for the rest of our lives. Obviously not everyone turns out thinking the same way or enjoying the same things, otherwise we would not be at a university right now that has hundreds a different major opportunities. This guy is stupid. Period. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:22:58 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/were-being-educated-for-stupidity-and-conformity-really__trashed/#IDComment68929251 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68927645 I’m not sure how I feel about this. First off I don’t think that Mandarin is crucial to know in order to be successful in the business field. Even though English is becoming one of the, if not the most common language in the world, I think being bilingual in general is a great plus. Everyone says that English is the hardest language to learn, so I don’t see the harm in learning an easier language. With that said, I think learning a second language should be chose out of a desire to travel to a certain place of the love for the art of that particular language, not because someone says it is important for business. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:10:12 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68927645 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68927279 I love this blog posting. I think this is a huge issue in our society. Women need to realize that the models on the front of magazines are not the ideal image of women. In my current women’s studies class, we are learning that being a woman is not a physical definition. Being a woman consists of so many things, I agree. It isn’t a secret that women, especially teenage girls, face the most pressure to conform to society’s standards. From eating disorders, skin treatments, make-up clothes, we try so hard to fit the qualities that we see as perfect. And what does this do other than cost thousands of dollars and shatter self confidence. We live in a society where plastic surgery can fix anything someone doesn’t like about their body. Does anyone not see a problem with this? Women need to learn that they are perfect the way they are. We should worry about feeling good in our own bodies rather than straining ourselves to impress others. The models and actresses we view as the ideal women are often represented in misleading light. Cosmopolitan and other fashion magazines frame the “perfect” woman on the front cover. We need to understand that these “perfect” women are airbrushed until there isn’t a single imperfection on their face or body. And these women that we view as perfect only make up about one percent of the world’s population. Beauty certainly does come in all shapes and sizes. Our society and Hollywood has gotten better over the years at representing a wider range of women. From Ugly Betty to Hairspray women who aren’t blonde-haired stick-figures are beginning to show up in our media. Another problem with society is that women are always over sexualized. Just look at the latest season of Dancing with the Stars. Pamela Anderson represents the expression “less is more.” This is a problem because women shouldn’t be expected to show their “goodies” in order to be happy or successful. A lot of times the people we idol such as the Pussycat Dolls teach us to be sexy. Sexy is good at times, but that isn’t what a woman is. She shouldn’t have to dance around on poles and chairs with no clothes on to get a man’s attention. A new trend is women beginning to invade the science and math careers. Intelligence is becoming a valued trait by women. It is important that women be appreciated for more than just their physical appearance. I really enjoyed the play that was performed the other day in class because it told the story on the other side of the spectrum. Things that men like in women are not always a woman’s favorite part of herself. With that said, women do need to love themselves before impressing society. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 01:08:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/want-to-learn-chinese__trashed/#IDComment68927279 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68925813 I love this blog posting. I think this is a huge issue in our society. Women need to realize that the models on the front of magazines are not the ideal image of women. In my current women’s studies class, we are learning that being a woman is not a physical definition. Being a woman consists of so many things, I agree. It isn’t a secret that women, especially teenage girls, face the most pressure to conform to society’s standards. From eating disorders, skin treatments, make-up clothes, we try so hard to fit the qualities that we see as perfect. And what does this do other than cost thousands of dollars and shatter self confidence. We live in a society where plastic surgery can fix anything someone doesn’t like about their body. Does anyone not see a problem with this? Women need to learn that they are perfect the way they are. We should worry about feeling good in our own bodies rather than straining ourselves to impress others. The models and actresses we view as the ideal women are often represented in misleading light. Cosmopolitan and other fashion magazines frame the “perfect” woman on the front cover. We need to understand that these “perfect” women are airbrushed until there isn’t a single imperfection on their face or body. And these women that we view as perfect only make up about one percent of the world’s population. Beauty certainly does come in all shapes and sizes. Our society and Hollywood has gotten better over the years at representing a wider range of women. From Ugly Betty to Hairspray women who aren’t blonde-haired stick-figures are beginning to show up in our media. Another problem with society is that women are always over sexualized. Just look at the latest season of Dancing with the Stars. Pamela Anderson represents the expression “less is more.” This is a problem because women shouldn’t be expected to show their “goodies” in order to be happy or successful. A lot of times the people we idol such as the Pussycat Dolls teach us to be sexy. Sexy is good at times, but that isn’t what a woman is. She shouldn’t have to dance around on poles and chairs with no clothes on to get a man’s attention. A new trend is women beginning to invade the science and math careers. Intelligence is becoming a valued trait by women. It is important that women be appreciated for more than just their physical appearance. I really enjoyed the play that was performed the other day in class because it told the story on the other side of the spectrum. Things that men like in women are not always a woman’s favorite part of herself. With that said, women do need to love themselves before impressing society. Tue, 20 Apr 2010 00:55:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/women__trashed/#IDComment68925813 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68424563 I agree! I do not think Osama Bin Laden is a terrorist because he is Islamic. He is just a bad person. No matter what religion or God we worship, all religious people believe in being a good person, and that is obviously not what Bin Laden is about. I think it is crucial that we stop pinpointing terrorists based on religion. All religions are united in some way based on everyone’s belief in the afterlife. No matter how different the religion, they all are based on the idea of living you life as a good person, following in the footsteps of a higher power. It is unfair to look at Osama Bin Laden and think that all Islamic people are what he represents. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:40:14 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/the-tyranny-of-radical-muslims__trashed/#IDComment68424563 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68423441 Everyone is socialized to conform to society at such a young age. If you think about it, we have been socialized back to when we were born. Mothers can never dress their boy babies in girl colored clothes because then people wouldn’t be able to tell the sex of the baby. And then when we entered elementary school, the boys would play sports and rough house at recess while the girls would socialize in their groups. Girls played with Barbies and boys played sports. Even now nobody expects boys to watch “chick flicks.” Girls are supposed to be feminine, wear dresses and fit in. I agree, everyone does want to fit in. But at what point do we do what we want and not what is expected of us? A lot of times I feel as if men are more nonchalant about societal pressures than women. Take zombie wars for example, the strange game that goes on around campus. A lot of men don’t care what others think, they do what they want. And in a way I admire this. A lot of guys do go along with society though. A lot of men wear popular clothes and have the latest technology. Like Sam said in class, everyone wants the newest technology. However I do feel as though guys have a lot less pressure on them. Girls are expected to wear make-up and do their hair. Guys not so much. Other girls notice when a chick wears the same outfit twice, guys don’t. Guys are socialized in ways other than looks. Sports is a huge example of how men are socialized. Every “typical” guy loves football, baseball, and basketball. At such a young age, boys are encouraged to join recreational sport teams. If a young boy would rather play with dolls than a soccer ball, he is considered abnormal. Guys more than girls, I think anyways, strive to have the nicest things. Especially when it comes to cars. Every time I see a group of guys cruising around on campus, they are driving some pimped out vehicle blaring music. With that said, I think men are judged on different criterion than girls. Why doesn’t anyone try to accomplish having things that actually matter in life. Intelligence should be more important than looks and possessions. Money isn’t everything. And in order to truly fit in today’s society I feel as though money is key. Having nice clothes, cars, and technology aren’t free. In conclusion I do think guys are socialized as much as women. Everyone is socialized from a prime age and we don’t even realize it. Guys are just socialized to be manly jocks and girls are socialized to look pretty. Fri, 16 Apr 2010 20:30:00 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-about-the-men__trashed/#IDComment68423441 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66849002 First off, I want to start my saying how shocked I am by something as common as chocolate being part of slavery. Everyone eats chocolate, so it is very sad to think that everyone in our country is contributing to the continuance of slavery. I feel horrible about consuming chocolate now, but I do not feel guilty just because I didn’t know about it. I guess the second step would be for us to do as Sam has done. We need to spread the news. We need to tell our friends and family that they are contributing to slavery. This is necessary because most people aren’t aware, I wasn’t. It is crucial to tell people that even though they think slavery is wrong, they are a small reason why it still exists in other countries. Sam was right in saying that it is hard to completely give up slave-made products, especially because they are everywhere. Everyone uses a cell phone, every eats chocolate, and everyone buys cheap shirts from WalMart that some small child probably made for no money. It is almost impossible to give up all slave made products, so spreading the awareness is the next step. Maybe if most of our country’s citizens knew what they were “supporting,” we could sign a petition to turn these slaves into employees. If more people were aware of the slavery in other countries, I do believe we could make change. We could threaten to boycott slave-made products so that slave owners are forced to pay their slaves. Instances like these are really where one person can make a difference. So it starts with us. Sam has relayed information unto us that we need to relay further. If Sam has taught us anything that would be to live our life. Part of living is trying to make the world a better place. Imagine if the world’s slavery began to decrease in our life time, we would all know that we had something to do with it. There isn’t anything much better than helping innocent people. After reading Disposable People I do not see how anyone can sit back and watch slavery take place. In America we are so used to having opportunity at everything. I couldn’t imagine living in a place like Thailand where going to the grocery store is a risk in ending up in a brothel. I think that America has the power to create change in places that need help. We are rebuilding Iraq into a modern democracy; we are helping Haiti through their tragedy, why can’t we add a few more countries to the list? Having power shouldn’t just be an advantage in economics and warfare; we should be spreading peace throughout the world which does start with us. Tell everyone the news about slavery abroad. And let them know they can make a difference, that’s step 2. Fri, 9 Apr 2010 18:24:59 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/04/what-might-be-the-second-step__trashed/#IDComment66849002 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64867473 This definitely was a disturbing video. As a child I do remember always picking the white doll. But that wasn’t because I thought she was nice. The problem with the dolls, especially Barbie, is that the original Barbie is a blonde hair, blue-eyed, white woman. When we think about Barbie, we think of this. I always picked the blonde haired Barbie even though all my features were opposite of her, except our skin colors. Even though I am white I never thought about why the original Barbie was so appealing. Watching this video saddened me because it made me realize that my favorite toy all my childhood sends a very pessimistic message to young children. Life isn’t about looking like Barbie. Even though she is what everyone would define as the “ideal” woman, beauty comes in all shapes, sizes, and colors. That is why this video was so disheartening. Young children play with toys that give them a very untrue perception on life and we don’t realize this until we are older. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 17:03:31 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/those-damn-dolls__trashed/#IDComment64867473 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment64865907 This really shouldn’t be that big of a deal. It isn’t like whites were the first people to inhabit America, so we shouldn’t be so concerned with being the majority. I guess becoming a minority scares many powerful, white Americans because they fear losing holdings in political office. By the time this happens most of the racist generations will be long gone. New generations will be blooming. The new generations will be taught equality among the races and minorities and majorities may not mean the same thing as they do now. However, I don’t see how globalization can be sure of this. Nobody knows how many children are going to be produced beforehand. This prediction could be completely wrong, though it wouldn’t matter anyways. We should be open to change and difference regardless. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 16:57:49 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/the-white-minorities__trashed/#IDComment64865907 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64853377 I agree, the U.S. Census it simply trying to determine who is living in the country. The people who write it are not trying to offend anyone and everyone needs to get over it. The main reason the term Negro is on the Census is because older black people refer to themselves as so. The African American group in this video was immediately offended because they relate the word to slavery. That was interesting to me because it was like the woman assumed some white man wrote the Census just to offend her. I am curious to why Latinos and African Americans have so many opportunities to define what part of the world they descent from, but a white person is simply white. Sometimes I feel as though whites lose heritage on surveys such as so. There is one word that defines us in America. That word is white. Why is our descent not important? Why is it important to know whether a Latino comes from Puerto Rico or Mexico, but it isn’t important to know whether a European American comes from Poland of England? At the same time I realize that the survey is supposed to be simple. I do however feel sympathy for people of mixed background. They have to basically pick a part of their identity that means the most to them to define as their status in the US. I think the Census maybe needs to incorporate a “check all that applies” ethnic section on the Census. It is evident that there are very many mixed people living in the world. Someone who is half black and half Asian shouldn’t have to pick which one they like most to be check on the Census. Our identities are not one part of us. They define who we are and sometimes the thought of the Census being so black and white is contradictory. Why does our country encourage people to “not see color” when we are always asked to define ourselves based on our skin. Racial questions are on every major document we will ever sign; college applications, job applications, marriage certificates, SATs, and the Census. We will never be able to believe that race isn’t important because all our major documents tell us so. Why does the SAT need to know if you are black or white? It is a test. And thinking back to the class on white criminals being hired before black non criminals- why does an employer have to know whether you are a minority or not? We should be hired based on our skills and relevance to the job. I think that in order for America to truly be a prejudice free country, the race question needs to stop being asked so frequently. Tue, 30 Mar 2010 15:56:25 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/nothing-about-the-census-is-easy__trashed/#IDComment64853377 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64117081 I definitely agree with Laurie. Women should not have to pretend they aren’t going through a sometimes painful monthly cycle. At the same time, I don’t think it should be announced to the world. There really isn’t much to talk about other than saying “I’m not feeling well because it is my time of the month.” Men understand that women do get their monthly “present” but I think they don’t feel welcomed to talk/hear about it because it isn’t something they experience themselves. If I am not familiar with something I do not feel comfortable talking about it. So women aren’t hiding their monthly cycle, it is just sometimes inappropriate and unprofessional (for a lack of a better word) to want to announce to everyone when it is their time of the month. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 00:02:07 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/in-her-own-words__trashed/#IDComment64117081 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64116614 My mother has a lot of friends of Asian descent so I have spent a lot of time around the Philippine and Chinese cultures. The only different I know between Asians and Asian Americans are that Asian Americans are actually born in America. I do not think I would be able to differentiate them by looking at Asians especially because most Asian Americans I do tend to be fluent in their native language. I do think that Asians have extremely interesting cultures especially fashion, foods, and traditions. I’ve been babysitting Filipino Americans since I was 13 so out of all the races I probably have the most experience with Asians. It really is a shame we do not talk about the Asian population more. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:57:26 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-are-all-of-you-thinking-about-asians__trashed/#IDComment64116614 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64116025 The reason men do not know anything about periods is because sex education is not a priority in our primary school years. The first time I learned about the menstrual cycles I was in 5th grade. Back then they didn’t say much other than that I’d start “bleeding” in a few years and that I would need to buy some type of feminine product. In elementary school, the boys were separated from the girls. Then, for one day in middle school, the puberty topic was brought up again and just like in middle school the boys are separated from the girls. The only time I have ever had a sex education class with men involved was in high school and we didn’t talk about the menstrual cycle from more than ten minutes. If boys were taught about the process in educational classes, “bleeding” would be less of an awkward topic. Because I have a brother and a father I am close with, I know the awkwardness of talking about my menstrual cycle at home. My dad REFUSES to buy products for me and my mother both and my brother doesn’t let me use his bathroom when it is my time of the month. Every time my mom and I would be talking about our periods my brother and my dad would leave the room. Then again I wouldn’t feel comfortable talking to my dad about my monthly cycle, that’s what mothers are for. I guess the menstrual cycle is gross for men because they were never socialized to talk about it. If my dad or my brother were comfortable talking about a period, they wouldn’t feel embarrassed to pick up some tampons at the drug store. Growing up, whenever I would say something sarcastic to my brother he would say “oh it must be your time of the month.” That always annoyed me so much. All guys really know about the menstrual cycle is that girls have it for a few days a month and can be moody during that time. But once again, if guys were socialized to be knowledgeable about a woman’s body, they wouldn’t think it was gross. What guys don’t understand is that the menstrual cycle allows women to get pregnant. One day most guys will be having babies with their wives and they should understand how that baby came about other than just threw intercourse. I don’t think men could handle having a monthly period. There is a reason guys don’t have anything equivalent to such. As for free tampons, I don’t think they would ever be free. Sam compares having a period to being hungry. We have to pay for food; therefore we will always have to pay for sanitary items. Thu, 25 Mar 2010 23:51:45 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/if-men-could-menstruate__trashed/#IDComment64116025 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62864252 I'm really not sure why nothing was said when us white people were being disrespected. Maybe we just take it because of the guilt we should feel from slavery. I think that is ridiculous though. I was also offended by the statements made regarding whites being lazy and not deserving what they have. Are we not all at the same university? are we not all taking classes to secure ourselves a job for the future? It is especially interesting to me that white people have the highest enrollment in college, yet we are lazy? This is rather offensive just because it isn't cool to call people lazy. I also don't find it appropriate to categorize all white people into the powerful, rich, privileged zone. For one, there are many white people in unfortunate situations such as the video we saw in class the one day. Stereotypes need to be adjusted from all ends on the race table. Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:46:43 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/does-this-rudeness-thing-cut-both-ways__trashed/#IDComment62864252 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-happens-to-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment62863494 This is an awesome question. Since I am all white, I don’t exactly relate to this situation, but I do know what it is like to not be able to choose between your heritages. I am half Polish and half Italian and sometimes on holidays I have to choose which tradition to follow for the year. I sometimes feel guilty for abandoning half of my heritage. I have a better time with my mother’s side of the family, so I more often than not choose the Polish part of me, but it is sometimes hard to admit that you favor half of your genes over the other. Being multiracial isn’t exactly the same, but it is another example of having to choose between two parts of who you are. On the SATs, would a mixed person choose Caucasian or Black? This is a very interesting idea. I guess they would check the “other” category, but how lame is that to have to fit into the “other” category for the rest of your life. If only race didn’t define us as human beings… Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:40:13 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/what-happens-to-multiracial-people__trashed/#IDComment62863494 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62862584 This story infuriates me. For one, I have always been hesitant to support Abercrombie and Fitch or Hollister because I have always known they hire people based on their appearance. In high school, one of my best friends tried to get a job at Abercrombie and Fitch and they said she wasn’t what they were looking for. They told her she wasn’t “model” material. For one, isn’t it illegal to not hire someone based on their overall appearance? Second, it is very conceded for a company to think that all of their employees must look as if they were professional magazine models. If I have learned anything from all my Women’s Studies and Sociology courses, I have learned that people come in many different shapes and sizes. Everyone is beautiful in their own way and it is very unrealistic for a person to look like a PhotoShopped model on the front of Cosmopolitan magazine. Now onto the issue regarding the young lady who was fire based of a religious tradition. First off, Hollister hired her in the first place knowing she was going to be wearing head scarves to work. Obviously it wasn’t a problem when they fired her. I think the color policy of the head scarf is absolutely ridiculous. I’m certain that American citizens have the right to freedom of expression AND freedom of religion. If the head scarf was being worn for religious purposes, it shouldn’t have been legal for the young lady to get fired. Religious traditions are always an exception to most rules. For example, when I was younger, I played soccer. We were never allowed to wear any jewelry during practice or games, unless you had a religious necklace. Religion is always an acceptable reason for anything. Celebrating a religious holiday is an excused absence from school, is it not? So why was this young lady not allowed to express her religious beliefs at work? Hollister shouldn’t be allowed to fire her based on her appearance, especially if she was doing her job correctly. America has become too harsh when it comes to our First Amendment rights. I think that this Muslim woman should definitely file a complaint and possibly a lawsuit. I’m assuming she wasn’t planning on making this retail job her future career. With that said I am interested by the fact that higher end companies and jobs allow their employees to express their religious views, so why doesn’t a small retail store deny religious freedom? What statement are they setting for this country? We are supposed to be a diverse nation, but how can that be when clothing stores like Hollister and A&F only hire women and men who represent less than one percent of America’s total population? Fri, 19 Mar 2010 00:32:46 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/fired-for-a-scarf__trashed/#IDComment62862584 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59654677 I do think our country has come a long way, but there is obviously a LOT more improvement to be made. For one, all the examples we talk about in class really reflect how discriminatory our society still is. The fact that more white criminals get call-backs for jobs than black people with clean slates get kind of infuriates me. This is so ridiculous! It is obviously not clear what the slave owners would think if they turned on MTV. I'm assuming they wouldn't be happy just because they truly believed whites were superior to African Americans. I truly believe that television has become efficient in representing different races, but much work in our social world is still needed before things are obviously equal. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 00:32:17 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/02/a-long-long-way-indeed__trashed/#IDComment59654677 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59653471 I agree with you. I also think it is important to recognize that television continue shows based off the type of audience they are getting. Maybe the shows have a predominantly white audience, therefore they are going to pick contestants who represent the audience viewing the program. I do no think television in general is racist. For one, shows like The Real World, always represent many different ethnic groups and races. Also, I do not watch shows like the bachelor, but I am assuming the women who participate know what their "potential man" looks like before the sign on to do the show. Maybe mostly white women are shown because they are the ones interested in the white man. So i think this is just another issue that is turned to look like a racial discrimination. Thu, 4 Mar 2010 00:20:53 +0000 https://www.racerelationsproject.org/2010/03/are-whites-the-only-people-willing-to-humiliate-themselves__trashed/#IDComment59653471