Featuring:

A Letter to
BILL OREILLY

JAHAIRAS
DREAMS for a
Seat at the Table;
Insight to the Struggle of
a Trans Woman

Question of the Year:

IS BEYONCE A
FEMINIST?

A Straight Mans Northeasterns Day

Guide to
NON-Patriarchial
of Action:
Dating
CARRY THAT
WEIGHT

Feminists United at Northeastern University

A collection of stories, articles, and interviews addressing
issues we may not see everyday on campus.
 Table of Contents Executive Staff
Sexuality
Asexuality 6
Interview with a Feminist 8
Guide to Non-Patriarchal Dating 10
Playlist 13
Macklemores Same Love 14 Nolan Tesis
A Well-Tailored Suit vs. Lingerie 16
Prudes, Sluts, and Monster-Vaginas 18
Editor-In-Chief
Pansexuality 20
Is Beyonce a Feminist? 22
Jaiharas Dream for a Seat at the Table 24
Gender and Sex
Gender Roles 29
Strong Independent Princess 32
Beauty: Worth it? 34
*Trigger Warning: Eating Disorders
Gender Bender Photo Spread 35
A Beginners Guide to Gender, Sex, and Sexuality 38
Gender Across Cultures 40
Interview with a Transgender Student 42
Intersex 46
With Not-So-Great Personification Comes 48
Great Responsibilities
The Great Divide 50
Carry That Weight 52 Eric Helm Astrid Crowley Rachel Tenenbaum
Section Editor Section Editor Head of Advertising
Race and Ethnicty
The Disney Dilemma 55
No, youre not going to get Ebola 56
Does Rap Music Marginalize Women? 57
Catwalk to Diversity 58
Dear Bill OReilly 60
The Search for Giovannis Room 62

Phil Zminda Tessa Rose

2 Head of Layout and Design Coordinator of Launch Party 3
 Table of Contents Executive Staff
Sexuality
Asexuality 6
Interview with a Feminist 8
Guide to Non-Patriarchal Dating 10
Playlist 13
Macklemores Same Love 14 Nolan Tesis
A Well-Tailored Suit vs. Lingerie 16
Prudes, Sluts, and Monster-Vaginas 18
Editor-In-Chief
Pansexuality 20
Is Beyonce a Feminist? 22
Jaiharas Dream for a Seat at the Table 24
Gender and Sex
Gender Roles 29
Strong Independent Princess 32
Beauty: Worth it? 34
*Trigger Warning: Eating Disorders
Gender Bender Photo Spread 35
A Beginners Guide to Gender, Sex, and Sexuality 38
Gender Across Cultures 40
Interview with a Transgender Student 42
Intersex 46
With Not-So-Great Personification Comes 48
Great Responsibilities
The Great Divide 50
Carry That Weight 52 Eric Helm Astrid Crowley Rachel Tenenbaum
Section Editor Section Editor Head of Advertising
Race and Ethnicty
The Disney Dilemma 55
No, youre not going to get Ebola 56
Does Rap Music Marginalize Women? 57
Catwalk to Diversity 58
Dear Bill OReilly 60
The Search for Giovannis Room 62

Phil Zminda Tessa Rose

2 Head of Layout and Design Coordinator of Launch Party 3
 This is what a group of
feminists looks like.
Letter From
The Editor

FU@NU is more than a subversive attempt from
privileged college students attempting to be radical and
progressive. This magazine is a product of the genuine desire to
interrogate, learn, and grow from the study of interesctonality
of oppression that is a result of gender, sexuality, and race and
ethnicity. This magazine is highly personal because the issues
that are tackled impact the lives of everyone in society both
directly and indirectly. As the magazine was created, the
importance of inclusion and diversity was paramount.

The struggles that provide the scope of the magazine are struggles old and anew. Some issues are
burgeoning as new interest develop such as the struggle for Trans rights, but some are older recurring systems
of oppression like women receiving significantly less pay in the workforce than men. When intersectionality is
factored into the equation, the conversation of oppression becomes extremely complicated and nuanced. FU@
NU attempts to engage in these fervent conversations in hopes of being a voice of solidarity for the efforts of
feminist and women, trans and cis-gendered around the world.

FU@NU is a product of feminist schizophrenia. At

times it is humorous and sometimes satirical while at others
it is profound, grim, and at its most extreme ANGRY. The
diverse range of emotion and output within the magazine
blends together to form scattered yet cohesive attempt against
the oppressions of our world. Liberation is a responsibility of
everyone, and FU@NU is committed to contributing our share
to the fight for justice., equality and true liberation.

4 5
 This is what a group of
feminists looks like.
Letter From
The Editor

FU@NU is more than a subversive attempt from
privileged college students attempting to be radical and
progressive. This magazine is a product of the genuine desire to
interrogate, learn, and grow from the study of interesctonality
of oppression that is a result of gender, sexuality, and race and
ethnicity. This magazine is highly personal because the issues
that are tackled impact the lives of everyone in society both
directly and indirectly. As the magazine was created, the
importance of inclusion and diversity was paramount.

The struggles that provide the scope of the magazine are struggles old and anew. Some issues are
burgeoning as new interest develop such as the struggle for Trans rights, but some are older recurring systems
of oppression like women receiving significantly less pay in the workforce than men. When intersectionality is
factored into the equation, the conversation of oppression becomes extremely complicated and nuanced. FU@
NU attempts to engage in these fervent conversations in hopes of being a voice of solidarity for the efforts of
feminist and women, trans and cis-gendered around the world.

FU@NU is a product of feminist schizophrenia. At

times it is humorous and sometimes satirical while at others
it is profound, grim, and at its most extreme ANGRY. The
diverse range of emotion and output within the magazine
blends together to form scattered yet cohesive attempt against
the oppressions of our world. Liberation is a responsibility of
everyone, and FU@NU is committed to contributing our share
to the fight for justice., equality and true liberation.

4 5
 Sexuality
By Tania Vieira & Regan Dvoskin
I n the queer community, some
sexualities tend to get more
recognition than others. For
example, the common acronym
LGBTQ refers to the sexualities
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer,
while leaving out some others. One
of the sexualities it leaves out would
be asexuality. Asexuality is another
sexuality encompassed in the word
queer that sadly receives little to no
attention. What is it, you may ask?
According to asexualawareness
week.com, an asexual person
is defined as someone who
does not experience sexual attraction.
Most individuals find there are certain
people they are not sexually attracted to.
For asexuals, this includes everybody!
In our overly sexualized culture, it is no
wonder many asexuals feel incredibly
isolated and removed from society.
Sexuality
Just like any of the other
identities represented by the letters
of the acronym LBGTQ, asexuality
is not exempt from being seen as
controversial. As noted in an online
article in newser.com, Theoretically
the absence of sexual desire shouldnt
be a problem, says one sex researcher.
But ours is a media which suggests
hypersexuality is the norm. Potentially,
asexuality has become a problem
as it became more visible, and in a
sense its become the new stigma.
The question is, can a
hypersexualized society become
tolerant of people who who have
a different standpoint? Courtney
Ehrenhofler states in her online article
Being Asexual In A Heteronormative
World, We arent asking for civil
rights, were just asking for recognition
and acceptance amid the sea of
heterosexuality. Although asexuals
6 7
Asexuality
do not experience sexual attraction,
they can still experience relational and
emotional needs. Above everything
else, they are of still people who deserve
respect, compassion, and inclusion.
We are in desperate need of
asexuals being included in the queer
community. Asexuality needs safe
space like any other sexuality and also
representation. This could a be a an
A added to the LGBTQ acronym, or
just inclusion in queer spaces. As we
continue to forward with the queer
movement, it is our responsibility
to keep it moving forward through
awareness, acceptance, and open
discussion. As part of our mission to
create more visibility on asexuality,
we interviewed an asexual student on
campus to get an even deeper sense of
the issues facing the asexual community.
What are three common
misconceptions that people have
about asexuality, and would you be
able to clear them up?
One misconception would be
that people who are asexual never form
romantic relationships with people,
when in reality, romantic orientation
and sexual orientation arent necessarily
related.
Another one is that being asexual is
equated with being celibate, when in
fact the two are unrelated. Someone
can be celibate regardless of sexuality,
and unlike celibacy, asexuality is not
a choice. There are asexuals who have
sex, and there are asexuals that do not
have sex; ones sex drive is independent
from their sexuality.
A third misconception is that people
think that someone becomes asexual
after some sort of abuse or trauma. Just
like you cant turn someone gay, you
dont turn someone asexual.
What are some of the challenges facing
the asexual community today?
A shocking lack of recognition
from the queer community. A lot of
people are still confused as to what
asexuality is. Its often excluded from the
acronym and a lot of queer resources.
Theres not a lot of awareness about
what asexuality is, so there are a lot of
misconceptions and confusion about it.
Many people grow up thinking there is
something wrong with them if they are
asexual, or thinking there is something
wrong with people who are asexual.
What would you recommend to a
person who thinks they might be
asexual?
I would say Know its a valid
identity. While I have no personal
experience with them, I would say
AVEN, or the Asexual Visibility and
Education Network have a lot of
resources. They also have a strong
online community that may be helpful.
Beyond that, get involved with local
queer groups, if they are available.
Many people who are asexual find these
groups accepting, and find they have
shared experiences with many people
in them.
For more resources on asexuality,
online websites like http://asexualaware-
nessweek.com/ , and http://www.asexual-
ity.org/home/ can prove to be very helpful
and informative. The Asexual Visibility
and Education Network on asexuality.org
serves two primary functions: fostering
public acceptance of asexuality, and pro-
moting growth of asexual communities.
 Sexuality
By Tania Vieira & Regan Dvoskin
I n the queer community, some
sexualities tend to get more
recognition than others. For
example, the common acronym
LGBTQ refers to the sexualities
lesbian, gay, bisexual, and queer,
while leaving out some others. One
of the sexualities it leaves out would
be asexuality. Asexuality is another
sexuality encompassed in the word
queer that sadly receives little to no
attention. What is it, you may ask?
According to asexualawareness
week.com, an asexual person
is defined as someone who
does not experience sexual attraction.
Most individuals find there are certain
people they are not sexually attracted to.
For asexuals, this includes everybody!
In our overly sexualized culture, it is no
wonder many asexuals feel incredibly
isolated and removed from society.
Sexuality
Just like any of the other
identities represented by the letters
of the acronym LBGTQ, asexuality
is not exempt from being seen as
controversial. As noted in an online
article in newser.com, Theoretically
the absence of sexual desire shouldnt
be a problem, says one sex researcher.
But ours is a media which suggests
hypersexuality is the norm. Potentially,
asexuality has become a problem
as it became more visible, and in a
sense its become the new stigma.
The question is, can a
hypersexualized society become
tolerant of people who who have
a different standpoint? Courtney
Ehrenhofler states in her online article
Being Asexual In A Heteronormative
World, We arent asking for civil
rights, were just asking for recognition
and acceptance amid the sea of
heterosexuality. Although asexuals
6 7
Asexuality
do not experience sexual attraction,
they can still experience relational and
emotional needs. Above everything
else, they are of still people who deserve
respect, compassion, and inclusion.
We are in desperate need of
asexuals being included in the queer
community. Asexuality needs safe
space like any other sexuality and also
representation. This could a be a an
A added to the LGBTQ acronym, or
just inclusion in queer spaces. As we
continue to forward with the queer
movement, it is our responsibility
to keep it moving forward through
awareness, acceptance, and open
discussion. As part of our mission to
create more visibility on asexuality,
we interviewed an asexual student on
campus to get an even deeper sense of
the issues facing the asexual community.
What are three common
misconceptions that people have
about asexuality, and would you be
able to clear them up?
One misconception would be
that people who are asexual never form
romantic relationships with people,
when in reality, romantic orientation
and sexual orientation arent necessarily
related.
Another one is that being asexual is
equated with being celibate, when in
fact the two are unrelated. Someone
can be celibate regardless of sexuality,
and unlike celibacy, asexuality is not
a choice. There are asexuals who have
sex, and there are asexuals that do not
have sex; ones sex drive is independent
from their sexuality.
A third misconception is that people
think that someone becomes asexual
after some sort of abuse or trauma. Just
like you cant turn someone gay, you
dont turn someone asexual.
What are some of the challenges facing
the asexual community today?
A shocking lack of recognition
from the queer community. A lot of
people are still confused as to what
asexuality is. Its often excluded from the
acronym and a lot of queer resources.
Theres not a lot of awareness about
what asexuality is, so there are a lot of
misconceptions and confusion about it.
Many people grow up thinking there is
something wrong with them if they are
asexual, or thinking there is something
wrong with people who are asexual.
What would you recommend to a
person who thinks they might be
asexual?
I would say Know its a valid
identity. While I have no personal
experience with them, I would say
AVEN, or the Asexual Visibility and
Education Network have a lot of
resources. They also have a strong
online community that may be helpful.
Beyond that, get involved with local
queer groups, if they are available.
Many people who are asexual find these
groups accepting, and find they have
shared experiences with many people
in them.
For more resources on asexuality,
online websites like http://asexualaware-
nessweek.com/ , and http://www.asexual-
ity.org/home/ can prove to be very helpful
and informative. The Asexual Visibility
and Education Network on asexuality.org
serves two primary functions: fostering
public acceptance of asexuality, and pro-
moting growth of asexual communities.
 Sexuality
video games. Is this really what western women are complaining
about when in other places women are having their feet bound?
But that was just from hearing my professor talking about it before
Id watched any of her Feminist Frequency videos. Then one day
I decided to watch one and I was like, Whoa! This is amazing.
Its like a real thing. Its a serious issue. At that point I still wasnt
calling myself a feminist it was just, Okay, I agree with a lot of
these ideas but I didnt use the word because of all the negative
connotations.
It wasnt until I heard about Laci Green that I started to be
like, Yea Im a feminist. Now when my brother and I are talking
been around since like the 1600s but my religion pushed science
along and actually we brought science to Europe and to a lot of
places. Islam and science right now might be out of sync for a lot
of reasons but its not Islam as a whole. You might be able to say
Christianity and science are opposites and Id agree theres a good
basis for that but there are lots of Muslims that believe in evolution
and a very old earth and I dont think my religion is in conflict with
science.
In classes I also notice that I feel like Im not welcome
because people think, by wearing the headscarf, Im setting
the feminist movement back but theres no one right way to

Interview with a
about this kind of thing hell sometimes say, Stop being such a
Wellesley feminist and Im just like, Was that meant to be an
insult? Because I am a feminist and thats an awesome school so
thank you.
do feminism. Its the same problem I have with people calling
women sluts and saying that if you wear small dresses and heels
youre setting the feminist movement back. If thats how she feels
comfortable and in control we should all just support one another
in our decisions. Dont judge each other, thats whats setting us all

FEMINIST
Q. Have you ever felt excluded from feminist circles or that you back.
were left out of the conversation or ignored?
A. Absolutely. Its a very hostile environment for me. Like, Laci Q. What advice do you have for other young women?
Green, I enjoy her videos and everything even though shes like, A. Dont compete! Dont compete with other girls, dont criticize
a huge Islamophobe. I mean shes other girls. Challenge each other
an atheist which is totally fine until
you start saying that other religions
are ridiculous and dont really
Im not oppressed. of course. But in ways that matter.
Dont judge other girls for their looks
or because a girl is promiscuous or
make an effort to understand other
peoples beliefs. Shes misquoted the I choose to wear my because she doesnt want to have sex.
Support each other. If you

headscarf because
Quran and talks about how Muslim want to wear bright orange lipstick go
Interview By: Emily Barton women are oppressed because were
forced to cover up.
for it. And if you see someone wearing
something or doing something that

its my way of
But Im not oppressed. you know took a lot of guts to do make

I n western society we tend to misunderstand and miscategorize

people based on what author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls Q. What is your definition of feminism?
I choose to wear my headscarf
because its my way of taking
a point to say something to her and
acknowledge her courage. Sometimes
a single story. Each day were bombarded with stereotypes and
images that inform our perceptions of others. Were inundated
A. Well, hmm. Thats a hard one actually because theres like
the basics where it means equality for everyone and its about
control. Im saying you cant
objectify me and be like, Oh shes taking control. Im that little bit of validation can mean so
much to someone. Dont be like, Well,
empowering women and giving women control over their bodies. beautiful or just judge me on my thats a bit bright dont you think? You
saying you cant
with labels and assumptions that weve learned from the media
and picked up from our friends and families and we unconsciously But I also think its really important that it be trans-inclusive. Like, looks. Youre forced to get to know dont have to agree with their decisions
apply these labels in every aspect of our lives. trans-exclusionary feminism is not feminism to me. Transwomen me and see me as a person, as a but dont tear them down for it.

objectify me.
need to feel safe and secure in their bodies and be able to be visible human being. But a lot of the time Know your boundaries and

F and express themselves in the world. people say, Well, she just doesnt know that you have a right to control
or this reason, many people hear the word feminist and they
understand or its dismissed like your body and make other people
imagine an angry, white, middle class woman. They imagine
Q. When did you first become aware of feminism and the feminist Ive learned to love my chains and respect your boundaries.
this woman as a man-hating lesbian. Shes bossy, masculine, bitchy,
movement? my opinion doesnt really matter.
imposing, and prudish. This, for many, has become the single story
A. My mom was always very open about, like if you asked her, she I want to say, Umno. Im not a child. This is what I
of feminism.
would tell you she was a feminist but we didnt talk about it much. think and if you want to have a debate or a conversation or criticize

R It was more that my parents always made sure to treat my brother
arely do we visualize a feminist as effeminate or poor or
a woman of color or Muslim. We never hear feminist and
envision a man. We dont imagine these people as feminists
because mainstream media has painted a narrow and devastatingly
incomplete picture of what it means to be a feminist thus limiting
peoples understanding of what a feminist can be.
and I the same way. If he had a certain curfew it was the same
for me and they always stressed the importance of knowing your
perspective. So I have a problem when other people try to change
boundaries and holding people to them. They taught us to assert
ourselves. Plus they encouraged me to play sports like t-ball and
soccer but I also did things like gymnastics. I had dolls but I also
played with Hot Wheels and Legos and I had a spider man action
me thats completely fine. Lets talk about it. When I talk to people
about my headscarf or something I never go in trying to change
anyones mind. I always look at it like I want to learn a different
my beliefs or tell me Im wrong. Question me, please. But dont try
to act like I dont know or like Im some victim or something.
Thats the problem with a lot of feminism being white

I figure whod marry my Barbie. My dad always wanted me to be an
m fortunate enough to have become acquainted with a diverse
group of feminists during my time at Northeastern. One of the
remarkable people Ive met is a young woman whom Ill refer to
as A. An Arabic Muslim woman, A is sweet, fierce and vibrant.
She agreed to do an interview with me in the hopes of beginning
a conversation about what it truly means to be a feminist and as a
way to start creating a counter narrative to combat the single story
of feminism.
engineer. They didnt place limits on what I could do.
So Id say I first started learning about feminism last
community feel about this? How does this fit with my beliefs and
semester and during last spring was when I sat and tried to
reconcile everything. Like what I was thinking about feminism and
my religious beliefs. Which wasnt that hard actually.
It was in one of my classes and we were talking about Anita
Sarkeesian and I remember thinking, This is ridiculous. Its just
feminism. It talks about certain issues as though thats all there is.
I feel like it doesnt represent me. It doesnt talk about me. Ill read
something and Ill have to think about how would my family or my
my religion? A lot of the time it doesnt talk about me at all.
There was one time in a class when a girl said something
about how she thought religion and science were opposites and
how science has only been around for a few hundred years. And
I was like, Im sorry, maybe in the western world science has only

8 9
 Sexuality
video games. Is this really what western women are complaining
about when in other places women are having their feet bound?
But that was just from hearing my professor talking about it before
Id watched any of her Feminist Frequency videos. Then one day
I decided to watch one and I was like, Whoa! This is amazing.
Its like a real thing. Its a serious issue. At that point I still wasnt
calling myself a feminist it was just, Okay, I agree with a lot of
these ideas but I didnt use the word because of all the negative
connotations.
It wasnt until I heard about Laci Green that I started to be
like, Yea Im a feminist. Now when my brother and I are talking
been around since like the 1600s but my religion pushed science
along and actually we brought science to Europe and to a lot of
places. Islam and science right now might be out of sync for a lot
of reasons but its not Islam as a whole. You might be able to say
Christianity and science are opposites and Id agree theres a good
basis for that but there are lots of Muslims that believe in evolution
and a very old earth and I dont think my religion is in conflict with
science.
In classes I also notice that I feel like Im not welcome
because people think, by wearing the headscarf, Im setting
the feminist movement back but theres no one right way to

Interview with a
about this kind of thing hell sometimes say, Stop being such a
Wellesley feminist and Im just like, Was that meant to be an
insult? Because I am a feminist and thats an awesome school so
thank you.
do feminism. Its the same problem I have with people calling
women sluts and saying that if you wear small dresses and heels
youre setting the feminist movement back. If thats how she feels
comfortable and in control we should all just support one another
in our decisions. Dont judge each other, thats whats setting us all

FEMINIST
Q. Have you ever felt excluded from feminist circles or that you back.
were left out of the conversation or ignored?
A. Absolutely. Its a very hostile environment for me. Like, Laci Q. What advice do you have for other young women?
Green, I enjoy her videos and everything even though shes like, A. Dont compete! Dont compete with other girls, dont criticize
a huge Islamophobe. I mean shes other girls. Challenge each other
an atheist which is totally fine until
you start saying that other religions
are ridiculous and dont really
Im not oppressed. of course. But in ways that matter.
Dont judge other girls for their looks
or because a girl is promiscuous or
make an effort to understand other
peoples beliefs. Shes misquoted the I choose to wear my because she doesnt want to have sex.
Support each other. If you

headscarf because
Quran and talks about how Muslim want to wear bright orange lipstick go
Interview By: Emily Barton women are oppressed because were
forced to cover up.
for it. And if you see someone wearing
something or doing something that

its my way of
But Im not oppressed. you know took a lot of guts to do make

I n western society we tend to misunderstand and miscategorize

people based on what author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie calls Q. What is your definition of feminism?
I choose to wear my headscarf
because its my way of taking
a point to say something to her and
acknowledge her courage. Sometimes
a single story. Each day were bombarded with stereotypes and
images that inform our perceptions of others. Were inundated
A. Well, hmm. Thats a hard one actually because theres like
the basics where it means equality for everyone and its about
control. Im saying you cant
objectify me and be like, Oh shes taking control. Im that little bit of validation can mean so
much to someone. Dont be like, Well,
empowering women and giving women control over their bodies. beautiful or just judge me on my thats a bit bright dont you think? You
saying you cant
with labels and assumptions that weve learned from the media
and picked up from our friends and families and we unconsciously But I also think its really important that it be trans-inclusive. Like, looks. Youre forced to get to know dont have to agree with their decisions
apply these labels in every aspect of our lives. trans-exclusionary feminism is not feminism to me. Transwomen me and see me as a person, as a but dont tear them down for it.

objectify me.
need to feel safe and secure in their bodies and be able to be visible human being. But a lot of the time Know your boundaries and

F and express themselves in the world. people say, Well, she just doesnt know that you have a right to control
or this reason, many people hear the word feminist and they
understand or its dismissed like your body and make other people
imagine an angry, white, middle class woman. They imagine
Q. When did you first become aware of feminism and the feminist Ive learned to love my chains and respect your boundaries.
this woman as a man-hating lesbian. Shes bossy, masculine, bitchy,
movement? my opinion doesnt really matter.
imposing, and prudish. This, for many, has become the single story
A. My mom was always very open about, like if you asked her, she I want to say, Umno. Im not a child. This is what I
of feminism.
would tell you she was a feminist but we didnt talk about it much. think and if you want to have a debate or a conversation or criticize

R It was more that my parents always made sure to treat my brother
arely do we visualize a feminist as effeminate or poor or
a woman of color or Muslim. We never hear feminist and
envision a man. We dont imagine these people as feminists
because mainstream media has painted a narrow and devastatingly
incomplete picture of what it means to be a feminist thus limiting
peoples understanding of what a feminist can be.
and I the same way. If he had a certain curfew it was the same
for me and they always stressed the importance of knowing your
perspective. So I have a problem when other people try to change
boundaries and holding people to them. They taught us to assert
ourselves. Plus they encouraged me to play sports like t-ball and
soccer but I also did things like gymnastics. I had dolls but I also
played with Hot Wheels and Legos and I had a spider man action
me thats completely fine. Lets talk about it. When I talk to people
about my headscarf or something I never go in trying to change
anyones mind. I always look at it like I want to learn a different
my beliefs or tell me Im wrong. Question me, please. But dont try
to act like I dont know or like Im some victim or something.
Thats the problem with a lot of feminism being white

I figure whod marry my Barbie. My dad always wanted me to be an
m fortunate enough to have become acquainted with a diverse
group of feminists during my time at Northeastern. One of the
remarkable people Ive met is a young woman whom Ill refer to
as A. An Arabic Muslim woman, A is sweet, fierce and vibrant.
She agreed to do an interview with me in the hopes of beginning
a conversation about what it truly means to be a feminist and as a
way to start creating a counter narrative to combat the single story
of feminism.
engineer. They didnt place limits on what I could do.
So Id say I first started learning about feminism last
community feel about this? How does this fit with my beliefs and
semester and during last spring was when I sat and tried to
reconcile everything. Like what I was thinking about feminism and
my religious beliefs. Which wasnt that hard actually.
It was in one of my classes and we were talking about Anita
Sarkeesian and I remember thinking, This is ridiculous. Its just
feminism. It talks about certain issues as though thats all there is.
I feel like it doesnt represent me. It doesnt talk about me. Ill read
something and Ill have to think about how would my family or my
my religion? A lot of the time it doesnt talk about me at all.
There was one time in a class when a girl said something
about how she thought religion and science were opposites and
how science has only been around for a few hundred years. And
I was like, Im sorry, maybe in the western world science has only

8 9
 Sexuality
The Straight Mans Guide To
Non-Patriarchal
Dating
By Patrick Brewster
A s men, we live in challenging times. The traditional
understanding of masculinity has been gradually
eroding for decades, but heres the kicker: this good a thing.
The fact of the matter is that life for the archetypical man,
if he ever truly existed, was a tough lot. In retrospect we
can see that the pressure of being the hard, mysterious
and uncompromising conqueror of money, women, and
lesser men ultimately led to some pretty terrible things.
Domestic abuse, alcoholism, adultery, and all manners of
self-destruction were not the expression of masculine traits,
but the actions of men who broke under the pressures of
expectation. The weight of living up to a pantheon of
mythologized great men, from Hercules, to Jesus, to George
Washington, has destroyed generations of males; luckily the
tide is turning. Even though we are freer to define our own
masculinity than we have been in the past, there is still a
ton of pressure to conform to traditional standards. One
glaring recent example of this has been the response to
AMCs Mad Men. Enter Don Draper a character who is the
personification of manliness and whose self-destructive life
built on a stolen identity is an allegory for masculinity itself.
Alas, Don has countless
male and female fans, and has spawned resurgences of early
60s hairstyles, clothes, and cocktails. Demand for old school
patriarchs is alive and well, and, as the burgeoning pickup
culture has taught us, posturing yourself as someone who
can satisfy that demand is one of the most effective ways to
meet women. Now I know that the seduction community
is the butt of many a joke, but the truth is that the stuff
is far more effective and prevalent than you might think,
particularly among the new breed of Internet savvy young
adult males. If you dont believe me, give Neil Strausss The
Game a read. So whats a social-justice conscious straight
man to do? We want and enjoy the company of women and
even though a vocal group is saying that we shouldnt be
James Bond, many girls that we encounter in the real world
send a much different message. We want to have women
10
in our lives but we dont want to contribute to a patriarchal
dialogue that robs women of opportunity, and, ultimately,
ourselves of happiness. How do we negotiate the quagmire of
dating without writing a masculine check that we cant cash?
We need to realize that challenging our own notions of how we
should act is the only way forward for all genders. We are often
confused into believing that gender equality is the opportunity
for individuals of any gender to embody masculine traits
if they choose. This is a half step. Only by relinquishing our
own internalized ideas of what a man should be will all other
genders be free to do the same.
Prerequisites
The first thing any guy needs to do before putting
himself out there is to honestly assess what he is looking for.
Most straight relationships consist of a man and woman using
each other to validate their sexuality and gender identities.
For the man, a primary purpose of these relationships is to
remind himself, his friends, and the rest of the world on a
daily basis that he is, in fact, a straight man. This dynamic is
harmful because it automatically dehumanizes the woman. She
is no longer an individual - she is a signaling device. If you are
looking for feminine attention because it makes you feel like
more of man, you are in a bad place. You will be more likely to
be controlling, jealous, and eventually abusive because to you
a girlfriends actions directly affect your idea of yourself. Spend
some time thinking about why exactly you want relationships
with women. You should be comfortable enough with your
own masculinity that you are not seeking to validate it. Fair 4 Set rules for whom you can talk to. You should probably
only engage with people who show outward signs of wanting
to speak to someone. You may want to set rules for yourself, for
relationships should not be about affirming or reaffirming the
example, only talk to people in social settings who look or wave
image you want to project to the world; it should be about
at you.
affirming and reaffirming each others existence as human
beings.
Meeting Girls 5 Use Technology. Another option that technology has afforded
us is a myriad of websites and apps that can help you meet
1
the types of people that you are interested in. These tools give
Dont feel entitled. There is an annoying and unfair
autonomy to both parties, which level the playing field a bit.
expectation that men should be the proactive party when
Unfortunately many men are afraid to use these aids because the
it comes to the first meeting. Most of the dating advice you
Internet is seen as the dating source for people who have been
will hear puts an emphasis on assertive confidence and not
unsuccessful in real life dating, in other words, failed men. If you
showing neediness, in other words, to act as if you deserve the
are able to dissociate female attention with your own masculinity
girls attention. This mindset confirms gender stereotypes right
these options become a lot more palatable and are probably the
off the bat an often puts ladies in an uncomfortable position.
best ways of arranging fair interactions.
2 Dont hit on people. I am just going to go ahead and say
it, do not approach girls at random. In fact, never enter an
interaction with the intention of picking up a girl. She is not
6 Dont use women for therapy. I understand that a lot of men
have trouble interacting with women or in social settings in
general and use random approaches almost as a means of cognitive
a princess waiting for prince charming to come and sweep her
therapy. If this is you, the important thing that you need to realize
off her feet. Most importantly, and I dont care who you are,
is that your behavior is directly affecting the lives of the people
you are not prince charming. You especially arent if you are
you are interacting with. It also inadvertently contributes to the
entering a conversation with the intent of picking someone up.
propagation of behaviors that harm women, and ultimately men as
3
well. As with all social exchanges, empathy is key. Understanding
Be a conversationalist, not a pick up artist. Just because
and acknowledging another human and their experience is crucial
you shouldnt harass random women does not mean
in your interactions with anybody. Often times dating gurus claim
that you cant talk to them. Feel free to have conversations
to teach social intelligence while really training men to behave as
with cool people and see what unfolds, but if at any point you
if they have this intellect but are choosing not to use it. If you are
and the other partys goals misalign say your goal is to get a
a person who struggles with women or these situations there are
phone number and hers is to just have a chat- you are being
plenty of options for you to improve your social skills outside of
fundamentally deceptive.
harassing strangers.
11
 Sexuality
The Straight Mans Guide To
Non-Patriarchal
Dating
By Patrick Brewster
A s men, we live in challenging times. The traditional
understanding of masculinity has been gradually
eroding for decades, but heres the kicker: this good a thing.
The fact of the matter is that life for the archetypical man,
if he ever truly existed, was a tough lot. In retrospect we
can see that the pressure of being the hard, mysterious
and uncompromising conqueror of money, women, and
lesser men ultimately led to some pretty terrible things.
Domestic abuse, alcoholism, adultery, and all manners of
self-destruction were not the expression of masculine traits,
but the actions of men who broke under the pressures of
expectation. The weight of living up to a pantheon of
mythologized great men, from Hercules, to Jesus, to George
Washington, has destroyed generations of males; luckily the
tide is turning. Even though we are freer to define our own
masculinity than we have been in the past, there is still a
ton of pressure to conform to traditional standards. One
glaring recent example of this has been the response to
AMCs Mad Men. Enter Don Draper a character who is the
personification of manliness and whose self-destructive life
built on a stolen identity is an allegory for masculinity itself.
Alas, Don has countless
male and female fans, and has spawned resurgences of early
60s hairstyles, clothes, and cocktails. Demand for old school
patriarchs is alive and well, and, as the burgeoning pickup
culture has taught us, posturing yourself as someone who
can satisfy that demand is one of the most effective ways to
meet women. Now I know that the seduction community
is the butt of many a joke, but the truth is that the stuff
is far more effective and prevalent than you might think,
particularly among the new breed of Internet savvy young
adult males. If you dont believe me, give Neil Strausss The
Game a read. So whats a social-justice conscious straight
man to do? We want and enjoy the company of women and
even though a vocal group is saying that we shouldnt be
James Bond, many girls that we encounter in the real world
send a much different message. We want to have women
10
in our lives but we dont want to contribute to a patriarchal
dialogue that robs women of opportunity, and, ultimately,
ourselves of happiness. How do we negotiate the quagmire of
dating without writing a masculine check that we cant cash?
We need to realize that challenging our own notions of how we
should act is the only way forward for all genders. We are often
confused into believing that gender equality is the opportunity
for individuals of any gender to embody masculine traits
if they choose. This is a half step. Only by relinquishing our
own internalized ideas of what a man should be will all other
genders be free to do the same.
Prerequisites
The first thing any guy needs to do before putting
himself out there is to honestly assess what he is looking for.
Most straight relationships consist of a man and woman using
each other to validate their sexuality and gender identities.
For the man, a primary purpose of these relationships is to
remind himself, his friends, and the rest of the world on a
daily basis that he is, in fact, a straight man. This dynamic is
harmful because it automatically dehumanizes the woman. She
is no longer an individual - she is a signaling device. If you are
looking for feminine attention because it makes you feel like
more of man, you are in a bad place. You will be more likely to
be controlling, jealous, and eventually abusive because to you
a girlfriends actions directly affect your idea of yourself. Spend
some time thinking about why exactly you want relationships
with women. You should be comfortable enough with your
own masculinity that you are not seeking to validate it. Fair 4 Set rules for whom you can talk to. You should probably
only engage with people who show outward signs of wanting
to speak to someone. You may want to set rules for yourself, for
relationships should not be about affirming or reaffirming the
example, only talk to people in social settings who look or wave
image you want to project to the world; it should be about
at you.
affirming and reaffirming each others existence as human
beings.
Meeting Girls 5 Use Technology. Another option that technology has afforded
us is a myriad of websites and apps that can help you meet
1
the types of people that you are interested in. These tools give
Dont feel entitled. There is an annoying and unfair
autonomy to both parties, which level the playing field a bit.
expectation that men should be the proactive party when
Unfortunately many men are afraid to use these aids because the
it comes to the first meeting. Most of the dating advice you
Internet is seen as the dating source for people who have been
will hear puts an emphasis on assertive confidence and not
unsuccessful in real life dating, in other words, failed men. If you
showing neediness, in other words, to act as if you deserve the
are able to dissociate female attention with your own masculinity
girls attention. This mindset confirms gender stereotypes right
these options become a lot more palatable and are probably the
off the bat an often puts ladies in an uncomfortable position.
best ways of arranging fair interactions.
2 Dont hit on people. I am just going to go ahead and say
it, do not approach girls at random. In fact, never enter an
interaction with the intention of picking up a girl. She is not
6 Dont use women for therapy. I understand that a lot of men
have trouble interacting with women or in social settings in
general and use random approaches almost as a means of cognitive
a princess waiting for prince charming to come and sweep her
therapy. If this is you, the important thing that you need to realize
off her feet. Most importantly, and I dont care who you are,
is that your behavior is directly affecting the lives of the people
you are not prince charming. You especially arent if you are
you are interacting with. It also inadvertently contributes to the
entering a conversation with the intent of picking someone up.
propagation of behaviors that harm women, and ultimately men as
3
well. As with all social exchanges, empathy is key. Understanding
Be a conversationalist, not a pick up artist. Just because
and acknowledging another human and their experience is crucial
you shouldnt harass random women does not mean
in your interactions with anybody. Often times dating gurus claim
that you cant talk to them. Feel free to have conversations
to teach social intelligence while really training men to behave as
with cool people and see what unfolds, but if at any point you
if they have this intellect but are choosing not to use it. If you are
and the other partys goals misalign say your goal is to get a
a person who struggles with women or these situations there are
phone number and hers is to just have a chat- you are being
plenty of options for you to improve your social skills outside of
fundamentally deceptive.
harassing strangers.
11
 Sexuality
Dating 5 Spend plenty of time just as a couple. Anybody who has spent a

PLAYLIST
decent amount of time in a relationship knows that the

1 Respect divisions of labor if they exist.

You and your female partner are allowed to fill different roles
in a relationship; the key is to value both roles equally. There is
dynamics shift in the presence of other people. Men in relationships
often act more macho around other men in an attempt to prove
I want to be the hottest
rapper, if unsigned or
that theyve still got it. Personally, I know that I dont like to go to The clich
nothing wrong with a man holding open doors and women doing not, I want to be that and I
parties people I am dating for that very reason. Be sure to spend
dishes so long as it is understood that these behaviors are not what is that youre a dont look at the female thing
plenty of time just as a couple so that you can really explore each
makes one of you the man and the other the woman. woman trapped as a setback. Angel Haze

1.
others expressions of identity outside of group expectations.
in a mans body, Battle Cry by Angel Haze ft. Sia
2 Call each other out on policing language. If a girlfriend ever
calls you: submissive, lame, a loser, a pussy, a bitch, a sissy,
but its not that
simple. Its a
Dirty Gold
cheesedick, etc. she is trying to use your ideas of masculinity to
manipulate you into certain behaviors. Its important that if this
You should be comfortable enough with feeling of We both have
detachment from
your own masculinity that you are not
2.
language does come up that you draw attention to it and what it is Im Not Your Hero by Tegan & Sara strong feelings for
your body and women, but we
that she trying to do. Likewise dont project masculine language at
your partner in order to mold their behavior. *examples of policing seeking to validate it. from yourself. Heartthrob also have strong
language directed at women And its shitty, relationships with
man. Its really
Breaking Up
men. Tegan
fucking
3.
True Trans Soul Rebel by Against Me! Quin

1 This is not you taking back your masculinity. Why exactly do shitty. Laura
you want to break up with someone? For men, the reason is Jane Grace Transgender Dysphoria Blues
usually that they feel like they have emasculated in some way and
by breaking up they are reclaiming their virility. Of course this fact I think people have

4.
is buried under layers of profound emotion, but, more often than School Friends by Now, Now always been able to
not, is the case. People who feel this way probably shouldnt be in stand
a relationship until they come to grips with themselves, but the Threads up for what they
breakup itself will not solve their problem. believe in. But more
people are willing
2 If the breakup is her decision, it is your job to respect that.
It is not your job to win her back. If you feel that the reason
you were dumped was because you werent man enough you will 5. F*cking Perfect by P!nk
F*cking Perfect
to stand up now.
Cacie Dalager
hopefully realize that it is a relief to not be tied down to unrealistic
social beliefs. While everyones
This is intended to be a nuanced framework of thinking
experience of
that will hopefully make it easier for men to date women free of
gendered societal expectations. It will be hard. Many people,
mostly other men but women too, will not understand why you
oppression is
different and
6. Dirty Deeds by Joan Jett
The Hit List
cant just man up when it comes time to making choices in your complicated and
relationships. What we need to remember is that by making rash, often overlapping,

7.
authoritative, manly, decisions we are training ourselves to think I really believe Feels Blind by Bikini Kill
impulsively, and, more often than not, selfishly. This invariably that if you have
3 Do not reward feminine behavior, nor punish non-feminine
behavior. People should be free to express themselves and
their identity however they choose. Men often reward women for
leads to disconnected and unhappy relationships that, if both
parties are lazy, can last forever.
privilege, you
need to learn as
Kill Rock Stars

much as you can I didnt understand

acting like one with affection and other positive reinforcement and

8.
about the world Unpretty by TLC peoples reactions
neglect them when they feel as if their girlfriends behavior is out
beyond yourself. and why
of line with what their idea of a woman should be. Whether we are Fanmail they thought it
aware of it or not these tendencies condition the people around Kathleen
us to associate good reactions with acting in accordance to gender Hanna was so strange for
stereotypes. women to play
She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert
9.
music. Joan Jett

4 Be wary of certain topics. Certain topics are breeding grounds

for insecurity about gender and sexual identity. On the top of
this list is sexual history. Most guys are made very insecure when
Welcome to the Age of My Body

they are with a girl with more sexual experience than them. It
makes us wonder if we really are man enough for the other person. Me, Myself, and I by Beyonce
10.
The key to getting over this is coming to terms with your own
masculinity and not resorting to slut shaming. The number of Dangerously In Love
partners someone has had should have no bearing on their success
as a man or woman.

12 13
 Sexuality
Dating 5 Spend plenty of time just as a couple. Anybody who has spent a

PLAYLIST
decent amount of time in a relationship knows that the

1 Respect divisions of labor if they exist.

You and your female partner are allowed to fill different roles
in a relationship; the key is to value both roles equally. There is
dynamics shift in the presence of other people. Men in relationships
often act more macho around other men in an attempt to prove
I want to be the hottest
rapper, if unsigned or
that theyve still got it. Personally, I know that I dont like to go to The clich
nothing wrong with a man holding open doors and women doing not, I want to be that and I
parties people I am dating for that very reason. Be sure to spend
dishes so long as it is understood that these behaviors are not what is that youre a dont look at the female thing
plenty of time just as a couple so that you can really explore each
makes one of you the man and the other the woman. woman trapped as a setback. Angel Haze

1.
others expressions of identity outside of group expectations.
in a mans body, Battle Cry by Angel Haze ft. Sia
2 Call each other out on policing language. If a girlfriend ever
calls you: submissive, lame, a loser, a pussy, a bitch, a sissy,
but its not that
simple. Its a
Dirty Gold
cheesedick, etc. she is trying to use your ideas of masculinity to
manipulate you into certain behaviors. Its important that if this
You should be comfortable enough with feeling of We both have
detachment from
your own masculinity that you are not
2.
language does come up that you draw attention to it and what it is Im Not Your Hero by Tegan & Sara strong feelings for
your body and women, but we
that she trying to do. Likewise dont project masculine language at
your partner in order to mold their behavior. *examples of policing seeking to validate it. from yourself. Heartthrob also have strong
language directed at women And its shitty, relationships with
man. Its really
Breaking Up
men. Tegan
fucking
3.
True Trans Soul Rebel by Against Me! Quin

1 This is not you taking back your masculinity. Why exactly do shitty. Laura
you want to break up with someone? For men, the reason is Jane Grace Transgender Dysphoria Blues
usually that they feel like they have emasculated in some way and
by breaking up they are reclaiming their virility. Of course this fact I think people have

4.
is buried under layers of profound emotion, but, more often than School Friends by Now, Now always been able to
not, is the case. People who feel this way probably shouldnt be in stand
a relationship until they come to grips with themselves, but the Threads up for what they
breakup itself will not solve their problem. believe in. But more
people are willing
2 If the breakup is her decision, it is your job to respect that.
It is not your job to win her back. If you feel that the reason
you were dumped was because you werent man enough you will 5. F*cking Perfect by P!nk
F*cking Perfect
to stand up now.
Cacie Dalager
hopefully realize that it is a relief to not be tied down to unrealistic
social beliefs. While everyones
This is intended to be a nuanced framework of thinking
experience of
that will hopefully make it easier for men to date women free of
gendered societal expectations. It will be hard. Many people,
mostly other men but women too, will not understand why you
oppression is
different and
6. Dirty Deeds by Joan Jett
The Hit List
cant just man up when it comes time to making choices in your complicated and
relationships. What we need to remember is that by making rash, often overlapping,

7.
authoritative, manly, decisions we are training ourselves to think I really believe Feels Blind by Bikini Kill
impulsively, and, more often than not, selfishly. This invariably that if you have
3 Do not reward feminine behavior, nor punish non-feminine
behavior. People should be free to express themselves and
their identity however they choose. Men often reward women for
leads to disconnected and unhappy relationships that, if both
parties are lazy, can last forever.
privilege, you
need to learn as
Kill Rock Stars

much as you can I didnt understand

acting like one with affection and other positive reinforcement and

8.
about the world Unpretty by TLC peoples reactions
neglect them when they feel as if their girlfriends behavior is out
beyond yourself. and why
of line with what their idea of a woman should be. Whether we are Fanmail they thought it
aware of it or not these tendencies condition the people around Kathleen
us to associate good reactions with acting in accordance to gender Hanna was so strange for
stereotypes. women to play
She Keeps Me Warm by Mary Lambert
9.
music. Joan Jett

4 Be wary of certain topics. Certain topics are breeding grounds

for insecurity about gender and sexual identity. On the top of
this list is sexual history. Most guys are made very insecure when
Welcome to the Age of My Body

they are with a girl with more sexual experience than them. It
makes us wonder if we really are man enough for the other person. Me, Myself, and I by Beyonce
10.
The key to getting over this is coming to terms with your own
masculinity and not resorting to slut shaming. The number of Dangerously In Love
partners someone has had should have no bearing on their success
as a man or woman.

12 13
 Sexuality
By: Scotty Blechman
Macklemores Same Love
Being privileged is not about talking over
minorities, but rather amplifying their voices
H
ave you ever wondered why those social justice
activists get so up in arms about Macklemores
Same Love? Its just a progressive rap song
supporting marriage equality, right?
Unfortunately, nothing is ever that simple. When
we consume media, it is important to interact with that
media by critically analyzing it rather than just passive-
ly absorbing it. There seems to be a trend lately where
sexual minorities are considered chill if they stay qui-
et, but they become annoying activists when they say
something is offensive. But a true ally must constantly
be listening to what minorities have to say - and they
have a lot to say about Same Love.
First of all, just looking at the big picture, we have
three rich white people, two of whom are straight,
14
preaching about oppression. Being privileged is not
about talking over minorities, but rather amplifying
their voices. Same Love contains no voices other
than Macklemores, Ryan Lewiss, and Mary Lamberts.
Frankly, Mary Lambert barely gets a voice - she sings
a generic born this way style line in the chorus, and
thats all she gets. The problem isnt straight people sup-
porting sexual minorities; the problem is straight peo-
ple ignoring the very same people they claim to support.
In the third verse of Same Love, Macklemore asserts,
A certificate on paper isnt gonna solve it all, but its a
damn good place to start. This might initially sound
like a lovely sentiment, but would starving homeless
LGBT youth disowned by their parents agree that a cer-
tificate on paper is a good place to start?
73x32
Would Cece McDonald, a transgender woman of color
who had slurs hurled at her and a glass bottle slashed
across her face, agree that a certificate on paper is a
good place to start? Macklemore, as a straight person,
does not have the required experience with oppression
to understand how to properly prioritize LGBT rights
issues.
In addition to the straight privilege possessed by
two out of the three artists, all of these artists are rich
and white. While Same Love is not about racial or class-
based oppression, it is a hip hop song. Hip hop is a genre
that has roots in Caribbean countries such as Trinidad; it
quickly spread to primarily black and African American
neighborhoods of New York City. Hip hop is not just a
music genre; hip hop is an entire marginalized subculture
developed by racial and economic minorities as an outlet
against gang culture, violence, and white supremacy.
The misogyny and homophobia typical of modern-day
hip hop is a relatively new development that didnt begin
until white artists first started appropriating the genre.
Yet Macklemore recites lyrics such as, If I was gay, I
would think hip hop hates me a culture founded
from oppression. Macklemore takes a marginalized
subculture and, ignorant of the history of hip hop,
makes the outlandish claim that hip hop is naturally
oppressive.
Macklemore has so many opportunities to make
up for his mistakes, but does not seize any of them.
Macklemore, a rich straight white cisgender male,
is exalted as the savior of hip hop and gay people.
Of course, this is not his fault - no one can control
what other people say about them. But Macklemore
has never made even a small attempt to deny these
allegations. Frankly, Macklemore has not done a
single thing to fight LGBT oppression. He has never
donated to LGBT rights organizations; he has never
promoted LGBT artists struggling to make it in a
homophobic culture; he has never even spoken
about issues other than marriage. The full extent of
Macklemores activism is creating a song for profit,
capitalizing on the oppression of LGBT people.
But there is one person that has done this
song justice - a pansexual female rapper of color
named Angel Haze. Angel Haze, as a real queer
person with real experiences as a marginalized
person, knows that marriage inequality is among
some of the least important issues LGBT people
face. Haze instead raps about children kicked out
of their homes by homophobic parents; kids with
horrible coming out experiences; people trying to
cure homosexuality; and the awful intrapersonal
thoughts running through an LGBT persons head
as they discover that according to society there is
something fundamentally wrong with them.
Angel Hazes cover of Same Love can be found on
SoundCloud, here:
https://soundcloud.com/angelhazeym/same-love-
angel-haze
The most important thing to take away from
this article is that critically analyzing media and
celebrities is crucial to ending oppression. Everyone
is capable of that, and so everyone can contribute to
the dismantling of systematic oppression.
15
 Sexuality
By: Scotty Blechman
Macklemores Same Love
Being privileged is not about talking over
minorities, but rather amplifying their voices
H
ave you ever wondered why those social justice
activists get so up in arms about Macklemores
Same Love? Its just a progressive rap song
supporting marriage equality, right?
Unfortunately, nothing is ever that simple. When
we consume media, it is important to interact with that
media by critically analyzing it rather than just passive-
ly absorbing it. There seems to be a trend lately where
sexual minorities are considered chill if they stay qui-
et, but they become annoying activists when they say
something is offensive. But a true ally must constantly
be listening to what minorities have to say - and they
have a lot to say about Same Love.
First of all, just looking at the big picture, we have
three rich white people, two of whom are straight,
14
preaching about oppression. Being privileged is not
about talking over minorities, but rather amplifying
their voices. Same Love contains no voices other
than Macklemores, Ryan Lewiss, and Mary Lamberts.
Frankly, Mary Lambert barely gets a voice - she sings
a generic born this way style line in the chorus, and
thats all she gets. The problem isnt straight people sup-
porting sexual minorities; the problem is straight peo-
ple ignoring the very same people they claim to support.
In the third verse of Same Love, Macklemore asserts,
A certificate on paper isnt gonna solve it all, but its a
damn good place to start. This might initially sound
like a lovely sentiment, but would starving homeless
LGBT youth disowned by their parents agree that a cer-
tificate on paper is a good place to start?
73x32
Would Cece McDonald, a transgender woman of color
who had slurs hurled at her and a glass bottle slashed
across her face, agree that a certificate on paper is a
good place to start? Macklemore, as a straight person,
does not have the required experience with oppression
to understand how to properly prioritize LGBT rights
issues.
In addition to the straight privilege possessed by
two out of the three artists, all of these artists are rich
and white. While Same Love is not about racial or class-
based oppression, it is a hip hop song. Hip hop is a genre
that has roots in Caribbean countries such as Trinidad; it
quickly spread to primarily black and African American
neighborhoods of New York City. Hip hop is not just a
music genre; hip hop is an entire marginalized subculture
developed by racial and economic minorities as an outlet
against gang culture, violence, and white supremacy.
The misogyny and homophobia typical of modern-day
hip hop is a relatively new development that didnt begin
until white artists first started appropriating the genre.
Yet Macklemore recites lyrics such as, If I was gay, I
would think hip hop hates me a culture founded
from oppression. Macklemore takes a marginalized
subculture and, ignorant of the history of hip hop,
makes the outlandish claim that hip hop is naturally
oppressive.
Macklemore has so many opportunities to make
up for his mistakes, but does not seize any of them.
Macklemore, a rich straight white cisgender male,
is exalted as the savior of hip hop and gay people.
Of course, this is not his fault - no one can control
what other people say about them. But Macklemore
has never made even a small attempt to deny these
allegations. Frankly, Macklemore has not done a
single thing to fight LGBT oppression. He has never
donated to LGBT rights organizations; he has never
promoted LGBT artists struggling to make it in a
homophobic culture; he has never even spoken
about issues other than marriage. The full extent of
Macklemores activism is creating a song for profit,
capitalizing on the oppression of LGBT people.
But there is one person that has done this
song justice - a pansexual female rapper of color
named Angel Haze. Angel Haze, as a real queer
person with real experiences as a marginalized
person, knows that marriage inequality is among
some of the least important issues LGBT people
face. Haze instead raps about children kicked out
of their homes by homophobic parents; kids with
horrible coming out experiences; people trying to
cure homosexuality; and the awful intrapersonal
thoughts running through an LGBT persons head
as they discover that according to society there is
something fundamentally wrong with them.
Angel Hazes cover of Same Love can be found on
SoundCloud, here:
https://soundcloud.com/angelhazeym/same-love-
angel-haze
The most important thing to take away from
this article is that critically analyzing media and
celebrities is crucial to ending oppression. Everyone
is capable of that, and so everyone can contribute to
the dismantling of systematic oppression.
15
 Sexuality
A Well-Tailored
Suit is to Women
What Lingerie is
to Men
By Victoria Kroeger
W hat image comes to mind when you hear the word
power? Power, as a word, could make you think of
strength, intelligence, money. Now what do you think of when
you hear the phrase powerful individual? For most people,
the first image to pop into their mind is a white man, probably
in his mid-30s or early-40s, wearing a crisp, tailored suit.
In American society, this image of power can be
seen anywhere. The man in the image could be a wealthy
businessman on Wall Street, an influential politician on
Capitol Hill, a rich lawyer in Los Angeles -- you get the picture.
A suit is a formal ensemble to be worn in public and this outfit
doesnt come cheap. In order to be perceived as powerful, you
must first be perceived to be affluent. And who wouldnt want
to have a full bank account at their disposal? With money
comes power, but with both comes desirability.
Desirability means that people want you; people find
you attractive, beautiful, handsome, or sexy. Desirability is
a relative term with each individual having their own ideas
of what they find desirable, but what does society as a whole
find desirable? The answer can be found using a quick internet
search.
16
When you enter the phrase handsome man into Google
Images, youll find a collage of men, mostly white, between the
ages of 25 to 40, and most of them wearing that crisp, well-tailored
suit. But wait, theres even more that these men share in common:
perfectly styled dark hair, a finely groomed five oclock shadow, a
strong jawline, and 90% of the photos are headshots -- after all,
these men must be presented in the most respectable way possible.
These are handsome, wealthy, powerful men; they deserve to be
respected.
Enter the phrase beautiful women into Google Images
and what you find wont exactly be described as the female equivalent
of the handsome, wealthy, powerful men of the previous search.
What youll find is a collage of women, mostly white, all in their
20s, wearing bikinis or lingerie, if anything at all. These women are
mostly blonde, with long, softly curled hair, lightly sun-kissed skin,
big eyes, thin waists, and curves in all the right places. Its hard to
miss those curves since about 90% of the photos are full-body shots.
After seeing these pictures, one has to wonder why
women arent shown in crisp, tailored suits and why their photos
arent headshots like the mens are? Is a woman in a sharp suit not
beautiful? Is a woman wearing an outfit that gives the assumption of
being wealthy, i.e., a suit, not beautiful? Is a woman not beautiful if
you cannot see her body? Is a woman posed in a respectable manner
not beautiful?
But then, what about the men? Is a man in boxer briefs not uniforms with their fancy buttons, collars, and cuffs. The
handsome? Is a man posed in a sexual manner not handsome? Can royal costume is the ancestor of the military uniform,
a man only be handsome from the looks of his face? Would seeing which is the ancestor of the modern suit. And what word
him in a full-body shot negate his handsomeness? The answer is no.
The man in his boxer briefs, sexually posed in a full-body shot is
still handsome -- and he still has money and he still has power.
corresponds with monarchy, the military, and the business
suit of our time? (Hint: its power.)
The woman is posed in these pictures to satisfy the
But a woman in lingerie has no power; at least no power man that we assume is in her life, and this is accomplished
in public. According to English art critic John Berger, women posed by forcing the viewer to be that man. The women in the
in lingerie are like artistic nudes in the sense that they are seen by photos are clad in lingerie and gazing longingly at the
others and yet not recognized as ones self. The womans purpose viewer; they are passive to the actions of the men who view
is to be sexual for the man, the handsome, wealthy, powerful them and are prepared to submit to whatever he wants.
man who can be respected in a suit. However, a woman can feel As a result, women in society cant look at themselves in a
personally empowered in lingerie and feel as if she is taking control mirror or in a photo without imagining what they look like
of her own sexuality and saying, Hey, look at me. Im sexy. (And through the eyes of men.
you should find me sexy as well). Yet, with this immense feeling
of empowerment comes an even greater feeling of vulnerability,
because lingerie must only be viewed in a private setting by only the
woman who wears it and her partner (which society presumes to
be male). And thus in our society, women must be vulnerable while
men must be strong.
Men in these photos are viewed as strong thanks to the
history behind the business suit. Before the mid-17th century,
royalty wore outfits adorned with extra frills and fabric to show
off the wealth of the wearer. Commoners werent allowed to wear
these outfits because they werent a part of the high-upper class. The
outfits of kings then evolved into the military uniforms of the 18th
and 19th centuries. Youve probably seen paintings of those military
17
 Sexuality
A Well-Tailored
Suit is to Women
What Lingerie is
to Men
By Victoria Kroeger
W hat image comes to mind when you hear the word
power? Power, as a word, could make you think of
strength, intelligence, money. Now what do you think of when
you hear the phrase powerful individual? For most people,
the first image to pop into their mind is a white man, probably
in his mid-30s or early-40s, wearing a crisp, tailored suit.
In American society, this image of power can be
seen anywhere. The man in the image could be a wealthy
businessman on Wall Street, an influential politician on
Capitol Hill, a rich lawyer in Los Angeles -- you get the picture.
A suit is a formal ensemble to be worn in public and this outfit
doesnt come cheap. In order to be perceived as powerful, you
must first be perceived to be affluent. And who wouldnt want
to have a full bank account at their disposal? With money
comes power, but with both comes desirability.
Desirability means that people want you; people find
you attractive, beautiful, handsome, or sexy. Desirability is
a relative term with each individual having their own ideas
of what they find desirable, but what does society as a whole
find desirable? The answer can be found using a quick internet
search.
16
When you enter the phrase handsome man into Google
Images, youll find a collage of men, mostly white, between the
ages of 25 to 40, and most of them wearing that crisp, well-tailored
suit. But wait, theres even more that these men share in common:
perfectly styled dark hair, a finely groomed five oclock shadow, a
strong jawline, and 90% of the photos are headshots -- after all,
these men must be presented in the most respectable way possible.
These are handsome, wealthy, powerful men; they deserve to be
respected.
Enter the phrase beautiful women into Google Images
and what you find wont exactly be described as the female equivalent
of the handsome, wealthy, powerful men of the previous search.
What youll find is a collage of women, mostly white, all in their
20s, wearing bikinis or lingerie, if anything at all. These women are
mostly blonde, with long, softly curled hair, lightly sun-kissed skin,
big eyes, thin waists, and curves in all the right places. Its hard to
miss those curves since about 90% of the photos are full-body shots.
After seeing these pictures, one has to wonder why
women arent shown in crisp, tailored suits and why their photos
arent headshots like the mens are? Is a woman in a sharp suit not
beautiful? Is a woman wearing an outfit that gives the assumption of
being wealthy, i.e., a suit, not beautiful? Is a woman not beautiful if
you cannot see her body? Is a woman posed in a respectable manner
not beautiful?
But then, what about the men? Is a man in boxer briefs not uniforms with their fancy buttons, collars, and cuffs. The
handsome? Is a man posed in a sexual manner not handsome? Can royal costume is the ancestor of the military uniform,
a man only be handsome from the looks of his face? Would seeing which is the ancestor of the modern suit. And what word
him in a full-body shot negate his handsomeness? The answer is no.
The man in his boxer briefs, sexually posed in a full-body shot is
still handsome -- and he still has money and he still has power.
corresponds with monarchy, the military, and the business
suit of our time? (Hint: its power.)
The woman is posed in these pictures to satisfy the
But a woman in lingerie has no power; at least no power man that we assume is in her life, and this is accomplished
in public. According to English art critic John Berger, women posed by forcing the viewer to be that man. The women in the
in lingerie are like artistic nudes in the sense that they are seen by photos are clad in lingerie and gazing longingly at the
others and yet not recognized as ones self. The womans purpose viewer; they are passive to the actions of the men who view
is to be sexual for the man, the handsome, wealthy, powerful them and are prepared to submit to whatever he wants.
man who can be respected in a suit. However, a woman can feel As a result, women in society cant look at themselves in a
personally empowered in lingerie and feel as if she is taking control mirror or in a photo without imagining what they look like
of her own sexuality and saying, Hey, look at me. Im sexy. (And through the eyes of men.
you should find me sexy as well). Yet, with this immense feeling
of empowerment comes an even greater feeling of vulnerability,
because lingerie must only be viewed in a private setting by only the
woman who wears it and her partner (which society presumes to
be male). And thus in our society, women must be vulnerable while
men must be strong.
Men in these photos are viewed as strong thanks to the
history behind the business suit. Before the mid-17th century,
royalty wore outfits adorned with extra frills and fabric to show
off the wealth of the wearer. Commoners werent allowed to wear
these outfits because they werent a part of the high-upper class. The
outfits of kings then evolved into the military uniforms of the 18th
and 19th centuries. Youve probably seen paintings of those military
17
 Sexuality
Hey! My roommate, Angie (all names changed),
grabs me by the elbow. Hey. Youll never believe whos
here.
I begin to ask what shes talking about, but before I
can Im being dragged across the apartment to the other
side of the party. Sorry, sorry, sorry, I mumble as I
accidentally elbow the ribs and crush the toes of boister-
ous, tipsy partygoers. Where are we going?
Okaywait, stop here. Angie ducks around a
corner, leaving only her head poking out. Look. Its
Chris.
Chris is her ex-boyfriend, and hes arrived at the
party withgaspanother girl. I am nonplussed. Are
they dating? I ask. Maybe he just, like knows her
from class or something.
We watch Chris arm snake around the new girls
waist. Angie makes a disgusted noise, and I go into con-
solation mode.
You guys just broke up. What is he thinking?
My roommates eyes are starting to swim, so I talk faster.
And look at that dress. I can see her entire butt. And her
boobs, my god. What a slut. He definitely downgraded.
You think so? Angie asks
Of course. I guide her back out onto the patio,
18
cheer captain and/ Im on the bleachers/ Dreaming bout
the day/ When you wake up and find/ That what youre
looking for/ Has been here the whole time. Ah, Taylor,
how nice of you to show up and make my next point.
We compare women by the way they present themselves
in society, and we categorize them in two primary ways
(both of which, Id like to say up front, are incredible
generalizations):
By: Helen Sharma
Prudes, Sluts, and
Monster-Vaginas:
Our Culture of Sexual
Misinformation
21 x 30
where our friends are sitting around talking while a
hippie with a guitar riffs on Dispatch songs. Bitches
like that have no self-respect. They just use their push-
up bras and monster-vaginas to steal boys from funny,
brilliant, beautiful girls like you.
Youre right, she sniffles. That whore.
In retrospect, I have a couple of regrets about that
conversation. Firstly, I regret telling Angie that girls like
that steal boys: Obviously, you cant steal a person,
thats not how relationships work and slavery is illegal.
Secondly, and more importantly, I regret using
words like bitch, slut, and whore to describe a
woman based solely on her appearance. Words like that
are words used primarily by women against other wom-
en, with the primary aim being to tear each other down
as were manipulated by the Worldwide Axis of Dick.
If a guy doesnt like you, its probably because someone
elses dark pheromones entrapped him, but dont worry,
hell come back once he realizes shes a psychosexual
hell-beast. This was my mantra through many a lonely
middle-school weekend, fueled by the Taylor Swift song
You Belong With Me.
You have to
She wears short skirts/ I wear t-shirts/ Shes
stop calling
each other sluts
and whores. It
The first woman is sweet and innocent. She may
have had sex before, but she doesnt offer it up right
away. She has hobbies like baking, or knitting, or
just makes it
organizing canned goods for the homeless shelter.
She wears lots of flat shoes and floral patterns. She
gets social credit for being the kind of all-American,
cherry pie sweetheart that we idolize, but she also
okay for guys
gets mocked at school for being a prude. We call
this woman the virgin.
to call you sluts
The second woman wears miniskirts and heels, and
lots of makeup. Everyone in town knows the list
of people shes slept with. She says things like hey,
sailor and gets hit on all the time. Shes always flirt-
and whores.
ing with someone. This woman gets a lot of social
credit for her confidence, but everyone knows that
when all is said and done, shell be alone with her
chlamydia, and she probably deserves it. We call -Mean Girls
this woman the whore.
No, not every woman fits these exact descrip-
tions. In fact, no woman fits these descriptions. Theyre
superficial caricatures based on stereotypes and worn-out
tropes about female behavior. The problem is that Amer-
ican society in particular buys into these ideals, and no
one wins. Even as women, we classify our peers by these
two oversimplifications as a way to dehumanize them.
In the end, we see other women as our enemies, not our
allies.
Slut-shaming is rough, and virgin-shaming is
just as bad. Why is this, you might ask? Ill spell it out for
you. Virgin-shaming and slut-shaming are equally terrible
because you never have the right to judge, criticize, or
shame someone based on their level of sexual activity.
Period. Are we all on the same page? Great. Theres no
reason to keep talking about this.
We as women cannot start expecting respect
and equal treatment until we stop participating in the
culture of sexuality-shaming and patriarchal oppression
that holds all of us in its grasp, and instead actively work
as a united front against it. Im done falling into the
virgin-whore dichotomy, and Im done dragging other
women down with me.
It is, of course, important to note the integral
role that race plays in this dualistic judgment of female
behavior. While any categorization in this context is
unfair, people of color are far more likely to be assigned
the over-sexualized whore role, and fairer womenes-
pecially white womenare more frequently judged to be
pure and virginal.
19
 Sexuality
Hey! My roommate, Angie (all names changed),
grabs me by the elbow. Hey. Youll never believe whos
here.
I begin to ask what shes talking about, but before I
can Im being dragged across the apartment to the other
side of the party. Sorry, sorry, sorry, I mumble as I
accidentally elbow the ribs and crush the toes of boister-
ous, tipsy partygoers. Where are we going?
Okaywait, stop here. Angie ducks around a
corner, leaving only her head poking out. Look. Its
Chris.
Chris is her ex-boyfriend, and hes arrived at the
party withgaspanother girl. I am nonplussed. Are
they dating? I ask. Maybe he just, like knows her
from class or something.
We watch Chris arm snake around the new girls
waist. Angie makes a disgusted noise, and I go into con-
solation mode.
You guys just broke up. What is he thinking?
My roommates eyes are starting to swim, so I talk faster.
And look at that dress. I can see her entire butt. And her
boobs, my god. What a slut. He definitely downgraded.
You think so? Angie asks
Of course. I guide her back out onto the patio,
18
cheer captain and/ Im on the bleachers/ Dreaming bout
the day/ When you wake up and find/ That what youre
looking for/ Has been here the whole time. Ah, Taylor,
how nice of you to show up and make my next point.
We compare women by the way they present themselves
in society, and we categorize them in two primary ways
(both of which, Id like to say up front, are incredible
generalizations):
By: Helen Sharma
Prudes, Sluts, and
Monster-Vaginas:
Our Culture of Sexual
Misinformation
21 x 30
where our friends are sitting around talking while a
hippie with a guitar riffs on Dispatch songs. Bitches
like that have no self-respect. They just use their push-
up bras and monster-vaginas to steal boys from funny,
brilliant, beautiful girls like you.
Youre right, she sniffles. That whore.
In retrospect, I have a couple of regrets about that
conversation. Firstly, I regret telling Angie that girls like
that steal boys: Obviously, you cant steal a person,
thats not how relationships work and slavery is illegal.
Secondly, and more importantly, I regret using
words like bitch, slut, and whore to describe a
woman based solely on her appearance. Words like that
are words used primarily by women against other wom-
en, with the primary aim being to tear each other down
as were manipulated by the Worldwide Axis of Dick.
If a guy doesnt like you, its probably because someone
elses dark pheromones entrapped him, but dont worry,
hell come back once he realizes shes a psychosexual
hell-beast. This was my mantra through many a lonely
middle-school weekend, fueled by the Taylor Swift song
You Belong With Me.
You have to
She wears short skirts/ I wear t-shirts/ Shes
stop calling
each other sluts
and whores. It
The first woman is sweet and innocent. She may
have had sex before, but she doesnt offer it up right
away. She has hobbies like baking, or knitting, or
just makes it
organizing canned goods for the homeless shelter.
She wears lots of flat shoes and floral patterns. She
gets social credit for being the kind of all-American,
cherry pie sweetheart that we idolize, but she also
okay for guys
gets mocked at school for being a prude. We call
this woman the virgin.
to call you sluts
The second woman wears miniskirts and heels, and
lots of makeup. Everyone in town knows the list
of people shes slept with. She says things like hey,
sailor and gets hit on all the time. Shes always flirt-
and whores.
ing with someone. This woman gets a lot of social
credit for her confidence, but everyone knows that
when all is said and done, shell be alone with her
chlamydia, and she probably deserves it. We call -Mean Girls
this woman the whore.
No, not every woman fits these exact descrip-
tions. In fact, no woman fits these descriptions. Theyre
superficial caricatures based on stereotypes and worn-out
tropes about female behavior. The problem is that Amer-
ican society in particular buys into these ideals, and no
one wins. Even as women, we classify our peers by these
two oversimplifications as a way to dehumanize them.
In the end, we see other women as our enemies, not our
allies.
Slut-shaming is rough, and virgin-shaming is
just as bad. Why is this, you might ask? Ill spell it out for
you. Virgin-shaming and slut-shaming are equally terrible
because you never have the right to judge, criticize, or
shame someone based on their level of sexual activity.
Period. Are we all on the same page? Great. Theres no
reason to keep talking about this.
We as women cannot start expecting respect
and equal treatment until we stop participating in the
culture of sexuality-shaming and patriarchal oppression
that holds all of us in its grasp, and instead actively work
as a united front against it. Im done falling into the
virgin-whore dichotomy, and Im done dragging other
women down with me.
It is, of course, important to note the integral
role that race plays in this dualistic judgment of female
behavior. While any categorization in this context is
unfair, people of color are far more likely to be assigned
the over-sexualized whore role, and fairer womenes-
pecially white womenare more frequently judged to be
pure and virginal.
19
 Sexuality
This particular issue has many historical factors: the
sexuality of women of color has been historically devalued, and
their worth as objects ties into a pattern of exoticism which women
of color are still working to combat. Meanwhile, white womens
sexuality has been locked away and treasured, leading to their
position as societys virgins, overall.
The virgin-whore dichotomy is also used to police the
way that non-binary folkspeople whose gender identity does not
conform to our societal expectationsexpress their sexuality in
their dress and public behavior. By forcing non-binary people into
stereotypical, harmful, heteronormative gender roles, we silently
imply that their gender and their sexuality are invalid unless they
conform to fit our preexisting parameters. Societal oppression is
truth.
An entire book could be written about the racial and
non-binary gender implications of sexuality-shaming. For now, it
would benefit readers to critically analyze their own privilege and
oppression when considering how each of us falls into this pattern
of shame.
So lets recap: Some people have lots of sex. Some people
dont have any. Lots and lots of people fall somewhere in the
middle. All of these people also place themselves somewhere along
the vast spectrums of racial and gender identity. None of their dress
of behavior is necessarily indicative of their sexual activity. Neither
you nor I, nor even Tina Fey, has the right to make anyone else
feel bad about their sexual activity. Its none of our business. And
honestly, why do we even care?

Pansexuality
By Emily Barton

I
n the recent years awareness, advocacy and acceptance of the
LGBT movement has been on the rise. There are Gay Straight
Alliance organizations in over 280 of Massachusetts middle and
high schools. In 2010, San Francisco declared Prop 8 unconstitutional
and the United States Senate voted by a distinct majority to repeal
Dont Ask, Dont Tell. Today thirty-two states have legalized same sex
marriage and a simple Google search can reveal a wealth of knowledge
about the movement, opening up a whole new world to folks who
choose to look.
Yet in our quest for a more open, accepting society we
often miss the bigger picture. While it is important to recognize the
achievements that have been made, there is still so much work to be
done. Trans and bisexual individuals are continuously left out of the
conversation in mainstream media as are discussions with those who
are gender nonconforming, queer, questioning and numerous others.
A more inclusive acronym would look something like: LGBTQQIAP.
A bit much? Youre probably unfamiliar with the last few letters and
what they refer to. They signify queer, questioning, intersex, asexual,
and pansexual.
While room ought to be made to address each of these often
ignored, though completely valid, forms of identification, pansexuality personality and a plethora of other characteristics combine to
seems to be one of the least known. So what is it? influence what each unique person finds appealing in others. For
Pansexuality is defined as the ability to be attracted to some, gender and biological sex play a deterministic part in that
individuals regardless of gender identity or biological sex. Derived
attraction. For pansexuals, this might not be the case.
from the Greek word pan meaning all, a loose translation would
It is also possible for pansexuals to feel a range of
be attraction to all. This does not mean that pansexuals are attracted
attraction. Some might tend to be more romantically attracted to
to everyone. It simply means they dont base their attraction on a
women and more sexually attracted to men. A pansexual person
particular gender or physical sex.
may never have dated a man, but feel that if the right person
So how is that different from bisexuality? A bisexual person
came along, they could. Sexual orientation, regardless of how you
has the capacity to be attracted to both males and females, meaning
identify, is based on how you feel. There is no check list or criteria
that their range of attraction stays within what our society recognizes
as the gender binary (if youre going to mention the gender binary, that determines who can or cant identify as bisexual, pansexual
you should change males and females to men and women). A or asexual.
pansexual, on the other hand, might find themselves attracted to In the end, if we hope to establish a truly inclusive,
people anywhere on the gender spectrum. revolutionary movement towards universal acceptance, we need
It is important to recognize that there is no right way to be to be driven by recognition of a much broader range of sexual and
pansexual. Sexuality, be it heterosexuality, homosexuality or anything gender variation than that which is currently being discussed.
else, is incredibly varied. Hair color, eye color, physique, height,

20 21
 Sexuality
This particular issue has many historical factors: the sex-
uality of women of color has been historically devalued, and their
worth as objects ties into a pattern of exoticism which women of
color are still working to combat. Meanwhile, white womens sexu-
ality has been locked away and treasured, leading to their position
as societys virgins, overall.
The virgin-whore dichotomy is also used to police the
way that non-binary folkspeople whose gender identity does not
conform to our societal expectationsexpress their sexuality in
their dress and public behavior. By forcing non-binary people into
stereotypical, harmful, heteronormative gender roles, we silently
imply that their gender and their sexuality are invalid unless they
conform to fit our preexisting parameters. Societal oppression is
truth.
An entire book could be written about the racial and
non-binary gender implications of sexuality-shaming. For now, it
would benefit readers to critically analyze their own privilege and
oppression when considering how each of us falls into this pattern
of shame.
So lets recap: Some people have lots of sex. Some people
dont have any. Lots and lots of people fall somewhere in the mid-
dle. All of these people also place themselves somewhere along the
vast spectrums of racial and gender identity. None of their dress of
behavior is necessarily indicative of their sexual activity. Neither
you nor I, nor even Tina Fey, has the right to make anyone else
feel bad about their sexual activity. Its none of our business. And

Pansexuality
By Regan Dvoskin and Emily Barton

I
n the recent years awareness, advocacy and acceptance of the
LGBT movement has been on the rise. There are Gay Straight Alli-
ance organizations in over 280 of Massachusetts middle and high
schools. In 2010, San Francisco declared Prop 8 unconstitutional and
the United States Senate voted by a distinct majority to repeal Dont
Ask, Dont Tell. Today thirty-two states have legalized same sex mar-
riage and a simple Google search can reveal a wealth of knowledge
about the movement, opening up a whole new world to folks who
choose to look.
Yet in our quest for a more open, accepting society we of-
ten miss the bigger picture. While it is important to recognize the
achievements that have been made, there is still so much work to be
done. Trans and bisexual individuals are continuously left out of the
conversation in mainstream media as are discussions with those who
are gender nonconforming, queer, questioning and numerous others.
A more inclusive acronym would look something like: LGBTQQIAP.
A bit much? Youre probably unfamiliar with the last few letters and
what they refer to. They signify queer, questioning, intersex, asexual,
and pansexual.
While room ought to be made to address each of these often
ignored, though completely valid, forms of identification, pansexuali- what each unique person finds appealing in others. For some,
ty seems to be one of the least known. So what is it? gender and biological sex play a deterministic part in that attrac-
Pansexuality is defined as the ability to be attracted to indi-
tion. For pansexuals, this might not be the case.
viduals regardless of gender identity or biological sex. ing all,
It is also possible for pansexuals to feel a range of
a loose translation would be traction to all. This does not mean that
attraction. Some might tend to be more romantically attracted to
pansexuals are attracted to everyone. It simply means they dont base
women and more sexually attracted to men. A pansexual person
their attraction on a particular gender or physical sex.
may never have dated a man, but feel that if the right person
So how is that different from bisexuality? A bisexual person
came along, they could. Sexual orientation, regardless of how you
has the capacity to be attracted to both males and females, meaning
identify, is based on how you feel. There is no check list or criteria
that their range of attraction stays within what our society recognizes
as the gender binary (if youre going to mention the gender binary, that determines who can or cant identify as bisexual, pansexual
you should change males and females to men and women). A pan- or asexual.
sexual, on the other hand, might find themselves attracted to people In the end, if we hope to establish a truly inclusive,
anywhere on the gender spectrum. revolutionary movement towards universal acceptance, we need
It is important to recognize that there is no right way to be to be driven by recognition of a much broader range of sexual and
pansexual. Sexuality, be it heterosexuality, homosexuality or anything gender variation than that which is currently being discussed.
else, is incredibly varied. Hair color, eye color, physique, height, per-
sonality and a plethora of other characteristics combine to influence

20 21
 Sexuality
IS
?
A
By Astrid Crowley
T
his past year the international community has been blown
away by Beyoncs fifth, self-titled studio album. The
audio-visual medium was released to the public in 2013,
demonstrating the artist in an array of lights, from vulnerable
to seductive, strong, heart-melted, empowered, and everything in
between. The album signifies Beyoncs spectacular comeback to the
music scene after giving birth to her daughter in 2012, empowering
women to rise above the obstacles of motherhood while pursuing
their passions. Undoubtedly, Queen B is radiating feminism with
this release, only to be reinforced with her release of the albums
fifth single, Flawless. The single features a short excerpt from a TED
talk by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, titled We
Should All Be Feminists. This inspirational speech, in combination
with Beyoncs lyrical advocacy of self-love, merge to create a
profitable product of the media by an international sensation, which
mutually seeps feminism and empowerment into popular culture.
Considering the fact that Beyonc is one of the few in the
public eye with the platform to promote this message, there have
been controversial attitudes in regards to whether she does the
movement justice. On November 9th, Northeasterns Feminist
Student Organization, Social Justice Resource Center, Asian American
Center and various other student bodies merged to host Is Beyonc a
Feminist?. The panels variety of gender, ethnicity, background, age and
opinion, gave the colourful discussion a range of perspectives. Miguel
Montalva, a Northeastern PhD student with a concentration in race,
class and gender , opened by quoting bell hooks definition of feminism
as a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression.
Kenyora Johnson, the program manager of Northeasterns
Strong Women, Strong Girls, kickstarted the discussion, highlighting
the conflicting messages of Beyoncs productions. She points
out that this banner of feminism is challenging for anyone to
carry, due to intersectionality creating a unique experience of
feminism for everyone. Furthermore, she touched on the impacts
of derogatory references, such as the line eat the cake, Anna Mae,
referring to an instance of physical abuse Tina Turner had faced
in a previous relationship. These references are implemented into
material that is sold into pop culture and moulded into another line
in a catchy song, thus ridding it of its severity. Eesha Ramanujam,
a sophomore panelist, added that these songs are listened to and
accessed by a young generation, who idolize stars such as Beyonc.
Regardless, the artist radiates strength and independence, leading
22
Ramanujam to express how she considers Beyonc a feminist,
but a flawed one. Although she may not have the platform to
be the representative figure of feminism, she identifies as one in
shows viewed by millions around the world. This promotes the
image of feminism in a unique and non stereotypical manner,
demonstrating to the public that a feminist can indeed take the
form of a woman unusual to the assumption. The panel referred
to Beyonc in this light as a gateway feminist, opening the door
to feminism, and hopefully compelling her audience to take the
initiative to research into the movement and its significance.
However, NUs Institutional Diversity and Inclusions Janet Bergeron
reiterated that the rare platform she does hold should be used to its
full potential. Nonetheless, the program coordinator promoted the
artists gateway feminism, believing If someone opens up a book
on bell hooks because they looked up feminism on Wikipedia
after watching the VMAs then shes done her work. In sync with
Johnsons stance, she felt Beyonc cannot be expected to carry the
banner for all women, but rather displays her personal journey to
finding feminism in her life, leading other females to search for
theirs. Although she is unrepresentative of feminism in its entirety,
Montalva observed that it was ultimately Beyoncs feminism that
had drawn the dense crowd to NUs event on a Sunday evening of
all days. He added that this might not have been the case had it been
an alternative feminist who is not as prominent in the public eye.
In regards to the artists strong presence, the terms empowered
and feminist are casually thrown around in altercation.
Montalva distinguishes the terms, emphasizing that the difference
goes into practice. While empowerment is viewed as making
advancements within the social structure, and thus reinforcing
it, feminism alternately recognizes the systematic injustices and
attempts to dismantle this societal formation. Empowerment
is an appreciable method of gateway feminism, as Ramanujam
accentuates, nonetheless, empowered women may not realize
how the patriarchal structure is the root cause of that initial
disempowerment. Feminism is an impact that individuals can
make through actions within the structure to create change
for themselves and others around them, as Bergeron stressed.
Intersectionality causes feminist experiences to
be distinctive, making Beyoncs expression of her journey
unrelatable for some populations. Everyones gendered
experience is dependent on and reconstituted by all the other
thing that they are, Bergeron indicated. Being a woman of
color has conflicted Johnsons discovery of a true definition of
feminism. As various systems of oppression come into play, it
is harder for women of color to be a part of that conversation.
She refers to the first wave of feminism, where Seneca Falls
and Sojourner Truth exemplify the inapplicability of the first
wave to women of color. This demonstrates how systems
of oppression work together to form an exclusive identity,
requiring all systems to be addressed at once. Ramanujam
agreed with the notion of racism heavily impacting sexism
as well, using a recent viral video as an example. The New
York-based social experiment entailed a girl walking
around the city for 10 hours and being continuously
harassed. The director of this production later admitted to
having edited out a majority of white men, subconsciously
painting men of color as aggressors. While many viewers
disregard the severity of the catcalling, Montalva saw this
superficial mannerism being rooted somewhere, and
requires us to talk to something thats been institutionalized.
An audience member questioned whether Beyonc
is seen as a terrorist to feminism, leading the panel to wrap
up their thoughts. Regardless of the generally positive
and accepting attitude towards the singer demonstrating
feminism in accordance to her personal life, Beyonc
choosing to voluntarily display herself in this way stirs
conflict. Montalva pinpoints how women of color are
hypersexualized, and to continue to portray oneself in this
way is counterproductive to the movement. Furthermore,
the images she produces are rooted in white supremacist
ideals of beauty, blocking intersectionality from coming forth
to the stage in her platform. The panels general consensus
towards Beyonc being the key figure of todays feminism
chanted an acceptance of her identification as a feminist, but
demanded room for improvement with how she utilizes her
platform, and her being labeled as a holistic representation.
23
 Sexuality
IS
?
A
By Astrid Crowley
T
his past year the international community has been blown
away by Beyoncs fifth, self-titled studio album. The
audio-visual medium was released to the public in 2013,
demonstrating the artist in an array of lights, from vulnerable
to seductive, strong, heart-melted, empowered, and everything in
between. The album signifies Beyoncs spectacular comeback to the
music scene after giving birth to her daughter in 2012, empowering
women to rise above the obstacles of motherhood while pursuing
their passions. Undoubtedly, Queen B is radiating feminism with
this release, only to be reinforced with her release of the albums
fifth single, Flawless. The single features a short excerpt from a TED
talk by Nigerian author Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, titled We
Should All Be Feminists. This inspirational speech, in combination
with Beyoncs lyrical advocacy of self-love, merge to create a
profitable product of the media by an international sensation, which
mutually seeps feminism and empowerment into popular culture.
Considering the fact that Beyonc is one of the few in the
public eye with the platform to promote this message, there have
been controversial attitudes in regards to whether she does the
movement justice. On November 9th, Northeasterns Feminist
Student Organization, Social Justice Resource Center, Asian American
Center and various other student bodies merged to host Is Beyonc a
Feminist?. The panels variety of gender, ethnicity, background, age and
opinion, gave the colourful discussion a range of perspectives. Miguel
Montalva, a Northeastern PhD student with a concentration in race,
class and gender , opened by quoting bell hooks definition of feminism
as a movement to end sexism, sexist exploitation and oppression.
Kenyora Johnson, the program manager of Northeasterns
Strong Women, Strong Girls, kickstarted the discussion, highlighting
the conflicting messages of Beyoncs productions. She points
out that this banner of feminism is challenging for anyone to
carry, due to intersectionality creating a unique experience of
feminism for everyone. Furthermore, she touched on the impacts
of derogatory references, such as the line eat the cake, Anna Mae,
referring to an instance of physical abuse Tina Turner had faced
in a previous relationship. These references are implemented into
material that is sold into pop culture and moulded into another line
in a catchy song, thus ridding it of its severity. Eesha Ramanujam,
a sophomore panelist, added that these songs are listened to and
accessed by a young generation, who idolize stars such as Beyonc.
Regardless, the artist radiates strength and independence, leading
22
Ramanujam to express how she considers Beyonc a feminist,
but a flawed one. Although she may not have the platform to
be the representative figure of feminism, she identifies as one in
shows viewed by millions around the world. This promotes the
image of feminism in a unique and non stereotypical manner,
demonstrating to the public that a feminist can indeed take the
form of a woman unusual to the assumption. The panel referred
to Beyonc in this light as a gateway feminist, opening the door
to feminism, and hopefully compelling her audience to take the
initiative to research into the movement and its significance.
However, NUs Institutional Diversity and Inclusions Janet Bergeron
reiterated that the rare platform she does hold should be used to its
full potential. Nonetheless, the program coordinator promoted the
artists gateway feminism, believing If someone opens up a book
on bell hooks because they looked up feminism on Wikipedia
after watching the VMAs then shes done her work. In sync with
Johnsons stance, she felt Beyonc cannot be expected to carry the
banner for all women, but rather displays her personal journey to
finding feminism in her life, leading other females to search for
theirs. Although she is unrepresentative of feminism in its entirety,
Montalva observed that it was ultimately Beyoncs feminism that
had drawn the dense crowd to NUs event on a Sunday evening of
all days. He added that this might not have been the case had it been
an alternative feminist who is not as prominent in the public eye.
In regards to the artists strong presence, the terms empowered
and feminist are casually thrown around in altercation.
Montalva distinguishes the terms, emphasizing that the difference
goes into practice. While empowerment is viewed as making
advancements within the social structure, and thus reinforcing
it, feminism alternately recognizes the systematic injustices and
attempts to dismantle this societal formation. Empowerment
is an appreciable method of gateway feminism, as Ramanujam
accentuates, nonetheless, empowered women may not realize
how the patriarchal structure is the root cause of that initial
disempowerment. Feminism is an impact that individuals can
make through actions within the structure to create change
for themselves and others around them, as Bergeron stressed.
Intersectionality causes feminist experiences to
be distinctive, making Beyoncs expression of her journey
unrelatable for some populations. Everyones gendered
experience is dependent on and reconstituted by all the other
thing that they are, Bergeron indicated. Being a woman of
color has conflicted Johnsons discovery of a true definition of
feminism. As various systems of oppression come into play, it
is harder for women of color to be a part of that conversation.
She refers to the first wave of feminism, where Seneca Falls
and Sojourner Truth exemplify the inapplicability of the first
wave to women of color. This demonstrates how systems
of oppression work together to form an exclusive identity,
requiring all systems to be addressed at once. Ramanujam
agreed with the notion of racism heavily impacting sexism
as well, using a recent viral video as an example. The New
York-based social experiment entailed a girl walking
around the city for 10 hours and being continuously
harassed. The director of this production later admitted to
having edited out a majority of white men, subconsciously
painting men of color as aggressors. While many viewers
disregard the severity of the catcalling, Montalva saw this
superficial mannerism being rooted somewhere, and
requires us to talk to something thats been institutionalized.
An audience member questioned whether Beyonc
is seen as a terrorist to feminism, leading the panel to wrap
up their thoughts. Regardless of the generally positive
and accepting attitude towards the singer demonstrating
feminism in accordance to her personal life, Beyonc
choosing to voluntarily display herself in this way stirs
conflict. Montalva pinpoints how women of color are
hypersexualized, and to continue to portray oneself in this
way is counterproductive to the movement. Furthermore,
the images she produces are rooted in white supremacist
ideals of beauty, blocking intersectionality from coming forth
to the stage in her platform. The panels general consensus
towards Beyonc being the key figure of todays feminism
chanted an acceptance of her identification as a feminist, but
demanded room for improvement with how she utilizes her
platform, and her being labeled as a holistic representation.
23
 Race and Ethnicity
Jahairas
Dream for a
Seat at the Table
Interview with Jahaira DeAlto
By Nolan Tesis and Eric Helm
Thank you Jahaira, we love you
Letters from the Authors:
2014 has been a dream. For the Transgender community,
this year has marked a year of opportunity, possibility, and most
importantly visibility. The American Dream is undergoing a transition
of its own because now transmen and transwomen can dream of their
lives unfolding in ways unimagined before. This year Orange is the
New Black Actress, Laverne Cox shattered barriers by becoming the
first transgender person to grace the cover of Time Magazine, and the
first openly transgender person to garner an Emmy nomination. Janet
Mocks Redefining Realness made room for itself on the NY Times Best
Seller list. While many transgender people are experiencing unheard of
success, the majority of communitys experience is not akin to theirs.
Americas sudden interest of people of the trans spectrum seems trendy,
and at times somewhat of a sensational fetish. Nuanced conversations
of the issues that really impact the trans community have yet to be
acknowledged on a national level. Transphobia is still heavily rampant
in both America and the world. According to transrespect-transphobia.
org, from the October 2013 to September 2014, there have been a total
of two hundred and twenty six reported murders of transgender people
around the world. Although that number is staggering, it only reflects
the murders that have been reported.
Eric Helm, section editor, and myself decided to sit down and
have a conversation with a woman named Jahaira DeAlto. I met Jahaira
when I was in high school, and seventeen years old. Upon meeting her
I had no idea, that she would occupy such a space in my life. Jahaira is
one of the most loving individuals I have encountered. Her love and
support outmuscles, pretty much, the love from all my friends, and even
family, endures the test of time, outguns any competition all the while
remaining unconditional. Her presence is so powerful it has compelled
24
me to get all seven letters of her name etched onto my wrist.
To me she is simple Jahaira, but to many others she is a social
media savvy, chain-smoking, avid reading, hilarious openly
full figured visible transwoman. So it was only natural to want
to know more about her lived experience. While sharing her
own unique journey, Jahairas interview illuminates the ever
present struggles of transgender community that will continue
to exist until America is truly ready to engage with the unique
issues a community of its citizens face. Jahairas words really
capture the resilient, beautiful, and humane spirit of the trans-
community. It is time for America to envision new dreams
that are inclusive of the dynamic trans-community that are
part of the fabric of Americas identity. mouth. (laughs)
-Nolan Tesis
Near the day of this years TDOR (Trans Day of
Remembrance), I had the privilege to attend a presentation
given by Janet Mock, author of Redefining Realness and a trans-
activist. She truly served me and my university on my very own
privilege 0platter. I was challenged to not applaud myself for sitting
through a lecture and then forgetting about the struggle faced by
transwomen, and especially transwomen of color, for the next 364
days of the year.
The night of this self-reflective serving, my friend Nolan
introduced me via Skype to his friend, mentor, and life partner
Jahaira, who I soon learned is also a transwoman of color. Chain
smoking Newport Pleasures and drinking Diet Pepsi straight from
the 2 Liter, Jahaira had a charisma which was simply palpable even
through the thousand mile distance from our home in Boston to
her home in Kentucky. Hilarious, compassionate, wise, raunchy,
cynical and frustrate, Jahaira stayed up with us well past the honesty
hour of four in the morning. TDOR and Janet Mocks reading for
filth heavy on our minds, Nolan and I asked Jahaira if we could
conduct an interview for our class magazine. The wonderful woman
that she is, she agreed, and several attempts later, this is our final
product. Her words are magic, I hope you
can take away as much from the dialogue as
we did. The Human Experience is unique It was an
simultaneously fragile as a flickering flame
yet resilient as stone, No Bodys experience every-day
should ever be forgotten.
- Eric Helm after school kind-of
Who are you?
thing all in the effort
My name is Jahaira DeAlto. I have
been a presence in the Trans community to masculinize me
for over half of my lifetime. I have close to
twenty years under my belt. Through my
YouTube channel and various speaking engagements, I continue
to be a voice and a presence for those who are apart of the trans
spectrum.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is lobster. Ill take lobster however I can
get it, but when given a choice, I love baked stuffed lobster. If we
are talking Boston specific, the baked stuffed lobster at Grill 23
remains my absolute favorite.
What is your favorite book?
God help me! Thats kind of like asking me what my
favorite sunrise is because Im a bit of a book whore. My favorite
book of all time is probably Bridget Jones Diary because its one
of the few books I ever read that has actually had me physically
wiping tears of laughter from my eyes
Favorite cigarette?
Newport 100s. My rule is, I dont put anything short in my
What was growing up like as a person of trans experience?
My very first memory was of my third birthday party. My
parents and extended family had taken me to a local pizza joint
that some Bostonians would remember as Papa Ginos. I had these
cousins, who are related by marriage, and there were five girls in
that family. They all had this cascading really deep black hair that
fell to their waist. I remember very vividly thinking I cant wait
till I get to the age when I get to have long dark hair cascading to
my waist. There was never a question in my mind that eventually
I would grow up a beautiful girl they way they were beautiful girls,
and we would have that shared experience. That was my first real
conviction. That was my first solid awareness of who I was, and it
never waivered.
So many people see the binary in terms of you started
one thing and ended up another. In my own experience, there
was no one thing. This is why I dont personalize the idea of being
born a boy. I never knew what it was to be a boy. I never knew
the mentality that went along with it. I was thoroughly convinced
that I was a girl and would grow up to be a girl, but a lot of money
was spent on trying to remove that conviction from me. I entered
therapy for the first time at five years old, and eventually going up
towards thirteen years old was spending up to four days a week
in therapy. It was an every day after school kind of thing all in the
effort to masculinize me.
How did that experience affect you?
It is very difficult to try to
explain to somebody what life is like when
people said that I acted too feminine.
From what I know now, and what they
know now, but what I couldnt necessary
articulate then was that I wasnt acting.
When youre an adolescent, secure in
the knowledge and a bit mystified by the
knowledge that being who you are will get
you into trouble and there are negative
repercussions that come with behaving
as your truest self, you learn to give
people what they want to see. I never fully
succeeded as being as masculine as what they would have liked,
but I was a bit less demonstrative and guarded towards sharing my
authenticity with the masses.
From reading Janet Mocks Redefining Realness, there is
always a strange aspect of love coming from the concern. In
spending the money to sending you to therapy four to five
days a week that doesnt seem to be a labor of hate. How
did it affect you that your parents may have been actively
oppressing you, but it was coming from a place of love?
I will be honest with you. I dont necessarily know, well
I know it wasnt coming from a place of hate, but I continue to
question, knowing what I know about my familial structure, how
much love was really involved in it versus how much the need to
present this united front as the idealistic nuclear family was. My
father is a prominent surgeon in Massachusetts. He was the chief
of general surgery in a major hospital, and my mother has been
a registered nurse since the 60s. The desire to be perceived as
something far more stable than I actually witnessed was real. I am
adopted. The belief that is instilled in most adopted children is that
they were chosen. The decision to have me in such intense therapy,
and the decision that was made to place me in a school that was
designed for all boys led my young finite understanding of myself
to fear that my father may have regretted that choice. Living with
that on a daily basis was a challenge to say the least.
25
 Race and Ethnicity
Jahairas
Dream for a
Seat at the Table
Interview with Jahaira DeAlto
By Nolan Tesis and Eric Helm
Thank you Jahaira, we love you
Letters from the Authors:
2014 has been a dream. For the Transgender community,
this year has marked a year of opportunity, possibility, and most
importantly visibility. The American Dream is undergoing a transition
of its own because now transmen and transwomen can dream of their
lives unfolding in ways unimagined before. This year Orange is the
New Black Actress, Laverne Cox shattered barriers by becoming the
first transgender person to grace the cover of Time Magazine, and the
first openly transgender person to garner an Emmy nomination. Janet
Mocks Redefining Realness made room for itself on the NY Times Best
Seller list. While many transgender people are experiencing unheard of
success, the majority of communitys experience is not akin to theirs.
Americas sudden interest of people of the trans spectrum seems trendy,
and at times somewhat of a sensational fetish. Nuanced conversations
of the issues that really impact the trans community have yet to be
acknowledged on a national level. Transphobia is still heavily rampant
in both America and the world. According to transrespect-transphobia.
org, from the October 2013 to September 2014, there have been a total
of two hundred and twenty six reported murders of transgender people
around the world. Although that number is staggering, it only reflects
the murders that have been reported.
Eric Helm, section editor, and myself decided to sit down and
have a conversation with a woman named Jahaira DeAlto. I met Jahaira
when I was in high school, and seventeen years old. Upon meeting her
I had no idea, that she would occupy such a space in my life. Jahaira is
one of the most loving individuals I have encountered. Her love and
support outmuscles, pretty much, the love from all my friends, and even
family, endures the test of time, outguns any competition all the while
remaining unconditional. Her presence is so powerful it has compelled
24
me to get all seven letters of her name etched onto my wrist.
To me she is simple Jahaira, but to many others she is a social
media savvy, chain-smoking, avid reading, hilarious openly
full figured visible transwoman. So it was only natural to want
to know more about her lived experience. While sharing her
own unique journey, Jahairas interview illuminates the ever
present struggles of transgender community that will continue
to exist until America is truly ready to engage with the unique
issues a community of its citizens face. Jahairas words really
capture the resilient, beautiful, and humane spirit of the trans-
community. It is time for America to envision new dreams
that are inclusive of the dynamic trans-community that are
part of the fabric of Americas identity. mouth. (laughs)
-Nolan Tesis
Near the day of this years TDOR (Trans Day of
Remembrance), I had the privilege to attend a presentation
given by Janet Mock, author of Redefining Realness and a trans-
activist. She truly served me and my university on my very own
privilege 0platter. I was challenged to not applaud myself for sitting
through a lecture and then forgetting about the struggle faced by
transwomen, and especially transwomen of color, for the next 364
days of the year.
The night of this self-reflective serving, my friend Nolan
introduced me via Skype to his friend, mentor, and life partner
Jahaira, who I soon learned is also a transwoman of color. Chain
smoking Newport Pleasures and drinking Diet Pepsi straight from
the 2 Liter, Jahaira had a charisma which was simply palpable even
through the thousand mile distance from our home in Boston to
her home in Kentucky. Hilarious, compassionate, wise, raunchy,
cynical and frustrate, Jahaira stayed up with us well past the honesty
hour of four in the morning. TDOR and Janet Mocks reading for
filth heavy on our minds, Nolan and I asked Jahaira if we could
conduct an interview for our class magazine. The wonderful woman
that she is, she agreed, and several attempts later, this is our final
product. Her words are magic, I hope you
can take away as much from the dialogue as
we did. The Human Experience is unique It was an
simultaneously fragile as a flickering flame
yet resilient as stone, No Bodys experience every-day
should ever be forgotten.
- Eric Helm after school kind-of
Who are you?
thing all in the effort
My name is Jahaira DeAlto. I have
been a presence in the Trans community to masculinize me
for over half of my lifetime. I have close to
twenty years under my belt. Through my
YouTube channel and various speaking engagements, I continue
to be a voice and a presence for those who are apart of the trans
spectrum.
What is your favorite food?
My favorite food is lobster. Ill take lobster however I can
get it, but when given a choice, I love baked stuffed lobster. If we
are talking Boston specific, the baked stuffed lobster at Grill 23
remains my absolute favorite.
What is your favorite book?
God help me! Thats kind of like asking me what my
favorite sunrise is because Im a bit of a book whore. My favorite
book of all time is probably Bridget Jones Diary because its one
of the few books I ever read that has actually had me physically
wiping tears of laughter from my eyes
Favorite cigarette?
Newport 100s. My rule is, I dont put anything short in my
What was growing up like as a person of trans experience?
My very first memory was of my third birthday party. My
parents and extended family had taken me to a local pizza joint
that some Bostonians would remember as Papa Ginos. I had these
cousins, who are related by marriage, and there were five girls in
that family. They all had this cascading really deep black hair that
fell to their waist. I remember very vividly thinking I cant wait
till I get to the age when I get to have long dark hair cascading to
my waist. There was never a question in my mind that eventually
I would grow up a beautiful girl they way they were beautiful girls,
and we would have that shared experience. That was my first real
conviction. That was my first solid awareness of who I was, and it
never waivered.
So many people see the binary in terms of you started
one thing and ended up another. In my own experience, there
was no one thing. This is why I dont personalize the idea of being
born a boy. I never knew what it was to be a boy. I never knew
the mentality that went along with it. I was thoroughly convinced
that I was a girl and would grow up to be a girl, but a lot of money
was spent on trying to remove that conviction from me. I entered
therapy for the first time at five years old, and eventually going up
towards thirteen years old was spending up to four days a week
in therapy. It was an every day after school kind of thing all in the
effort to masculinize me.
How did that experience affect you?
It is very difficult to try to
explain to somebody what life is like when
people said that I acted too feminine.
From what I know now, and what they
know now, but what I couldnt necessary
articulate then was that I wasnt acting.
When youre an adolescent, secure in
the knowledge and a bit mystified by the
knowledge that being who you are will get
you into trouble and there are negative
repercussions that come with behaving
as your truest self, you learn to give
people what they want to see. I never fully
succeeded as being as masculine as what they would have liked,
but I was a bit less demonstrative and guarded towards sharing my
authenticity with the masses.
From reading Janet Mocks Redefining Realness, there is
always a strange aspect of love coming from the concern. In
spending the money to sending you to therapy four to five
days a week that doesnt seem to be a labor of hate. How
did it affect you that your parents may have been actively
oppressing you, but it was coming from a place of love?
I will be honest with you. I dont necessarily know, well
I know it wasnt coming from a place of hate, but I continue to
question, knowing what I know about my familial structure, how
much love was really involved in it versus how much the need to
present this united front as the idealistic nuclear family was. My
father is a prominent surgeon in Massachusetts. He was the chief
of general surgery in a major hospital, and my mother has been
a registered nurse since the 60s. The desire to be perceived as
something far more stable than I actually witnessed was real. I am
adopted. The belief that is instilled in most adopted children is that
they were chosen. The decision to have me in such intense therapy,
and the decision that was made to place me in a school that was
designed for all boys led my young finite understanding of myself
to fear that my father may have regretted that choice. Living with
that on a daily basis was a challenge to say the least.
25
 How do you feel about gender non-conforming identity
burgeoning as a new form of trans identity?
I will be the first to admit that the unique issues specific
to the gender non- conforming community are not something
that I am particularity familiar with. I thoroughly support the
inherent right of everyone to self-identify and live in their truth.
I look forward to one day learning about their experiences as
I hope that they would be open to learning about mine. I think
that gender is such broad spectrum and anyone who feels a tug on
their heartstrings or a pull on their lives to transcend traditional
binary or gender-based stereotypes is worthy of admiration. Im
looking forward to see what the new year might teach me in that
department.
What does visibility mean to you?
Well, thats an interesting question. I am in possession of
what our community refers to as passing privilege. The instances in
which I am perceived as something other than a cisgender woman
are pretty rare. I am able to move through this world generally
unread, or unclockable as we say in our
vernacular. I applaud the efforts of Janet
Mock, Laverne Cox, Monica Roberts, I applaud all women,
and all of those phenomenal women
who have made the decision to stand in
and our men of course,
their truth and their trans identities even
though they dont necessarily have to.
Ill never forget them
We are your teachers, your doctors, your
students your nieces, we are ever present
who make the decision to
in all facets of the human experience and
the lady that you may run into getting
stay tethered cause
groceries at the market may very well there was a time,
belong to this community. I applaud
all women, and our men, of course (Ill especially in my era,
never forget them, she exclaims) who
make the decision to stay tethered to a in which I grew up where
trans identity. Because there was a time,
especially in my era, where assimilating assimilating into cisgenderThis year alone 226 transgender
into cisgender society was the goal.
society was the goal. Trans Days of Remembrance
How do you think the goal has
changed if at all?
I mean insofar that this is the world we have to live in it
has not changed. In terms of the way that we live in it and the fact
that we can live in our truth, and kind of find space between those
two circles. Theres a place for that now because theres a dialogue
going on now that is very new. In 2004, I dont think these issues
were as on the floor as they are now. And certainly not when I
began my transition in 1996
26
A lot of times parents have expectations of how children
should be, how did your identity affect your parents
expectations of you?
Thats a great question. I mean it was very clear early on
that despite my fathers best efforts, I was never going to be the
kid that you could throw the football around with. Though I did
have a propensity for baseball, go figure. I was just a really good
catcher! (giggles) I will say that the first vestiges of identity other
than the one I had internalized myself took place in the 3rd grade.
In 3rd grade we put on our first school play, that was actually a
musical. Theater became one of the great loves of my life because
in that moment I was getting applauded for not being what anyone
expected me to be. I was just being a character and this play was
absolutely ridiculous, but those two lines and the song I had really
drastically affected my perception of how I could be in the world.
Its a beautiful thing when you discover something that youre good
at, and I was good, relatively speaking. I loved it and I felt like it
loved me back and the applause that you receive at the end of the
performance, you cant imagine how gratifying or how affirming
that felt to little me. I will say that when my parents came and saw
me perform, which was pretty life
changing cause again it was a school
for just boys and I got the part of a
girl. I was Mary in Tom Sawyer, but
my parents applauded. Once they
saw how much I loved it they really
did support my theater aspirations
and thats when I started going on
weekend trips to New York and saw a
crap ton of Broadway shows. So that
was really the first, in that sense, my
identity was affirmed by them once
they realized this was something
I could do and do well and wasnt
getting into trouble.
people have been murder does
mean to you?
The day of remembrance was created in response to
the gross misgendering by the media in response to a murder of
a Massachusetts resident named Rita Hester. Rita Hester was my
sister. She was really more of a mentor to me. I remember being a
young trans girl and in the first year of my transition, and without
trying to sound melodramatic, in a lot of ways you are reborn, you
are experiencing the world as your authentic self for the very first
time where your visage is in alignment to your internal truth. So
it can be a very kind of down the rabbit hole, opening the door
to Oz, the world is finally in Technicolor kind of experience. And
Rita was an incredibly giving soul, she took time out for everybody,
she had a very nurturing quality about her and just a genuine
desire to assist younger girls with navigating through a very new
experience. At the same time, she was relatable and personable,
she wasnt aloof, she was approachable. In the wake of her murder
Gwen Smith organized the first day of remembrance in Boston
and simultaneously in San Francisco, and now it has become a
worldwide, globally accepted event that started with someone I
loved incredibly dearly and miss daily.
With the high amount of transgender murders how do you
or the community how do you cope with dealing with such There is still the perception
recurring loss?
I dont know that Im equipped to speak for the entire that we are
community; its a personal issue. It would really depend on how
long youve been a part of the community, how invested you are.
largely drag entertainers,
Generally speaking, its always disheartening, its never the kind
of thing that I feel apathy towards, and for me its always about
largely sex workers,
what the next step is going to be. If this was a murder, will it be
another murder that goes unprosecuted? Will someone even be
largely Jerry Springer guests,
apprehended? On November 28, it will be 15 years since Ritas and that we dont contribute
murder. No one has ever been arrested. Theres obviously been no
prosecution. The case has gone cold. Every couple of years I will enough to the fabric of
get a phone call form a sergeant trying to dig up new information,
but we still have nobody. Those are the kinds of things you pray society to create
dont happen when you find out someone else has been killed.
Because, I am not closer to an answer to why my sister had to die a sense of outrage
at 35 years old than I was at 20 when it happened. And that really
hurts. So its always personal. Its always tragic. So if there is some when our lives are
silver lining to be found, it is in that some kind for justice can be
served. But for many trans women of color, it typically isnt. When snatched away from us.
you hear about stories of girls like Angie Zapata and Tyra Hunter
If you could look back and tell your self anything what
and Gwen Araujo, the fact that justice was served at least in some
approximation shouldnt be a reason to celebrate, but for us it is, would you say?
because at least there is that. It should be a given, but its not for us. Pre-transition, I could look back and say, you were right.
Everyone was wrong, and you were right. There is a name for who
Why do you think there isnt an outcry among the LGBT you are, and there is a community based on who you are, and that
thing that you agonized over that and lost yourself in day after day
community? Why do you think there is not enough unity
when these tragedies occur?
for the first sixteen years was valid and affirmable. It matters and
you matter, and the next sixteen years are going to be worlds better
Because I think the unfortunate and misguided perception
of transwomen in general, and transwomen of color in particular, is
knowing you were right. My twenties were a lot less deep than that.
It would probably be, just dump him. He aint shit, he aint ever
that we are expendable. The term disposable people came across
my desk one day, and it struck me. There is still the perception
gonna be shit, and just dump him. You were just lonely as hell.
(laughing)
that we are largely drag entertainers, largely sex workers, largely
Jerry Springer guests, and that we dont contribute enough to the
What do you want for the end of this year and for 2015?
fabric of society to create a sense of outrage when our lives are
snatched away from us. And its devastating. And again I dont I am really excited to see my community, my sisters, my
brothers, and apparently my others come closer to the table. Come
ever want to be accused of making sweeping generalizations here,
because Im sitting in front of two cisgender males who have no closer to the table of frank and open understanding. And being
first-hand account of the transgender experience to speak of and open to sharing lived experience. I believe that at our best work we
yet are invested and wish to gain a deeper understanding. Im very are both student and teachers. I have so much to teach and so much
conscious of that and Im very grateful for it, but speaking as a whole to learn, and therein lies the crux of my excitement. We are now
here, only been very recently that the unique needs of the trans beginning to see that door open up. Im ready to sit and participate
community have begun to resound as overlooked by the LGBT in the American conversation.
community at large, and I believe that theyre beginning to own
that, and Im hoping that a change will come. But to date, Matthew
Shepard got murdered, may he rest, in the same span of time that
Rita Hester did. President Bill Clinton spoke about it, there was
a national conversation had, hate crime laws were implemented.
Someone like Rita dies, we get maybe 250 people to a rally, and
we call that a good outcome. Why is one more newsworthy than
another? Is it because Matthew was a white, quiet, cis-gender
male with a reasonable trajectory to his journey, or the reasonable
expectation of a successful life ahead of him? And Rita was a black
trans woman who was incredibly well traveled and would routinely
show up to bars wearing a toga because of her trips to Greece, but
didnt necessarily incite the kind of empathy and sympathy that
looking at a white teenage young man would? Or is just the luck of
the draw? I guess Ill let your audience draw their own conclusions.
27
 How do you feel about gender non-conforming identity
burgeoning as a new form of trans identity?
I will be the first to admit that the unique issues specific
to the gender non- conforming community are not something
that I am particularity familiar with. I thoroughly support the
inherent right of everyone to self-identify and live in their truth.
I look forward to one day learning about their experiences as
I hope that they would be open to learning about mine. I think
that gender is such broad spectrum and anyone who feels a tug on
their heartstrings or a pull on their lives to transcend traditional
binary or gender-based stereotypes is worthy of admiration. Im
looking forward to see what the new year might teach me in that
department.
What does visibility mean to you?
Well, thats an interesting question. I am in possession of
what our community refers to as passing privilege. The instances in
which I am perceived as something other than a cisgender woman
are pretty rare. I am able to move through this world generally
unread, or unclockable as we say in our
vernacular. I applaud the efforts of Janet
Mock, Laverne Cox, Monica Roberts, I applaud all women,
and all of those phenomenal women
who have made the decision to stand in
and our men of course,
their truth and their trans identities even
though they dont necessarily have to.
Ill never forget them
We are your teachers, your doctors, your
students your nieces, we are ever present
who make the decision to
in all facets of the human experience and
the lady that you may run into getting
stay tethered cause
groceries at the market may very well there was a time,
belong to this community. I applaud
all women, and our men, of course (Ill especially in my era,
never forget them, she exclaims) who
make the decision to stay tethered to a in which I grew up where
trans identity. Because there was a time,
especially in my era, where assimilating assimilating into cisgenderThis year alone 226 transgender
into cisgender society was the goal.
society was the goal. Trans Days of Remembrance
How do you think the goal has
changed if at all?
I mean insofar that this is the world we have to live in it
has not changed. In terms of the way that we live in it and the fact
that we can live in our truth, and kind of find space between those
two circles. Theres a place for that now because theres a dialogue
going on now that is very new. In 2004, I dont think these issues
were as on the floor as they are now. And certainly not when I
began my transition in 1996
26
A lot of times parents have expectations of how children
should be, how did your identity affect your parents
expectations of you?
Thats a great question. I mean it was very clear early on
that despite my fathers best efforts, I was never going to be the
kid that you could throw the football around with. Though I did
have a propensity for baseball, go figure. I was just a really good
catcher! (giggles) I will say that the first vestiges of identity other
than the one I had internalized myself took place in the 3rd grade.
In 3rd grade we put on our first school play, that was actually a
musical. Theater became one of the great loves of my life because
in that moment I was getting applauded for not being what anyone
expected me to be. I was just being a character and this play was
absolutely ridiculous, but those two lines and the song I had really
drastically affected my perception of how I could be in the world.
Its a beautiful thing when you discover something that youre good
at, and I was good, relatively speaking. I loved it and I felt like it
loved me back and the applause that you receive at the end of the
performance, you cant imagine how gratifying or how affirming
that felt to little me. I will say that when my parents came and saw
me perform, which was pretty life
changing cause again it was a school
for just boys and I got the part of a
girl. I was Mary in Tom Sawyer, but
my parents applauded. Once they
saw how much I loved it they really
did support my theater aspirations
and thats when I started going on
weekend trips to New York and saw a
crap ton of Broadway shows. So that
was really the first, in that sense, my
identity was affirmed by them once
they realized this was something
I could do and do well and wasnt
getting into trouble.
people have been murder does
mean to you?
The day of remembrance was created in response to
the gross misgendering by the media in response to a murder of
a Massachusetts resident named Rita Hester. Rita Hester was my
sister. She was really more of a mentor to me. I remember being a
young trans girl and in the first year of my transition, and without
trying to sound melodramatic, in a lot of ways you are reborn, you
are experiencing the world as your authentic self for the very first
time where your visage is in alignment to your internal truth. So
it can be a very kind of down the rabbit hole, opening the door
to Oz, the world is finally in Technicolor kind of experience. And
Rita was an incredibly giving soul, she took time out for everybody,
she had a very nurturing quality about her and just a genuine
desire to assist younger girls with navigating through a very new
experience. At the same time, she was relatable and personable,
she wasnt aloof, she was approachable. In the wake of her murder
Gwen Smith organized the first day of remembrance in Boston
and simultaneously in San Francisco, and now it has become a
worldwide, globally accepted event that started with someone I
loved incredibly dearly and miss daily.
With the high amount of transgender murders how do you
or the community how do you cope with dealing with such There is still the perception
recurring loss?
I dont know that Im equipped to speak for the entire that we are
community; its a personal issue. It would really depend on how
long youve been a part of the community, how invested you are.
largely drag entertainers,
Generally speaking, its always disheartening, its never the kind
of thing that I feel apathy towards, and for me its always about
largely sex workers,
what the next step is going to be. If this was a murder, will it be
another murder that goes unprosecuted? Will someone even be
largely Jerry Springer guests,
apprehended? On November 28, it will be 15 years since Ritas and that we dont contribute
murder. No one has ever been arrested. Theres obviously been no
prosecution. The case has gone cold. Every couple of years I will enough to the fabric of
get a phone call form a sergeant trying to dig up new information,
but we still have nobody. Those are the kinds of things you pray society to create
dont happen when you find out someone else has been killed.
Because, I am not closer to an answer to why my sister had to die a sense of outrage
at 35 years old than I was at 20 when it happened. And that really
hurts. So its always personal. Its always tragic. So if there is some when our lives are
silver lining to be found, it is in that some kind for justice can be
served. But for many trans women of color, it typically isnt. When snatched away from us.
you hear about stories of girls like Angie Zapata and Tyra Hunter
If you could look back and tell your self anything what
and Gwen Araujo, the fact that justice was served at least in some
approximation shouldnt be a reason to celebrate, but for us it is, would you say?
because at least there is that. It should be a given, but its not for us. Pre-transition, I could look back and say, you were right.
Everyone was wrong, and you were right. There is a name for who
Why do you think there isnt an outcry among the LGBT you are, and there is a community based on who you are, and that
thing that you agonized over that and lost yourself in day after day
community? Why do you think there is not enough unity
when these tragedies occur?
for the first sixteen years was valid and affirmable. It matters and
you matter, and the next sixteen years are going to be worlds better
Because I think the unfortunate and misguided perception
of transwomen in general, and transwomen of color in particular, is
knowing you were right. My twenties were a lot less deep than that.
It would probably be, just dump him. He aint shit, he aint ever
that we are expendable. The term disposable people came across
my desk one day, and it struck me. There is still the perception
gonna be shit, and just dump him. You were just lonely as hell.
(laughing)
that we are largely drag entertainers, largely sex workers, largely
Jerry Springer guests, and that we dont contribute enough to the
What do you want for the end of this year and for 2015?
fabric of society to create a sense of outrage when our lives are
snatched away from us. And its devastating. And again I dont I am really excited to see my community, my sisters, my
brothers, and apparently my others come closer to the table. Come
ever want to be accused of making sweeping generalizations here,
because Im sitting in front of two cisgender males who have no closer to the table of frank and open understanding. And being
first-hand account of the transgender experience to speak of and open to sharing lived experience. I believe that at our best work we
yet are invested and wish to gain a deeper understanding. Im very are both student and teachers. I have so much to teach and so much
conscious of that and Im very grateful for it, but speaking as a whole to learn, and therein lies the crux of my excitement. We are now
here, only been very recently that the unique needs of the trans beginning to see that door open up. Im ready to sit and participate
community have begun to resound as overlooked by the LGBT in the American conversation.
community at large, and I believe that theyre beginning to own
that, and Im hoping that a change will come. But to date, Matthew
Shepard got murdered, may he rest, in the same span of time that
Rita Hester did. President Bill Clinton spoke about it, there was
a national conversation had, hate crime laws were implemented.
Someone like Rita dies, we get maybe 250 people to a rally, and
we call that a good outcome. Why is one more newsworthy than
another? Is it because Matthew was a white, quiet, cis-gender
male with a reasonable trajectory to his journey, or the reasonable
expectation of a successful life ahead of him? And Rita was a black
trans woman who was incredibly well traveled and would routinely
show up to bars wearing a toga because of her trips to Greece, but
didnt necessarily incite the kind of empathy and sympathy that
looking at a white teenage young man would? Or is just the luck of
the draw? I guess Ill let your audience draw their own conclusions.
27
 Gender and Sex
[___] just want to
have fun. [___]
GENDER dont cry.
By Celene Chen &
Samantha Schloeman
T
he muscular, financially successful, overtly sexual and
to the point man exists with his counterpoint; the slim,
aesthetically pleasing, supportive, passive, caring woman.
As children, these ideas are compounded by parents gender
policing. Boys are socialized into being aggressive, sexual, and
emotionally repressive when parents and adults say Boys dont
cry and Dont be a sissy and stress the importance of contact perceptions of individuals based on their gender, logically,
sports. Girls are socialized into being the opposite with phrases
such as Dont get your dress dirty playing with those boys and
Stop being bossy. Males are assumed to take the male gender
role and therefore be attracted to women. Females are assumed to
the take the female gender role and therefore be attracted to men.
The few who recognize any deviation from this structure simply
&
add homosexuality as another opposite to heterosexuality. Male-
female. Man-woman. Heterosexual-homosexual. Our society is
built on simple dichotomies and stereotypes leaving no room for
fluidity or those in between.
These are the gender roles which are endemic to American
culture. A gender role is a Set of social and behavioral norms that
are widely considered to be socially appropriate for members of a
specific sex (Princeton.edu). In American culture, we hold onto
these stereotypes so strongly that many see them as the natural
way of things. In fact, these gender roles even influence the ways
in which we raise our children and build our own lives.
The Function of Gender
Roles in America
It is proven that children as young as three can properly
identify girls from boys given visual cues only. For example, a male
toddler sees another child with long hair and automatically assumes
that child is a girl. The boy knows, from such a young age, what is
meant for girls and what is meant for boys. The development of a
gender dichotomy is a testament to the strict adherence the average
American parent keeps with gender roles. This explains the
SEX
observation, 66 percent of fourth grade girls say they like science
and math, but only 18 percent of all college engineering majors are
female (National Foundation of Science), as children grow into
adulthood, many former dreams and aspirations fade due in part
to the pressure of staying within ones assigned gender role.
In our culture, gender expression (the clothes we wear, the haircut
we have, and the activities we take part in) is inextricably linked
to biological sex. From the instant a baby is born in America, that
child is labeled and assigned a gender role. There is no room for
28
fluidity or middle ground. This ruthless adherence to the gender
binary serves as a detriment for many individuals who do not fulfill
all the attributes of their prescribed role. Those of us who refuse the
gender role given are misunderstood, shamed, and marginalized.
Western gender roles serve as the base for gender
inequality; Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or
when one gender is raised in a culture which shames individual
strength or assertiveness (as with females) or vulnerability (as with
males) a construct begins to form in which the male is viewed as
superior, while the female fades into the background. This system
is problematic, for it lays the groundwork for the social issues we
are now facing including the gender pay gap, objectification of
womens bodies, and rape culture.
But let us continue on with the dictionary definition of a gender
role. It is also true that, Socially accepted gender roles differ widely
between different cultures (Princeton.edu). These differences
show how Western notions of sex and gender expression are
not universal; which leads to the conclusion that gender can be
expressed in whichever way the individual feels most comfortable.
One of the most radical examples of difference occurred in Western
Native American tribes.
Gender In Western Native
American Tribes
Prior to the colonization of the American West, many
Native American tribes shared an egalitarian mode of production
between the sexes (Blackwood Sexuality and Gender in Native
American Tribescopy). The Kaska of the Yukon Territory, the
Klamath of southern Oregon, the Mohave, Mariscopa, and Cocopa
of the Colorado River and Southwest all defied Western concepts
of gender and dominance.
In these societies, males and females took part in different
jobs to maintain the wellbeing of the tribe. However, no role was
considered more important or dominant over the other. This
resulted in gender asymmetry, where different tasks are assigned
to different genders without those genders being unequal. Each
individual of the tribe was autonomous. Women of the tribes
owned and distributed the articles they produced (Blackwood)
and they had equal voices in issues of the family and community.
Individuals of both sexes achieved positions of leadership through
their skill, wisdom, and spiritual power. So while the spheres of
activity differed between the sexes, no one sex had an inferior or
29
 Gender and Sex
[___] just want to
have fun. [___]
GENDER dont cry.
By Celene Chen &
Samantha Schloeman
T
he muscular, financially successful, overtly sexual and
to the point man exists with his counterpoint; the slim,
aesthetically pleasing, supportive, passive, caring woman.
As children, these ideas are compounded by parents gender
policing. Boys are socialized into being aggressive, sexual, and
emotionally repressive when parents and adults say Boys dont
cry and Dont be a sissy and stress the importance of contact perceptions of individuals based on their gender, logically,
sports. Girls are socialized into being the opposite with phrases
such as Dont get your dress dirty playing with those boys and
Stop being bossy. Males are assumed to take the male gender
role and therefore be attracted to women. Females are assumed to
the take the female gender role and therefore be attracted to men.
The few who recognize any deviation from this structure simply
&
add homosexuality as another opposite to heterosexuality. Male-
female. Man-woman. Heterosexual-homosexual. Our society is
built on simple dichotomies and stereotypes leaving no room for
fluidity or those in between.
These are the gender roles which are endemic to American
culture. A gender role is a Set of social and behavioral norms that
are widely considered to be socially appropriate for members of a
specific sex (Princeton.edu). In American culture, we hold onto
these stereotypes so strongly that many see them as the natural
way of things. In fact, these gender roles even influence the ways
in which we raise our children and build our own lives.
The Function of Gender
Roles in America
It is proven that children as young as three can properly
identify girls from boys given visual cues only. For example, a male
toddler sees another child with long hair and automatically assumes
that child is a girl. The boy knows, from such a young age, what is
meant for girls and what is meant for boys. The development of a
gender dichotomy is a testament to the strict adherence the average
American parent keeps with gender roles. This explains the
SEX
observation, 66 percent of fourth grade girls say they like science
and math, but only 18 percent of all college engineering majors are
female (National Foundation of Science), as children grow into
adulthood, many former dreams and aspirations fade due in part
to the pressure of staying within ones assigned gender role.
In our culture, gender expression (the clothes we wear, the haircut
we have, and the activities we take part in) is inextricably linked
to biological sex. From the instant a baby is born in America, that
child is labeled and assigned a gender role. There is no room for
28
fluidity or middle ground. This ruthless adherence to the gender
binary serves as a detriment for many individuals who do not fulfill
all the attributes of their prescribed role. Those of us who refuse the
gender role given are misunderstood, shamed, and marginalized.
Western gender roles serve as the base for gender
inequality; Gender inequality refers to unequal treatment or
when one gender is raised in a culture which shames individual
strength or assertiveness (as with females) or vulnerability (as with
males) a construct begins to form in which the male is viewed as
superior, while the female fades into the background. This system
is problematic, for it lays the groundwork for the social issues we
are now facing including the gender pay gap, objectification of
womens bodies, and rape culture.
But let us continue on with the dictionary definition of a gender
role. It is also true that, Socially accepted gender roles differ widely
between different cultures (Princeton.edu). These differences
show how Western notions of sex and gender expression are
not universal; which leads to the conclusion that gender can be
expressed in whichever way the individual feels most comfortable.
One of the most radical examples of difference occurred in Western
Native American tribes.
Gender In Western Native
American Tribes
Prior to the colonization of the American West, many
Native American tribes shared an egalitarian mode of production
between the sexes (Blackwood Sexuality and Gender in Native
American Tribescopy). The Kaska of the Yukon Territory, the
Klamath of southern Oregon, the Mohave, Mariscopa, and Cocopa
of the Colorado River and Southwest all defied Western concepts
of gender and dominance.
In these societies, males and females took part in different
jobs to maintain the wellbeing of the tribe. However, no role was
considered more important or dominant over the other. This
resulted in gender asymmetry, where different tasks are assigned
to different genders without those genders being unequal. Each
individual of the tribe was autonomous. Women of the tribes
owned and distributed the articles they produced (Blackwood)
and they had equal voices in issues of the family and community.
Individuals of both sexes achieved positions of leadership through
their skill, wisdom, and spiritual power. So while the spheres of
activity differed between the sexes, no one sex had an inferior or
29
dominant role in the community.
Since there was no patriarchal hierarchy to uphold, a
system of gender fluidity was accepted. In these tribes, biological
sex was not seen as necessarily correlating with gender expression.
Therefore, cross-gender males and females were widely accepted
and respected in these societies. The cross-gender individuals
acted, sat, dressed, talked like, and did the work of the other
sex (Blackwood). As children, the cross-gender members of the
tribe would show a natural inclination towards the role of the
opposite gender. Adults would acknowledge the childs interests
and teach them the tasks they desired to learn. Once the cross-
gender individual reached adulthood, they would be allowed to
marry and establish a household. In the case of the cross-gender
females (biological females whose gender expression was of a man)
would enter the marriage market for a wife. The cross gender
females would perform the Duties of the male gender role. Their
tasks included hunting, trapping, cultivating crops, and fighting in
battles (Blackwood).
that precluded colonization. Instead, the general lack
of support towards people who transgress prescribed
gender roles today demonstrates the continuing
negative effects of colonization in perpetuating binding
Western values surrounding gender. Andrea Smith
speaks of three pillars supporting white supremacy, a
major one being Genocide/Colonialism. The genocide
of Native Americans stretches beyond the familiar tale
of King Philips War, biological warfare, and smallpox
infected blankets. The loss of cultural values- such
as that of gender equality and fluidity allowing for
cross-gender females to simply exist- lies within the
boundaries of genocide as erasing entire cultures. The
idea that gender fluidity is relatively new, and/or an idea
spearheaded by rebellious whites in modern day society
is not only false but also contributes to erasure of Native
American history. Western taking of Native American
land, culture, and life is seen in the everyday acceptance
of a capitalist society with a heavy basis on rigid gender
roles where transgender or gender-nonconforming
people rarely find safe spaces.
So What Can Be Done
Here?
Rigid gender roles, which are forced on an
individual since the moment of birth, are used to keep
patriarchal societies firmly in place. These ingrained
expectations lead to the assumption that male
dominance is simply due to human nature. However,
Western culture is not universal and the equality-driven
societies of the Western Native American Tribes suggest
that gender inequality is not natural.
Every individual must allow themselves the
freedom to express their gender in whichever way
yields the most happiness and fulfillment, regardless of
biological sex or societal pressures. The understanding
we have of ourselves must orient our dreams and
aspirations; not the people that others tell us we must
be. Gender is a complex spectrum; gender roles should
also be allowed fluidity to each individual.

The Demise of the Native

Cross-Gender
The demise of the cross-gender role was a result of the
adoption of the dominant Western ideology of gender.
As colonization took place in the tribes territories,
white culture encouraged Native Americans to reject
the cross-gender role and Invoke notions of proper
sexuality that supported mens possession of sexual
rights to women (Blackwood). However, the Western
influence on the social structure of the Native American
tribes doesnt invalidate the centuries of gender equality

30 31
dominant role in the community.
Since there was no patriarchal hierarchy to uphold, a
system of gender fluidity was accepted. In these tribes, biological
sex was not seen as necessarily correlating with gender expression.
Therefore, cross-gender males and females were widely accepted
and respected in these societies. The cross-gender individuals
acted, sat, dressed, talked like, and did the work of the other
sex (Blackwood). As children, the cross-gender members of the
tribe would show a natural inclination towards the role of the
opposite gender. Adults would acknowledge the childs interests
and teach them the tasks they desired to learn. Once the cross-
gender individual reached adulthood, they would be allowed to
marry and establish a household. In the case of the cross-gender
females (biological females whose gender expression was of a man)
would enter the marriage market for a wife. The cross gender
females would perform the Duties of the male gender role. Their
tasks included hunting, trapping, cultivating crops, and fighting in
battles (Blackwood).
that precluded colonization. Instead, the general lack
of support towards people who transgress prescribed
gender roles today demonstrates the continuing
negative effects of colonization in perpetuating binding
Western values surrounding gender. Andrea Smith
speaks of three pillars supporting white supremacy, a
major one being Genocide/Colonialism. The genocide
of Native Americans stretches beyond the familiar tale
of King Philips War, biological warfare, and smallpox
infected blankets. The loss of cultural values- such
as that of gender equality and fluidity allowing for
cross-gender females to simply exist- lies within the
boundaries of genocide as erasing entire cultures. The
idea that gender fluidity is relatively new, and/or an idea
spearheaded by rebellious whites in modern day society
is not only false but also contributes to erasure of Native
American history. Western taking of Native American
land, culture, and life is seen in the everyday acceptance
of a capitalist society with a heavy basis on rigid gender
roles where transgender or gender-nonconforming
people rarely find safe spaces.
So What Can Be Done
Here?
Rigid gender roles, which are forced on an
individual since the moment of birth, are used to keep
patriarchal societies firmly in place. These ingrained
expectations lead to the assumption that male
dominance is simply due to human nature. However,
Western culture is not universal and the equality-driven
societies of the Western Native American Tribes suggest
that gender inequality is not natural.
Every individual must allow themselves the
freedom to express their gender in whichever way
yields the most happiness and fulfillment, regardless of
biological sex or societal pressures. The understanding
we have of ourselves must orient our dreams and
aspirations; not the people that others tell us we must
be. Gender is a complex spectrum; gender roles should
also be allowed fluidity to each individual.

The Demise of the Native

Cross-Gender
The demise of the cross-gender role was a result of the
adoption of the dominant Western ideology of gender.
As colonization took place in the tribes territories,
white culture encouraged Native Americans to reject
the cross-gender role and Invoke notions of proper
sexuality that supported mens possession of sexual
rights to women (Blackwood). However, the Western
influence on the social structure of the Native American
tribes doesnt invalidate the centuries of gender equality

30 31
 Gender and Sex
Strong Independent Princess
Who
By: Laura Goetz
Dont Need No Prince
A
fter cleaning out my attic, a majority of my childhood
had condensed into old diaries or old art projects that
my parents forced me to sort through and throw away.
I blew the dust off cover after cover of my very early diaries and
was surprised to find that the writing was extremely limited (most
likely due to my inability to spell anything) and was instead filled
with very detailed drawings of weddings and boys that I thought
were cute in my kindergarten class. I even went so far as to draw
the mole on the cheek of the boy I fancied the most. It didnt stop
there. There were drawings of me getting chased by these boys
and playfully flirting with many boys at once. I only portrayed
myself as anything besides a flirtatious kindergartener once; I
had drawn myself as a scientist who created an anti-boogerball
serum (to compete with the boys I guess?) with the help of my
many imaginary animals. Otherwise, I only focused on the aspect
of myself that fantasized about my marriage and male attention.
I was absolutely appalled. I remembered being boy
crazy but there were so many other parts of my early self
that I didnt think were important enough to document,
incidentally the parts of me that lasted into adulthood.
Clearly my visual diary of early sexuality showed my high-
interest in the arts, but I also loved animals and I loved to read.
As I searched my mind for an explanation while continuing
32
to enter other peoples houses and sleep in their beds, Snow
White also taught us the importance of waiting for a handsome
prince to sweep you off your feet. Snow White attracted me as a
child because she was beautiful and, kind, and men chased after
to clean out my attic, I found an answer: piles of classic Disney VHS
her even though all she did was sing and clean. She was dead
tapes. We had well worn copies of all the princess movies, but the
and still managed to get married. I thought she had it made.
most watched were The Little Mermaid and Snow White.
It now bothers me that this princess I looked up to had zero
The Little Mermaid was my favorite movie when I was younger,
personality. She was simply a damsel in distress and that was it. Ariel
I loved it enough that my sister and I constantly fought over who
at the very least was rebellious and strong-willed but Snow White
could declare themselves as Ariel for the movie viewing session,
was simply a scared, lost princess who knew how to run a household.
forcing the other sister to be stuck with Flounder (the ugliest fish
Disney movies teach girls a variety of unacceptable
I have ever seen). The Little Mermaid has a ton of issues now that
messages: beauty is the one of the most important thing for a
I think about it more- specifically the part when Ursula convinces
woman, along with being white, straight and love from a man.These
Ariel to sell her most defining talent, her beautiful singing voice
messages have contributed to many difficult issues for girls as they
in exchange for the opportunity to pursue a man. How many
become women, among these issues such as body shame, eating
of us former little girls grew up believing it is appropriate to
disorders, dumbing themselves down, fear of not conforming to
choose a man over our distinguishing skills? If only Ariel had a
heterosexual norms and fear of rejection from men and peers.
mother or one of her sisters to step in and tell her the truth about
One of the most prominent discussions about Disney
real relationships so Ariel could make an informed decision.
princesses revolves around the whitewashed color of the Disney
Snow White, the first Disney princess, spends most of the
princesses. Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Ariel and Sleeping Beauty
movie as a damsel in distress who is hiding from the evil queen in
are all white women. Sometimes Jasmine is thrown into the mix but
the house of seven dwarves. She cleans and cooks in exchange for
how her character is drawn is problematic. She is constantly sexualized
room and board. She is the first princess who uses a full crew of
and exoticized through the movie, which keeps her otherwise
animals to do work for her because she is so sweet and nurturing
decent personality from shining through. We all remember Jasmine
that animals forget their wild instincts and instead find cleaning
dressed in little sexy red number to seduce Jafar as his slave. None
a tiny cottage a suitable activity. Besides teaching children that
of the other Disney Princesses were ever forced into sexual slavery.
wild forest animals are safe to play with and that it is acceptable
Disney recently created Tiana, the first black Disney
princess. Tiana has a rich character. She values work, and she
pursues her dreams. She learns to fall in love with a man that
respects her and treats her well. She looks like many girls that never
had a princess to look up to. On paper, Tiana is an awesome and
well needed addition to the princess crew. Unfortunately, Tiana
spends a majority of the movie with green skin that encourages
osmosis and a long tongue to catch unsuspecting flies. She
was created to represent women of color but Tiana was only a
woman of color for the beginning and end of the movie. What
message does it send to girls when Disney finds it acceptable
to portray one of the very limited diverse characters as a frog?
The saddest part of this Disney princess phenomenon
that affects all girls is that girls are taught the love from a man
is enough validation to satisfy her for a lifetime. Even as young
women balance love, friends, family, work and college classes, it is
very difficult to deal with the romantic ups and downs. Countless
hours of my college life have been spent counseling someone
through rejection, confusion about feelings and especially with
loneliness as a single girl wanting to be in love. Even though the
women in my life feel silly for bringing up the loneliness they feel,
they still feel it and it still hurts them. We are taught to believe that
we are not good enough unless a man has deemed us as worthy
and without this validation, emptiness envelops the heart.
A relationship can validate a woman by showing the
world that she is worthy of respect, but this rule only applies for
strictly prince and princess relationships. Only a man can validate
a woman, another woman cannot validate another woman.
We are taught to believe that relationships and friendships have
a hierarchy that most values heterosexual relationships. Ariel
places her fantasies about a man over her relationships with her
family and friends from home. Snow White leaves the dwarves
to ride off into the sunset with a prince she has never spoken to
before. Even when people are single, happy and still surrounded
by people who love them and care about them, they do not have
the same status as someone in a relationship. Without the stamp of
approval from a man, it is hard for some women to feel complete.
The most kind, funny, smart and brave women that I
count as my closest friends have disclosed to me at some point
that without a boyfriend, they feel incomplete (I am guilty of
this as well). So many journeys that women have to go through
involve becoming satisfied with the relationships and friendships
that you have and not obsessing over singledom. Women
learn to move on from believing that her life starts once she
meets her prince to living every second of her life to the fullest.
This is the effect that Disney movies have on us
when we are growing girls. We see these beautiful princesses
give up everything for the love of a man and it works out for
them. They fall head over heels in love and they get married
and all of their troubles dissolve because it is easy to be happy
when you are only a love interest and someone chooses you.
After cleaning out my attic, two beautiful things
happened: the first was that my mom finally stopped nagging me
to clean out the attic. The second was that I truly appreciated the
positive influences in my life. I was lucky. I was raised by loving
parents, who supported me in my princess craze but also supported
my love for animals, my tendency to ignore them with my nose
in a book, and also my journey in creating close, supportive
friends. Thanks to the environment I grew up in, I quickly grew
out of my boy craze and instead learned to focus on academics,
33
 Gender and Sex
Strong Independent Princess
Who
By: Laura Goetz
Dont Need No Prince
A
fter cleaning out my attic, a majority of my childhood
had condensed into old diaries or old art projects that
my parents forced me to sort through and throw away.
I blew the dust off cover after cover of my very early diaries and
was surprised to find that the writing was extremely limited (most
likely due to my inability to spell anything) and was instead filled
with very detailed drawings of weddings and boys that I thought
were cute in my kindergarten class. I even went so far as to draw
the mole on the cheek of the boy I fancied the most. It didnt stop
there. There were drawings of me getting chased by these boys
and playfully flirting with many boys at once. I only portrayed
myself as anything besides a flirtatious kindergartener once; I
had drawn myself as a scientist who created an anti-boogerball
serum (to compete with the boys I guess?) with the help of my
many imaginary animals. Otherwise, I only focused on the aspect
of myself that fantasized about my marriage and male attention.
I was absolutely appalled. I remembered being boy
crazy but there were so many other parts of my early self
that I didnt think were important enough to document,
incidentally the parts of me that lasted into adulthood.
Clearly my visual diary of early sexuality showed my high-
interest in the arts, but I also loved animals and I loved to read.
As I searched my mind for an explanation while continuing
32
to enter other peoples houses and sleep in their beds, Snow
White also taught us the importance of waiting for a handsome
prince to sweep you off your feet. Snow White attracted me as a
child because she was beautiful and, kind, and men chased after
to clean out my attic, I found an answer: piles of classic Disney VHS
her even though all she did was sing and clean. She was dead
tapes. We had well worn copies of all the princess movies, but the
and still managed to get married. I thought she had it made.
most watched were The Little Mermaid and Snow White.
It now bothers me that this princess I looked up to had zero
The Little Mermaid was my favorite movie when I was younger,
personality. She was simply a damsel in distress and that was it. Ariel
I loved it enough that my sister and I constantly fought over who
at the very least was rebellious and strong-willed but Snow White
could declare themselves as Ariel for the movie viewing session,
was simply a scared, lost princess who knew how to run a household.
forcing the other sister to be stuck with Flounder (the ugliest fish
Disney movies teach girls a variety of unacceptable
I have ever seen). The Little Mermaid has a ton of issues now that
messages: beauty is the one of the most important thing for a
I think about it more- specifically the part when Ursula convinces
woman, along with being white, straight and love from a man.These
Ariel to sell her most defining talent, her beautiful singing voice
messages have contributed to many difficult issues for girls as they
in exchange for the opportunity to pursue a man. How many
become women, among these issues such as body shame, eating
of us former little girls grew up believing it is appropriate to
disorders, dumbing themselves down, fear of not conforming to
choose a man over our distinguishing skills? If only Ariel had a
heterosexual norms and fear of rejection from men and peers.
mother or one of her sisters to step in and tell her the truth about
One of the most prominent discussions about Disney
real relationships so Ariel could make an informed decision.
princesses revolves around the whitewashed color of the Disney
Snow White, the first Disney princess, spends most of the
princesses. Cinderella, Snow White, Belle, Ariel and Sleeping Beauty
movie as a damsel in distress who is hiding from the evil queen in
are all white women. Sometimes Jasmine is thrown into the mix but
the house of seven dwarves. She cleans and cooks in exchange for
how her character is drawn is problematic. She is constantly sexualized
room and board. She is the first princess who uses a full crew of
and exoticized through the movie, which keeps her otherwise
animals to do work for her because she is so sweet and nurturing
decent personality from shining through. We all remember Jasmine
that animals forget their wild instincts and instead find cleaning
dressed in little sexy red number to seduce Jafar as his slave. None
a tiny cottage a suitable activity. Besides teaching children that
of the other Disney Princesses were ever forced into sexual slavery.
wild forest animals are safe to play with and that it is acceptable
Disney recently created Tiana, the first black Disney
princess. Tiana has a rich character. She values work, and she
pursues her dreams. She learns to fall in love with a man that
respects her and treats her well. She looks like many girls that never
had a princess to look up to. On paper, Tiana is an awesome and
well needed addition to the princess crew. Unfortunately, Tiana
spends a majority of the movie with green skin that encourages
osmosis and a long tongue to catch unsuspecting flies. She
was created to represent women of color but Tiana was only a
woman of color for the beginning and end of the movie. What
message does it send to girls when Disney finds it acceptable
to portray one of the very limited diverse characters as a frog?
The saddest part of this Disney princess phenomenon
that affects all girls is that girls are taught the love from a man
is enough validation to satisfy her for a lifetime. Even as young
women balance love, friends, family, work and college classes, it is
very difficult to deal with the romantic ups and downs. Countless
hours of my college life have been spent counseling someone
through rejection, confusion about feelings and especially with
loneliness as a single girl wanting to be in love. Even though the
women in my life feel silly for bringing up the loneliness they feel,
they still feel it and it still hurts them. We are taught to believe that
we are not good enough unless a man has deemed us as worthy
and without this validation, emptiness envelops the heart.
A relationship can validate a woman by showing the
world that she is worthy of respect, but this rule only applies for
strictly prince and princess relationships. Only a man can validate
a woman, another woman cannot validate another woman.
We are taught to believe that relationships and friendships have
a hierarchy that most values heterosexual relationships. Ariel
places her fantasies about a man over her relationships with her
family and friends from home. Snow White leaves the dwarves
to ride off into the sunset with a prince she has never spoken to
before. Even when people are single, happy and still surrounded
by people who love them and care about them, they do not have
the same status as someone in a relationship. Without the stamp of
approval from a man, it is hard for some women to feel complete.
The most kind, funny, smart and brave women that I
count as my closest friends have disclosed to me at some point
that without a boyfriend, they feel incomplete (I am guilty of
this as well). So many journeys that women have to go through
involve becoming satisfied with the relationships and friendships
that you have and not obsessing over singledom. Women
learn to move on from believing that her life starts once she
meets her prince to living every second of her life to the fullest.
This is the effect that Disney movies have on us
when we are growing girls. We see these beautiful princesses
give up everything for the love of a man and it works out for
them. They fall head over heels in love and they get married
and all of their troubles dissolve because it is easy to be happy
when you are only a love interest and someone chooses you.
After cleaning out my attic, two beautiful things
happened: the first was that my mom finally stopped nagging me
to clean out the attic. The second was that I truly appreciated the
positive influences in my life. I was lucky. I was raised by loving
parents, who supported me in my princess craze but also supported
my love for animals, my tendency to ignore them with my nose
in a book, and also my journey in creating close, supportive
friends. Thanks to the environment I grew up in, I quickly grew
out of my boy craze and instead learned to focus on academics,
33
 Gender and Sex
friends and family. With their support I learned to value
myself and create strong friendships. I am not saying that
Disney princess movies solely cause these emotional and
societal problems because obviously, there are a variety
of different ways that sexism and gender conformity
manifest themselves in our culture. Just think twice
next time before you call a girl pink little princess
instead of world expert in the science of boogerballs.
Beauty: Worth It?
By: Gabrielle Ulubay
Little-Known Fact #1: Approximately 10
to 20% of college students admit to hav-
ing had an eating disorder.
Little-Known Fact #2: Only 48% realized
they had one at the time.
Im only a sophomore, but al-
ready Ive met several students who
have had an eating disorder. Most of
them still have one, and most only
admit this when I say I once did.
For two years, I struggled
with bulimia. This habit, often coupled
with anorexia nervosa, uses purging
to expel body mass considered aes-
thetically undesirable. Purging can in-
clude intentional vomiting, excessive
exercising, or over-usage of laxatives.
Little-Known Fact #3: Eating disorders can
be triggered by personal anxiety, hardship,
and, most often, by hatred of ones body.
Consider that Jennifer Lawrence
is regarded as plus-sized; pick up the first
fashion magazine you find. Its clear that
society considers one body type normal,
condemning larger ones physically and
morally unhealthy. Most people know
this, yet as a society we continue to en-
courage the medias narrow-minded idea
of how females should look. Even wom-
en with naturally narrow waists are pho-
to-shopped to appear smaller, sending
women the message that they will never
be thin enough. Academically speaking,
bulimia and anorexia nervosa epitomize
34
post-modernsociety
(which began with the rise
of globalization in the late
20th century). One of the
pillars of post-modernism
is the development of devi-
ant identities, which is pre-
cisely what anorexics and
bulimics do. People with
eating disorders behave
divergently each time they
purge, exercise obsessively,
or starve themselves. They
are also often met with crit-
icism and disgust when and
if they choose to disclose
their habits, resulting in
stigmatization and further
deviance from the main-
stream.
Eating disor-
ders also demonstrate the
post-modern ages theme
of ironic pleasure. An-
orexia nervosa and bulimia cause extreme
pain, dehydration, loss of bone density,
reduced heart rate, muscle loss, fatigue,
hair loss, and the deterioration of inter-
nal organs (such as the gallbladder, small
and large intestines, stomach, and pan-
creas). Bulimia also results in high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and
destruction of the throat and esophagus.
Through such masochism, people with
eating disorders find ironic pleasure not
necessarily through results (bulimics more
often gain weight or suffer severe weight
fluctuations due the constant, rapid expan-
sion and contraction of their stomachs) but
through the idea that if this behavior con-
tinues, the desired results will materialize.
People with eating disorders often
know the aforementioned consequences.
However, it is more desirablefor any-
oneto live a life in which one can like
oneself and look in the mirror without
feeling repulsed. Eating disorders are
both a means to physical beauty as so-
ciety sees it and a manner of self-thera-
py. Relapses often occur during times of
stress and uncertainty, and are a method
of expelling anxiety, not just body mass.
It is difficult to explain such a
mindset to those who have never had an
eating disorder or known anyone open
about having one. Society tells females
that they can only be socially success-
ful if they are attractive, and that they
can only be attractive if they adhere to
an unrealistic, narrow-minded idea of
beauty. We live in a world where all that
is not thin is reviled, and those confi-
dent in their nonconformity to this stan-
dard are considered unusual exceptions.
These disorders are not limited
to one type of person. They permeate all
age groups, races, ethnicities, and religions.
Eating disorders do not discriminate on the
basis of upbringing, sexuality, or geograph-
ic location. They are not exclusively white,
young, straight, modern, or Western, and
are certainly not mere phases. These diseas-
es are instances of mental illness, and often
continue to be struggles long after recovery.
People often dismiss eating disor-
ders as cries for attention, even as bulimia
is called a campus epidemic, 1, 2 even as
eating disorders have the highest death rate
among mental illnesses. This is not an expos
Gender
but a challenge to every member of societys
standards of beauty. How important is it for
our women to conform to these standards?
Is it important enough that women
are starving
themselves
to attain it?
Is it import-
Bender
ant enough
that 10 to
20% of col-
lege students
are losing
muscle mass
every day,
and cant fo-
cus on their
studies be-
cause of how
sick their
disorders are making them? Is it import-
ant enough that kneeling on a bathroom
floor and vomiting five times a day is
preferable to accepting ones body type?
Ask the girls with eating disorders.
Ask the girls who replace meals with coffee
or cigarettes, the girls who go to bed hun-
gry and wake up faint, the girls who bruise
easily because of the damage theyre do-
ing to their bodies, the girls who continue
vomiting even when they want more than
anything to stop (but their bodies wont let
them). Ask the girls who weigh 92 pounds
and cant hold open the door to the library
even though they stopped months ago.
Pictured: Eric Helm, Regan Dvoskin, and Haley Lyons
If you ask whether this masochism
Photographer: Cole Hanna
is worth the attainment of societys beauty
standards, you will not be startled by soci-
etys answer. Because society will be speech-
less, having taught these girls to consider this
question and immediately respond yes.
35
 Gender and Sex
friends and family. With their support I learned to value
myself and create strong friendships. I am not saying that
Disney princess movies solely cause these emotional and
societal problems because obviously, there are a variety
of different ways that sexism and gender conformity
manifest themselves in our culture. Just think twice
next time before you call a girl pink little princess
instead of world expert in the science of boogerballs.
Beauty: Worth It?
By: Gabrielle Ulubay
Little-Known Fact #1: Approximately 10
to 20% of college students admit to hav-
ing had an eating disorder.
Little-Known Fact #2: Only 48% realized
they had one at the time.
Im only a sophomore, but al-
ready Ive met several students who
have had an eating disorder. Most of
them still have one, and most only
admit this when I say I once did.
For two years, I struggled
with bulimia. This habit, often coupled
with anorexia nervosa, uses purging
to expel body mass considered aes-
thetically undesirable. Purging can in-
clude intentional vomiting, excessive
exercising, or over-usage of laxatives.
Little-Known Fact #3: Eating disorders can
be triggered by personal anxiety, hardship,
and, most often, by hatred of ones body.
Consider that Jennifer Lawrence
is regarded as plus-sized; pick up the first
fashion magazine you find. Its clear that
society considers one body type normal,
condemning larger ones physically and
morally unhealthy. Most people know
this, yet as a society we continue to en-
courage the medias narrow-minded idea
of how females should look. Even wom-
en with naturally narrow waists are pho-
to-shopped to appear smaller, sending
women the message that they will never
be thin enough. Academically speaking,
bulimia and anorexia nervosa epitomize
34
post-modernsociety
(which began with the rise
of globalization in the late
20th century). One of the
pillars of post-modernism
is the development of devi-
ant identities, which is pre-
cisely what anorexics and
bulimics do. People with
eating disorders behave
divergently each time they
purge, exercise obsessively,
or starve themselves. They
are also often met with crit-
icism and disgust when and
if they choose to disclose
their habits, resulting in
stigmatization and further
deviance from the main-
stream.
Eating disor-
ders also demonstrate the
post-modern ages theme
of ironic pleasure. An-
orexia nervosa and bulimia cause extreme
pain, dehydration, loss of bone density,
reduced heart rate, muscle loss, fatigue,
hair loss, and the deterioration of inter-
nal organs (such as the gallbladder, small
and large intestines, stomach, and pan-
creas). Bulimia also results in high blood
pressure, high cholesterol, diabetes, and
destruction of the throat and esophagus.
Through such masochism, people with
eating disorders find ironic pleasure not
necessarily through results (bulimics more
often gain weight or suffer severe weight
fluctuations due the constant, rapid expan-
sion and contraction of their stomachs) but
through the idea that if this behavior con-
tinues, the desired results will materialize.
People with eating disorders often
know the aforementioned consequences.
However, it is more desirablefor any-
oneto live a life in which one can like
oneself and look in the mirror without
feeling repulsed. Eating disorders are
both a means to physical beauty as so-
ciety sees it and a manner of self-thera-
py. Relapses often occur during times of
stress and uncertainty, and are a method
of expelling anxiety, not just body mass.
It is difficult to explain such a
mindset to those who have never had an
eating disorder or known anyone open
about having one. Society tells females
that they can only be socially success-
ful if they are attractive, and that they
can only be attractive if they adhere to
an unrealistic, narrow-minded idea of
beauty. We live in a world where all that
is not thin is reviled, and those confi-
dent in their nonconformity to this stan-
dard are considered unusual exceptions.
These disorders are not limited
to one type of person. They permeate all
age groups, races, ethnicities, and religions.
Eating disorders do not discriminate on the
basis of upbringing, sexuality, or geograph-
ic location. They are not exclusively white,
young, straight, modern, or Western, and
are certainly not mere phases. These diseas-
es are instances of mental illness, and often
continue to be struggles long after recovery.
People often dismiss eating disor-
ders as cries for attention, even as bulimia
is called a campus epidemic, 1, 2 even as
eating disorders have the highest death rate
among mental illnesses. This is not an expos
Gender
but a challenge to every member of societys
standards of beauty. How important is it for
our women to conform to these standards?
Is it important enough that women
are starving
themselves
to attain it?
Is it import-
Bender
ant enough
that 10 to
20% of col-
lege students
are losing
muscle mass
every day,
and cant fo-
cus on their
studies be-
cause of how
sick their
disorders are making them? Is it import-
ant enough that kneeling on a bathroom
floor and vomiting five times a day is
preferable to accepting ones body type?
Ask the girls with eating disorders.
Ask the girls who replace meals with coffee
or cigarettes, the girls who go to bed hun-
gry and wake up faint, the girls who bruise
easily because of the damage theyre do-
ing to their bodies, the girls who continue
vomiting even when they want more than
anything to stop (but their bodies wont let
them). Ask the girls who weigh 92 pounds
and cant hold open the door to the library
even though they stopped months ago.
Pictured: Eric Helm, Regan Dvoskin, and Haley Lyons
If you ask whether this masochism
Photographer: Cole Hanna
is worth the attainment of societys beauty
standards, you will not be startled by soci-
etys answer. Because society will be speech-
less, having taught these girls to consider this
question and immediately respond yes.
35
 Gender and Sex

Pictured: Regan Dvoskin,

Celene Chen, Astrid
Crowley, Adriana De
Lucio.

Photographer: Cole
Hanna.

Pictured: Haley Lyons, Eric Helm, Celene Chen,

Astrid Crowley, Adriana De Lucio.
Photographer: Cole Hanna.

36 37
 Gender and Sex

Pictured: Regan Dvoskin,

Celene Chen, Astrid
Crowley, Adriana De
Lucio.

Photographer: Cole
Hanna.

Pictured: Haley Lyons, Eric Helm, Celene Chen,

Astrid Crowley, Adriana De Lucio.
Photographer: Cole Hanna.

36 37
 Gender and Sex

The Beginners Guide to:

often feel extremely alienated when sex is discussed as being yourself to be and what and who you like.
either male or female. What if, when describing Who Youre Looking For, you could
Finally, the sexuality spectrum highlights some well- select more than one category? What if we created one that combined

Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

known and lesser known sexuality identities. It shows the
identifications of heterosexual (attraction to the opposite sex)
and homosexual (attraction to the same sex). Although we love
to focus on these two categories in society (homosexuality still
being a fairly new topic), there are more layers to the discussion
By Amy Stahl, Rachel Tenenbaum, and Maggie Walsh of sexuality. Bisexual describes a person who is sexually and
emotionally attracted towards people of the same gender and
other gender(s). Asexuality describes a person who does not
the sexuality spectrums between homo- and heterosexual, and
BDSM and vanilla sex? Those with specific or atypical sexual
interests shouldnt be relegated to alternative, smaller websites to
find what theyre looking for, particularly if theyre interested in
more than one kind of partner, people should be able to express
themselves without being limited to a handful of terms, when our
life experiences are so much richer than that.

F rom a young age, we are taught that the basics of gender, sex, and
sexuality are very limited: there is male/female, man/woman,
and heterosexual/homosexual. As we grow up, we tend to think of
sex, gender, and sexuality as a black-and-white, one-or-the-other
kind of situation. This is referred to as the Western binary, which
was an influence of white, European, religious settlers, and thus is
deeply rooted in our countrys history. However, as weve become
more aware of LGBTQA people and their issues, weve learned
that gender, sex, and sexuality identities stretch far beyond these
binaries, making this societal norm problematic.
Binaries are harmful because they exclude the
marginalized portion of the human population who do not
identify according to the standards of binaries. Many people who
do not identify within our societys constructed binaries face
discrimination, hatred, and violence as a result of our cultures
labeling. We know that theres some gray area in that spectrum of
sex, and we definitely have come to realize that theres more than
one way to be a man or a woman, and we certainly know theres a
whole wide world of different sexualities, even under the umbrella
of heterosexual. By eliminating the binaries and creating new
ways of organizing possible identities, our society may be able to
better prevent the oppression and exclusion of people who do not
fit within our strictly constructed standards.
Sex, gender and sexuality are all spectrums, not binaries, so lets
articulate them as such. Lets present them as the roughly infinite
options that they are. Many people are calling for this change, and
a few have even designed their own methods for visually indicating
what has traditionally been represented, or not, by words.
While there have been many models
constructed to represent a spectrum
view of identity, we have chosen to focus
on a model affectionately known as the
Genderbread Person. This simple model
highlights each category we will discuss,
including potential options within them
and their definitions.
The first spectrum of the
Genderbread person addresses gender
identities that help to explain how
we express ourselves within society.
Beyond the traditional man and woman,
there are identities such as two-spirit,
transgender, genderqueer, genderless,
and gender non-conforming. Two-
spirit is a term derived from the Native
American language Ojibwe, and refers
to someone who simultaneously
possesses a masculine and feminine
spirit. It is important to note that non-
Native American people identifying as two-spirit is considered
appropriation of their culture. Transgender is a term used to
describe people whose gender expression, behavior, and identity
is different from those typically associated with their assigned
sex at birth. Genderqueer identifying folks do not subscribe to
conventional gender distinctions and can express elements of
various gender identities. Gender non-conforming refers to people
who do not follow societys ideas of how they should look or act.
Finally, genderless (or agender) means that a person does not
identify as any gender, or may consider themselves gender neutral.
Secondly, our model looks at gender expression, which
is how we externally manifest masculinity or femininity in our
clothing, physical appearance, mannerisms, etc. The spectrum
ranges from masculine to feminine, with the ability to fall anywhere
along either spectrum. Butch or hyper-masculine refer to people
who exhibit predominantly masculine traits and encompass a
masculine gender expression, while femme refers to someone who
exhibits predominantly feminine traits. Androgynous or gender-
neutral means that someone exhibits both masculine and feminine
traits at the same time.
Next, the Genderbread person explains biological sex. The
sex spectrum explains the different types of sexual organs that
someone can be born with. These types include typically female
(which is associated with a vagina, ovaries, etc.), typically male
male (which is associated with a penis, testicles, etc.), and intersex.
Intersex is an umbrella term for various conditions that impact the
growth and sexual development of one in 2000 children. People
who are born intersex are part of a marginalized population who
experience sexual attraction. Pansexuality or polysexuality is
attraction to people of any gender or sex identity, including
those outside the binaries.
There are many different applications that these
spectrums can be applied to, and while they should be applied
in every way possible, one that many college students have
experience with is dating apps. Dating apps and websites all use
different ways of asking the same questions: who are you and,
who are you looking for? OkCupid.com is a pretty common
site for twenty-somethings to browse for hookups, dates, or just
shits and giggles. It is known for being a little more liberal in
its options than, say, the much-advertised Match.com. OkCupid
does indeed offer seemingly plenty of options when it comes
to the sexuality of who youre looking for (e.g. Women who
like women, Gay women only, Men who like women), but like
Match, it still asks you to identify yourself along the typical
Western gender binary: man or woman, with no in between.
One site that is making steps towards embracing the
spectrum views is LGBTQutie.com, which allows users to
choose from six options when identifying their Gender/Sex:
Female, Male, Trans-Man, Trans-Woman, Intersex, and Non-
Binary. Their Orientation menu provides options beyond
the norm of straight and gay, as well. I applaud LGBTQuties
progressiveness, but we can do better. We can get closer to all-
encompassing gender identification without ruining dating
websites abilities to match up their users, based on similarities in
profiles. We want to emphasize that we dont need to completely
eliminate these categories and rely solely on profile pictures and
lengthy, awkward, and often confusing self-descriptions; there
are better, feasible options. By including these other identities
and eliminating categories based on the Western binary, we can
help make marginalized people feel more comfortable, not just
on dating websites, but in all aspects of life.
Hopefully this spectrum model has opened your eyes Tips for Embracing the
to a more inclusive view of sex, gender, and sexuality. However,
we must mention that the Genderbread model includes the Spectrum View:
identities that are most commonly recognized -- it doesnt Ask for someones preferred gender pronouns if
include every type of identity and orientation available to people. you dont know
Identity is a very individual feeling - as a society, we cannot and -he, him, his
are not trying to represent every single option because its just
-she, her, hers
not possible. It is especially hard to bring every identity to light -they, them, theirs
when we first need to make steps to move past the binary view
-etc
in the first place. But what if we moved beyond linear thinking?
What if its not so one-dimensional after all?
Dont assume someones identity - there are
We acknowledge that our designs still utilize clearly a number of things it could be!
dichotomies to an extent. However, they place the gender, sex, Keep an open mind; however, dont ask invasive
and sexuality identities in dialogue with each other in such a questions
way that creates opportunities for both increased specificity and
multiplicity. You can be more specific about how you interpret

38 39
 Gender and Sex

The Beginners Guide to:

often feel extremely alienated when sex is discussed as being yourself to be and what and who you like.
either male or female. What if, when describing Who Youre Looking For, you could
Finally, the sexuality spectrum highlights some well- select more than one category? What if we created one that combined

Sex, Gender, and Sexuality

known and lesser known sexuality identities. It shows the
identifications of heterosexual (attraction to the opposite sex)
and homosexual (attraction to the same sex). Although we love
to focus on these two categories in society (homosexuality still
being a fairly new topic), there are more layers to the discussion
By Amy Stahl, Rachel Tenenbaum, and Maggie Walsh of sexuality. Bisexual describes a person who is sexually and
emotionally attracted towards people of the same gender and
other gender(s). Asexuality describes a person who does not
the sexuality spectrums between homo- and heterosexual, and
BDSM and vanilla sex? Those with specific or atypical sexual
interests shouldnt be relegated to alternative, smaller websites to
find what theyre looking for, particularly if theyre interested in
more than one kind of partner, people should be able to express
themselves without being limited to a handful of terms, when our
life experiences are so much richer than that.

F rom a young age, we are taught that the basics of gender, sex, and
sexuality are very limited: there is male/female, man/woman,
and heterosexual/homosexual. As we grow up, we tend to think of
sex, gender, and sexuality as a black-and-white, one-or-the-other
kind of situation. This is referred to as the Western binary, which
was an influence of white, European, religious settlers, and thus is
deeply rooted in our countrys history. However, as weve become
more aware of LGBTQA people and their issues, weve learned
that gender, sex, and sexuality identities stretch far beyond these
binaries, making this societal norm problematic.
Binaries are harmful because they exclude the
marginalized portion of the human population who do not
identify according to the standards of binaries. Many people who
do not identify within our societys constructed binaries face
discrimination, hatred, and violence as a result of our cultures
labeling. We know that theres some gray area in that spectrum of
sex, and we definitely have come to realize that theres more than
one way to be a man or a woman, and we certainly know theres a
whole wide world of different sexualities, even under the umbrella
of heterosexual. By eliminating the binaries and creating new
ways of organizing possible identities, our society may be able to
better prevent the oppression and exclusion of people who do not
fit within our strictly constructed standards.
Sex, gender and sexuality are all spectrums, not binaries, so lets
articulate them as such. Lets present them as the roughly infinite
options that they are. Many people are calling for this change, and
a few have even designed their own methods for visually indicating
what has traditionally been represented, or not, by words.
While there have been many models
constructed to represent a spectrum
view of identity, we have chosen to focus
on a model affectionately known as the
Genderbread Person. This simple model
highlights each category we will discuss,
including potential options within them
and their definitions.
The first spectrum of the
Genderbread person addresses gender
identities that help to explain how
we express ourselves within society.
Beyond the traditional man and woman,
there are identities such as two-spirit,
transgender, genderqueer, genderless,
and gender non-conforming. Two-
spirit is a term derived from the Native
American language Ojibwe, and refers
to someone who simultaneously
possesses a masculine and feminine
spirit. It is important to note that non-
Native American people identifying as two-spirit is considered
appropriation of their culture. Transgender is a term used to
describe people whose gender expression, behavior, and identity
is different from those typically associated with their assigned
sex at birth. Genderqueer identifying folks do not subscribe to
conventional gender distinctions and can express elements of
various gender identities. Gender non-conforming refers to people
who do not follow societys ideas of how they should look or act.
Finally, genderless (or agender) means that a person does not
identify as any gender, or may consider themselves gender neutral.
Secondly, our model looks at gender expression, which
is how we externally manifest masculinity or femininity in our
clothing, physical appearance, mannerisms, etc. The spectrum
ranges from masculine to feminine, with the ability to fall anywhere
along either spectrum. Butch or hyper-masculine refer to people
who exhibit predominantly masculine traits and encompass a
masculine gender expression, while femme refers to someone who
exhibits predominantly feminine traits. Androgynous or gender-
neutral means that someone exhibits both masculine and feminine
traits at the same time.
Next, the Genderbread person explains biological sex. The
sex spectrum explains the different types of sexual organs that
someone can be born with. These types include typically female
(which is associated with a vagina, ovaries, etc.), typically male
male (which is associated with a penis, testicles, etc.), and intersex.
Intersex is an umbrella term for various conditions that impact the
growth and sexual development of one in 2000 children. People
who are born intersex are part of a marginalized population who
experience sexual attraction. Pansexuality or polysexuality is
attraction to people of any gender or sex identity, including
those outside the binaries.
There are many different applications that these
spectrums can be applied to, and while they should be applied
in every way possible, one that many college students have
experience with is dating apps. Dating apps and websites all use
different ways of asking the same questions: who are you and,
who are you looking for? OkCupid.com is a pretty common
site for twenty-somethings to browse for hookups, dates, or just
shits and giggles. It is known for being a little more liberal in
its options than, say, the much-advertised Match.com. OkCupid
does indeed offer seemingly plenty of options when it comes
to the sexuality of who youre looking for (e.g. Women who
like women, Gay women only, Men who like women), but like
Match, it still asks you to identify yourself along the typical
Western gender binary: man or woman, with no in between.
One site that is making steps towards embracing the
spectrum views is LGBTQutie.com, which allows users to
choose from six options when identifying their Gender/Sex:
Female, Male, Trans-Man, Trans-Woman, Intersex, and Non-
Binary. Their Orientation menu provides options beyond
the norm of straight and gay, as well. I applaud LGBTQuties
progressiveness, but we can do better. We can get closer to all-
encompassing gender identification without ruining dating
websites abilities to match up their users, based on similarities in
profiles. We want to emphasize that we dont need to completely
eliminate these categories and rely solely on profile pictures and
lengthy, awkward, and often confusing self-descriptions; there
are better, feasible options. By including these other identities
and eliminating categories based on the Western binary, we can
help make marginalized people feel more comfortable, not just
on dating websites, but in all aspects of life.
Hopefully this spectrum model has opened your eyes Tips for Embracing the
to a more inclusive view of sex, gender, and sexuality. However,
we must mention that the Genderbread model includes the Spectrum View:
identities that are most commonly recognized -- it doesnt Ask for someones preferred gender pronouns if
include every type of identity and orientation available to people. you dont know
Identity is a very individual feeling - as a society, we cannot and -he, him, his
are not trying to represent every single option because its just
-she, her, hers
not possible. It is especially hard to bring every identity to light -they, them, theirs
when we first need to make steps to move past the binary view
-etc
in the first place. But what if we moved beyond linear thinking?
What if its not so one-dimensional after all?
Dont assume someones identity - there are
We acknowledge that our designs still utilize clearly a number of things it could be!
dichotomies to an extent. However, they place the gender, sex, Keep an open mind; however, dont ask invasive
and sexuality identities in dialogue with each other in such a questions
way that creates opportunities for both increased specificity and
multiplicity. You can be more specific about how you interpret

38 39
 Gender and Sex
By Sarah Anderson
Gender Across Time
and Cultures
It is important that as we move toward seeing
gender as a spectrum, we understand that this is
not a new concept.
I
n Western society, there is a prevailing idea that male and fe-
male are the only genders. You may have noticed (even just
through reading this magazine) that we, as a society, are slow-
ly beginning to unlearn this notion. Unfortunately, as westerners,
we have this weird tendency to hijack movements and ideas and
claim them as our own. Its no coincidence that the societies with
the longest and cruelest histories of colonialism also love to erase
the histories of other cultures and substitute their own narrative.
We have to keep this in mind when discussing gender because al-
though were starting to see that gender is not binary, some cultures
have always understood this and have had diverse concepts of gen-
der identity. It is important that as we move toward seeing gender
as a spectrum, we understand that this is not a new concept.
Our binary language makes addressing this issue tricky.
In this article, Im going to explore different concepts of gender
and the history of these identities. I will be using terms such as
assigned male at birth or assigned female at birth because it
is my understanding that this is the preferred terminology of the
trans and nonbinary community in our society. I will even use
these terms when describing genders that exist in locations where
40
assigned male/female at birth is meaningless or inappropriate be-
cause these cultures understand gender in a totally different way.
You may be thinking, Hey, arent you imposing your Western un-
derstanding of gender on people who would identify themselves
quite differently? Werent you just saying that we have a tenden-
cy erase the histories of other cultures and substitute [our] own
narrative? Yes and yes. Unfortunately, I am writing this article in
English and explaining these identities using the words Ive been
given and the proper words from other cultures and languages do
not necessarily translate into our binary language.
Lets start off with some definitions of the more general
terms for minority gender identities so that were all on the same
page. According to nonbinary.org:
Transgender individuals identify with the umbrella
there are records of transgender individuals prior to the current
term covering all gender identities or expressions that
transgress or transcend (go beyond the limits of) societys
rules and concepts of gender.
Genderqueer means non-normative or queer gender
while nonbinary means gender that falls outside the
gender binary model. Both of these terms are extremely
similar in scope, however in practice their connotations
are significantly different.
Terms such as nonbinary and genderqueer became middle of the twentieth century to cover cross-dressing males. Also
necessary when transgender was often assumed to refer to people
who fit inside the gender binary (for example: a man who identifies
as male and was assigned female at birth). Nonbinary more
explicitly refers to people who do not fit within the male-female
binary. Nonbinary.org further clarifies the difference between the
two terms: genderqueer has a similar meaning, but is inherently
political and subversive. These more general terms are super
helpful: now when youre speaking about gender issues, you can
be as inclusive as possible and refer to people in the way that they
prefer. If you dont know how someone would like you to speak to
or about them, just ask!
Now that we have those basic definitions down, lets talk
about the history of some different queer identities. Stonewall
was awesome, but if you try to think of queer folks in the United
States, its hard to conjure any images prior to the 1960s, which,
of course, is an inaccurate reflection of history. Even in the West,
mainstream LGBTQ movement. For example, according to a page
on a blog called Transgriot edited by Roberts, the first genital
reconstruction surgery in Germany was performed in 1930 on Lili
Elbe. It is important to note that this does not mean that there were
not any transgender people in Germany prior to 1930.
Trans and nonbinary people have existed around the
world since long before 1930, and amazingly diverse gender
identities have been constructed across different cultures. Among
the varied cultures of the world, there are multiple interpretations
of gender and many cultures allowed for identities beyond the
male-female binary. The examples of gender identities that I will
be discussing all come from a social justice-oriented blog called
The Peoples Record. In South Asia, there are people who were
assigned male at birth but instead identify as females, known as
Hijras. Hijras often live in separate all-Hijra communities. Within
the Nandi people in Western Kenya, there are women who identify
as female husbands. This means that they take on the role of a
man in their society. Among many indigenous North American
tribes, people commonly identify as Two-Spirit. The term usually
indicates a person whose body simultaneously manifests both a
masculine and a feminine spirit.
In South America, specifically in Brazil, there are people
who identify as travesti. This means that they were assigned male at
birth and identify as females. Travestis are often sexually attracted
to more masculine men. According to anthropologist Don Kulick,
there is a different gender binary: male : not-male. Males include:
men who have sex with women, men who have sex with travestis
but are never on the receiving end of anal sex, men who have sex
with men but are never on the receiving end of anal sex. Not-males
include: women, men who receive anal sex from male gay men or
from travestis.
In Samoa, there is a third gender called faafafine. These
people are assigned male at birth and identify with both male and
female gender characteristics. In Indonesia, there is a third gender
role called waria. Also, in the Bugis culture of one Indonesian
island, there are three sexes: male, female, and intersex and five
genders. In the historic Kingdom of Israel, there were six genders:
zachar: male, nekeveh: female, androgynos: both male and female,
tumtum: gender neutral/without definite gender, aylonit: female-
to-male transgender people, saris: male-to-female transgender
people.
In Thailand, the term kathoey was used in pre-modern
times to refer to intersexual people, and that usage changed in the
in Thailand, there are three different gender identities for people
assigned female at birth: Tom, Dee, and heterosexual woman.
I realize I just threw a lot of information at you. Its
a lot to take in. These are several diverse examples of cultures
that understand gender differently than the male-female binary
that exists in the West today. Once you begin to see gender as a
social construct, it logically follows that different societies would
construct it in different ways. There is incredible variance across
cultures regarding clothing, art, food, music, and way of life. I find
it helpful to understand gender identities as an extension of this
variance.
It is great to see more people in the West become open
to the idea of gender identities other than male and female, or of
identifying with a gender other than the one assigned at birth.
However, as Ive explained, it is important to remember that these
are not new concepts and they did not originate in our society.
There are a multitude of societies that have had this understanding
for thousands of years.
41
 Gender and Sex
By Sarah Anderson
Gender Across Time
and Cultures
It is important that as we move toward seeing
gender as a spectrum, we understand that this is
not a new concept.
I
n Western society, there is a prevailing idea that male and fe-
male are the only genders. You may have noticed (even just
through reading this magazine) that we, as a society, are slow-
ly beginning to unlearn this notion. Unfortunately, as westerners,
we have this weird tendency to hijack movements and ideas and
claim them as our own. Its no coincidence that the societies with
the longest and cruelest histories of colonialism also love to erase
the histories of other cultures and substitute their own narrative.
We have to keep this in mind when discussing gender because al-
though were starting to see that gender is not binary, some cultures
have always understood this and have had diverse concepts of gen-
der identity. It is important that as we move toward seeing gender
as a spectrum, we understand that this is not a new concept.
Our binary language makes addressing this issue tricky.
In this article, Im going to explore different concepts of gender
and the history of these identities. I will be using terms such as
assigned male at birth or assigned female at birth because it
is my understanding that this is the preferred terminology of the
trans and nonbinary community in our society. I will even use
these terms when describing genders that exist in locations where
40
assigned male/female at birth is meaningless or inappropriate be-
cause these cultures understand gender in a totally different way.
You may be thinking, Hey, arent you imposing your Western un-
derstanding of gender on people who would identify themselves
quite differently? Werent you just saying that we have a tenden-
cy erase the histories of other cultures and substitute [our] own
narrative? Yes and yes. Unfortunately, I am writing this article in
English and explaining these identities using the words Ive been
given and the proper words from other cultures and languages do
not necessarily translate into our binary language.
Lets start off with some definitions of the more general
terms for minority gender identities so that were all on the same
page. According to nonbinary.org:
Transgender individuals identify with the umbrella
there are records of transgender individuals prior to the current
term covering all gender identities or expressions that
transgress or transcend (go beyond the limits of) societys
rules and concepts of gender.
Genderqueer means non-normative or queer gender
while nonbinary means gender that falls outside the
gender binary model. Both of these terms are extremely
similar in scope, however in practice their connotations
are significantly different.
Terms such as nonbinary and genderqueer became middle of the twentieth century to cover cross-dressing males. Also
necessary when transgender was often assumed to refer to people
who fit inside the gender binary (for example: a man who identifies
as male and was assigned female at birth). Nonbinary more
explicitly refers to people who do not fit within the male-female
binary. Nonbinary.org further clarifies the difference between the
two terms: genderqueer has a similar meaning, but is inherently
political and subversive. These more general terms are super
helpful: now when youre speaking about gender issues, you can
be as inclusive as possible and refer to people in the way that they
prefer. If you dont know how someone would like you to speak to
or about them, just ask!
Now that we have those basic definitions down, lets talk
about the history of some different queer identities. Stonewall
was awesome, but if you try to think of queer folks in the United
States, its hard to conjure any images prior to the 1960s, which,
of course, is an inaccurate reflection of history. Even in the West,
mainstream LGBTQ movement. For example, according to a page
on a blog called Transgriot edited by Roberts, the first genital
reconstruction surgery in Germany was performed in 1930 on Lili
Elbe. It is important to note that this does not mean that there were
not any transgender people in Germany prior to 1930.
Trans and nonbinary people have existed around the
world since long before 1930, and amazingly diverse gender
identities have been constructed across different cultures. Among
the varied cultures of the world, there are multiple interpretations
of gender and many cultures allowed for identities beyond the
male-female binary. The examples of gender identities that I will
be discussing all come from a social justice-oriented blog called
The Peoples Record. In South Asia, there are people who were
assigned male at birth but instead identify as females, known as
Hijras. Hijras often live in separate all-Hijra communities. Within
the Nandi people in Western Kenya, there are women who identify
as female husbands. This means that they take on the role of a
man in their society. Among many indigenous North American
tribes, people commonly identify as Two-Spirit. The term usually
indicates a person whose body simultaneously manifests both a
masculine and a feminine spirit.
In South America, specifically in Brazil, there are people
who identify as travesti. This means that they were assigned male at
birth and identify as females. Travestis are often sexually attracted
to more masculine men. According to anthropologist Don Kulick,
there is a different gender binary: male : not-male. Males include:
men who have sex with women, men who have sex with travestis
but are never on the receiving end of anal sex, men who have sex
with men but are never on the receiving end of anal sex. Not-males
include: women, men who receive anal sex from male gay men or
from travestis.
In Samoa, there is a third gender called faafafine. These
people are assigned male at birth and identify with both male and
female gender characteristics. In Indonesia, there is a third gender
role called waria. Also, in the Bugis culture of one Indonesian
island, there are three sexes: male, female, and intersex and five
genders. In the historic Kingdom of Israel, there were six genders:
zachar: male, nekeveh: female, androgynos: both male and female,
tumtum: gender neutral/without definite gender, aylonit: female-
to-male transgender people, saris: male-to-female transgender
people.
In Thailand, the term kathoey was used in pre-modern
times to refer to intersexual people, and that usage changed in the
in Thailand, there are three different gender identities for people
assigned female at birth: Tom, Dee, and heterosexual woman.
I realize I just threw a lot of information at you. Its
a lot to take in. These are several diverse examples of cultures
that understand gender differently than the male-female binary
that exists in the West today. Once you begin to see gender as a
social construct, it logically follows that different societies would
construct it in different ways. There is incredible variance across
cultures regarding clothing, art, food, music, and way of life. I find
it helpful to understand gender identities as an extension of this
variance.
It is great to see more people in the West become open
to the idea of gender identities other than male and female, or of
identifying with a gender other than the one assigned at birth.
However, as Ive explained, it is important to remember that these
are not new concepts and they did not originate in our society.
There are a multitude of societies that have had this understanding
for thousands of years.
41

An Interview with
Amila
Cooray
Interview By:
Rachel Tenenbaum
Northeastern Student and Transgender Man Written By:
Adriana de Lucio
Have you seen Zoboomafoo? Im Zoboomafoo. Hes kind of funny, but hes sweet and
there for you... I think it accurately represents me... Theyre generally chipper animals. Meet
Amila Cooray. Along with his belief that if he were any animal hed be a ring-tailed lemur, he is
a class of 2016 fourth year Mechanical Engineering student at Northeastern University. Hes a
big fan of Thai iced tea and October Sky, the sad, but really great movie about guys building
rockets in the middle of nowhere. His top five dog breeds are Golden retrievers, Corgis,
Huskies, Burmese mountain dogs, and just mutts in general. In his free time, he enjoys watching
TV shows like Veronica Mars, Chuck, Burn Notice, Bleach, and White Collar; playing board
games in the LGBTQ resource center; and exploring Boston. If you were asked some of these
quirky questions, I guarantee you would have an answer that would attest to your personality as
well. In a strange way, your answers to these questions make up your personality--a part of your
identity. So, similarly, your answer to a question about your gender, sex, or sexuality would be
a part of your identity too, right? Have you ever been asked about your gender identity? Would
you have an answer to that question? If so, what would it be? Many Northeastern students dont
ponder questions like this because most of our world has blended gender and sex together or
follows the Western Gender Binary System too closely. The Western Gender Binary System
assumes that there are two biological sexes that correspond with two genders and two types of
sexuality (Male/ Female, Man/ Woman, Heterosexual/Homosexual). It is vital to understand
that sex, sexuality, and gender are different aspects of a persons core being; but, one must also
understand the people who fall in between these identifiers. Where does the bisexual community
fall under the sexuality aspect? What about the intersex community in regards to the sex or
gender aspect? Amila is a transgender male student here at Northeastern. Where does Amila fit
in the Western Binary System? The following interview between Amila and Rachel Tenenbaum is
about Amilas experience as a South Asian transgender male living hrough the Western Gender
Binary System at Northeastern University and in everyday life.
42
Rachel: Describe your coming out experience.
Amila: Well, it started with my friends, for sure. I was just
like hey guys, Ive been thinking about this... and my closest
friends knew I was thinking about it for a while. At some
point, I was just like just use masculine pronouns, everyone.
This is me. And the easiest way to do that with everyone I
knew was on Facebook, so I told people I knew in person
first and then I just put it up on Facebook. I decided to tell
my parents shortly after that, because I didnt want someone
I know on Facebook telling my parents, so I told them about
a week later. I waited until they
were in town to do it, and it was my
entire family, so one of my sisters
knew and I sort of prepped her
beforehand, and told her I was going
to do it sometime soon. My other
sister and my parents didnt know.
When I told them, they definitely
sort of saw it coming, they were like
yeah...we sort of knew that this
might happen. They were just...it
was good. They were very concerned
health-wise and what it meant for
my life and my job and how its a
life-altering decision and I shouldnt
make it lightly. In general, it was
received well, and my parents have
been been trying to be supportive,
but I honestly dont know how much
theyre using masculine pronouns
and things like that because theyre
not around and Im not there to correct them. The same with
my sister, I actually got the most resistance from her, the one
I didnt tell, because shes planning her wedding and Im a
bridesmaid, and theres a lot of awkward tension with that
since she has this perfect wedding idea and Im messing it up.
R: How do you think that your ethnicity and your race
affected your coming out process or your discovery
process as someone whos transgender, if it did at all?
A: I dont know a lot of trans people in general, and I dont
know a lot of trans people of color. But, I think the way it
affected me the most wasnt really about me specifically,
but how I thought my family would handle it. Culturally,
Sri Lankans are...well, my family is Catholic, and its not
something thats open in Sri Lankan culture. Gay rights is a
very budding movement currently. I was worried that they
dont know anyone whos trans. When I came out to them as
gay, they sort of knew what was up because it was in the media
and they had friends, or friends whose children were gay, but
with the whole trans thing they were like we dont know
anything about this or anyone else whos like this, and were
not sure how to deal with this and we want to be supportive
but you have to realize that were really naive about this entire
thing. So, that was that. Other than that, I dont think its
really affected me. With my extended family, I technically am
not out to some of them, but my cousins know because of
Facebook and most of them grew up outside of Sri Lanka and
gained a Western perspective on things, so it wasnt as big of a
deal for them. Im not sure about my aunts and uncles though.
R: How do you feel at Northeastern as a transgender
student?
A: I feel pretty comfortable being a
trans student at Northeastern. Im
lucky enough that I dont have to deal
with name changes, because I dont
plan on changing my name, so thats
one thing I dont have to worry about.
R: Have you heard anything about the
name changing process from other
students? Is it a difficult process?
A: Yeah, Ive heard mixed things. Some
people say its really difficult and others
say its really easy. I think its because
the person whos in charge of the name
change policy at Registrar has recently
changed, so maybe now its easier and
they just put it in and its system-wide,
but I dont know if thats a good thing
or a bad thing. I know that you cant
technically change your sex or gender at Northeastern unless
you actually have surgery or be on T for a while, Im not
really sure what the process is. I think you need any legal
documentation. I dont have any of that, since I just started
the whole process. I havent even started T yet. Hopefully,
that will be at the end of this year, but theres some backlash
from my parents thats slowing me down. For classes, as an
Engineering student I dont really interact with a lot of my
professors, so I wasnt sure if I should tell them yet, especially
when I was previously a girl in Engineering and theres not a
lot of us, so we all stick out. Were all kind of grouped together,
like oh, all the girl engineers are sitting on one side of the
room and Im kind of lumped into that and I dont know
how to break out of that. I acknowledge that yeah, that used
to be a thing, but Im not sure what to do with it now. I think
my teachers would be pretty respectful if I came forward and
said hey, youve been saying these things, and Id appreciate
it if you actually didnt do that, but other professors I dont
even talk to because its just lectures. I think the most difficult
thing about Northeastern is the co-op process. Im trying to
navigate that now, like, do I mention this in an interview?
43

An Interview with
Amila
Cooray
Interview By:
Rachel Tenenbaum
Northeastern Student and Transgender Man Written By:
Adriana de Lucio
Have you seen Zoboomafoo? Im Zoboomafoo. Hes kind of funny, but hes sweet and
there for you... I think it accurately represents me... Theyre generally chipper animals. Meet
Amila Cooray. Along with his belief that if he were any animal hed be a ring-tailed lemur, he is
a class of 2016 fourth year Mechanical Engineering student at Northeastern University. Hes a
big fan of Thai iced tea and October Sky, the sad, but really great movie about guys building
rockets in the middle of nowhere. His top five dog breeds are Golden retrievers, Corgis,
Huskies, Burmese mountain dogs, and just mutts in general. In his free time, he enjoys watching
TV shows like Veronica Mars, Chuck, Burn Notice, Bleach, and White Collar; playing board
games in the LGBTQ resource center; and exploring Boston. If you were asked some of these
quirky questions, I guarantee you would have an answer that would attest to your personality as
well. In a strange way, your answers to these questions make up your personality--a part of your
identity. So, similarly, your answer to a question about your gender, sex, or sexuality would be
a part of your identity too, right? Have you ever been asked about your gender identity? Would
you have an answer to that question? If so, what would it be? Many Northeastern students dont
ponder questions like this because most of our world has blended gender and sex together or
follows the Western Gender Binary System too closely. The Western Gender Binary System
assumes that there are two biological sexes that correspond with two genders and two types of
sexuality (Male/ Female, Man/ Woman, Heterosexual/Homosexual). It is vital to understand
that sex, sexuality, and gender are different aspects of a persons core being; but, one must also
understand the people who fall in between these identifiers. Where does the bisexual community
fall under the sexuality aspect? What about the intersex community in regards to the sex or
gender aspect? Amila is a transgender male student here at Northeastern. Where does Amila fit
in the Western Binary System? The following interview between Amila and Rachel Tenenbaum is
about Amilas experience as a South Asian transgender male living hrough the Western Gender
Binary System at Northeastern University and in everyday life.
42
Rachel: Describe your coming out experience.
Amila: Well, it started with my friends, for sure. I was just
like hey guys, Ive been thinking about this... and my closest
friends knew I was thinking about it for a while. At some
point, I was just like just use masculine pronouns, everyone.
This is me. And the easiest way to do that with everyone I
knew was on Facebook, so I told people I knew in person
first and then I just put it up on Facebook. I decided to tell
my parents shortly after that, because I didnt want someone
I know on Facebook telling my parents, so I told them about
a week later. I waited until they
were in town to do it, and it was my
entire family, so one of my sisters
knew and I sort of prepped her
beforehand, and told her I was going
to do it sometime soon. My other
sister and my parents didnt know.
When I told them, they definitely
sort of saw it coming, they were like
yeah...we sort of knew that this
might happen. They were just...it
was good. They were very concerned
health-wise and what it meant for
my life and my job and how its a
life-altering decision and I shouldnt
make it lightly. In general, it was
received well, and my parents have
been been trying to be supportive,
but I honestly dont know how much
theyre using masculine pronouns
and things like that because theyre
not around and Im not there to correct them. The same with
my sister, I actually got the most resistance from her, the one
I didnt tell, because shes planning her wedding and Im a
bridesmaid, and theres a lot of awkward tension with that
since she has this perfect wedding idea and Im messing it up.
R: How do you think that your ethnicity and your race
affected your coming out process or your discovery
process as someone whos transgender, if it did at all?
A: I dont know a lot of trans people in general, and I dont
know a lot of trans people of color. But, I think the way it
affected me the most wasnt really about me specifically,
but how I thought my family would handle it. Culturally,
Sri Lankans are...well, my family is Catholic, and its not
something thats open in Sri Lankan culture. Gay rights is a
very budding movement currently. I was worried that they
dont know anyone whos trans. When I came out to them as
gay, they sort of knew what was up because it was in the media
and they had friends, or friends whose children were gay, but
with the whole trans thing they were like we dont know
anything about this or anyone else whos like this, and were
not sure how to deal with this and we want to be supportive
but you have to realize that were really naive about this entire
thing. So, that was that. Other than that, I dont think its
really affected me. With my extended family, I technically am
not out to some of them, but my cousins know because of
Facebook and most of them grew up outside of Sri Lanka and
gained a Western perspective on things, so it wasnt as big of a
deal for them. Im not sure about my aunts and uncles though.
R: How do you feel at Northeastern as a transgender
student?
A: I feel pretty comfortable being a
trans student at Northeastern. Im
lucky enough that I dont have to deal
with name changes, because I dont
plan on changing my name, so thats
one thing I dont have to worry about.
R: Have you heard anything about the
name changing process from other
students? Is it a difficult process?
A: Yeah, Ive heard mixed things. Some
people say its really difficult and others
say its really easy. I think its because
the person whos in charge of the name
change policy at Registrar has recently
changed, so maybe now its easier and
they just put it in and its system-wide,
but I dont know if thats a good thing
or a bad thing. I know that you cant
technically change your sex or gender at Northeastern unless
you actually have surgery or be on T for a while, Im not
really sure what the process is. I think you need any legal
documentation. I dont have any of that, since I just started
the whole process. I havent even started T yet. Hopefully,
that will be at the end of this year, but theres some backlash
from my parents thats slowing me down. For classes, as an
Engineering student I dont really interact with a lot of my
professors, so I wasnt sure if I should tell them yet, especially
when I was previously a girl in Engineering and theres not a
lot of us, so we all stick out. Were all kind of grouped together,
like oh, all the girl engineers are sitting on one side of the
room and Im kind of lumped into that and I dont know
how to break out of that. I acknowledge that yeah, that used
to be a thing, but Im not sure what to do with it now. I think
my teachers would be pretty respectful if I came forward and
said hey, youve been saying these things, and Id appreciate
it if you actually didnt do that, but other professors I dont
even talk to because its just lectures. I think the most difficult
thing about Northeastern is the co-op process. Im trying to
navigate that now, like, do I mention this in an interview?
43
 Do I not say anything at all until I get a job? I havent exactly
told my advisor because Im not sure how shed be able to
help, if its something I should just have on my resume, like
as preferred gender pronouns? Its a weird thing to navigate,
especially because Im in this awkward in-between stage
where I say Im one thing but I havent really done anything,
like I havent gone through what most people would consider
necessary to be a trans person. So, Im like faking it until I
make it. Im not like a real trans person, because I havent
gone through these things that most people recognize as
the process of being transgender. Even for myself, to feel
like I have the validity to use that label sometimes. Im like,
biologically, everythings still the same. I just tell them that I
want them to do something else instead. Its really a choice
that people have to make in their minds, versus a physical
thing thats actually happening. I think overall Northeastern
isnt an unsafe place, Ive never dealt with anything like that on
campus, and of my friends in classes
who know theyre all very supportive.
People think that
R: You mentioned that the co-op
process could be problematic.
because Im a man
Do you think there are any other
resources Northeastern can
and I like
improve for trans people and
LGBTQ people in general?
women, Im straight
A: For the co-op specific thing, I think now, but thats
not really how it
the problem with the whole LGBTQ
community at Northeastern is that
no one knows anything. No one
knows what the policy is for name
changes or sex changes. Its not easily
works for me.
accessible information. You have to
pry it out of people. Youll get conflicting stories, too. Its the
classic Northeastern shuffle. You ask one person one thing
and theyre like oh but you should confirm with this other
person. Its not easily found online, and nobody knew until
this year that trans people were covered under Northeasterns
health insurance, because it used to not be, but now it is,
and thats a huge deal but nobody knew. Theres a lot of lack
of accessibility and publicity for a lot of these things. I feel
like I wouldnt necessarily know that Northeastern is super
gay-friendly, its not the first thing that comes to mind. Its
there, but its not obvious. One of the reasons I actually liked
Northeastern even more than I already did was when we
were doing a tour, we saw the spray-painting on the ground
outside of Churchill that says happy National Coming
Out Day, 10/11 and we saw it while we were touring and
thought it was pretty cool. My dad was like oh, there are
people of your kind here. Which is weird. But I was like
oh, theres a good queer community on campus which was
important to me. I think we need more visibility like that.
44
R: If you had to say something to the student body,
about trans issues in general, what would you say?
A: I think non-binary trans people are really important.
When people think of being trans, they think of FTM or
MTF [female-to-male or male-to-female], but like, what if
youre neither? I feel like its how people think bisexuality
doesnt exist, they also dont think you cant be genderqueer
or gender non-conforming or intersex. Anything in the
middle doesnt exist, and its very black-and-white. Theres
a lot of confusion about it. Nobody really recognizes non-
binary trans people. I think theres a lot more trans viability,
which is great because it was pretty much nonexistent, but I
want non-binary trans visibility to increase at the same time.
Do we know any famous non-binary trans people? No. Is
there a TV show about non-binary trans people? No. Also,
gender expression and sexual orientation are not the same
thing. Obviously, theyre not the same
thing, but theyre not linked. People
think that because Im a man and I like
women, Im straight now, but thats not
really how it works for me. I would
still identify as a lesbian, and people
are like then youre a girl liking a girl,
and Im like, yeah, I was a girl. Every
trans person has different experiences.
Ive run into people who are like no,
Im a dude, Ive always been a dude,
thats the way its gonna be. And then
theyll modify how they feel after they
transition, and they cut out the story
of who they were before and they dont
like to talk about it. For me, its very
important. I think its more typical to
not want to talk about yourself pre-transition and cast away
your old gender identity if you transition was early in life.
For me, the majority of my life was spent as female, so of
course I understand the female experience and I know what
its like. One thing I was worried about when I came out
as trans was that I cant be a part of certain female groups
anymore because I dont count anymore, but at the same
time I feel like I do, and I still have a connection to them, but
its hard to think that I cant have that connection anymore.
R: Theres a lot of discussion, especially about FTM
trans people and how they experience a change in
privilege and how theyre treated. Since women are
the minority gender, they can be treated differently.
Can you discuss how that shift has occurred, if it has,
and how you feel about it?
A: I feel like I havent experienced a ton of oh, youre a guy
now, here are your privileges that you didnt have before. I
think I need to be more conscious about things. I feel like
I could get away with saying certain things before since it if theyre trans or not. Just learn their pronouns. If you dont
was like Im a girl, I can say these things because I know want to single out your friend by asking their pronouns, you
whats happening, but now it would be weird for me as a should start doing that as well. Like, ask everyone what their
guy to say those same things. Like, walking at night, I dont preferred pronouns are, even if they present in a certain way.
feel unsafe, and I didnt really used to because I dressed
like a guy for the most part. I feel like I pass enough that if
someone saw me on the street I wouldnt feel unsafe in the
sense that I dont think I would ever be sexual assaulted or
harassed. I think it changed a little bit since now Im more
confident in my presentation as a guy so I dont think about
it anymore. I also need to think like, I could be that creepy
guy thats following this girl without meaning to, which is
weird because Im like no, Im not creepy, Im one of you!
And people never really say any questionable things to me,
so thats good. People are just more careful about pronouns
and stuff now. Theyre also always wanting to know how far
along I am in my transition, but Im willing to share that with
people, so its not like totally inappropriate for me. Thats fine
to me. And if Im talking to someone whos trans, we can talk
about these things that I want to know which I think I can
ask as another trans person whos about to start T. Talking
to a cisgender person, its obviously different. Theyre sort of
curious. Most of thepeople who ask are my friends, who are
happy for me but concerned for me, so its more about that.
R: Do you have any advice for anyone who has a
friend come out to them as trans?
A: Get on those gender pronouns. For me, even though I say
to use male pronouns, when someone consistently makes
mistakes, I feel really awkward correcting them because I
dont want to make things awkward so I dont always speak
up for myself, and I think that happens a lot with trans
people because its sort of an uncomfortable conversation to
have. So theyre like oh, its fine, maybe theyll catch on if
other people keep doing it, so really try not to mess them
up. Even if you think theyll correct you, they may not feel
comfortable correcting you even though they want you to
use their preferred pronouns. If they decide to change their
name, stop calling them by whatever previous name they were
using. I know thats hard, because even I have trouble using
the correct pronouns if Ive known them for a really long time
and they change them. I feel terrible because I dont like when
someone messes up my own pronouns, so I dont like doing
it to other people. If they really want to be supportive, check
out things online. If youre unsure about something, look it
up first before asking your friend, because that way you can
avoid some awkward conversations. Some trans people find
those questions very uncomfortable and invasive. Gauge
your friend and find out where they stand on it. But first,
look up your question online so you dont have to put your
friend or yourself in an awkward situation. You can learn
what questions you should never ask. If you meet someone
whos trans and you dont know what to do, or you dont know
45
 Do I not say anything at all until I get a job? I havent exactly
told my advisor because Im not sure how shed be able to
help, if its something I should just have on my resume, like
as preferred gender pronouns? Its a weird thing to navigate,
especially because Im in this awkward in-between stage
where I say Im one thing but I havent really done anything,
like I havent gone through what most people would consider
necessary to be a trans person. So, Im like faking it until I
make it. Im not like a real trans person, because I havent
gone through these things that most people recognize as
the process of being transgender. Even for myself, to feel
like I have the validity to use that label sometimes. Im like,
biologically, everythings still the same. I just tell them that I
want them to do something else instead. Its really a choice
that people have to make in their minds, versus a physical
thing thats actually happening. I think overall Northeastern
isnt an unsafe place, Ive never dealt with anything like that on
campus, and of my friends in classes
who know theyre all very supportive.
People think that
R: You mentioned that the co-op
process could be problematic.
because Im a man
Do you think there are any other
resources Northeastern can
and I like
improve for trans people and
LGBTQ people in general?
women, Im straight
A: For the co-op specific thing, I think now, but thats
not really how it
the problem with the whole LGBTQ
community at Northeastern is that
no one knows anything. No one
knows what the policy is for name
changes or sex changes. Its not easily
works for me.
accessible information. You have to
pry it out of people. Youll get conflicting stories, too. Its the
classic Northeastern shuffle. You ask one person one thing
and theyre like oh but you should confirm with this other
person. Its not easily found online, and nobody knew until
this year that trans people were covered under Northeasterns
health insurance, because it used to not be, but now it is,
and thats a huge deal but nobody knew. Theres a lot of lack
of accessibility and publicity for a lot of these things. I feel
like I wouldnt necessarily know that Northeastern is super
gay-friendly, its not the first thing that comes to mind. Its
there, but its not obvious. One of the reasons I actually liked
Northeastern even more than I already did was when we
were doing a tour, we saw the spray-painting on the ground
outside of Churchill that says happy National Coming
Out Day, 10/11 and we saw it while we were touring and
thought it was pretty cool. My dad was like oh, there are
people of your kind here. Which is weird. But I was like
oh, theres a good queer community on campus which was
important to me. I think we need more visibility like that.
44
R: If you had to say something to the student body,
about trans issues in general, what would you say?
A: I think non-binary trans people are really important.
When people think of being trans, they think of FTM or
MTF [female-to-male or male-to-female], but like, what if
youre neither? I feel like its how people think bisexuality
doesnt exist, they also dont think you cant be genderqueer
or gender non-conforming or intersex. Anything in the
middle doesnt exist, and its very black-and-white. Theres
a lot of confusion about it. Nobody really recognizes non-
binary trans people. I think theres a lot more trans viability,
which is great because it was pretty much nonexistent, but I
want non-binary trans visibility to increase at the same time.
Do we know any famous non-binary trans people? No. Is
there a TV show about non-binary trans people? No. Also,
gender expression and sexual orientation are not the same
thing. Obviously, theyre not the same
thing, but theyre not linked. People
think that because Im a man and I like
women, Im straight now, but thats not
really how it works for me. I would
still identify as a lesbian, and people
are like then youre a girl liking a girl,
and Im like, yeah, I was a girl. Every
trans person has different experiences.
Ive run into people who are like no,
Im a dude, Ive always been a dude,
thats the way its gonna be. And then
theyll modify how they feel after they
transition, and they cut out the story
of who they were before and they dont
like to talk about it. For me, its very
important. I think its more typical to
not want to talk about yourself pre-transition and cast away
your old gender identity if you transition was early in life.
For me, the majority of my life was spent as female, so of
course I understand the female experience and I know what
its like. One thing I was worried about when I came out
as trans was that I cant be a part of certain female groups
anymore because I dont count anymore, but at the same
time I feel like I do, and I still have a connection to them, but
its hard to think that I cant have that connection anymore.
R: Theres a lot of discussion, especially about FTM
trans people and how they experience a change in
privilege and how theyre treated. Since women are
the minority gender, they can be treated differently.
Can you discuss how that shift has occurred, if it has,
and how you feel about it?
A: I feel like I havent experienced a ton of oh, youre a guy
now, here are your privileges that you didnt have before. I
think I need to be more conscious about things. I feel like
I could get away with saying certain things before since it if theyre trans or not. Just learn their pronouns. If you dont
was like Im a girl, I can say these things because I know want to single out your friend by asking their pronouns, you
whats happening, but now it would be weird for me as a should start doing that as well. Like, ask everyone what their
guy to say those same things. Like, walking at night, I dont preferred pronouns are, even if they present in a certain way.
feel unsafe, and I didnt really used to because I dressed
like a guy for the most part. I feel like I pass enough that if
someone saw me on the street I wouldnt feel unsafe in the
sense that I dont think I would ever be sexual assaulted or
harassed. I think it changed a little bit since now Im more
confident in my presentation as a guy so I dont think about
it anymore. I also need to think like, I could be that creepy
guy thats following this girl without meaning to, which is
weird because Im like no, Im not creepy, Im one of you!
And people never really say any questionable things to me,
so thats good. People are just more careful about pronouns
and stuff now. Theyre also always wanting to know how far
along I am in my transition, but Im willing to share that with
people, so its not like totally inappropriate for me. Thats fine
to me. And if Im talking to someone whos trans, we can talk
about these things that I want to know which I think I can
ask as another trans person whos about to start T. Talking
to a cisgender person, its obviously different. Theyre sort of
curious. Most of thepeople who ask are my friends, who are
happy for me but concerned for me, so its more about that.
R: Do you have any advice for anyone who has a
friend come out to them as trans?
A: Get on those gender pronouns. For me, even though I say
to use male pronouns, when someone consistently makes
mistakes, I feel really awkward correcting them because I
dont want to make things awkward so I dont always speak
up for myself, and I think that happens a lot with trans
people because its sort of an uncomfortable conversation to
have. So theyre like oh, its fine, maybe theyll catch on if
other people keep doing it, so really try not to mess them
up. Even if you think theyll correct you, they may not feel
comfortable correcting you even though they want you to
use their preferred pronouns. If they decide to change their
name, stop calling them by whatever previous name they were
using. I know thats hard, because even I have trouble using
the correct pronouns if Ive known them for a really long time
and they change them. I feel terrible because I dont like when
someone messes up my own pronouns, so I dont like doing
it to other people. If they really want to be supportive, check
out things online. If youre unsure about something, look it
up first before asking your friend, because that way you can
avoid some awkward conversations. Some trans people find
those questions very uncomfortable and invasive. Gauge
your friend and find out where they stand on it. But first,
look up your question online so you dont have to put your
friend or yourself in an awkward situation. You can learn
what questions you should never ask. If you meet someone
whos trans and you dont know what to do, or you dont know
45
 Gender and Sex
Intersex:
Every Body
Is Beautiful
By Megan Reilly
U
pon first sight Ali Von Klan can only be described as classically beautiful. With
brown wavy hair, a green t-shirt and jeans, sitting in a chair filming herself for a
video for the Interface Project. She goes to the University of California at Berkeley
and is studying Gender and Womens Studies. Ali has a dog with her significant other and
loves her family. However, when she was 16 she was confused and impatient, as she had yet
to hit puberty; after a visit to the doctor she discovered that she had Swyer Syndrome. She
pauses and explains that this was a difficult time for her; she sees herself as a normal woman
but at the age of 16 was told by her doctor that she was infertile and had male chromosomes.
The emphasis that Ali put on the word male showed her distaste for the way that her doctor
treated her. She was only 16, and frightened. Ali said that she could have avoided a lot of
pain if her doctor had told her that there was a conference for intersex individuals later that
month. Ali felt alone; Ali was alone. She separated herself from her peers and attempted to
control her body with diets and extreme exercise. She wore a girdle throughout high school
to give her the ideal shape. When she was 18 she went as far as getting breast implants,
but no matter how hard she tried to fit into the binary she was still uncomfortable with her
body. Ali was scared of everyday interactions, of someone learning that she was intersex;
she was too frightened and ashamed of her body to have sex. Eventually, Ali got help and is
now trying to help others by being a part of the Interface Project. She wants children and
teenagers to know that they should never be ashamed of their bodies and that according to
her, Every body is beautiful.
Intersex is a term for various conditions, which impact the growth and sexual
development of one in 2,000 children. Although being intersex is relatively unknown to the
general public, there are multiple different conditions that apply to intersex individuals. These
conditions affect the chromosomes of the individuals, their genitals, mentality about gender,
upbringing, and how they are treated in society. to the US National Library of Medicine,
Klinefelters Syndrome affects one in 1,000 men, causing them to be have XXY chromosomes,
rather than the XY chromosomes. This causes a lack of testosterone, which leads to breast
swelling and infertility, and it can lead to learning disabilities. Syndrome also affects one in
1,000 men; however these individuals have an extra Y, making them XYY. Some symptoms
associated with are increased height, increased risk of developing a learning disability, and
muscle weakness. Triple X Syndrome occurs in people assigned female at birth. People have
an XXX chromosomal make up as opposed to the more common XX. This affects 1 in every
1500 women and causes them to be tall and thin and have menstrual irregularity; due to the
connection with the menstrual cycle, it is often not discovered until later in life.
46
Triple X Syndrome can also lead to learning disabilities Image of Alli Von Klans from the Interface Project website
and poor motor skills. Turner Syndrome results from an X
missing from the female chromosome pairing and it affects 1
in 2000 women. Some symptoms of Turner Syndrome are short
height, delayed puberty, infertility, scoliosis, and decreased speed
of learning.
Although intersex individuals are drastically overlooked
in the scientific community, there are multiple documentaries
interviewing intersex individuals about their difficulties. One in
2,000 focuses on the social stigma regarding intersex individuals
and how they are viewed in the medical eye. In the 1950s, the
medical community stated that boys could be raised as girls and
they would grow up as girls and vice versa. This belief negatively
affected the intersex community, as some men with female genitalia
were raised as female, although they identify as male. Additionally,
when intersex individuals are born doctors often push for surgery.
These surgeries change genitalia from functioning organs that look
different from what the general public knows to genitalia that fits
the binary but via painful operations that sometimes impair genital
function. Most of the intersex individuals in the video said that
they felt cheated and lied to, saying that they would rather have kept
their functioning genitalia if they had had a choice. Intersexion
is a short documentary that discussed how people have genitals
but they are not their genitals. The documentary emphasizes the
importance of the gender binary and societal expectation. Finally, One of the most common misunderstandings is that sex is simply
XXXY demonstrated how doctors saw it as their decision to male or female. This gender binary negatively affects intersex
perform the surgeries on the childs genitalia. One individual said people and others who identify outside of the binary. Additionally,
that his parents felt as though they had no choice. When doctors a variance of the chromosomes is just that, a variance. Being
say that there is a problem but that they can fix it, parents will often intersex does not make anyone deformed or wrong, it simply is a
agree to what they believe is the best for their child. difference in chromosomes and should not be a reason for anyone
Recently, the media has allowed more intersex individuals to be excluded. Ali felt that she was different from her peers and
to be in focus. On the television show Freaks and Geeks, one hid because of it, but her variance should not have held her back
character, Amy, was intersex. When she revealed to her boyfriend and now she accepts herself and is proud. Finally, education of all
that she was intersex, he was not accepting and simply ran away people is essential, because doctors should no longer be allowed to
from the relationship. He also told others and they reacted tell people that they have male or female chromosomes; they should
similarly. This exemplifies the publics misunderstandings about no longer be able to pressure parents to into having nonessential
intersex individuals and how the media considers them freaks surgeries performed on children. If the gender binary is broken,
rather than humans. On the new TV show Faking It, one of intersex individuals, like Ali, will not have to be ashamed.
the main characters, Lauren, is also intersex. She was originally
introduced as a stereotypical blonde beauty queen from Texas.
After a full season, it is finally revealed that she is intersex, but the
show emphasizes her whole identity is not about being intersex.
All of those that learn that she is intersex accept her and although
this is not representative of what may happen in every day, it does
show how society should accept intersex individuals. Her story
shows how intersex individuals can have an internal struggle
about their condition and do not necessarily accept themselves
immediately. character has received a lot of attention in the media,
but the portrayal can also lead to more misunderstanding about
intersex. Hollywood reporter defined intersex as a physical
condition that occurs when a person is born with both male and
female chromosomes but their bodies typically develop as female.
CNN, however, aided in the understanding of intersex, using the
definition from the Intersex Society of North America.
The Interface Project is one of many places for intersex
individuals to discuss their experiences and support each other.
47
 Gender and Sex
Intersex:
Every Body
Is Beautiful
By Megan Reilly
U
pon first sight Ali Von Klan can only be described as classically beautiful. With
brown wavy hair, a green t-shirt and jeans, sitting in a chair filming herself for a
video for the Interface Project. She goes to the University of California at Berkeley
and is studying Gender and Womens Studies. Ali has a dog with her significant other and
loves her family. However, when she was 16 she was confused and impatient, as she had yet
to hit puberty; after a visit to the doctor she discovered that she had Swyer Syndrome. She
pauses and explains that this was a difficult time for her; she sees herself as a normal woman
but at the age of 16 was told by her doctor that she was infertile and had male chromosomes.
The emphasis that Ali put on the word male showed her distaste for the way that her doctor
treated her. She was only 16, and frightened. Ali said that she could have avoided a lot of
pain if her doctor had told her that there was a conference for intersex individuals later that
month. Ali felt alone; Ali was alone. She separated herself from her peers and attempted to
control her body with diets and extreme exercise. She wore a girdle throughout high school
to give her the ideal shape. When she was 18 she went as far as getting breast implants,
but no matter how hard she tried to fit into the binary she was still uncomfortable with her
body. Ali was scared of everyday interactions, of someone learning that she was intersex;
she was too frightened and ashamed of her body to have sex. Eventually, Ali got help and is
now trying to help others by being a part of the Interface Project. She wants children and
teenagers to know that they should never be ashamed of their bodies and that according to
her, Every body is beautiful.
Intersex is a term for various conditions, which impact the growth and sexual
development of one in 2,000 children. Although being intersex is relatively unknown to the
general public, there are multiple different conditions that apply to intersex individuals. These
conditions affect the chromosomes of the individuals, their genitals, mentality about gender,
upbringing, and how they are treated in society. to the US National Library of Medicine,
Klinefelters Syndrome affects one in 1,000 men, causing them to be have XXY chromosomes,
rather than the XY chromosomes. This causes a lack of testosterone, which leads to breast
swelling and infertility, and it can lead to learning disabilities. Syndrome also affects one in
1,000 men; however these individuals have an extra Y, making them XYY. Some symptoms
associated with are increased height, increased risk of developing a learning disability, and
muscle weakness. Triple X Syndrome occurs in people assigned female at birth. People have
an XXX chromosomal make up as opposed to the more common XX. This affects 1 in every
1500 women and causes them to be tall and thin and have menstrual irregularity; due to the
connection with the menstrual cycle, it is often not discovered until later in life.
46
Triple X Syndrome can also lead to learning disabilities Image of Alli Von Klans from the Interface Project website
and poor motor skills. Turner Syndrome results from an X
missing from the female chromosome pairing and it affects 1
in 2000 women. Some symptoms of Turner Syndrome are short
height, delayed puberty, infertility, scoliosis, and decreased speed
of learning.
Although intersex individuals are drastically overlooked
in the scientific community, there are multiple documentaries
interviewing intersex individuals about their difficulties. One in
2,000 focuses on the social stigma regarding intersex individuals
and how they are viewed in the medical eye. In the 1950s, the
medical community stated that boys could be raised as girls and
they would grow up as girls and vice versa. This belief negatively
affected the intersex community, as some men with female genitalia
were raised as female, although they identify as male. Additionally,
when intersex individuals are born doctors often push for surgery.
These surgeries change genitalia from functioning organs that look
different from what the general public knows to genitalia that fits
the binary but via painful operations that sometimes impair genital
function. Most of the intersex individuals in the video said that
they felt cheated and lied to, saying that they would rather have kept
their functioning genitalia if they had had a choice. Intersexion
is a short documentary that discussed how people have genitals
but they are not their genitals. The documentary emphasizes the
importance of the gender binary and societal expectation. Finally, One of the most common misunderstandings is that sex is simply
XXXY demonstrated how doctors saw it as their decision to male or female. This gender binary negatively affects intersex
perform the surgeries on the childs genitalia. One individual said people and others who identify outside of the binary. Additionally,
that his parents felt as though they had no choice. When doctors a variance of the chromosomes is just that, a variance. Being
say that there is a problem but that they can fix it, parents will often intersex does not make anyone deformed or wrong, it simply is a
agree to what they believe is the best for their child. difference in chromosomes and should not be a reason for anyone
Recently, the media has allowed more intersex individuals to be excluded. Ali felt that she was different from her peers and
to be in focus. On the television show Freaks and Geeks, one hid because of it, but her variance should not have held her back
character, Amy, was intersex. When she revealed to her boyfriend and now she accepts herself and is proud. Finally, education of all
that she was intersex, he was not accepting and simply ran away people is essential, because doctors should no longer be allowed to
from the relationship. He also told others and they reacted tell people that they have male or female chromosomes; they should
similarly. This exemplifies the publics misunderstandings about no longer be able to pressure parents to into having nonessential
intersex individuals and how the media considers them freaks surgeries performed on children. If the gender binary is broken,
rather than humans. On the new TV show Faking It, one of intersex individuals, like Ali, will not have to be ashamed.
the main characters, Lauren, is also intersex. She was originally
introduced as a stereotypical blonde beauty queen from Texas.
After a full season, it is finally revealed that she is intersex, but the
show emphasizes her whole identity is not about being intersex.
All of those that learn that she is intersex accept her and although
this is not representative of what may happen in every day, it does
show how society should accept intersex individuals. Her story
shows how intersex individuals can have an internal struggle
about their condition and do not necessarily accept themselves
immediately. character has received a lot of attention in the media,
but the portrayal can also lead to more misunderstanding about
intersex. Hollywood reporter defined intersex as a physical
condition that occurs when a person is born with both male and
female chromosomes but their bodies typically develop as female.
CNN, however, aided in the understanding of intersex, using the
definition from the Intersex Society of North America.
The Interface Project is one of many places for intersex
individuals to discuss their experiences and support each other.
47
 Gender and Sex
With Not-so-Great
Personification
Comes Great
Responsibility
By: Adrianna Graziano
S
cience is associated with its objectivity and ability to describe
the natural world. It is accepted theory that cells do not have
wants, nor do they have feelings that direct their behavior.
Rather, they simply respond to stimuli and follow an innate,
automatic genetic code.
Yet, personification arises everywhere. From high school sex ed
classes to scientific research papers and textbooks, this unrealistic
assignment of human characteristics to cells is a real issue,
especially in the description of reproductive biological processes.
Perhaps not so surprisingly, the sperm and the
eggs involvement in fertilization have been assigned human
characteristics that are inherently sexist. Examples of how the
egg has been described are provided by Emily Martins work, The
Egg and the Sperm: passive and as a dormant bride awaiting
her mates magic kiss, while the heroic sperm embarks on a
perilous journey and then surrounds its prize.
Clearly, this is something more than innocent scientific
personification to clarify and simplify a process. These descriptions
are contributing to common stereotypical gender role ideals. The
egg, associated with the female reproductive system, is given a
personality that is typically used to describe a princess in a fairytale:
unable to make her own choices and in need of a male hero to
save her. On the other hand, the sperm is described as very strong
and determined, which is associated with the socially acceptable
conception of male masculinity.
Perhaps its most detrimental effect is in the classroom,
which molds the way teenagers view themselves and informs them
of the correct interactions that they should have with each other.
Sexual education programs, specifically abstinence-only programs,
personify the menstrual cycle and sexual reproduction in a way
that eliminates the spectrum of sexuality and reinforces the
correct female sexuality: passive and used only as a mechanism
for reproduction.
48
Its this proven normality that keeps people within
the stereotypical binary, in fear of being seen as
abnormal or, even worse, biologically unnatural.
To put this into context, there is a metaphor that abstinence
curriculums have used, commented on by Catholic writer Simcha
Fisher, called the used food theme: if each person in the class were
to lick a piece of candy, how would you feel when you received it? The
lesson to be learned was that, You wouldnt want to eat it because
it was used. Without explicitly stating, this is obviously jabbing at
females whom have had more than one sexual partner, implying that
they should feel used, worthless, and unwanted.
This ridiculously personified metaphor that compares
vaginas to candy turns girls into a commodity, where their worth is
determined by men who want them to be pure - for the mans sexual
pleasure.
And to reproduce, of course. This is why the menstrual cycle
tends to be described as wasteful and as the shedding of debris,
marking another unsuccessful month; since, you know, the only point
of the female body and purpose is to procreate. However, where does
this leave or guide LGBT and questioning students? Where does this
inaccuracy and social commentary lead them, when they are told
that their sexualities and/or gender identities are going against their
bodies inherent biological processes?
This information, whether it is being received at a
high school or professional level, is being and will continue
to be received and translated the same way: that, even at the
cellular level, men are inherently better than women. These
subliminal messages are validated in the receivers mind,
since the use of personification makes these stereotypes
almost appear as a biological normality that must be
achieved. And its this proven normality that keeps
people within the stereotypical binary, in fear of being seen
as abnormal or, even worse, biologically unnatural.
However, science has no place for projecting
cultural imagery onto biological processes and studies, and
doing so clouds and creates superficial scientific thinking
that doesnt delve into deeper questions about natural
phenomenon. Upholding these binaries isnt good for
anyone, scientists and layfolk alike.
With personification comes great responsibility, and with
this responsibility comes the opportunity to return true
objectivity back into science and introduce nonexclusive
curriculum into the classroom.
The Great Sperm Race is another example of not-so-great personification.
It is a documentary showcasing sperm played as people, racing toward the
immovable, inanimate egg.
49
 Gender and Sex
With Not-so-Great
Personification
Comes Great
Responsibility
By: Adrianna Graziano
S
cience is associated with its objectivity and ability to describe
the natural world. It is accepted theory that cells do not have
wants, nor do they have feelings that direct their behavior.
Rather, they simply respond to stimuli and follow an innate,
automatic genetic code.
Yet, personification arises everywhere. From high school sex ed
classes to scientific research papers and textbooks, this unrealistic
assignment of human characteristics to cells is a real issue,
especially in the description of reproductive biological processes.
Perhaps not so surprisingly, the sperm and the
eggs involvement in fertilization have been assigned human
characteristics that are inherently sexist. Examples of how the
egg has been described are provided by Emily Martins work, The
Egg and the Sperm: passive and as a dormant bride awaiting
her mates magic kiss, while the heroic sperm embarks on a
perilous journey and then surrounds its prize.
Clearly, this is something more than innocent scientific
personification to clarify and simplify a process. These descriptions
are contributing to common stereotypical gender role ideals. The
egg, associated with the female reproductive system, is given a
personality that is typically used to describe a princess in a fairytale:
unable to make her own choices and in need of a male hero to
save her. On the other hand, the sperm is described as very strong
and determined, which is associated with the socially acceptable
conception of male masculinity.
Perhaps its most detrimental effect is in the classroom,
which molds the way teenagers view themselves and informs them
of the correct interactions that they should have with each other.
Sexual education programs, specifically abstinence-only programs,
personify the menstrual cycle and sexual reproduction in a way
that eliminates the spectrum of sexuality and reinforces the
correct female sexuality: passive and used only as a mechanism
for reproduction.
48
Its this proven normality that keeps people within
the stereotypical binary, in fear of being seen as
abnormal or, even worse, biologically unnatural.
To put this into context, there is a metaphor that abstinence
curriculums have used, commented on by Catholic writer Simcha
Fisher, called the used food theme: if each person in the class were
to lick a piece of candy, how would you feel when you received it? The
lesson to be learned was that, You wouldnt want to eat it because
it was used. Without explicitly stating, this is obviously jabbing at
females whom have had more than one sexual partner, implying that
they should feel used, worthless, and unwanted.
This ridiculously personified metaphor that compares
vaginas to candy turns girls into a commodity, where their worth is
determined by men who want them to be pure - for the mans sexual
pleasure.
And to reproduce, of course. This is why the menstrual cycle
tends to be described as wasteful and as the shedding of debris,
marking another unsuccessful month; since, you know, the only point
of the female body and purpose is to procreate. However, where does
this leave or guide LGBT and questioning students? Where does this
inaccuracy and social commentary lead them, when they are told
that their sexualities and/or gender identities are going against their
bodies inherent biological processes?
This information, whether it is being received at a
high school or professional level, is being and will continue
to be received and translated the same way: that, even at the
cellular level, men are inherently better than women. These
subliminal messages are validated in the receivers mind,
since the use of personification makes these stereotypes
almost appear as a biological normality that must be
achieved. And its this proven normality that keeps
people within the stereotypical binary, in fear of being seen
as abnormal or, even worse, biologically unnatural.
However, science has no place for projecting
cultural imagery onto biological processes and studies, and
doing so clouds and creates superficial scientific thinking
that doesnt delve into deeper questions about natural
phenomenon. Upholding these binaries isnt good for
anyone, scientists and layfolk alike.
With personification comes great responsibility, and with
this responsibility comes the opportunity to return true
objectivity back into science and introduce nonexclusive
curriculum into the classroom.
The Great Sperm Race is another example of not-so-great personification.
It is a documentary showcasing sperm played as people, racing toward the
immovable, inanimate egg.
49
 Gender and Sex
The Great Divide:
Americas Not So Little Secret
By Katherine Gilmore
Either youve felt discriminated against or have never felt it at all.
As the new wave of young professionals, we have the opportunity to
call out sexism by making it everyones problem.
O nly a few generations ago, women in the workforce were a
rare sight and a huge disruption to the patriarchal system that
demanded women stay in the home. Now, its readily accepted that
women work outside the home just as often as men; but despite
earning 10 million more bachelors degrees than men since 1982
(AEI), and making up half the workforce, women are still being
paid significantly less than men. Women, on average, make only
78 cents to the dollar that men make for doing the exact same
work. The gender pay gap is a serious issue that is just the tip of
the iceberg when it comes to sexism, racism, and misogyny within
the workforce. As much as those affected wish to see it change, it
can be difficult when high-ranking, influential people are critics.
Weve seen the members of the Senate vote against equal pay and
the CEO of Microsoft recently say, Its not really about asking for
a raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will give you
a raise (Time). No wonder experts at the Institute for Womens
Policy Research estimate that it will take almost 50 more years for
us to see equal pay if we continue in the same pain-staking way.
50
in the STEM field across the country. The only difference was the
name at the top of the resume John or Jennifer. The results were;
how do I put this lightly absolutely ridiculous. Overall, Jennifer
was perceived as less competent, less likely to receive an offer of
employment or mentorship, and offered on average $4,000 less
than John for starting salary. Yes, this is real life. Moss-Racusin was
quick to note that the scientists who reviewed the resumes were
not trying to be sexist, but that they had somehow learned to judge
a womans resume more harshly and to question her credibility.
Jennifers lower projected salary was an effect of her being
considered a less competent worker (Gender News Stanford).
Even if you do get hired for the job, the workplace itself can
be a treacherous breeding area for sexism. It can be hard to hear
an unbiased view from someone within the workforce who has a
single gender perspective either youve felt discriminated against
or have never felt it at all. Thats why researcher Kristen Schilt wrote
her book called Just One of the Guys? Transgender Men and the
Persistence of Gender Inequality. Schilt decided to find people
who had experienced their job from both sides. She interviewed
54 transgendered men who had experience in the same field as a
man and woman. Across the board, the transgender men felt their
performance stayed the same, but were now receiving glowing
praise instead of glowering critique. The participants reported
their ideas being valued and executed more, instances where their
opinions were valued about female coworkers, new opportunities
for jobs and positions of authority. Their actions were take-charge
rather than aggressive. Most of all, they felt accepted, without
having to fight for it the way they did as women.
So it seems that these innate, natural differences between
genders that were taught make a difference in the workforce are
not so important after all. Rather, its a perceived idea of whose
work is better and how salary is a natural reward for the best work.
People already in positions of power and privilege are the ones who
decide who gets to join them, and its not women.
If youre holding your head in frustration, or if youve already opportunity to call out sexism by making it everyones problem.
called your roommate over to show them how unjust the world
is, Im so sorry, but theres more. I havent even touched on race,
and that is where it really gets upsetting. Like I said before, women
make on average 78 cents to the dollar that men make. What that
So how can we accelerate change? What are the problems we
are facing when it comes to closing the gender pay gap?
Now, there are a ton of reasons why this pay gap is just so insidious.
For critics who dont (ahem, refuse to) believe in the pay gap, their
main argument is that women tend to enter lower paying jobs and
[t]he disparity exists because a female social worker makes less
than a male engineer (NYTimes). Who else here thinks this is a
load of crap? Youre not alone. While its true that traditionally
female dominant fields are paid less overall (think nursing,
teaching, social work, etc), women are being paid less than men
within the same fields. That means that this is not a question of
what jobs women are being hired for, but rather that their work is
perceived as less valuable because of their gender. And because they
are perceived as less valuable, their pay is dramatically lessened in
comparison to mens.
This problem starts as early as the hiring process. In a study
conducted by Corinne Moss-Racusin at Skidmore College, gender
biases are apparent from the second an employer reads your resume.
Moss-Racusin sent out the exact same resume to 100 professors
actually means is that white women make on average 78 cents to
the dollar white men make. According to the table below from the
American Association of University Women (AAUW), the pay gap
dramatically increases when you compare white mens wages to that
of women of color.
The pay gap between men and women that includes race is one
thats rarely mentioned in critiques of the gender pay gap. As you can
see, the numbers are startling and so much worse than what most
arguments against the pay gap are actually projecting. Despite our
supposedly progressive and equal society (*aggressively rolls eyes*),
its clear that the perceived value of people of colors work is valued
for much less than white men, who are considered the standard for
how we create wages for other categories of people. Understanding
how the variable of race affects the gender pay gap equation is crucial
if we want to spark any kind of change.
If youre reading this article, youre most likely a Northeastern
student. This means you have an incredible opportunity to co-op in a
field of your choice and earn a salary that reflects the hard work that
you put in. Knowing that we are all earning the same degrees and
competing for the same co-ops makes it clear that someone earning
more money because of their gender or color is wrong. Combating
sexism as early as our undergraduate years is difficult but necessary.
Our silver lining is that calling out sexism as you see it is the best
way to enact change. In a follow-up study about gender biases,
Corinne Moss-Racusin used 126 scientists as participants. They
first completed a survey about gender and diversity. Then they were
informed of the results of Moss-Racusins study using the resumes.
After having time to discuss the results and practice ways to reduce
sexism in their own institutions, they retook the survey. The results
showed drastic improvements in the ways the scientists viewed the
gender disparity. As one of the participants in Schilts research said,
Until a person has experienced career-harming bias, they simply
dont believe it exists.
As the new wave of young professionals, we have the
Giving less value to certain peoples work based on arbitrary traits
should be a thing of the past. The recognition of gender biases in the
work force is a key component to shrinking the gender pay gap, a
problem that affects not just our wallets, but also our quality of life.
51
 Gender and Sex
The Great Divide:
Americas Not So Little Secret
By Katherine Gilmore
Either youve felt discriminated against or have never felt it at all.
As the new wave of young professionals, we have the opportunity to
call out sexism by making it everyones problem.
O nly a few generations ago, women in the workforce were a
rare sight and a huge disruption to the patriarchal system that
demanded women stay in the home. Now, its readily accepted that
women work outside the home just as often as men; but despite
earning 10 million more bachelors degrees than men since 1982
(AEI), and making up half the workforce, women are still being
paid significantly less than men. Women, on average, make only
78 cents to the dollar that men make for doing the exact same
work. The gender pay gap is a serious issue that is just the tip of
the iceberg when it comes to sexism, racism, and misogyny within
the workforce. As much as those affected wish to see it change, it
can be difficult when high-ranking, influential people are critics.
Weve seen the members of the Senate vote against equal pay and
the CEO of Microsoft recently say, Its not really about asking for
a raise, but knowing and having faith that the system will give you
a raise (Time). No wonder experts at the Institute for Womens
Policy Research estimate that it will take almost 50 more years for
us to see equal pay if we continue in the same pain-staking way.
50
in the STEM field across the country. The only difference was the
name at the top of the resume John or Jennifer. The results were;
how do I put this lightly absolutely ridiculous. Overall, Jennifer
was perceived as less competent, less likely to receive an offer of
employment or mentorship, and offered on average $4,000 less
than John for starting salary. Yes, this is real life. Moss-Racusin was
quick to note that the scientists who reviewed the resumes were
not trying to be sexist, but that they had somehow learned to judge
a womans resume more harshly and to question her credibility.
Jennifers lower projected salary was an effect of her being
considered a less competent worker (Gender News Stanford).
Even if you do get hired for the job, the workplace itself can
be a treacherous breeding area for sexism. It can be hard to hear
an unbiased view from someone within the workforce who has a
single gender perspective either youve felt discriminated against
or have never felt it at all. Thats why researcher Kristen Schilt wrote
her book called Just One of the Guys? Transgender Men and the
Persistence of Gender Inequality. Schilt decided to find people
who had experienced their job from both sides. She interviewed
54 transgendered men who had experience in the same field as a
man and woman. Across the board, the transgender men felt their
performance stayed the same, but were now receiving glowing
praise instead of glowering critique. The participants reported
their ideas being valued and executed more, instances where their
opinions were valued about female coworkers, new opportunities
for jobs and positions of authority. Their actions were take-charge
rather than aggressive. Most of all, they felt accepted, without
having to fight for it the way they did as women.
So it seems that these innate, natural differences between
genders that were taught make a difference in the workforce are
not so important after all. Rather, its a perceived idea of whose
work is better and how salary is a natural reward for the best work.
People already in positions of power and privilege are the ones who
decide who gets to join them, and its not women.
If youre holding your head in frustration, or if youve already opportunity to call out sexism by making it everyones problem.
called your roommate over to show them how unjust the world
is, Im so sorry, but theres more. I havent even touched on race,
and that is where it really gets upsetting. Like I said before, women
make on average 78 cents to the dollar that men make. What that
So how can we accelerate change? What are the problems we
are facing when it comes to closing the gender pay gap?
Now, there are a ton of reasons why this pay gap is just so insidious.
For critics who dont (ahem, refuse to) believe in the pay gap, their
main argument is that women tend to enter lower paying jobs and
[t]he disparity exists because a female social worker makes less
than a male engineer (NYTimes). Who else here thinks this is a
load of crap? Youre not alone. While its true that traditionally
female dominant fields are paid less overall (think nursing,
teaching, social work, etc), women are being paid less than men
within the same fields. That means that this is not a question of
what jobs women are being hired for, but rather that their work is
perceived as less valuable because of their gender. And because they
are perceived as less valuable, their pay is dramatically lessened in
comparison to mens.
This problem starts as early as the hiring process. In a study
conducted by Corinne Moss-Racusin at Skidmore College, gender
biases are apparent from the second an employer reads your resume.
Moss-Racusin sent out the exact same resume to 100 professors
actually means is that white women make on average 78 cents to
the dollar white men make. According to the table below from the
American Association of University Women (AAUW), the pay gap
dramatically increases when you compare white mens wages to that
of women of color.
The pay gap between men and women that includes race is one
thats rarely mentioned in critiques of the gender pay gap. As you can
see, the numbers are startling and so much worse than what most
arguments against the pay gap are actually projecting. Despite our
supposedly progressive and equal society (*aggressively rolls eyes*),
its clear that the perceived value of people of colors work is valued
for much less than white men, who are considered the standard for
how we create wages for other categories of people. Understanding
how the variable of race affects the gender pay gap equation is crucial
if we want to spark any kind of change.
If youre reading this article, youre most likely a Northeastern
student. This means you have an incredible opportunity to co-op in a
field of your choice and earn a salary that reflects the hard work that
you put in. Knowing that we are all earning the same degrees and
competing for the same co-ops makes it clear that someone earning
more money because of their gender or color is wrong. Combating
sexism as early as our undergraduate years is difficult but necessary.
Our silver lining is that calling out sexism as you see it is the best
way to enact change. In a follow-up study about gender biases,
Corinne Moss-Racusin used 126 scientists as participants. They
first completed a survey about gender and diversity. Then they were
informed of the results of Moss-Racusins study using the resumes.
After having time to discuss the results and practice ways to reduce
sexism in their own institutions, they retook the survey. The results
showed drastic improvements in the ways the scientists viewed the
gender disparity. As one of the participants in Schilts research said,
Until a person has experienced career-harming bias, they simply
dont believe it exists.
As the new wave of young professionals, we have the
Giving less value to certain peoples work based on arbitrary traits
should be a thing of the past. The recognition of gender biases in the
work force is a key component to shrinking the gender pay gap, a
problem that affects not just our wallets, but also our quality of life.
51

CARRY THAT
WEIGHT
...rape occurs everywhere,
By Regan Dvoskin
even on our own campus.
R
ecently, the issue of rape occurring on college campus
has been brought into the light of the media, with many
cases becoming very highly publicized after colleges
mishandle accusations of rape and rape trials. Students
at many colleges have filed Title IX (a law to protect women in
college, specifically in regards to how colleges treat sexual assault on
campus) complaints against their schools for mishandled cases. As
of November, more than 80 colleges are under investigation for Title
IX violations, illustrating a huge problem in our college system. Rape
survivors who bring their cases to their schools often find themselves
mistreated by officials, and find many officials seem to care more
about protecting the colleges reputation than protecting students.
This is also one of the reasons many students dont come forward after
they have been raped; colleges often do nothing or close to nothing
to help protect them after a highly stressful case that lasts months.
Beyond that, society often treats survivors horribly; People frequently
place the blame on survivors for not protecting themselves, by doing
anything from drinking to wearing clothes arbitrarily deemed as too
52
revealing. This is just one part of rape culture, a culture in which,
according to Force: Upsetting Rape Culture, rape is perpetuated
and validated. This can be through normalization of sexual assault
in media, blaming rape survivors, slut shaming, objectification of
women, and a variety of other ways.
Emma Sulkowicz
One highly publicized case of campus rape being mishandled
by administrators is that of Emma Sulkowicz. Emma Sulkowicz is
a senior at Columbia University, who was raped in August of 2012.
According to The Columbia Spectator, she reported the assault to the
University in April 2013, after meeting two other women her rapist
had assaulted. In all three cases, Columbia found him innocent.
Emma believes that the University mishandled her case.
According to The Cut, judges wrongly noted details about
the case, and repeatedly asked invasive questions, and forced her to
draw a diagram to prove that the way she was raped was physically
possible. These are just a few
things university officials do that
may make survivors feel like
theyre reliving their rape, again
and again. After a six-month
trial, the University found her
rapist innocent, and her request
for an appeal was denied. While
her rapist is allowed to attend
Columbia freely, she must live
in fear of him. According to an
interview in Time, she is afraid
every time she sees him, and
he even requested to use the
darkroom during the time her
photography class was using it to
harass her.
To draw attention to the
way the University mishandled
her case, Emma began her now
widely publicized performance art
piece as her thesis project. For it,
she carries a university mattress
with her wherever she goes, and
will continue to do so for as long
as she and her rapist attend the
same school. According to Emma,
the mattress is something that in
part symbolizes bringing things
normally left in private spaces
out into the open, something she
has had to do repeatedly since
coming forward initially. It also
symbolizes the weight of what
she has had to carry around with
her since the rape occurred; the mattress is heavy and bulky and
difficult to carry, but not so much that she cannot carry it alone. Part
of the rules of her piece is that she cannot ask for help, but others
can still give her help carrying the mattress. This specific part of her
piece has inspired an international event, Carry That Weight Day of
Action. For this event, students across the globe came out to stand in
solidarity with survivors of rape and sexual assault. According to the
event Facebook page, This national Day of Action is inspired by the
activism and art of Emma Sulkowicz, who is boldly carrying a dorm
mattress around campus with her as long as her rapist continues to
attend Columbia University. Central to the importance of Emmas art
is the collaborative and supportive nature of the project. Carrying a
mattress with others brings us together to collectively help carry the
weight, shows our shared support for survivors, and our collective
commitment to working together toward cultural and community-
level change to end sexual and domestic violence.
Through this powerful demonstration of solidarity,
participants will tangibly express their commitment to lift the burden
of sexual violence from the shoulders of survivorsto carry the
weight together. This Day of Action was a large-scale demonstration
of support for survivors, and a call for change in the way our campuses
handle rape cases.
Northeastern Event
The Northeastern Carry That Weight Day of Action event
took place on November 12, several weeks after the international
event, in order to allow more time for planning and growth. The
event was sponsored by the Feminist Student Organization, Socialist
Alternative Northeastern, NU Sexual Health Advocacy, Resources,
and Education, Strong Women Strong Girls, and the Progressive
Student Alliance. Students living on campus are not allowed to
remove their mattresses from their rooms, so there were only three
mattresses, however, many people arrived with signs and pillows.
The event began with a march across campus, with students shouting
chants such as Wherever we dress, wherever we go, yes means yes
and no means no, and What do we want? Justice! When do we want
it? Now! and carrying signs with phrases such as Rape happens
here, Northeastern stands with survivors, and Intoxication is
not consent. Following the march, students gathered at Centennial
Common, where several people spoke to the group. That was
followed by an open mic, where both survivors and supporters had
the opportunity to talk about their experiences and opinions with the
group. This event was very important towards the movement against
rape culture, bringing attention to the fact rape occurs everywhere,
even on our own campus, and some of the other horrible things
women face every day due to rape culture. It also brought together
survivors and supporters together in solidarity for Emma Sulkowicz.
53

CARRY THAT
WEIGHT
...rape occurs everywhere,
By Regan Dvoskin
even on our own campus.
R
ecently, the issue of rape occurring on college campus
has been brought into the light of the media, with many
cases becoming very highly publicized after colleges
mishandle accusations of rape and rape trials. Students
at many colleges have filed Title IX (a law to protect women in
college, specifically in regards to how colleges treat sexual assault on
campus) complaints against their schools for mishandled cases. As
of November, more than 80 colleges are under investigation for Title
IX violations, illustrating a huge problem in our college system. Rape
survivors who bring their cases to their schools often find themselves
mistreated by officials, and find many officials seem to care more
about protecting the colleges reputation than protecting students.
This is also one of the reasons many students dont come forward after
they have been raped; colleges often do nothing or close to nothing
to help protect them after a highly stressful case that lasts months.
Beyond that, society often treats survivors horribly; People frequently
place the blame on survivors for not protecting themselves, by doing
anything from drinking to wearing clothes arbitrarily deemed as too
52
revealing. This is just one part of rape culture, a culture in which,
according to Force: Upsetting Rape Culture, rape is perpetuated
and validated. This can be through normalization of sexual assault
in media, blaming rape survivors, slut shaming, objectification of
women, and a variety of other ways.
Emma Sulkowicz
One highly publicized case of campus rape being mishandled
by administrators is that of Emma Sulkowicz. Emma Sulkowicz is
a senior at Columbia University, who was raped in August of 2012.
According to The Columbia Spectator, she reported the assault to the
University in April 2013, after meeting two other women her rapist
had assaulted. In all three cases, Columbia found him innocent.
Emma believes that the University mishandled her case.
According to The Cut, judges wrongly noted details about
the case, and repeatedly asked invasive questions, and forced her to
draw a diagram to prove that the way she was raped was physically
possible. These are just a few
things university officials do that
may make survivors feel like
theyre reliving their rape, again
and again. After a six-month
trial, the University found her
rapist innocent, and her request
for an appeal was denied. While
her rapist is allowed to attend
Columbia freely, she must live
in fear of him. According to an
interview in Time, she is afraid
every time she sees him, and
he even requested to use the
darkroom during the time her
photography class was using it to
harass her.
To draw attention to the
way the University mishandled
her case, Emma began her now
widely publicized performance art
piece as her thesis project. For it,
she carries a university mattress
with her wherever she goes, and
will continue to do so for as long
as she and her rapist attend the
same school. According to Emma,
the mattress is something that in
part symbolizes bringing things
normally left in private spaces
out into the open, something she
has had to do repeatedly since
coming forward initially. It also
symbolizes the weight of what
she has had to carry around with
her since the rape occurred; the mattress is heavy and bulky and
difficult to carry, but not so much that she cannot carry it alone. Part
of the rules of her piece is that she cannot ask for help, but others
can still give her help carrying the mattress. This specific part of her
piece has inspired an international event, Carry That Weight Day of
Action. For this event, students across the globe came out to stand in
solidarity with survivors of rape and sexual assault. According to the
event Facebook page, This national Day of Action is inspired by the
activism and art of Emma Sulkowicz, who is boldly carrying a dorm
mattress around campus with her as long as her rapist continues to
attend Columbia University. Central to the importance of Emmas art
is the collaborative and supportive nature of the project. Carrying a
mattress with others brings us together to collectively help carry the
weight, shows our shared support for survivors, and our collective
commitment to working together toward cultural and community-
level change to end sexual and domestic violence.
Through this powerful demonstration of solidarity,
participants will tangibly express their commitment to lift the burden
of sexual violence from the shoulders of survivorsto carry the
weight together. This Day of Action was a large-scale demonstration
of support for survivors, and a call for change in the way our campuses
handle rape cases.
Northeastern Event
The Northeastern Carry That Weight Day of Action event
took place on November 12, several weeks after the international
event, in order to allow more time for planning and growth. The
event was sponsored by the Feminist Student Organization, Socialist
Alternative Northeastern, NU Sexual Health Advocacy, Resources,
and Education, Strong Women Strong Girls, and the Progressive
Student Alliance. Students living on campus are not allowed to
remove their mattresses from their rooms, so there were only three
mattresses, however, many people arrived with signs and pillows.
The event began with a march across campus, with students shouting
chants such as Wherever we dress, wherever we go, yes means yes
and no means no, and What do we want? Justice! When do we want
it? Now! and carrying signs with phrases such as Rape happens
here, Northeastern stands with survivors, and Intoxication is
not consent. Following the march, students gathered at Centennial
Common, where several people spoke to the group. That was
followed by an open mic, where both survivors and supporters had
the opportunity to talk about their experiences and opinions with the
group. This event was very important towards the movement against
rape culture, bringing attention to the fact rape occurs everywhere,
even on our own campus, and some of the other horrible things
women face every day due to rape culture. It also brought together
survivors and supporters together in solidarity for Emma Sulkowicz.
53
 Race and Ethnicity
The Disney
Race and Ethnicity Dilemma
By Jenna Lue
O
nce upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a fair young
maiden whose porcelain skin and glistening locks made her
the paragon of Westernized beauty ideals. Unbeknownst to the
virtuous girl, the oft-praised amenable nature actually trapped her in
the home, forever destined to serve the men in her life. As she dreamed
of her one true love, the lovely maiden perpetuated the stereotypical
straight idea of man and wife. An unrealistically romantic chance
meeting leads to love at first sight with a handsome and charming
stranger that is sadly cut short. But no fear, our happy couple will re-
unite, when, in a trite twist of events, our distressed damsel must be
rescued by her prince. The jealous villains plans have been thwart-
ed and the beautiful maiden and dashing prince marry, sealing their
happily ever after with a legally-binding kiss.
We all know the story: beautiful Princess meets equally at-
tractive Prince and a perfect, completely realistic love story ensues.
Lurking beneath the shiny exterior of flowery language and alluring
visuals, the classic fairytale, beloved by so many, is not necessarily
a good thing. So, what exactly are we representing to the impres-
sionable minds of todays youth?
Chances are when you hear Disney the word princess is
close behind. As one of the most influential names in the childrens
entertainment industry, Disney plays a crucial role in the indoctri-
nation of values in its young audience. With its brand so closely tied
to the adaptation of well-known fairytales, Disneys animated films
are typically offered as the most important and culturally relevant
representations of our beloved storybook characters. If we are being
honest, The Little Mermaid would never be complete without Ari-
els musical pining to be Part of Your World. The catchy musical
numbers and masterful animation of these films portray a vibrantly
colorful Disney that any viewer can grow to love. However, a closer
look paints a not so pretty picture of a very white Disney. In fact, of
the twelve famed Disney princesses, only four are women of color:
Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Tiana.
As the first princess of color, Jasmine of Aladdin (1992)
is not explicitly defined as a specific race or ethnicity, instead she
is offered as a generalized mash-up of Arab-like characteristics.
Despite Aladdins promises of I can show you the world to
54
Jasmine, the film only portrays a very narrow representation of
another culture. Two lines of the musical opener Arabian Nights,
were criticized for perpetuating unflattering stereotypes of Arab
people. While the original lyric Where they cut off your ear/
if they dont like your face was changed in the face of backlash
from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the
subsequent line Its barbaric, but hey, its home remained on the
track. In debuting a princess of color, Disney revealed itself to be
not only ignorant of the rich and varied nature of Arab culture,
but also a believer in the ethnocentric idea that anything other is
inferior or uncivilized.
Pocahontas (1995) rewrites history as the harsh realities
of colonization that involved manipulation, deceit, and violent
decimation of the native population are conveniently replaced
by an overcoming the odds love connection. Despite there being
plenty of native English speakers baffled by our grammatical rules,
Pocahontas proves herself to be a language savant and is fluent
after one interaction with the magical white man, John Smith. The
film is definitely more Columbus Day than National Indigenous
Peoples Day with its penchant for glossing over all the negative
and dumbing down the realities of language barriers. While the
interracial couple of Pocahontas and John Smith indicates progress
for Disney, it is a small win at the price of grossly inaccurate
historical representations.
The depiction of the title character in Mulan (1998) is
a departure from the typical help! Save me female protagonist.
Mulans expression of individual will, exhibited by her decision to
fight in the place of the father, defies gender norms for that culture.
song has an unfortunately gendered title of Ill Make A Man Out
of You, but as we see in an awesome training montage Mulan,
the woman, comes out on top. Mulan establishes herself as close
to a feminist figure someone can be while still operating within a
patriarchal society. The depiction of Chinese culture by Disney for
this film is problematic with an emphasis on stereotypical symbols
like rice, chopsticks, fireworks, and dragons. This Westernized
and whitewashed representation is further exemplified by the
use of exaggerated Asian accents (those darn rs are so difficult
to pronounce) for minor characters as comic relief in contrast to
the unaffected American voices of Mulan and her love interest
Captain Li Shang.
Tiana of The Princess and the Frog (2009), though initially
introduced in a subservient position as a waitress, amazingly
prioritizes her dream of becoming a business owner over finding
a prince. In her hometown of New Orleans, the hard working and
Black Tiana brought much needed diversity to the Disney line-up.
The departure from white ethnocentrism is short-lived as the two
55
 Race and Ethnicity
The Disney
Race and Ethnicity Dilemma
By Jenna Lue
O
nce upon a time, in a faraway land, there lived a fair young
maiden whose porcelain skin and glistening locks made her
the paragon of Westernized beauty ideals. Unbeknownst to the
virtuous girl, the oft-praised amenable nature actually trapped her in
the home, forever destined to serve the men in her life. As she dreamed
of her one true love, the lovely maiden perpetuated the stereotypical
straight idea of man and wife. An unrealistically romantic chance
meeting leads to love at first sight with a handsome and charming
stranger that is sadly cut short. But no fear, our happy couple will re-
unite, when, in a trite twist of events, our distressed damsel must be
rescued by her prince. The jealous villains plans have been thwart-
ed and the beautiful maiden and dashing prince marry, sealing their
happily ever after with a legally-binding kiss.
We all know the story: beautiful Princess meets equally at-
tractive Prince and a perfect, completely realistic love story ensues.
Lurking beneath the shiny exterior of flowery language and alluring
visuals, the classic fairytale, beloved by so many, is not necessarily
a good thing. So, what exactly are we representing to the impres-
sionable minds of todays youth?
Chances are when you hear Disney the word princess is
close behind. As one of the most influential names in the childrens
entertainment industry, Disney plays a crucial role in the indoctri-
nation of values in its young audience. With its brand so closely tied
to the adaptation of well-known fairytales, Disneys animated films
are typically offered as the most important and culturally relevant
representations of our beloved storybook characters. If we are being
honest, The Little Mermaid would never be complete without Ari-
els musical pining to be Part of Your World. The catchy musical
numbers and masterful animation of these films portray a vibrantly
colorful Disney that any viewer can grow to love. However, a closer
look paints a not so pretty picture of a very white Disney. In fact, of
the twelve famed Disney princesses, only four are women of color:
Jasmine, Pocahontas, Mulan, and Tiana.
As the first princess of color, Jasmine of Aladdin (1992)
is not explicitly defined as a specific race or ethnicity, instead she
is offered as a generalized mash-up of Arab-like characteristics.
Despite Aladdins promises of I can show you the world to
54
Jasmine, the film only portrays a very narrow representation of
another culture. Two lines of the musical opener Arabian Nights,
were criticized for perpetuating unflattering stereotypes of Arab
people. While the original lyric Where they cut off your ear/
if they dont like your face was changed in the face of backlash
from the American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee, the
subsequent line Its barbaric, but hey, its home remained on the
track. In debuting a princess of color, Disney revealed itself to be
not only ignorant of the rich and varied nature of Arab culture,
but also a believer in the ethnocentric idea that anything other is
inferior or uncivilized.
Pocahontas (1995) rewrites history as the harsh realities
of colonization that involved manipulation, deceit, and violent
decimation of the native population are conveniently replaced
by an overcoming the odds love connection. Despite there being
plenty of native English speakers baffled by our grammatical rules,
Pocahontas proves herself to be a language savant and is fluent
after one interaction with the magical white man, John Smith. The
film is definitely more Columbus Day than National Indigenous
Peoples Day with its penchant for glossing over all the negative
and dumbing down the realities of language barriers. While the
interracial couple of Pocahontas and John Smith indicates progress
for Disney, it is a small win at the price of grossly inaccurate
historical representations.
The depiction of the title character in Mulan (1998) is
a departure from the typical help! Save me female protagonist.
Mulans expression of individual will, exhibited by her decision to
fight in the place of the father, defies gender norms for that culture.
song has an unfortunately gendered title of Ill Make A Man Out
of You, but as we see in an awesome training montage Mulan,
the woman, comes out on top. Mulan establishes herself as close
to a feminist figure someone can be while still operating within a
patriarchal society. The depiction of Chinese culture by Disney for
this film is problematic with an emphasis on stereotypical symbols
like rice, chopsticks, fireworks, and dragons. This Westernized
and whitewashed representation is further exemplified by the
use of exaggerated Asian accents (those darn rs are so difficult
to pronounce) for minor characters as comic relief in contrast to
the unaffected American voices of Mulan and her love interest
Captain Li Shang.
Tiana of The Princess and the Frog (2009), though initially
introduced in a subservient position as a waitress, amazingly
prioritizes her dream of becoming a business owner over finding
a prince. In her hometown of New Orleans, the hard working and
Black Tiana brought much needed diversity to the Disney line-up.
The departure from white ethnocentrism is short-lived as the two
55
 Race and Ethnicity
main characters, both people of color, are soon turned into frogs. relationship. The shift in focus is evident with the emphasis on brought here to be administered an baselessly claimed she was Liberian and about getting Ebola, which is incredible
The significance of having the only black female princess spend the sisterly rather than romantic love in Frozen. One spunky and experimental drug. Thomas Duncan, had Ebola. Somali immigrants, who have unlikely for the average person unless
majority of her movie as an animal is very important and extremely clumsy, the other reserved and formal, the orphaned sisters are a Liberian man known for contracting nothing to do with Ebola and hail from you are literally rubbing yourself in the
disheartening as Disney chooses to return its characters to human faced with self-doubt, loneliness, and failed relationships on their Ebola in Dallas, passed away recently, the other side of Africa, have reported bodily fluids of the infected, we should
form only after they are married. The symbolism of this is obvious paths to self-discovery. Although one sister finds her conventional while the two missionaries who were getting stares and points in cities such as instead ask ourselves this: why did it
in that the institution of marriage, equates civility. It is only through happily ever after with a man (a peasant, gasp!), the other rules a given ZMapp lived. Although it is true Dallas. Other Africans living in Texas have take two white people being infected to
this legal ceremony that people of color are transformed from sub- kingdom solo, Elizabeth I style, with no qualms about her abilities. that there were only eight doses of the reportedly been turned away from jobs, make America care about this disease
human animals to full-fledged human beings on the same level as While the film offers a new complexity to the classic fairytale in drug to begin with, the situation still stores, and restaurants. More famously, a when it had already killed thousands of
whites. There are some serious magical transformative powers held the form of familial love and a badass ice castle building scene echoes racist divisions. Duncans family college denied admission to two Nigerian West Africans by that point? And, upon
in that single tiny phrase of I do. accompanied by an empowering ballad, there are no of people of has also claimed that he was not viewed as applicants simply because they were from realizing this, is the best course of action
You would hope that with all its emphasis on the perfection color. Keeping with the themes of snow and ice, Frozen is all White a victim like many white Ebola patients, a country with cases of Ebola, ignoring really to alienate and stereotype other
of white characters Disney would have no problems representing all the time on screen, only using people of color to voice the non- but rather as a carrier of the disease, and a the fact that Nigeria has recently been African immigrants and ban all contact
its eight other princesses. Sadly, though not entirely unexpectedly, human Trolls. prosecutor publically expressed a desire to declared Ebola free by the World Health with that part of the world? Instead of
this is not the case. In its first ever princess film, Snow White and Disney seems to be allergic to intersectionality, a concept file charges against the dying man. Organization. sensationalist, racist fear mongering, we
the Seven Dwarves, the title character is very much a product of that speaks to the real-life interconnected complexities of race, Since Duncans death many, More and more Western should instead be offering assistance to
the patriarchy. Released in 1937, the film was very representative sex, gender, and class among others. This Disney-fication or many instances have occurred in countries are considering instituting a the countries hardest hit with Ebola so
of the times with its opening song One Day My Prince Will oversimplification of these various intersecting social draws which Africans are stereotyped and flight ban on Western Africa, and this this disease can be eradicated once and
Come establishing the damsel in distress storyline. Obviously attention to an appeasement policy for a primarily white discriminated against due to American harmful mindset of viewing Africans for all, regardless of perceived nationality
beautiful (how else can you snag a catch like Prince Charming?), ethnocentric audience. While Disney has taken steps in the right ignorance and misplaced fear. Earlier in as diseased carriers who should be or race.
Snow Whites crazy-good looks offer an easy explanation for her direction with some representation of princesses of color and October, a Haitian woman with the flu who quarantined rather than victims who
evil stepmothers wrath. Nothing says Im a cool step mom like subtle incorporation of feminist ideas, it refuses to marry the two vomited at the Mass Ave MBTA station need help is what is fueling the Ebola
numerous attempts on your new daughters life in a fit of jealousy progressive moves in a single film. Instead of taking advantage of was rushed to the hospital after a passerby scare in the US. Rather than worrying
because a talking mirror told you other pretty people exist. Beyond its very recognizable brand name, Disney continues to reinforce
this obvious nod to the male gaze, the film seeks to reinforce the idea of a whitewashed storybook world that fits everything into
stereotypical gender roles with Snow Whites only skills related a patriarchy-approved binary system. Does Rap/Hip-Hop Music
to the domestic sphere. Snow White is depicted as the helpless
victim who is singularly characterized by her unparalleled (read: Once upon a time, in faraway land, there lived a maiden whose embrace marginalization
unattainable, unrealistic, ridiculous, etc.) beauty and her skills in beauty was not dictated by skin color or hair texture. No longer
the kitchen and home befitting the ideal Mrs. Charming. hindered by an oppressive patriarchy, she lived her life as she of women of color?
Looking at the latest animated Disney fairytale, Frozen (2013), wished, pursuing her personal dreams, desires, wants and needs.
we are able to track some progress since our obviously patriarchy- She sought meaningful relationships with anyone and everyone, no By Daryon Calhoun
tainted experience with Snow White. Disney has made gradual matter their gender, race, class, or sexuality. With no promise of
changes over the course of princess history to embrace a more
active female character whose sense of individuality trumps a
romance or a handsome rescuer, she found her own happily ever
after. A s a black man, listening to Rap/Hip-Hop Music and
watching videos is part of the Black Culture in the United
States. I grew up listening to Rap/Hip-Hop on the radio and
when I was younger I didnt think about the how the music women. I knew it was wrong of them using such words, but I
industry displays black women. Even though I enjoy listening to didnt really do anything to prevent them from using those words
No, Youre Not Going to Get Ebola: Rap/Hip-Hop Music, as I matured over the years icombined with or educating them about the subject.
taking Introduction to Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, I In Womens Studies; the article that I can relate this
How the Latest Nationwide Panic is Reinforc- now believe that women of color are being marginalized in Rap/ idea of Rap/Hip-Hop Music marginalizing women of color is
ing Harmful Racist Stereotypes Hip-Hop Music. the article written by Kimberle Crenshaw titled Mapping the
In Rap/Hip-Hop Music, various artists embrace the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against
usage of negative words towards women. For example, using Women of Color. Crenshaw uses an example of women being
By Alesia Garrett words such as ho, slut, bitch and etc. in the content of rap marginalized in Rap music. A group called 2 Live Crew discusses
is a way numerous artists address black women. This has a in a song called Nasty about inserting their male genitals into

I f youve been paying any attention to the news lately, no doubt you have heard countless
pieces on Ebola in the past few weeks. Specifically, how Africa had Ebola and now its
in America and if were not careful were going to have an epidemic and everyone will
tremendous impact on the youth who listen to Rap/Hip Music
because those words that several rap artist use in their music
get inserted into common
die. Or something along those lines. While according to the World Health Organization, language amongst young
more than 4,500 people have died in the West African Ebola outbreak that began early individuals, especially
this year, there is much more to the story than that. black males. In high
Liberia has been hit the worst, with more than half of the total deaths, but this is school and middle
largely because the country is sorely under-supplied. Liberias government has published school, the majority of
stock numbers for items such as body bags, facemasks, and examination gloves, and my black male friends
there is a massive gap between what they have versus what they will need. Women and who associate with Rap/
children are also falling ill far more than men, because the social expectation is for them Hip-Hop Music use those
to care for the sick despite the lack of protective gear. However, many of these nuances negative words constantly
are being left out of American coverage of the Ebola outbreak, and much of the focus is when addressing black
on the comparatively miniscule number of cases in the United States. In fact, we didnt
even hear much about Ebola in the news until two white missionaries were infected and
female genitals displaying women as sexual objects. In Rap/
Hip-Hop videos, women of color are usually wearing tight
clothing to show-off their body parts and shaking their butts. By
constantly displaying women of color in that manner it degrades
them resulting in men almost expecting all women of color to
follow the same role they see on television or the internet.
In conclusion, I believe that women of color are being
marginalized in Rap/Hip-Hop Music. This issue needs to be
addressed because it will minimize the negative stereotypes
against women of color. It will also allow men to view women of
color as women instead of half-dressed hos twerking. Women
of color have been degraded, abused, and marginalized and as
men of color we need to portray our women in a positive manner.

56 57
 Race and Ethnicity
main characters, both people of color, are soon turned into frogs. relationship. The shift in focus is evident with the emphasis on brought here to be administered an baselessly claimed she was Liberian and about getting Ebola, which is incredible
The significance of having the only black female princess spend the sisterly rather than romantic love in Frozen. One spunky and experimental drug. Thomas Duncan, had Ebola. Somali immigrants, who have unlikely for the average person unless
majority of her movie as an animal is very important and extremely clumsy, the other reserved and formal, the orphaned sisters are a Liberian man known for contracting nothing to do with Ebola and hail from you are literally rubbing yourself in the
disheartening as Disney chooses to return its characters to human faced with self-doubt, loneliness, and failed relationships on their Ebola in Dallas, passed away recently, the other side of Africa, have reported bodily fluids of the infected, we should
form only after they are married. The symbolism of this is obvious paths to self-discovery. Although one sister finds her conventional while the two missionaries who were getting stares and points in cities such as instead ask ourselves this: why did it
in that the institution of marriage, equates civility. It is only through happily ever after with a man (a peasant, gasp!), the other rules a given ZMapp lived. Although it is true Dallas. Other Africans living in Texas have take two white people being infected to
this legal ceremony that people of color are transformed from sub- kingdom solo, Elizabeth I style, with no qualms about her abilities. that there were only eight doses of the reportedly been turned away from jobs, make America care about this disease
human animals to full-fledged human beings on the same level as While the film offers a new complexity to the classic fairytale in drug to begin with, the situation still stores, and restaurants. More famously, a when it had already killed thousands of
whites. There are some serious magical transformative powers held the form of familial love and a badass ice castle building scene echoes racist divisions. Duncans family college denied admission to two Nigerian West Africans by that point? And, upon
in that single tiny phrase of I do. accompanied by an empowering ballad, there are no of people of has also claimed that he was not viewed as applicants simply because they were from realizing this, is the best course of action
You would hope that with all its emphasis on the perfection color. Keeping with the themes of snow and ice, Frozen is all White a victim like many white Ebola patients, a country with cases of Ebola, ignoring really to alienate and stereotype other
of white characters Disney would have no problems representing all the time on screen, only using people of color to voice the non- but rather as a carrier of the disease, and a the fact that Nigeria has recently been African immigrants and ban all contact
its eight other princesses. Sadly, though not entirely unexpectedly, human Trolls. prosecutor publically expressed a desire to declared Ebola free by the World Health with that part of the world? Instead of
this is not the case. In its first ever princess film, Snow White and Disney seems to be allergic to intersectionality, a concept file charges against the dying man. Organization. sensationalist, racist fear mongering, we
the Seven Dwarves, the title character is very much a product of that speaks to the real-life interconnected complexities of race, Since Duncans death many, More and more Western should instead be offering assistance to
the patriarchy. Released in 1937, the film was very representative sex, gender, and class among others. This Disney-fication or many instances have occurred in countries are considering instituting a the countries hardest hit with Ebola so
of the times with its opening song One Day My Prince Will oversimplification of these various intersecting social draws which Africans are stereotyped and flight ban on Western Africa, and this this disease can be eradicated once and
Come establishing the damsel in distress storyline. Obviously attention to an appeasement policy for a primarily white discriminated against due to American harmful mindset of viewing Africans for all, regardless of perceived nationality
beautiful (how else can you snag a catch like Prince Charming?), ethnocentric audience. While Disney has taken steps in the right ignorance and misplaced fear. Earlier in as diseased carriers who should be or race.
Snow Whites crazy-good looks offer an easy explanation for her direction with some representation of princesses of color and October, a Haitian woman with the flu who quarantined rather than victims who
evil stepmothers wrath. Nothing says Im a cool step mom like subtle incorporation of feminist ideas, it refuses to marry the two vomited at the Mass Ave MBTA station need help is what is fueling the Ebola
numerous attempts on your new daughters life in a fit of jealousy progressive moves in a single film. Instead of taking advantage of was rushed to the hospital after a passerby scare in the US. Rather than worrying
because a talking mirror told you other pretty people exist. Beyond its very recognizable brand name, Disney continues to reinforce
this obvious nod to the male gaze, the film seeks to reinforce the idea of a whitewashed storybook world that fits everything into
stereotypical gender roles with Snow Whites only skills related a patriarchy-approved binary system. Does Rap/Hip-Hop Music
to the domestic sphere. Snow White is depicted as the helpless
victim who is singularly characterized by her unparalleled (read: Once upon a time, in faraway land, there lived a maiden whose embrace marginalization
unattainable, unrealistic, ridiculous, etc.) beauty and her skills in beauty was not dictated by skin color or hair texture. No longer
the kitchen and home befitting the ideal Mrs. Charming. hindered by an oppressive patriarchy, she lived her life as she of women of color?
Looking at the latest animated Disney fairytale, Frozen (2013), wished, pursuing her personal dreams, desires, wants and needs.
we are able to track some progress since our obviously patriarchy- She sought meaningful relationships with anyone and everyone, no By Daryon Calhoun
tainted experience with Snow White. Disney has made gradual matter their gender, race, class, or sexuality. With no promise of
changes over the course of princess history to embrace a more
active female character whose sense of individuality trumps a
romance or a handsome rescuer, she found her own happily ever
after. A s a black man, listening to Rap/Hip-Hop Music and
watching videos is part of the Black Culture in the United
States. I grew up listening to Rap/Hip-Hop on the radio and
when I was younger I didnt think about the how the music women. I knew it was wrong of them using such words, but I
industry displays black women. Even though I enjoy listening to didnt really do anything to prevent them from using those words
No, Youre Not Going to Get Ebola: Rap/Hip-Hop Music, as I matured over the years icombined with or educating them about the subject.
taking Introduction to Womens, Gender, and Sexuality Studies, I In Womens Studies; the article that I can relate this
How the Latest Nationwide Panic is Reinforc- now believe that women of color are being marginalized in Rap/ idea of Rap/Hip-Hop Music marginalizing women of color is
ing Harmful Racist Stereotypes Hip-Hop Music. the article written by Kimberle Crenshaw titled Mapping the
In Rap/Hip-Hop Music, various artists embrace the Margins: Intersectionality, Identity Politics, and Violence against
usage of negative words towards women. For example, using Women of Color. Crenshaw uses an example of women being
By Alesia Garrett words such as ho, slut, bitch and etc. in the content of rap marginalized in Rap music. A group called 2 Live Crew discusses
is a way numerous artists address black women. This has a in a song called Nasty about inserting their male genitals into

I f youve been paying any attention to the news lately, no doubt you have heard countless
pieces on Ebola in the past few weeks. Specifically, how Africa had Ebola and now its
in America and if were not careful were going to have an epidemic and everyone will
tremendous impact on the youth who listen to Rap/Hip Music
because those words that several rap artist use in their music
get inserted into common
die. Or something along those lines. While according to the World Health Organization, language amongst young
more than 4,500 people have died in the West African Ebola outbreak that began early individuals, especially
this year, there is much more to the story than that. black males. In high
Liberia has been hit the worst, with more than half of the total deaths, but this is school and middle
largely because the country is sorely under-supplied. Liberias government has published school, the majority of
stock numbers for items such as body bags, facemasks, and examination gloves, and my black male friends
there is a massive gap between what they have versus what they will need. Women and who associate with Rap/
children are also falling ill far more than men, because the social expectation is for them Hip-Hop Music use those
to care for the sick despite the lack of protective gear. However, many of these nuances negative words constantly
are being left out of American coverage of the Ebola outbreak, and much of the focus is when addressing black
on the comparatively miniscule number of cases in the United States. In fact, we didnt
even hear much about Ebola in the news until two white missionaries were infected and
female genitals displaying women as sexual objects. In Rap/
Hip-Hop videos, women of color are usually wearing tight
clothing to show-off their body parts and shaking their butts. By
constantly displaying women of color in that manner it degrades
them resulting in men almost expecting all women of color to
follow the same role they see on television or the internet.
In conclusion, I believe that women of color are being
marginalized in Rap/Hip-Hop Music. This issue needs to be
addressed because it will minimize the negative stereotypes
against women of color. It will also allow men to view women of
color as women instead of half-dressed hos twerking. Women
of color have been degraded, abused, and marginalized and as
men of color we need to portray our women in a positive manner.

56 57
 Race and Ethnicity
CATWALK TO
DIVERSITY
By Melissa Scholem
F
ashion is all about metamorphosis, and nothing is meant
to represent that concept of change more than the iconic
New York Fashion Week. From Carrie Bradshaw, Anna
Wintour and Gossip Girl whose borderline religious fascination
with fashion resonated with entire generations to the thousands
whose livelihood is influenced by this event, NYFW is larger
than life escapism and fantasy. But as much as Fashion Week is
based on fiction, it also affects some very real aspects of life, from
its influences on the multimillion-dollar fashion industry to how
women see themselves represented in media to how race and
ethnicity are addressed in culture. New York Fashion Week Fall/
Winter 2014 was huge. It featured 148 shows, 4,621 looks and
generated an estimated $532 million in direct visitor spending.
Yet as much as the industry promotes change, creativity and
vanguardism, it is still stuck in an uninspired and traditional model
of standard of beauty.
New York Fashion traces its origins to 1943 after WWII
when, in an effort to draw attention to American designers, Press
Week was created. Before the late 90s, it wasnt the uniform
collective event we recognize today; rather it was a series of shows set
up by individual designers in any numbers of venues from decadent
hotel lobbies to abandoned warehouses. designers in any numbers
of venues from decadent hotel lobbies to abandoned warehouses.
Until very recently, the fact that non-white models where for
the most part, not featured or represented in fashion was not
58
considered problematic or worrisome. There is the assumption that
because people know of Tyra, Naomi and that Brazilians Adriana
Lima and Gisele are listed by Forbes among the top earning models
of the year, there isnt a gap in representation. Yet in this same list
published by Forbes, out of the twenty one models featured, only
two of them were visibly black and only one of them was visibly
Asian. Even more, Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian highest earning
model featured in the list, does necessarily represent the aesthetic
associated with the Latina women. Therefore, data and information
about diversity was not readily available until 2008 with Jezebels
analysis of seasons Fall 2008 to Fall 2014.
Specifically New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2014
contained 148 shows from which roughly 78.69% of the models
featured were white. According to Jezebel, Asian models and Black
models were the second and third most represented ethnicities,
with 9.1% and 6% looks worn respectively. Although this is an
improvement from last season when 82.7% of the models were
white, diversity in the last six season is still limited to roughly 20%
of the looks. In general the strategy to finding these percentages
consisted of calculate[ing] models by counting looks in the New
York shows and presentations that are covered by Style.com,
menswear excluded. We break those looks down into Black, Asian,
Latina and Other (Middle Eastern would fall under Other). Yet
what is really interesting is the fact that the models of color who
were cast had really great seasons. Almost in a tokenistic manner,
a champion of the cause by constantly having among the most diverse
runways and editorials and putting pressure on designers through the
CFDA to do so as well. This is a stark comparison to other designers
such as Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary head designer of Chanel, who is
known as much for his brilliant designs as for his misogynistic com-
ments and attitudes towards women. He is notorious for constantly
using only white models and limiting his use of non-white models to
tokenistic one-season-only themed shows. He has also recently caused
an uproar by staging a feminist inspired shows that featured next to none
non-white models and signs that mocked feminism.
Although escapism is the essence of fashion, its controversial
practices have a very real effect on millions of people. The industrys
preference of white skin has devastating effects on models of color. It
forces them to compete with each other for scarce space, puts pressure
on non-white models wages due to competition, and makes agencies less
willing to invest on models of color, which means that overall there are
less options for models of color to appear in editorials or any other form
of media. Furthermore although high fashion may be unattainable to
the average individual, all of the other retailers that are attainable follow
and mimic whatever model and standard set up by high fashion. There-
fore when designers insist on using obsolete, narrow, elitist and frankly
racist standards of beauty they are responsible for the fact that this same
standard and spread, repeated and enforced in all corners of the world.
In other words lack of representation of non-white models in fashion is
responsible for the thousand of kids who daily are told exposed to the
idea beauty and worthiness are equivalent with white skin.
black models like Grace Mahary and Herieth Paul walked in
17 and 13 shows, respectively and Asian model Tian Yi was in
13 shows, and Xiao Wen Ju, Sung Hee Kim and Chen Lin were
all in 14 shows. This means that the open spaces for women of
color were extremely limited, and there was crazy competition
for those spots. This also means that some designers chose the
samefew non-white models to fill the diversity quota with
specific token models that allow them to present themselves
as inclusive.
On a positive note, shows that only featured white
models were less common this season (what is this, the
1950s?).though this seems like something that should be a
given, it is important to remember that according to Jezebel,
last season Araks, Assembly, Belstaff, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth
& James, Gregory Parkinson, J Brand, Jenni Kayne, Juicy
Couture, Louise Goldin, Lyn Devon, Threeasfour, and Whit,
a total of thirteen companies, did not feature a single non
white model. Obviously, this very upsetting number caused an
uproar that resulted in campaigns to promote diversity. This
is the case with the Diversity Coalition fronted by Naomi
Campbell, Bethann Hardison and Iman who constantly call
out designers as well as agencies for their lack of opportunities
for non-white models. Furthermore some designers, such as
Diane von Furstenberg and Anna Sui, have really been loud
voices in the conversation about diversity. The fabulous Mrs,
Diane Von Furstenberg, who also happens to be the president
of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, has been
59
 Race and Ethnicity
CATWALK TO
DIVERSITY
By Melissa Scholem
F
ashion is all about metamorphosis, and nothing is meant
to represent that concept of change more than the iconic
New York Fashion Week. From Carrie Bradshaw, Anna
Wintour and Gossip Girl whose borderline religious fascination
with fashion resonated with entire generations to the thousands
whose livelihood is influenced by this event, NYFW is larger
than life escapism and fantasy. But as much as Fashion Week is
based on fiction, it also affects some very real aspects of life, from
its influences on the multimillion-dollar fashion industry to how
women see themselves represented in media to how race and
ethnicity are addressed in culture. New York Fashion Week Fall/
Winter 2014 was huge. It featured 148 shows, 4,621 looks and
generated an estimated $532 million in direct visitor spending.
Yet as much as the industry promotes change, creativity and
vanguardism, it is still stuck in an uninspired and traditional model
of standard of beauty.
New York Fashion traces its origins to 1943 after WWII
when, in an effort to draw attention to American designers, Press
Week was created. Before the late 90s, it wasnt the uniform
collective event we recognize today; rather it was a series of shows set
up by individual designers in any numbers of venues from decadent
hotel lobbies to abandoned warehouses. designers in any numbers
of venues from decadent hotel lobbies to abandoned warehouses.
Until very recently, the fact that non-white models where for
the most part, not featured or represented in fashion was not
58
considered problematic or worrisome. There is the assumption that
because people know of Tyra, Naomi and that Brazilians Adriana
Lima and Gisele are listed by Forbes among the top earning models
of the year, there isnt a gap in representation. Yet in this same list
published by Forbes, out of the twenty one models featured, only
two of them were visibly black and only one of them was visibly
Asian. Even more, Gisele Bundchen, the Brazilian highest earning
model featured in the list, does necessarily represent the aesthetic
associated with the Latina women. Therefore, data and information
about diversity was not readily available until 2008 with Jezebels
analysis of seasons Fall 2008 to Fall 2014.
Specifically New York Fashion Week Fall/Winter 2014
contained 148 shows from which roughly 78.69% of the models
featured were white. According to Jezebel, Asian models and Black
models were the second and third most represented ethnicities,
with 9.1% and 6% looks worn respectively. Although this is an
improvement from last season when 82.7% of the models were
white, diversity in the last six season is still limited to roughly 20%
of the looks. In general the strategy to finding these percentages
consisted of calculate[ing] models by counting looks in the New
York shows and presentations that are covered by Style.com,
menswear excluded. We break those looks down into Black, Asian,
Latina and Other (Middle Eastern would fall under Other). Yet
what is really interesting is the fact that the models of color who
were cast had really great seasons. Almost in a tokenistic manner,
a champion of the cause by constantly having among the most diverse
runways and editorials and putting pressure on designers through the
CFDA to do so as well. This is a stark comparison to other designers
such as Karl Lagerfeld, the legendary head designer of Chanel, who is
known as much for his brilliant designs as for his misogynistic com-
ments and attitudes towards women. He is notorious for constantly
using only white models and limiting his use of non-white models to
tokenistic one-season-only themed shows. He has also recently caused
an uproar by staging a feminist inspired shows that featured next to none
non-white models and signs that mocked feminism.
Although escapism is the essence of fashion, its controversial
practices have a very real effect on millions of people. The industrys
preference of white skin has devastating effects on models of color. It
forces them to compete with each other for scarce space, puts pressure
on non-white models wages due to competition, and makes agencies less
willing to invest on models of color, which means that overall there are
less options for models of color to appear in editorials or any other form
of media. Furthermore although high fashion may be unattainable to
the average individual, all of the other retailers that are attainable follow
and mimic whatever model and standard set up by high fashion. There-
fore when designers insist on using obsolete, narrow, elitist and frankly
racist standards of beauty they are responsible for the fact that this same
standard and spread, repeated and enforced in all corners of the world.
In other words lack of representation of non-white models in fashion is
responsible for the thousand of kids who daily are told exposed to the
idea beauty and worthiness are equivalent with white skin.
black models like Grace Mahary and Herieth Paul walked in
17 and 13 shows, respectively and Asian model Tian Yi was in
13 shows, and Xiao Wen Ju, Sung Hee Kim and Chen Lin were
all in 14 shows. This means that the open spaces for women of
color were extremely limited, and there was crazy competition
for those spots. This also means that some designers chose the
samefew non-white models to fill the diversity quota with
specific token models that allow them to present themselves
as inclusive.
On a positive note, shows that only featured white
models were less common this season (what is this, the
1950s?).though this seems like something that should be a
given, it is important to remember that according to Jezebel,
last season Araks, Assembly, Belstaff, Calvin Klein, Elizabeth
& James, Gregory Parkinson, J Brand, Jenni Kayne, Juicy
Couture, Louise Goldin, Lyn Devon, Threeasfour, and Whit,
a total of thirteen companies, did not feature a single non
white model. Obviously, this very upsetting number caused an
uproar that resulted in campaigns to promote diversity. This
is the case with the Diversity Coalition fronted by Naomi
Campbell, Bethann Hardison and Iman who constantly call
out designers as well as agencies for their lack of opportunities
for non-white models. Furthermore some designers, such as
Diane von Furstenberg and Anna Sui, have really been loud
voices in the conversation about diversity. The fabulous Mrs,
Diane Von Furstenberg, who also happens to be the president
of the Council of Fashion Designers of America, has been
59
 Race and Ethnicity
Dear
A letter on Asian Privilege
Bill OReilly,
On the October 15 broadcast of the Daily Show, you and Jon Stewart debated about the existence of white privilege.
The first point you make is If theres white privilege, then there has to be Asian privilege because Asians make more money
than whites They make more money, [have] higher education, [are] more affluent. So its Asian privilege, not white privilege.
With utmost respect, sir, uh, no. For one thing, your definition of privilege having more education and higher
income is distorted and excludes several critical aspects. To clarify, the American Medical Student Associations definition of
privilege is the advantages, favors, and benefits given to members of dominant groups at the expense of members of other
groups. When people say white privilege, they are referring to benefits that many people dont even recognize that they have.
For example, Mr. OReilly, you might not realize it, but you are privileged with the freedom to move as you please. You can
drive along the highway without worrying about being unfairly pulled over by a police officer. You dont have to teach your
kids what to do if they are stopped and frisked while taking a walk through the neighborhood.
When I say that you have white privilege, I dont mean that youve cruised through life without having fallen onto
hard times or having to work hard. Obviously having lighter skin does not guarantee anyone an easy life, but it definitely has
some positive effects. According to a field experiment from the National Bureau of Economic Research, those with white-
sounding names are more likely to get jobs. A 2003 University of Chicago study reveals that white job-seekers with felonies
are more likely to be called for interviews than African American applicants with clean criminal records. Using more ordinary,
day-to-day examples, you can read the news and watch TV knowing that your race will be well-represented. Your behavior
and actions are not likely to be considered a reflection on your race. If you were unemployed, others would probably say that
its unfair because youre a hard worker. You would not be considered a lazy bum looking for a handout; instead youve fallen
on hard times and just need to catch a break. Even at the most hopeless of times, youre more likely to receive help and avoid
homelessness.
For the most part, the hardships that Asian Americans suffer from are not as openly offensive as those suffered by
other minorities, but if you still say that Asian Americans have as much privilege as white people do, youre far from the truth.
Please keep in mind that not every Asian group is alike. Asian cultures are made up of different groups of people, languages,
religions, and histories. I honestly couldnt even begin to list out the number of Asian ethnic groups and their heritages
because they are so rich and diverse. For the rest of this letter, I do refer to Asian Americans as a whole (including Pacific
Islanders!), but it is still critical to recognize that not all Asian Americans experiences are the same.
The facts you stated on The Daily Show can be considered true, but inadequately analyzed. According to the Pew
Research Centers data in 2010, Asian Americans have the highest median household income and the highest educational
attainment in comparison to other racial groups. On the other hand, the data and its interpretations show that you, along with
many other people, only recognize Chinese, Korean, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and several other Asian ethnic groups as
one and the same: a small, happy, statistically convenient demographic.
Not all Asian ethnic groups are as financially well off as others, and Asian households are often larger than that of the average
American household, so finances are stretched for more people.
Stewart: What kind of Asians? You have to-
OReilly: -Asian Americans. Asian Americans.
Stewart: It depends where theyre from.
OReilly: Theyre from Asia. Theyre Asian Americans. because weve followed the formula. Weve been honest, worked hard, and kept quiet.
To you and many other people, Mr. OReilly, Asian Americans are the model minority, the main attraction to
bring up in arguments concerning race and privilege. What particularly bothers me is that Asian Americans and their relative
success have been used to prove that those who obediently and quietly follow the system work hard, get educated, get a
well-paying job can be financially successful, and thus not be discriminated against.
By using Asian Americans as the successful outsiders, the ideal racial mascots, you pit minorities against each other.
Doing this says to other minorities that the only way of being successful in America is falling into line like Asian Americans
and keeping quiet about problems that may be too controversial. An example of minorities stepping out of line is the protests
and civil disobedience by the largely Black community in Ferguson, Missouri. The events have brought forth unconscious
racist attitudes towards African Americans to widespread media attention. Asian Americans, by contrast, are not in a similar
situation, making them seem compliant in comparison.
I know you love facts, Mr. OReilly, so let me give you a few: according to the US Census Bureau, the proportions
of Southeast Asians over the age of 25 with bachelors degrees are lower than those of African Americans, and high school
60
graduation rates for these ethnic groups are just as poor as those for African Americans and Hispanics. Educational attainment
varies as widely among Asian Americans as it does in the U.S. population.
According to a Gallup poll, 31% of Asian Americans have experienced employment discrimination, 5% more than
African Americans have. As a whole, they have also suffered the largest percentage decline in homeownership of any racial group.
Although Asian Americans have the highest levels of education and income, according to DiversityInc., they make up only
2.6% of the leadership in Fortune 500 companies. In comparison, the total percentage that Asian Americans make up in the US
population is just over 6%. Asian Americans are still vastly underrepresented in corporate and political leadership in this nation,
just like African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans.
Youve said it yourself, Mr. OReilly: If you work hard, if you get educated, if youre an honest person, you can make it
in America. If theres anything we Americans eat up like apple pie, its the concept that success is a direct result of some good ol
hard work. With education and lots of determination, Asian Americans have made it in this great country right?
It has often been said that Asian Americans credit their successes to high expectations, supportive families, hard work,
and education. Theres a stereotype: Asian American yuppies young urban professionals, whore often depicted as medical
professionals, litigators, and engineers with high educational attainment and limitless ambition. Conventional image dictates that
they had helicopter first generation immigrant parents that either own nail salons/laundromats/dry cleaners or are successful
professionals themselves (see: tiger mom).
Then why cant we reach the top? We live in a nation that considers itself the quintessential meritocracy, so why are
Asian Americans, who seemingly fit the mold of hard work, education, and honesty, excluded from higher positions?
There is a phenomenon that affects young Asian American professionals called the bamboo ceiling, a combination of
factors that impede Asian peoples career progress towards leadership positions.
Asian Americans graduate from universities in high numbers, and business, academia, and law firms tend to hire them
frequently as well. But this is where fortune through merit ends. These graduates remain stuck in these entry-level jobs with
little to no chance of promotion, blocked from higher positions because they are not seen as management material. Research
from the Center for Work-Life Policy finds that Asian women, frustrated by the barriers preventing their advancement in the
workplace, are 40 percent more likely than Caucasians to plan to quit their jobs within the year. Asian men are more than three
times as likely to consider quitting within the year. And its not that Asian Americans are unassertive and acquiescent. CWLP
research reveals that Asian professionals advocate for themselves and ask for pay raises and promotions just as much as those of
other ethnic groups do, but they are still not getting what they ask for.
Is this our so-called privilege? As Wesley Yang of New York Magazine says, the failure of Asian Americans to become
leaders in the white-collar workplace does not qualify as one of the burning social issues of our time, but it reveals how far
America is from equality. Although Asian Americans appear to have made it in America, we are still targeted by discrimination
and stereotypes. For example, the assumption that all Asians are smart isnt as flattering as it sounds. Personally, I have always
experienced pressure to excel academically. Both at home and in school, my Asian classmates and I were expected to get high
grades. Conforming to this image of the smart Asian was deemed absolutely necessary for some reason when Asian students
are really no more intellectually gifted than non-Asian students. In school, receiving high test scores affirmed the common
assumption (Of course he did well on the calc test: hes Chinese!) , while getting low grades were somehow excused (Well,
everyone failed the midterm, so). This excessive expectation for academic excellence can stress out Asian students to the
point where they are too ashamed and reluctant to get help when they need it. High school dropout rates among Southeast
Asian Americans is incredibly high: 40% of Hmong, 38% of Laotian, and 35% of Cambodian students do not graduate from high
school.
(Warning! Extreme sarcasm.)
Alright, Mr. OReilly, our model minority is indeed privileged. We have
been endowed with supportive communities, education, higher income, diminution of
cultures, job promotion discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and so much more. Other
minorities, take note: Asian Americans have total control over our families, culture,
[and] personal responsibilities. Any problems we had before are nonexistent now
Weve kept our heads down and stayed in our lanes, and look where its gotten us: Ahead,
duh.
Lets be real. Asian Americans, and any other minorities, do not get preferential
treatment in this country the way white people do. Getting ahead despite challenges
doesnt equate to being privileged, and we cannot ignore the fact that minorities face
adversity because of systemic perceptions of their race. The Asian success story should
not be used to say that minorities have to step up their game. The Asian success story
should not be used to distract from the fact that white privilege exists.
Best wishes,
Shelby Nguyen
61
 Race and Ethnicity
Dear
A letter on Asian Privilege
Bill OReilly,
On the October 15 broadcast of the Daily Show, you and Jon Stewart debated about the existence of white privilege.
The first point you make is If theres white privilege, then there has to be Asian privilege because Asians make more money
than whites They make more money, [have] higher education, [are] more affluent. So its Asian privilege, not white privilege.
With utmost respect, sir, uh, no. For one thing, your definition of privilege having more education and higher
income is distorted and excludes several critical aspects. To clarify, the American Medical Student Associations definition of
privilege is the advantages, favors, and benefits given to members of dominant groups at the expense of members of other
groups. When people say white privilege, they are referring to benefits that many people dont even recognize that they have.
For example, Mr. OReilly, you might not realize it, but you are privileged with the freedom to move as you please. You can
drive along the highway without worrying about being unfairly pulled over by a police officer. You dont have to teach your
kids what to do if they are stopped and frisked while taking a walk through the neighborhood.
When I say that you have white privilege, I dont mean that youve cruised through life without having fallen onto
hard times or having to work hard. Obviously having lighter skin does not guarantee anyone an easy life, but it definitely has
some positive effects. According to a field experiment from the National Bureau of Economic Research, those with white-
sounding names are more likely to get jobs. A 2003 University of Chicago study reveals that white job-seekers with felonies
are more likely to be called for interviews than African American applicants with clean criminal records. Using more ordinary,
day-to-day examples, you can read the news and watch TV knowing that your race will be well-represented. Your behavior
and actions are not likely to be considered a reflection on your race. If you were unemployed, others would probably say that
its unfair because youre a hard worker. You would not be considered a lazy bum looking for a handout; instead youve fallen
on hard times and just need to catch a break. Even at the most hopeless of times, youre more likely to receive help and avoid
homelessness.
For the most part, the hardships that Asian Americans suffer from are not as openly offensive as those suffered by
other minorities, but if you still say that Asian Americans have as much privilege as white people do, youre far from the truth.
Please keep in mind that not every Asian group is alike. Asian cultures are made up of different groups of people, languages,
religions, and histories. I honestly couldnt even begin to list out the number of Asian ethnic groups and their heritages
because they are so rich and diverse. For the rest of this letter, I do refer to Asian Americans as a whole (including Pacific
Islanders!), but it is still critical to recognize that not all Asian Americans experiences are the same.
The facts you stated on The Daily Show can be considered true, but inadequately analyzed. According to the Pew
Research Centers data in 2010, Asian Americans have the highest median household income and the highest educational
attainment in comparison to other racial groups. On the other hand, the data and its interpretations show that you, along with
many other people, only recognize Chinese, Korean, Indian, Japanese, Vietnamese, and several other Asian ethnic groups as
one and the same: a small, happy, statistically convenient demographic.
Not all Asian ethnic groups are as financially well off as others, and Asian households are often larger than that of the average
American household, so finances are stretched for more people.
Stewart: What kind of Asians? You have to-
OReilly: -Asian Americans. Asian Americans.
Stewart: It depends where theyre from.
OReilly: Theyre from Asia. Theyre Asian Americans. because weve followed the formula. Weve been honest, worked hard, and kept quiet.
To you and many other people, Mr. OReilly, Asian Americans are the model minority, the main attraction to
bring up in arguments concerning race and privilege. What particularly bothers me is that Asian Americans and their relative
success have been used to prove that those who obediently and quietly follow the system work hard, get educated, get a
well-paying job can be financially successful, and thus not be discriminated against.
By using Asian Americans as the successful outsiders, the ideal racial mascots, you pit minorities against each other.
Doing this says to other minorities that the only way of being successful in America is falling into line like Asian Americans
and keeping quiet about problems that may be too controversial. An example of minorities stepping out of line is the protests
and civil disobedience by the largely Black community in Ferguson, Missouri. The events have brought forth unconscious
racist attitudes towards African Americans to widespread media attention. Asian Americans, by contrast, are not in a similar
situation, making them seem compliant in comparison.
I know you love facts, Mr. OReilly, so let me give you a few: according to the US Census Bureau, the proportions
of Southeast Asians over the age of 25 with bachelors degrees are lower than those of African Americans, and high school
60
graduation rates for these ethnic groups are just as poor as those for African Americans and Hispanics. Educational attainment
varies as widely among Asian Americans as it does in the U.S. population.
According to a Gallup poll, 31% of Asian Americans have experienced employment discrimination, 5% more than
African Americans have. As a whole, they have also suffered the largest percentage decline in homeownership of any racial group.
Although Asian Americans have the highest levels of education and income, according to DiversityInc., they make up only
2.6% of the leadership in Fortune 500 companies. In comparison, the total percentage that Asian Americans make up in the US
population is just over 6%. Asian Americans are still vastly underrepresented in corporate and political leadership in this nation,
just like African Americans, Hispanics, and Native Americans.
Youve said it yourself, Mr. OReilly: If you work hard, if you get educated, if youre an honest person, you can make it
in America. If theres anything we Americans eat up like apple pie, its the concept that success is a direct result of some good ol
hard work. With education and lots of determination, Asian Americans have made it in this great country right?
It has often been said that Asian Americans credit their successes to high expectations, supportive families, hard work,
and education. Theres a stereotype: Asian American yuppies young urban professionals, whore often depicted as medical
professionals, litigators, and engineers with high educational attainment and limitless ambition. Conventional image dictates that
they had helicopter first generation immigrant parents that either own nail salons/laundromats/dry cleaners or are successful
professionals themselves (see: tiger mom).
Then why cant we reach the top? We live in a nation that considers itself the quintessential meritocracy, so why are
Asian Americans, who seemingly fit the mold of hard work, education, and honesty, excluded from higher positions?
There is a phenomenon that affects young Asian American professionals called the bamboo ceiling, a combination of
factors that impede Asian peoples career progress towards leadership positions.
Asian Americans graduate from universities in high numbers, and business, academia, and law firms tend to hire them
frequently as well. But this is where fortune through merit ends. These graduates remain stuck in these entry-level jobs with
little to no chance of promotion, blocked from higher positions because they are not seen as management material. Research
from the Center for Work-Life Policy finds that Asian women, frustrated by the barriers preventing their advancement in the
workplace, are 40 percent more likely than Caucasians to plan to quit their jobs within the year. Asian men are more than three
times as likely to consider quitting within the year. And its not that Asian Americans are unassertive and acquiescent. CWLP
research reveals that Asian professionals advocate for themselves and ask for pay raises and promotions just as much as those of
other ethnic groups do, but they are still not getting what they ask for.
Is this our so-called privilege? As Wesley Yang of New York Magazine says, the failure of Asian Americans to become
leaders in the white-collar workplace does not qualify as one of the burning social issues of our time, but it reveals how far
America is from equality. Although Asian Americans appear to have made it in America, we are still targeted by discrimination
and stereotypes. For example, the assumption that all Asians are smart isnt as flattering as it sounds. Personally, I have always
experienced pressure to excel academically. Both at home and in school, my Asian classmates and I were expected to get high
grades. Conforming to this image of the smart Asian was deemed absolutely necessary for some reason when Asian students
are really no more intellectually gifted than non-Asian students. In school, receiving high test scores affirmed the common
assumption (Of course he did well on the calc test: hes Chinese!) , while getting low grades were somehow excused (Well,
everyone failed the midterm, so). This excessive expectation for academic excellence can stress out Asian students to the
point where they are too ashamed and reluctant to get help when they need it. High school dropout rates among Southeast
Asian Americans is incredibly high: 40% of Hmong, 38% of Laotian, and 35% of Cambodian students do not graduate from high
school.
(Warning! Extreme sarcasm.)
Alright, Mr. OReilly, our model minority is indeed privileged. We have
been endowed with supportive communities, education, higher income, diminution of
cultures, job promotion discrimination, harmful stereotypes, and so much more. Other
minorities, take note: Asian Americans have total control over our families, culture,
[and] personal responsibilities. Any problems we had before are nonexistent now
Weve kept our heads down and stayed in our lanes, and look where its gotten us: Ahead,
duh.
Lets be real. Asian Americans, and any other minorities, do not get preferential
treatment in this country the way white people do. Getting ahead despite challenges
doesnt equate to being privileged, and we cannot ignore the fact that minorities face
adversity because of systemic perceptions of their race. The Asian success story should
not be used to say that minorities have to step up their game. The Asian success story
should not be used to distract from the fact that white privilege exists.
Best wishes,
Shelby Nguyen
61
 Race and Ethnicity

The Search Black gay men operate in two spheres; both black and
American in larger societal context; both black and gay within
black community; and both gay and black within the white
gay community. As a result, multiple intersecting forms of

for
oppression impact black gay men. The forms of oppression; class,
gender, sexuality, and race all compound to impact the black
queer experience. In a large institution such as Northeastern
University, I have found that experiencing true cultural affinity

Giovannis Room
can at times feel somewhat impossible. Black gay men often
feel excluded from the larger black community because of the
homophobia and sexism while feeling equally excluded from
larger white gay community due to racism and classism. The idea
of feeling cultural gaps in so many aspects of life really highlights
the importance of space.

By Nolan Tesis

I am not the typical Northeastern student. My presentation
and lived experienced somewhat exclude me from that image.
I came to this conclusion after a few years of failing to notice Northeastern University currently has affirming
too many others from my community. Being a black student at spaces for both LGBT Students and African-American
Northeastern University can be a daunting experience because of Students. The John D.OBryant African-American Institute
the sheer number of black students in comparison to the number provides a space for African-American students, but I have
of white students. In an online interview about a new HBO series found that while Im there Im very aware of toning down my
called Bros, the creator Ben Corey Jones states, Its ironic that in gayness. The LGBT Resource center is a room that provides a
2014, and even with a black president, one of the hardest things safe space for LGBT students. I often find that while I am in
to be in this country right now is a young black man. What can there I am often the only black student present there. Despite
significantly more difficult is being a black gay student in the world feeling cultural gaps at both locations, the African-American
and at Northeastern University. Institute, and LGBT Resource Center have been in dialogue
to make both spaces more inclusive for students whos
identities fall into the intersection of both identities. Today
you can feel the cultural gaps, but it is truly exciting see how
changes are being implemented, now that two completely
different spaces, on Northeastern Universitys campus are
collaborating.

62 63
 Race and Ethnicity

The Search Black gay men operate in two spheres; both black and
American in larger societal context; both black and gay within
black community; and both gay and black within the white
gay community. As a result, multiple intersecting forms of

for
oppression impact black gay men. The forms of oppression; class,
gender, sexuality, and race all compound to impact the black
queer experience. In a large institution such as Northeastern
University, I have found that experiencing true cultural affinity

Giovannis Room
can at times feel somewhat impossible. Black gay men often
feel excluded from the larger black community because of the
homophobia and sexism while feeling equally excluded from
larger white gay community due to racism and classism. The idea
of feeling cultural gaps in so many aspects of life really highlights
the importance of space.

By Nolan Tesis

I am not the typical Northeastern student. My presentation
and lived experienced somewhat exclude me from that image.
I came to this conclusion after a few years of failing to notice Northeastern University currently has affirming
too many others from my community. Being a black student at spaces for both LGBT Students and African-American
Northeastern University can be a daunting experience because of Students. The John D.OBryant African-American Institute
the sheer number of black students in comparison to the number provides a space for African-American students, but I have
of white students. In an online interview about a new HBO series found that while Im there Im very aware of toning down my
called Bros, the creator Ben Corey Jones states, Its ironic that in gayness. The LGBT Resource center is a room that provides a
2014, and even with a black president, one of the hardest things safe space for LGBT students. I often find that while I am in
to be in this country right now is a young black man. What can there I am often the only black student present there. Despite
significantly more difficult is being a black gay student in the world feeling cultural gaps at both locations, the African-American
and at Northeastern University. Institute, and LGBT Resource Center have been in dialogue
to make both spaces more inclusive for students whos
identities fall into the intersection of both identities. Today
you can feel the cultural gaps, but it is truly exciting see how
changes are being implemented, now that two completely
different spaces, on Northeastern Universitys campus are
collaborating.

62 63
 Thanks Sources

for Reading!
Gender and Sex Photos Race and Ethnicity Photos Sexuality Photos

Ariel, Jasmine, Mulan, Poca- Asian Privilege: istockphoto. 50s Couple: Photo by Alfred
hontas, Rapunzel: Deviantart com Eisenstaedt
user Johnni-K
Diverse Models: Estee Lauder Ace Flag: Asexuality Visibility

Staff
Bulimia Photo: Tumblr user and Education Network
LOceano dinverno Diverse Models 2: Photos by
Luminosidade, composites by Man and Woman: imdb.com
Gender-Culture: Photo by Plush Swimwear (Down with Love)
Navesh Chitrakar, Reuters.
com Feminist Fashion March: Photo Pansex: Photo by Alfredo Es-
Meheret Abiye Izzy Irizarry by Christophe Karaba trella, Getty Images
Eve Anderson Kimberlee Jebbett Gender Babies: Photo by Iris
Sarah Anderson Victoria Kroeger Images, Corbisimages.com Race and Ethnicity: Tumblr Pansexuality flag: web.ar-
Emily Barton Haley Lyons user BabyKanima chive.org
Genderbread Person: itspro-
Karina Bistrong Alex-Marie Michaud nouncedmetrosexual.com Racial-Diversity-Fashion-Week: Slut Shaming: Lip Mag
Scotty Blechman Remi Montagne Jezebel Magazine
Patrick Brewster Daniel Moore Graph of Earnings: Ameri- Valentino: Valentino
can Association for University White Privilege Meme: Tumblr
Daryon Calhoun Crystal Nguyen
Women user FeministDisney Whitehead: Wikimedia Com-
Julia Cathcart Shelby Nguyen mons user Anonmoos
Celene Chen Megan Reilly Intersex Flag: Organisation Ebola: Andr Carrilho
Kimberely Cleary Nola Rich Intersex International Australia Womens Rights: National
Graph: Pew Research Center Womens History Museum
Astrid Crowley Tessa Rose Piggybanks: istockphoto.com
Adrianna De Lucio Robin Saffir Graph 2: Pew Research Cen- Macklemore: macklemore.
Natalie Dickinson Samantha Schloeman Spermandegg: Osteopathy. ter com
Allison Digregorio Melissa Scholem Heller talktalk.net
Graph 3: Jezebel Magazine Sexy Man: shutterstock.com
Regan Dvoskin Helen Sharma The Great Sperm and Race:
Marianna Ferris Chenyu Shou richardarmitageonline.com Ideal man: ifunny.com Sexy Woman: Lo Ultimo Mag-
Mario Franko Amy Stahl azine
Candy Heart: torange-es.com Libera Ebola: Shoana Cach-
Alesia Garrett Rachel Tenenbaum
elle
Katherine Gilmore Darren Tesis Traditional-gender: Media.
Laura Goetz Elizabeth Torres photobucket.com user Nasty: Global Satellite Re-
Adrianna Graziano Gabrielle Ulubay Scott1234 cords
Nicolas Hanna Tania Vieira White Privilege: Jamie Kapp
Dana Hartlein Cara Vincelette
Eric Helm Lily Vitali
Ayorinde Iranlowo-Ifatunji Margaret Walsh
Phillip Zminda

64 65
 Thanks Sources

for Reading!
Gender and Sex Photos Race and Ethnicity Photos Sexuality Photos

Ariel, Jasmine, Mulan, Poca-
hontas, Rapunzel: Deviantart
user Johnni-K
Bulimia Photo: Tumblr user
Asian Privilege: istockphoto. 50s Couple: Photo by Alfred
com Eisenstaedt
Diverse Models: Estee Lauder Ace Flag: Asexuality Visibility
and Education Network

Staff
LOceano dinverno Diverse Models 2: Photos by
Luminosidade, composites by Man and Woman: imdb.com
Gender-Culture: Photo by Plush Swimwear (Down with Love)
Navesh Chitrakar, Reuters.
com Feminist Fashion March: Photo Pansex: Photo by Alfredo Es-
Meheret Abiye Izzy Irizarry by Christophe Karaba trella, Getty Images
Eve Anderson Kimberlee Jebbett Gender Babies: Photo by Iris
Sarah Anderson Victoria Kroeger Images, Corbisimages.com Race and Ethnicity: Tumblr Pansexuality flag: web.ar-
Emily Barton Alex-Marie Michaud user BabyKanima chive.org
Genderbread Person: itspro-
Karina Bistrong Remi Montagne nouncedmetrosexual.com Racial-Diversity-Fashion-Week: Slut Shaming: Lip Mag
Scotty Blechman Daniel Moore Jezebel Magazine
Patrick Brewster Crystal Nguyen Graph of Earnings: Ameri- Valentino: Valentino
can Association for University White Privilege Meme: Tumblr
Daryon Calhoun Shelby Nguyen
Women user FeministDisney Whitehead: Wikimedia Com-
Julia Cathcart Megan Reilly mons user Anonmoos
Celene Chen Nola Rich Intersex Flag: Organisation Ebola: Andr Carrilho
Kimberely Cleary Tessa Rose Intersex International Australia Womens Rights: National
Graph: Pew Research Center Womens History Museum
Astrid Crowley Robin Saffir Piggybanks: istockphoto.com
Adrianna De Lucio Samantha Schloeman Graph 2: Pew Research Cen- Macklemore: macklemore.
Natalie Dickinson Melissa Scholem Heller Spermandegg: Osteopathy. ter com
Allison Digregorio Helen Sharma talktalk.net
Graph 3: Jezebel Magazine Sexy Man: shutterstock.com
Regan Dvoskin Chenyu Shou The Great Sperm and Race:
Marianna Ferris Amy Stahl richardarmitageonline.com Ideal man: ifunny.com Sexy Woman: Lo Ultimo Mag-
Mario Franko Rachel Tenenbaum azine
Candy Heart: torange-es.com Libera Ebola: Shoana Cach-
Alesia Garrett Darren Tesis
elle
Katherine Gilmore Elizabeth Torres Traditional-gender: Media.
Laura Goetz Gabrielle Ulubay photobucket.com user Nasty: Global Satellite Re-
Adrianna Graziano Tania Vieira Scott1234 cords
Nicolas Hanna Cara Vincelette White Privilege: Jamie Kapp
Dana Hartlein Lily Vitali
Eric Helm Margaret Walsh
Ayorinde Iranlowo-Ifatunji Phillip Zminda

64 65