Why Justin Bieber and Taylor Swift should make an album together.

A few weeks ago, I read an article on Autostraddle entitled "Why Taylor Swift Offends Little Monsters, Feminists, and Weirdos." Everything about this article was perfect. Some of my favorite moments are "Songs like “Fifteen” dig up the ancient Puritan ideal that girls can only access power by confidently and heterosexually denying access to their pants" and "Other girls are obstacles; undeserving enemies who steal Taylor’s soulmates with their bewitching good looks and sexual availability." Be sure to check out the whole article, which includes a symbolic analysis of Swift songs.

So Swift has been covered. Then, a week ago my fiance showed me a Justin Bieber video claiming that if my drag persona was Aaron Carter, hers would be Justin Bieber. I began paying attention to this newly sixteen-year-old who features Ludacris in one of his songs. Bieber and Swift have had a few internet-exchanges, as well as commenting on each other in interviews. Why have these two stars so recently emerged with such fame? What can they tell us about what it means to musically succeed with a fan-base that includes pre-teens, adults, and young children? After watching his videos a few times and considering the three-year-old who cried on YouTube because she loves Justin Bieber so much, I realized that just as much as we are angered by Taylor Swift's messages of chastity, dependence on boyfriends, and needing to look beautiful to get the guy, we should be similarly up-in-arms over Justin Bieber.

Justin Bieber came to fame by posting videos of himself on YouTube, hence demonstrating (as did Tila Tequila) that the internet is the new "Star Search". His most famous songs and videos are "Baby" and "One Less Lonely Girl." If these few titles aren't enough to concern you, let's take a look at some of Bieber's main messages:

1. Justin Bieber falls in love at first sight.

But only with beautiful girls who do their own laundry and who look way older than him. Preteen girls look for romance listen up: ALWAYS look you best. Even if you are just going to the laundromat. Because you never know when the love of your life will walk by, and he won't bother starting up a conversation because your pretty smile is all he needs to know he wants you.

2. Gifts are the way to a girl's heart.

In "One Less Lonely Girl," Bieber coerces his lady-interest to embark on a wild scavenger hunt to get back her scarf that she dropped and he stole. On this search she encounters several pictures and messages from Bieber stating that he will buy her expensive chocolate, flowers, and PUPPIES! Okay, he won't actually give her puppies (several parents are probably glad of this), but he will shower her with kisses like a puppy. In "Baby" he sings "I'll buy you any ring" to get his hottie back. And to really get the point across, in "One Love" he proves that he isn't leaving his love by singing "My money is yours." So now Bieber fans are led to believe that the boy of your dreams will fall in love with you at first sight, AND that he will buy you expensive presents/give you all his money to win you over.

3. Hot boys (like Justin) will not take NO for an answer.

That's right! The storyline behind "Baby" is that his girlfriend/love interest says that they are just friends, but Bieber knows better. His friends, such as Degrassi star and rapper Drake cheer him on as he follows his love around a bowling alley to keep her with him. Even when she pushes him away, moves over a seat, and sends fairly clear signals that she does not want him to follow her, Bieber 'knows' that she is only playing 'hard-to-get.' In fact, at the end of the video she leaves with him! So forget about your autonomy and independence, Justin Bieber calls the shots in your relationship. After he's fallen for your looks and won you over with presents, there's no way out.

4. Be pure, until you're with him.

This message is kind of a shocker when you consider that he is only 16, sings for pre-teens, and seem eerily similar to Taylor Swift. But take a look at the chorus in "First Dance":

Only if you give give the first dance to me

Girl I promise I'll be gentle

But we gotta do it slowly

If you give give the first dance to me

I'm gon' cherish every moment

Cuz it only happens once once in a lifetime

This song is definitely NOT about prom. He is not very subtle in his comparison between losing one's virginity and the first dance at prom. Later, he refers to tasting the girl's lip gloss, being all alone, and the parents now knowing. Usher's clever addition includes:

Girl if you see something you like then let 'em know

Cuz you only got one chance

For your first dance

So take advantage of the slow down

So to be appreciated by Bieber, he must be your first. At least the girl does have some autonomy, as expressed in Usher's section. But the weight that is put on the 'first dance' is a little daunting. Maybe that's the way out of your relationship with Bieber-- let it slip that he's not your first...

Now, I have nothing against emerging sexuality, safe sex practices, or expressing your love through thoughtful gifts. What I do have a problem with is communicating to young heterosexual women that they should listen to Taylor Swift and give up their autonomy and focus on looking good for boys like Bieber. Plus, Bieber communicates to young heterosexual boys that once they have chosen their beautiful love, they should aggressively buy things to win her over, and to keep her. In his songs there is no mutual communication between the two people; there is no place where he allows for rejection. Confidence is one thing, assumed ownership is another.

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If Beiber and Swift actually made an album together, I imagine that the video for the title song would go like this:

Enter on a scene of Taylor, throwing away her glasses, schoolbooks, and practical t-shirt. She dons instead a white, slightly low-cut dress and makes her way to the school dance.

Justin, in a tailored suit and trucker's cap and walking through the park with his friends, stops in his tracks as he sees Taylor. He's seen her before (in Math class), but never paid her much attention since she normally wears pony-tails and volunteers answers to the teacher's questions. His friends might mock him just a little for his choice, since they all remember what she is normally like, but he pays them no mind.

He jogs up to her, pulling a diamond necklace from his pocket (where he keeps it for just the right girl). Taylor is floored-- that push-up bra sure did the trick! Justin gives a speech with perfectly timed beats about his yacht, country club, and convertible, and how he will give it all to Taylor. There's just one catch, he must be Taylor's first. Since Taylor has never had a real, hot, popular boy pay her any attention, she accepts! She becomes effectively his property, never again to cry on her guitar, calculator, or glasses case.

But then the video moves on to four months down the road, when Taylor (hopefully) realizes that she should value herself without that value being contingent on Justin's gifts. Justin, too, realizes that he should value himself for more than what he can buy.

They both live happily, competently, and independently ever after.

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Let's stop teaching young people to rely on the opposite sex, dating, and money to feel worthy. Let's give everyone mutual autonomy in relationships, and the sexual freedom to choose who, when, how, and why to engage in romance.

Justin Bieber, you may look like an adorable lesbian, but you cannot buy my love.

Teachers on TV

Teachers have quite the reputation to uphold. They must meet standards, inspire minds, earn respect, increase competencies, of 30 students in 9 months. Teachers also battle students' competing interests (dating, internet, sports, etc.) when asking for focus and assignments. Everyone agrees that it is tough to teach. So why does it feel like television is trying to make it harder? The common teachers portrayed in television are authoritarian, self-interested, and immoral, or sheepish, overly-sensitive, and weak. Let's take a look at a few well-known examples of teachers in TV shows.

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Characters:

Ms. Othmar, Charlie Brown

Ms. Krabappel, The Simpsons

Mr. Simmons, Hey Arnold

Mrs. Garrison, South Park

Ms. Frizzle, Magic School Bus

Mr. Feeny, Boy Meets World

Story-Lines:

Ms. Othmar, Charlie Brown:

This is one of the first TV teachers that comes to my mind. She teaches Linus's class, and the only words we ever hear coming out of her mouth are: mrah mrah mumble mrah indiscernable babbling. I'm not sure I've ever heard her say something motivating or kind (and when I say heard, I mean had-explained-to-me-by-the-other-characters-interpreting, of course). Teachers in the real world do not speak in incomprehensible gibberish, and Ms. Othmar will not encourage students to closely adhere to any teacher's words. Ms. Othmar tells viewers that teachers do not have anything valuable to say, and that questioning learning and using creativity are unwanted in the classroom. I want my students to tune-in to my voice, and to be ready to challenge what they hear. Linus certainly isn't developing his confidence to strive for learning, and he isn't letting his teacher help him, either.

Ms. Krabappel, The Simpsons:

Edna Krabappel is the epitome of your unfulfilled, cranky teacher. When she is not hooking up with the principal in the broom closet, Ms. Krabappel is invariably smoking and/or tossing mean-spirited sass back at the students. Obviously unfulfilled, Edna's main concern is finding her way out of her poor relationship with Mr. Skinner and into the arms of a hunky true love. I've got nothing against true love, of course, but I would love to see Ms. Krabappel excited about strengthening young mind (although Bart Simpson would make that difficult for anyone to enjoy). Students may generalize Ms. Krabappel's demeanor to then assume that all people who teach do so for the 'meager-pay' rather than the joy of teaching. The Simpsons is popular, a caricature of US society. How does the normal teacher of our society play into this extreme example? And why do people develop the idea that people turn to teaching for any reason other than loving education? All I know is that I certainly hope that I do not end up like her. How will I prevent this? By becoming a teacher who is excited about the process of teaching and who keeps the necessary boundaries between private and school life, and hopefully not having an affair with the principal, of course.

Mr. Simmons, Hey Arnold:

Mr. Simmons would not be a bad teacher to emulate. He comes into the classroom with a balding, sweater-vest appearance and progressive beliefs about teaching: Each person is a unique individual, and students should never stop asking why. But his methods are not received well; the class decides to get rid of the "touchy-feely geek" with the usual pranks. Dropping pencils, switching names, etc. Essentially, the teacher loses his grip and deserts the classroom. Only after the students face Lieutenant Major Goose (authoritative, demanding, and cold) do they realize that Mr. Simmons's teaching style is innovative and deserving of respect. They go to his home and beg him to come back. Luckily, they finally prove themselves worthy of his skill by sharing their truthful feelings. Mr. Simmons tells students that respect for teachers can be conditional. While it does have a positive ending, it is unlikely that real classrooms would switch from a clearly talented teacher to a military authoritarian in order to teach the students a lesson. Students won't always see a teacher's quality by way of a direct comparison. What about accepting a caring teacher at face value?

Mrs. Garrison, South Park:

I can't decide if Mrs. Garrison gives much or little hope to queer teachers aiming to gain respect in the classroom. Her private life often enters the classroom, which we can all agree is inappropriate for any school environment. Mrs. Garrison lets her prejudices take center stage while teaching, and is in general seen as completely unfit to teach. The students get away with anything in her classroom, too. In the ninth season, Mrs. Garrison undergoes sexual reassignment surgery, and reemerges as beautiful Mrs. Garrison. Amazingly, her transition is generally accepted in the classroom, although completely undermined with the dolphin-oplasty of Stan's father. This is why I can't decide if she is a hopeful or hopeless case. She succeeds at being a force for diversity, yet is still portrayed as a little too extreme for a classroom. Mrs. Garrison tells viewers that teachers who come from diverse backgrounds are inherently flawed, a spectacle, even. Of course, this is completely in the comedic vein of South Park and we cannot ignore the fact that South Park was made for the comedic effect of rudeness. But, we also cannot ignore the fact that minority teachers face challenges wherever they are, be it a minority of race, class, gender, sexual orientation, or intellectual practices. I hope that my queer identity does not cause me to face unneeded challenges in the classroom.

Ms. Frizzle, Magic School Bus:

Ms. Frizzle takes science education to an entirely new level. Need to learn about space? No problem, let's go to Pluto! Need to learn about the body's defenses against illness? No problem, let's go inside of a student's body. With Ms. Frizzle, you never need to worry about not finding the practical implications of knowledge. But where are those parental permission slips? She is unpredictable, enthusiastic, and bizarre. But her students learn; and so does the audience. What does Ms. Frizzle tell us about teachers? Perhaps that we have to be amazingly exciting and out-of-the-box to make an impact? Or that we have no rules or standards to follow? Maybe Ms. Frizzle sets the bar too high? However, The Magic School Bus was made as an educational tool rather than simply a form of entertainment. Is this why Ms. Frizzle lacks the unattractive qualities of our other TV teachers? I think that this has both positive and negative consequences. Students will learn from the show while being entertained, but may develop unrealistic expectations for what will actually occur in the classroom. I don't mean that students will think that they can hop on a yellow bus and shrink down Alice-in-Wonderland style. I mean that they will feel let down when we give them tattered schoolbooks and "teach to the test" as is so often expected. But maybe we can still view this show once in a while to get good ideas for 'practical' applications.

Mr. Feeny, Boy Meets World:

Finally, a teacher that I can totally admire. Mr. Feeny shows us just how much a teacher can impact his students. Of course, most students are not lucky enough to have the same outstanding teacher throughout their entire education. That is perhaps one of the few flaws with Mr. Feeny's character; he is too present, too unending. We get nine months with students, he gets twelve years. One other possible flaw is that he does not seem to have a personal life. We do see him outside of the classroom but it is only in his front garden; does he have a family? Pets? He is the completely devoted teacher, constantly present for his students. Another role-model and support for all of life's challenges. This is what we strive to be as teachers. But we will not always be able (or willing) to sacrifice our outside lives to achieve this. However, Mr. Feeny's amazing teaching ability is admirable. He practically raises Cory, Shawn, Topanga and the rest into respectable, responsible adults. This show is aimed at older kids who have generally had a least a few years of schooling. How might Mr. Feeny affect how his viewers perceive teachers? He may set the bar too high, but he may also set the bar just high enough.

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All right, after looking in depth at these characters, I realize that I'm working with a mixed bag of portrayals. Teachers are often portrayed in television as idiotic, passive, overly-demanding, and unqualified. But we do have a few positive examples to work off of, like Ms. Frizzle and Mr. Feeny. Plus, Mrs. Garrison gives us an interesting look at minority teachers, too. But then there is Ms. Othmar and Ms. Krabappel who give us little to look forward to. So we are left considering how the media will impact our students. Which TV teachers will they use to inform their concept of a teacher? If children begin watching television before they enter school, many of these teacher prototypes will influence how they approach their own classroom teachers. Even if these shows appear later in life, they generally are not apt to create respect towards teachers. Comic relief is one thing, degrading people in an occupation that we should be elevating is another. Yes, television is for entertainment. But it as some might say, "stereotypes are often based in some thread of truth." What truth is there to these teachers? And in the end, let's look towards Feeny while we work to soothe Krabappel's rough life, and work for qualified, respected teachers for all students.

A brief history of my journey

Goal: Plot my journey into feminist theory for the sake of reflection and memory.

My partner is a Women's Studies major, and it is probably safe to say that my interests in these realms is largely due to her education rubbing off on me. Of course, she began pointing out gender inequalities, etc. a long time ago. What can I say? I'm often too optimistic/naive to "get it" the first time around. But then I started applying to graduate school for teaching. I was asked to write an essay about a realm of my subject area (language arts) that I would like to focus on in the classroom; something that is of 'current interest' to myself and society at large that maybe is not addressed as would be appropriate. I composed an essay on the need to address gender/sex in literature: the authors and the characters, in addition to an emphasis on the societal/psychological/political contexts in which the literature takes place and in which the literature is read.

After delivering my application, I realized that I should actually put my words into action. I began reading Marilyn Frye's essays in feminist theory (check it out on Amazon here). Okay, I'm not done with it yet, but I am loving what I have read! Also, I started following the websites Feministing and Sociological Images to keep up on the current issues. [[Insert aforementioned haircut here]] Sifting through the internet's resources on feminist theory and current issues in gender/sexuality/equality is tiring work!

I should also mention that I work in the after-school program at a middle school. This is where I get a lot of material. Step into a middle school and you step into a world of burgeoning gender norms, roles, expectations, and inequalities (more to come on this later).

Okay, where am I now? I'm keeping up with the sites, slowly working through Frye, and generally feeling much more sensitive (tuned into?) these topics in my everyday life. And now comes the next step: formulating my thoughts into coherent words so that I can address misogyny, inequality, and homophobia when I see it. And figuring out if I have anything original to add to the amazing work of other scholars and/or feminists out there. I'll have to get back to you on that last one.

Beauty Burdens

In line with my new-found love of feminism, I went to a salon and chopped off my hair! Cliché? A little. Freeing? YES! I've explained the drastic change to others as a rejection of the burdens that society puts on women in order for women to be beautiful. To which one co-worked replied "you're about sixty years too late!" This is true, but now I am also able to dance and lie on the floor without a ponytail getting in the way!

But this got me thinking about all the ways in which women are burdened in order to be beautiful (should any woman choose to conform to the US concept of beauty). I began a list:

1. Long hair, as mentioned above. Which takes more shampoo, more products, more time, can be grabbed (for fun and not for fun), and can get stuck in doors/jackets/fingers.
2. Long nails. How do long nails help women? And then we are expected to paint their nails, which always leads to annoying chips.
3. High heels. Yes, we become taller, but then we walk slower, sink into the grass, turn our ankles, and injure our shins.
4. Dangly earrings. While I often wear these, I worry about them catching in a foreign object and tearing my earlobe.
5. Dresses and skirts. All right, this one has both pros and cons. We can go to the bathroom easily, and stay cool in the summer. However, we are cold in the winter and must watch out so that we do not show off our panties.
6. Thongs. Duh.
7. Giant diamond rings. As someone who has recently become engaged, I'm hesitant to go for the big rock. Besides the controversy over diamonds and the cost, I just know that I would scratch myself on the face and probably dent furniture with it.

This is non-comprehensive. I'm open to more ideas.

In the vein of inclusion, I have also started compiling a list of ways in which men are burdened to be "handsome":

1. Neck ties. I imagine that these can get stuck, pulled, and dropped in food.

This is also probably non-comprehensive. Let me know if you think of anything. But why are the "beauty norms" of today's women disproportionately lacking in function and logic? Who solidified these norms? Where do we draw the line between fashion and function?

Introduction

Welcome to Rae's Ruminations!

I recently became interested in feminist theory and the sociology of gender. I feel a little late in my new obsession (read: 22 years old), but I've reminded myself that some people take much longer to come upon these topics. Therefore, I push along my internet, and occasionally book, self-directed education on the topic. I am particularly interested in third-wave feminism, the promotion of gender norms in the media and society at large, and the connections we can make to the public school system.

After some time of reading, thinking, and discussing, I come to another part of the learning cycle: writing. I intend to use this blog to formulate my learning into written form. One of my main goals in educating myself on these issues is to be capable of speaking out to those who trample on the ideals of equality, feminism, and acceptance. Perhaps this is my 'practice ring' for addressing these issues in real-life-encounters. In addition, I will soon enter a Master of Arts in Teaching program for middle/high school language arts, and I hope to learn how to bring these egalitarian views into the classroom.

And then she went to work...