Saddened another year…happy I’m not alone
An email in my inbox this afternoon:
Colleagues,
If perception is reality, the perception of the college and the college’s attitude toward women has deteriorated over the past few years. The last two years have seen our gender reduced to breasts, makeup, hair, fashion and plastic surgery (please add pole dancing to the list).
This is one of our most widely advertised events. Banners will go up on campus shortly. And for the next few weeks, every student and every passerby will associate this event with our community college. While many of us have talked to each other, we have not taken this conversation to the source.
This afternoon I spoke with ***, Dean of ***. This event is jointly planned with *** and her division. SSM hospital and J.C. Penny are co-sponsors and co-programmers. *** is relatively new to the campus–this is only her second Women’s Fair. And she indicated that no one has spoken to her about any concerns. During the annual reviews of the event, the only discouraging word has been a complaint that we ran out of cinnamon rolls.
She would welcome your emails of concern and suggestions for alternative programming.
If you share my concern that this rather “retro” event narrowly avoids (and I’m being kind here) the insulting of all women, please share your views with *** and *** or both.
Thank you for your time,
***
Chair
My smart colleague is referring to an upcoming Women’s Fair on our campus:
Fall is the perfect time to set a course for self-improvement and self-awareness and to have fun in the process! Women will find the answers to questions on health, family, career, image, fashion, and more at the 2007 Women’s Fair – Fun, Fit, and Fabulous…
For the fourth consecutive year, (Big Department Store) will host the lunchtime fashion show, with styles for all ages and sizes! The $20 VIP tickets also include individual gift bags for all guests as well as automatic entry into a grand prize drawing — a personal beauty basket courtesy of (Big Department Store).
The educational component of the fair gives participants nine mini-seminars to choose from including information on exercise, fitness, breast care, urinary incontinence, and plastic surgery. Other personal improvement and awareness topics include bra fitting and wardrobe, “ups†and “dos†for holiday hair, makeup made easy, and the “spirit of chocolate†to enhance life and lift the spirit.
Gak. I hate so-called Women’s Fairs. I’ve hated this one especially since it’s close to home, on one of my campuses, and it’s as useless as ever this year.
Ladies, a Women’s Fair that offers beauty tips, plastic surgery information, the spirit of chocolate, and “ups” and “dos” for holiday hair (??) is not in your best interest. What about the ACTUAL STUFF that matters to women, as people, as students, as workers, as mothers, as PEOPLE?
Baby Jesus on toast, who thinks of this crap?
However, I’m also happy to see that other people on campus give a shit.
Posted by Melissa on October 23rd, 2007 under Flaming Ovaries
October 24th, 2007 at 7:42 am
I would be ok with the Women’s Fair model if there were a male counterpart, filled with the following: booths selling an array of penis pumps, a drawing for a lifetime supply of Viagra, a fashion show with Abercrombie male models, and body builders circulating the crowd, asking them to try the Gut Blaster X3000. Oh yes, and free prostate checks at a booth in the corner.
October 24th, 2007 at 7:48 am
I would also like that Men’s Fair to be touted as “career building,” please.
October 24th, 2007 at 12:44 pm
I’ve never heard of a Women’s Fair before. I just moved here last year and I don’t think they had them in the city where I lived before. Although maybe they did and I just ignored it as somewhere that people would try to sell me stuff all day. I am curious however: Does the spirit of chocolate still go straight to my thighs?
October 24th, 2007 at 8:05 pm
I don’t see what the big deal is. Feminism is about having a choice. Some women choose to enjoy these types of fairs. If you don’t like it, don’t go.
October 25th, 2007 at 7:41 am
That’s a cop out. And old one.
Just because women buy into it, doesn’t mean it good for women or that is actually promotes real choice.
Feminism is about choice. Do you really think that current conditions allow for a decent choice? Hmm, should I get breast implants to conform to the patriarchy OR should I worry about my holiday up do?
*See: Feminism 101*
October 25th, 2007 at 7:58 am
By the way, that’s not to say that many don’t women happily conform to the “made for men” norm in many ways. I know I do.
That still doesn’t mean I’ve made a patriarchy-free choice.
October 25th, 2007 at 2:39 pm
Strange. I’ve been reading and enjoying your blog for a long time. I’ve seen you write about food, hair, clothes, sex, etc. Ironically, these are many of the same topics covered by the Women’s Fair.
The fair wouldn’t exist if there wasn’t a demand for it. Not everything is a patriarchy inspired conspiracy against women!
October 25th, 2007 at 3:17 pm
Hmmmm, somewhere you are misunderstanding. I didn’t say those things were bad. In fact, I said that I do those things.
Nothing ironic there.
It still doesn’t mean I’m not a product of a patriarchal society. I am. You are (regardless of gender).
And it doesn’t mean those things in a fair are the problem. It’s that the fair is touted as career building around campus. It’s just not what it is, what used to be fluff + substance has gone the way of all fluff, no substance.
October 26th, 2007 at 8:34 am
Okay, I had to chime in on this.
So, I found the flyer for this event on the internet.
Here’s the beef, anon., because I just don’t think you are getting it.
The flyer states that this is a women’s fair that clearly includes a statement about career. The nine mini-seminars? Not one is about career. They are about hair and plastic surgery. As IF that is all that women care about. As IF that is REALLY what you are supposed to do to “get ahead”. The whole presumption of this fair is that all women are alike. All lifestyle are the same. That ALL women are just somebody’s wife, and as such, should be a reflection of their husband and taking care of their looks is of utmost importance.
The career aspect is covered at lunchtime by a MALE speaker. WTF? Why not have a woman give the speech about business life? Why not provide someone that woman could relate to in regards to a mentor. No, we’ll reserve their expertise for the hair seminar.
Not only that, the focus, of course, is about work/life balance. When in the hell is the last time you ever heard anyone ask men how they manage their work and home life. Is this only an issue for women?
As for the topics being in demand, based on who’s belief system? Who sets up? Who picks the topic? Why, anon., would you assume that the topics at the fair are based on demand rather than a committee making decisions? I admit, we as women do partake of the fluff, but I find it odd that you wouldn’t be able to see how people, both women AND men, are conditioned to also believe that women are ONLY interested in fluff. Old beliefs die hard. Just because women have more leverage in society does not mean the playing field is equal.
Might I suggest the below reading to help you understand:
http://www.amptoons.com/blog/the-male-privilege-checklist/
October 26th, 2007 at 9:52 am
I just have to say, I LOVE the category title that this entry is listed under. Also, I have no real problem with a woman taking pole-dancing classes if she wants to, but the impression from the press is that there is a career component to this fair. WTF?
October 26th, 2007 at 12:35 pm
Someone just responded in this way via campus email (an original planner of the event years ago), I have excerpted parts of it here:
“Many, many years ago, I was the one who started the entertainment aspect of the Womens Fair. The committee handled all of the administrative, sessions, marketing, corporate booths, etc. They asked me to develop something. I did. It had a fashion show, live classical music, professional singers and dancers and a serious discussion of the role of women in the arts. I invited four prominent women from St. Louis. They all came. We had a great discussion. I tried to bridge the gap between “fun” and “serious”.
What happened?
You keep forgetting the word “Community”– that means the college might offer female mud wrestling if enough Rotarians want it. We might have male strippers if enough women want it–and the law allowed it. It is not my vision–but I learned the hard way. I was very hurt by the taking of an event that I had given birth too and implemented and see it turned to mush.
Of course, one might ask are Women’s Fairs a bit out of date? We academics are accused of beating dead horses. Are we not ready for an inclusive event for all Americans on campus–no matter of gender, race, sexual preference, immigration status, etc. This, to me, would be far more constructive…
The catch is, the faculty does not have the money or the staff to pull off a major event as your want. The Administration does. They want large numbers. Our vision will draw fewer numbers.
Trust me–Nascar will always outdraw Shakespeare…”