MegCham

==Week 1 Response - On [|Brother Ali: The Intersection of Homophobia and Hip Hop: Where Tyler Met Frank] ==

It should be in the best interest of any artist, rapper, or writer to make sure that their content is for the most part non-offensive to the audience, however in a world where people seem to get offended about anything and everything, that can be very challenging. This is why I actively try to avoid getting super heated over small things that irk me, and I think others should try to do that as well. Even when someone in ignorance uses a term that may offend a group of people, that can be excusable, as long as they are aware of the mistake(s) they made, and don't do it again. However, it really grates on my nerves when people know that the term they are using is offensive, and use it multiple times in their conversation, works, etc as an offensive term. Even if the word is being used with a meaning other than its intended usage, it still may trigger someone, and that isn't right.

For example, take the word rape, which is most often associated with the crime of forced sexual activity. Many people are triggered by this term for one reason or another, and most people are aware of what it means, but that doesn't stop that one guy who beat you in that last Call of Duty match from saying, "I raped you!" in the sense that he had dominated you. Although this isn't the dictionary usage of rape, it still probably offended somebody.

To take a quote directly from "Tyler the Creator", who claims "I'm not homophobic. I just think 'ft' hits and hurts people. It hits. And 'gay' just means you're stupid. I don't know, we don't think about it, we're just kids. We don't think about that s--t. But I don't hate gay people. I don't want anyone to think I'm homophobic." It is apparent that he clearly knows what these terms mean to some people, yet he still uses them because to him they mean something different.

This is not okay. I'm all for freedom of speech, but there's line between ignorance and being a butthole. Know the difference, and save yourself from a wave of backlash all for something you said.

==Week 2 Response - On Gendered Politics and Clothing ==

Sexist 'Avengers' T-Shirts Tell Boys To Be Heroes And Girls To Need A Hero Although I love Marvel, and everything that has to do with it, I do admit they have a few flaws when it comes to gender equality. When it comes to creating awesome fictional lady superheroes, they know exactly what they're doing, but their clothing marketing to actual girls could definitely use a little work. Most likely, the clothing designers didn't put too much thought into it, and believed the shirt to be completely innocent, and technically, it is. However, we live in a patriarchal misogynistic society in which girls are expected to be the "damsel in distress", and just another shirt proclaiming that role is completely and utterly normal.

[|A Line Between Sweet and Skimpy] Girls' bodies today are extremely oversexualized, and people need to understand that if a girl wants to dress in a tube top and booty shorts, it's most likely their decision, and they're only trying to impress themselves, not others. Clothes, in no way, should be "provocative", especially when referring to the clothes of younger children. The father in the article constantly reminds me of how dumb he is by not realizing that his daughters won't dress that way //if you don't buy those clothes for them.// It would probably easier for everybody if you simply declined your girls' request to get those clothes that are oh-so sexual, rather than allowing them to get them, and being surprised when they go out "scantily clad".

[|U.S. to Defend Age Limits on Morning-After Pill Sales] To be honest, I really don't understand why birth control pills are so contraversive. They are not only used for their birth control properties, but they also help regulate erratic menstrual cycles, soothe cramping, and prevent further ovarian cysts. I have a bunch of friends who have used them since middle school, and they're perfectly fine. Even if birth control is only seen for its ability to prevent babies, a bunch of old guys can't tell a girl that she has to have a baby because she's under fifteen. Seriously, teen pregnancies under 15 happen, and the more contraceptive technology available for young girls, the less likely they are to have a baby that could very well ruin their young life. Also, if a girl has sexual intercourse, and doesn't want her parents to find out for fear of rejection or punishment, birth control could easily take the worry out of her mind, and give her one less problem to worry about, as well as one less baby.

=Week 3 Response - On [|Epic][|Role][|Models]=

The traits that define a "hero" and a "role model" can be vastly different. Taking a look at the dictionary definition of hero, //a (person) of distinguished// //courage or ability, admired for (their) brave deeds and noble qualities, //and looking at the dictionary definition of role model, //a person whose behavior, example or success is or can be emulated by others, often young people,// there's a bit of a difference in that a hero has defined traits that make them a hero, while a role model could express any sort of traits, not matter positive or negative, and if they're influential, be considered a role model. Despite this, society most often uses the phrase role model as someone who is respectful, empowering, and all around a good person. A role model doesn't have to be brave, especially noble, or even have "distinguished ability", as a hero usually does, though "good role models" tend to have good traits that counterbalance the absence of the heroic ones.

Both good and bad character traits generally are gender-neutral, in the sense that not only men or not only women should have them in order to qualify as being a good citizen. Actually, all traits should, in theory, be applicable to men and women, save for physical traits. Take both a female and male role model for example-Ellen DeGeneres and Tom Hiddleston. Both are caring towards their fans, entertain without being offensive, and they also care for the less fortunate via charity work. Despite also having good traits that the other doesn't have, they're still positive characteristics, and make great role models. It's also easy to imagine a man with the traits of Ellen DeGeneres and a woman with the traits of Tom Hiddleston, and they still would be equally respected (if we don't take the actual position of women in society into account, that is).

=5-12-14 - On Our In-Class Campaign Project =

The main focus of this project was to create a campaign within a group of four or five students for a fictional mayoral candidate using propaganda techniques learned in class, and run against other student groups in a faux election. It not only allows for students to apply what they have learned, but also learn about real-life politics, and see what