feminist: Double Posted

Mrs. Robinson (

crazy_alexy) wrote in

feminist,
@ 2006-02-08 20:55:00

Double Posted
I am a member of a community online that I have found myself to be very dissapointed in today. Granted, there are mostly younger teenagers on this community, but I had thought that most of them had more sense than what I have encountered today. Basically, I was browsing the forums today and found this, and am now extremely frustrated by most of the reactions.

Sexist acts in public schools.

Monday, I was rather shocked to hear this over the intercom:

"We have a challenge for all you girls! This Friday you are to keep your hearts.
Friday, each girl will be given a heart neckalace. With this, you are not allowed to talk the entire day, unless to a teacher. Any boy that catches you talking will take your heart. The boy with the most hearts at the end of the day will recieve a $30 prize! Good luck, girls!"

Is it just me, or does this seem like a sexist act? It takes away our right as American women to speak where and when we want to. Naturally, there's the option of forfeting your heart at the beginning of the day, but why should a man be rewarded for our silence? It's a nice though and seems like fun, but it leaves us open. Already I've heard that the boys will begin to throw insults at random girls just to get the heart necklace.

Thus far, people have replied with the appropriate "yes, that's sexist and it needs to stop," but I have sadly seen more people attacking the girl for being concerned about this.

My reply was (under the username kat'rina):
That is INCREDIBLY sexist.

This is incredibly innapropriate. I'm very much appalled that it would be encouraged.

...and then I went on to correct someone else's statement about feminists being idiots.

What are your thoughts? This equally outrages and concerns me, but I'm not sure how to respond.

(Post a new comment)

	magenta_markers 2006-02-09 02:04 am UTC (link)
	At my school, on St Patrick's Day, the guys can't talk to the girls, for fear of losing their 'shamrocks'. So here, objectification goes both ways. Yay. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	foursixths 2006-02-09 02:24 am UTC (link)
	Have you spoken up about this? Do anyone else object? (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	magenta_markers 2006-02-09 02:26 am UTC (link)
	There's no one I've met so far who has objected to either giving hearts or shamrocks away..I've voiced my displeasure but it's hard to get much done when it's me against 2700 people. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	crafting_change 2006-02-09 02:10 am UTC (link)
	ugh, the situation and thread is really ugly, unfortunately there is so much sheer un-feminist thought in the world (internets included) that there are times where it can't be battled on an individual basis. Let your statements stand, but fighting with each person there will not in the end help you or illuminate them. (Reply to this)

	jello401 2006-02-09 02:21 am UTC (link)
	Suggest to her that she find ways to notify the school of the sexist game. Or how that game is sexist (incase they don't see it). Like a letter to the school newspaper or even just bringing it up in one of her classes. I feel like the school just didn't think this through enough and just needs to be corrected. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	lil_elf 2006-02-09 03:54 am UTC (link)
	I agree, she should also include the part about boys using insults to get necklaces. The school is therefore supporting a "game" that encourages boys to insult girls and encourages the girls not to stand up for themselves when that happens. (Reply to this) (Parent)

muliebrity
2006-02-09 03:06 am UTC (link)

My high school did something similar (called "King of Hearts" day). I believe they've expanded it to a two-day contest with the other day being "Queen of Hearts" day, but it's still something I find to be inherently sexist. I agree with

jello401 that the suggestion of a letter to the editor of the school paper (or the local paper, if it's a small-ish town) would be a good one. A lot of people just don't think about these things because there's so much sexism engrained in our culture to begin with.

(Reply to this)

	squinting_kitty 2006-02-09 03:12 am UTC (link)
	"It's supposed to be sweet" "It's good-natured fun" SO THE HELL WHAT. It's also sexist. DAMN IT. And the fact that it's disguised as some "sweet/fun(ny)" "joke/game" thing MAKES IT THAT MUCH WORSE. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	fyi... squinting_kitty 2006-02-09 03:12 am UTC (link)
	That's to the stupid people who posted in the thread that you linked to. It's not directed to you :) (Reply to this) (Parent)

	gwytherinn 2006-02-09 03:28 am UTC (link)
	And wow, apparently it happens in a number of schools, according to comments here and on that thread. Who thinks this stuff up? ::shakes head:: (Reply to this)

	emobus 2006-02-09 03:37 am UTC (link)
	WTF?? I can't believe people actually DO this, and that it's sanctioned by the schools. This needs to stop right away! It's so backwards. (Reply to this) (Thread)

	muliebrity 2006-02-09 04:35 am UTC (link)
	But it's all in good fun! /sarcasm Ours was sponsored by the student council. I wish I could say I was suprised, but I wasn't. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	catwoman25 2006-02-09 05:45 am UTC (link)
	I'd throw my heart into a crowd of boys and watch 'em fight. Sounds like fun to me (but not really). (Reply to this)

	coaldustcanary 2006-02-09 05:47 am UTC (link)
	Me, I'd take the necklace, shred it, and refuse to participate, while encouraging other people to do the same, male and female. It's ridiculous. My high school was podunk and backwards, but we never had anything like that. (Okay, we had other incredibly sexist stuff, yes, but...sheesh!) (Reply to this) (Thread)

	jesurgislac 2006-02-09 08:06 am UTC (link)
	I was just thinking that. Destroy the necklace, so that a boy can't use it to help get the $30 prize, and then go round talking as usual. (Reply to this) (Parent)(Thread)

	zestyping 2006-02-09 01:55 pm UTC (link)
	The entire game concept is just awful. I shudder to imagine what the person who came up with it was thinking. Someone definitely ought to organize a mass necklace-smashing — right in the principal's office. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	dayslikethisone 2006-02-09 04:30 pm UTC (link)
	Yeah I don't know what kinda of schools do this - mine didn't (thank god!) If I went to this school I wouldn't participate - I'd throw the stupid thing away, most likely. (Reply to this)

0xmahliax0
2006-02-09 06:08 pm UTC (link)

Wait, do the girls get anything besides silenced for a day? Money, a cookie, anything? Or is it just the boys that have a chance for the $30?

It is also INCREDIBLY heterosexist. I mean, I am assuming that a girl would not be eligible for the prize if SHE were the one collecting hearts from other girls. Way to make queer people feel alienated.

I can't get over the imbalance. The boys have a chance to win money, while the girls have to be silent??? ARGH x 1,000

(Reply to this) (Thread)

	celesteh 2006-02-09 07:01 pm UTC (link)
	ditto. (Reply to this) (Parent)

	trettondagen 2006-02-09 08:55 pm UTC (link)
	Props for noticing this sexist crap at your age and saying something. When I was in high school I saw nothing wrong with this, and thinking bcak now (I haven't thought about it in years) I realize how entirely damaging it all is. (Reply to this)

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