For The Bible Tells Me So, Lambda Event

The Gay Straight Alliance on Tech’s campus, the TTU Lambda Association, hosted a very intriguing movie night a few weeks ago. The movie that they viewed and had discussed was called, For The Bible Tells Me So. Although this was not the first time I had seen this movie, it was still quite meaningful to see. I was able to revisit some of the teachings that had been instilled in my head by preachers on the fact that I am gay. For the most part this simple fact has caused me trouble when dealing with the church, but this movie showed how being gay is ok and that God does not condemn it.

During the question and answer portion of the event we got to here from a Crossville PFLAG (Parents and Friends of Lesbians and Gays) parent that shared with us a little of his daughters story when she came to he and his wife to tell them that she was a lesbian. This story was inspiring as well as eye opening for me to see that not all families react as negatively as mine reacted. Also, the Lambda Association president, Mr. Cory Smith, shared a little bit of a personal experience that he had to sadly encounter with his father.

I believe that the movie had great success with its audience. Many people came out to view this movie and were able to voice their opinions on it and issues afterwards. I learned that there are many people in the area that are very supporting and willing to help the gay members of our community. All of the feedback was great at this event and very positive, which was a nice change for homosexuality to be spoken of on a good note. In the end, I am glad that I chose to attend this Lambda event, it was entertaining and informative.

Racism is Crazy!

White Power! White Power! White Power! Why is it that when you hear these things you automatically think the KKK and the evil things that were done to African-Americans? To be honest that is only one of many examples of how being a white male has had its advantages. If anyone, be it women (of any race), or any other person of a different race, did those things they would be treated like the scum of the earth when many of the KKK members were viewed as a necessary thing to preserve our "whiteness."

To remove all the privileges that we as white people have would cause us to crumble because we have been taught since the womb that we have them. Much like McIntosh said we don't have to worry that we may not get that job or that promotion because of our skin color. All of these privileges are so interwoven that without them, we would be forced to see the world as what it is. Why must it be "sugar coated" for us when in reality we are at a disadvantage due to the fact that we don't see the world in actuality from most of the worlds view. When you see racism as it is, you begin to realize that even the simple things like what kind of service you get at a restaurant, or what kind of car you will be shown at a car lot depends on a simple pigment difference.

I for one, wish that I could have the level of understanding and the chance to live life as an African-American or Asian person does, just so that I could better understand how I can be different and present less "whiteness" to the world. All people should be created equal like our constitution says but to do this our world will have to reconstruct everything about it. Hopefully in the future this will be easier to attain than what it is now.

The Iron Maiden: How Advertising Portrays Women

Why is it that our country and moreover our world persistently pressures women to be this or be that? Advertisements don't even show what real women look like, they just portray someones idea of the perfect woman, with perfect hair, teeth, skin, etc. I personally think that it is ridiculous! These advertisements of "the pretty woman" are just a reason for young girls to starve themselves in hopes to one day be that pretty, or be that skinny, or have that clothing. Does our country want all women to be cookie cut outs of each other? What about equality? The typical woman does not look like what the advertisements look like, even the models that are used for these ads are photoshopped into something that they aren't. They have their teeth bleached and go to the tanning bed just to hopefully reach the standards of perfection that they expected to have. The Iron Maiden has brought to light the gruesome truths of this industry and I hope that one day the country/world will understand that all women are beautiful no matter what they look like.

Nickel-And-Dimed: On (Not) Getting By In America by Barbara Ehrenreich

As a member of the lower-middle class Barbara Ehrenreich has learned to survive and has found out many tips from her co-workers about how to live on a low income budget. At first, she was paying way over her pay limit for a less than desirable lifestyle. At that time she aspired to be "trailer trash" because even that seemed unattainable. She finally moved to a decent home forty five minutes from the Key West area in which she worked. Finally the rent and bills she had to pay were not over the amount that she made in a pay period. In a month, she now was making around $1,040.00 dollars. With this money she spent almost half on food, toiletries, utilities, and other things. With her remaining money she was able to buy her required work cloths, prescriptions, and vitamins to make up for not have many vegetables in her diet.

In this story, the reader can see what it's like in a different world than their own, or their world through an others eyes. The fact that the writer was almost unable to provide herself with the necessities of life is a sad but very true fact of some in America today. In the end, Ehrenreich found that she could function with not much money, and still live the life that she wanted too.