Normalize Equality

Normalize equality. It seems so simple now that I think about it. Normalize equality. The solution has been here under our collective noses all along. Normalize equality. That is all there is to it. If we want to rid the world of oppression (sexism, racism, homophobia, ageism, etc.) we just need to use the same tricks that have been used on us for ages. We must socialize the world to believe that equality is normal.

You might be thinking if it were that easy someone would have done it a long time ago. Well, I didn’t say it was easy, I said it was simple. Make no mistake, it will not be easy. However, it is possible. I know it is possible because we have been socialized to be what we are today. Men are taught from a very early age (if not birth) that in order to be a man you must be strong, athletic, in control, tough and rugged. Women are taught to be delicate, dainty, subservient and quiet. The messages that reinforce these notions come at us from every angle. They come from advertisements, products, music, movies, our schools, our families, our churches and many other places. We are being trained to be mindless, mass consumers and at the same time we are being sold twisted versions of gender, race, sexuality, faith and ultimately normalcy. We have been trained that if we are not a white, heterosexual, Christian male, then we are not normal. We are also taught that if we are a white, heterosexual, Christian male then we will have power and privilege bestowed upon us and that it is our duty to maintain it.

As you can see, there is something very wrong with this picture. Why does a relatively small group of people (white, heterosexual, Christian males) have so much power in America? I am sure there are a thousand and one answers to that question and I won’t go into it in this article. However, I will say that this group of white, heterosexual, Christian males have worked very hard to keep their power and privilege and it is time for that to end. It is time for equality to become the norm. This is a human rights issue. All people deserve to be treated equally, period.

Equality will not happen on it’s own. We must create it. All oppressed and socially conscious people must unite on this issue for there to be a shift. We must work together to normalize equality in society.

If you are interested in promoting the idea of normalizing equality, and you want to help support the work of Responsible Men, you can buy products with the NORMALIZE EQUALITY message one them in our on-line store with Zazzle. Responsible Men receives 10% of the sales from your purchases. Below is a link to our on-line store. More products coming soon.   If you just like the idea, but don’t want to spend the money, that’s cool too. Find your own way to get out the message. Feel free to share your ideas in the comments section.

Ted Rutherford – Responsible Men

http://www.zazzle.com/improvstitute

 

Intently Watching

The Superbowl is Sunday, February 1st this year. For many people it is a time to get together to watch the last game of the football season. It is also a time to gather with friends, have some great food, a few beers, and just have a good time. Some people tune in just to watch the commercials. Ah yes…the commercials. Year after year people around the world are anticipating the new crop of clever creations designed to make us spend. After those ads have aired, many become fodder for “water cooler talk” for many weeks afterward. Some even become cultural icons.  Last year it was the talking stain from Tide and the baby that gives stock tips.  Other favorites from years past are the Reebok series featuring Terry Tate – Office Linebacker, Jordan vs. Bird from McDonald’s, and the one where Mean Joe Green tosses his jersey to he kid that shares his Coke with him.  These are all great commercials that have left an indelible mark on me and millions of others over the years.

As with most things, with the good comes the bad.  Sadly, many companies use the Superbowl advertising frenzy to create ads that objectify, sexualize, and even dehumanize women.  Many portray women as sex objects and tie womens value to their bodies or to their sex appeal.  In the last few years,  GoDaddy.com has been a major culprit.  This year promises to be no different.  GoDaddy has been holding an on-line contest so that the general public can vote on one of two possible commercials they’d like to see this year.  Both options are hypersexualized and degrading toward women.

Danica Patrick – the race car driver is the new spokes person for GoDaddy. In case you aren’t familiar with Ms. Patrick, she is the top female race car driver on the Indy circuit.  Her greatest achievement, according to her website, is leading at the Indy 500.  She is clearly a very talented driver.  However, it seems her appeal lies with her looks.  She is a very attractive women and advertisers have been quick to cash in on that.  Most of her print and video ads portray her as a sex symbol rather than a race car driver. 

I am telling you this because I have a challenge for you.  This year as you are watching the Superbowl, take a moment to acknowledge just how many of the commercials objectify and sexualize women.  You can simply make tick marks on a napkin or better yet, jot down the premise and the company responsible for the ad.  If you are really brave, point it out to the group you are watching the game with and get a discussion going.  In any case, I want you to be aware of what is going on.  Then, consider your buying habits.  Do you support the companies that are behind those ads?  Chances are, you do.  I know I often do.  It’s even OK if you do.  However, it is not OK for you to remain silent about it.  You can use those ads (and many others for that matter) to help create a collective consciousness among your friends and family.  Use them to educate your children that sexism is bad and that women have value beyond their sexuality and their bodies.  You can also let the offending companies that you, as a consumer, demand something different.

The only way to create social change is to act.  Our culture will not change itself.  As Barack Obama said, “…we are the change we’ve been waiting for.”  It is up to us to rewrite the script for future generations.  Our children are tuning in now and they are intently watching.  Are you?

Here are some of the print ads featuring Danica Patrick:

   

A Little “Rey” of Sunshine

It seems that there is a never ending stream of men, who are in the national spotlight, that perpetuate sexism and violence against women. From athletes to actors to politicians they just keep on coming. The latest example is USC Linebacker, Rey Maualuga. To celebrate the Trojan’s 2009 Rose Bowl victory, Rey decided to have a little fun with ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews. Take a look…

Many would argue that Maualuga was just having a little fun or that his actions were harmless. On message boards everywhere, men and women are dismissing this incident as no big deal. They are saying that Erin Andrews should have a tough skin and should expect this sort of treatment. After all, this is what happens to a woman on the sideline of a football game, right? Others are saying that the dance wasn’t derogatory or sexual. However, it is clear to me that it was. If you think it was not, ask yourself this – would Maualuga do the same thing to a teammate? A coach? A male reporter? Of course not. In the hyper-masculine and heterosexist world of NCAA football and male culture in general, he would be risking his social standing (regardless of his actual sexual orientation) because dancing like that behind another man implies homosexuality. It’s like the scene from Pulp Fiction were Jules Winfield was trying to convince Vincent Vega that foot massages aren’t sexual. Vincent makes his point with one simple question – “Would you give a man a foot massage?” Jules simply but definitively replied “Fuck you.”

It is time for people to stop making excuses for this sort of behavior. Maualuga’s actions clearly reinforce the notion that it is OK for men to treat women as less than equal or as sex objects. As long as this is the norm things like domestic violence and rape will continue to have a place in our world. Just listen to the reaction of the guys watching from the stands. They quickly cheered him on and praised him for treating her that way. The message was loud and clear for those men and many others that have seen it since. Maualuga needs to step up, be a real man, and sincerely apologize for this. Then he needs to volunteer at a rape crisis center or domestic violence shelter for about 6 months so he can see the real impact of sexism. Perhaps he will also realize that his actions weren’t too bright after all.