The following letter is in response to, Double Standards Within Society Prevent Success of Turnabout by Drew Danko
Dear Editor,
Turnabout.
Turn- a- bout.
T-U-R-N-A-B-O-U-T
The name strikes fear into many girls hearts. Asking out someone that you like isn’t something we usually do, how could our fragile systems handle such a stressful encounter?
As a girl, I can vouch for my brittle-ness. For homecoming, we have it easy. All we have to do is to buy our dress, our shoes, our hairdos, do our makeup, and worry about finding a tie for your sorry butt while you struggle to make a $.50 poster for us and pay for a bland Chicken Alfredo at Olive Garden. And instagram. Posing for a photo with a girl you’re going to make out with later is so tiring. So make that smile wide, boy. Man up.
The burden on boys is incredible. The weight on your shoulders must be what made you so jacked.
Girls are pressured into a pretty blonde mold from the time we can see. Babies on diaper boxes are thin, blue-eyed, and blonde. Babies. Not even full children. Literal infants are portrayed as more beautiful than one another. Chik-fil- A has a play-place decorated as a beauty salon, I imagine boys don’t usually play in it. But, don’t worry, there’s a car! To keep your fragile, infantile, masculinity up to par. Sorry if you we’re offended by the large amount of pink.
As we grow up, boys enjoy playing as the boss or as policemen, or as some other heroic authority figure. We get to be moms and princesses. Pretty, but subject to the whims of anyone with a Y chromosome. The stress put on girls by society to be perfect raises their chances of getting an anxiety or mood disorder in pre-adolescence by 14% to 20%. Boys enjoy hitting each other on a field and get millions of dollars to do it on live TV. Brilliant. The moment a girl hits someone she is viewed as trashy. As a glitch in the system.
And yet, people say that feminism is unnecessary, that society is already equal. People still refuse to believe that women are funny. They refuse to allow women to be strong. They refuse to pay them the same amount for the same work. They refuse to allow them to be full human beings.
And then they whine about girls not asking them to a dance. I’m looking at you, Drew Danko.
So boys, if you want to enjoy Turnabout, respectfully: don’t go. We don’t want you there anyways.
Sincerely,
Emilija Morkunaite
David Cannek • Dec 15, 2017 at 3:08 pm
Okay, there is so much wrong with this article. First of all, what’s with the general tone of the article? Did nobody ask you to homecoming? Did you ask someone to Turnabout and they said no? Second your main point about turnabout gets immediately thrown out the window to talk about a chik-fil-a? The fact that you chose this fast food chain mystifies me as it is known for its homophobic views not its sexist views, the other problem with this part of your argument is it in itself is misogynistic because you see it as “Chik-fil- A has a play-place decorated as a beauty salon, I imagine boys don’t usually play in it.” you assume what a boy likes and then you assume what a girl likes whats wrong with you? You also talk about how boys always enjoy being policemen and bosses while women are princesses and moms, first off men can’t be moms or princesses so it’s only natural that the other takes over because they have the power to do so, also it’s not like parents force their kids to do these things, this is what the kids like and want, no girl doesn’t want to be a princess just as much no boy doesn’t want to be a boss. (when I see princess I assume the female version of “boss” because barely any countries have princess and it is an almost unattainable job) these are things you should aspire to be, because they are good jobs. You also mention anxiety and depression but Men have MUCH higher suicide rates as much as 4 male suicides to 1 women suicide in Europe and in the Americas it’s at about 3.6 male suicides to 1 female suicide.
You also bring up sports which is stupid because it is a commonly known fact that men are genetically born stronger than women because we don’t have to give birth giving more room for muscles and just things that affect strength, not only this but for every boy sport there is a girl sport, the only reason the male forms of sports have higher views is because more boys watch sports and boys are more likely to watch sports, just like how women are more likely to watch girl forms of sports. So this is in fact a interest issue not a gender issue (a big thing I’ve noticed is most of these aren’t gender issues) You also bring up the less pay and less strength no we don’t refuse to let you get strong genetics does, and for the pay if you are referring to the wage gap that has been proven false on many occasions. Lastly don’t call people out and speak for yourself, whoever Drew Danko is I feel bad for and it is just a generally mean things to do, and a lot of people enjoy dances and roughly 50% of those people are girls so don’t just say nobody wants boys there, (that is kind of weird.)
Jesus Flores • Dec 13, 2017 at 11:21 am
This article is so bias to women. Most of the “facts” in here are lies. The whole pay gap is a myth and has been proven wrong many many many times. Women get paid less because they tend to work less. Since the equal rights amendment has been passed it is illegal to pay someone less money because of their gender. Feminism is not necessary in America. There are countries in the world where women have little to no rights. There should be a bigger focus on those countries instead of America. If you’re really a feminist then you should be happy about turnabout. The girl has all the power when it comes to relationships. Society pushed the man to do everything first. The man is supposed to ask the girl out, text her first, and kiss her first. If a guy would to try and split the bill on a date to make both people pay the same equal amount then he would be hated. The guy is supposed to do everything that the girl wants in a relationship. Feminism is not necessary at all in America. Feminism is needed in countries like Yemen were girls have a limited access to education. The female literacy rate is so low its below 35 percent. In Afghanistan women have been jailed because they have run away from abusive partners. Feminism is no way necessary in the United States.
MeteaStudent • Nov 7, 2017 at 3:12 pm
“Boys enjoy hitting each other on a field and get millions of dollars to do it on live TV. Brilliant. The moment a girl hits someone she is viewed as trashy. As a glitch in the system.”
When you look at this in perspective the boys are playing a sport called football and when a girl hits someone because of other reasons.
Metea Student • Jan 12, 2017 at 11:43 am
This is the most biased and one sided article ever.
Coral • Dec 18, 2016 at 8:31 pm
I kind of liked this article. Drew danko’s articles always tick me off.
............... • Dec 15, 2016 at 10:35 am
thumbs down
Sebastian H • Dec 14, 2016 at 12:01 pm
The wage gap is not real. If you take into account the number of hours worked, days taken off, sick days, overtime, position, and education. The gap will be so small that it pretty much does not exist. I like how you Feminists complain about the wage gap, but never factor in any real factors. Other than just saying “I worked the same hours, and I’m not getting as much money. This is sexism!”. Also when you said ” Boys enjoy hitting each other on a field and get millions of dollars to do it on live TV. Brilliant.” The moment a girl hits someone she is viewed as trashy.” It’s actually the opposite sweet heart. Today feminists are promoting hate on men, even if a man bumps into a girl on accident, they call “rape!”. If a man hits a woman, EVEN in self defense. That man will be shamed by his male, and female colleagues. But if a woman does it. Everyone cheers for her, and they say it’s “empowering”. Please just get out of the echo chamber that you are in. Feminism used to be good, but now in the western world. It’s become a straight disaster.
[insert-name-here] • Jan 11, 2017 at 11:47 am
That is so true! I have a teacher who explicitly stated the other day that “women are more capable and smart than men in any given situation”, and I was shocked. After all, someone had said “men are more capable and smart than women in any given situation”, they would be considered sexist and biased, and have been seen as a horrible person, but in this case, nobody even cared. That is truly a problem, and a disaster in the west, as sebastian stated
Opinion Something • Jan 11, 2017 at 1:45 pm
This article is something that is trying to make a point, but loses focus and becomes hypocritical. It’s like saying someone called someone else the N word, and they weren’t black, but two people call each other the N word and are ethnically the same. It’s wrong in both scenarios but by saying one person can’t say it, and saying someone else only is allowed to do so is giving them something they shouldn’t have. If one person can’t use an “offensive and obscene” word, then the people whom it is offensive to should not in turn, use it as well.
A Wrestler • Feb 6, 2015 at 1:31 pm
First off, I come form a sport where all participants are treated equal. Men and Women. Yes there are girl wrestlers, and to be honest they could probably beat up most guys. Anyway, racism/sexism/any ism can be directed to anyone. People are racist to white people, and girls can be sexist to guys. These just are as easy to see. The thing is, people have made fun of me for being white, and I’m sure that somewhere out there a guy has experienced a girl being sexist to him. Basically girls should ask guys out. I mean it is a little lop sided considering how guys really do a lot for a girl for Homecoming. Its not required but I would with out a doubt date a girl who shows me that she would go through all that effort to get my attention and ask me to go to a dance. But on another note the reason why Engineering and Science are “man dominated” is that not as many girls go into that field. For example there is one girl in my Engineering class (Just by pure luck and chance there was only one, last year there was at least 5). Another thing is that us guys have a huge problem. WE ARE GUYS. Girls know how to talk to us, they know how to get our attention, and they know how to make us know how much they care for us. Us guys don’t have that. So those are my thoughts about the topic and this article.
Emily Mielke • Feb 4, 2015 at 8:25 pm
I agree the women are still not equal to men, but the author here is equally demeaning the male culture while women are engraved by the same done on to them. And quite honestly, although it may not be as popular, there are female devisions of every sport, so limiting athletics to the male gender is simply worsening the problem. Feminism and the goal of gender equality lies in our own individual hands. It is up the individuals what choices they are going to make to either promote or demote equality for all in every action they do. If we stop looking at everything as gender divided (and I do NOT mean ignore the problem) and we make the subtle choice to act and think equally for all, walls and differences between the genders (and likewise for races) would slowly but surly dissolve.
Andrea • Feb 4, 2015 at 10:17 am
um. as a fellow girl, I have to say, the author of this response is getting upset over nothing (which is a perfect stereotype of women, might I add).
football is a sport. one that women physically cannot keep up with men in playing. girls don’t (usually) play football, guys don’t (usually) nurse babies. also, hitting each other in an actual, unsupervised fight is very much different from playing football, which at least has rules and regulations.
if the author had used the examples of unequal pay or the fact that science and engineering are still male-dominated, then I would be more sympathetic to her point. but using the trivial example of asking someone out to a school dance (which as pointed out earlier, everyone has different preferences with – if someone asking me out involved public confrontation, I would immediately decline) and media standards (which, of course, exist for both girls and guys) is really just a bit close-minded and immature.
also, decent guys’ tuxedos are freaking expensive.
Alpha • Feb 4, 2015 at 7:46 am
it appears that Emilija has taken this issue and made a mockery of it. The use of sarcasm (immaturely) is not the best way to get across her point to all readers.
Furthermore, it appears that drew said nothing sexist. He simply wanted girls to get the courage to ask someone to go to a dance. This really has nothing to do with feminism. If someone feels it does, then really all drew called for was for equality in asking someone to a dance. I really cant find anything objectionable to having fun at a dance. If you cant find the courage to ask someone then I guess we really don’t want YOU there.
Alpha.
Stephen Linden, Mark Goulding • Feb 3, 2015 at 7:23 pm
This is a response to Emilija’s article on Feminism
To begin, it should first be stated that feminism is certainly something that we need in our society. However, the referenced article pushes for it in all of the wrong reasons, and only serves to offend and insult others with its rude and condescending delivery.
It says in the article “ and worry about finding a tie for your sorry butt while you struggle to make a $.50 poster for us and pay for a bland Chicken Alfredo at Olive Garden.” This is a general stereotype that is incorrect towards the nature of homecoming and a guy asking someone out to the dance. Most guys put a lot of work and effort into asking their dates to homecoming. That comment is insulting, generalized, and completely ignores how hard guys work to make their dates happy, for the most part. (Also, it should be added, that while the poster may only cost fifty cents, the ideas and work that goes into it certainly requires far more than simple pocket change.) Also, to make the point that girls have troubles finding the courage to ask out. The majority of my friends (boys) did not go to homecoming because they were rejected or embarrassed.
As for the comments on how girls are often pressured to look a certain way by society, the same can be said for men. Every hero, in every movie, book, and show is always dashing, intelligent, probably incredibly in shape, and just generally attractive. These are some big shoes to fill, just the same as a blonde-eyed, blue-haired and skinny model.
Concerning the last sentence of Emilija’s article, “So boys, if you want to enjoy Turnabout, respectfully: don’t go. We don’t want you there anyways”, school dances are not for everybody. Some people will not attend these for many reasons. But to say to boys to just simply not go because they are unwanted is not only entirely against the idea of a school dance, but is also a perfect example of sexism, defined as “prejudice, stereotyping, or discrimination on the basis of sex.”
With Regards,
Stephen Linden and Mark Goulding
Lexi • Feb 4, 2015 at 11:19 am
Sexism, much like racism, is affected by a unbalance of power. Therefore, just like a black person cannot be racist towards a white person in America, women cannot be sexist towards men; yes they can be prejudiced towards men, but not sexist. Sexism towards women leads to a smaller minority of women in higher up positions; prejudice towards men leads to a guy not getting a date. Which do you think is worse? Women are also more often shown skinny, gorgeous women in the media, whereas men also have men in shows that are larger but live a great life. Yes in superhero movies, men tend to be portrayed as fit, but at least they have strong characters to look up to. Most girls have the gorgeous women that is being saved by that hero to look up to. Yes there is Black Widow and Wonder Woman, but they do not even have their own movies, and there are so many fewer of them than men heroes. But back to my main point, “The average woman sees 400 to 600 advertisements per day,4 and by the time she is 17 years old, she has received over 250,000 commercial messages through the media.” and that study was done in 2001, imagine how much that has increased today. Do you know what most commercials contain? Skinny women being sexualized by the media.
So before bashing her response, look to see where she came from. I get being annoyed at generalizations; that is why I did not like the original article.
American Citizen • Dec 15, 2016 at 9:04 am
This might be the dumbest comment I have ever seen. “a black person can’t be racist towards a white person” “a woman can’t be sexist towards a man” are you seriously that ignorant? Racism is prejudice towards another race. Of course a black man can be racist to a white person. Racism can be from any race to any race. Just because it’s more common in america for a white man to be racist, and black or any other race can be just as racist back. Sexism against men is a very real thing. Just because you see it happen more to women does not at all mean it doesn’t happen to men. Women can be just as sexist as men. You can’t play the victim here when it happens to both parties. Also, there’s not just society standards to women. Men everywhere are portrayed as heroic figures that are physically fit, handsome, strong etc. Most men aren’t like that at all. Like i said, you cant play the victim when it happens to men just as often. Women are “supposed” to be beautiful, skinny, etc. Men are supposed to be handsome, strong, physically fit, etc.
AMAZED • Feb 3, 2015 at 7:08 pm
Truly amazing article 100% flawlessly executed and deserves all awards possible 10/10