Appropriating Black Lives Matter?

            Over the weekend Pepsi released a commercial featuring Kendall Jenner that has since sparked outrage from many people around the world. If you have not seen the commercial I will post the highlights:

-        Kendall Jenner starts out in a blonde wig but then takes it off

-       Showing a crowd of protestors holding signs that make zero sense

-       Kendall grabs a Pepsi and walks through the crowd of protestors

-       Walks up to the police who are there holding back the crowd and shares the Pepsi with him

I would link the whole ad but it has since been taken down from YouTube but I will include the closest one I can find.

After the commercial was released people were very confused as to what the message was supposed to be. Can Pepsi stop protests?

Pepsi spoke up and said this about the commercial

“This is a global ad that reflects people from different walks of life coming together in a spirit of harmony, and we think that’s an important message to convey,”

           

Pepsi might have had good intentions but to me this ad seems to me to be a way to make money by trying to relate to people who were involved with the protests and the movement. Although that is exactly the opposite of what it is doing. I’m glad so many people stood up against this commercial and called out Pepsi’s (excuse my language) bullshit.

 People have been calling out the similarities between this shot of Kendall Jenner in the ad and a photo of Ieshia Evans during a protest after the death of Alton Sterling

            To me this just seems to be mocking the real effort of people all over the world who have been protesting against the many issues we have been facing. By showing something so similar to Ieshia Evans situation but saying that this product “saved the day” is much different to what actually happened. Evans was arrested after that photo was taken for protesting. Many tweets were posted by people who were arrested during various protests wondering if they had had a Pepsi would they not have been arrested? This whole commercial just leaves a bad taste in your mouth.

Honestly it is just so surprising that this idea went through how many board rooms and meetings to get to the point of actually filming it and releasing it? How do that many people think this is okay? All I can imagine is a board room full of older white men in suits asking themselves, “What issue should we highlight in our commercial to make it seem like we care?”. If there was even one person of color in that room I doubt this commercial would have even been discussed. Especially when they use Kendall Jenner, someone who is Caucasian and I have not once seen her discuss any major movements in the public eye. For someone with so much influence you would think they would stand up for issues that are going on.

Overall this commercial was a huge mistake by Pepsi. Every time you go online for the past couple days all I have seen is people mocking them and vowing to stop buying their products. Next time they make a commercial I’m sure they will be more careful as to not make it so obvious they are trying to make money by appropriating real life movements.

Resources: 

http://people.com/food/pepsi-responds-kendall-jenner-backlash-protest-ad/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_4CCkUVXHBQ

http://money.cnn.com/2017/04/04/media/kendall-jenner-pepsi-ad/index.html
http://www.cnbc.com/2017/04/05/kendall-jenners-pepsi-ad-causes-twitter-storm-labeled-disrespectful.html

 “Pro-life, Pro-Choice, or maybe Pro-Mind-Your-God-Damned-Business.”

It's a debate as old as time, are you pro-life or are you pro-choice? You have to pick one. I would imagine just by reading that sentence, you have already chosen.

I mean, you even type "pro life vs. pro choice" into Google and about 500 articles debating over the two are every where.

So, what do I mean by Pro-Mind-Your-God-Damn-Business?

Well, basically exactly that. I find it extremely ironic that anyone other than the person going through an unexpected pregnancy deserves an opinion on the subject at all. Her body, her life, her decisions.

Did you know that for every 5 women that become pregnant, at least 1 was unplanned?

As someone who has gone through the emotions of an unexpected pregnancy, reading articles on pro-choice would have made ultimately no difference in that decision. I did not want support, I did not want science, all I wanted was for everyone to drop the subject and their opinion on something that would not affect them regardless of their views. The only life that would change would be mine. And why does their have to be such a stigma around talking about it?

Why as a society do we feel that we need to have a standpoint on such a subject at all? It goes beyond me, because realistically, you have absolutely no idea what you would do in that situation until you are living it.

I get the whole support thing, the pro-choice movement in retaliation to the pro-life movement. And I appreciate it most definitely.

But what people need to realize is the actual sensitivity of the subject. Should this be a hot topic of discussion over lunch? No, but it so frequently is. We have desensitized something that can be extremely emotionally devastating.

Yes, I’m sure there are many women in society who use the option to terminate, and undergo the procedure numerous times. But guess what? That is, wait for it, her choice!

So I guess my final piece in my angry passive aggressive blog post is, you think you know what you would do if you were placed in a situation where you became unexpectedly pregnant, you tell yourself it would never happen to you -  and I truly hope it doesn’t – but it could (Remember what we all learnt in sexual education way back: the only form of 100% effective birth control is abstinence). And you have absolutely no idea what it is like until its you, so be pro-mind-your-own-god-damn-business.

*side note: thanks for letting this be a safe space to let me share a part of my story. :)

YouTube's Restrictive Viewing Mode

The new restrictive viewing mode on YouTube was created for children and families to protect them from inappropriate content.  It is designed so that people under a certain age cannot access these 'inappropriate' videos, however, a lot of the content that is being restricted by this setting is LGBTQ related.

This poses a problem because the restriction of such material sends a message that LGBTQ content is not for families or children, and is something that children should not be exposed to.

 This framework of thinking is problematic in many senses but it is particularly problematic in that young Queer individuals cannot access these videos, eliminating a potential support system for them. This framework of thinking is also problematic in that it is rooted in the idea that Queer people are perverted and inappropriate, and children need to be protected from Queer YouTube content.

This outdated and harmful idea about LGBTQ people is only being encouraged with YouTube's restrictive mode, and allows for an ignorance surrounding LGBTQ people and issues.

Examples of the restrictive mode targeting LGBTQ content include people like Tyler Oakley, Rowan Ellis, Melanie Murphy, and Gigi Gorgeous.  These individuals have had videos restricted on their channel.  For example, all Melanie Murphy's videos talking about her bisexuality were restricted, Rowan Ellis has had about 40 of her videos blocked from viewing, and Tyler Oakley has even had his inspiration video titled, "8 Black LGBTQ+ Trailblazers Who Inspire Me" restricted.  In addition, Gigi Gorgeous found that all of her videos were blocked, minus her makeup related and monthly favourite videos. These are just a few examples of the massive group of people who have had their LGBTQ content blocked by YouTube.

These restrictions can also be harmful to many YouTubers' careers.  The videos that are blocked are not considered appropriate for advertisements to be shown on.  YouTubers generate money from the ads shown before their videos, and the less ads means the less money.  About 55% of the money generated from ads goes to the content creator, and the remaining 45% goes to YouTube.  This loss of income is unsettling to YouTubers and is another reason why this new restricted viewing mode is hurting YouTubers.

These restrictions have prompted the response of many fans to create the hashtag #YouTubeIsOverParty

I encourage you to consider the negative affects the restrictive YouTube mode has on both Queer youth and YouTube content creators alike.  I also encourage you support YouTubers whose content has been wrongfully blocked so that LGBTQ content and information is visible to those who want and need to access it!


Resourced used:

https://youtu.be/Zr6pS07mbJc
https://youtu.be/gmBOl3VQKDs
https://youtu.be/QBule0xJUEI
http://fortune.com/2016/09/01/youtube-advertising/

An Intimate Look At Elderly Relationships

     My family gatherings are full of stories from or about my grandparents. Stories of what it was like growing up on the farm. Stories of us grandchildren that make us all either laugh or feel embarrassed of how we were as children. Stories that defined our lives way back then and also shape us now. There was one in particular that has been brought up multiple times that, as embarrassing as it is, shows subconsciously how lucky my grandparents are.

     When my sister was younger, she walked in on my grandparents having a rather intimate moment without them knowing. Earlier that morning, she decided she wanted to surprise our grandparents by making the couple block trip to their house after we had an early breakfast. Not seeing any problem with it, my mom sent her on her way. After arriving, Brittany, my sister, did what we always did when we went to grandmas. She let herself in without knocking. Not seeing either of them in the kitchen or living room, she decided to check the bedroom. So she did. After seeing something she didn't understand, and not wanting to interrupt, she went and sat on the front steps outside. When my grandma later went to go get the morning paper, there was Brittany sitting on the front steps. Seeing her there left my grandma wondering how long she had been there, and how much she had seen.

     There is an important message behind this that some don't consider. It's the question of if elderly people still engage in intimacy or do people become asexual as soon as they hit a certain milestone in age. The answer should be obvious. With my grandparents, they both still live in their own home and don't depend on assisted living care like some other people the same age as them. But would that intimacy they share still be there if they where both in a nursing home? This is something that some residents do have to deal with.

     I read an article a couple months back by Alex Colgan called Grandma's Bedroom Secrets. It talked about some of the problems that people living in nursing homes face in regards to intimacy, or lack of. The article points out that though residents are older in age and are dependent in some aspects of their lives, it should not effect their right to engage in intimacy. If both parties are able to give consent, then there should be no reason that their right to intimacy should be rejected.

"Lois Horath is a senior registered at St. Joseph's Integrated Care Center, a 10-bed LTC facility in Lestock, Saskatchewan. When asked about suppression, she tells the story of a women who had separated from her husband. The widowed fellow across the hall from the woman wanted to pursue a relationship. He went to her room a few times. There, they held hands--until staff hustled him out one evening, saying he wasn't allowed in her room. Horath pleaded the would-be couples' case with staff members, but they were adamant: The two couldn't have a relationship. Administration later released a memo affirming the rights of residents to engage in relationships. Yet, out of fear, both residents said they were just good friends."

     There should not be fear in a person when wanting pursue a relationship. Capable adults, no matter where they live, should be able to engage in any form of relationship they want. Though home at that moment may be a care home, it is still their home. 

     

     This is a picture of my grandparents on their 50th anniversary, dancing to the same song that they danced to when they first got married. If it is true that after the age of 60 people become asexual, than my grandparents have poked a few holes in its logic. It's time to let love grow.

References:

Colgan, A. (2012). Grandma's Bedroom Secrets. Toronto, Red Maple Foundation.

Words: 646

Sexism in Sports: another form of male domination

There are 1.9 million fewer women than men who participate in sports at every level.

http://www.alternet.org/sites/default/files/styles/story_image/public/story_images/comic.png?itok=DSyakAUc

I grew up watching sports. Hockey, baseball, and even the occasional tennis match. It was hard for me to imagine that there was and always has been a difference in the culture of sports for men and women. It was easy for me to assume that it was normal to only see male dominated sports, to only watch commercials showcasing the latest up and coming superstar in the NBA, and it also seemed normal that there was a lack of females – unless, of course, they were wearing bikinis holding a giant #2 so to symbolize the beginning of the second round in a UFC fight.

As you could imagine it was not much of a surprise that as one grows up, one begins to realize that the lack of female athletes, commentators, and overall support of females playing sports is in fact, not okay. As I began to understand the true nature of the sporting industry, it is no surprise that women in sports have continuously, across the board, been in a fight for fair pay, and even more so, for pure equality and respect. This can date back to hundreds of years ago when very few sports were considered appropriate for women, whether for reasons of supposed physical frailty, or for alleged moral dangers of vigorous exercise. In the colonial times, the few recreational activities that were acceptable for women were reserved for upper white class females. Women could travel by sleigh in the winter and horse carriage in the summer – what an opportunity!

Flash forward to the Victorian Age…

And yet again, you will find very few opportunities within the world of sport for females. But, as more and more men participated in sports, new “national” sports associations formed. And with this came little advancement in the realm of opportunity for women, as there was the Montreal Ladies Archery Club which was formed in 1858, and the new “safety” bicycle. As Tony Collins puts it, Victorian society viewed sport as “inseparable from the philosophy of Muscular Christianity, which defined itself against femininity and ‘softness.’”

Looking back to the beginning of the inequality women faced, it seems hard to believe that this would still be going on today… yet here we are… still facing the inequalities of equal pay, opportunities, and things that seem so simple, like, advertisement and sponsorship.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/b3/92/7e/b3927e6f2c9fb23d37274c7f3e6453d9.png

It is no surprise that the number of girls dropping out of sports is at such an alarming rate. This is because how could we expect a young girl who is, for example, playing hockey, to believe that there are opportunities for her past the midget level when there is no WHL, OHL, or CHL for girls to get drafted into. There is no NHL league for women either. Yes, there is a college and university level but even with that, after college, there is Team Canada and the Olympics which maybe gets a tournament once a year and the winter Olympics occur every 4 years. This seems like a bit less in comparison to the men who play in the NHL from the month of October to May every, single, year.

The sports industry is based on unequal pay and opportunity, with a severe lack of broadcast time for female sporting events, and a lack of corporate support with a need for more women in leadership positions. There is an increasingly overabundance of male representation in the sporting industry. This ultimately affects women in sports. This is because there are decisions by corporations on which sports to spend marketing dollars on, the choices by the broadcasters on how and which sports are packaged for public consumption, and who leads our sport organizations, all directly affect how women participate in sport and how they are compensated.

https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjSpbq-_8_nitOJNy2LzDlnj3_ZyjlIdTi1wnf-n2a03TwUz4Z5HGSKXCwdw6VDhZCz0yNxIG6JLNtOe0O1Qgb2dfyvkngmAIj-MQ7OvbpJE8vFnyKCWAwCTkWuw7LvOc-u6O-W3rDEXRPh/s1600/Screen+Shot+2014-07-11+at+9.40.05+AM.png

Here are a few fun facts (they aren’t really fun at all):

Ø  From 1928 to 1960, women were not allowed to compete in races of more than 200 metres, because it was felt that running for longer made them too tired.

Ø  It took until 1984 for women to make up one-fifth of competing athletes in the Olympics.

Ø  Almost half of the National Olympic committees surveyed by the IOC have fewer than 20% of women on their Executive boards, including ten nations who had no women at all.

Ø  Only 0.4% of all commercial investment is into women’s sport and only 7% of all sports coverage is of women’s sport.

Ø  Women only make up 18% of qualified coaches and 9% of senior coaches.

Ø  For almost half (49%) of publicly funded national governing bodies, less than a quarter of their board are women.

https://i.cbc.ca/1.3718889.1471027349!/fileImage/httpImage/image.PNG_gen/derivatives/original_620/corey-tweet.PNG

Yes, it would be true to say that the inclusion of women has gotten better in the world of sports since the Colonial times when all they could do was ride horses. However, that does not make up for the lack of opportunity women in the sports industry face, daily. It does not okay the fact that Sidney Crosby in the NHL is making 8.7 million dollars, and yet the team to represent the United States of America in the world women’s hockey championship and the Olympics must fight for equal pay. And although they reached an agreement, I am sure that it is still not equivalent to the wealth accumulated by the males playing in the NHL. Yes, there is also a women’s basketball league, but do we see the same coverage of their tournaments as we do the NBA or even the male college basketball teams in March Madness? I think not. I think it is safe to say that although some would argue we have made great improvements, I would not. I would say, we still have a long way to go.

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Works Cited:

Marshall, Tabitha. "The History Of Canadian Women In Sport". The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., 2017. Web.

Wigmore, Tim. "Sport’s Gender Pay Gap: Why Are Women Still Paid Less Than Men?". Newstatesman.com. N.p., 2017. Web.