Does Advertising Promote Inequality?

               Everywhere you look advertising is telling us how we should look, dress, and act. Driving down the highway you see billboards, checking your Facebook you see side ads, and watching your favorite sitcom you encounter dozens of commercials. Although the products they are advertising are different, the message behind them seems to be the same.

                After viewing a short film called ‘Killing Us Softly’ in a Social Inequality course here at Eastern Connecticut State University, I became much more aware, and offended, by the fact that women in advertising are used as sexual objects and second class citizens. In the film, Jean Kilbourne shares her passion and analytical view on advertisements specifically those featuring women. Jean’s funny and witty nature captivates the audience so she can truly get her point across. Jean says although most of us think we are immune to advertisings effects, we aren’t. She states “The fact is that much of advertising's power comes from this belief that advertising does not affect us. The most effective kind of propaganda is that which is not recognized as propaganda. Because we think advertising is silly and trivial, we are less on guard, less critical, than we might otherwise be. It's all in fun, it's ridiculous. While we're laughing, sometimes sneering, the commercial does its work.”

Subconsciously these advertisements are telling us that women are unintelligent sexualized objects that are good for pleasing men, cooking, cleaning, and taking care of children; ideas that are extremely dated but still shown to us on a daily basis in a way where most people won’t realize or be offended. Think of the last Windex or Swiffer advertisement you saw…who was the main character? My guess is that it was a woman who was cleaning up after her family; correct me if I’m wrong. Then there are the cologne ads which are so sexualized we hardly even know what they are selling. To prove this I Goggled “cologne” and on the first page of results this is what I found…

If I saw this ad in passing I would have absolutely no idea what it was selling. By taking a closer look, yes, technically it does say the cologne is called “Obsession for men” by Calvin Klein, but still how does the photo in this ad correlate to cologne? Maybe if you wear it a gorgeous supermodel will show up naked at your doorstep? This is just one of many examples of how advertising uses and degrades women to nothing more than sexual objects.

                It is important for all women and those who support gender equality to make a change. By consuming these ads we are saying that women are less than men, less than human, and not worthy of the same respect of their opposing gender. For ways to make a difference visit http://www.jeankilbourne.com/ for ideas and organizations that challenge destructive media images.

Volunteer Opportunity!

MDA Summer Camp in Hebron CT is looking for Counselors! Please inquire with questions, interest or to receive an application call: 203-248-6500 / Fax: 203-248-6540 or email cbilodeau@mdausa.org

Persuasive Panel

On Thursday March 7^th, 2013 students filed into the Student Center Theater at Eastern Connecticut State University to listen to the experiences of Post Graduates who joined the Peace Corp, Food Corp, AmeriCorps, and Teach for America. The purpose of this event was to educate students on different full-time service opportunities they can join upon graduating from Eastern in which they will not only bring their skills to meaningful work but will build their resumes. Everyone had their own stories and experiences to share with the audience but one story in particular stood out to me and the majority of the audience. Brianna London served with the Peace Corp abroad. She decided to join the Peace Corp after she graduated college because she wanted to take a break before thinking about going to graduate school but wasn’t ready to enter a full-time office job. After her orientation and training period, Brianna was sent to a remote village in Burkina Faso, Africa where she spent the next two years as the only American in the area. She primarily worked with groups of subsistence farmers and craftspeople to develop new business opportunities. She quickly became a role model for women in the village as she worked with them on confidence building techniques and helped them learn a new trade, soap making.  She worked with them to design a quicker more efficient way to prepare food which saved the villagers time and money. Brianna served in every aspect they needed her; some days she was a nurse, a chef, a financial advisor, or sometimes just a friend. Over the two years she was there Brianna learned the native language and made a huge impact in the economy of the village. As much as the villagers learned from her, she learned as much from them. She had to embrace a culture entirely different than her own and the people of the village tried to help her make that transition as smoothly as possible. Brianna now hopes to return to the village and is studying new ways to help them develop their economy. After the Panel, Brianna was surrounded by students who wanted to know more about her story. The bravery it took to move to another country with no knowledge of the area or language and have that big of an impact is something we can all admire and hope to achieve one day. I, like many of the audience, came to learn how to further our careers, but what we took away from it is that we can all do something as brave as Brianna and have amazing experience as well.

5 Lessons of a Student Volunteer

         My work here at the CCE began in the summer of 2012 at the Puentes al Futuro (Bridges to the Future) Summer Camp.  I have had some experience with middle school students; but 80% of my prior tutoring experience was with elementary age children.  I was open to this new endeavor though, and find it to be one of the best experiences of my college career thus far.  It also led to me to dedicate many of my hours, here at the CCE, in the tutoring program at the Middle School.  I now am a student leader of the Middle School House A/B Tutorial Program, and I enjoy it very much.  The children are always excited to see me, and it puts a smile on my face knowing that the time I have dedicated to this program has impacted their lives. There are also 5 lessons that I have learned through this process.

1.      Patience

Students may not always warm up to you immediately, but with patience and you will eventually be able to form mentor and student relationships.

2.       Dedication

                 Showing that you are dedicated to helping the student’s academics needs, will allow students to feel that they do have people that are willing to support them. Dedication requires setting aside time to put your full attention into the program, and giving your 100% while you’re at the site.

3.      Laugh

As a mentor/tutor you have to keep a professional attitude, but it is ok to laugh once and awhile with the student.  It allows them to feel more welcome.

4.      Show compassion

You never know what background a student may come from (socioeconomic, ethnicity, home environment) so always be sensitive to these issues.

5.      Push for Success

There are students who say “they can’t”, take that out of their vocabulary and show them that with hard work they can achieve academic success.

I Love Me Event

                     On February 14, a group of middle school children from the Windham Middle School Afterschool Program gathered in the Betty Tipton Room at Eastern Connecticut State University for ‘I Love Me!’ an event organized by Student Leaders Sonya Beetham and Jeannine Gemma and hosted by the Center for Community Engagement. The kids were broken into groups that switched every 20 minutes between stations, each having an activity to related to the kids about proper nutrition and self-esteem. For one activity, the kids wrote Valentines to themselves as a way to boost confidence; another included a game of Jeopardy during which the kids were quizzed on nutritional information.  For example, a 100 point question was “true or false: breakfast is unimportant.” The kids grouped together to give their final answers and rack up points to win prizes. At the end of the event the kids gathered in the middle of the BTR and were taught Brazilian dances, then allowed to dance on their own. When ‘Gangnam Style’ came on even the boys couldn’t wait to hit the floor. Everyone had a great time and we look forward to having them back in the future

Pay It Forward Gifts

Whether you're buying a gift for Valentines Day or another event, a gift that gives back is thoughtful and promotes a good cause. Here are some ideas for pay it forward gifts...

1. UNICEF: Unicef has many Charity gifts they sell online for adults, children, and special occasions. A personal favorite were the multicolored beaded earrings! All proceeds go to Unicef

 http://www.shopcardsandgifts.unicefusa.org/group.aspx?grp=A92DB659-1355-4BE5-9C2A-388EC34E515E

2. The Pink Ribbon Store: Sells goods that help the National Breast Cancer Foundation reach thousands of women in need each year. Goods range from pink socks to hats and water bottles! Perfect for V-Day!

https://www.pinkribbonstore.com/store/prs/site

3. TOMS: This newly popular shoe is not only fashion foward but gives shoes to children in need for every pair that you buy!

According to http://www.toms/com by not wearing shoes children are at risk for...

•A leading cause of disease in developing countries is soil-transmitted diseases, which can penetrate the skin through bare feet. Wearing shoes can help prevent these diseases, and the long-term physical and cognitive harm they cause.

•Wearing shoes also prevents feet from getting cuts and sores. Not only are these injuries painful, they also are dangerous when wounds become infected.

•Many times children can't attend school barefoot because shoes are a required part of their uniform. If they don't have shoes, they don't go to school. If they don't receive an education, they don't have the opportunity to realize their potential.

4.  Bead for Life:  BFL is a nonprofit organization and member of the Fair Trade Federation that works to eradicate extreme poverty by creating bridges of understanding between impoverished Africans and concerned world citizens.

Ugandan women turn colorful recycled paper into beautiful beads and communities in northern Uganda gather shea nuts and press them into shea butter for cosmetics and soaps.

http://beadforlifestore.org/

5. Prosperity Candle: They "aspire to partner with thousands of women, providing them with a unique opportunity through candle-making: an opportunity to not only survive—but to truly thrive. Our Shared Prosperity business model acknowledges the women we work with as key partners in our business. It’s this business model that enables us to share our financial success with them."

Buy your candle at http://shop.prosperitycandle.com/

ECSU Blood Drive

On February 4 and 5 Eastern Connecticut State University held its third Red Cross Blood Drive of the school year. 165 students, faculty, staff, and community members filed in to the Betty Tipton Room for their opportunity to donate. According to the Red Cross only 1 pint of blood can save up to 3 lives meaning, up to 393 lives could potentially be saved from the 131 pints of blood collected at this drive. On top of the donors, there were 50 volunteers who worked 63 hours helping recruit and check –in participants. Contributors were rewarded with pancakes to help them recover from their donations.  This drive was a huge success for Eastern and we look forward to hosting more blood drives in the future.

For more information on future Red Cross blood drives at Eastern, visit www.redcrossblood.org  (code Eastern) or contact Irene Cretella at (860)465-0090, cretellai@easternct.edu.