“GENDER GAMES”ISSUE

M A G A Z I N ES H I E L D

T H E I N D E P E N D E N T S T U D E N T P U B L I C AT I O N O F R O C H E S T E R C O L L E G E

THE

“May the chromosomes be ever in your favor.”

“Welcome to the 74th annual Gender Games: where men act like men and women act like

women and all is well with the status quo,” smiled Effie Trinket, host of Panem’s yearly celebration

of machismo and feminine wiles.

“The Gender Games are stupid,” muttered Katniss Everdeen. “There’s no room in our narrow-

minded society for girls like me who hate dresses but love killing stuff with a bow and arrow.”

“How do you think I feel?” hissed Peeta Mellark, the young lad and future love interest

standing next to Katniss. “I’m a baker. Do you know how embarrassing it is to be a male baker in

the Gender Games? I get beat up a lot.”

The pair listened despairingly as Effie continued her speech. When she finished, the ladies in

the crowd clapped politely while the men whooped and hollered their approval.

Katniss rolled her eyes.

“One day, we’ll fight this status quo,” she said.

Peeta nodded his agreement. “Just like my delicious sourdough, revolution will rise.”

In this Gender Games issue, Shield Magazine continues the fight for gender equality and diversity that our young (albeit fictional) heroes began.

Inside this magazine lie stories about stereotypes and exceptions, men and women, society and individuals. Though our theme is jokingly called “the Gender Games,” we seek to challenge the “boys will be boys” and “girls will be girls” expectations society sets before us.

What exactly makes a man manly? Does he have to be a muscly lady-killer? Can he also have awesome knitting skills?

And what makes a woman womanly? Does she have to have a certain waist size? Can she also play football? This edition of Shield Magazine critiques how society views men and women and how we view ourselves. Ultimately, whatever your identity, whatever your interests, the Gender Games issue hopes to affirm and

celebrate the many possibilities all people have to offer.

M A Y T H E C H R O M O S O M E S B E E V E R I N Y O U R F A V O R

Peace, Love and Little Baby,Natalie Redmond

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A L E T T E RF R O M T H E E D I T O R

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T R A N S L AT I O N D I C T I O N A R Y

T I M E O U T

S O S T E R E O T Y P I C A L

A G A I N S T T H E N O R M

K N I T ’ S A G I R L

AY E , B A B Y — I ’ M TA L K I N ’ T O Y O U

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G E T T I N G T H E G U N S & T H E G I R L S

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T H E M E S S A G EWhat Mass Media is Tel l ing Us About Gender

Proposing to Drop This Ant iquated Term

Shield’s Guide to “Manning Up”

Moving Past High S chool Ridiculousness

Cracking the C ode on Female C ommunicat ion

Chal lenging Athlet ic Stereotypes

*The contents of this i ssue do not provide representat ion for ever y gender ident ity. We acknowledge this l imitat ion and hope the provided content can st i l l be enjoyable to a l l .

“S ex” refers to the biologica l and physiologica l character ist ics that def ine men and women.

“Gender” refers to the socia l ly constructed roles , behaviors , ac t iv it ies and att r ibutes that a g iven society considers appropr iate for men and women.

“Gender roles” in the contemporar y sex-gender model are social ly constructed, a lways changing and do not real ly exist , s ince they are ideologies that society constructs for various benef its at various t imes in histor y.

Craf t ing With The “Y” Chromosome

The Negat ive Ef fec ts of Catca l l ing

Blowing The Whist le On Tit le IX Misuse

M R S D E G R E E

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R C S H I E L D . C O M // 03

S The Shield Online

www.rcshield.com

@SHIELD_RC

RCShieldTV

shield@rc.edu

noun | gen·der \’jen-der\

noun | \’seks\

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EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

CREATIVE DIRECTOR

ASSISTANT EDITOR-DIGITAL MEDIA

ASSISTANT EDITOR - CONTENT / CREATIVE

ASSISTANT ONLINE EDITOR

COPY EDITOR

DESIGN MANAGER

PHOTOGRAPHY MANAGER

OPINIONS EDITOR

SPORTS EDITOR

VIDEO PRODUCTION MANAGER

SOCIAL MEDIA MANAGER

NATALIE REDMOND

NICK SIMONIS

DYLAN BOLE

RACHEL TAYLOR

ALYSSA YAKEY

JOSHLYN BOOTH

AMBER JOSEPH

NICHOLAS O’NEIL

SHILOH COVELL

LINDSAY BASLOCK

MILTON CRIBBS

KAITLIN MILLIGAN

PUBLISHER, FOUNDER & ONLINE ADVISER LORA HUTSON PRINT ADVISER LIZ FULTON MULTIMEDIA ADVISER KAYCE MCCLURE

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CONTRIBUTING WRITERNICK ROSSETTI

CONTRIBUTING DESIGNERSTeELLE CASE, STACY CATALANO, BRAD FECTEAU,

GABII HARJU, MASON STORAY

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SHILOH COVELL

Shiloh is a sophomore majoring in English.

R C S H I E L D . C O M // 05

1. THE FAMOUS, “I AM FINE.”MAYDAY, MAYDAY! If a woman says this, DO NOT believe it for a minute. What she really means is: “I am not fine. In fact, I feel awful, and my thoughts are racing. What if I failed my test today? What if I get kicked out of school? What if I’m homeless by next year? What is the meaning of life? Why are you not comforting me? How can you possibly believe I am fine at a time like this?”

BY S H I L O H C O V E L L

2. “Wow” or “Awesome”,Said in an sarcastic tonePositive words said in a sarcastic tone doth not a happy woman make. If she uses sarcasm to get her point across, she is probably more annoyed than amused.

3. “I’ll be ready in a minute.”Because of a rip in the space-time continuum, time lasts longer for women. For us, one minute can last as long as 20 (men’s) minutes. Additionally, if she shows up with winged eyeliner, don’t dare ask her why she’s late.

4. “Never mind”If your girl tells you not to mind something, you should probably mind very much. She is likely annoyed with you and believes you are not capable of understanding whatever she is saying.

5. “are you tired?"This little question is her covert way of asking you to stay up later just to talk to her. Even if you are actually tired, you will earn major brownie points by responding with a “no” and proceeding to ask how her day was.

Men, now that you know... the underlying truth behind common phrases women say, you might find yourself faced with a new problem:

At some point in your life, you will inevitably find yourself on the receiving end of ill-timed female snark.

So, how do you diffuse the situation you’ve created? First, skip the flowers and choco—well, actually, chocolate is always a cure-all.

However, in general, girls will see through your apology presents and know you are looking for a fast way to fix a tense situation.

Instead, here are three steps to reasonably navigate through the minefield of emotion:

After a particularly bad argument, let your girl know

how much you love her and apologize for upsetting her. (You might actually be right, but now is not a time for rightness…it is a time for sympathy!)

Talk through the situation and ask why she got upset and how

you can prevent similar situations in the future.

Do not play her anger off as a joke or write her off as too emotional.

Disregarding legitimate “feels” is not the way to a girl’s heart.

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COMING FROM THE FEMALE AUTHOR OF THIS TRANSLATION GUIDE, WE GET THAT WOMEN CAN BE QUITE

CONFUSING...OFTENTIMES THEY DON’T EXACTLY SAY WHAT THEY MEAN. BUT MEN, LISTEN UP! SHIELD

IS HERE TO HELP YOU DECIPHER WHAT THE FEMALE IN YOUR LIFE IS TRULY TRYING TO COMMUNICATE.

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STEREOTYPICALMoving pasthigh school ridiculousness

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“The stereotype hanging over the individual becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. He begins to see himself no longer as an individual and clings to the negative aspects of the group in which society has categorized him,” Matt Duczeminski writes in an article for Seattle Post-Intelligencer.

A stereotype’s negative power lies in exclusion. People must pick their loyalties: either be social and preppy or be quiet and ignored; either be a nerd who likes studying or be a dumb jock.

“In school, I was ‘that basketball player.’ People thought I would blow off classes, but that was wrong. I always kept a 3.0 GPA or higher,” sophomore Charles McKinney said.

Sometimes people’s stereotypes bring them unwanted attention.

“I was tall—6’7’’—so people always thought I was on the basketball team. I’d get that question every day, which got annoying after a while because I was shy. I didn’t want to be noticed, but with my height, it was hard not to be,” freshman Zack Collier said.

Even when a stereotype begins from a real personality trait, the label can remain long after a person stops feeling comfortable with it.

“I was always named the class clown, but after a few years in high school, I wasn’t any more. I just stopped talking and was very quiet,” freshman Chloe Cotton said. “I was named class clown from eighth grade on up. There were other people who would do crazy stuff, but I was always still called the class clown. But I am back in business right now.”

Freshman Kylie Hornsby agrees: “In high school, I was the female jock because I played a lot of sports. I was also class clown my freshman and sophomore years. After that, I tried to take my work more seriously, but people would still think that I was just goofing off in class.”

Other stereotypes stem from labels people place upon themselves.

“I was that awkward goth girl who wanted to be invisible. I saw this stereotype in myself. I hung out with nerdy art people, but I didn’t really fit in well with that group. I saw myself as Anne Hathaway’s nerdy character in ‘The Princess Diaries,’ ” junior Tabitha Baxter said.

However, stereotyping continues long after people graduate from high school. People continue to rely on a surface understanding of each other as they form biases against different ethnic groups, religions and political parties.

Whether these stereotypes develop in our own minds or in the opinions of others, many do carry a seed of truth.

Nevertheless, even if some of us might have been every bit the nerds or jocks or class clowns we were perceived to be in high school, hopefully we can be viewed as more than that now.

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Natalie is a senior majoring in English and Theatre.

R C S H I E L D . C O M // 07

ew people consider middle school the height of their educational experience.

This time, during which young people are still developing their identities, is also the time at which students begin to place stereotypes upon each other.

When I was in middle school, I was skinny and acne-ridden and, for whatever reason, I thought having multicolored braces made me stylish. I am also certain that my mother still picked out my clothes for me.

If my appearance wasn’t bad enough, I also was a diligent student who made good grades and loved to read: all

qualities that made me a social pariah. I was nervous and shy around other students, so when I

wasn’t being ignored (or when people weren’t asking to copy my homework), I was being called a nerd.

“Nerd” is one of those schoolyard stereotypes that is easy to picture but hard to define.

In our minds, we carry a caricature of a nerd that resembles Steve Urkel from “Family Matters”—thick glasses, unfashionable clothes, socially inept—but we would be hard pressed to define what exactly being “nerdy” means.

In high school, I struggled with my continuing “nerdiness.” Sure, I watched “Doctor Who” and took AP classes, but I also hated math and really wanted boys to like me. How could I be a nerd and also want to be popular?

I eventually came to embrace the description of nerdiness put forth by author and Youtube personality John Green:

“Nerds are allowed to love stuff: like, ‘jump-up-and-down-in-the-chair-can’t-control-yourself ’ love it. When people call people nerds, mostly what they’re saying is ‘you like stuff.’ Which is just not a good insult at all. Like, ‘you are too enthusiastic about the miracle of human consciousness,’ ” Green said in a YouTube video.

Under this definition, the word “nerd” loses its negative connotation. In fact, its definition becomes so broad that anyone who likes something could be a nerd. Yet, we don’t call football players nerdy for liking football; instead, football players have their own loaded label: “jocks.”

The trouble inherent in stereotypes is that stereotypes allow people to categorize others by ignoring personal qualities that fall outside of that pigeonhole.

For example, a basketball player who also likes to knit might be teased for having a “feminine” interest that goes against stereotype of a male sports player.

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of the week, and men tend to come pretty consistently,” Sprague said.

When asked why knitting tends to receive a feminine connotation, Sprague said, “There is much more to knitting than the simple act of knitting. There is a big social aspect to knitting, especially when in a knitting circle.”

Sprague’s explanation largely accounts for why knitting is widely considered a feminine activity.

As male stand-up comedians and characters on television sitcoms like to point out, oftentimes men do not talk to other men just for the sake of talking. Sure, men will spend time with one another at a sporting event, the gym or a restaurant...but these are usually group settings.

Even during such social gatherings, however, guys do not typically open up about what is going on in their lives. Granted, but most would agree deep conversations among men are less frequent than they are with women.

Therefore, the concept of a knitting circle appeals more to females, as they are more inclined to talk and catch up with one another while knitting.

Knitting, however, does not need to be a social activity.

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Men of today have a high set of standards to live up to—they must possess rugged facial hair, bulging biceps, a profound knowledge of

professional sports, a disdain for salads and be ready at a moment’s notice to engage in fisticuffs.

You may be shaking your head at some of these ridiculous expectations, but the truth is, the activities we engage in often reflect our gender.

But what about the manly men who fall outside the gender norm? Can real men enjoy crafting activities such as knitting, cross-stitching, crocheting, quilting, weaving or sewing?

Many people would say real men do not participate in such undertakings, but I am here to defend my fellow man-crafters: specifically, men (like me) who knit!

But this article wouldn’t have much merit if I didn’t include material from a credible source. Therefore, I sought out Kelly Sprague, a knitter for more than 40 years and an employee of The Skeins on Main (a yarn shop in downtown Rochester), to find out more on the topic of knitting as a male hobby.

“We tend to get male knitters in the store once a week. The store is open six days out

BY N I C K R O S S E T T I

NICK ROSSETTI

Nick is a senior majoring in Business Management.

Sprague also shared another aspect to knitting that could appeal to both genders: “There is a lot of math that goes into knitting and crocheting. The constant calculations, combined with the hand motions, help keep your brain active.”

Personally, I knit to relieve stress. Some guys turn to sport playing, tree chopping, hunting, arm wrestling and car racing to relieve stress. Although I have dabbled in some of these activities, I find peace and quiet to be an effective way for me to wind down.

If you find yourself stressed this semester, I encourage you to try a new activity to ease your troubles.

If you can take away one lesson from this crafty article, let it be that you should never be afraid to break the mold. You do not need to strive to be the greatest crafter this world has ever seen, but don’t be afraid of being judged for practicing your art.

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R C S H I E L D . C O M // 09

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On the campus of a small Christian college, the phrase “ring by spring” gets tossed around frequently.

This catchy saying refers to students who enter college with the hope of meeting and marrying their spouse by spring of that same year.

Similar to the idea of “ring by spring” is the “MRS degree.” This dubious honor, first coined in the 1940s, is bestowed upon women who attend college specifically to meet a man.

Gender roles, however, have greatly expanded since the 1940s.

Most people would agree that women of today are significantly more independent than most women were

in the 1940s, attaining degrees and careers of which the women of the past could only dream.

In fact, in terms of college enrollment, women outnumber men 57 percent to 44 percent, according to a study conducted by USA Today. Surely such a high gender disparity speaks to women seeking more than just romantic fulfillment when they enter undergraduate studies.

However, if women’s priorities have changed so drastically, why does the term “MRS degree” remain prevalent? Furthermore, though both men and women should have personal goals outside of marriage, why are men not teased about pursuing “MR degrees?”

Perhaps it isn’t so shocking that “MRS degrees” and “rings by spring” are still widespread on college campuses. USA Today found that 28 percent of people who married in 2011 met in college. Moreover (hold onto your hats, RC!), when Christian and private colleges were surveyed, that statistic soared to 61 percent.

Nevertheless, RC sophomore Breanna Mihalovich says she doesn’t understand why stigmas about collegiate marriages are targeted at women. “There’s still an assumption that men are providers and women need to be provided for…but women are more than capable of taking care of themselves.”

Freshman Peighton Douglas says she is at RC to get her teaching degree, not her MRS degree. “While I wouldn’t be opposed to meeting someone in college, that isn’t the reason I’m here,” Douglas said.

Josh Clark, Oakland University sophomore, says most women he comes across are career-oriented, which makes an “MRS degree” seem like an outdated idea. “I would hope that women aren’t still going to college just to get married,” Clark said.

Personally, I am in college for the educational experience and the degree I hope to graduate with. After all, the all-nighters I pull and papers I write won’t be worth the effort otherwise. If I happen to meet a future spouse in my days at RC, that is great, but the education I am receiving is the primary opportunity I have.

Students at RC seem to be overwhelmingly against the idea of an “MRS degree,” but we still flippantly throw the expression around.

Kalita Zila, an engaged RC student, says she hears this term frequently and would like to get rid of the phrase altogether. Zila says she is lucky to have met someone at school, but the relationship was all in God’s timing, not hers.

As students, we all need to support each other and remember that everyone has unique experiences in college. While students should focus on their education, we also shouldn’t shame those who are lucky enough meet someone at school.

Overall, the “MRS degree” is a term and an idea that simply needs to be left in the past.

Degree

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V I E W P O I N T S»

RACHEL TAYLOR

Rachel is a sophomore majoring in Mass Communication/Public Relations.

the messagewhat mass media is telling us about gender

In society today, there is no shortage of TVs, iPads, smartphones and laptops. Many of us have access to more than one device: a privilege that is becoming more common each and every day.

Though advancements in technology are convenient, many studies show the influx of media brought by these new devices can be harmful to the process of socialization.

American media is plastered with images of models whose body shapes do not represent even a small percentage of our population.

More specifically, the world of advertising is responsible for creating misleading images of both modern day men and women.

In print advertisements, women are often portrayed as gentle, helpless and submissive, while men are crafted to be dominant, powerful and successful. By clearly establishing each sex at far ends of the spectrum, the media has created an unhealthy dynamic of power. Many say this has directly contributed to the social acceptability of violence against women.

Likewise, advertising photo manipulations often transform a woman’s body into an object, such as a car or a beer bottle, in order to tout a company’s products.

“Turning a human being into a thing is almost always the first step toward justifying violence against that person. The person is dehumanized and then violence is almost inevitable and that step is already and almost constantly taken with women,” said Jean Kilborn in her documentary “Killing Us Softly: Advertising’s Image of Women.”

Rochester College junior Jamya Hopkins said, “If you’re putting women as objects, you’re diminishing them, and if you’re comparing them to Coke bottles that get thrown around or cars that get driven, it’s easy to see how guys would want to just use women,” Hopkins said.

Another concern is the media’s role in establishing gender expectations in our society.

In the study “Sex Role Concepts of Two- and Three-Year-Olds” psychologists Deanna Kuhn, Sharon Churnin Nash and Laura Brucken

found that “two-year-old children associated emotionality (crying), helplessness (needing and asking for aid), passivity, and gentleness (giving kisses, not fighting) with girls and associated aggressiveness (hitting, fighting), strength, activity (building, playing actively) with boys” after viewing commercials aimed at young children.

Even at 2 years old, children are already stepping into conceptions of what is masculine, feminine or “OK” for them to feel.

A young boy might be told that crying is “something girls do” and teased if he shows that type of emotion. Similarly, a young girl might be teased for playing with Legos instead of dolls.

In this way, the media’s use of gender stereotyping can hinder a child’s creativity from a very young age.

“Society doesn’t really give kids a chance to choose their interests,” said sophomore Gabe Rellinger, who believes this targeting of young boys and girls is “like social ‘imprinting.’ ”

Society can’t put the media in timeout, and we can’t undo our social problems overnight.

At the moment, the most people can do is be aware of the images they are subjected to and remind themselves of how the images compare to reality.

Next time you see an advertisement that blatantly disrespects either men or women, think twice before you support that organization.

“Every time you spend money, you’re casting a vote for the kind of world you want,” said author and educator Anna Lappé.

If we can be discerning with our media consumption, we might be able to slowly start taking back the power from corporations that currently dominate and define society through the media.

BY R A C H E L TAY L O R

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BY A M B E R J O S E P H

AMBER JOSEPH

Amber is a sophomore majoring in Mass Communication/Public Relations.

R C S H I E L D . C O M // 11

lmost every woman has a story of being harassed or shouted at by a passerby on the street.

Recently, Twitter hashtags like #ThatsWhatHeSaid and

#MyFirstCatcall have gone viral as women speak out about their street harassment experiences. The comments these campaigns document run the gamut from pathetic to silly to downright disgusting.

Because of experiences like these, many women feel uneasy being alone in public. As a society, we need to collectively take action to end catcalling, which is a symptom of a deeper objectification of women.

I am a feminist, and I am a Christian. Although those two qualities aren’t always thought of as going hand-in-hand, I believe they are more than linked.

Both people of faith and feminists are obligated to strive for social equality, safety, and empowerment of all others.

As a woman, I believe that catcalling perpetuates the idea that women are dressing, acting and living for someone else, rather than for themselves.

When men catcall, it seems to make the statement that someone else’s life matters less than their own and that women ‘owe’ them something.

Complete strangers have no right to comment on a random passerby’s appearance, tell her to smile or swear at her if she ignores them. Women on the receiving end of catcalls are jarred out of their comfort zone and forced to either confront a hostile stranger or shamefacedly ignore him.

But what about flattering catcalls? Is catcalling still harmful if a man shouts something complimentary about a woman’s appearance?

In her Huffington Post article “I’m a Feminist Who is Flattered by Catcalling,” Nikki Gloudeman mentions that women have been taught to enjoy catching the attention and feedback of men.

“In a culture holding that a woman’s worth is tied up in her aesthetic qualities, men telling me—however problematically—that I turn them on, in the twisted ways of our society, affirms me in a small way,” Gloudeman said.

In advertising campaigns, women are frequently promised that this or that product will make them “head-turning.” The fashion industry thrives on encouraging women to seek outside affirmation for their worth, instead of simply being comfortable in their own skin.

Catcalling is one of the negative side effects to this view of women’s validation.

Though most catcallers are men, we can’t make the mistake of conflating a few bad eggs with the entire male sex. Most men treat women well and agree that catcalling is offensive (and ridiculous).

However, the roles in which society casts both men and women still need to be changed to end catcalling.

From the time most girls are young, they are taught they have to dress a certain way “not to distract the boys.” Likewise, this type of talk implies that men are slaves to their own biological urges, unable to determine right from wrong. In both cases, personal responsibility is sacrificed by making the other sex, and not each individual, the focus.

Whether or not you have been personally affected by street harassment, we have to acknowledge that such has been the case for an overwhelming majority of women. In order to change the society that allows this behavior to continue, we all need to start speaking out against it.

If you see or hear another person being flagrantly disrespected, stand up for him or her. As men and women, supporting each other is the only way to bring about true change.

I DON’T WANT YOUR NUMBER (NO)

I DON’T WANT TO GIVE YOU MINE AND (NO)

I DON’T WANT TO MEET YOU NOWHERE (NO)

I DON’T WANT NONE OF YOUR TIME

-TLC, “NO SCRUBS”

AYE, BABYI’M TALKIN’ TO YOU

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DYLAN BOLE

Dylan is a junior majoring in Mass Communication/Journalism.

In 1972, Congress passed the Title IX bill, prohibiting gender-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.

Through this law, gym doors and fields were opened to women, which helped achieve gender equality in college sports. This decision has since led to 186,000 women a year competing in college sports.

However, though women represent approximately 57 percent of a university’s enrollment, many schools continue to circumvent Title IX requirements by filling women’s team rosters with practice players who do not compete in games or by not counting male practice players as women.

This abuse of team management allows the institutions to funnel the money delegated for Title IX programs into currently profitable teams, at the expense of expanding women’s opportunities.

Katie Thomas’ New York Times article “College Teams, Relying on Deception, Undermine Gender Equity” reviewed

public records and analyzed federal participation

statistics from

all 345 Division I institutions. Ultimately, Thomas found that more than 20 colleges and universities have utilized this form of roster management.

“Those of us in the business know that universities have been end-running Title IX for a long time, and they do it until they get caught,” said Donna E. Shalala, president of the University of Miami.

Every year, university sports departments must share their male and female participation numbers with the Department of Education and demonstrate that they are fulfilling Title IX requirements. Resultantly, many universities report false numbers in order to avoid public investigations.

In 2010, a federal judge ruled that Quinnipiac University in Connecticut had violated Title IX by padding women’s team rosters with players and then cutting them a week later. Female cross county runners were also asked to join both the indoor and outdoor track teams so the players could be counted three times.

In order for universities to comply with Title IX, they must demonstrate that they are meeting the athletic interests of their female students, have a history of expanding opportunities for women, and show that their number of female athletes is proportionate to overall female enrollment. To be considered a supporter of Title IX, a school must meet at least one of these requirements.

In 2013, the University of Georgia’s women’s rowing team had the potential to move from club to varsity status—an increase that would allow the team to receive better facilities. However,

Timeout: Blowing the whistle on title ix misuse

the university failed to promote the team. “In the last five or six years, there hasn’t

been any talk of elevating women’s rowing. […] From the university’s standpoint, it isn’t high priority, especially because there is an easier standard they can meet and still be Title IX compliant for at least the next several years,” Coach Michael Townsend said.

Many universities advise women’s coaches to accept walk-on athletes; however, athletes trying out for men’s teams are held to more competitive standards. This biased approach allows athletic departments to pad their women’s rosters while meeting gender-equity requirements.

Some universities have also taken drastic measures to fulfill Title IX obligations.

In 2010, the University of California, Irvine, created an indoor women’s track team even though the weather is warm enough to run outside year round.

An ensuing investigation by the Office of Civil Rights found that Irvine never actually had a women’s indoor track team. The team had competed in only one meet per year, and many of the women who were purportedly on the roster denied being on the team.

Irvine eventually accepted the plan put forth by the Office of Civil Rights to form a legitimate indoor women’s track team.

Though Title IX violations run rampant among universities, little action has been taken by either the government or universities to prevent future abuses.

“When an athletic department engineers itself to produce only the appearance of fairness, they flout the law and cheat women,” said Nancy Hogshead-Makar, senior director of advocacy at the Women’s Sports Foundation.

S H I E L D 12 // WINTER

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BY L I N D S AY B A S L O C K

LINDSAY BASLOCK

Lindsay is a junior majoring in Mass Communication/Public Relations.

R C S H I E L D . C O M // 13

I t is against the norm to dance, practice yoga or play tennis…that is, if you are male. For females, these interests are acceptable, but those women who live for football or play basketball tend to

raise eyebrows. There is no denying that at both ends of the gender spectrum, certain stereotypes are associated with different sports.

Dating back to the first Olympic games in Greece in 776 BC, men have competed against each other in any number of races and feats of strength.

Women, however, were not allowed in the Olympic games until 1900. That year, 22 women competed across five sports: tennis, sailing, croquet, equestrianism and golf.

“At the first modern Olympic Games in Athens 1896, no women competed, as [Olympic founder] Pierre de Coubertin felt that their inclusion would be ‘impractical, uninteresting, unaesthetic, and incorrect,’ ” Top End Sports reports.

Today, American society allows women to compete in the same sports as men, but in their own leagues.

However, not all sports offer professional teams for women. In particular, football has no professional women’s league, and collegiate opportunities are difficult to find.

Female athletes and fans also have to struggle against public stigmas: it is considered “unconventional” for women to play a physically exhaustive sport like

basketball, or for a female to sit down and watch “Sports Center.” One “ESPN” study found there was a 94-to-6 ratio of men tuning in over women.

But what about women who do pay attention to the score updates? Even though the odds are not in our favor, this does not mean that 100 percent of the female population cares only about the colors of players’ uniforms.

Golf is one of the rare sports frequently enjoyed by both sexes.

For RC senior Danielle Godair, men’s perception of her playing has never affected her view of the sport. Godair golfs for RC and also plays softball and football on the side.

“I played softball all my life. I started golf in high school, then got a scholarship to play in college. For football, I was recruited to play by one of the coaches who saw me throwing a ball at a public event,” Godair said.

Godair knows firsthand what it means to be stereotyped as a female sports player.

Before one of Godair’s softball games, a man on the opposing team told her that she could not play well. However, instead of feeling defeated, Godair went out and proved him wrong.

“Most girls would get upset, but instead I got mad and played really well and we beat that team. I looked right at that guy, said ‘good game’ and walked away,” Godair said.

AGAINST THE NORM

Women should not be discouraged if they are told they cannot play as well as a man can. Although men’s and women’s bodies are built differently, focus and training have more to do with a sports performance than biology alone.

“If you think you can play and want to work hard at being good, I say go for it! I get picked over guys all the time in softball because I have worked hard to become the best I can be. It doesn’t matter if it’s a ‘male’ sport,” Godair said.

On the other side of the coin, from their early years, many men are taught to avoid certain sports that have been stereotyped as “girly.” These days, finding men who enjoy figure skating, volleyball or other “women’s sports” is difficult.

Rochester College sophomore Chris Carcamo is one male who has overcome these athletic stereotypes.

Carcamo has been a dancer since his freshman year of high school. He is into B-boying, break dancing and hip-hop choreography.

“Usually, when I first say that I like to dance, people give me weird looks. Then I explain what I do and show them some of it, and they are often amazed,” Carcamo said.

Challenging athletic stereotypes

*Student Chris Carcamo

S H I E L D 14 // WINTER

GETTING THE GUNS & THE GIRLS

The Push UPThe push-up is one of the easiest muscular exercises one can do anytime or anywhere. This exercise works your chest and triceps; however “every muscle between your shoulders and toes is engaged,” said personal trainer Jessica Bottesch. The basic position of a push-up is to spread your arms shoulder width apart with legs straight out. Then slowly lower your body to the ground with your chest hitting the ground first. The main goal of this exercise is to use your arms to lift your body weight off the ground. Keep your body in a straight line as you lift yourself up and refrain from using the lower half of your body to pull yourself up. Start by doing 20 push-ups a day for a week; then complete 110 push-ups a day over a six-week span.

BURPEESBurpees are a tough exercise, but the actions work your shoulders and upper body in addition to providing a cardio workout. This workout can also be easily completed in any spot with a flat and supportive ground below you. Just be sure to do this exercise with plenty of space available, since you will be flailing your gluteus maximus, arms and legs around the room.

To begin, your feet should be shoulder-width apart. From this position, jump into the air, then land and lower your body into a push-up position. Complete one push-up, then jump into the air with arms straight up. After this motion, return to the push-up position. A beginner should start with five burpees in a row. As you improve, try to do 20 burpees a minute over a 10-minute span. This exercise will get you sweating and build the muscles in your shoulders.

Spiderman crawl If you happen to be bit by a radioactive spider, your Spidey skills will be in top shape after some practice with this workout. The Spiderman crawl works your shoulders and arms, preparing your body to succeed when put into a crawl or wall-climbing situation. Begin by starting in the push-up position, which you should now be very familiar with. Start to crawl forward by taking a long step with your left leg and right arm at the same time. Then, staying low to the ground, swing the left knee forward to your right elbow. As you crawl, keep alternating between bringing your right and left leg forward. Start with seven sets of 10 reps. For a more intense workout, try crawling backwards, and do 20 sets of 11 reps.

Men and muscles—two words seemingly always connected in our society.In honor of the muscular men who appear in countless commercials, (here’s looking at you —shirtless, horseback riding Old Spice man) the many ways to improve the muscles of the upper body are examined below. And as the equation goes, men + muscles = girls. Therefore, once these gripping messages have soaked into your brain and your hard work has made you adequately “swoll,” come back for tips on getting the girl. Done and done, son.

BY D Y L A N B O L E

R C S H I E L D . C O M // 15

the walkConfidence is key. As you walk toward the woman you are interested in, slow down, stand tall and exaggerate your shoulder movements. If you mix in eye contact and smiling, the girl you are attracted to will immediately notice you. Watching videos of Mick Jagger, Justin Timberlake and Michael Jackson will provide great lessons on how to walk into a room and get a woman’s attention.

the brag Once you begin having a conversation, let the woman know the skills you have, especially if they are unique (Do you write songs? Can you communicate telepathically with animals? Are you able to recite the Russian alphabet backwards? Don’t be shy about it!) Be sure to explain your skills in a humble manner, however. Nobody likes arrogance.

the voice As you tell a woman the many skills you have, speak in a loud but not overbearing voice. A British accent may also cause the woman you are having a conversation with to emit “oohs and aahs” (before jumping into your arms of course.) Conversely, speaking in a quiet and muffled voice can make you come across as nervous and unsure, so take a slow deep breath before you start chatting up and charming her.

the attention Keep your attention on her only. Show her you are really engaged in what she’s saying and that you genuinely want to know more by asking further questions. Look deep into her eyes, and whatever you do, refrain from interrupting/arguing when it comes to her favorite music artists (especially if she’s talking about Michael Bublé and Taylor Swift).

The jokes Humor is important to many women, and being able to laugh at yourself displays that you are comfortable in your own skin. Everyone can detect fake laughter (if coming from her, it will put a serious damper on your mojo) so test your jokes on your cat before trying them out on your lady interest.

dumbbell flye The dumbbell flye helps sculpt the pecs, biceps and shoulders to increase muscle mass in the chest area. This workout will have you walking around shirtless in negative 5-degree weather in no time! Head to the gym, give some fist bumps to your fellow muscle enthusiasts, then grab an open flat bench and dumbbells to do this workout. Start by laying on the flat bench with 50-pound dumbbells in each hand. Lift the dumbbells over your chest, then slowly spread your arms apart with a bend in the elbows. Hold the dumbbells for three seconds over your chest as you feel a stretch in your pectoral area. Release and hold the dumbbells by your side for three seconds. Repeat this cycle for four sets of eight reps. Increase to six sets of 20 reps once you get the hang of it.

pull-upAfter doing the dumbbell flye workout, head over to the pull-up bar to build up your shoulders and biceps. Place your hands shoulder-width apart with your palms facing forward. Hang from the bar, then pull your shoulders and the top of your chest over the bar. Start with four sets of 15 reps, then do four sets of 50. Be prepared to look like an NFL player with shoulders broad enough to part a crowd after mastering this workout.

warningCompleting these workouts may result in the need to purchase new attire to accommodate your now bulging physique. Additionally, working out has been linked to an increase in energy, mood and overall well being. Lastly, be aware that your bank account might take a hit with the addition of a lady friend.

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