The Trump takeover: It’s a love hate thing

Fifty four million is a big number. It’s difficult to wrap your head around numbers like that, especially when it comes to demographics. The Hispanic population represents 54 million of the 318 million people that live in the United States, that’s about 17 percent; and Donald Trump has succeeded in turning all 54 million against him.

The Hispanic population gets it. Trump is a political joke rather than a legitimate contender. He’s a journalists dream because he gives us hours upon hours of material. Trump’s antics boost views which in-turn furthers his publicity; the cycle feeds itself when reporters, politicians and columnists like me take the time to fuel the fire, essentially acting as players in his game, with our commentary.

But what I’m wondering is how educated adults have been hypnotized into thinking that the game is a logical reality?

Trump supporters seem to fall into two categories, those that sincerely believe in his ability to “make America great again,” and those that are entertained by the sheer hilarity of his success.

To be honest, I get it.

How could you not be enamored with a man who goes from a television game show host to presidential candidate seemingly over night? Someone who says bold statements like “I will build a great, great wall on our southern border, and I will make Mexico pay for it.”

Sensationalism is his saving grace, and despite all of his shortcomings, the one main thing that he has succeeded in is making politics interesting for the general public.

He captivates the audience with spontaneous behavior and radical statements; he makes people want to keep up with politics, which is something that has been nearly non-existent in my generation.

People are over being politically correct.

They’re over indoor voices and disguised insults said with smiling faces. My generation wants emotion, honesty and transparency.

To us, anger and outrage are better than boredom and forced friendliness. And that is exactly what Donald Trump gives, even if it comes in a twisted and ill-informed package.

His polarizing personality forces the public to either love or hate him, both of which are better than disinterest.

Ultimately, there is a greater chance of me voting for Kenye than Donald Trump. However where credit is earned credit is due, and he has certainly succeeded and bringing some pizzazz back to politics.

Drops in the bucket

What is a REAL woman

Last Friday the public reacted with cheers to a un-retouched photograph of 48 year-old supermodel Cindy Crawford as she posed for the April cover of Marie Claire magazine.

Initial reports indicated that the cover was one of many intentionally un-retouched pictures of Crawford to be featured promoting a beautifully flawed body. However, recent reports have shown that Crawford’s images were not intentionally released rather leaked.

The image was a hit, at least before news of the leak reached the public.

In recent years the women of generation Y have taken an aggressive stand against the promotion of impossibly perfect bodies. Crawford’s cover took this new standard and displayed it for millions to see, turning words into action.

However, the reaction to the realization that the photo release was not intentional soon overpowered the positive public response with the aggressive “What Real Women Look Like” campaign.

The intention of the campaign is positive. To fight the belief that beauty requires starvation and encourage women to love their bodies no matter the shape.

 

But this war on skinny is equally as destructive as the beauty standard that we were attempting to abolish.

What does a real women look like? Is there such thing as a ‘real’ woman? I don’t think so.

Fighting the beauty is skinny standard with the curvy is beauty standard is equivalent to telling soldiers to fight with guns rather than hand grenades; They are equally as destructive.

A real women is no more and no less than exactly who she wants to be.

Whether that be skinny, curvy or cut. A real women is not defined by her pant size, bra size or shoe size. A real women is not defined by anything.

We are all real women. What would be the alternative? Fake? I don’t believe there is such a thing.

To be thin is not a crime and to be curvy is not a flaw, it’s just a shape. Attempting to abolish the flawless beauty standard by making skinny women feel superficial or mal-nourished is destructive. We are all real women, regardless of the number on our scale.

Real women don’t fight twos with tens or categorize the fake from the real based on who has more mass and where.

Crawford’s cover is beautiful. Not because she is curvy or skinny or young or old, but because she is a woman doing what she loves and there is nothing more beautiful than that.

Feminism is a man’s fight

The way that feminism has commonly pushed its agenda is to make the emancipation of women come at the expense of men. Contrary to popular belief, gender equality benefits men.

It is a misguided trend to perceive gender equality as only benefiting women. According to Fox News, the empowerment of women is a “threat to national security, causes boys’ utter failure in school,” and “has turned men into wussies and slackers.”

Media outlets like Fox have capitalized on equality efforts by twisting this necessary cultural change into a gender war. However, feminism has made the world a better place to live for everyone.

In past generations, men and women have been expected to fit into pre-determined societal rolls. Boys are taught early on to provide for their family, to be the breadwinner. Women are taught to follow and nurture, from birth we are tagged with the victim label and expected to believe that finding a man to protect and support us is the pinnacle of life’s accomplishments.

Has anyone ever questioned this logic? Do we have scientific research to back up the pre-determined sex roles or are they merely an outdated expectation that is long over due for reform?

The fact that women are equally as capable to bring home a livable pay-check as men means that men can work less.  Expecting a man to provide all income for not only himself, but also his wife and children is an unrealistic expectation. Thanks to gender equality efforts, men and women share the financial responsibility. 

Children who spend more time with their fathers are more likely to succeed academically and less likely to abuse drugs and be delinquent. Paternity leave exists due to the efforts of the feminist movement. When men have the time to invest in their family, everyone wins. Something that benefits men, their children and families as a whole. 

Feminism does not pit women against men or label them superior. It simply calls for the rightful equalization of men and women. Historically, gender in-equality has harmed men in more places than just their wallet.

In 1976, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled it “unconstitutional to treat women and men differently under the law.”

The case, Craig v. Boren, was filled over its gender-specific drinking age policy, which “prohibited men from drinking before age 21, but allowed women to drink when as young as 18.” 

This implied that men are inherently more reckless. The law was eradicated and the drinking age became 21 for all.

This ruling did more than just level the drinking playing field; it determined that the aggressive and assertive stereotype placed on men was incorrect. Thanks too the efforts of the feminist movement, women and men can drink responsibly and equally.

Equal drinking rights is just one of the countless cases in which feminism has made the world a better place. In the case Moritz v. Commissioner, the fact that not all men could request dependent care deductions was challenged.

Before Morits v. Commissioner, tax deductions were only given to women, widowers and divorced men. This discrimination was ended using the 14th Amendment, enabling single men to benefit equally from tax deductions.

Over the years, feminism has fought to level the playing field for all. Until 2012 the FBI defined rape as, “The carnal knowledge of a female forcibly and against her will.” This definition exempts men. Until 2012, a man could not legally be raped because the act was un-punishable.

Thanks to the efforts of the Rape is Rape campaign and feminist activists; rape is now defined as “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by a sex organ of another person, without the consent of the victim.” Gender equality calls for justice, regardless of gender.

Historically, women have been denied the simple honor of serving their country. Yet again, men of times past had found a way to pre-determine a roll for women as weak, vulnerable and unfit for service. 

In 2011, this all changed when the U.S. Department of Defense ended the discriminatory policy of banning women from combat roles in the military.

Not only did this help females, it benefitted their male peers too. Allowing women on the front lines opened 237,000 military jobs that had previously been off-limits to females, giving relief to male soldiers.

“When we do this, we’re doubling our potential for greatness in military leadership, instead of limiting ourselves by eliminating half of our available talent. Further, studies have shown that mixed-gender units demonstrate smarter thinking,” Charles Clymer, a PolicyMic columnist and army veteran said.

            “Because 85 percent of our military is male, this reduces an unfair burden placed on men to take on dangerous assignments for our national security, ” Clymer said.

“Feminists have always recognized the injustice of drafting only men, and as a man and veteran, that shows me they are just as much about men as they do women.”

The fallacy of gender roles is especially harmful to men pursuing a career that society deems feminine, for example, nursing.

According to popular stereotypes, men are not meant to be nurses and are often labeled as gay and emasculated. Gender inequality limits what a man can do.

Society says you’re not a man if you can’t provide for your family. Men are socialized from birth to fear being womanly. If a man shows emotions, he is not a man. If he doesn’t like to play sports, he’s not a man. If he wants to stay home with his children, he’s not a man.

Ask yourself, men, have you ever been told that it is your sole duty to provide for your family? Have you felt pressured to be tough, aggressive and competitive or been turned away from your interests because it made you gay? 

If so, Feminism is fighting for you.