Sexual Harassment: It's A Compliment

Headphones in, but turn the volume off to be aware of what they say. Look straight ahead, don’t make eye contact or they’ll see it as an invitation. If they’re persistent, walk with purpose but don’t make it obvious. Be sure to look behind you every few blocks. This seems like it’s the climax of a horror movie right? Maybe, but this is simply how woman have to walk down the street in today
s society. It can be in broad daylight, or on a fast-pace walk home at night. What does it mean to mean to be sexually harassed? According to the University of Michigan’s Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center, it is defined as “unwelcomed sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal or physical conduct of a sexual nature.” Sexual harassment involves everything between cat-calling to rape. Now not every cat-call is followed by a physical encounter, yet there are rules and laws put in place to protect women and young girls. 

What if it’s strictly a verbal encounter? Is it not to be taking serious? In Connecticut, it is a Class C misdemeanor and states that “a person is guilty in the second degree when by telephone addresses another in, or uses indecent or obscene language, or with the intent to harass, annoy or alarm another person through telegraph, mail, phone, or computer.” One third of women will experience non-contact, unwanted sexual experiences according to the Centers for Disease Control. A survey done with Hollaback! at Cornell University found that in New York City 60% of reported incidents of sexual harassment happened on the street. While another 22% happened on public transportation like buses and subway carts.

            For my final semester project, I wanted to bring awareness to this topic. For the past couple of weeks, I went around the school asking men and women about their encounters with sexual harassment. I wanted to show that people deal with this issue every day, and you sit right next to them in class.

References:

·         Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center. What Is Sexual Assault? www.sapac.umich.edu/article/63. Michigan University. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Justia. 2005 Connecticut Code – Sec. 58a-183. Harassment in the second degree: Class C misdemeanor. https://law.justia.com/codes/connecticut/2005/title53a/sec53a-183.html. US Codes and Statues. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Livingston, Beth A., KC Wagner, and Sarah T. Diaz. When Street Harassment Comes Indoors: A Sample of New York City Service Agency and Union Responses to Street Harassment. Cornell University: IRL School. Web 25 Oct. 2017

·         Centers of Disease Control. National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey. https://www.ihollaback.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/NISVS_Report2010.pdf. Division of Violence Prevention: November 2011. Web 25 Oct. 2011

Guerilla Girls + The Birds?

Bryan Gonzalez

Midterm Proposal

October 30, 2017

Professor Cacoilo

The Guerrilla Girls + The Birds?

       A group of masked women protesting against sexism, and racism in the art world known as the Guerrilla Girls demonstrate the difference that can be made by projecting the voice. When others simply just didn’t seem to really care or were too afraid to say something, the Guerrilla Girls sprang into action by spreading a message about the unjust depiction of women in museums and the overall lack of art by women and colored artists. This was all accomplished while hiding their identities wearing gorilla masks. The manner in which the Guerrilla Girls have always decided to portray themselves seems comedic in order to grasp an individual’s attention. People see them walking around the streets and the first thing they think to themselves is, “Why is that person wearing a gorilla mask?” which influences them to discover the cause. Even though there is no doubt that the Guerrilla Girls have definitely helped spread awareness during all of their years active, the art world is unfortunately still not as diverse as it should be. Why is this the case? Why do we live in a world where prejudice, racism, sexism, and other forms of discrimination still exist?

         How exciting would it be for the Guerrilla Girls to suddenly be transported to a world free of discrimination and instead filled with equality and happiness for everyone? In the modern adaptation by Don Zolidis of the play, “The Birds”, by the ancient playwright Aristophanes, two men referred to as “X and Y” go on an adventure to find this particular world. The plot of this play revolves around the constant struggles that people go through in everyday life. Some of these struggles include paying taxes and rent, the unjust government, dealing with obnoxious people, and most importantly, discrimination. In order to escape reality, the two main characters in the play pack their bags, leave their Metropolis with the guidance of two small birds, and try to find their Utopia, a perfect world to live in. After a series of events, they think they have finally found it among a group of strange birds but it still needs some work done. The birds at first are offended to have two men try to enter their world. However, the men are given a chance as long as the city would have long term benefits for the birds as well. After numerous efforts to solidify their city, they end up realizing that it is impossible to live in a world without regulations and discrimination.

      Despite progress to stop discrimination and inequality, the unfortunate truth is that there will never be a time where it will completely vanish and the idea of a utopia is completely fantasy. The Guerrilla Girls themselves have shown that despite their efforts to display more art by women in museums and galleries, many of them have kept a minimum of only three exhibits by women and artists of color. Both the Guerrilla Girls and the two men in this play tried to make a stance and fight for what they believed was unjust. What would the Guerrilla Girls have done if they had arrived in this land of the birds? Would they have agreed to help create a perfect world or would that completely be the opposite of their purpose? There would no longer be a need for masks and they could build museums filled with art only by women and artists of color if they wanted to. However, being part of an activist group releases a sort of feeling of heroism. The Guerrilla Girls would most likely rather keep on spreading their messages and educate a society instead of perhaps taking the easy way out and live in a perfect society. The Guerrilla Girls and “The Birds” both depict the similar concept of being exposed to discrimination and the method taken to fight against it. If the Guerrilla Girls somehow traveled into the plot of “The Birds”, how would the plot change with their presence?

References

The Guerrilla Girls. Confessions of the Guerrilla Girls. New York: HarperCollins Publishers, Inc, 1995. Print.

Zolidis, Don. The Birds: A Modern Adaptation, Playscripts, Incorporated, 2007

The Birds at the Kirstenbosch Amphitheatre

The Birds at Hartnell College, California

The Guerrilla Girls, New York Times

Group Three Presentation: Intervention

Intervention art is art that is set out right in front a viewer, whether they like it or not.  A viewer almost has no choice but to look at the art and what it represents.  This kind of art is very beneficial when it comes to large and controversial topics.  The topic our group decided to focus on is environmentalism.  It is not hard to see, the Earth as we know it is literally melting right under our feet.  It is very important to take care of the planet.  The artists we focus on in the presentation provide intervention in the product of street art.  People that live in urban areas are very familiar with street art, and often, people comment on street art, negatively or positively, which makes it an effective way to reach an audience.  There are people that like to pretend certain issues do not exist, but with street art, it makes it clear they certainly do.

Crown of Greed - Blu

Never Give Up - Millo

Cagacemento - NemO

Piece done in Art in the City Festival - ROA

Project Proposal

Initially, I wanted to create an Instagram page with original pieces I would have made on Photoshop, and pieces other people have made and provided useful information in the captions.  Although Instagram is a very popular application at the moment, the more I thought about it, the more I felt as though people who came across the account would not spend the time to read the captions I provided in the chance they end up being too long.  

Instead of doing an Instagram page, I decided to do a zine.  As a person picks up a zine, it is already given she/he will be reading something of length in comparison to a simple Instagram post, so the reader will be ready and willing.  I will ask people to write pieces for me on the project at hand, both positive and negative, and include them in the zine.  It will also include facts from the research I do, along with images I want to make, and those I find available online and give them proper accreditation.  

source:  Ambivalently Yours via Tumblr

The topic I will focus on is women’s empowerment.  It is a never ending battle when it comes to being a woman in today’s society.  From double-standards still being relevant, to the catcalling, to the plethora of men that dictate the way of life for a woman, it would be beneficial to keep bringing these issues to light.  Emphasis on keep because these are issues that have been around for a very long time.  Every moment is an opportunity to learn, and there are humans living that do not understand the concept of women having a voice for themselves.  It may be 2017, but many people, both men and women, still live in the same mentality of those who lived decades before us.  Women should be seen as the human they are, and should not feel pressure from all angles, at all times.

source:  When Women Disrupt Tatyana Fazlalizadeh (tlynnfaz.com)

The passages that will be included in my zine will educate the reader of “both sides” of the story.  Those who may not understand women’s empowerment and those who do.  It is important for me to include a passage from someone who does not quite understand the concept just so the viewer has all the information available to him/her at hand and will really have the chance to compare and contrast the two.  To make a change in such a stagnant society such as ours, more people have to be aware of the issues.  Women are oppressed on a daily basis.  Things such as wages, availability to jobs, rape, and body image is an evident everyday battle for women.  It is not to say men do not face these same issues, but it is not at the same intensity.  Women are constantly under a microscope and are judged constantly for decisions they make.  It is important to keep the issue relevant and not forgotten so change can come about.  

Resources: 

https://www.marxists.org/history/erol/uk.hightide/basis.htm

https://www.thoughtco.com/oppression-womens-history-definition-3528977

http://tlynnfaz.com/

http://ambivalentlyyours.tumblr.com/

Diversity and Acceptance

Gabriela Ortiz
Activist & Prankster
November 1, 2017

   The world is diverse and is becoming more diverse as time passes by. The racial and ethnic diversity of communities varies greatly across the country, but rapid change is coming to many of the least diverse areas. Failing to realize and becoming accepting of diversity can result in negative feelings and consequences for both educators and learners. All races of people do not look the same, in terms of features and skin color. People of different cultures will have different kinds of interaction styles, languages, and traditions. Unfortunately, many people around the world still tend to discriminate against other people who may appear different to them, and this is a big problem. Not understanding and/or becoming accepting of others leads to biasm, incorrect assumptions, and ignorance. Also, it will most likely lead to unfair treatment against others, as well, and closed attitudes about others differences. Being accepting of diversity can improve communities a lot more. When you learn about diversity, you become more understanding of your surroundings. When you get to know others and your surroundings, you tend to become more accepting towards it. Not only that, learning about/from others helps us grow us human beings. Acquiring every piece of advice and knowledge from others can help you progress as an individual in life.

   The reason why I chose this project as my midterm project is because we currently have a president who is ignorant and racist (even though he may not admit it), and is also willing to divide us by spreading hate and ignorance all over America. This is an important topic to me because ever since he became president, I noticed how people started showing their true colors and feelings towards other people of different cultures. Hate has been spreading like no other... It is unfortunate because this creates riots and more negative outcomes. I plan to talk to as many children and other people about this topic, to educate them and help them understand that diversity is good for us and our communities. Why children first ? because children are innocent when they are younger. They learn from what we teach them. A child is not born with hatred and non acceptance in their heart/mind, it is taught. Therefore, we shall continue to educate the little ones first, to make this world a better and helpful place.

http://public.callutheran.edu/~mccamb/manning.htm
https://saharconsulting.wordpress.com/2014/08/17/diversity-inclusion-and-acceptance/
https://www.spiralwisdom.com/acceptance-and-diversity/

Gender Roles & Equality

Gender roles and gender equality are been a popular topic throughout the world for ages. Both men and women are subject to not having the same privileges due to their gender and how society defines their gender. Gender roles limit one's ability to truly be themselves.  For example, men can not show their feelings or they will be seen as soft, and women can not be aggressive or they will not be seen as "ladylike”. Since society created gender roles, gender equality began to rise. Women are usually the ones to not be seen equal with men. Women have to fight to be treated the same as men and most times it does not work and if it does the change is very little. But, why do they have to fight to begin with? Women deserve be given equal rights to begin with they should not have to fight to have a better life for themselves and others of that same gender.

For my semester project I plan to go around campus and talk to students about the topic. I will ask them questions like “if you had to hire someone to build a house would you pick a man or a women?” or “which gender should be allowed to wear a dress?” I plan to record their answers and create a video to show what people think about this issue and if they see the problem. There is no specific answer to the questions, like the two I listed before, but most people believe specific genders are entitled to do certain things and that is the problem. People are blind to the fact that labeling a gender to certain tasks, or activity is unacceptable. Also, seeing one gender as the superior gender is wrong. Women  and men should have the same opportunity when it comes to jobs, salaries,etc. Any human being is capable of achieving whatever they put their mind to and they should not be told they can't because of their gender.

  

Social Justice

Elmika Edouard 

Activist 

11/1 

Justice is the quality of being just; righteousness, equitableness, or moral rightness. Social Justice is important because it promotes and strives toward a society that celebrates diversity and equality. 

We live in a world where some individuals believe and follow by justice and equality and others who get more than they deserve, and a lot more than they need, and others get less. If the ruling powers are unjust to certain groups or individuals, at some point chaos will get out of hand and history will be repeating itself. Having more equality and diversity in a society is good for society because it promotes opportunity, growth and social wellbeing. Societies that accept diversity have more change, more peace and more prosperity.   

My project will be on image vs stereotype.  

I plan to have different kind of shirt pieces connected into one. Many people tend to worship one image and that is the individual who looks more presentable. The purpose it is to show that no matter anyone's image we are still one and or equal.  

Collar Shirt: Successful 

Rip/Dirty Shirt: Homeless or Uneducated 

Anime Shirt: Geek/Nerd 

The Quilt

AIDS Memorial Quilt was made in June 1987 at the stature of the AIDS emergency in the United States. The progressing venture memorializes the individuals who have kicked the bucket from HIV and AIDS through sewed boards, adorned with their names and representative symbolism speaking to the individual memorialized. Presently, the stitch is comprised of more than 48,000 boards, with more included each year as more AIDS setbacks are submitted to The NAMES Project Foundation. 

Dupere, Katie. “15 public art projects that boldly advocate for social justice.” Mashable, Mashable, 24 Sept. 2016, mashable.com/2016/09/24/public-art-social-good/#9b.x1uB2aOqy. 

“Justice.” Dictionary.com, Dictionary.com, www.dictionary.com/browse/justice. 

“Jersey City, NJ Social Justice Events.” Jersey City, NJ Social Justice Events | Eventbrite, www.eventbrite.com/d/nj--jersey-city/social-justice/. 

Pleasant, Amy. “Artists as Activists: Pursuing Social Justice.” The Huffington Post, TheHuffingtonPost.com, 6 Sept. 2016, www.huffingtonpost.com/amy-pleasant/artists-as-activists-purs_b_11783614.html.