Photo Courtesy of Loyola University Chicago, blogs.luc.edu/artsalive/. The Vagina Monologues will be shown at Loyola on March 15 and 16.

By Audrey Kelly
Section Editor

This past Valentine’s Day marked the beginning of the production of Loyola’s annual Vagina Monologues, by Eve Ensler.

As the cast list was sent out, people across the globe were celebrating One Billion Rising, a celebration of global activism that is fighting to end violence against women and girls.

Loyola actually had a group of activists participate in one of the many One Billion Rising celebrations on Valentine’s Day here in Chicago.

The spotlight focus for this year’s Vagina Monologues is One Billion Rising, to highlight Ensler’s ultimate goal: to end of violence against women and girls.

This year’s director of the Vagina Monologues, Lucy Freccia, wants to stress the fact that the show is “first and foremost a performance of activism.”

Although the performance is always extremely entertaining with a cast of talented ladies, it is important to remember the aspect of activism that it presents.

Everyone is welcome to come!

The Vagina Monologues will be at 7 p.m. on March 15 and 16 in Mundelein auditorium at Loyola.

Audrey is the section editor for Green Scene, Zoo, and The Hots. She can be reached at greenscene.zoo.hots@luchameleon.com.

http://youtu.be/eOM5mxcNm9s

Check out the very first episode of Chameleon News, filmed in front of this week’s Campus Hotspot, the St. James Chapel at the corner of Rush and Pearson near the Water Tower Campus.

Stay tuned for next week’s episode of Chameleon News, with a brand new Campus Hotspot!

Anchored by Ericka Reyes/Marketing Director
Written by Kim De Guzman/Editor-in-Chief
Produced by Sean Keenehan/Section Editor

News Brief Compiled By Kim De Guzman

Editor-in-Chief

Here’s what’s been making headlines during the past week:

Photo from telegraph.co.uk

A/E

According to BBC News, a play about late singer Amy Winehouse set to debut in Denmark in January 2013 has been canceled. The singer’s estate has blocked the use of her materials in the production.

Photo from veoverde.com

Green Scene

National Geographic claims that a rare species of giant tortoise (which was thought to have gone extinct) may still live on. DNA evidence from a Yale University study reveals the tortoise species Chelonoidis abingdoni may still have more of its kind located in a remote area in Ecuador’s Galapagos Islands.

Photo from nationstates.net

Culture Shock

The Standard, Hong Kong’s biggest circulation daily publication, reports that Hong Kong has been named a “superpower” in education, along with Finland and South Korea, by an international study known as the Global Index of Cognitive Skills and Education Attainment.

Photo from abcnews.go.com

The Hots

The Huffington Post reports that Florida’s Department of Health has sent out a survey inquiring about intimate details of the sex lives of 4,100 young women. But that’s not all. The state is offering survey participants $10 gift cards to CVS for use on “health-related items.”

Photo from bloomberg.com

Co-Exist

According to the Huffington Post, the Church of England faces a possible “major constitutional crisis,” after rejecting the possibility of women bishops. After the unexpected defeat, the church said the process to allow women bishops would need to begin anew, and couldn’t start again until a new General Synod (the Church of England’s legislative body) is seated in 2015.

Photo from guardian.co.uk

Liberation

The Guardian reports that a Swedish toy retailer is “arming children with the ability to question outdated gender roles.” The retailer, Top Toy, has released their annual holiday catalog with advertising designed to “confound every gender prejudice.” The catalog shows pictures of girls holding Nerf Guns, and boys playing with dolls.

Photo from Reuters

According to Reuters, Greek Prime Minister Antonis Samaras welcomed a debt deal agreed by lenders to unlock aid, promising skeptical Greeks a new dawn after months of haggling under the threat of bankruptcy. Euro zone finance ministers and the International Monetary Fund agreed to reduce Greek debt by 40 billion euros ($52 billion), opening the way for 43.7 billion euros of loans to be disbursed by early 2013.

Kim De Guzman is the editor-in-chief. She can be reached at editorinchief@luchameleon.com

-STAFF REPORT-

This weekend, the LUChameleon celebrates its one year anniversary.

It’s been a whirlwind year for us.

We published our very first issue last November. We started this publication because we wanted to give a voice to the alternative students on campus.

We wanted to provide another student media opportunity on campus, as well as “talk about things that aren’t usually talked about publicly” on campus.

We started out with the half the number of staff members that we have now, with no resources whatsoever, and we started out as an online only magazine while we caught our footing.

Over the past year, we continued to grow. Our staff grew bigger, we added a new theme to our coverage, and we decided to publish a print magazine to compliment our online outlet.

We can only dream of what is in store for us during our toddler years.

Here’s a look back at some of the content during our memorable “first year in business”:

In October 2012, staff writer Stevenson Valentor explores the concept of “no soul” in his “Soul Reflection.”

One of our popular online features from the fall 2012 semester is our Wednesday sexuality blog, Wednesday Heartbeats. Entries include decisions on abstinence, dating conundrums, and a personal commentary from a date rape experience.

Back in February, copy editor Andrew Kletzien wrote an opinion piece entitled “A Letter to Catholic Apologists.” The piece was a commentary regarding several sexual assault incidents involving children in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Andrew’s article invoked much discussion from Catholic students on campus.

Staff writer Nick Moutvic highlights what to look for in a potential roommate from the October 2012 piece, “Bedfellows: a modern checklist for finding a roommate.”

Just in time for Nov. 6, Chameleon national contributor Lauren Hannigan demonstrates how astrology plays a role in the 2012 presidential election.

Every Friday throughout the school year, our Friday Fashion Spectrumbloggers have kept you in the know with all the latest style tips, deals, and trends, as well as beauty/makeup/accessories advice, what NOT to wear, and where to shop on a college student budget.

Section Editor Sean Keenehan explores Chicago neighborhood Lincoln Square. He claims it has a “small town European feel steeped in German traditions.”

In honor of Election Day 2012, Editor-in-Chief Kim De Guzman discusses her thoughts on voting in her first ever presidential election in “My First Time [Voting, That Is].”

In September 2012, staff writer Michael Lechowitz offers his two cents about the “death of diversity.”

In one of the very first articles published in the Chameleon, staff writer Barbara Crowley interviews several anons about their feelings towards the taboo subject of sex in “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby.”

Staff writer Jill Kreider sits down with two Loyola students to explore the meaning of the hijab in “Hijabs Uncovered: the Truth About the Headscarf.”

Our very first print issue came out on September 25, 2012. Featured articles included summer study abroad stories from the John Felice Rome Center, a look at the environmentally friendly Cuneo Hall, and the Campus Movie Fest student film festival.

The Chameleon gives you an inside look at Hunger Week, and the significance of this series of week long events on campus in “What do you hunger for?”

In March, staff writer Erika Vigen offered her opinion about the prospective USGA bottled water ban on the Loyola campus in her “environmentally friendly” commentary entitled “Forever Thirsty.”

We’ve started using Storify as a creative tool to tell stories. Check out this one compiled in honor of Election Day.

Our second issue ever [October 2012], came out on October 30, 2012, just in time for Halloween. Featured stories include vegetarian awareness month, a look at Hunger Week, and a neighborhood guide to Chicago ‘hood Lincoln Square.

Our multimedia editors grab a camera and explore the diverse student organizations on campusand their various purposes.

Staff writer Barbara Crowley follows up with her “Let’s Talk About Sex” article by interviewing more anons for another article about the act of masturbation. Is doing the dirty with yourself really so dirty?

Staff writer Nick Moutvic sounds off on the latest developments of male birth control.

Blog and Social Media Director Hannah Lutz gives the rundown on Cafe Descartes, the new corner restaurant/coffee shop on campus.

Of course, there is more than this! Our archives are always up-to-date with previous stories, blog posts, features, and content!

Cheers to Charlie, our staff, and a year of publishing! Thanks for reading both in print and online, throughout the year!

Photo taken from creativecriminal.com. Richard Neill leaves a message on Bodyform’s Facebook wall describing that the company had lied to him about a woman’s “time of the month.”

By Jill Kreider

Chameleon Staff Writer

If you’ve been on the internet in the past few past weeks, you’ve probably seen or heard about the sarcastic British commercial from Bodyform, a company that makes pads and tampons.

The commercial is actually a response to man named Richard who posted on their Facebook page, complaining about how Bodyform lied to men about what really goes on during that “wonderful time of month” and that he only found out the truth when he got a girlfriend.

In a surprisingly honest response to his post, an actress portraying the company’s C.E.O. goes on to tell Richard what exactly happens: “[There’s] the cramps, the mood swings, the insatiable hunger, and yes, Richard, the blood coursing from our uteri like a crimson landslide.”

I’m guessing if this commercial had been shot in the US, it wouldn’t have seen airtime. In fact, it probably wouldn’t have even been filmed in the first place.

Yahoo goes on to give examples of times that US companies, such as Kotex, have tried to dispel the myth of a ‘happy period’ but ultimately failed because some “major US networks refused to air [the commercial]” because it contained the word ‘vagina’.

The name of a body part that more than half of Americans possess either through birth or surgery cannot be spoken on national television.

I could comment on the overriding patriarchy and sexism in the media that forbids any mention of what actually happens to women’s bodies (be it periods, heart attacks or any other medical situation that presents women in a non-sexual way).

But I won’t go that far. I’ll keep those thoughts to myself.

Hopefully, other companies will follow Bodyform’s wonderful example and start showing what really happens, so as not to confuse poor men like Richard.

To contact Jill, please email her at jkreider@luc.edu.

Photo by Anna Kebe/the Chameleon. Several student organizations on campus have been working to raise awareness about Domestic Violence Month.

By Aviana Willis

Section Editor

The National Committee Against Domestic Violence has established October as Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Recently, more light has been shed on the problem of domestic violence in the media because of famous, highly publicized offenders.

Domestic violence has now been acknowledged by our society as a national problem that affects many women. This was reiterated by a recent comment from President Obama in his latest Presidential Proclamation, “For far too long, domestic violence was ignored or treated as a private matter where victims were left to suffer in silence without hope of intervention.”

We’re often told about the horrors of domestic violence and the lasting effects they can have, but I believe that young people don’t realize the severity or high number of incidences of domestic abuse.

According to the U.S. Department of Justice, “Females who are 20-24 years of age are at the greatest risk of nonfatal intimate partner violence.”

Domestic violence has also affected people in the Loyola community.

In order to be informed about what to in the event of domestic abuse, you need to know exactly what it is. Campus Safety defines it as “aggressive behavior and violence from or towards family or household members.”

But it is important to keep in mind that domestic violence is not restricted to physical violence, to any sex/gender or sexual orientation, and that it includes any type of unwanted sexual activity from those individuals.

Campus Safety also reports that the most common forms of domestic violence at Loyola are between roommates and people who are dating.

If you are a victim of domestic abuse on campus the first step would be to alert Campus Safety or 911 (if you are off campus), and to seek needed medical attention. Sadly, most cases of domestic abuse are not reported; there is a stigma involved, especially when taking criminal action.

Loyola students are fortunate because our Wellness Center provides and refers victims to confidential medical, legal and physiological services within Loyola and in our community, such as The Center on Halsted.

There are free counseling services available through the wellness center for individuals affected by domestic violence. These appointments can be made in-person or online. There are also group therapy sessions available through the Wellness Center.

Since we are all children of the computer generation, there are also online tools and resources through the Wellness Center including the website for The National Center for Victims of Crime, http://www.victimsofcrime.org/.

Another potentially helpful resource to deal with the psychological effects of domestic violence is the Screening for Mental Health Online Screening Program.

This anonymous survey can help you to identify issues such as PTSD and depression in yourself and can lead you to the proper channels to deal with these issues.

Domestic violence and sexual assault are serious problems, especially in college-aged individuals. These situations can happen to anyone. There is help out there for those who need it.

Aviana Willis is the section editor for Culture Shock and Liberation. She can be reached at cultureshock.liberation@luchameleon.com.

Photo By Anna Kebe/The Chameleon. It could come down to feminist vs. woman.

By Aviana Willis
Section Editor

There were many moving speeches and memorable moments at this year’s Democratic National Convention that took place in Charlotte, N.C.

The image and moment I remember most is that of First Lady Michelle Obama in a pink dress speaking passionately about her husband. “…He believes that women are more than capable of making our own choices about our bodies and our health care…That’s what my husband stands for,” she said.

In that same speech, she mentioned the president’s signage of the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act that was meant to close the gap between the pay of men and women, giving equal pay for the same jobs.

The picture was painted that President Barack Obama is a friend of women and their push toward equality, and he will fight for the rights and other issues that affect American women. Because of this and his track record, the president seems to be a friend of the feminist and might even be one himself.

Reiterating these views, President Obama recently took a strong stand on the controversial comments made by Rep. Todd Akin (R-Mo.) about “legitimate rape” and its small incidence of causing pregnancy.

“Rape is rape,” said Obama. “I think what these comments do underscore is why we shouldn’t have a bunch of politicians, a majority of whom are men, making health care decisions on behalf of women.”

Obama has been applauded by feminists about the decisions that he has made in the Affordable Care Act, especially regarding family planning. Prominent feminist activist Kathy Bonk from Communications Consortium Media Center, made a remark about ObamaCare and family planning at Feminist Majority Foundation’s “Women, Money and Power” event this year.

“First of all, the thing about the Affordable Care Act that people don’t fully understand is that it’s probably going to do more for women and more for advancing women, equal to, on par with what Title IX did for sports,” said Bonk.

On the surface at least, Obama understands the plight of women. This obviously seems to give him an advantage with female voters, especially if you take into account the views of his opponent Mitt Romney.

Romeny, a Republican, has been condemned by women’s and reproductive rights groups because of his call for the end of government funding to Planned Parenthood and his outcry against the ObamaCare proposal for employers to include birth control in their insurance.

But because President Obama has been so straightforward about his position on women’s issues, voters who do not subscribe to similar beliefs may view him as extreme and unwavering. Surprisingly to some, many of these voters could be women, because being female does not equal pro-feminism.

Luckily for Romney, these ladies are most likely to be older, religious white women, one of the only demographics he has a lead on. His campaign encourages these women to gather, organize, and try to persuade others that he is the candidate who truly cares about women and femininity.

Some political analysts have predicted that the race will come down to young versus old, rich versus poor, moral versus immoral, male versus female, but there is also a possibility it could come down to feminist versus woman.

Aviana Willis is the section editor for Culture Shock and Liberation. She can be reached at cultureshock.liberation@luchameleon.com.

Need a study break and want to catch up with the most popular articles, videos, and blogs we had this year? Here’s our mascot, Charlie, with his top 20 picks from this year! (In no particular order.)

Back in February, copy editor Andrew Kletzien wrote an opinion piece entitled “A Letter to Catholic Apologists.” The piece was a commentary regarding several sexual assault incidents involving children in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee. Andrew’s article invoked much discussion from Catholic students on campus.

In March, staff writer Erika Vigen offered her opinion about the prospective USGA bottled water ban on the Loyola campus in her “environmentally friendly” commentary entitled “Forever Thirsty.”

Every Friday throughout the school year, our Friday Fashion Spectrum bloggers have kept you in the know with all the latest style tips, deals, and trends, as well as beauty/makeup/accessories advice, what NOT to wear, and where to shop on a college student budget.

In one of the very first articles published in the Chameleon, staff writer Barbara Crowley interviews several anons about their feelings towards the taboo subject of sex in “Let’s Talk About Sex, Baby.”

In February, staff writer Audrey Kelley produced one of our most popular multimedia pieces featuring different Loyola students and their opinions about feminism and what it means to be a feminist.

Every Tuesday throughout the school year, Chameleon blogger Audrey Kelley produced “Tattoo Tuesday,” a blog featuring Loyola students and their tattoo art. In the blog, Audrey also explores different aspects of tattoo culture. Readers are encouraged to interact with Audrey using the comment section of the website and share their own tattoo stories.

In February, copy editor Brittney Rooney explored the hidden meaning behind the “LGBTQA” acronym, and what each label of the acronym personally meant to those people who identify as said label.

Staff writer Barbara Crowley follows up with her “Let’s Talk About Sex” article by interviewing more anons for another article about the act of masturbation. Is doing the dirty with yourself really so dirty?

In March, LIFT-Chicago, a student organization at Loyola held its annual “Poverty Awareness Week.” Photo Editor Kevin Bautista spoke with Nick Passarelli, Public Relations Manager of the LIFT Uptown office to get an inside look at Poverty Awareness programming and the LIFT movement’s significance.

Staff writer Audrey Kelly produced another “environmentally friendly” video this semester, in which she interviews different Loyola students and the different ways they practice “going green” on campus.

Back in November, copy editor Andrew Kletzien writes a commentary about the Bible and its origins in the early history and spreading of Christianity and why what you hear may not always be what you believe.

In February, Chameleon staff writer Dimitri Plikas profiled Loyola student organization Cru, and took an in depth look at how the students who are involved in Cru “go forth and set the world on fire.”

In March, after finishing the mandatory online e-Toke checkup program, staff writer Paul Gusiewski wrote a commentary piece concerning Loyola’s stance on marijuana and its “anti-marijuana message.”

Following copy editor Andrew Kletzien’s article about the recent outbreak of sex abuse scandals in the Archdiocese of Milwaukee, Loyola student (and Catholic) Emily Sammon penned this commentary.

In February, Photo Editor Kevin Bautista profiled The Center for Urban Environmental Research and Policy (CUERP). Kevin goes inside the heart of Loyola’s green initiative, and explores the different ways CUERP fuels the university’s drive for sustainability.

In March, Multimedia Editors Sarah Murray and Marie Janzen produced a video entitled “An Inside Look at Loyola’s Dining Cuisines and Services.” Several Loyola students were interviewed about their opinions of Loyola’s dining services.

In April, Editor-in-Chief Kim De Guzman wrote about her experiences using the popular new dating website, OkCupid. She explores the website’s different features and the benefits of online dating on OkCupid.

On Wednesdays throughout the school year, an anonymous Chameleon staff writer published the “Not-So-Whisper-Wednesdays” blog, a sex blog about…well, all things sex.

In honor of our namesake reptile, in February, Multimedia Editor Sarah Murray went on an adventure to a reptile store in Evanston to find a real live chameleon (YES, A REAL CHAMELEON) and learn about it.

In April, His Holiness the XIV Dalai Lama visited the Loyola campus to deliver a speech on “Interfaith Collaboration.” Editor-in-Chief Kim De Guzman recapped His Holiness’ speech and students’ reactions to it.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons, flickr.com/photos/digitalartform. Feminism is continually evolving and takes on many forms.

By Marie Janzen
Assistant Multimedia Editor

In the 1990’s, TIME magazine, along with the rest of society, questioned whether feminist still existed, especially among young women.

Feminism has come a long way from the nineteenth century. In an age where society tells a woman she has the possibility to achieve just as much as a man, it’s hard to see where feminism has a role.

The reality is that gender discrimination does still exist in many forms.

19 percent of Americans believe that in a household where both partners work, it is not right for the woman to earn more than the man, and 35 percent believe that men have a certain natural superiority over women and nothing can change this.

It’s not as clear-cut in black and white as you might imagine. Like any group, there are multiple sects and different perspectives. Many ethnic groups and age groups have their own types of feminism. There’s even ecofeminists that connect the woman’s movement with the importance of nature.

The biggest forms of feminism are conservative, liberal, radical, and socialist.

Liberal feminism is the most mainstream form. Liberal feminists strongly believe in the equality between women and men. They also believe that sexism only divides the population in half and decreases productiveness in society.

Conservative feminists believe in the empowerment of women, but reject the struggle for women in the workplace. They believe that seeking some form of public achievement draws women away from wanting a family or intimacy. They fear that family values will be lost if women seek opportunities away from the home.

Radical feminism is the view that sexism is a way for men to satisfy their egos, strength, and self-esteem. People who follow radical feminism believe that social change is necessary for equality because we live in a patriarchal society.

Socialist feminism, also known as Marxist Feminism, relates the woman’s struggle to the class structure struggle. If a woman is not allowed to work, then she is unable to have any form of independence. Socialist feminists believe that this is the biggest form of oppression toward women.

Many students on campus leaned toward the same sentiments as society in the 1990’s.

Mary Anderson, a junior majoring in psychology, recognizes feminist accomplishments but doesn’t see the need for any movement.

“I mean, I’m grateful to all the women that pushed forward and made it possible for me to seek the education and career that I want, but I think that society is pretty equal between men and women now,” she says.

“I don’t think it [feminism] is an issue between men and women anymore,” says Brian Costello, a freshman majoring in computer science.

Katherine Mosfey, a freshman majoring in political science, believes that feminism should still play an active role in society.

“All you have to do is look at who the CEOs are, who’s running governments and who’s even holding political office,” she explains.

“It’s true [that] women can go into a variety of careers, but at the end of the day, I think there’s some discrimination in promotion and elections.”

Marie Janzen is the assistant multimedia editor. She can be reached at mjanzen@luc.edu.

http://youtu.be/jkUQaRCKLpI

Video Produced and Words By Audrey Kelly
Chameleon Staff Writer 

The video above features different students at Loyola and their views of feminism.

Genders seem to be spilt when it comes to opinions on feminism here at Loyola. Most of the guys that I interviewed admitted that while they may not be intimidated by feminists or the feminist movement, they do feel that a feminist’s main objective is to replace men on the social ladder. Many of the ladies, however, explained that they did not feel this way; rather, they were striving for equality.

The most important message that needs to be taken away from these opinions is that gender equality will only be possible when both sides of the debate come together.

Certain preconceived notions on the matter need to be refuted once and for all.

To contact Audrey Kelly, email her at akelly11@luc.edu.

Photo Courtesy of Loyola University Chicago Empowering Sisterhood. The LUCES Women of Color Program is a multigenerational community of women that actively works towards solidarity, leadership, and community wellness at Loyola University Chicago.

By Jade Lomeli
Copy Editor

On Friday, January 27 in the Mundelein Center Green house, a group of women from Loyola University’s Women of Color leadership program met to discuss how they view body image as women of color.

After being told, “I have slave hair,” “You’re never going to get married,” and “You’re a boy” by friends and family, these women have faced unbelievable hardships. Though their pasts have been tough, they made it perfectly clear that they each shared one thing in common: as Lady Gaga (2010) would put it, “I am my hair.”

The participants in the Women of Color dialogue ranged in diversity from Pakistani, Chicana, African American, Latina, Filipino, and Indian, and each woman shared an experience that emphasized her desire to be who she is without having to make changes or compromises for anyone or any kind of society.

In the discussion hosted by LUCES (Loyola University Chicago Empowering Sisterhood), the individuals in the diverse group discussed how each view body image differently, being from different cultures and ethnicities.

An important question, asked by student leader Riti Patel, was, “In your culture, what is considered physical beauty?” Some examples she provided were hair, skin color, and body shape. Many of the women that contributed had something to say about each of these features. However, the topic most talked about was hair.

One participant discussed how she loathed her father because he wanted to control everything she did. It got to the point where she actively needed to take control. “I cut my hair off,” she smiled in delight as she told the group of her liberating achievement.

She stated that her father was furious after she shaved her head. He would continue to say, “You’re a boy now, you know that right?” and she told the group that she didn’t care. It was what she needed to do; she needed to take control over her body and her own actions.

In her father’s eyes, the act of shaving her head automatically made her a “boy.” It’s interesting that her father didn’t even mean to say “look like.” His definitive statement completely omitted her femininity. By shaving her head, according to her father, she wasn’t a woman anymore because her beauty was supposedly gone.

I think it happens too often that people associate short hair with sexuality as well. How many times have you heard or seen friends and family members assume a woman was a lesbian because her hair was short? These distinctions happen frequently, and sometimes people are unaware that it happens until somebody points it out.

Society has conditioned us to try to “figure out” people by what he or she wears and how that person does his or her hair. But whom should we really be listening too: society or the person being speculated?

This topic of whether or not beauty is defined by hair was brought up again by another member of the group. This time the participant decided to cut all her hair off because she was simply tired of the maintenance. She explained that after she cut her hair her friends and family would hound her about why she did it. She explained that her hair was 16 inches long, and that she truly did have beautiful locks. After a while of giving non-specific answers, feeling ashamed at first of her decision, she grew tired of making up excuses and later answered her friends defiantly by stating, “Because I wanted to.”

The participant felt free after doing what she wanted and found her individual beauty. “I didn’t need my hair,” she stated. “I could see my face. My real face.” And for her that was all that mattered. By seeing who she really was (behind her hair) she felt secure and happy with her identity.

Though some women found comfort in getting rid of their long hair, a majority of the women found comfort in keeping it. Though their choice is more accepted in society today, they too found it difficult to be themselves because of their desire for their hair to be straight instead of curly or “poofy.”

Some of the women shared that they felt a need to have straight hair because they strongly felt that it was what society accepted.

One of the group members explained that her friend would always come to her for advice on how to straighten her hair. According to the participant, her friend’s hair would be difficult to straighten because it wouldn’t give in, even after using several hair products and hair devices. The participant stated that her friend would continue to be persistent in asking how to get rid of it. Because she had nothing else to do to give her friend what she wanted she encouraged her friend, saying, “Rock your poof.”

Hair can be the most versatile part of anybody’s body. It can be cut without feeling pain, and it can be sculpted in any way that makes its wearer feel comfortable.

Whether cut short or grown long, hair communicates somebody’s identity to society.

Many people need to realize that what a wearer does to his or her hair is that individual’s choice and his or hers alone.

A woman who wears her hair short should not automatically be labeled as masculine or lesbian.

And a woman who has naturally beautiful curls should not give into what society portrays as acceptable.

Women have a right to “rock [their] poofs!” And so do you, boys.

Jade Lomeli is a copy editor. She can be reached at jlomeli@luc.edu.

Photo Courtesy of Creative Commons, flickr.com/graciehagen. The SlutWalk movement gives victims a voice.

By Nicole Creguer
Chameleon Staff Writer

The word “slut” has been around for centuries. It is meant as a derogatory insult primarily toward women.

Nowadays, however, women are protesting for the right to be called a slut in peaceful protest marches called “SlutWalks.”

The SlutWalk movement started in Ontario, Canada in January 2011. Policeman Michael Sanguinetti proclaimed at an NYU campus-safety forum, “Women should avoid dressing like sluts in order not to be victimized.”

This statement was met with much dissent and inspired more than 3,000 people to march in Toronto weeks later.

Some protestors wore normal attire, while others dressed up in revealing outfits in order to draw attention to “slut-shaming,” or the phenomenon of placing blame on victims of rape.

Protestors assert that this movement is part of a larger “rape culture,” in which we live: a culture that teaches, “don’t get raped” instead of “don’t rape.”

Sanguinetti later apologized for his words, but not until after he had inspired SlutWalks in more than 50 cities, including Chicago.

The founders of SlutWalk, Sonya JF Barnett and Heather Jarvis, express their opinion on their website: “Historically, the term ‘slut’ has carried a predominantly negative connotation. Whether dished out as a serious indictment of one’s character or merely as a flippant insult, the intent behind the word is always to wound, so we’re taking it back.”

They go on to say, “[The word] ‘slut’ is being re-appropriated.”

They cite the reworking of the word “queer” from a derogatory term into an identifier of the LGBT community.

The main goal of SlutWalks is not only to change the meaning of “slut,” but also to bring awareness to sexual assault issues.

Jarvis says, “The idea that there is some aesthetic that attracts sexual assault or even keeps you safe from sexual assault is inaccurate, ineffective and even dangerous.”

Many marchers are seen carrying signs with messages like “Proud Slut” or “It’s my hot body, I do what I want.”

Others, however, take a more somber tone, with one that reads, “It was Christmas day. I was 14 and raped in a stairwell wearing showshoes and layers. Did I deserve it, too?”

However, not everyone is supportive of this new feminist movement.

Gail Dines and Wendy J Murphy, writers from the British newspaper The Guardian claim that, “Whether we blame the victims by calling them ‘sluts’ (who thus asked to be raped), or by calling them ‘frigid’ (who thus secretly want to be overpowered) the problem is that we’re blaming them for their own victimization no matter what they do. Encouraging women to be more ‘sluttish’ will not change this ugly reality.”

Still, the movement seems to be growing, now taking place across the globe in places like Australia, Singapore, and New Delhi.

“Not everyone has to chant ‘I’m a slut and I’m proud,’” says co-founder of the movement, Siobhan Conners.

“No matter how you identify yourself even if you consider yourself a sexual person, we’d like to have anyone who is supportive of creating a more positive environment for women and believes that rape shouldn’t be permitted.”

To contact Nicole Creguer, email her at ncreguer@luc.edu.

Photo Illustration By Hannah Lutz/The Chameleon. Loyola's population is over 60 percent female.

By Andrew Kletzien
Copy Editor 

It’s been almost 50 years since the first publication of The Feminine Mystique, that seminal classic by Betty Friedan that sparked the beginning of the second wave of feminism.

Friedan struggled to get her work published in her time period, so she decided to publish an independent book and incorporate a much broader span of studies and interviews.

Her work later became one of the staples in American feminist literature.

Friedan’s largest obstacle was overcoming the American perception of a successful woman: a stay-at-home mother with children and a husband who paid all of the bills. In the 60s and 70s, that was the extent of feminist theory: marriage life and child rearing.

No one doubts that women made impressive strides since Friedan. Today we are in the midst of the third major wave of feminism, which is largely focused on reproductive rights for women in the United States.

When I am asked to describe myself in three words (like on a social media site or by someone I just met), “feminist” tends to be one of those three descriptors.

Gay male feminists are not as uncommon as many would think, despite the community’s tendency to incessantly use the word “bitch” and praise overly-flattering outfits.

The women’s movement in this country has been closely associated with the gay rights movement. Both movements concern themselves with sexual freedom, freedom of expression, and cherishing an individual’s right to privacy.

But what place does feminist theory have in today’s world? We have the pro-choice movement to take care of reproductive rights. Women have been allowed to vote for decades. The Equal Rights Amendment, while not enacted as a whole, was basically established piece by piece.

In 2008 we saw Hillary Clinton run in the Democratic primary and Sarah for the Vice Presidential seat. Despite what each individual thinks of either women, the fact that they were so close to the White House is a remarkable achievement.

There are some reasons, however, that the feminist movement is still applicable today, specifically on college campuses. Females now outnumber males in college graduation rates and steadily outperform men in subjects such as the humanities and writing.

But while there may not be any need for significant legal changes to advance the stance of women in the world, there are definitely cultural aspects in the United States today that could be bettered with a feminist worldview.

Men and women alike in modern society have formed bad habits of judging individuals solely on physical appearance. Women tend to be put under much more scrutiny to look good, attractive, and yet appropriate.

So, guys, here’s a little advice. Next time you decide to call a girl a slut because she is showing too much cleavage or her skirt is too short, imagine strapping ten extra pounds to your hips and chest and finding affordable clothing that will be revealing enough to be attractive, but modest enough to not be considered trashy.

So many of these double standards and judgments cast by men onto women could be avoided and reworked by a simple exercise of putting yourself in someone else’s shoes for just a day.

Speaking of stepping into someone else’s shoes, Advocate, Loyola’s LGBTQA organization, recently put on its annual Drag Show as a part of its LGBTQA Heritage Month. As a participant, I can say that the experience gave me an enormous amount of respect for women, both in the workplace and at home.

Not only was a woman’s outfit almost twice as expensive as a man’s, but the incredible amount of time needed to simply get dressed and get my “face” on was almost unfathomable compared to a man’s simple pants and a button-up.

Not to mention having to walk in those five-inch platform heels for more than an hour, much less for an entire night of clubbing.

Loyola’s campus is anywhere from 60 to 70 percent female, and yet I see no real sign of a strong feminist population anywhere on campus. When a woman tells me she is not a feminist, I ask her, “Do you even know what feminism is?”

You do not have to be liberal or pro-choice to be a feminist. You do not even have to think that a successful woman is one who works outside of the home.

All you have to believe in is narrowing the gap of gender inequity in this country and around the world. You simply have to be concerned with the fact that women still make less than 70 cents to every man’s dollar for doing the same job.

You definitely do not need to be a woman or be gay to be a feminist, because equality is something we can all believe in, despite the anatomy between our legs.

We have come a long way since Betty Friedan, and she would be proud of the obstacles the women’s movement has overcome.

However, the gender gap in this country is far from closed.

Young girls are still out there looking at magazines of unhealthily skinny women and being told that one day they should look like them. Women who are sexually assaulted are still told that they were asking for it because of the way they were dressed.

So many women still choose to be put under the knife to surgically alter their bodies, not because of an innate desire to look a different way, but because of socially constructed, often exclusive images of beauty seen on television and in magazines.

So yes, progress has been made. Yes, inequities have been solved.

But until every woman in this world can proudly stand up and say that she feels equal to her male counterparts, the feminist movement is far from over.

Andrew Kletzien is a copy editor. He can be reached at akletzien@luc.edu.

Photo Illustration By Hannah Lutz/The Chameleon. Studies show that women score better on standardized tests than men almost across the board.

By Andrew Kletzien
Copy Editor 

There has been a recent trend in the anti-feminist movement that is coined as the “boy problem.” They note that women across the country have made great strides and are now overachieving their male counterparts.

Sixty percent of college students are women, and women’s average scores on standardized testing ranks over the male scores almost across the board. Some people make the claim that women teachers favor female students.

Some reasons critics give for this trend include the way that the common classroom is structured. Critics claim that common classroom etiquette (sitting down, raising your hand and waiting to be called upon) is more conducive to the way in which girls learn and simply a repression of the typical male attitude toward learning.

They argue that learning needs to be more hands on, more interactive and conducive to all types of learning styles. I do not object to their critique, but I am also hesitant to jump on board.

If what they are suggesting is that boys should be allowed to run amok, answering questions without being called on, and interrupting the classroom because they have the sudden urge to get up and move around, then we are right back where we started. Teachers will then spend all their time disciplining the boys and in turn, will lose focus on educating the classroom as a whole.

A second objection by these critics is how males are valued through the educational system. They claim that males are too often valued only for athletics and not for their academics, thus resulting in underachievement on standardized testing. In a country where the average college football coach is making more money per year than the presidents of universities, it is hard for me to object to the critique of athletic emphasis.

However, I am still skeptical about supporting this objection. If the male community, especially the male athletic community, were ready and willing to say that they would like more attention and more appreciation within the academic realm, then I would completely support this objection.

As someone who knows student athletes, I am certain that many males going to college on athletic scholarships are quite comfortable with their current place in the academic realm. They also believe that they can make up for whatever underachievements they may have in the classroom out on the field.

Critics say the biggest reason that men are underachieving is that feminists have “gone too far.” Somehow the feminist movement has undermined the male population and been the cause for poorer test scores from males as compared to females. That is the equivalent of someone in a race stopping half way, seeing that his competitor already reached the finish line, and screaming, “Stop! That’s not fair! You’re running too fast!”

Is the point of academia not to score high grades, do well on standardized tests, and develop your intellect and brainpower to do better in the marketplace?

What point have we gotten to where men are forced into the subversive position of looking up to women and saying, “Hey, come down here,” instead of, “Hey, what can I do to keep up with you? I need some help here.”

If 60 percent of college graduates are female, maybe it is because female college kids are working 60 percent harder.

Last time I checked, it was not the point of higher education to make everyone slow down to the pace of the kids who cannot keep up. The point of higher education is to instead help them to gain the knowledge and skill base that will help them compete.

Next time you hear someone complain about those “damned” feminists, who are “always making it harder for the men of the world,” ask them: “If you are underperforming, what makes that my fault and not yours?”

It’s time the male community stood up, took some responsibility for their actions, and stopped waiting around for everything to be handed to them on a silver platter like it was in the last generation.

Women are running strong, in every aspect of life, and it is not their job to make sure you keep up.

Andrew Kletzien is a copy editor. He can be reached at akletzien@luc.edu.

Photo By Hannah Lutz/The Chameleon. The ecofeminist movement has women everywhere hugging trees.

By Brittney Rooney
Copy Editor 

“Going green” is a fad that we see spreading rapidly. The younger generation, whether they are following their values or the style of the time, are asking for reusable mugs and t-shirts with recycling signs on them. I noticed in my environmental clubs or environmental classes, in general, the population tends to be predominately female.

Ecofeminism is a new movement combining the efforts of feminists and environmentalists. Women who believe the environmentalist movement lacks a feminist viewpoint and that the feminist movement disregards the environmental crusades started this new movement.

Wangari Maathai and her green belt movement in Kenya, the Akwesasne Mother Milk project, and Bernadette Cozart and her Greening of Harlem in Harlem are a few examples of some ecofeminist movements happening currently.

Ecofeminists deem patriarchy as the root cause behind both movements. They claim it is male-dominated societies that kept women in the home with the resources of the earth at their fingertips.

Something unique about the ecofeminist movement is that there is no specific demographic or goal.

Ecofeminism is not about a particular group of women fitting a particular environmental issue in one area. Instead, it is the idea that women have a special conceptual, empirical, symbolic and political connection to environmental issues. Therefore, placing these women as heads of environmental movements is empowering.

There is much resistance towards the ecofeminist movement, particularly by feminists themselves. The feminists claim that it is not progressive to remind people of the past connection between a woman and a home environment.

The term “mother nature” is an example of this connection. The connection encourages people to believe that women are innately nurturing, gentle or delicate.

This stereotype is what feminists have been fitting. The feminist movement always asked how to pull women out of the inferior situations they are found in.

Are the appropriate solutions between giving women the power within the situation they currently are stuck in or pulling them out through some other means?

The stereotype that women belong in the house to care for the family (while the man’s job is to bring home the bacon) is obviously one worth fighting.

If one was promoting the equality of women, getting the woman out of the home, away from nature and into the mainstream work force, would be the first step.

However, this change cannot happen overnight.

Before we can persuade our culture to change its belief that women are capable of the same things as men, women, unfortunately, must be able to show it.

Women must first be given some power so they can prove what change they can make in the world.

By giving women a chance to fight environmental issues, it also gives them the chance to fight other issues in the future.

Hopefully, after proving their intelligence and ability, they will be given the respect and opportunity to break out of the home and fight issues in other spheres.

Brittney Rooney is a copy editor. She can be reached at brooney@luc.edu.