Toni McFarland Blog

• A brief history of transgenderism on college campuses/college dorms/including females
  • In 2018, a man would not bat an eye at sharing a classroom with a woman. Although this is something that is almost never debated, and almost universally accepted, it was not always. In the 1800s, it was argued over whether women should be allowed in previously all male colleges. Institutions funded separate schools for women, instead of allowing them to integrate with the men. And women were often discouraged from going to schools that technically allowed women. The idea of gender inclusion has changed drastically over the years. Although now, women are included and integrated into college environments, the same cannot be said about transgender students. Many feel that transgender students should live in a dorm that reflects their born sex, although others feel that transgender students should live in a room reflecting their gender identity. Some previous solutions provided were to offer housing separate from other students, so they could live in a room by themselves where they did not have to worry about matching their roommate gender with their own. Or, there are housing options specifically for transgender students. However, would that be truly inclusive of the transgender students? Or does it take from their college experience, by exiling them from the typical college dorm, and instead keeping them separate to keep them safe?
• Legal history – title IX and dear colleague
  • Title IX was originally created to prohibit sex discrimination in any educational activity receiving federal financial support. Although its original intention was to eliminate gender discrimination in athletics/educational programs/activities, it has evolved to combat other forms of discrimination, harassment, and violence. In recent history, with the increasing emphasis put on LGBTQ+ rights, Title IX has changed to reflect the changing attitudes towards gender identity. Under the Obama administration, in 2015, the department of Education reaffirmed their policy of “prohibiting recipients of federal financial assistance from discriminating on the basis of sex, including gender identity and failure to conform to stereotypical notions of masculinity or femininity.” Although “regulations permit schools to provide sex-segregated restrooms, locker rooms, shower facilities, housing, athletic teams, and single-sex classes under certain circumstances” these schools must treat transgender students consistent with their gender identity according to the letter written by the department. And this idea was emphasized in the Dear Colleague letter released by the government, the following year, stating that “discrimination based on a student’s gender identity, including discrimination based on a student’s transgender status” is not permitted. And, according to this letter, a medical diagnosis or treatment is not required for being treated consistently with one’s gender identity.
  • Under the current Trump administration, however, the Education Department is changing their rules with civil rights complains about transgender students and bathrooms. They are no longer investigating such complains, and Betsy DeVos (Education Secretary) rescinded previous guidances, and instead grants states and individual school districts the ability to determine how to accommodate transgender students. They believe that transgender students are not given the right to use the bathroom of their choice according to Title IX. They claim that although Title IX prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, it does not on the basis of gender identity. So, because bathrooms have regulations to provide separate facilities based on sex, the current administration argues that regulating bathroom use by transgender students is not discrimination prohibited by Title IX. Similar sentiments may be felt about college dorms, because similarly to bathroom use, college dorms are typically divided by gender. And since the new administration does not believe that Title IX protects gender identity discrimination, the new administration may prohibit students from living in dorm rooms with students of the opposite gender that they were born with (regardless of their current identity).
  • Penn State made a change in their culture because of the changes from the Obama Administration. Penn State released in their NonDiscrimination Policy that includes that the University does not tolerate harassment or discrimination against people due to their “sexual orientation, gender, perceived gender, and gender identity”
  • The Association of Residence Hall Students decided to create gender inclusive housing beginning the academic year from 2016-2017.

Outline of TED Talk

• Introduction:
  • Smoking in the adult population has fallen 25% over the past 49 years. This is a significant decline in smoking. Scientific research has changed how society perceives smoking. Smoking levels among teenagers are a lot lower now, however there have been an increase in e-cigarette use among teenagers.
• Smoking Body Argument:
  • When I was researching changes in smoking, I came across a study that shows that a lot of the reason for the decrease in smoking is an improved understanding of the health risks and concerns about secondhand smoke. Socially, smoking is not as accepted as it was in the past. There are even legal restrictions on public smoking. Media, increased knowledge, and changes in taxes have influenced how Americans view smoking.
• E-Cigarette Body Argument:
  • Although culturally views on cigarettes have changed, e-cigarettes, particularly vapes, are becoming more popular in teenage culture. I wanted to research why teengaers think that vaping and juuling is “cool” and what is different about how we culturally view cigarettes and e-cigarettes.
  • There is little research on the effects of vaping, as it is a new phenomenon. Many students argue that smoking vapes or juuls is not harmful, however the science behind vaping and juuling is still widely unknown
• Take-Away:
  • Science has greatly changed our culture. It is important to look at scientific research and make informed decisions. One shouldn’t vape just because it’s what is currently culturally “cool” but should take their health into great consideration.

One of my favorite TED talks is “Looks aren’t everything. Believe me, I’m a  model” by Cameron Russell. I really liked the way that she created her message, and I also felt very connected to her message.

She started the TED Talk off by having the first ever on Ted stage outfit change. She came out in a short dress, then put on a long skirt and a sweater. This completely changed the image of her within 5 seconds, which showed that image is so powerful in how we perceive people. I thought that this was a really inspiring message, and an impactful way to display her message.

I also liked her use of powerpoint. She effectively showed pictures from when she was modeling, and compared her modeling pictures to selfies or pictures taken with family within months of the modeling pictures. She looked entirely different. She looked “normal” in the family pictures, which emphasizes that the modeling pictures aren’t real. This drove home her point about image, and how it’s completely different from reality.

I also like how she talked about race and genetics. She said, “I am on this stage because I am a pretty white woman” and addressed a very important issue in today’s society. Minority groups are underrepresented in modeling, and I think that a lot of this has to do with image and how our culture has based the image of beauty off of white people. I think that she was very honest in talking about how she won the genetic lottery, and modeling is not something that you can work towards or earn.

I think that this is an extremely impactful and honest TED Talk. I like how Cameron Russell was very honest about her feelings, and I think that she shared an important message.

For my Unit Two project, I think that smoking could be an interesting topic to research. I think that it could work because the way people think about smoking has changed dramatically over the past century. In the early to mid 1900’s almost everyone smoked. Today many teenagers view smoking as disgusting and recognize it is unhealthy. I think that I would look at how people have changed with regards to science, focusing specifically on smoking. People take science more seriously today, and almost every young person in America has been exposed to scientific research proving that smoking is harmful to the body. The science around smoking has also changed, as many scientists in the 1900’s were influenced by tobacco industries to prove that smoking is good, as well as there was a bias for smoking in the 1900’s because so many American adults smoked. I could also analyze how juuling and vaping are now big parts of teenage culture, and our society is almost taking a step backwards in regards to smoking and taking care of our lungs.

I also think that the change in technological dependence in teenage culture could be an interesting topic to pursue. Teenagers constantly feel the need to have something in front of them at all times, whether it is a phone or computer, and at many points this can detract from their life. For example, texting and driving is a huge issue in American culture, and this is because teenagers constantly feel the need to be on their phones. Before texting was widespread in teenage culture, texting and driving was (obviously) not an issue. I could look at how technology has changed how teenagers interact with one another, and how a lot of interactions are now online instead of in person. I could also look at how being dependent on technology affects attention, and how some teenager feel that they always need to be using a device.

44,965. That’s how many American lives are lost to suicide yearly. That’s how many deaths we could have prevented this past year. Which is why many organizations are fighting to help those suffering from mental illness. Thirteen Reasons Why is a TV show that follows the story of main character Hannah Baker’s suicide. Hannah left behind 13 tapes, each addressed to a contributor to the decision to end her life. I focused on the last episode of season 1, which recounts Hannah’s final day. This show brought attention to an important issue, however its potential was not reached. I wanted to share 13 reasons of why this show failed to perform its intended civic duty.

Reason 1: The media used was kairotically inappropriate with our time period. Today TV is used for entertainment. Many audience members failed to see the importance of the message due to the lax media used. Some made memes of the TV show for their own amusement.

Reason 2: The commonplaces of the different cliques of  students made the show unrealistic and almost corny. Many high schooler’s social lives do not operate in such a cookie cutter manner. This detracted from the overall genuine message.

Reason 3: Gomez’s celebrity status reduces her ethos. She did not live a normal teenage life, which contributes to why the show is not the most realistic.

But focusing on the final episode itself, juxtaposition and hyperbole specifically failed to effectively portray the intended message.

Reason 4: Juxtaposition of scenes before and after Hannah’s death have a misleading message. Hannah indirectly asked Mr. Porter, the guidance counselor, for help in brightly lit scenes. Reflecting that if Hannah could find help, she had a chance of getting better. After her death, Clay visited Mr. Porter to discuss Hannah’s suicide in dark and blueish lighting. Representing the regret of failure to act on Hannah’s behalf. This showed the audience that they should help others before it’s too late. However, this message was overridden by another juxtaposition. The inaction of Mr. Porter was compared to the result of his inaction, being that he was the 13th reason of why Hannah killed herself. This portrayed that the suicide was used as revenge partly against Mr. Porter, minimizing the effect of the color scheme.

Aspects of the show that created drama, like the latter juxtaposition, tended to take away from the show’s message.

Reason 5: Other students over exaggerated their feelings by insincerely talking about killing themselves. This hyperbole was met with other characters brushing off the suicide claims, underrepresenting the importance of suicide.

Reason 6: Hyperbole was utilized in Hannah’s suicide scene. Its purpose was to show that suicide is painful and gruesome, but its graphic portrayal was so violent that it made many audience members focus on their own comfort, instead of the pain Hannah felt.

Reason 7: The suicide scene may have unhealthily triggered audience members suffering from mental illness.

Reason 8: The show increased suicide ideation and may have even lead to an increase of suicide attempts.

Reason 9: The show glorified suicide. After Hannah’s death, the school seemed to worship her, showing those suffering from mental illness that suicide has positive effects.

Reason 10: 13 Reasons Why aimed at starting a conversation about suicide, although it did to an extent, it also backfired and many of its viewers focused on the negatives of the show, instead of the message.

Reason 11: The show suggests that bullying and sexual harassment are the main reasons for suicide. The show mostly ignored mental health; Hannah did not show signs of mental illness.

Reason 12: The aftermath of Hannah’s suicide involves the revenge of the tapes more so than the ruined lives of those left behind. This underrepresents the negative effects of suicide.

Finally, Reason 13: The show utilized pathos to create a sad and scary message: bullying can lead to some traumatizing actions. However, the show could have used a more hopeful message to inspire teenagers to perform their civic duty instead of frighten them into action.

Overall, the show failed because it asked the viewers to focus on the story of Hannah Baker, not the message.

Thank you.

Fighting Suicide

Suicide is the 10th leading cause of death in America, killing 44,965 Americans yearly, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention. That’s 50,000 preventable deaths, which is why many organizations are fighting hard to prevent suicide and help those suffering from mental illness. The TV show Thirteen Reasons Why and the Project Semicolon were created to prevent suicide and spread awareness of this epidemic. However, both use different rhetorical strategies to combat suicide, which have vastly different effectivenesses. Thirteen Reasons Why is a fictitious show that utilizes hyperbole and juxtaposition to attempt to bring the effects of bullying and the need for suicide prevention to attention. But the show fails to justly create a positive change in teenage culture. However, the Project Semicolon, specifically the letter written by founder Amy Bleuel, creates ethos through first person narration as well as pathos through honest, but upsetting diction. Bleuel’s story effectively calls to attention the effects of depression and suicide as well as shows the audience the importance of suicide prevention.

Both artifacts used commonplaces and kairos. Bleuel’s story uses commonplaces when describing the college experience; she was exposed to an abundance of drugs and distractions that could help her escape her reality. 13 Reasons Why used commonplaces about teenage life particularly in a school setting to become more relatable to teenagers. Both artifacts were kairotically effective with their message, given that suicide is one of the leading causes of death in America and the suicide rate rises every year. It is a very prevalent topic that is exceptionally important to talk about in today’s society.

In the last episode of 13 Reasons Why season 1, the producers juxtaposed scenes of Hannah talking to the guidance counselor before her death with scenes of Clay talking to the guidance counselor after her death. In the scenes with Hannah, the lighting was bright, creating an optimistic mood. The producers may have wanted to show that there was still time for Hannah to find help and her problems could have been solved. However, in the scenes with Clay, the lighting is dark with a blue hue. This reflects the darkness of Hannah’s death, as well as the failure of both Clay and the guidance counselor to help Hannah. This juxtaposition shows that while we are still in the “light” scenes, we need to help those in need.

This juxtaposition worked well in creating an effective mood for these scenes. However, that message was overridden by another comparison that emphasized revenge. In these same scenes, the inaction of Mr. Porter was compared to the result of his inaction, being that he was the 13th reason of why Hannah killed herself. By putting an emphasis on the guidance counselor’s role in Hannah’s death, this scene emphasized Hannah’s use of the tapes as revenge against those who wronged her. This message shows that suicide can be used as a way of revenge, and that suicide can be blamed on others, not the person who actually committed the act. Civically, that message negatively impacts society, and it gives the audience incorrect impressions about the role of revenge and blame in suicide.

Hyperbole was also utilized in the last episode. Hannah’s suicide was hyperbolistic in that it was over realistic. It showed the physical act of Hannah slitting her wrists and the blood pouring into the bathtub. According to one of the producers, this hyperbole was used to show that suicide is painful and horrific. However, this hyperbole was too much for many audience members, and the suicide could have dangerously given flashbacks to viewers who attempted to take their own lives. The scene also forced many to look at their own discomfort rather than the comfort of Hannah, as it was so over the top.

There were other over dramatic scenes in the last episode. In one scene, Justin tells Jessica that he attempted to take his own life but couldn’t because he kept thinking about Jessica. Her response is to “try harder.” The student hyperbolized his feelings; he did not have the intentions of killing himself. However this hyperbole paired with an apathetic response may give viewers the impression that their calls for help will be ignored.

13 Reasons Why uses over dramatization to create pathos. Viewers feel bad for Hannah and the other characters because of the over dramatized actions that occur in the show. For example, the tapes that Hannah released were unrealistic; not many suicides are that thought out. Also, there was a shooting in the end of the episode, which differs the attention away from suicide, and onto drama. The most dramatic parts of the plot, which is the most addicting for the audience, are the most unrealistic. However, at points the show focuses more on gaining viewers and their entertainment than properly addressing the issue of suicide, bullying, and mental health.

Project Semicolon has the same mission as 13 Reasons Why and Bleuel also used pathos and ethos to create an argument against suicide. Pathos is created through diction. For example, she says, “The next five years of my life were spent in darkness and total solitude” and she uses the word worthless to describe herself. This diction creates a dark and depressing mood, representing how she felt growing up, and relating to readers who have similar feelings.

Bleul recounts, “I spent years wondering what I would eventually learn from my experiences and why I had to endure these things.” She repeats the word endure, which shows her struggle and hardship. This emphasizes that life wasn’t just living, it was a constant struggle. This idea can relate to the audience, and evoke sadness from the readers.

Bleuel establishes ethos through first person narration. The story is of her life, showing that she has true authority over its validity. It is a reflection of herself. This directly opposes the ethos created by the producers of 13 Reasons Why, particularly Selena Gomez. Given Selena is not a teenager nor a “typical teenager,” she does not have the most credibility when it comes to describing teenage life. This takes away from the validity of the show.

In Bleuel’s story, she changes the end to optimism. This directly contrasts 13 Reasons Why, as it leaves on a cliffhanger: what’s going to happen to Alex? This cliffhanger was to create a dramatic effect and lead to the second season. Although it relates to suicide as Alex shot himself, the show ends on a scary and sad note. Bleuel’s story ended to give hope to its audience and inspire readers to keep fighting; keep going.

Both artifacts attempt to prevent suicide and effect a change in the world. 13 Reasons Why’s attempt to change the world through a fictitious story led to misunderstandings. The message was not effective; the show was under a lot of backfire for its negative impacts on teenage life. The show made many mistakes, but what it did do is start conversations. This is similar to Project Semicolon, which also starts conversations. The semicolon, as a permanent mark on one’s body, is a constant reminder of the need to keep living even when times get tough. It also serves to emphasize the need to help others through difficult times. Conversations may also be started about suicide prevention through curiosities about the meaning of the tattoo.

The semicolon project is realistic and more personal. By reading the individual stories on the project website, audience members are shown overwhelming numbers of inspiring stories of people affected by suicide, and their choice to make things better. People also choose to tattoo themselves, carrying the personal message with them forever. They also have the choice to represent the project and share it. Anyone can spend a week watching a TV show, and then move on with their life, but one that chooses to indefinitely change their skin invests themselves in the project. With the TV show, people also have the choice to watch it, and a choice is presented to treat others better and with respect, but it is not as personal nor permanent.

A change needs to be made. Civic Americans should pay attention to the media and support things that they care about. One can use this media to learn and help effect the change. Both artifacts want to better civic life, and they both aim at performing their civic duty. Regardless of their success, the two artifacts contribute to an important cause, and have value in today’s society. They represent a lot about what is important in our world; and how people can change the world even a little to make things better.