Moms in Suits, Dads in Aprons

My father is the proud parent of five daughters and takes his responsibility to my sisters and I very seriously. He has always been a massive proponent for us to be strong, independent women and that we are just as capable of anything a man can do. During his recent visit to Chicago, we were discussing women’s roles in the household. He informed me that nearly 40% of women are the breadwinners in their household. I was shocked and I decided to go home and do some research. Sources from Time Magazine, MoneyFunk.net, and Economica all have articles discussing this new trend. After seeing the facts in fine print my shock turned to pride. It’s about time this happened.

Slowly but surely, businesses are starting to capitalize on this new lifestyle taking place in America. For example, in an effort to regain a positive image, Toyota has created very humorous commercials for their new Sienna. It follows around the “Sienna Family” and one ad in particular stood out to me. A dad is at a playground (where, by the way, there are no moms in sight) and is discussing his new car. He brags to the camera about all the room he has for his children’s toys and yet he still has comfort and space. The dad then turns angry when another father drives up in the same car. He gets very aggravated and, in a very funny manner, yells and taunts the other dad. By targeting dads in their commercial, Toyota is reflecting the change in our society. With women dominating the workforce, more and more men are taking on “Mr. Mom" roles and are becoming the intended audience for many family-oriented products. Toyota exudes this by presenting their car in a humorous environment stressing male competition by having the two dads fight. They also appeal to men by showing the cars extreme luxury and high-tech features. Humor, competition, lavishness, and being up to date with technology are characteristics that attract a male audience.

I like change. Change is good. Especially if it’s a change like this one where men, such as my dad, can finally see things from the other side and type-A women do not have to succumb to a dated gender role. I also REALLY enjoy a change where mainstream media show it in a positive light and are, therefore, advocating it.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qO4l5IilM4c

Here Comes the Choo Choo Train! Woo! Woo!

A few days ago I was enjoying some nightly television. I have no idea what I was watching, but I was really looking for background noise as I cleaned my room. But a particular commercial caught my interest. Two little boys were playing with their cars, trucks, and planes and were alluding to the inconveniences of traffic, flying regulations, and gas prices. I said to myself, “Amen brothers. But where are you going with this?” The commercial then went to a different little boy playing with his train set in his attic and commenting that the train is on time and ready to depart. Who knew this insanely crafty marketing scheme was for Amtrak?! With the recent traveling annoyances and people not being able to spend money like they used to, Amtrak is seizing the opportunity to bring in customers. I am on board for this transition (no pun intended). Yes, your journey may take longer, however, it is a lot cheaper. Not only is it cheaper but you are also investing in a more unique way to travel. You have the opportunity to see this great country in a really different light. I once took a train from Canada, through upstate New York, to New York City with my mom and sister. It was a really awesome experience. The entire environment of sleeping and dining on the train adds a special touch to your trip. I feel this shift towards a return to trains as a means of transportation says a lot about America today. We are uneasy and nervous about the future so we are returning to original comforts that built America. I feel Amtrak is feeling the change in attitudes too and it is reflected in the commercial. An attic is where people tend to keep their histories- their roots if you will. Why do you think Amtrak filmed the little boy playing with the train set in the attic? Amtrak is encouraging and reflecting the return to trains. Trains aided immensely in the expansion of America. Our nation owes it to this historical form of business to keep it afloat.

YES. NEW MTV CHALLENGE SEASON.

A HUGE guilty pleasure of mine is religiously watching all of the Real World/Road Rules Challenges that MTV continues to film. I have never missed a season and I know far too much information about many of the cast members (mainly the male ones). But a lot of things have come to my attention since last night's airing of the new season, Fresh Meat II. The concept of Fresh Meat is to have veteran cast members select a partner to undergo grueling physical challenges in order to win a big cash prize. On last night’s episode, thirteen new cast members stood in front of a panel of veterans as they went through notebooks with each new contestant’s athletic statistics. A few things stood out to me. The first was that only one person of color (Darrell) was on the panel of veteran players; the other TWELVE people were white. I definitely felt a white supremacy undertone circulating between the pixels on my LG screen. Secondly, MTV has finally brought in what one could consider being a “typical” Middle Eastern man. Noor, a "fresh meat" person, has many physical characteristics of a Middle Easterner and I have no idea why MTV has waited until now to welcome on a person of his background. Though Parisa on Real World: Sydney was a proud Muslim woman, it would be hard to guess her heritage due to her lighter skin tone. I also do not think she is a good representative for one of the first Muslim people to be on Real World because no one ever remembers her (except for her annoying singing and infatuation with cast member Dunbar). So, what does all this mean? I do think that the idea of white dominance is very strong on these shows. The more I look back on previous season, the more I realize how constant it has been. White people are the primary cast members AND the white males are always the ones that take control over the game and most of the time, win. These shows are constantly reinforcing white, male, dominant norms. What surprises me is the lack of people who vocalize their concerns about this situation. But then again, I have gone through I do not know how many seasons of these Challenges and never thought about the gender and racial roles playing out on the screen. This realization only makes me want to watch it more.

Threatening Erin Andrews? Really?

Erin Andrews is the epitome of cool. For one, she’s drop dead gorgeous and through her quirky sense of humor and ability to laugh at herself, she barely recognizes it. Two, her job as a broadcaster for ESPN is one of the greatest in the world. And three, Erin is also a competitor on one of my favorite shows ever created, Dancing With the Stars. Basically, as someone who aspires to work in sports management and an enthusiast for celebrities ballroom dancing, Erin Andrews is my idol. However, in recent news, Erin has been receiving threatening emails. One email even states “somebody should shoot her in face.” What in the world could Erin Andrews have done to you? What heinous act did she commit to affect your life negatively? I will tell you what she did: NOTHING. As someone who has watched her on ESPN numerous times, there is no way she could have done something remotely wrong to anyone. The worst “act she’s ever committed” was when a videotape of her naked was released online (wait, she did not do that knowingly; SHE WAS A VICTIM). Though I have no idea who is sending these emails, I will say one thing: threatening Erin Andrews makes you a coward. Her insane drive to succeed and stay true to her family and herself makes her an incredible role model for females of all ages. The fact that she soldiers on from all of these unnecessary obstacles displays the integrity of women that exists. The people who are threatening her clearly have no lives.