I Don't Care that Meninism is a Joke

Meninism is a silly, parody of men's rights activists, who believe that feminism is just a bunch of misandrist girls whining about how bad their lives are. I mean, that's what it is, right?

I'm here to tell you that no, meninism is not a parody of men's rights activists. Okay, so it started out like that, and that's what the twitter bio says. The purpose behind it is actually great: point out how dumb some people are, and roll with it. But the purpose can get lost in translation.

Meninism is actually a thing. People call themselves meninists, because they actually believe that men are oppressed and that feminists are actually "feminazis", who just want women to be higher in our society than men. Just because men get hurt because of our society does not mean that they need a movement named after them. Sure, men are expected to be strong, and to not want to stay at home. God forbid if a man is sensitive and cries. But that's not what meninism is really about. 

Meninists constantly pull that "Oh, girls criticize Barbie for being skinny and excessively sexualized, but no one has a problem with He-Man!". And that is not true. I actually like Barbies: they might be unrealistically skinny, but that never made me feel bad about myself. In fact, she and all her different jobs made me feel like there was nothing holding me back from being whatever I wanted when I grew up. But the constant sexualization of any female character is a problem. The supposed sexualization of any male character, however, is not a problem.

Men are rarely sexualized. If they are, it is for the male gaze, and therefore, part of a male power fantasy. A good amount of the time, media is made to cater to men, not women. Straight, white, cisgendered men, and that's a problem. Men are constantly strong, and if they're not, they're called gay. Women, on the other hand, are treated like objects, just pairs of boobs that are supposed to look hot. And if they are "action-y"? Then they call other, weaker characters girls, and their explanations as to why they are so strong are "because I have eight brothers". The fact that these constantly show up in media is a problem, since it does tell girls and women that "hey, it's not in your nature to be strong. Sorry."

Yes, the fact that large men are hated on is a problem too. But don't use those pictures that have women of all different sizes to make that point. Yes, most women would want the strong, skinny man. It is a problem, but not because men are oppressed. It's because of society's feelings toward fat people. You do make good points, but creating your own movement is not the way to go about fixing them. Keep in mind the true definition of feminism. It's not a hate movement, it's a way for women to be considered equal to men, and a way to get some of the pressure of being a "tough, strong man" out of the picture for those that just can't reach that ideal.

Men aren't oppressed. Not as a whole. As soon as there is a majority in our world taking away your right to marry, your reproductive rights, your rights to be alive, then I will help you out of your situation. For now, however, you aren't. But you can help what hatred there is toward you by educating yourself about what feminism is, and learning how you can help.

Thank you, Toler Wolfe.

Four Important Things Everyone Needs to Remember

I've been considering shaving off half my hair lately, but my parents have been totally against the idea. They think I'll look stupid and I'll feel stupid, but I (obviously) disagree with them. My main argument is that it is my body, and I can do with it as I please. I think that everyone should feel this way too, and I'm here to help this mindset become popular.

1. It's your body.

Yes, it's kind of a given, but this is so important. It is your body, so anyone else's opinions shouldn't matter. Yeah, if someone says, "Hey, you have some lettuce in your teeth," or something, fix it, because that's just kind of a fact, and who wants to walk around with food in their teeth? But if someone says, "Hey, you're too fat" or "Hey, you're too skinny," ignore them.

Basically, if you can change what the person thinks within five minutes, fix it. If not, then too bad for them. It's who you are, and if they can't stand that, too bad.

2. Everything that you think looks good on you looks good on you.

If you want to wear high-waisted shorts, go ahead. If you want to wear a vertical-striped dress but you're tall, hey, it's what you think that matters. If you're chubby, wear all the horizontal-stripes that you want. Don't want to shave your legs? They're yours! Want bright blue hair? Go for it! Love sweatpants? If that's what you want to wear, wear 'em! So what if magazines say "if you have this body type, wear blah blah blah"? It's what you think looks good that matters, so rock it!

3. Be aggressive.

This one might seem a little bit random, but being aggressive is an important thing to do. If someone says, "hey, you look dumb in that," just say, "No, I really don't."

It's your body, and you need to let people know that. Telling people that yeah, it is your body is the only way that it's gonna get through to them. You need to let people know that you don't care what they think, and that the only opinion that matters to you is your own.

Who cares what guys hate? It's your choice, ladies.

4. Respect others.

Okay, so I know I'm saying to be aggressive, but don't hurt someone. If someone is genuinely trying to help you, don't tell them that you don't care. For example, if someone shows you one of those magazine articles that says what people with each body type should wear, don't yell at them. Say, "I know that you're trying to help me, but I'm fine. I'm making decisions about my body, and I'm not letting anyone else get involved in that, even 'experts'. So thank you for your help, but I don't need it." Unless the person is being mean to you, there's no reason to be mean to them. Don't forget to respect other people's fashion choices, too. They're theirs, not yours, so do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

If you follow these four rules, be prepared for a happier life. Don't let other people get you down when you can lift yourself up. 

A (Not-so) Exhaustive List of MOGAI Terms

Everybody knows what LGBTQQIAP+ means. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and others.Recently, however, someone came up with the terms MOGAI or MOGII, which both stand for 'Marginalized orientations, gender identities, and intersex'. I do actually prefer this, because it is an umbrella term covering things like agender and other identities that aren't usually talked about. However, there are problems with this term, as it does not specifically mention said terms, and someone needs to document all of these terms. That's what I'm here for. Please know that this list is non-exhaustive, and may not include all terms that apply.

• Gay: Someone who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to a person of their own gender. This term is mostly used to describe men.
• Lesbian: A woman who is sexually and/or romantically attracted to women.Bisexual: A person who is sexually attracted to more than one gender. Some are only attracted to two, while others are attracted to many.
• Pansexual: A person who is sexually attracted to people, regardless of gender.
• Asexual: A person who is not sexually attracted to anyone. These people can still have a sex drive.
• Homosexual: A person who is sexually attracted to people of their gender
• Heterosexual: A person who is sexually attracted to people of the opposite gender.
• Homoromantic: Someone who is romantically attracted to people of their gender.
• Heteroromantic: Someone who is romantically attracted to people of the opposite gender. 
• Biromantic: Someone who is romantically attracted to more than one gender
• Panromantic: Someone who is romantically attracted to people, regardless of gender.
• Aromantic: Someone who does not feel romantically attracted to anyone.
• Demi-sexual: Someone who is only sexually attracted to someone after getting to know them.
• Demi-romantic: Someone who is only romantically attracted to someone after getting to know them.
• Cisgender: Someone who identifies with the gender they were assigned at birth.
• Transgender: Someone who does not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.
• Agender: Someone who does not identify with a gender.
• Bigender: Someone who identifies with two genders
• Trigender: Someone who identifies with three genders
• Genderfluid: Someone who's gender can change depending on the situation
• Demigirl: Someone who identifies as mostly agender, but also partially as a girl
• Demiguy: Someone who identifies as mostly agender, but also partially as a boy.
• DFAB: Designated female at birth
• DMAB: Designated male at birth
• Queer: Originally meaning weird or odd. Now used to describe people who are not straight and cisgendered
• Coming out: Explaining your gender or orientation to someone
• Gender Identity: The gender which someone believes they are
• Heteronormative: Implying that being heterosexual is the "norm" in society.
• Metrosexual: A heterosexual male who takes care of his appearance
• Binding: The act of using a binder to make someone's chest less noticeable. Never use ace bandages to bind.
• Top Surgery: Getting surgery to remove or add breasts. The former can also be referred to as a mastectomy
• Trans-boy/man: A person DFAB who identifies as male
• Trans-girl/woman: A person DMAB who identifies as female
• Homophobia: A fear/hatred of any queer people, usually focusing on those who are attracted to people of the same gender
• Biphobia: A fear/hatred of bisexuals. This can also manifest in the queer community
• Transphobia: A fear/hatred of transgender people. This can also manifest in the queer community.
• Otherkin: People who believe that they are actually something not human. These people are well-known for making the non-binary community look bad.
• Gender: the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones).
• Sex: either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and many other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions.
• Intersex: A person who is not designated male or female.Gender roles: The designated roles given to men and women.
• Preferred Pronouns: What a person prefers to be called, other than their name. 
• Non-binary Gender: A gender that is not male or female.
• Binary Genders: Male or female
• Closet: Someone "in the closet" has not come out as queer to many/any people

It should be noted that this is not meant to be used as the be-all end-all of MOGAI terms, and that there are other important terms that are helpful to know when discussing gender and sexuality. Just googling these terms can usually serve to explain what they are.

Why Gender Signifiers are Actually Okay!

In a video called "Ms. Male Character", Anita Sarkeesian shortly discusses gender signifiers and why they are bad. Gender signifiers are simply a way of showing the gender of a character - there is nothing wrong with this. However, she complains, saying that a bow is not inherently feminine. I do agree with her on that, partially because I find the gender binary dumb. However, there is honestly no problem with gender signifiers!
There is no problem with viewing an item as traditionally feminine. For example, short hair is usually seen as traditionally masculine, and long hair is traditionally feminine. No one sees any problems with a girl with short hair and a boy with long hair, though. It's the same with bows: society might view them as traditionally feminine, but there's no reason a boy can't wear one! Dresses, make-up, and dolls are in the same boat. Women can like footballs and cars, too! Honestly, these things stereotypically belong to one gender, but either gender can use them.
Using gender siginifiers is just like using certain traits to explain flat characters. For example, in The Smurfs, each smurf has one or two traits that describe them: Papa Smurf is the patriarch, Smurfette is the girly one, Sassette is the tomboy, Vanity Smurf is vain, Hefty Smurf is strong, and Grouchy Smurf is, well, grouchy. These smurfs can all be described in one or two words, and that's what's happening with gender signifiers: the author is explaining that this character is girly with just what she wears.
Despite the sexism Sarkeesian attempts to call out within the video, gender sigifiers aren't actually that big of a deal. It should be noted, however, that I am not trying to call Anita out. I am trying to point out her shortcomings and provide better arguments.

Everyday the Same Dream - Video Game Analysis

"Everyday the Same Dream" is a free online game to play. It discusses the idea of being a cog in the machine, and how boring life can be, but also how changing it can hurt. There are spoilers, so I recommend playing the game, and this game takes on dark topics, like suicide, so don't play if that bothers you.

You begin the game by waking up. You do what any normal person would do - put on a suit, talk to your wife, and go to work. While in the elevator, however, you meet a woman who tells you "5 more steps, and you will be a new person". You ignore this and go about your day as normal, going to work, where the stocks for your company are going up, and returning home.

You can keep repeating this cycle, or you can mix it up. You can go to work without clothes, spend the day with a homeless man rather than go to work, pet a cow, catch a leaf, or kill yourself. Each day, the stocks at your job continue to fall, and the old woman in the elevator tells you that you have less and less steps to take until you become a new person.

Once you have completed every step, every person disappears: your wife, your boss, the old woman, your coworkers, everyone. You have no options except to change, go to work, and keep walking until you get to the roof again. Then you see another person - yourself, on the railing, jumping. Then, the game just starts over.

I really don't have much to say on this but what is obvious: people are no longer individuals in our society. Everyone but those special to us are just other people, and we don't care about them.

Our society needs to learn to pay more attention to each other, so that they don't damage themselves in the process.

Finally, some important questions to go along with the game: who is the old woman, and how did she know how and when the man would become a new person? Why does the homeless man disappear? Is everything really just a dream? Tell me what you think in the comments.

Don't Hug Me I'm Scared - Short Film Analysis

 "Don't Hug Me I'm Scared" is a well-known short film by This is It. It begins looking like your average kid's show - puppets talk to a notepad who's teaching them how to be creative. However, it quickly turns dark, with said puppets covering hearts in glitter, making cakes out of gore, and spelling out death. This video has tons of dark, hidden meanings, mostly about children's media, and how it is too controlling.

The main characters sitting around the table

The first thing I want to discuss is the use of tropes generally used in children's media - the music was happy(until it turned dark), there were the characters learning about creativity, it was educational, teaching one how to be creative, everything any good children's program requires. This is part of the reason as to why I believe this is a criticism of children's media.

The infamous notepad's hair

A major sign of the control of children's media is when the notepad discusses its hair. It says that "I use my hair to express myself", but when Harry(the red guy) says that "that sounds really boring", the notepad just repeats itself, almost like Harry can't have his own opinion. In a similar vein, Manny, the human, paints a clown and says his favorite color is green, but is told he is wrong both times, when the notepad says "Woah there, friend, you might need to slow down," and that "Green is not a creative color". This is commentary on the way that children's media tells children to be creative, but controls their creativity.

The characters as adults

The final note I want to make is the part where the video become CGI for a moment, turns the camera around, and then returns to live-action/puppetry, but the characters are larger. This part represents the aging of the children. They no longer have someone there to tell them what to do, indicated by the disappearance of the notepad, but they are still being "creative". They are taking their new creative freedom too far, though, and it's turned creepy. This shows how the controlled creativity can be wrong, making the children sick and go almost crazy with power once they age and gain freedom.

Through a silly video, This Is It showed thousands of people how controlled creativity can damage our children. Please comment on what you think!

Children - Short Film Analysis

"Children" is a Japanese 3D CG animation by Takuya Okada that serves to criticize the public school system and how it hurts, rather than helps the children in it.  This is one of my favorite videos out there, and I feel as though it's very deep and has hidden meaning besides what is explicitly shown. I recommend watching the video first, because there are spoilers below and an analysis only truly makes sense once you know what the author is talking about.

One of the titular children, and the main character.

The first note I'm going to make is on the choice of the music - Chopin's Funeral March. Music is a major part of setting the tone of anything, and this was a very appropriate choice for the video that was chosen. It goes along not only with the death motif that shows up throughout, but also with the theme of the whole video - the idea that everyone is just another cog in the machine. The song doesn't change much either. There aren't crescendos or the like, symbolizing how everyday is just the same.

The idea that everyone is just another cog in the machine is most apparent with the children. Each one is virtually identical, the only difference being the number that was branded on their forehead. However, the same goes for the teachers, assuming that two show up in the video - the physical education teacher, and the classroom teacher. Both have the exact same mask on. This symbolizes not only the idea that the school, the government, anyone who's in charge truly cares who you are, but that if you're not part of a certain group, the group doesn't care either. Because the teachers are different and older than the children, the children don't care about their individuality. The masks the teachers wear are always smiling, because that's the facade that is presented - that everything is fine and nothing can go wrong. However, the teachers don't truly feel this way, but if they let on that anything is wrong, they're just troubling the children.

It's interesting how only one character is truly an individual at any point in the film is number 4483. Even when the children rebel against society and the school, they do it simultaneously. 4483 breaks his zipper, and then every other child does it too, all at the same time. As they run out of the school and down the streets, they are still in one large group. Even once we are freed from the shackles of sameness, our similarities continue to control us, forcing us to constantly follow each other.

I find it very interesting that the only person who has a voice in the whole video was 4483, and that was just laughing. He is finally free, and then is killed while exercising said freedom. That's most likely saying that people get too excited about freedom, and that freedom is dangerous. Okada is most likely telling us that there needs to be a balance between freedom and control, liberty and security, or whatever you want to call it.

The dog symbolizes 4483's hopes and dreams, to be free. Everyday, he watches the dog, his hope, die, but once he frees himself and can follow his dream, he dies. However, the dog doesn't die, which could mean that his ideals will live on, maybe even inspire others to do what he wanted.

"Children" not only discusses how the public school system can hurt children, but also how people aren't individuals and how dangerous freedom can be. The ideas presented in this video should be appreciated and used to change our world for the better.