Whose Campus

By | May 11, 2012 at 10:10 am | Opinion | 29 comments | |

 

How I know it’s finals time:

1) I have to add Claremont Cash to pay for that extra cup of coffee my Flex can no longer cover.

2) The occasional “study break” for Collins snack becomes a 5-C snack challenge.

3) I take the time to read the self-promoting posters around campus.

Upon allowing my eager eyes to wander, I came across one poster that caught my attention:

If the site itself was as provocative as the poster, I thought, I should see what this proposed solution to sex hair is all about. It would be, at least, a source for further procrastination. What I found on the website, located at HerCampus.com/CMC, was even more disturbing than the posters. I was appalled to find not only an inaccurate representation, but, more importantly, a superficial portrayal of CMC women.

“Don’t make yourself too available, but throw out hints like ‘I really enjoy hanging with you’ so you can boost his confidence,” the dating tip reads.

“Build up his confidence a little, stroke his ego (and maybe a little more),” a sex column advises.

Statements such as these ask women to succumb to a behavior just “get the guy.” Not only do the sex and dating articles suggest that a woman’s self-confidence is dependent on male approval and physical appearance, but it also assumes a solely heterosexual student body. Placing such a heavy emphasis on dating, exercise, partying, and senior crushes simply reinforces the superficiality from which the women’s movement continuously works to distance itself.

It would be one thing if the alcohol-induced girls running after the boys in bro tanks were an accurate depiction of the women here. But it’s not. My time here has presented me with women that are not only remarkably intelligent, but also independent thinkers and leaders. As a woman at CMC, I can confirm that we spend our time discussing issues of greater substance than those the Her Campus website would imply. Like most college girls, we still talk about our weekend hookups and our Pilates workout schedules, but that just barely skims the surface of what I have come to know in the women around me. Contrary to what the site may demonstrate, we are more than a group of diet-frenzied, boy-crazy, party-hopping women, grasping onto our days as love-struck tweens who watched Degrassi.

And we don’t want to go back to those days either. While we may occasionally fall victim to Leonardo DiCaprio’s love sonnets in Titanic 3-D, we are in no way trying to become the desperate-to-find-Prince-Charming Bridget Jones, despite what this statement from the Her Campus website may imply:

“All that is left are girls hopelessly waiting for guys to sweep them off their feet and take them to their fairytale love story.”

This summer, in the absence of TNR and Wednesday afternoon party informs, CMC students could easily take the time to sit back and relax. Instead, women at this campus have found interesting opportunities outside the world of Pilates and dating. Lauren Callahan ’14, for example, will be working for the Institute for Science and International Security, researching nuclear weaponry and diplomacy in the Middle East while attending meetings with other related think tanks. Across the globe in Mysore, India, Amy Hershberger ’14 will be interning at the Public Health Research Institute of India, researching antibiotic resistance of UTI’s and traveling to various hospitals in India to compile data for the research. And freshmen Elise Hansell ’15 will be working for the Human Rights Initiative in Dallas to help refugees seek asylum by organizing cases with pro bono attorneys.

These are only a few of the responses I received from asking just 30 girls about their summer plans. So perhaps for the next “CMC Celebrity,” the Her Campus writers will, for example, choose to highlight a student’s ambitious summer plans instead of glorifying the popularity of a so-called iconic male student.

Her Campus has the potential to be a great resource for students. It serves as a way to individualize CMC women from those of other colleges across the country, and if you couldn’t tell from this article, I am all in favor of more spaces for women on this campus. The problem is that, even with one recently posted article about CMC women, Her Campus is still a poor representation of the student body.

Right now, the site undermines the character and achievements of the women on campus while exacerbating stereotypes that uphold sexism. Interestingly, I looked at other Her Campus college branches only to find myself engaged and impressed with the information presented. This is not a criticism of the brand, but rather a criticism of the majority of the content on the CMC portion of the site.

All this being said, I write this article understanding that this is a fairly new undertaking. For this reason, I urge whoever decides to write, or continues to write, for Her Campus to take a step back and really take a few minutes to think about the women at Claremont McKenna. Think about your friends, your girlfriend, and your classmates; think about the people they are because I can bet my cup of coffee that they are more than what this says about them. This is not simply a message to Her Campus, but rather a message to the student body to remember that, when utilizing our voice, we have the power to collectively construct an image of CMC that is truly representative of who we are.

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Hannah Lee

Hannah is a Junior pursuing a Government and Sociology dual major although she is currently basking in empanadas and cheap avocados in Chile. When in Claremont, you can find her hoarding either Noosa from the Motley or Baked Ruffles from the Hub.

 
 
 
 
  • Relax…
  • What Is The Point?

    Your article makes interesting points. However, these interesting points are about someone else’s private website that they clearly spend a good deal of time working on and promoting. Last time I checked, and correct me if I am wrong because you clearly have a knack for correcting other people’s misstatements, the authors of the Her Campus CMC website are not holding a gun to your head making you read the content on their website. The sheer fact that you read every spec of information on a website that is uninteresting to you speaks volumes about yourself. Why is it necessary to completely trash a website that means nothing to you? Did this tirade make you feel good about yourself? Why don’t you stick to websites that suite your personal interests instead of utterly trashing someone else’s hard work. I can almost assure you that there are people who enjoy the work of this website and there are people who do not. Leave them be and find other ways to boost your self esteem other than this. If you are unable to accomplish this feat on your own, I am confident that there is a website out there with some self esteem boosting techniques for you to take into consideration….or write a trashing review of. I for one am a guy and still enjoy reading Her Campus CMC occasionally as it is at least interesting and well-written. I hope you don’t take my comment too seriously, as it merely serves the same purpose as your initial article does.

    • You’re Missing the Point

      It is a private website with our school’s name affiliated with it, not to mention, posters around campus trying to recruit student writers. As another woman student from CMC, I’m glad someone else posted this because many of us feel this way. It is a horrible representation of the student body. She doesn’t say to take the website down, and she even says it has potential. The article just suggests people take a moment to rethink the content. I also think you missed the point of her article if your criticism is that the article focuses on Her Campus alone…

    • Katya

      I don’t think Hannah’s article means to trash the hard work of the girls at HerCampus, instead it’s promoting the message that CMC girls should think more highly of themselves. This message is not one that HerCampus is propogating outside of the content of their most recent article, and even that is written self-defensively to an antagonizing audience rather than encouragingly to an audience of interested readers like Hannah and people like me who see potential in HerCampus. Sure, we don’t have to read HerCampus, and if the content continues to disappoint, then I definitely won’t, this article and this conversation is just feedback.

    • athena

      Her Compus purports to be a resource for CMC women and a representation of CMC women. To be frank, the most insulting article on the site, by far, was “7 Tips You Need for Finals”, which included amazing tips I had never thought of with my little female brain, like these:
      1. Prioritize assignments. 
      2. Find a good study space. 
      3. Don’t get distracted. 

      Thanks, Her Campus! You’re really watching out for me. I never would have realized that I could go to the library to find a quiet place to study, or that distractions are bad! HER CAMPUS RULES

      • Shauny Ullman

        Good one.

    • Freedom of Speech Rocks

      “The authors of the Her Campus CMC website are not holding a gun to your head making you read the content on their website [...] Why don’t you stick to websites that suit your personal interests instead of utterly trashing someone else’ hard work.”

      I would just like to point out that this is an opinion piece. As I see it, Hannah saw the website, became curious and investigated it, formed an opinion of the website and decided to share it with the student body in order to allow for a discussion. 

      No, she was not forced to read the site, but that doesn’t mean that she can’t express an opinion about it. The whole point of an opinion piece is to get people thinking and talking. Most opinion pieces are written about issues that the authors were not forced to explore, but instead issues that they found interesting and wanted to express an opinion about in order to start a dialogue. If we all took the attitude suggested in the comment above, we would not have people writing about many important issues, including human rights abuses around the world (just one example). If everyone in the world took the aforementioned attitude, we would simply not pay attention to human rights violations because they did not suit our preferences, and people around the world would continue to suffer because we “shouldn’t trash someone else’s hard work.” 

      Let it also be noted that by posting these articles online and by advertising the site, you invite criticism, as anything on the internet does. 

      • Really?

        Did you really just compare the aforementioned problems to human rights problems? Wow….there goes all of your credibility 

        • Freedom of Speech Rocks

          I was actually just using an example to make a point about the attitude expressed in the comment. Comparing is not equating. I was in no way equating Her Campus with human rights abuses, but instead was simply pointing out what that kind of attitude can lead to. I think that it is ridiculous to be upset with Hannah for writing an opinion piece that was critical, as that is the point of many opinion pieces. The only way that anything gets better is through criticism, and I found that Hannah was not “trashing” Her Campus, but rather critically examining it and offering her own constructive commentary. She expressed her concerns about the way the website portrays women at CMC, which every woman at CMC has the right to do. It is, of course, up to the discretion of those at Her Campus whether or not to use Hannah’s criticism to improve their site. As Sade posted below, it seems that Her Campus will not be doing this, but that is their own prerogative. I appreciate that Hannah’s concerns about Her Campus (which I think mirror the concerns of many CMC women) were listened to and respectfully considered by the Her Campus authors, and I hope that this will open the door to more women contributing a variety of articles that more accurately represent the diversity of interests that women at CMC have. 

  • Think about it..

    Not everything everyone does at CMC is catered for the entire student body. There are several different organizations, teams, etc to get involved in and Her Campus is just one of the many clubs. It is targeted to the group of girls who aren’t the stereotypical CMC girls and I think that’s where you’re having your issues. Her Campus isn’t trying to represent all CMC girls…it is for girls who are interested in fashion,exercising, boys, girl’s roles on campus etc. The great thing about it is girls can write about whatever they want and if you really have such a problem with the content, I don’t see you trying to sign up and write an article. It’s been around for 2 weeks so clearly there hasn’t been enough time to cover all ends of the spectrum. It is one of the fastest growing college networks for girls and any other college would be more than thrilled to have a Her Campus branch. There is no need to hate Hannah, you never were forced to read it anyways.

    • guest

      Its a suggestion. People are free to offer constructive criticism. Just as Hannah wasn’t forced to read your article, you were never forced to read this one.

      “All this being said, I write this article understanding this is a fairly new undertaking.”

    • Luke

      “Her Campus isn’t trying to represent all CMC girls…it is for girls who are interested in fashion,exercising, boys, girl’s roles on campus etc.”

      This type of attitude is indicative of the chief problem with Her Campus: it assumes that there is one type of woman that is interested in fashion, exercise, and boys. In maintaining its singular, effete aesthetic, Her Campus assumes that girls interested in these very universal things also like–after a quick glance at the site–yoga, the color pink, and celebrities. Color me ignorant, but I find this gossip-n-flowers self-definition to be antithetical to any form of female empowerment. And if you’re finding psychic liberation in, as a dating article on the site asserts, being “deceitful with your words,” I think there are some more significant problems at hand.

  • #1 Her campus fan!

    OMG HeR cAmPuS fAcKiNg ROCKZ!  *~*~*~*~*~*~

  • Doesn’t Matter

    Regardless of everything else that has been said here, there was no reason to write this article as it was. Yes, it was clearly labeled “opinion” piece, but just because one has an opinion doesn’t mean it should be shared with the entire student population. This article clearly trashes someone’s hard work and that it simply unnecessary. Has the author ever heard of “the golden rule” or “if you don’t have something nice to say, keep your mouth shut?” I would love to see the author of this post single handedly manage a website and come up with interesting topics to write about. No, bashing someone else’s hard work is much easier than that. Yes, this article created a discussion, unfortunately that doesn’t make it right.

    • You’re Missing the Point

      Again, don’t think you understand the point of this article. 

    • Moe

      Why is it that our opinions should not be shared with the rest of the campus? If I want to see a change on campus, is it not my right to stand up and fight for what I believe? Personally, after hearing someone wrote an opinion article about Hercampus.com, I expected one completely bashing the website. However, if you read the article thourougly, it is evident that Hannah for takes on a constructive approach to this, and I commend her for that. What Hannah said is what many people on campus have been talking about, and it is clear that CMCers are concerned that this website will misconstrue the image that CMC women have. Yes, this website may be aimed at a different kind of woman who appreciates gossip and whatnot, but what Hannah asks is that it become less focused on that, and have other forms of advice that are less, what other people consider to be, superficial; we need a mix of both to cater to all women on campus consider it is “her” campus and not “some of the girls’s on campus’ ” campus. Sade, I’m glad you’re trying to make your mark on campus by creating something that is your own, and that you believe has the potential to be great, and I commend you for that. However, to ensure its success, I recommend that you take some of Hannah’s points, and merge both the gossipy side of hercampus, and have a more serious side, thus satisfying the wants of most people on campus. 

  • To All the Haters

    forgive me for not wanting to be presented as a slut 

    • Huh

      And how exactly are you presented as a slut…

      • Guest

        Yeah huh? What are you talking about? Random much?

  • Sade Tavangarian

    On behalf of Her Campus CMC, I thank you for seeing the potential it has to serve as a great resource for students and I appreciate your input on the website. That being said, Her Campus CMC will not discontinue publishing articles on topics related to fashion, beauty, boys and sex advice, CMC parties or any basic advice about the college lifestyle. I apologize if anyone feels offended that these articles seem superficial or if they are “placing such a heavy emphasis on dating, exercise, partying, and senior crushes” that “reinforces the superficiality from which women’s movement continuously works to distance itself.” However, I can speak for myself and several girls at CMC that we wouldn’t go so far to say that “we are working to distance ourselves” from these “superficial topics.” The beauty of Her Campus is that it is an outlet for girls to write about whatever they want. One girl wrote an article about this summer’s latest fashion styles, another wrote about exclusive relationships and another is going to profile Caroline Mimbs Nyce about being a female EIC for the Forum. These are all different voices coming from CMC girls and as you could see there is a lot of versatility of topics to write about. If you want to profile one of the 30 ambitious girls with summer internships, I’d love it if you wrote an article about one of the girls for Her Campus. Like you said, it’s only been around for 2 weeks so there hasn’t been a lot of opportunity of seeing different writers or a wide range of topics. So now it is up to the girls at CMC to take action and contribute their own material to Her Campus. I personally came to CMC trying to find a publication where I can write about fashion, boys, give and receive advice, and profile interesting people. Nothing like that existed, so I brought it to CMC and for me and a lot of girls it’s exactly what we were looking for. You can judge me all you want, but I personally like learning about the new shoe of the week or cool exercising classes. I know a lot of girls feel the same, maybe not at CMC, but elsewhere. Look at Cosmopolitan Magazine for example-the leading young woman’s magazine in the world that solely writes about relationship, fashion, sex, and friend advice. I don’t take the advice Cosmo gives me as offensive or degrading to woman, I personally love it and think it’s super entertaining to read…and evidently so do the other millions of girls in the world. I am not trying to distance myself from “being superficial” because my personal views don’t see it as silly because it is what I’m interested in. So no, the weekly profiles on cute boys on campus or event updates of CMC parties will still be on the website. If you have a problem with the content, I urge you to write your own article on whatever topic you desire. 

    • Girls got game

      Damn, well said.

    • hater’s gon hate

      It is so absurd to me that people get offended by such an insignificant aspect of their life.  What you have worked to create Sade is something that you should be damn proud of. I know how hard you work on this website, and I know you would never intend anything to be offensive. I am honored to continue to help you grow HerCampus regardless of the misguided opposition. I am glad you stand by your convictions, you have so much support. Keep up the hard work.

    • Haley

      I think it’s interesting that you can all come on the forum and bash Hannah for expressing her opinion and yet when I tried to comment on an article you wrote for HerCampus my comment was filtered and ultimately never posted. Why can you all attack her when I can’t express any views you don’t like about YOUR opinions? Hannah is expressing opinions the same way you are. Stop attacking her and maybe listen to some of the advice she offers. A friend of mine is very involved with HerCampus back east and it does have incredible potential to form a cool website and online community of college women but only if it is a collaborative group of authors writing about diverse topics. 

      • Sade Tavangarian

        In no way am I trying to bash Hannah, I am just saying the only way to get a variety of different articles and a good representation of the diverse CMC girl population is if more people contribute. I think it would be great if you or Hannah or any girl could write an article for Her Campus. As for the comment on Her Campus, I honestly never received any comment for approval so that’s a technical difficulty that I was unaware about. Sorry that your comment didn’t get posted because I completely agree anyone has the right to state their own opinion.

    • Love this girl

      Shawtyy’s sucha boss :)

  • Let her be

    I don’t really know Sade that well, but I’ll give her this. Unlike most CMC girls who wears sweats and workout clothes everyday she is one of the only girls who actually wakes up and is completely unaffected by what everyone wears. She dresses up and wears what she wants and I respect her for that. If that’s what she believes in, let her do her own thing. Last time I checked its not affecting anyone?

    • Good One?

      Since when is this about what people are wearing?

      • Let her be

        It’s not, I’m just trying to say if she cares about fashion etc let her be and don’t judge her for being superficial for liking those kind of things because it isn’t going to change anything.

  • Whose stereotypes?

    Can user-generated content exacerbate “stereotypes”? If all the users submit content of a certain genre, then it seems the user-demand for such content must be more than a stereotype.

    Would you call me a douchey commenter for pointing out that the title needs a question mark to make sense on the stereotype that all commenters are douches who focus too heavily on grammar? Or would you call me a douchey commenter because I actually did just point out that the title probably should have a question mark?