4A = THE UNIVERSITY DAILY KANSAN
OPINION
TUESDAY,APRIL 30,2002
EDITORIAL
Feminists should not fight against 'Playboy'
Last week, photographers from Playboy descended upon Lawrence and scouted out new places and faces for its "Girls of the Big 12" photo layout, due out in September.
its Chris of the big 12 picture book. Refreshingly, Playboy's appearance sparked little controversy on campus. No protests were held. No rallies were organized. No threats or pickets or boycots.
Surprisingly, this lack of opposition actually hurts the goal of Playboy: getting the word out to college girls that the magazine is in town. Without protests, Playboy has to resort to actually advertising its arrival. Demonstrations spread the word for free.
One Free for All caller did refer to *Playboy* as a “purely misogynistic institution” and asked why an outcry hadn’t gone up from feminists. The simple fact is that there’s no real reason for any outcry whatsoever.
There has been no conclusive link in any study between pornography and violence toward women. There's no evidence that a person who views a naked woman on a page is less likely to treat women with kindness.
Feminists on this campus should be supporting the "Girls of the Big 12" layout. Feminism should be about equality and the freedom of women to make their own choices. This freedom comes at a price. It requires that you support another person's right to make a choice even if you don't agree with that person's choice.
dont agree with that person's choice Feminists complain that women, across the board, aren't being paid enough for the work they do. This may, in fact, be true. The women who pose in these magazines, however, earn a lot of money in very short periods of time for something they clearly don't mind doing. Yet some would begrudge their paychecks, while still arguing about the monetary inequalities of men and women.
Fight the fights that need fighting, not the ones that have already been won.
Dan Osman for the editorial board.
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR 'PLAYBOY' STORY ON THE FRONT PAGE
Dear editor.
I graduated from KU in 1992. When I am curious to know what is going on in my old neighborhood I will log on to www.kansan.com. After reading the featured article ("Playboy potential," April 24), I noticed a smaller article, "Outstanding women recognized." As a college-educated woman living in today's corporate world, I was deeply disappointed by the placement of these two articles.
I believe academic achievement of women should precede the exploitation of women, in any arena but especially in a University publication. I realize eye-catching headlines and human interest stories sell newspapers, but the Kansan is a free publication. What is most disturbing to me is that both articles were written and edited by women.
I'm curious as to the future of these women journalists and why they would choose to place an article about the exploitation of women so prominently in the publication. I hope in the future, as these women learn more about themselves, and recognize the impact and power of their voice, they realize that supporting other women achievers may not be as mainstream but certainly is more noble. College is preparation for the corporate future. Heralding the achievement of women over the superficial images of women should be a priority for a college publication as women are preparing to enter the workplace.
Cara Gannon Chicago 1992 graduate
TUITION INCREASE WILL BENEFIT UNIVERSITY
Dear editor.
On April 12, the Student Senate sent a written memo to all instructors at KU asking for our support and understanding of an upcoming rally in Topeka that will argue for more state funding and opposing tuition increases.
I am neither supportive nor understanding of this effort. The logic for opposing the University's proposed tuition increases is not sound if your concern is for the long-term health of this institution.
Student Senate leadership indicates that proposed tuition increases place the lion's share of the "burden" on KU students and that simply is unacceptable to them. Why should that be so? The argument that "user pays" is fundamental economic (and common sense) logic forgetting accountability and authority where it belongs.
Instead, if students continue to pay very little of their actual expenses, then decisions about this institution will be based primarily on short-term political posturing in Topeka — hardly the foundation for long-term success in higher education. This state is unlikely to underwrite higher education sufficiently, and we have a long history of recurring funding crises. When the state funds everything, then every little twitch in Topeka can lead to disasters at the universities.
If you pay more of your education and the state subsidizes less, you're more likely to get a sustainable quality product. We need those proposed added tuition dollars to make KU's long-term future sound. The tuition increases are a very important direction for the state to take. Students should be supporting these increases, not rallying against them.
Doug Houston professor of business
A
TALK TO US
Leita Walker
editor
864-4854 or lwalker@kansan.com
Jay Krahl
Kyle Ramsey
managing editors
864-4854 or krahl@kansan.com and
kramy@kansan.com
Clay McCuistion
readers' representative
864-4810 or cmcuistion@kansan.com
Amber Agee
business manager
864-4014 or addreth@ansan.com
Kursten Phelps
Brooke Hesler
opinion editors
864-4810 or kphelps@kanan.com and
bhesler@kanan.com
Kate Mariani
retail sales manager
864-462 or
retailales@kansan.com
Malcolm Gibson general manager and news adviser
Matt Fisher
864-7667 or mgibson@kansan.com
sales and marketing adviser
864-7666 or mfisher@kansan.com
PERSPECTIVE
KNIGHT RIDDER TRIBUNE
Yes, women of 'Playboy' are beautiful, but they're also more than objects
I love the human form, especially females. I think women are beautiful. What I have a problem with is the social importance our society attaches to the physical appearance of women. Simply put, in every aspect of life, women are primarily valued for what they look like, and men are mostly valued for who they are.
Take the recent trip to the University of Kansas by Playboy magazine, and the wildly successful Women of KU calendar. I don't disagree with the idea of photographing these scantily clad women, and so long as they are comfortable with it, the pictures can be publicly viewed.
GUEST COMMENTARY
The magazines and calendars are not objectifying these women. These women know they are beautiful and are having fun with it while they can. What these pictures are doing, however, is reaffirming the social norm that the way women look is extremely important, more important than everything else.
As a society, we are constantly fed images of beautiful women and their scantily clad, perfect bodies. How can we help but judge every woman we meet according to these standards?
Frances E. Gorman opinion@kansan.com
Women have to be sexy and pretty, or at least pleasing to the eye, in order to be socially accepted as successful. This emphasis on physical beauty directly limits the amount of power real women can attain in their lives.
When a woman loses her looks, she also loses a lot of respect. Our society has proven its intolerance of overweight, older or less-than-ideal women in any public position. Everyone makes fun of how "ugly" Janet Reno is, yet no one mentions the gut on Chief Justice William Rehnquist.
Women think that beauty and sexuality are their primary means for obtaining power
because the media and society tell us that this is true. Women cannot help but strive for physical approval because society will ignore and devalue them as a consequence for not fitting the norm. Many women have become successful regardless of their looks, but I am confident that every woman will admit physical appearance plays a much bigger part in our lives than we would like to admit.
I am not criticizing Playboy per se. My concern is that appearing in Playboy is a real goal for some women, not just as a way to have fun, but a means for power and success in their lives. Society needs to be able to appreciate the beauty of the female form, without judging the entire female gender according to its appearance.
I understand that both men and women want to be beautiful. Men, however, are not usually subject to the same life-limiting consequences as are women for not achieving this goal.
Gorman is a Shawnee graduate student in journalism.
864-0500 free for
Free for All callers have 20 seconds
to speak about
to speak about any topic they wish. Kansan editors reserve the right to omit comments. Slanderous and obscene statements will not be printed. Phone numbers of all incoming calls are recorded.
For more comments, go to www.kansan.com.
I'm calling to oppose the rate increase for tuition. We sponsor a foreign student here, and it's going to make it so he can't even go to school here. I wish they would lower the athletic scholarships and let the other deserving kids have money.
V.
This is to the people who bashed Drew Gooden in the Free for All the other day. Not only did you show you guys had no class, but you guys shouldn't even be considered true Jayhawkfans. And to Draw Gooden, best of luck to you in the NBA. I know you'll kick some major butt.
Yeah, could someone please trim the annoying bush that hits me in the face on my way to campus on Stratford sidewalk?
The article "Administrators to be featured in Playgirl" really should have included Danny Kaiser from the O & L office. We actually want to see him in there.
Please move out Milhouse. Just leave
Even though we do appreciate the article done about Hot Sauce you guys did not mention the Hotties and the Ricardos in it, so please reprint. Thank you.
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Is there actually a point to the sex column besides, ooh, let's have a sex column to show how liberal we are, and does she actually write anything informative, or is it all about shock value, and who on this University does not know you can have sex outside your bed. What are we, like in kindergarten?
Hey Lee, this is Jesus. Please stop trying to do my job.
I would just like to thank the University Daily Kansan for officially becoming the most despired newspaper staff in the Big 12. Thanks to horrible editorials, horrible page layouts and stupid idiots running the organization.
If Drew's supposed to be finishing school, how come I just saw him on TRL?
| just saw Drew Gooden on TRL. What's up with that? |
Oh my goodness, I cannot believe Drew Gooden is on *TRL*. I thought *TRL* was for little, teenage girls screaming, but guess you are yelling and screaming — Drew Gooden. Today is April 25, so this is not slanderous. You can see for yourself. Bye.
I'm calling about the Jaylaver article about Hot Sauce.
I'm highly disappointed in the Kansan. I think you guys could cover minorities much, much better. Thank you.
Let no one ever say that the UDK has no sense of humor. Looking at Wednesday's "Outstanding women recognized" above "PlayboyPotential" is dripping with irony.
I just saw Drew Gooden on TRL Way to go on finishing your college career, Gooden.
I was watching TRL with my friends, and I swore that I saw Drew Gooden, and they were like, "no, you're insane," and they just showed him again, so I'm completely in control of my faculties. I'm not still drunk from last night, but Drew, the sweater? Ooh, it was really ugly. I don't know what you're thinking. You're going to get some money. You need to buy new new clothes. Thank you very much.
Hey, it's me again. I just called about the Jayplay article about Hot Sauce. I really want you guys to know how disappointed I am. The article was written in very poor taste,very,very poor taste.Please,try to do better next time.
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My roommate just called, and said I was stupid, because I thought I saw Drew Gooden on TRL Well, he actually was on TRL, and who is the stupid one now? Thanks.
I swear to God, I just saw Drew Gooden on TRL The guy is the spitting image of him.
Drew, you’ve sunk to a new low. We all just saw you on TRL. We’re sorry.
It's me again. I called about seeing Drew on TRL, and he just gave a shout out to people in Oakland. What about us at KU, huh, huh? We're all very angry. Angry yell, Anger. Anger. Angry. Thank you.
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This is for Drew. What's the deal with not giving
shout out to the people of Kansas? Out.
So we're watching Drew Gooden on TRL, and we're wondering what he's doing in New York? That is totally unfair that we have to go to class. He's on TV. This is so cool.
I'm watching MTV right now, and I was just wondering what the heck is Drew Gooden doing on *TRL*
Shouldn't Drew be in class, instead of on **TRL**?
Oh my god, I saw Drew Gooden on TRL Who is the big baller now? How Hey Drew, I hope you don't forget about us little people in Kansas. Hola.
Wow, I just saw Drew Gooden on 7RL. Do you think his teachers know that he's really in New York City?
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So much for getting your diploma, Drew. I just saw you on TRL.
I'm pretty sure I just saw Drew Gooden on TRL. It's Thursday. Shouldn't he be in class?
If Drew Gooden is able to get on *TRL* should be able to get on Free for All, dammit.
What's up with Draw Gooden not giving his shout out to Kansas people when he was on *TRL* yesterday?
*Playboy at KU, Draw Gooden on TRL? What's next, a rain shower of frogs?*
I'd like to give kudos to Audrey Snyder on her dumpster-diving article, because we found some great stuff in our dumpster, and made a really cool bong.
Well, it's official, my girlfriend's going to be in *Playboy*, and it was all my idea.
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Could someone please buy Loren Malone a copy of Robert's Rules of Order, so she can run a Student Senate meeting correctly?
To the Shannon in my German class. Shannon, you are so cute.
So my roommate keeps it weird that I eat peanut butter off the spoon. What do you people think?
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Is this the Greek for All now? Didn't think so.