UNCOVERED
The "IT" Girl
Spring 2010
One of the first things a woman does in the morning is look in the mirror. The statistics are staggering of how many women in America are unhappy with their bodies: almost 56 percent, wrote Carol Simontacci in her 2005 book, “Weight Success for a Lifetime”. Fifty six percent of women wake up every morning and see things they don’t like; deemed “imperfections”. Though, the problem with this is the looming, unattainable notion of perfection that women regard above all else. If it’s not too round of a face, it’s too bumpy of a nose, or too uneven eyebrows. Perfection has become obligatory in the minds of many women and anything less is simply not satisfactory. In a society where women are expected to look like the photo-finished Jennifer Aniston’s or Scarlett Johanson’s of the world, it is impossible to live up to the expectations. Women iron their curly hair, while women with straight hair get perms. Looks become temporary crazes and the attitudes of women are influenced by the stigmas that society imposes.
Christy Ducharme, junior Dance minor, said she felt the strain of the “perfect” body image because of her field of study. “There’s always the pressure to look great in a leotard in which you always have to be sucking your stomach in…There are 1000 other girls dancing around you who are stick thin,” she said.
Who takes the blame? Is it Mattel, Inc. ™ for creating this Barbie-doll image? Can one single figure shape an entire set of values and beliefs. Discontent in physical beauty lies within the compilation of all imagery women are fed through various media sources. These sources create a generic definition of what beauty is and women then go to view the world through that lens. As a result, women forget that they’re watching a product, or literally a crafted work of art rather than a recount of reality.
“I don’t think there´s enough emphasis with being happy with who you are and how you look,” said junior business major Katie Chambers. “Dove is one of the only companies promoting that, but they also make axe and so they´re promoting that the only way to be a hot guy and get the hot skinny chick is to use axe.”
Chambers worked for a co-op at Unilever and explained how marketing, in this way, stems from good intentions but ultimately modifies into a money-making ploy.
The 2002 Hollywood movie “ S1m0ne” tells the story of a producer who replaces an actress of his with this digitally enhanced virtual image of a blond-hair, blue-eyed hologram who essentially becomes the face of stardom and popularity. The movie plays with the ideas of what is real and what is imaginary, and shows how sometimes the line between the two becomes seamlessly blurred. Technology has been the chief enabler of this falsification due to its open-access nature.
So the follow-up question becomes: If women are a part of a culture of idealism, how can they comment whether something within that world or universe is real in itself? Reality then becomes a movement; everything is impermanent. Open any Vogue, Cosmo, or Elle magazine and see the recycled trends and styles that come and go, as fleeting as the turn of a season.
Junior education major Amber Henry said, “Particularly advertisements give people a skewed idea of what the right body looks like. Younger women feel like they aren’t fitting with how they are supposed to look.” She spoke of a Ralph Lauren ad that was the heart of much controversy when it portrayed a stick thin model that had obviously been photo-shopped to fit the mold of an unrealistic and almost grotesque womanly figure.
There are multiple ways in which we can view the same phenomenon, beauty. Media has eliminated the need for multiple modes of beauty and simplified the image with more concrete guidelines.
A craze can come and go, but an image will last forever. Instead of thinking about what not to wear, or how not to style your hair, change your attitude to what will make you feel good. The staggering statistic of how many women are unhappy with their body image cannot afford to increase. Nobody looks like Rachel Greene from “Friends”, not even Jennifer Aniston.
Tomorrow morning when you sleepily role out of bed and stumble over to the mirror on your wall, look past what you don’t see and embrace the things you do.
In the words of Disney’s Beauty and the Beast…
“Beauty lies in the eyes
Behold the eyes where it lies
If beauty lies in the eyes
Behold the eyes the beast.”
Are Your Eyes Beautiful?
Spring 2010
Hey, are you a brown- eyed gem? Or do you have a bit of hazel in there? Well, according to popular magazines such as Cosmopolitan and ELLE, it’s the light- haired, light-eyed women who are sexy. Um, pardon me, but have you never had a thing for a lustrous brunette? Eyes come in many different shapes, sizes and colors and no one can conform to the Aryan race or to the hideous MII on Nintendo’s WII selections.
Males and females are learned through media and pop culture. Although it is themselves that they see in the mirror and in photographs, they do not typically see similar images of themselves on television; or in magazines on the newsstands. If children grow up constantly seeing “beauty” portrayed in advertisements that look nothing like them, are they to believe that these representations are ideal and they are not? Grown women and men constantly aim to fit into the beauty bias that circulates throughout the world. With eyeliner and cosmetics, we are pressured to enhance the body part that is used for vision. Is this really a necessity?
Colored contacts are now oh so popular. Why would manufacturers invent a product to alter appearance? Well, hey, because consumers are willing to fall into the constant desire for change. So while magazines are spending money on advertising their airbrushed, photoshopped models, real people are tons of dollars to alter what God gave them.
The saying “Beauty is in THE EYE of the beholder,” is not so far- fetched. The beauty standard for eyes is different all over the world. Since eyes come in varieties of shapes and colors, a culture should not expect everyone to look identical. However, every society seems to appreciate a particular kind of woman, while they all seem to be drifting towards western ideals. Www. Eyebeautytips.com wrote an article titled “Korean Eye Beauty.” This article mentions the popular and growing cosmetic surgery known as double eyelid surgery. The article claims that this surgery is conducted to enhance one’s eyes, and is typically done in northeastern Asian regions where women want to have rounder eyes. This idea is psychologically sickening. Women from various cultures have beautiful aspects to them regardless of what the media tells us. Uniqueness is beautiful!!! And if everybody looks the same, wouldn’t it be much more difficult to point to a particular individual and say this person has amazing features?
Dr. Stephen Marquardt, a former plastic surgeon from California, states that beauty is currently emerging into a global standard that will be available for both women and men. (www.uniorb.com) This doctor claims that the universal beauty standard is a hope of blending various cultural differences into one particular eye shape, a particular color, a particular hair texture, skin, body, everything that “everyone” wants! Plastic surgery has commonly been used to irrationalize and magnify people’s concerns to be “like everybody else!” Why not just appreciate the genetic beauty we all have? Brown- eyed, grey-eyed, green-eyed, wide-eyed, narrow-eyed and all types of eyes should be honored because they are natural. It is not anyone’s duty to invest money into transforming oneself in false hopes that this will give an individual acceptance. Beauty is all around us, just look at the children (not the genetically engineered ones, that is!!)
Photo: http://www.allvoices.com/contributed-news/3798150-beauty-ideals-around-the-world
WEIGHT!
Spring 2010
The average American woman is seven inches shorter and 23 pounds heavier than the average American model. The average model is also 18 pounds lighter than the recommended healthy weight for that height, even for a small frame; while the average woman’s weight-to-height ratio is consistent with a healthy medium to large frame.
The American standard of beauty is not necessarily a healthy one, but most women still want to lose 10 to 20 pounds to be an ideal weight. A lot pressure to be thin comes from this standard portrayed by celebrities: models, performers, and most women in the media.
“If looking good was the only thing I had to worry about and I had the best personal trainer, I could look like that too,” said Genna Toth (junior, Biology). “It really bothers me when Khloe Kardashian is referred to as overweight. She is normal. When people say things like that, I can’t help but think, what do think I look like then?”
When women attempt to control their weight by other means than a healthy diet and consistent exercise, they can take up some very unhealthy behaviors.
One in five women has an eating disorder, mainly women between the ages of 12 and 25. The three most common eating disorders are anorexia nervosa, bulimia nervosa and binge-eating, all of which are more likely to affect females rather than males. These disorders can develop as a result of negative self-image, a need to control emotions, stress, cultural pressures, or other disorders, like depression.
“I find myself really jealous of celebrities who were in the media because of eating disorders,” said one female student at Penn State (junior, Crime Law and Justice).
The Alliance for Eating Disorders Awarenessreports that five to 10 percent of anorexics will die within 10 years of the onset of their condition, and 18 to 20 percent will die within 20 years of the onset. Women who suffer from bulimia often experience weakened hearts, heart failure and organs rupturing. With eating disorders, the body essentially starves itself. The consequences are fatal.
Over-exercising is also considered a disorder stemming from an unhealthy body image. This type of body obsession disguises itself as a desire to stay fit. Exercising is a healthy activity when practiced in moderation, but women who exercise too strenuously or out of compulsion, are putting themselves at risk for serious physical injury. This disorder often leads to a concurrent eating disorder as well.
There are also cosmetic surgery options available that will affect a woman’s shape, mainly liposuction and breast augmentation or reduction. Liposuction is a procedure in which a patient’s fat is removed from his or her “problem areas” through a tube powered by a vacuum. Breast augmentation is the insertion of a silicon or saline implant behind the breast tissue. The ideal candidate for cosmetic surgery already has a strong self-image and is only bothered by a minor physical trait. Patients who obsess over a minor flaw and unrealistically expect they will be perfect once it is fixed, are encouraged to not have the surgery because life threatening complications could arise.
The dangers range from infection at the incision site to death. Fatalities from these relatively common procedures can be caused by a significant drop in heart rate and blood pressure during surgery, blood clots or a reaction to the anesthetic. Breast implants can also affect mammogram results, hiding potentially cancerous tissues and putting a woman at risk for identifying breast cancer at a later, more dangerous stage.
“I understand the need for it if there are medical problems, but for the most part, it is pretty unnecessary. Usually it is a waste of money,” said Toth.
Since cosmetic surgery is completely elective, patients must weigh the risks and benefits. Is death a serious enough risk to achieve a definition of beauty?
“Normal everyday people whose jobs are not to be skinny don’t have time to look like models. I rather just aim to make my own body look as best as possible,” said Lauren Anderson (junior, Earth Science). “I do not feel you should have to alter your body just to fit society’s image.”
Another unhealthy behavior that a woman could adopt to cope with body obsession is abusing drugs. Some women will take diet pills and laxatives to attempt to suppress their appetites or rid their bodies of food immediately following ingestion. Diet pills, which often contain unhealthy doses of caffeine as a metabolism facilitator, can lead to a variety of heart problems, including arrhythmias, palpitations, congestive heart failure or cardiac arrest. Laxative abuse can cause severe dehydration since the pills get rid of water weight with no long-term weight loss results. It can also lead to kidney, liver, color or other organ damage.
Not all drugs that suppress appetite are over-the-counter. Kate Moss was famously quoted as saying, “Nothing tastes as good as skinny feels.” The model was arrested in 2005 on cocaine charges. Cocaine users experience a loss of appetite as a short-term effect and can go days without eating, but the long-term effects include heart attacks, strokes, seizures, respiratory failure or death.
“I wouldn't want to be supermodel skinny because I think women look like P.O.W.'s when they're like that. I want to be strong and healthy, not look like I might slip into a coma if I ate a donut. If you want to lose weight, eat right and exercise,” said Shantay Sirko (senior, Religious Studies) “And stay off the drugs.”
Why Americans are Dropping Out
Winter 2010
The United States is one of the most powerful and wealthy nations on earth. But our public education system is lacking in one major way.
“Cities in Crisis 2009”, a publication of Editorial Projects in Education, states that three out of ten students leave high school without a diploma. Barely half of disadvantaged minority students graduate. (EPE Research Center: 2009)
Tiffany Tice, a 19-year-old Centre County native, is a high school dropout.
“The reason I dropped out of school was because I got into too many fights,” she said. “There was too much peer pressure to fit in, to be cool. I wasn’t trying to be myself. I was trying to be someone else. I got into the wrong group. I did bad things. It got so deep; I couldn’t go to school without getting into a fight. And that’s why I dropped out. I thought it would be better to drop out than to deal with all those people everyday.”
Tice attended a Pennsylvania high school of average size. She cited personal and financial reasons that led her to her decision to drop out of high school. Her experience is not unlike many other high school students who decide to drop out.
According to the U.S. Department of Education, there are ten main reasons why teenagers drop out of high school: lack of educational support, outside influences, special needs, financial problems, lack of interest, drug and alcohol abuse, depression and physical illnesses, physical abuse, teen pregnancy and alternative lifestyles. (Women’s Forum: 2008)
What can be done about it?
Firstly, more money needs to be spent on education. The United States, one of the wealthiest nations on earth, is outnumbered by 36 other countries when it comes to spending money on secondary education. Countries such as Cuba and Kenya spend a higher percentage of their GDP on education than the U.S. (Nation Master: 2005). The U.S. spends less than six percent of its GDP on education, yet, the U.S. has spent over $921 billion on wars since 2001 (costofwar.com: 2009).More money spent on education can supply the next two objectives: more schools and more mentors inside schools.
Many inner city public schools are so overcrowded that it’s easy for someone to fall through the cracks. Schools need the resources to focus on individuals, but that cannot happen with a large class size. “Cities in Crisis 2009” shows that nearly a quarter of a million students don’t graduate high school in America’s largest fifty cities. (EPE Research Center: 2009)
More help needs to be available outside of the classroom. Mentors and counselors could bridge the gap between schoolwork and life that is seemingly lacking. Tice feels that if she had had help outside of the classroom, things may have been different.
“We could definitely use a program where there are counselors or teachers, someone, where you could go, if you feel overwhelmed, where you could cry,” she said. “You should be able to go to a room or office where you feel you can go to relax and talk with someone before you go and do an action you don’t really want to do. If I would have had a place I could go inside school, where I could relax, collect my thoughts, talk to someone, have them help me, I think I could have stayed in school. I probably wouldn’t have gone out and gotten into fights. I probably would have finished school.”
The No Child Left Behind program was created by President George W. Bush in 2001 and signed into effect in January of 2002. Its aim was to try to improve public schools by closing the achievement gap between students. It is an extension of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act. Students in grades three through eight are tested annually in math and reading. A certain proficiency must be met; if not met, the school is evaluated and several measures may be taken over a series of years culminating in administration overhaul, state seizure or closure if the measures are not effective. Fourth and eighth grade test results are published under an annual report card called The National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) that shows comparisons of how well states are doing. (EPE Research Center: 2004)
What are the results of these tests?
The data of dropouts directly corresponds with the data of fourth and eighth grade children’s test results fromNAEP. Essentially, those demographics which perform worse on tests in elementary and middle school tend to drop out at more rates in high school. For example, white students perform better on the NAEP and drop out less than minorities.(NYT: 2009; National Center for Education Statistics: 2009) One main reason the program was created was to try to “bridge the gap” between whites and minorities. (NYT: 2009)
There is a correlation between those who perform poorly on these test results, and those who dropout. But does this program really solve the underlying problems of why children are “left behind?”
Female Genital Mutilation
By Annamarie DiRaddo and Alexa Owen
March 2009
In Africa, approximately 92 million girls ages 10 and older have suffered female genital mutilation. This practice is continued because of tradition and deeply rooted sexism. FGM comes from the idea that women are lower than men and, therefore; required to be controlled by the practice of FGM, which makes sex painful. This means that women will not leave the house to go find other men besides their husbands to sleep with. FGM is still being practiced because it is all these cultures know.
FGM is most common in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. There is no religion that supports FGM, however; many religious leaders within communities encourage the practice because it has become a societal norm to raise a girl properly.
The different types of genital mutilation consist of Clitoridectomy (partial or total removal of the clitoris), Excision (partial or total removal of the clitoris and the labia (lips) minora), Infibulation (making the vaginal opening tighter by creating a covering seal from inner or outer labia with or without the clitoris), and Other harmful practices like piercing, scraping or pricking.
FGM has no positive health benefits. Instead, women suffer long-lasting effects like infertility, childbirth complications, cysts, bladder or urinary tract infections and the need for later surgeries. The immediate effects of FGM include, sever pain and shock, bleeding, bacterial infections, open sores and urine retention.
There are many advocates to stop FGM from occurring. Over the past decade numerous reports and evidences have been collected to support these organizations like the World Health Organization (WHO) and the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). Without awareness, these acts of discrimination will not change. It is only through acknowledging the historical oppression of women that we can begin to break down the systems and sources of those oppressive ideas and approach a world where both genders are treated as ends in themselves instead of means to some other ends.
For more information, go to who.int/en/
Male Genital Mutilation
By Annamarie DiRaddo
March 2009
Approximately 1 million male circumcisions are performed each year in the United States. This ancient tradition is rooted in religious beliefs and medical reasoning that have made the unnecessary procedure of male genital mutilation become a societal norm. Why haven’t Feminists taken a stand against MGM?
Circumcision is the removal of the foreskin of the penis. When done surgically this procedure is seen as a “hygienic operation” that has been said to prevent cancer and sexually transmitted diseases. No scientific evidence has been proven to support this, yet; the surgery still remains standard for infant males.
In the past, circumcision existed as a ritual among tribal cultures. Sometimes, even harsher forms like skin stripping (when the shaft is flayed) or sub incision (when a lengthwise slit is made on the underside of the penis) took place. They were often seen as exercises of strength and “premarital rites of pain endurance.” These ancient tribal practices eventually traveled to the United States.
“They have generally been transmitted from one region to another by virtue of relocation diffusion, accompanied by phases of military conquest of cultures which do not mutilate by invading cultures which do, or by voluntary adoption in association with other cultural changes of anti-sexual and anti-child nature.” (DeMeo, noharmm.org)
Circumcision is very dominant in Jewish and Islamic culture. Both are related to religious law although there are some controversies surrounding this belief. In the 19th century male circumcision was used to stop the evils of masturbation that were said to potentially cause mental disorders. The procedure was done on infants because many doctors shared the belief that infants would not feel pain or have any memory of the surgery. Often times, anesthesia was not used.
By the 20th century sex and masturbation were accepted in society and the reasoning behind circumcisions switched to an increase in sexual sensitivity of both males and females. By this point, the tradition among doctors to perform this ordinary surgery was a routine. The teachings of elder doctors influenced the beliefs of younger doctors who in turn, continued to perform circumcisions without questioning the motive. Doctors trained to believe in circumcision”reject any new information that is not in agreement with their own.”
An uncircumcised penis will actually enhance sexual pleasure for both males and females because the male foreskin contains sensitive nerve endings similar to those in the female clitoris. The foreskin produces its own lubrication making sex more comfortable as well as more stimulating. Without this foreskin, a desensitizing process usually occurs causing a significant loss of sexual sensitivity.
Men do not talk about circumcision. Psychologists argue that the permanent damage of fear and embarrassment has instilled this silence among them.
Approaching this idea of silence, there is currently a MGM Bill that is awaiting signatures. If this bill becomes passed, men can still receive MGM’s out of personal choice once reaching the age of 18. Societal pressures and harming infants are the main concerns of MGM. With this Bill, those issues will no longer exist.
Why Haven't Feminists Taken a Stand Against MGM?
By Annamarie DiRaddo
March 2009
Feminists, who are consistently anti-female genital mutilation, have not stood against MGM. These feminists fear that association with male issues will force female issues to lose importance. This same fear has divided feminists for centuries.
Lesbian feminists, Black feminists, Latino feminists, Chicano feminists and Asian feminists, all separate themselves from each other. Yes, they have cultural differences but it does not mean they can't support each other. White feminsts never advocated civil rights of Black feminists because they were afraid to confuse causes. Shouldn't feminists support all issues concerning equality of gender?
“All social groups that are marginalized and denied their full rights under patriarchy are meant to benefit from social change.”
Why should men be encouraged to be feminists if female feminists refuse to support male issues? Some make the argument that unless you've experienced it, your opinion is useless.
“Women are responsible for the continuity of such gender politics by their silence.”
I don't have to suffer slavery to know it’s wrong. I don't have to suffer genital mutilation (whether male or female) to know it’s wrong.
Feminists disassociate themselves with MGM, yet the same arguments feminists use to fight female genital mutilation exist for MGM. It’s inhumane. It’s a harmful, brutal treatment. It denies women/men their right to sexuality, their right to control their body. Our society has consistently used sex as a form of social control over individuals. An active stand should not be discriminated upon by gender.
I, Annamarie, do not stand for male or female genital mutilation. I AM a feminist. And I am ashamed at the feminists that are too scared to stand up against inequality. Anyone else?
Awareness Bring Change
By Alexa Owen
March 2009
Modern theory teaches us to always question what has traditionally been assumed, that wherever you see nature, culture has actually already been there (Nealon and Giroux 7). When those who question, then, and recognize the injustice and unnaturalness of many socially constructed norms try to use their knowledge in the societies that constructed these norms, they are often ignored or just not understood. Like preference deformation, this happens across the world in cultures that, otherwise, would exhibit very few similarities.
Nussbaum points out that in the country of Togo, a place where Female Genital Mutilation has traditionally been practiced, an eighteen-year-old boy insisted upon marrying a woman who had not undergone FGM. He cited the main influence of his decision as the things his high school teachers had taught him about the practice. It is through formal education that the Kassindja family recognized the negative effects of a traditional practice and decided to change it in their personal lives. They now see how their preferences had been shaped by social norms which should not, necessarily, be norms (Nussbaum 128).
Benefits of Consumerism
By Annamarie DiRaddo, Casey Massimino & Susie Della Rocca
May 2008
More often now than ever before, companies have been making a conscious effort to understand who their employers are and what needs they have in production. Poverty is not something that only exists in foreign nations yet these underdeveloped countries are most especially in need of more awareness. This awareness has been steadily growing due to distinct company’s efforts to expose the working conditions and wages of their employees. A lot of organizations are focusing on women and directing their products towards women consumers. This is being done to promote better self-esteem in women by providing them with something to do that will clearly produce positive benefits in their living arrangements.
The major purpose of these organizations is to incorporate awareness in consumer spending. The United States is one of the leading consumers world-wide and most Americans do not know where their products are coming from and who is making them. These organizations are working to bridge this distance in consumer and producer by making consumers aware and concerned with the people behind their products. Check out a few of the organizations FLY decided to examine.
World of Good
World of Good is a host of Fair Trade products that range in price from $10-50 dollars. World of Good was started in 2004 in Berkley, California by Priya Haji and Siddharth Sanghvi. Both wanted to help low-income women and also provide a connection between artisans and consumers. World of Good provides handcrafted products from around the world made of recyclable products.
The products consists of jewelry, purses, scarves, housewares, and t-shirts. Every item is handmade and comes with a tag that describes what products were used in the production and where the product was made.World of Good recently became originalgood.com and licensed the website, worldofgood.com, to the ebay marketplace it partnered up with.World of Good pays 50 percent initially, to cover the costs of production, unlike other corporations who wait 30-180 days before paying the costs.
This means that with World of Good’s system, the artisans are able to make their profit immediately. 60-70 percent of the artisans are women and last year over 6,000 women helped from 34 different countries.
The money the artisan’s make are able to help with better schooling, child’s nutrition, and health care. 10 percent of the products go directly to Development Projects like elementary schools and computer labs. All partners of World of Good are affiliated with larger groups like the Peace Corps. and the UN Development Program. Each individual product is screened for its environmental footprint, compensation to the artisan and the benefit to the community. World of Good is a way to allow weaker countries to compete in the economic system. For more information or to buy World of Good products go to: worldofgood.com OR originalgood.com.
Women Helping Women
One organization, Women Helping Women, is a non-profit organization based out of Metutchen, NJ. WHW is focused on educating women of all ages, teens to seniors, about the issues that plague all women including body image, relationships, self-esteem, violence, and many others. Member dues go straight to women in the community, reaching out to roughly 5,000 females a year.
This organization operates from New Jersey, and helps mostly local women. WHW runs on donations and membership dues to provide services to the community. Their services include therapy groups, support groups, family law legal clinics, community education programs, and the strong girls program, which succeeds in instilling confidence in young girls.
To become involved with WHW, sign up on their website at www.whwnj.com
Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc.
Cooperative for Assistance and Relief Everywhere, Inc. CARE helps poor women and children in underprivileged countries around the world. CARE’s primary focus is on women because the organization believes that women and children“suffer disproportionally from poverty.” If suffering communities gain prosperity one family at a time, they become one step closer to escaping poverty. CARE was started in 1945 after WWII. A few organizations and thousands of Americans sent CARE packages to WWII survivors.
Over the years the causes have changed and the meaning behind the name has changed. Now, some of CARE’s current goals are to improve education, stop the spread of disease, and improve quality of life among residents in over 50 countries like Asia, Africa, Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. CARE sells pins, mugs, sweatshirts, and tote bags with the phrase “I am powerful” proudly written on them.The goal is to empower women, who will in turn empower whole communities.
For more information on CARE, go to their website www.care.org
Toms Shoes: Shoes for Tomorrow
The goal of Toms Shoes is simple: for every pair of shoes bought, a pair is donated to a child in need. The style is inspired by the traditional Argentinian shoe and is based on comfort and simplicity. Blake Mycoskie started Tom’s Shoes after visiting third world countries and realizing all the poverty and health issues there. Mycoskie wanted a way to give back to the community while still making money. He refers to himself as the “Chief Shoe Giver” rather than CEO of Toms Shoes. The shoes come in many colors and fabrics including solids, plaids, corduroy, woven, striped, multi-colored, and even army print. They range in price from $38 - $58 and are available in most women’s and men’s sizes.
For more information,visit www.tomsshoes.com or www.myspace.com/blakemycoskie.
Knowing that support is available whenever it is needed is a huge comfort to women. Instead of working against each other, these organizations are proving that women need to bind together to highlight their strengths. The sooner women stop seeing each other as competition and start seeing each other as sisters, the sooner we triumph as a whole, unified body. Owning tons of the newest trends and fashions isn’t wrong. Its sadly, a part of our American culture. These companies are using this consumerism as a tool to make changes in the world. Take a step back and try to model that behavior. The small choices we make in our purchasing power, really can have an impact. FLY wants you to spend that little money you have on something worth a whole lot of good. These little things, allow us to steadily help one another.