2008 Woodie Awards
Speakers focus on changing perception of women in society
Ann Koblenzer
Issue date: 10/30/07 Section: Campus
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Kindlon, clinical and research psychologist, addressed the audience first about his latest book, Alpha Girls, which addresses the perception that girls have lower self-esteem than boys, especially as they enter their high school and college years.
Since the publication of many of books about female self-esteem in the 1990s, things have changed, according to Kindlon. In his interviewing of girls, he found most girls think of themselves as equals to boys.
He said many of the girls he talked to that were leaders were part of athletics.
"One of the main factors has been Title IX, the piece of the law that guarantees girls can participate in athletics," he said.
Kindlon joked with the audience of his experience with his own children and used his kids' love of Scooby Doo and the 1970 stereotype of Daphne, who was a girl concerned more with keeping her hair perfect than playing a role in solving the crime.
He explained the dramatic change of woman stereotypes in the media. He said in the most recent Scooby Doo movie, Daphne is driving the Mystery Machine and is a journalist, while her boyfriend, Fred, is portrayed as dumb.
"Another factor is the role model girls have today is very different," Kindlon said. "There are more characters like that, that are assertive."
Kindlon also described the changing relationships children have with their parents. In relationships that fathers have with their daughters, fathers take their daughters much more serious now. Fathers now are turning their businesses over to daughters.
"They take the best from both and can play more roles in the world," Kindlon said. "The outcome of this is girls are well adapted to the world we have created."
Girls are also doing better in school with almost 60 percent of college degrees given to women, according to Kindlon. The person who makes less money is usually the primary caretaker, so there will be more men taking care of children than woman,
Kindlon explained.
"To the extent that money is power, woman will have more power," Kindlon said.
He also addressed the impact of this change on the college admission process.
Kindlon said that colleges need to change the mindset of keeping colleges close to a 50:50, male-female ratio because there will be a court case in the future about this as a type of affirmative action.
Rosalind Wiseman, co-founder of the Empower Program and author of the best seller Queen Bees and Wannabees spoke about the importance of social justice as the basis of her work.
"Dignity is not negotiable for every single person," Wiseman said.
People want to be part of a group, and society distinguishes people as a certain voice or culture, according to Wiseman.
Wiseman also spoke about girls being able to be competitive on the field, but have to have perfect bodies for the culture. Boys and girls can't complain or speak out to their friends or they will be labeled as uptight.
"Girls to various degrees are fighting this or enforcing it," Wiseman said.
Wiseman than addressed the audience about the importance of learning the appropriate way to express anger and identify their emotions.
"One of the primary criteria for successful girls is being able to articulate their anger," Wiseman said.
According to Wiseman, girls express anger in many different ways. One is internalizing anger or expressing it weakly and getting called oversensitive. Other ways girls express anger is that they wait and then explode when something little happens or they decide to never show weakness. The final way she described was that girls may fall into negative behavior such as drugs, drinking or cutting.
"None of those actions include thinking through the best way to conduct oneself in that situation," Wiseman said.
Nothing positive is included in the way culture says girls can express their anger and Wiseman believes women need mentoring in talking through their anger.
"For girls to become more personally authentic … means that they have to be culturally literate … understanding the culture we live in," Wiseman said.
Wiseman wants girls to understand the most effective way for girls to speak their truths, conflicts, anger and frustration.
Lana Kay Rosenberg, lecture series chair, hoped that the speakers provoked the audience in thinking about stereotypes in their own life.
"One of the things we hope to do with this lecture series is to cause critical thinking … get people to talk about (different cultures on campus) and think about things in a different way," Rosenberg said.
Miami students found the speakers engaging and educational.
"The speakers gave an insightful look into the intertwining world of women and men," said Lindsey Riehl, a junior marketing major and sorority member.
Parents in attendance found that the humor of the speakers made the lecture real and easily relatable.
"It helps to listen to people who have a lot of knowledge," said Jim Slager, father of two Miami graduates. "They were witty and clever, bringing it to real life stuff."
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