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January 30, 2006
when i was down on the road / with the wind when it blowed
When I went to Japan, I was replacing a guy who could not go. He did not tell me why he could not go when he asked me if I wanted to go. I just knew he could not go any more.
On the trip, I discovered the reason. He was to be on Beauty and the Geek (a reality tv show). It might have been taping during the time when he was to be in Japan, and therefore pulled out of the Japan trip. I found it quite amusing that he declined a chance to go to Japan to be on Beauty and the Geek.
I did not really think about it again until it premiered a couple weeks ago. Due to the Chicago representation, it got some press. He was given the first two episodes as promotional tools. He happened to be scheduled to present during our weekly seminar on the day of the second episode. He elected to show, after a shorter than normal presentation, the first episode.
I left.
More because it was a waste of my time. I have a million things to do, and not enough time, and would rather be getting my stuff done then watching anything.
The more I thought about it, though, the more upset I became as I watch his research presentation. I looked around at the make-up of the room. Three were two other women in a room of 30. The more I thought about the show, the more uncomfortable I felt. How was it acceptable to show a TV show that objectifies women? The whole show concept is demoralizing to women. The women are selected for their beauty; the men for the brains. It saddens me that we still live in a society that reinforces this stereotype. It is demonstrative that we feel like it is an acceptable thing to reinforce this stereotype in an environment that is historically unwelcoming to women. Do the students and the professors at this meeting (my advisor was not in attendance) feel this way about women? That they are valued for their beauty over brains? Do they feel like this is an acceptable way to view women?
I’ve never been that big on “political correctness”. I’ve never found myself in this uncomfortable position until this point. I didn’t not care enough to speak up. I just left.
I have to be honest and say, yes, that message made me feel like I am "less than" because I am not a “beauty” (beauty being defined and small wasted large chested women, which are the kind of women I saw in the commercials for the show). On this show, these women are valued for their beauty, not their brains. This was a show being shown in my workplace. In the workplace, especially a science and engineering ph.d program, I should feel that women are valued for their work, not valued for their beauty. I did not feel this way. This is why we have rules. You might not understand them. Heck, even I make fun of them, but there are there for a reason – to prevent this.
I presented this past week. I did a great job. I do great work, especially compared to other people in the program. I know that I am valuable, as everyone in in their own way, even those girls on tv. Here, though, everyone should feel valued for their work, not unvalued for their unbeauty.
Posted by christina at January 30, 2006 6:12 PM
Comments
Read my friend Melanie at MIT's take on their alumni Geek: http://aerolite.blogspot.com/2006/01/beauty-and-geek.html
Posted by: Becca at February 1, 2006 10:00 AM
Whatever, kid, you ARE beauty and the geek. You should propose your own reality show about geek babes. :-)
But yeah, that guy needs to doublethink that.
Posted by: shelbinator at February 1, 2006 8:11 PM
Bad news. You look like Katie Holmes. Therefore you too can be on a reality tv show that is viewed by millions of people.
Another perspective is that he was chosen to be on tv. How many times do people who are not famous get to be on tv? I have been on it once on a local station out of Toccoa, which means nothing. He got to be a part of a major network production. His taste sucks, which probably says a lot about him which is why he was chosen in the first place. Lotsa brains but no kooth.
Finally, demonstration is the most powerful tool we have as individuals. You leaving is a great protest and honoring your beliefs. It is what I do when someone I don't care for walks into a room to demonstrate that I don't like them: I leave. I used to demonstrate against my father by pitching a fit in the middle of dinner. Always got grounded for it though. You'da thought Ida learned quick, but I am not a beautiful genius like yourself.
Posted by: Rae at February 10, 2006 3:31 PM