The Battalion
OPINION
Tuesday, May 1,1990
Opinion Page Editor
Ellen Hobbs
Swimsuit
A while back there was a lot of
hullabaloo over the Miss TAMU
pageant and how it was degrading to
women. Everyone with an opinion
about it got pretty irritated because of
the droning on and on of letters
supporting and opposing what the
pageant represented.
After some consideration, I finally
realized that the competition was not so
degrading since it was based not only on
beauty and grace, but that it also took
into consideration the contestant’s
talents and intelligence.
Being a woman, I am all for the
advancement of women in the social,
business and academic realms. I also
believe in the innate equality of men and
women. Consequently, I find myself
becoming increasingly angered when
some women show a blatant disregard
for this equality we share and continue
to behave in a manner which permits
I understand that these women
have every right to do what they
want with their bodies. They
assumed that their decisions to
exploit themselves were of no
importance to anyone else. This is
where they are terribly mistaken.
men to think of all women as sex objects.
The particular men and women I am
refering to continue to perpetuate the
sexist stereotyping of women, (and you
know who you are), and are doing us all
a great injustice.
I was appalled to see one of these
displays of sexism last Wednesday night
at the finals of the Baja Yacht Club
swimsuit contest.
There was a big difference between
this contest and the Miss TAMU
pageant. At the pageant, those women
were trying to display a variety of
abilities unique to each woman. At the
swimsuit contest the contestants were
judged based on who had the best body,
darkest tan, and who could expose the
most skin via G-string bikinis.
The women were announced one by
one and walked around a semicircle
while beingjudged and receiving a
contestants degrade selves, all women
Christen P.
Rocha
Columnist
plethora of whoops and catcalls. They
were selling themselves, for the price of
money and diamonds, in the same way
that cattle is paraded around to be sold.
The men attending this tawdry display
were crammed in shoulder to shoulder
around the dance floor. They looked on
with approval. The hormones were
running rampid in this place.
Now do not get me wrong, Ags. I’m
not saying that it is not perfectly natural
to walk around with your butt exposed
for all the world to see. However, I do
doubt the validity of a contest that
awards a couple of hundred dollars
based on such talents as “a hair flip and
a giggle” as the contestants
simultaneously turn to show off their
posterior section.
After all of the contestants had shown
themselves and their suits, there was a
small break while the judges made their
decisions. During this time I had the
pleasure of running into a few of the
women in the*restroom. Two or three of
these girls were primping as they
awaited the final decisions. I asked one
contestant, Tina Welch, if she thought
that what she was doing was an injustice
to other women. She did not really seem
to have an opinion either way. She
simply told me, “I’d do just about
anything for money.”
I knew that some of these women
were apathetic about their behaviors,
which served as one of the many factors
in the perpetuation of sexism. I really
started to get ticked off, and it only
seemed to get worse.
The winners were finally announced
and there were eight of them. Five out
of the eight women selected were those
who were bold enough to model their
G-string bikinis.
I hunted one of those lucky ladies
down. Her name was Sunny Smiley.
Sunny was awarded a $500 cash prize.
After talking with her for a while I
found out that she was very proud of
the fact that she was the only contestant
who had made her own swimsuit.
It was an interesting suit indeed. She
said, “I’ve never worn a G-string before,
but I do believe that the more you show,
the better your chances are. ... I did
what I had to do to win.”
I’m glad that Sunny and Tina were
open enough (no pun intended) with
me to share their feelings. Their
statements confirmed my belief in the
blatant disregard some women have for
the integrity and decency of others.
I do understand that these women, as
well as everyone else in our society, have
every right to do what they want with
their time as well as their bodies. I also
understand that they acted out of their
own free will. Obviously, they assumed
that their decisions to exploit themselves
were of no importance to anyone else.
This is where they are all terribly
mistaken.
By participating in the bikini contest
the women were allowing the men to
perceive them as mere sexual beings.
The belief that women are to be viewed
as sex objects is a serious misconception
and it must be changed. There is no one
aspect of our society that is stagnantanii Cf"!
that cannot be improved. Ir'
If we continue to assume that our
behaviors have no effect on others we
will never be able to make any progressTf-r^
towards the end of racism, sexism, Z.
environmental decay or any other Wa
societal problem. jTexas
ftecai
throu
lonsti
Joe
Christen P. Rocha is a senior English tion s
major. lain 11
Come on ,women; men aren’t all bad*
: ar
,eget
ibuse
He
Hell hath no fury like a woman
scorned.
Watch out, men. A new survey
reports that women are fed up with our
self-centered, manipulative ways and
are becoming annoyed.
I can only hope that we never reach
the “scorn” plateau.
Last Thursday the Houston
Chronicle reported, in an AP story, the
very distressing news of the fall from
grace that males have suffered in the
eyes of women. The survey also
compared its data to the results from
identical questions taken in 1970.
The survey was sponsored by Philip
Morris, the makers of Virginia Slims
cigarettes.
Here are some examples of the
results:
• In 1970, two-thirds of women
agreed that “most men are basically
kind, gentle and thoughtful. The new
survey had only half of the women in
agreement.
• Forty-two percent of the women
see men as “selfish and self-centered.”
• Fifty-four percent went on to say
that “most men look at a woman and
immediately think how it would be to go
to bed with her.” (a bit optimistic,
maybe?)
Attitudes also took a beating, for
example:
• Fifty-eight percent agreed that
“most men think only their opinions
about the world are important.” This is
up from 50 percent in 1970.
• Fifty-three percent agreed that
“most men are interested in their work
Matt
McBumett
Columnist
ancf
and life outside the home and don’t pay
attention to things going on at home.
The 1970 survey had 39 percent of the
women concurring.
Sexism was another issue. Fifty-three
percent said they were upset by jokes
about women drivers, mothers-in-law or
dumb blondes, and 61 percent were
annoyed by pictures of nude women in
men’s magazines, up from the 1970
figure of 43 percent. (I question how
many of these women read Cosmo.) We
men can find solace in one area, though.
Nine out of ten women agreed that
marriage is better than living alone.
I decided to ask my girlfriend, Jami
Anderson, what she thought, because I
am fond of the male company she
keeps. “Men haven’t necessarily become
more sexist, self-centered and lazy since
1970; women are only more aware of
these traits, now, and fail to bend to
men’s sickening whims any longer.”
Maybe I should have asked mom.
Okay, what have we done to deserve
this? Would the Equal Rights
Amendment have helped matters? I
doubt it. No matter how far women
have progressed, people like Molly (give
her an inch and she’ll take a) Yard, the
President of the National Organization
of women, will not be satisfied.
As women are finding themselves
blessed with more opportunities and
roles traditionally reserved for men, To
they apparently are becoming more foren
aware of the competition, difficultyin ing f
finding time for job and family affairs f
and stress that men have always faced , [s
The survey reflects this. | ause
Since 1970, women have been “t
successful in acquiring most of the some
things they have tried to achieve. The foun
survey was interpreted to mean that brok<
“Women’s growing dissatisfaction Hbl-h
men is undoubtedly derived f r °m the, tenc j
own rising expectations.” | jl
This trend of higher expectations blast
needs to stop soon. The farther wome;in th
get, the more they expect. These [he
attitudes are dangerous. If women
feel this way, it would be illogical totr ^
to aid them in their quest for equal ^; r ,
rights. With these opinions of men,
equality means being selfish, self
centered and sexist. The sexist label
already applies to the women surveyei
I would much rather be the butt of a j
dumb blonde joke than be truly thoui
of as selfish and inconsiderate.
Maybe the survey is inaccurate,
would be somewhat logical because
Virginia Slims is not exactly unbiased
towards females, considering how farg”^
women have come, baby. I call forai
survey. For those of you who think th
men are cruel, nasty lechers, call 1-80
MEN SUCK. If that line is busy, diah
at 1-976-BIG DEAL*. The rest of you
can remain content that you are com
Matt McBumett is a junior electria
engineering major.
(??[qqO HCVZIDti FP£T
'imgr
My client pleads -
guilty to Wall St.
fraud, and Trill pa/
f a $600 millionfime.
Mail Call-
Women’s role more than service
EDITOR:
Service? Is that the role that women play in today’s society?
According to Clayton Williams’ latest remark referring to prostitution
as a way men “got serviced then”, women are objects used to provide a “ser
vice” to men.
True, prostitutes provide a service and are paid for it, but other women
who are not paid are doing the same act! Are they “servicing” the men that
they are with?
To subordinate women to men displays a chauvanistic, insensitive atti
tude that is repulsive.
In today’s society, with equality of the sexes and races becoming more
important, do we want such an insensitive, outspoken person representing
Texas as our governor?
I doubt it!
Paula Jourde ‘89
Have an opinion?Express it!
Letters to the editor should not exceed 300 words in length.
The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, hut will make every effort to
maintain the author’s intent.
There is no guarantee that letters submitted will be printed.
Each letter must be signed and must include the classification, address and telephone number of the
writer.
All letters may be brought to 216 Reed McDonald, or sent to Campus Mail Stop 1111.
The Battalion
(USPS 045 360)
Member of
Texas Press Association
Southwest Journalism Conference
The Battalion Editorial Board
Cindy McMillian,
Editor
Timm Doolen, Managing Editor
Ellen Hobbs, Opinion Page Editor
Holly Becka, City Editor
Kristin North,
Meg Reagan,
New*s Editors
Nadja Sabawala,
Sports Editor
Eric Roalson, Art Director
Lisa Ann Robertson,
Lifestyles Editor
Editorial Policy
The Battalion is a non-profit, self-sup
porting newspaper operated as a commu
nity service to Texas A&M and Bryan-
College Station.
Opinions expressed in The Battalion
are those of the editorial board or the au
thor, and do not necessarily represent the
opinions of Texas A&M administrators,
faculty or the Board of Regents.
The Battalion is published Monday
through Friday during Texas A&M regu
lar semesters, except for holiday and ex
amination periods. Newsroom: 845-3313.
Mail subscriptions are $20 per semes
ter, $40 per school year and $50 per full
year: 845-2611. Advertising rates fur
nished on request: 845-2696.
Our address: The Battalion, 230 Reed
McDonald, Texas A&M University, Col
lege Station, TX 77843-1111.
Second class postage paid at College
Station, TX 77843.
POSTMASTER: Send address changes
to The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald.
Texas A&M University, College Station
TX 77843-4111.
Adventures In Cartooning
by Don Atkinson Jt
UPSJS TO TOU V(xT\
i30MfTHING, r WASN'T
CDNPLCreu? HONCST t
WHCN X ANSWERED
VOOR PERSONAL AD! J
' FOR CKfMPLE, I’M NOT
RERUN IQ. X'fA ACTcmN
29 VCARS OLD. j——^
r HAVE 2H- CHILDREN
FROM 16 DIFFERENT
—r HUSBANDS... ,