Fashion Faux Pas

Hi, I'm Sue. When I'm in the airport and glance at the magazine rack, I have no interest in their offereings - People, Glamour, InStyle... So I just download the latest issue of Wired to my iPad. And I am an Anomaly.

I've never claimed to be fashionable. I'm like the opposite of fashionable. "Dressing up," for me, involves wearing jeans instead of sweatpants. Okay, maybe that's a little bit of an exaggeration, but not much. At any rate, a couple years ago, I started noticing young girls - probably under 13 - wearing shirts that said "FLIRT" or "SLUT" or "TEASE" in glitter, usually paired with some "fashion" sweatpants that said "JUICY" across the butt. Since then, a lot has been said about the over-sexualization of pre-teen girls. Personally, I thought was the low point of "fashion." Hey, girls! Make sure all the boys know you're easy! That's how to get through life! Just... ew.

But then, earlier today on Twitter (thanks to @BadAstronomer via @MightyMur), I realized that we (that's a societal "we") are not just promoting the sexualization of girls, but also discouraging their intellect. Check out this "back to school" offering from JC Penney:

This t-shirt is being marketed to 7-16 year-old girls, with a product description that reads:

Who has time for homework when there’s a new Justin Bieber album out? She’ll love this tee that’s just as cute and sassy as she is.

(And it has 14 likes on Facebook. FAIL!)

So, what can we take from the text on this shirt? For starters...
I'm pretty, so I don't have to be smart.
Smart girls are ugly.
Boys are smarter than girls.

Because I'm pretty, people should do things for me.

I don't have to worry about personal responsibility.

I'll just get a man to do things for me.

There have already been numerous articles about this (here's one from Skepchick) and there's a Change.org petition. I went to the JC Penney website, looking for this shirt, and it looks like it is no longer for sale (good job, geeks!), but you should be able to view a cached copy here. (If that link stops working, let me know - I took a screenshot.)

The worst part, in my opinion, is how long this type of thing has been going on. Remember those talking Barbies from back in the day? "Teen Talk Barbie." One of the phrases that Barbie said was "Math Class is TOUGH!" and then proceeded to ask "Do you have a crush on anyone?" There was a huge outcry and the doll was recalled because the idea that "math is hard for girls" should not be fed to girls of any age. And that was 1992. Almost 20 years later, we're dealing with these same stereotypes on a t-shirt.

It's okay to be a good student, and do your homework, and be responsible. Being smart doesn't make you not-pretty. And bring conventionally "pretty" isn't the be-all and end-all. And don't ever even imply to a young girl or any woman that she doesn't have to worry about school, homework, professionalism, responsibility, intelligence because she can "get by on her looks." It's disgusting.

Sue

Staff Writer for Anomaly

Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental

(B.A. Pure & Applied Mathematics)

Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Here's a video of that "Teen Talk Barbie":

UPDATE:

JC Penney is discontinuing the sale of this shirt and pulling it from stores. They have issued the following statement:

jcpenney is committed to being America's destination for great style and great value for the whole family. We agree that the “Too pretty” t-shirt does not deliver an appropriate message, and we have immediately discontinued its sale. Our merchandise is intended to appeal to a broad customer base, not to offend them. We would like to apologize to our customers and are taking action to ensure that we continue to uphold the integrity of our merchandise that they have come to expect.

Sadly, this does not change the fact that the same incorrect notions that we dealt with in 1992 are being served up to a new generation in 2011.

Horrible Doctor Who: Five Episodes that Shame Time and Space

Warning: Content contains spoilers. Please read with caution. If unwanted spoiler gets in eye, rinse head thoroughly under water until burning rage subsides. If symptoms continue, please Google issue and then proceed with care.

My name is KC and according to the Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy, I'm "mostly harmless." And in parentheses, it says "see, Anomaly."

I would say I'm a pretty devoted Doctor Who fan. After all, Doctor Who was the vehicle that opened my eyes to my inner geek. Time travel, space adventures, interesting characters, romance, horror, drama, comedy... for a family show, it seems to have it all!

About a month ago, I recorded a Skype-cast with Meds and Kenny for Treks in Sci-Fi, all about the most recent series (or "season") of Doctor Who. When the episode was released, we all received an email from Jen. She let us know that we all did an awesome job and that our love of the series made her "really want to revisit the series." She said she had started with series one... but she had to stop after the aliens invaded London.

I, being a huge fan of the series, do not blame her one bit. If I had started with the first series and saw the episode she spoke of, I would have abandoned Doctor Who myself. There are fantastic episodes of the series, but every now and then, there are terrible ones.

Jen received three different replies from Meds, Kenny and I about which episodes to watch. I had a color coded list ready to send, and then I thought of something. There are plenty of lists out there about which episodes of Doctor Who are the best. Anyone can get those anywhere, and they could miss some underrated episodes if they go by these lists alone. Even some mediocre and bad episodes have their merits. However, not a lot of articles cover the poor quality ones. And you know what? The best thing about these stories is you can skip them and you will not miss a lot!

I have compiled a list of five episodes from the new series that are absolutely abysmal. (This show is nearly fifty years old, I'm not going that in depth!) I will give credit where credit is due and I write why the episode might be worth watching. That being said, the episodes I have listed are bad and I point out why they are bad. Big emphasis on bad.

Take note that these are merely my opinions and mine alone. I'm also more than willing to be a hypocrite and change my opinions if I magically get a job working with the Doctor Who creative team. Until that extremely unlikely day, my apologies to the Doctor Who powers that be.

"Aliens of London/World War Three" (Series One, Episodes 4 & 5)
Reason for Skipability: Aliens known as the Slitheen are masquerading as humans. That's fine with me because some of the best science fiction has at least one story like this. The problem is that the Slitheen are gigantic green monsters that have to compress their forms into a tiny human suit. Therefore the tell-tale sign that they're aliens is that they experience moments where... you know what, they fart. Yes, you heard me. A television show about time and space resorts to fart jokes. Why, Russell T. Davies? Why?
Dang It: A character named Harriet Jones is introduced in this episode, and she occurs two more times in the show. She's probably the only good part of this two-parter. Plus, her portrayer, Penelope Wilton, can be recognized as Simon Pegg's mom in Shaun of the Dead.

"Boom Town" (Series One, Episode 11)
Why it's bad: The farting aliens return! Well, one of them. The episode itself is gets pretty lost and can never find its tone. In fact, I'm not even sure if this episode wants to be a science fiction story. It's really a back and forth about why this deadly woman-alien should or shouldn't be sent to her home, who will execute upon her return. I could watch a better version of this plot on Law and Order or Star Trek.
Dang It: In two ways, it connects to the following last episodes of the first series. Missing this episode won't ruin anything though.

"New Earth" (Series Two, Episode One)
Reason for Skipability: This episode has interesting basic ideas. Seemingly utopian future, dark secrets about utopia's hospital system, humanoid cat nuns--I can dig it. But the episode itself was poorly executed in terms of story. It didn't need elements like a returning villain or a theme about living forever... the whole episode just fell flat. Also, if I had to get onto "Aliens in London" and "Boom Town" for the fartiness, I have to get onto this episode for it's immature use of hidden swear words. Cutting to another shot before someone curses doesn't make you clever. Fourth graders will laugh at it now, but they will not when they grow up.
Dang It: There are a few good parts in here. As in four. 1) The first minute is beatifully shot. 2) Big fat spoiler--Rose kisses the Doctor. Sure, she's possessed by another female entity, but it's a pretty good kiss. 3) The Doctor gets possessed and then proceeds to act as a woman. It's amusing. 4) The last few minutes of the episode are, again, beautifully shot. Oh! And a bonus: you get to see the Face of Boe. But that's it.

"Love and Monsters" (Series Two, Episode 10)
Reason for Skipability: I must admit that I liked this episode the first time around. But I may or may not have had a glass of wine that night, because the next time I watched it, I could not believe how ridiculous it was. I have to admit that I like the format of the episode where it's an outsider talking to the webisphere about experience with the Doctor, and cutting clips in of Elton John and ELO. And the actors do a good job. But the story, dialogue, and direction are all over the place. It has some major A.D.D., and not in an interesting, Terry Gilliam kind of way. I mean a let's-give-a-five-year-old-a-cup-of-coffee-and-have-him-write-the-episode kind of way.
Dang It: I got nothing. Just skip it.

"The Voyage of the Damned" (2008 Christmas Special)
Reason for Skipability: This is probably one of the worst Christmas specials ever. And is it just me, or do most of the Christmas episodes have nothing to do with Christmas? This is basically a combo between Poseidon and B-movie, which is never a good combination. You are introduced to characters that you never come to care for, and the explosions are the kind that only Michael Bay could love.
Dang It: A character named Wilfred Mott is introduced in this episode, and he becomes pretty important later on. And there is one moving moment of the special near the end between the one-off companion Astrid (Kylie Minogue) and the Doctor, but I don't know if it's worth watching the entire thing.

I will admit that I would probably like these episodes if I were much younger. However, I'm an older viewer and I think that the only faults of this intelligent show are when it loses its maturity. But I still adore Doctor Who, and that's what true love is.

Alright, Who fans. We all love the show, but which episodes would you warn others about? Why do you think they're terrible? What are they're saving graces? Comment with your answers!

KC
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Anomaly Supplemental: Slings and Arrows, Act III

Geoffrey: What are we doing here, Oliver?

Oliver: Putting on a play.

-Slings and Arrows

Greetings, Anomaly listeners! We hope you enjoyed your weekend, whether you were having a cookout or going down to the pub. Last Friday featured the latest release of Anomaly Supplemental, and it's all about Slings and Arrows and the series' last hurrah.

From the Anomaly Newsletter:

Fighting many fits of giggles, Kasey and Sue finish up their series on "Slings & Arrows" by discussing the third and final season, which revolved around the New Burbage Theater Festival's production of "King Lear." Also included are clips from episodes and interviews, listener comments, and strong feelings about Muppets.

Thank you all for listening to the Slings and Arrows podcast trilogy and for offering your feedback and well wishes. Listeners can watch Slings and Arrows via Netflix, but it will not be available to stream as of July 6th, 2011. (We suggest buying the DVD anyway. ;) )

Anomaly and Anomaly Supplemental would love to hear what you think. Comments, mp3s, voicemails, and other forms of communication can be emailed to the Supplemental crew at moregirlygeekz(at)gmail.com. You can also contact our very own Google voicemail line at 248-419-GEEK (4335). Plus, you can let us and our Anomalous overlords what you think by emailing them at girlygeekz(at)gmail.com, or by leaving a rating and review on iTunes. We also accept other forms of feedback including blog comments, Tweets, and Facebook wall comments on the Anomaly Podcast fan page.

Stay tuned for Anomaly Supplemental on Jim Henson's Labyrinth, featuring Sue, Anne, and KC. We promise a lot of talk on this 25-year-old classic... and maybe a bit of David Bowie.

KC
Staff Writer for Anomaly
Co-Host of Anomaly Supplemental
Subscribe to Anomaly on iTunes

Theme song for Anomaly Supplemental, "I'll Still Be a Geek" by Marian Call, is used with the artist's permission. Purchase of Marian Call's songs and albums can be made online at www.mariancall.com or on iTunes. Follow her on Twitter (@mariancall) or you can like her on Facebook.

Belle: Princess & Anomaly

Hi, I'm Sue. When waiting in line at Walt Disney World, I pass the time by discussing Fermat's Last Theorem. And I am an Anomaly. The other day, my co-workers and I were discussing our favorite Disney princesses and the one we each identified with the most. For me, the answer has changed over the years. If you asked me when I was 5, it would have been Ariel, no question - I can’t even express how much I dreamed of being a mermaid. But now, as an adult, it's Belle. Why? Because she is an Anomaly.

Within the first 5 minutes of Beauty and the Beast, it’s made extremely clear that Belle is not the typical young woman in the French countryside. The entire town sings about how, although beautiful, she’s far too “different”. Here’s a look at just two parts of that opening song:

Look there she goes that girl is so peculiar
I wonder if she's feeling well
With a dreamy, far-off look
And her nose stuck in a book
What a puzzle to the rest of us is Belle

Look there she goes
The girl is strange but special
A most peculiar mademoiselle!
It's a pity and a sin
She doesn't quite fit in
'Cause she really is a funny girl
A beauty, but a funny girl
She really is a funny girl
That Belle!

Gaston even confronts her during this opening sequence: “The whole town’s talking about it. It's not right for a woman to read. Soon she starts getting ideas and...thinking.” For a very brief moment, with no one else around but her father, we see Belle start to question herself. She wonders if she really is too odd. I know I’ve felt this way at times, and I’m sure other Anomalies have as well. Although lonely, Belle doesn’t give in to those insecurities and, in fact, embraces those things that make her different. In the song’s reprise, she sings:

I want adventure in the great wide somewhere
I want it more than I can tell
And for once it might be grand
To have someone understand
I want so much more than they’ve got planned

So, sure, Belle’s a nerd. I’d credit her father, the inventor, who doesn’t understand why the others think she’s so strange (although he’s a little off-kilter himself). It seems clear that she helps him out quite a bit with his inventions. She devours the books she borrows, and her favorites are fantasy stories: “Far off places, daring sword fights, magic spells, a prince in disguise!” (If you watch the extended edition, she also reads Shakespeare, and even teaches the Beast how to read.) The most special gift she can be given is access to an enormous library - not “flowers, chocolates, promises you don’t intend to keep.” She’s smart, curious, imaginative, opinionated; she doesn’t put up with pretension or rudeness; and she absolutely does not shrink from confrontation.

Belle is also pretty frakkin’ brave, loyal, and selfless - qualities typically associated with a Disney prince. She goes off on her own to rescue her father and gives up her own freedom for his (twice!). She tries to fight off a pack of wolves with nothing other than a fallen tree branch. And when she has a chance to run away while the Beast is injured, she decides to keep her promise and stay at the castle, nursing him back to health. She even ends up saving the Beast’s life, in more ways than one - her return gives him a reason to fight against an angry mob, she catches him as he’s falling from a balcony, and her love triggers the magic that will heal and transform him.

The obvious moral of Beauty and the Beast is to not make judgments based solely on appearances - Belle values people based on who they are, not what they look like. But the townsfolk judged Belle because of her interests and passions. The real lesson I learned from Belle - even if I wasn’t aware of it at the time - is be true to yourself and you’ll find where you belong and the people you belong with.

Sue

Anomaly Staff Writer

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