Inspired by Convention: Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement Part 1

Welcome to the fifth post in the "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention" series. Thank you, Jessica Mace, for your generosity in providing a three-part series, themed Wisdom, Devotion, Achievement. 

This was my very first convention. When Amy asked me to reflect back on a moment from it, so much came to mind: I thought of the experience of rooming with sisters I have never met in real life; I thought of connecting with a sister I had never spent time in chapter with but who has known my husband longer than I have. I thought of sitting with one of my greatest role models and changing the conversation, of nerves before presenting for the first time, and of tears at seeing one of my BHAG’s (Big Hairy Audacious Goal) come true. Ultimately, it was these last three I couldn’t help but write about. These are moments that shaped me, that inspired me, and that developed me.

I’m splitting these up into three separate posts —Wisdom, Devotion, and Achievement —so that I can give each one the attention it deserves.

(WISDOM)

Starting with Wisdom: Changing the conversation. On Monday we had a presentation by Caroline Heldman and a screening of the film Miss Representation. If you haven’t seen it-go do so now! It’s available on iTunes  (here). Not only is the subject matter fascinating and necessary, but I had the privilege of sitting next to one of my Alpha Chi role models during it, Jari Askins. Jari has been very involved in Oklahoma politics, from State Senate to serving as Lieutenant Governor (2007-2011). She is my Alpha Chi role model, and a role model of mine in general.

One of the areas the documentary covered is woman on woman competition. We are so hard on each other. You see a woman at a stoplight, and before you can even think twice you are judging her. Her skirt is too tight, why is she putting it all out there like that? There’s lipstick in her teeth, does she even own a mirror? It goes on. Very rarely do you look at a female you don’t know and go “Wow, I bet she has some great insight on the BCS system.”

There would be moments in the documentary where I would look to Jari for validation, or in amazement that these statistics were true. She’d look back and nod, and sometimes add a tidbit on about how she had experienced it in one way or another in her life…and I would typically become just a little more disgusted with the world we live in.

The us is 90th in the world in having women in legislature. #missrepresentation #unacceptable #AXOatTheArch #AXOConv2012

— Jessica Mace (@JessicaAMace) July 16, 2012

The average number of news stories about women and girls is LESS THAN 20%. #disgusting #changingtheconversation #missrepresentation

— Jessica Mace (@JessicaAMace) July 16, 2012

It’s sharing in the wisdom of the sisters that came before me, in the resources and education they provide to help me grow into who I'm meant to be. It’s the little teaching moments of sisterhood that make for some of my most memorable (like the moment when Jari said, "yes, it really is that bad.").

It’s not alone seek the average, it’s together let us seek the heights. Aim high, and take your sisters with you.

Stay tuned for tomorrow and part 2: DEVOTION

Jessica Mace is an initiate of Gamma Tau chapter at Oklahoma City University. A certified personal trainer and group fitness instructor, she currently serves as Volunteer Placement Coordinator for Alpha Chi Omega, and Vice President of Pi Sigma Pi, Stars and Stripes Alumnae Chapter. Follow her on twitter at @JessicaAMace, and ‘like’ her on facebook at www.facebook.com/JMaceFitness

Inspired by Convention: Changing the Conversation Requires Real Strong Voices

Welcome to the second post in the "Inspired by Alpha Chi Omega Convention" series. Over the next few weeks, we will be sharing stories of how Convention inspired us.

Ever since I learned we would be screening Miss Representation at Convention, I had been looking forward to seeing the film and hearing one of the professors featured in the film speak. I was not prepared for how moving sharing this experience with sisters would be.

Monday morning, Dr. Caroline Heldman, Associate Professor and Chair of the Politics Department at Occidental College, delivered a keynote titled "Time to Represent the Real Me." In a thoroughly academic and completely engaging way, she taught us about sexual objectification in the media and how it reduces our power as women.

"If objectification is the process of representing or treating a person like an object, then sexual objectification is the process of representing or treating a person like a sex object, one that serves another’s sexual pleasure." (source)

The first step is identifying the problem. Dr. Heldman shared her Sex Object Test: if you answer yes to any of 7 questions (see the full list with examples here), there is sexual objectification present.

The second step is knowing how damaging exposure to these images can be to women and girls.

"women who grow up in a culture with widespread sexual objectification tend to view themselves as objects of desire for others. This internalized sexual objectification has been linked to problems with mental health (e.g., clinical depression, “habitual body monitoring”), eating disorders, body shame, self-worth and life satisfaction, cognitive functioning, motor functioning, sexual dysfunction, access to leadership, and political efficacy. Women of all ethnicities internalize objectification, as do men to a far lesser extent." (source)

Dr. Heldman went through each item on the list, defined it for us, and for a few, shared examples from research. [Note each one on the list is a link you can follow to learn more.] The item that really hit home for me was political efficacy and realizing how fixated the media is on the appearance of women in general and political candidates especially. Seeing the way respected news organizations talked about Hillary Clinton and Sarah Palin during the 2008 election was eye-opening.

Being able now to identify the issue and the harm it is causing, Dr. Heldman gave us ways to improve our mental health: four daily rituals of our objectification culture we can stop engaging in. See all four (stop seeking male attention; stop consuming damaging media; stop playing negative internal tapes; stop competing with other women) in detail here.

"When you see a woman who triggers competitiveness, practice active love instead. Smile at her. Go out of your way to talk to her. Do whatever you can to dispel the notion that female competition is the natural order. If you see a woman who appears to embrace the male attention game, instead of judging her, recognize the pressure that produces this and go out of your way to accept and love her." (source) (See also 4 Daily Rituals to Start)

We had two opportunities to see Miss Representation with Dr. Heldman introducing the film and answering questions after. The screening I attended was packed and the energy in the room was palpable.

Miss Representation 8 min. Trailer 8/23/11 from Miss Representation on Vimeo.

I left the room feeling so full of love for Alpha Chi Omega. I found myself

• Inspired by our national organization's leadership and staff who incorporate our mission and values into so much of what we do - offering lifelong learning opportunities; helping us be more real, even stronger women; giving us the tools to find our voices, become better advocates, and create lasting cultural change (and maybe even change the conversation along the way); 
• Fired up by the collegiate and alumnae sisters in the room who shared their experiences as students, mothers and volunteers, who asked wonderful thoughtful questions about the film, and who expressed their desire to bring change to their campuses and their communities; 
• Inspired all over again by Alpha Chi Omega's Executive Director, Cheri O'Neill, when she set the bar with her marching orders to each of us in the room. As CEO of an almost multi-million dollar enterprise, she reminded us that just as she is a leader, we are ALL leaders: we all have a responsibility to make the world a better place and Alpha Chi Omega expects us to get out there and do it. 

I hope you'll take the opportunity to see Miss Representation (it's available on itunes here), like Miss Representation on facebook here and learn more/take action to help hold media accountable here.

Denim Day

A 45-year-old driving instructor picks up an 18-year-old girl for her first lesson, takes her to an isolated road, pulls her out of the car, wrestles her out of one leg of her jeans and rapes her. Her rapist's conviction is overturned on appeal, because her jeans were "too tight".

 This is the event that spurred a worldwide movement to end sexual assault and the victim blaming associated with it. In 2011, 2.6 million people participated in Demin Day. Join me and wear jeans today! 

Every year since 1999 Peace Over Violence has organized Denim Day in LA & USA. It is a rape prevention education campaign where we ask community members, elected officials, businesses and students to make a social statement with their fashion statement and wear jeans as a visible means of protest against misconceptions that surround sexual assault. To find out more, visit Denim Day USA.

RSVP at http://demindayusa.org 

Like http://www.facebook.com/denimdayinlaandusa

Follow PeaceOverViolence on Twitter.

Today (Wednesday March 25, 2012) is Demin Day all over the world. 

TedxWomen Interview with Gloria Steinem

I saw this great video on Just Imagine: The Power of Creativity in Women's Lives (which you should definitely check out) and had to share it. Enjoy!




Official description: Gloria Steinem is a writer, lecturer, editor, and feminist activist who talks about the aging process as becoming more like ourselves. She reflects on her own process of aging, her writing, stereotypes, biases and the feminist movement. She is joined by Salamishah Tillet, a feminist activist,academic and writer.