My Love/Hate Relationship with Victoria's Secret

By Brianna Savoca

My DVR is set to record the Victoria's Secret Fashion Show tomorrow night.

A package from Victoria's Secret just arrived via UPS with presents for my sister, girlfriends, and a few things for myself.

I spend way too much money than I should at Victoria's Secret. When it comes to bras, panties, PJs, and lounge wear, Victoria's Secret does it best. My loyalty lies with the brand, who year after year produces trendy and extremely fashionable clothing and under garments.

However, the imagery produced by Victoria's Secret contributes to many women feeling self-conscious or uncomfortable with their self-image. Victoria's Secret Angels and models are beautiful, picturesque creatures, but real women do not look like them. But, with the amount of commercials and advertisements on TV and in malls around the country, it is hard to avoid seeing these images and denying their effects.

Men goggle over the beautiful Victoria's Secret models. It's hard not to stare at these models with gorgeous faces and voluptuous figures. Men see these models who encapsulate all the ideals of beauty, who spark an intense sexual attraction. Then, when it comes to real women who they date, average women are not as stimulating or cannot compare based on these standards of beauty.

Victoria's Secret is basically soft-core porn for men, and since many women love the brand, it is hard to deny its appeal. However, there is no denying the objectification of Victoria's Secret models. They are viewed as bodies, perfect bodies nonetheless, but when have you ever heard the models speak about anything past the clothes (or lack there of) they have on.

That's my beef. While I object to the objectification of women, I cannot stop shopping at Victoria's Secret. Believe it or not, the store was actually created by a man to make it easier for husbands to shop for lingerie for their wives, so women were never really expected to shop at the store originally.

The Victoria's Secret Fashion Show premieres tomorrow night, December 1st at 10 PM on CBS.

Beating the Holiday Bulge

A Constant Battle for Women in a Misogynist Society

By Brianna Savoca

With two Thanksgiving dinners on Thursday and Black Friday leftovers, like many women around the country, I found myself dreading to step on the scale following the weekend's food festivities.

It's no secret American's holiday traditions cause weight gain- the American Heart Association reports most people gain 5 to 10 pounds between Thanksgiving and New Years. More than likely, I will certainly be a part of this statistic.

When it came to stuffing, I did not skimp. Mounds of mashed potatoes, tons of turkey, and green bean casserole galore covered my plate in the afternoon and evening on Turkey Day, as we celebrated at my boyfriend's and my family's homes. Thank goodness we did not have to go for a third meal at my Dad's side of the family, as that may require purchasing a new wardrobe on Black Friday to accommodate the influx in my dress size.

Even though I did not stop myself from eating the traditional holiday dishes, I had to wonder- do men feel the same frustrations following Thanksgiving weekend? Do men feel as self-conscious stepping on a scale after gorging on turkey, stuffing, pumpkin pie, and mashed potatoes?

Based on a couple factors, I would conclude men do not feel the same pressures as women when it comes to weight.

First, typical gender roles create a strong difference in clothing styles for men versus women. Clothing styles for men fit looser, making it easier to disguise the belly bulge or thicker thighs after holiday meals. Women's clothing hugs the waist, fits tightly on the thighs, and makes it difficult to conceal extra flab from extra food.

Second, men brag about how much food they can consume, almost making an eating contest out of big meals. My male cousins competed to see who could stuff down more stuffing and eat more turkey than the others. The man who eats more holds bragging rights, and is essentially the Thanksgiving Champion of sorts. In comparison, most women try to conceal how much food they have even consumed during holiday meals, as stuffing your face is not quite "ladylike" behavior. Many women even turn down high caloric dishes, using excuses like, "It will go right to my hips," or "I won't fit into my clothes."

Third, based on "How to Beat the Holiday Bulge" articles found on many news websites, the advice seems mainly geared toward women, even in one American Heart Association article. One article says to wear a belt around the stomach or a tighter clothing in order to stop yourself from eating as much. Another article says to focus on making conversations rather than eating, or learning how to politely say no, advice geared toward women and feminine qualities.

Overall, women in our society seem to dread the holiday bulge more than men due to genderized pressures, cultural norms of weight, and society's beauty ideals. Men can hide weight gain under their clothing, whereas women are forced to conform to societies standards of beauty and weight.

While I did not succumb to the genderized pressures of starving myself to stay skinny over Thanksgiving weekend, I will give into the pressures of style, avoiding my tighter fitting clothes for the month of December. At least I have "Cyber Monday" to order a new wardrobe in the next size up.

Leading Cause of Death in Women

WHO Conducts First Study of Women's Health

By Brianna Savoca

Heart disease used to be the number one killer of women, and despite the new "advice" to wait until age 50 for a mammogram, breast cancer is not sitting in the number one spot- AIDS is.

The World Health Organization conducted the first study of women's health around the globe and found AIDS is the leading killer among women between the ages of 15 and 44.

How high is the death count? One in five deaths among women in the age group above is linked to unsafe sex.

What the 91-page WHO report alluded to was the unequal health treatment women face throughout the course of their lives, especially in developing countries. In many parts of the world, women suffer serious disadvantages because of poverty, low access to health care, and cultural norms that benefit men's well-being over women, says WHO Chief Dr. Margaret Chan.

"We will not see a significant improvement in the health of women until they are no longer recognized as second-class citizens," says Dr. Chan.

While Dr. Chan makes a very valid point, it is truly surprising that the first study of global women's health just wrapped up in 2009, especially when the findings suggest many women's deaths could have been prevented if their partners had wrapped it up.

Pretty pathetic how patriarchy and politics seem to have prevented a study of women's health until 2009, while many lives were probably lost from AIDS in the process due to a lack of information or simply the money for condoms.

Coffee Talk

Making Connections or Breeding Insecurities?

By Brianna Savoca

Weekend mornings in the crisp, fall weather of the Midwest brews the perfect excuse for women to gather at local coffee shops. Sipping on lattes and espresso, women chatter about girlfriends, family, work, school, and men.

I participated in this ritual this morning, with a girlfriend in from out-of-town for Ohio University's Homecoming weekend.

As I waited in line for my pumpkin pie chai latte, I couldn't help but notice all the cliques of women gathered at tables in pairs, threesomes, and foursomes, in "Sex & the City"

fashion. Some women spoke animatedly, hashing out stories from the night before. Some women sat listening and engaged in the conversation. Some women had smiles, while many women had lines of worry etched across their faces.

This got me thinking. Do our conversations at coffee shops strengthen our bonds with girlfriends, or do they cause insecurities to flourish in the compare and contrast nature of our conversations?

My girlfriend and I pleasantly bantered about our current job situations, men, and girlfriends we had not spoken to in a while. Our conversation was full of updates and sharing news.

However, I could not help but notice the women next to us seemed to has a much different atmosphere at their table. Waiting for my girlfriend who went to get her coffee, I overheard some of their conversation.

One woman in particular seemed frustrated, crossing her arms and rolling her eyes as a poised woman spoke enthusiastically about her successful date. When the aggravated woman blurted out, "We know your life is perfect." The other woman reassured her that her luck would change and not to worry.

But people do worry. Saying not to worry almost encourages a person to worry more. Plus, the look on the woman's face clearly showed her worries were not eased by her friend's reassurance.

Here are my questions: Women watch shows like "Sex & the City," where girlfriends meet up for friendly conversations and update each other on their lives. However, do we benefit from these conversations? Or do we leave feeling more hopeless than before? Does it all depend on the day? Are some girlfriends better coffee-mates than others?

My coffee date left me feeling fulfilled and happy, since I got to meet up with my girlfriend who I had not seen in a while. Overall, I enjoy my coffee dates with my girlfriends.

I just hope they all leave not only feeling perked up by the caffeine, but also perked up by light-hearted conversation and our common bond as girlfriends.

Is "Love You Biotch" Really Love?

Terms of Endearment or Slinging Insults? The Double Meaning of Women-Hating Words.
By Brianna Savoca

**WARNING: Explicit content and offensive words are included in this post.**

Slut muffin. Whore. Hoe bag. Biotch. Are you offended yet? Should you be offended?

After watching "Kourtney and Khloe Take Miami," a reality television program on the E! network, my boyfriend's mom and I discussed the use of these typically women-hating words. For readers who are not familiar with this TV show, Kourtney and Khloe, two of the Kardashian sisters, often call one another "whore" or "biotch" on the show.

My boyfriend's mother said she hated the way two sisters called each other such degrading names. However, the Kardashians typically use whore or biotch as a term of endearment while engaging in casual and humorous dialogue on the show. Thus, the Kardashian sisters embrace these ordinarily derogatory terms. This is true for many television programs, movies, and even informal conversation between girlfriends.

Biotch seems to replace hun, sweetie, chick, or cutie in casual greetings and good-byes. One example I overhear constantly on campus is, "See you later, biotch!"

Still, today's conversation made me wonder- What should our societal protocol be when it comes to the usage of these words?

When it comes to casual, conversational use of slut, hoe, whore, etc. are we further perpetuating the negative connotations of these words? Or are we embracing them, thus reversing the normal harmful repercussions of women-hating words?

A certain shock value accompanies these words. However, some of the shock

may come from societal interpretations of the words based on standard norms.

For example, "bitch" carries a certain amount of shock value. The definition of bitch is a lewd woman, a woman considered to be spiteful or overbearing, or a weak man. On the contrary, a bitch usually is a powerful woman. Most men feel threatened by a powerful woman, so bitch has become a negatory insult and patriarchal slur towards women.

Therefore, using bitch as a term of endearment or in a positive, casual manner, lessens these harsh, negative connotations of the word. One could argue using "bitch" in a positive tone amongst girlfriends actually empowers women. However, calling a women a "bitch" in a negative light simply perpetuates the derogatory associations of the word.

Should feminists of the world embrace these terms? Let's try it.

All you wonderful hoe bag, bitches, slut muffins, and whores can do anything you put mind to. Fight patriarchy, and embrace your femininity. Be a bitch, and be proud of it.