Letter to the Editor: In response to “The rise of super-grainy-cleavage selfies” article
I wanted to write to you to voice a complaint about the article in the USF Oracle entitled “The rise of super-grainy-cleavage-selfies.”
This article shames women who express themselves in a specific way. It blames objectification on women, and represents men who objectify women as a sole reaction to how they present themselves through photograph or dress.
This is an awful message to send to readers, and it is harmful in that it promotes the response that the victims of objectification are the ones who bring it upon themselves.
I believe that it is also relevant to note that the author has grainy, shirtless photographs on his own Facebook page. This seems to promote the message that it is okay for a man to present himself in this way, but that we must stifle the right of a woman who presents herself in a similar way.
I also want to mention that all viewpoints are not equal. One that harms groups of marginalized people such as gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, race, disabilities, etc. can continue to uphold and justify the marginalization of people.
Thank you,
Madison Turner
Madison Turner is a Tampa resident.
More Stories
OPINION: USF can do more to help students tackle academic burnout
Academic burnout is a major concern among students, as more than 80% of college seniors have experienced burnout during their undergraduate career, according to an Aug. 31 study by Handshake. Burnout can lead to depression, emotional unavailability and other mental and physical illnesses. To combat this, USF’s center of student well-being should have more resources […]
OPINION: Standardized testing needs to include more diverse cultural history
The Florida Board of Governors voted to accept the Classical Learning Test (CLT) as another form of standardized testing for college admissions on Sept. 8, according to an article by the State University System of Florida. This new testing format is centered on classical Western culture, according to the CLT website. With this directive, USF […]
OPINION: Raising Tampa’s property taxes will do more harm than good
Mayor Jane Castor proposed the Tampa Thrives plan on Aug. 3 to raise property taxes across the city in order to fund improvements to Tampa’s roads, transportation systems and public safety. This proposal is insensitive and impractical and it should not be approved by the City Council. The people of Tampa are already struggling with […]
OPINION: Students should prioritize digital safety, privacy
The European Union issued the Digital Services Act on Aug. 25. This raises a question about digital rights in the U.S., and who is most at risk for privacy threats. “Its laws are focused on individual user protection, and on preventing harmful content and misinformation from spreading across the web,” according to an Aug. 25 […]
OPINION: Climate denial videos do not belong in schools
The Florida Department of Education has approved the use of animated videos from the Prager University Foundation in public schools, several of which contain misinformation regarding climate change, according to an Aug. 7 article from E&E News. With the heat records that have been broken this summer, it’s unnerving to see videos with false claims […]
OPINION: Faculty members who sued BOG, BOT deserve to have their contracts honored
Three USF faculty members are suing the state’s Board of Governors and USF’s Board of Trustees concerning a new state law that allows university presidents to make the final decision on employee disputes, according to the lawsuit. Employees typically have the right to settle their disputes before an arbitrator, according to the lawsuit. Arbitration is […]