Hey professor, that skirt is too short for me to take you seriously

     *This post is a work in progress because my understanding of gender equality evolves and grows everyday. I would love for you to contact me with questions and comments. 

       Gender inequality in our society is something that I have paid a lot of attention to in the last couple years. This  semester I am taking a Women's Studies/ Sociology course titled "Gender and the Law." I also have a first year seminar about social identity, justice, and community. One of the main social identities we analyze and discuss is sex. 
      There really isn't any disputing the fact that sexism is alive and well. Men are praised or overlooked for their promiscuity while women are disrespected and gossiped about for theirs. What can be done about the double standards that exist for women in American (and many other) societies?
       The other day we studied an employment discrimination case that involved a woman not being promoted because she was not "feminine" enough. She would have been promoted to partner in an accounting firm. My professor said that "One of the criticism's her employer brought up was that she cursed and that 'professional women do not curse.' Fuck that." My professor's language made the whole class crack up but it caught my attention in a different way. I did not like that she cursed. I asked myself why. Cursing is such a double standard when it comes to sex. A man is just a man when he curses but a woman becomes trashy and foul-mouthed. Do I perpetuate this inequality by not swearing? 
    What about the fact that I dress modestly? It is recognized that a girl who covers up her body is usually more respected by men than those who keep their bodies on display. Is this not a double standard? Why can't I walk around in a tank top and short-shorts and be judged for what I say and do? Why do I have to hide my body to gain respect from men and women alike? Why is there a connection with clothing choices and honor only when judging a woman? Shouldn't we be judging women on their character and not what they do or don't wear? The girls that choose to cover up aren't even judged for their words and actions. They are just judged positively based on their choice to dress modestly.
Is gaining gender equality a game that needs to be played by men's standards, i.e. not cursing, covering up, etc. or is it rebelling: dressing how we want, and cursing if we please, until it is the norm? 

Love Advice from a silly Michigan girl

Disclaimer: I am not claiming to be an expert. I know some of my friends date and others don't, either way I hope you find this informative and entertaining.
   Last week I had a conversation with a new friend about one of her experiences with a guy. She liked a boy so much and didn't know what to do, and she did just about everything wrong. She stalked the guy and he ended up thinking of her as a crazy,obsessed weirdo. I wanted to cry for her and give her a hug. I wished that I had met her sooner so I could have provided a few pointers. These are just some basic things every teen guy/girl should know.
1. Don't be super complicated about how you start up a conversation. You don't need to make up something up in order to talk to them. Also, do not be that stranger on Facebook who messages someone saying "I know you don't know me, but you're so beautiful." Most likely his/her reaction will be: "Ahhh creeper!" (unless you are really attractive, and in that case if someone responds then you do not want to get involved with him/her anyway.)
2. Texting: Oh my dear Lord, the desperation that I have seen. You would think it is common knowledge to not text someone 20 times in an hour if they are not responding to you. Infatuated girls excuse: "But I just want to talk to him <333" If he is not texting you back, don't keep texting him. It is a simple rule that gets easier to follow the more you put it into practice. This is all about will-power. If he is not texting you back, it could be because he does not like you or that he is simply busy. In either scenario, you go from cute girl to stalker when he sees he has 9 messages from you.
    2.b Communication in general with your crush has to be "give and take." In every other aspect of life my advice is: Give, give, give without expecting anything in return. In this case, when you give a ton and receive little or no reciprocation, you can expect a broken heart.
3. Those stupid sayings are true. "You always want what you can't have." "Once a cheater, always a cheater." "If he does it with you, then he'll do it to you." Accept that now and you will be better off. On the note of cheaters, never let it happen twice. No matter how many "I'm sorrys"and "I can do betters", and no matter how much guilt he/she makes you feel, it is not worth it to get back together. It will be a shell of your previous relationship with him/her. It might take him/her a long time to cheat again, but it is bound to happen. By taking him/her back, you silently enabled that behavior.
4. Just because you want to believe it, doesn't mean you should believe it. This relates to a lot of things. People will lie to you and some of their lies will be incredibly beautiful, but denial is bad for the heart. It prolongs the blow but never is an escape from it.
5. That revealing Facebook picture will not get you a dreamy, respectful boyfriend. Guys: the same goes for your abs pictures. Modesty shows self-respect (and a brain.)
6.Cliche love advice is overused for a reason: it's foolproof. "Be yourself." Yes, be yourself with the person you like, even if that makes you different from him/her. Who would want to hang with someone who has the exact same interests anyway? You should be able to learn from each other. People with varying perspectives and opinions coming together can be epic. Don't mimic their interests hoping to flatter them.

Thanks for reading, I hope it made you smile at least once. Add on anything you feel is important to include in the comments section.