As a student at Bowling Green State University I was walking through MacDonald residence hall and noticed how non-handicap accessible the building really is.   September 14, 2010 I gotten out of class early and, due to the fact, I went to visit a friend in MacDonald hall just to notice it’s lack of ramps, handicap restrooms,  and mobility in general.  One of the resident advisers were hosting a program displaying Mac’s lack of accessibility and I noticed how if a person was handicapped it would be hard for them to be mobile if they were living anywhere except for the ground floor.  With Mac’s narrow hallways and nonexistence of ramps there are only two doors in which students in wheelchairs can leave as compared to the ten exits that those who are not in wheelchairs can use.  I also noticed that if a fire drill or fire was to ever occur in Mac than it would just be bad news for those who have limited mobility.  Given that elevators are shutdown during fire drills/fire alarms, students who can’t accessibly take the steps are expected to wait on their floor for a fire person to help them for assistance.   I was surprised that the best assistance the building could give someone who has the inability to leave a burning building is assurance that a fireman will be to their assistance as they await in the burning building.

Along with it’s constant use of steps, MacDonald also isn’t conscience of guest who visit the building.  Hypothetically speaking, let’s say that Mac kept a record of all those who are handicapped and that their records indicate that all of its residents are not apart of the handicap portion.  Given that it host two dining facilities and most incoming freshmans, who will have their friends visit, you would think the building would be more living sustainable for those who are in the building.  In general, Mac lack braille postings to help blind students maneuver through the  building.  The building also lacks space for people in wheelchairs coming from opposite sides of the hallway to pass one another. All in all I noticed how mac had way more inaccessibility than accessibility and that while its undergoing renovations they need to its accessibility.

In a college environment one can’t help but notice the insinuations, stereotypes, and accusations students have about one another. From my perspective it feels as if I live in a tourist like snow globe and I am constantly being watched and shaken by my peers who are waiting to make a comment about what I do, say, or wear.  Like most nights, a few of my friends and myself sat around and just talked; had a typical girls night.    Like most nights we talked about guys, relationships, sex, drama, and personal issues.  While on the topics of guys each girl was naming who they thought the cutest guy on campus was and if they would ever approach him.  As one of my friends was listing off a guy she thought was attractive another friend blurted out “Eww, that fag***!” Soon the whole room burst into laughter, and guilty as I am, I joined in with the laughter.  The guy who my friend named was a well groomed, fashionably dress, poetic guy who happened to have a lighter voice.  Not once did he say that he was of the homosexual/bisexual orientation nor have she ever witnessed him romantically involved with another guy, so her comment was composed of assumption.  Like the rest of the girls there, as the laughter died down, we continue talking as if nothing wrong was said and enjoyed the rest of our night.

Analyzing the situation now, I noticed that I did nothing more than encourage ignorance to be acknowledged and joked upon.  We socially constructed the idea that a man should be masculine in voice and rugged in appearance.  We have an idea that they should be sweaty and handy and when they go outside the norm and decide to take upon activities that aren’t socially placed on them they get categorized into unaccepted territory.  Given that he has a sense of style he was given the persona of being gay but the fact that he was previously in a committed long term relationship with a girl was irrelevant to her comment.  What is considered  heterosexual, masculine, homosexual, and feminine are socially constructed ideas implanted to allow people to generalize people into groups.  Addressing ignorant comments is important because when laughed at or unacknowledged it gives the speaker a sense that their comment was appropriate and doesn’t help with social change that is trying to occur.  There are two ways to be apart of a problem: your either the noticeable perpetrator or the passive observer, and in the above scenario I was the passive observer. Now I acknowledge unwelcoming comments and encourage everyone to say only appropriate things when addressing someone; as my father told me, “if you don’t have anything nice to say, than don’t say anything at all.”

Growing up Barbie was the epitome toy that every young girl wanted.  She was a simple doll that, if bought additionally, could do anything society had to offer; of course those things were feminine.  Barbie had a dog, daughter, a husband, and various cars, dream houses, and occupations.  Barbie was the girl that young girls dream they would be.  However, ignorant to social expectations, a young girl doesn’t realize the pressure that Barbie is captivated from.  Barbie has luxurious flowing blonde hair, strikingly perfect physique, large breast, and a small waist.  She has the natural arch in her foot given that she only wear heels and the perfect life with a family, job, home, car, and a beautiful group of friends.   Barbie is a doll that subconsciously illustrates to young girls what they should aim to be.  It sends a message that with beautiful looks and a slim sculpted body, they too can be popular and successful. 

While growing up, never once did I notice, an athletic Barbie, police Barbie, or firefighter Barbie that wasn’t in an inappropriate dress as if it was a young adult Halloween costume.  Barbie doesn’t acknowledge the “masculine” acting or athletically built women as the doll was made on society expectations for Barbie to be eye candy for males.  Majority of the Barbie dolls that were created were swimsuit Barbie, pageant Barbie, or preppy Barbie.  The fact that education, dominance, working class Barbie doesn’t exist creates a stepping stone in a young girl head that her purpose in life is to be thin and beautiful.  Even if Barbie was given a professional role it was one of a nurse, teacher, or baker and still her role had a stereotypical sex appeal to it. 

Alongside her submissive and dainty appearance is the lack of culture that surrounds Barbie.  Barbie groups of friends consist of majority white ditzy girls and one black and Hispanic doll.  They aren’t as present around and even if they are present they give a misrepresentation of the culture they are perceived to be.  All the girls have long synthesized hair, thin frames, and a preppy look about them.  They represent the upper class families since the dream houses are those of mansions and fancy décor and their cars are drop top corvettes and not Buicks.

As a child I played with Barbie because I was oblivious to society’s input on what a woman should look and act like.  I ignored the sexual implications that Barbie displayed and the lack of education and athleticism she never displayed.  I was nonchalant to the fact wearing tennis shoes wasn’t acceptable for Barbie as well as anything that wasn’t a skirt, dress, tight, cropped, or mini.  Barbie is a figment of imagination socially constructed to criticize women who do not follow the social norms of beauty.  What society fails to realize is that Barbie is plastic. She is fake.  She is manmade.  And so are her expectations.

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