OPINION Page 4 Tuesday, April 3, 1984, The Michigan Daily Androgynous trend breeds confusion By Naomi Saferstein Sexual identity, or the lack of it, deems to be a very timely topic these days. This occurred to me as I sat in iny art history class last week. There, of all places, while I was watching some schmaltzy film about the sculptor -Henry Moore, all my classmates, a usually rather tranquil bunch began to hiss, groan, and exclaim, "Oh my God, -I can't believe it" when the narrator liescribed a two part Moore sculpture as "combining the assertiveness of man with the femininity of woman." As the 200-plus people around me became engrossed in the absurdity of such a statement, I became fascinated by the people who were becoming engrossed in that archaic description. I began comparing the woman sitting behind me, who has short blond hair, no make- up, and was the type of person whom I'd hate to meet in a dark alley, to the guy down the aisle, the one with the earing, the paisley blouse, and the groovy hair- do. Suddenly, I couldn't help but laugh, for if he was what the movie referred to as masculine and she, feminine, then I was confused. And from this confusion I concluded that the terms masculine and feminine are products of a school of sexual definition which, in my opinion, has become virtually obsolete. In this school the boy - who wears pants, has hair above the ear, and plays varsity football - meets the girl - who wears skirts, has cascading locks, bouncing breasts, and is undoubtedly a cheerleader. Then together, they conceive baby in the missionary position - no questions asked. This was a school where one's genitals distinguished whether or not your per- sonality would manifest itself as masculine or feminine - masculine meaning traits identified with a man and feminine those identified with a woman. ACCORDING TO the definition of this school of sex (as I shall call it), one's sexuality, or sexual preference, was something that was designated at birth, like blue eyes or brown hair. It was, by no means, something you "discovered" or "realized" - it just was. Bob and Carol, Ted and Alice, and Pete and Mary were made just like the Jovan "Man and Woman" perfume line, with component #1 fitting perfectly with component #2. We were taught at this school from day one that you put the round pegs in the round holes, and the square in the squares. If it fit, it fit. If it didn't, it didn't. It was plain and sim- ple. But lately it looks like the board of administration within our school has changed, and the new sexual code of conduct reflects this. Now what once was round has stretched to oval and what was once square has been Daily Photo by CAROL L. FRANCAVILLA Is the person who is wearing the earing in this picture a male or a female? Have the terms masculine and feminine become obsolete in our society longer seems critical. And the poor soul who thinks he, or she, is attracted to the opposite sex becomes so distraught now, when he meets the per- son of his dreams, the first thing he has to ask is of what sexual preference is the party in question. And this sexual ambiguity is not just apparent in the liberal progressive community that we know as Ann Arbor, sexual redefinition is taking the nation by storm. Just look at who's hot in the Who's Who columns or on the cover of Tiger Beat. Does Annie Lenox or Michael Jackson ring a bell? It looks like this man/woman pop star business is what sells these days. And I'm sure the teeny bopper poster makers are overjoyed by this. No longer do they have to make Farrah Fawcett or John Travolta posters, they can just combine the two and get Boy George. Yes, it's apparent to me that out of this sexual ambiguity which we've been talking about, comes androgeny, the new rule of conduct for our groovy, hip school. And America is eating it up, hook, line, and sinker. This androgynous sexual concept is the hottest thing since the Cabbage Patch doll. And the best thing about it is that you don't have to wait in any long lines, pay outrageous prices, or go through any type of hassle to get it because there's enough to go around, either way you look At it. The way I see it, androgyny is to the '80s what free love was to the '60s - very catchy. It is so catchy that more and more I see individuals breaking those aforementioned masculine/feminine barriers. And this gets me thinking, wouldn't it be wild if society as we know it would turn into a totally androgynous state? I could just see it now, men would become more feminine and women more masculine. Then we could all meet in the middle and have a party to proclaim our new found freedom. But a problem arises. Who invites whom to the affair? And who pays? Does the one who pays open the door and pull out the chair? But wait a minute, aren't we getting into roles once again? And if so whose roles? Speaking of rolls, what will we feast on at our gala affair? Turkey? Then who will carve this bird? Hold on though, do we really want turkey after all? No, I think not, it was a bad idea. We can't eat turkey, turkey is living too. There is no way we can raise otir arms in merriment when there's drun sticks in our hands and feathers on our face, that goes against everything we're fighting for. But wait once again, we're not supposed to be fighting - we're supposed to be celebrating, aren't we? I thought so. I mean I think so. Oh shit, it sounds like I'm confused again. Looks like it's back to school on- ce more. today? smushed to a rectangle. Thus, the non- conventional student begins to-put the oval pegs in the rectangular holes and is surprised to find out that they fit. Sure, the edges might be a bit empty, but it's OK. It's new, it's different, and it's exciting. A once obsolete institution is now emerging as a progressive establishment. In this new, progressive school, sexual identity becomes redefined; the old stand-bys have sat down. What on- ce was, now isn't. So it becomes Bob and Ted, Carol and Alice, and Mary plays go-between while Pete watches. People are no longer confined by past sexual roles and are now free to define their own positions. BUT WITH THIS redefinition and progression comes a lot of confusion. And I find it quite ironic that now when people have that long awaited sexual freedom they don't know how to deal with it. It suddenly seems that everyone I know is going through some sort of sexual identity crisis, or they just finished getting over one, or are on the verge of going through one. And if that's not the case, they have been going through one for so long that it no Saferstein is a Daily; ter. staff repor- Stewart n Edited and managed by students at The University of Michigan Vol. XClV-No. 146 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, M1 48109 Editorials represent a majority opinion of the Daily's Editorial Board 0 Hash Bash eulogy HE HASH BASH is no more. Last Sdtnday would -have marked the thirteenthannual celebration of lenient pot laws, but the number of participants, which has been dwindling for the past few years, dwindled all the way to none this year. Only a few watchful security oficers showed up to rekindle memories of the twelve previous hash festivals. Though the occasional violence and vandalism that 'surrounded the bash will not be missed, the passing of the event must be viewed with a bit of nostalgia. There is a lot of history surrounding past April ists on the Diag. The Bash used to be a lot more than a collection of 25 high school students - the make- up of last year's event. As recently as 1978, 6,000 participants toked up in the spring air. The first year of the Bash, 1972, was a protest in favor of marijuana decriminalization. Largely in response to the early Bashes, city officials adopted a $5 pot law which made Ann Arbor one of the most. lenient cities in the country toward marijuana possession. In 1973 5,000 turned out for the festival and State Rep. Perry Bullard lit up a joint for the benefit of the press ("There's nothing wrong with it," he giggled). The emphasis of the Bash shifted in the late '70s from a pro-marijuana statement to a day of general student activism. April 1st was a day to collectively enjoy the outdoors and promote social consciousness. But the Bash is no longer a statement or a tradition, it is only a memory. The term "Hash Bash" was in many ways a misnomer. Marijuana did not give the event its enduring appeal. The 5,000 participants in 1973 came to make a statement and the rallies of the late '70s celebrated political consciousness more than the evil weed. The annual event tried to bring back a more socially active time in order to battle the rising tide of student apathy. Marijuana was the theme but not the substance. It is sad that the Bash's death marks the passing of one of the last vestiges of the protest era. It's not that there is nothing to protest anymore, it's just that a lot of students suffer from a fundamental lack of social concern. Being an anachronistic tradition, the Hash Bash's time has rightfully come. But at least we have the memories. LETTERS TO THE DAILY: Don 't let kids read the To the Daily: them while reading the article Every once in a while, while '"U' student aquitted of ticket- reading the Daily the brain goes scalping charge" (Daily, March "screeee! !" and you know 23). The first one was the news something's wrong. I got two of that although John Haughton was MSA involvement urged 4- 9 i. L. k To the Daily: This year's MSA elections have probably caused the biggest stir in recent memory. Despite snags, over 6,000 students cast ballots for the people of their choice. We believe this can be at- tributed to theenthusiastic at- titudes of all the candidates. About 100 students ran to fill only 35 spots. To the winners, we give a hearty congratulations and wish much luck for the year to come. You have a tough road ahead of you. To those 70 or so who did not get elected, we strongly en- courage you to take part in MSA. There are dozens of positions on committees and on action groups which are rewarding and need to be filled with good people. The dedication of those who ran is apparent and MSA always needs dedicated students. All of you who ran have unique talents and have diverse ideas about how the University should be run. If you really wanted to get elected, then you are badly needed to par- make a difference and your ideas can still be enjoyed. We urge you to get involved! -Andrew Hartman Mary Rowland Scott Page March 28 Hartman is chairman of the College Democrats. Rowland is MSA president. Page is MSA president-elect. BLOOM COUNTY found not guilty of scalping UM football tickets, a photograph exists "allegedly showing two Michigan State Police officers and their. wives sitting in the seats confiscated from Haughton the day before." We've all heard of the cops sitting around smoking up the evidence or pop- ping the evidence, but stealing the football tickets is going too far. We expect more of our honest cops. At least thiskind of activity should not be printed in the newspapers; our kids might grow up thinking it's all right to do this kind of thing.. The second one was about Ross Laser, "Laser leads Blue in '84." by Berke Breathed Daily It's funny, but I have always thought that University athletes were amateurs, or at least were supposed to be. The article on Ross clearly reported that he had tried his hand at professional tennis for two summers in "two summer pro Satellite circuits in several different countries, thinking and doing what young pros do." It's pretty obvious that University athletes are semi- pros, but do we really let pros play on our amateur teams? I don't think I want my kids to hear about this one at all. - Robert Trebor March 23 I ii f i ip, { ;. . __ : p.- ,.- 1O COMP(W6.,. OR NOT TO COMPUTE,.. THA~T 15 TMf6 OU5TON... Q~7 0i4, WH6THER 1TI5 NOK6R IN ?NE MEMORY ?BANK .,TO 5S(FF.R 1ME O(IrRAGW(/5 FIINC17ON5.. Fl .. 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