4 - The Michigan Daily - Tuesday, March 6, 2001 GYe3diw r~ 420 MAYNARD) STREE7 ANN ARBOR, MI 48109 daily letters@umich.edu Atlas flexed, then covered up GINA HAMADEY CAUGHT PROVOKING EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN SINCE 1890 GEOFFREY GAGNON Editor in Chief MICHAEL GRASS NICHOLAS WOOMER Editorial Page Editors Unless otherwise noted, unsigned editorials reflect the opinion of the majority of the Daily's editorial board. All other articles, letters and cartoons do not necessarily reflect the opinion of The Michigan Daily it's no secret that men care about their bod- ies. One would only have to visit a gym to dis- cover this. But it seems to be more acceptable of late for men to not only work out, but also diet and obsess about their weight. Take, for example, Brad Pitt, who is on the high-protein Zone diet, hav- ing each meal delivered to him at home or on sets. Males' concern over their bodies generally starts now, in college, for a number of reasons: They are participating in fewer sports, their metabolism isn't what it used to be and, specif- ic to college kids, they are ingesting more beer and take-out. All of this is bound to catch up toward the end of one's college career. As a senior, I've noticed the same guys that once had large pizzas delivered to their dorm rooms (on a nightly basis) trying to trim down for spring break. One group of boys put themselves on a one- meal-a-day diet for the weeks preceding their tropical departure. They would starve all day, only to feast at four o'clock, and then later go to bed hungry. Such experimental dieting reminds me of high school. Most girls had to watch their weight starting in high school, or even junior high, when most boys were having twinkie-eat- ing contests. When my childhood best friend and I noticed changes in our bodies, we went on a pasta and strawberries diet-quite literally. We'd even eat the two together, convincing ourselves this meal was tasty. It worked; we lost weight. But, as one would imagine, I was cranky and weak and tired. So I went back to regular eating after researching what foods to generally avoid. Years after our first diets, a number of girls seem to be more confidant in their bodies. I spent spring break in Negril, Jamaica, and I noticed that all types of normal, healthy-look- ing (read: not skinny) girls were joining the wet t-shirt and thong contests. I'm not necessarily an advocate for such competitions, but it was refreshing to see girls proud of their bodies. My friends in high school would wrap towels around themselves while going in and coming out of a pool, ashamed of their natural, tiny thighs that had developed. One night in Negril, after a thong contest, the announcer called for men to come up to the stage for a hard body contest. No one went and it was cancelled. Boys are now aware of their changing bodies, and this type of self-conscious- ness is probably why I spotted some Michigan boys running on the beach in Jamaica. To be fair, they could just really enjoy running. So does my roommate, but in 85-degree weather she thought it best to take a swim. Men are becoming more aware of their appearances in general. I know a guy who owns far more bottles of lotion and other grooming products than I do, and he is not teased by his friends. Lynne Luciano, in her book "Looking Good: Male Body Image in Modem America," writes that American men spent $3 billion on grooming aids and fragrances in 1997 alone. The book's reviewer Holly Brubach comments, "Men in their 20s now have permission to be vain in a way that previous generations did not. Some are taking this vanity to the surgical table, as Men's Health magazine has reported From 1992 to 1997, liposuction tripled among men and face lifts nearly doubled. The article went on to say that men are still not talking openly about having these surgeries like women do. So while being vain might be more accept- able for males today, it still is not at the same level as for females. And there are certain things that boys still feel they have to do for the sake of their manhood. My friend's brother, a sophomore in college, drinks diet coke with the family to cut on extra calories and regular coke with his friends, claiming it to be embarrassing to drink diet. Likewise, some boys have reser- vations about ordering a girlish salad for dinner, even if they like salad. But lately, boys I eat with will order salad for the sake of their expanding tummy. That men are starting to feel comfortable dieting and catering to their vanities does not imply that they are becoming increasingly effeminate. It suggests that what was once con- sidered female behavior can now be looked at as human behavior. One warning for first-time male dieters: My high school best friend tried many diets after the pasta and strawberries one including bulimia. Men currently make up 1* percent of bulimics. Now that dieting is not restricted to females, neither is the ugly under- side of it. For their sake, I hope college males' newfound vanity does not extend that far. Gina Hamadey 's column runs eve other Tuesday. Give herfeeack at www.miclngandaily.com/orum or via e-mailat ghamadeyiiumich.edu. i . WE . Os 90 WA WEKOFF! WWJ CAN YOO SE £:YHAUTtV? With an 'informed student body; Code may be changed To THE DAILY: Kudos to the Daily on its phenomenal "Unmasking the Code" analysis and "A call to action" editorial in yesterday's edition. As I would gather, from the large amount of space dedicated to the issue, the editors understand that the formerly-titled Code of Student Conduct (now called Statement of Student Rights and Responsibilities) affects each and every University student every day - on campus or off; in the lecture hall just off the Diag or on spring break in Acapulco. A decade ago, as the Daily's editorial pointed out, the Code was a hot topic on campus. Now, most students don't know what it is - let alone how it affects their lives. The Student Rights Commission of the Michigan Student Assembly has worked since the enactment of the original Code of Student Conduct to amend the document, reform the procedures and educate the stu- dent body. It is critical that all students understand that there may be consequences for their actions and how to work within the estab- lished processes to adequately represent themselves. We do believe that there are serious problems with the Statement - many of which the Daily highlighted. While we have and will continue to lead the fight to reform the current state of affairs, we can use all the help we can get from any and all segments of the University community. The Michigan Student Assem- bly will soon, again, draw up more proposed 4Y, K0 v' t'A('TE TOO UN MMI FfAK. 3I tREED )A 0" SL _ . " ... changes and amendments to the Code for University President Lee Bollinger to UNMASKING THE review. We hope to draw upon the experi- ences of those who have gone through the Resolution process in order to shape our course of action. We encourage all whoOD would like to be a part of the body that will propose said changes to e-mail Do You FEEL You WERE src2001@umich.edu with suggestions. UNVAIRLY TREATED BY THE We hold that the Code, as it stands, is unfair and deprives students of due process. THE UNIVERSITYS It is our hope that with the help of an DISCIPLINE POLICY - informed student body, we can change the FORMALLY KNIWN AS THE situation. CODE OF STUDENT We commend the Daily for shining the spotlight on this critical issue and urge CONDUCT? KEEP.THE everyone to learn as much as they can about E COMING AND UELP and to fight this unjust policy. MICHAEL SIMON BEA THESILENCE! EMAIL LSA sophomore YOUR CODE EXPERIENCES TO The letter writer is the co-chairmanda code 71mich edu of the Michigan Student Assembly Student Rights Commission. Securing the 'American Dream' iNIANISH RAIJI NOul£N(; CAJCIH can't pretend to know, in a clearly defined sense, where my obsession stems from. I know that I have been affected, at least indirectly, by poverty. My family was poor and my parents both escaped extremely desper- ate economic situations and realized the American Dream. Though I was born after economic stability had been achieved, I have seen the lingering effects of poverty on both my parents and on my extend- ed family. My mother is hesitant to throw away old pots, even after the handles have fallen off and the non-stick has long since peeled away. We have the same set of plates that I remember eating off of as a child - even unlucky spoons that find their way into the garbage disposal get cleaned off and reused, twisted metal and dan- gerously sharp filings included. The basement remains as it was when my friends and I played dodge ball years ago, the wooden pan- eling loose and ready to fall off. Virtually all of the new clothes in my parents closets were gifts from my sister and me - my father was convinced until fairly recently that his 1970s ties were still the latest thing. They are not poor, nor are they cheap. They There is little doubt that inequality between countries has grown. "The North," a generic term for the United States, Canada and much of Europe, has become absolutely wealthier than "the South," a generic term for everyone else. But inequality within countries is far more interesting. Within nations, the stratification of wealth and status is a fascinating, albeit shocking, fact. The common conservative complaint is that people in poverty simply lack the work ethic needed to escape. "This is the land of opportu- nity!" they claim, often forgetting (or failing entirely) to take into consideration the long- lasting impacts of poverty. When a child is raised in a society where he is constantly inun- dated with messages of failure and defeat, it is inevitable that those values will become an integral part of his personality. The effects of poverty are lingering, a fact which I have witnessed my entire life. Certain- ly the lack of new silverware in my home doesn't compare to the inability to find a good job. But the underlying theme is the same - growing up poor leaves a lasting mark. But then, the question for society at large is this: What do we do about the poor ? Unfortunately, the presence of a stratified society, the "haves" and the "have nots," is a symptom of capitalism, which is, for better or Unfortunately, the programs that claim t "level the playing field" in this nation, such as welfare and affirmative action, serve to placate the masses while at the same time cementing the status quo. Welfare gives people a basic means of subsistence - one that is in fact atro- cious in a society as rich as ours. But people will not be willing to risk their lives to secure their rights unless they have nothing to lose, and welfare programs ensure that people have a very basic standard of living that they will not be willing to lose. On the other side of the spectrum, affirmative action secures a spot jobs and academia for minorities, and we ar all spoon-fed the belief that racial diversity is somehow solving the upward mobility dilem- ma in this nation. Unfortunately, all it does is guarantee that already well-off minorities get a leg up, at the expense of the poor, who contin- ue to stagnate in abject poverty. In the end, it is (and should be) hard work that is the arbiter of success. My parents are an example of this - their work ethic is astound ing, and the drive that they had to escape the lifestyle secured them a better social position. Thanks to their success, I don't have to work nearly as hard as they did,in order to get places. In a sense, this is the very basic prob- lem with the system as it is today. Is it fair that I, thanks to the random cosmic chance of being born upper middle-class, don't .a acvcvr;; ,{lf3 I[i:.Skt t i d IU[ ctiiti XGLI. Q 1iXG y..^v IL