The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com
3 - Friday, March 28, 2014
The Michigan Daily - michigandailycom 3 - Friday, March 28, 2014
Ei 1Miidigan0aU0lJo
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MEGAN MCDONALD
PETER SHAHIN and DANIEL WANG KATIE BURKE
EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR
Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board.
All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors.
Staving behind the times
Michigan's government should support same-sex marriage decision
n Friday, U.S. District Judge Bernard Friedman issued
a ruling that lifted Michigan's 2004 ban on same-sex
marriage. In less than 24 hours, the Sixth Circuit Court of
Appeals granted atemporary stay on the judgment, which on Tuesday
was extended indefinitely by the appeals court. Filed by Michigan
Attorney General Bill Schuette (R), the stay means the government
does not recognize the marriages of hundreds of couples who rushed
to get married. Republican Gov. Rick Snyder's ambivalence on the
issue is not only discouraging, but also flies in the face of a majority
of Michiganders, who are now in favor of same-sex marriage. By
denying LGBTQ citizens equal protection under the law, the ban is
in direct violation of Section 1 of the 14th Amendment to the U.S.
Constitution, and requires immediate attention and action from the
judiciary. The state government should support legal marriage for
LGBTQ couples. The court should also revoke the stay on Friedman's
ruling. Schuette's argument that Michigan voters approved the
existingban in 2004 completely ignores the public's current opinion,
as well as the fact that this decision is coming a decade later.
Don't go (micro)soft on your future
ast week I met Bill Gates.
The day began just as
every Wednesday does
these days. My
alarm went off
at 7:35 a.m. and
I managed to
get out of bed
at 8:02 a.m. My
hair was 24
hours overdue
for a good dose
of shampoo, so LAUREN
I pulled it into MCCARTHY
an unflattering
but effective
low bun. A dash of CC cream, a few
strokes of mascara, wrinkled pants
and a borrowed blouse later, I was
out the door at 8:37.
At 20 years old, I've been work-
ing full-time in washington, D.C.
for three - going on four - months
now and have been schooled in
the art of effective media rela-
tions strategy, as well as the mas-
tery of brewing coffee via a Flavia
Creation Station 400. The most
important insight I have gained,
however, occurred outside of the
office (although I was out on offi-
cial C-SPAN business). It was day
three of relentlessly dropping off
press releases, meeting with com-
munications directors, and having
already stopped by over 50 House
Representative Offices - by the
time I reached the Senate I was in
a groove. I was unfazed by the large
group of people gathered outside an
inconspicuous room on the fourth
floor of the Dirksen Senate Office
Building, as well as the television
crew that accompanied them. Just
as I had made my way past them, a
door opened behind me.
"Mr. Gates, will you stop for a
photo please?"
"Mr. Gates, why are you here
today? What is the Gates Founda-
tion currently working on?"
Bill and his entourage ignored
both his admirers and the televi-
sion cameras, and came hurtling in
the direction I was already headed.
Bill freaking Gates was trailing me.
Or we happened to be walking in
the same direction. Whatever. I just
kept walking forward in shock and
as the crowd began to dissipate, Bill
and I found ourselves alone (with
six of his security guards) in the
hallway. So I did what every self-
respecting American would do - I
frantically rummaged through my
bag in hopes of locating my phone
and attempting an inconspicuous
Bill Gates selfie. And in the process
I dropped my metro card (an item
even more beloved than a Skeeps
card in Metropolitan D.C.). Luckily,
one of Bill's security men stopped
to pick it up.
This was my moment, my in. Fight
or flight. Do or die - and so I did.
"Excuse me, I know you said you
didn't want to take any pictures but
will you take one with me?" I asked.
Without missing a beat one of
his security men turned me down,
saying, "Sorry miss but we're busy."
To which Bill shook his head with
a faint laugh and responded, "No
we're not."
With that, he walked over next
to me, posed and smiled as the
man who retrieved my metro pass
excitedly snapped several photos.
I thanked him, told him I admired
his wife and the Gates Foundation
and floated away as they boarded
the elevator.
I do like that photo of me and
Bill, though despite its obvious
popularity amongst social media
- it makes me cringe a little. I
should've washed my hair. I should
have ironed my pants and I should
not have worn a shirt that revealed
the straps of my camisole. It was a
below-average outfit and a pedes-
trian moment. I know that may
sound superficial or trivial, or both,
but I could have looked more put
together. I could've at least intro-
duced myself or shaken his hand.
Only three months into my
semester sabbatical spent in the
"real world," that afternoon caught
me in full-blown banality. I belong
to a generation of Millennials that
are allegedly the "most affirmed"
generation to date, repeatedly told
that we can do whatever we sent our
minds to, and assured that we have
the necessary talents and skills to
become exceptional. But sometimes
we don't. We have the talents and
skill sets to be acceptable. We do
just enough to get by, we look in the
mirror and think a greasy, low bun is
"good enough," and consider the B-
we scraped by with just fine.
According to studies cited by the
New York Times, our generation
lacks the attitudes and behaviors
needed for job success. We don't
have a strong work ethic, we aren't
motivated and we don't take initia-
tive. Our employment expectations
are too high, and our commitment
levels too low. Maybe they're on to
something. I often hear my friends
claiming not that they would like a
job - but a job in Industry X, with
company Y, at level Z. Yet the rate
of 16 to 24-year-olds that are out of
school yet out of work is unusually
high at 15 percent, and many col-
lege graduates take jobs that do not
require a degree.
I think we can change these
perceptions. I think we can get up,
wash our hair and approach each
workday as if we may spontaneous-
ly bump into the wealthiest man in
America - not approach eachwork-
day as if we've already achieved it.
Mediocrity is tempting, and having
endured a short stay in the Ameri-
can work force, allow me to warn
you that your pants will wrinkle far
sooner than you hoped.
- Lauren McCarthy can be
reached at laurmca~umich.edu.
There is a clear mandate for the courts to
strike down the ban on same-sex marriage.
Since the passage of the 2004 ban, the public
support for same-sex marriage has shifted.
National support for same-sex marriage is the
highest in history, and this cultural acceptance
has been manifested in film, art, television and
other forms of popular culture. Furthermore,
54 percent of Michiganders support same-
sex marriage. The courts have historically
followed the trend of public opinion in their
interpretation 'of how the Constitution,
written more than 200 years ago, is to be
applied to present-day society and should
continue to work within this-framework to
extend protection to more citizens.
After the ban was lifted last Friday, more
than 300 couples across Michigan were legally
married. The fact that these couples have now
been placed in legal limbo is the latest unjust
decision in a long debate over an outdated
constitutional amendment. Snyder affirmed
that the marriages were legal at the time they
occurred but that the state will not recognize
them. Not affording legal recognition to these
unions cheats the couples out of full legal
benefits - the very reason April DeBoer and
Jayne Rowse brought their case to court.
Instead of intervening in DeBoer and Rowse's
case by filing a holding, Schuette should
recognize these couples in order to ensure that
they have the same protections and benefits as
other married citizens.
The behavior of our elected officials is
neither appropriate nor representative of
the collective will of Michigan's citizens.
Both Schuette and Snyder need to respect
the majority opinion before advancing their
own agendas. Snyder's unwillingness to
reconsider his stance on same-sex marriage
or call for alegislative steptoward to marriage
equality is disheartening to the many couples
married this weekend and unfair to the
people whom he serves. Snyder has claimed
that he only has the power to enforce the law,
but continually backs legislation that makes
its way through Michigan's legislature. His
hypocritical behavior and lack of leadership
on this controversial issue during an election
year is cowardly.
EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS
Barry Belmont, Edvinas Berzanskis, Nivedita Karki, Jacob Karafa,
Aarica Marsh, Megan McDonald, Victoria Noble, Michael Schramm,
Matthew Seligman, Paul Sherman, Allison Raeck, Linh Vu, Daniel Wang
Respecting mental health
f all people, I never thought I'd find
myselfempathizing with ChrisBrown.
In fact, given his Rihanna-beating
and general cockiness, I
essentially abhorred him.
But now, as I've read more
and more about his recent
stints in rehab and in jail, I '
find myself relating to him
- onsome odd level - more
and more.
Chris Brown is 24 years
old, and suffers from bipo- CAITLYN
lar disorder. Like him, Iam BRENNAN
a young person faced with
the challenges of the same
mental illness.
Bipolar disorder is characterized by periods
of depression and mania. The depression side
is easy enough to relate to - most people go
through at least one depressive period in their
life. The mania side is more difficult, though.
I can't completely accurately describe
what mania is like. To lose your sanity, slowly
and then so quickly, is impossible to put into
words. Like water slipping through cupped
hands, no matter how hard you squeeze your
fingers together, your sanity just drips through
to its escape, leaving you with nothing. The
sheer terror and agony of watching yourself
melt away and feeling unable to stop it, as you
transform into something you don't recognize
- the deep levels of insecurity and uncertain-
ty you are brought to - it's all so much for one
person to handle.
And while experiencing the mania is one
thing, managing it is another. From falling into
dangerous drinking habits, chasing bottles of
Xanax with bottles of wine in an attempt to
keep your mind calm, to getting yourself regu-
lated on antipsychotics, often with serious side
effects, it's easy to find yourself in a place you
really don't want to be. The frustration and
anxiety brought on by treating the mania can
beget worse mania.
It's for these reasons I find myself empa-
thizing with Chris Brown. While we, the
public, don't know the intricacies of his incar-
ceration, I feel like I know fairly well the intri-
cacies of his illness. The way that the media
handles his behaviors is that of a circus act,
not that of someone sufferingaserious illness.
Radio DJs talk about him going into solitary
confinement - "He can't shower except every
two days! Ew!" - but not about the ramifica-
tions that might have on someone already
mentally unstable.
Chris Brown has obviously done some ter-
rible things to merit the punishments he has
received, and arguably has gotten off with
less punishment than the average person
might. Still, I think there is a moral obligation
to at least try to understand and acknowl-
edge the mental illness from which he
purportedly suffers.
The same goes for someone like Amanda
Bynes, who though clearly suffered (is suffer-
ing?) a mental health crisis, was turned into the
laughingstock of the public. Would someone
with an illness like cancer be treated the same
way? Would someone with a mental disabil-
ity be laughed at like she was? This is a person
clearly suffering very serious mental health
issues, but look at the way she was treated.
As I experience my own extreme ups and
downs trying to find a course of treatment that
works for me, I find myself constantly on the
verge of"crazy."As I switch medications, trying
to find one that doesn't turn me into a zombie
butkeeps the mania at bay, there are days Istart
to feel my sanity slip through my fingers again.
And it scares me, because at times, I am only
days away from the possibility of being Chris
Brown or Amanda Bynes. Would I be laughed
at? Would I be ostracized? Would everyone so
quickly forget my competencies and achieve-
ments as a "normal" person, in favor of reveling
in my loss of reality?
I'm fortunate to have an amazing system of
supportive family, friends, instructors and cli-
nicians. I'm fortunate to have been raised to
not shy away from issues of mental health, but
to work to overcome them. Most fortunately,
I think, I suffer mainly in privacy, not in the
public eye. While I can imagine what celebri-
ties with bipolar disorder go through, I cannot
imagine what it is like to go through it publicly.
It's easy to get caught up in the whims of gos-
sip magazines and TMZ, but I ask regardless -
for my sake and the sake of others - that when
it comes to issues of mental health, we afford
people a bit more compassion as they endure
their challenges.
- Caitlyn Brennan can be reached
at caibre@umich.edu.
The fall of my junior
was supposed to
secondary on femi
The Statement.
I eventually
backed out from
the secondary,
opting instead c
to start this
column, but
while initially
preparing K
to write it, TE
I decided to STEE
create a survey
that attempted
to (super informally)r
attitudes toward the ne
feminism on campus.
I shared the survey on F,
and checked it a couple
later, and was pleased
I had already received
responses. I know the resu
automatically skewed sin
were responses from F
friends of a feminist (uh, m
remember reading one part
disheartening response.
The responder wasn'
indifferent to feminism on
- they were actively ag:
I remember their respo
the question "How do yot
feminism?" was "Whinir
victimization." This was j
response in a digital colle
many other intelligent and
inspiring responses, but it
me out a little to think th:
"friends"withsomeone who
of something so central to w
as "Whining and victimizati
"Whining." "Bitching."
ging." These are typically g
words used to take awayc
ity from the complaints of
But here's the deal: I'm g
keep "whining" about fe
I'm going to keep writing
talking about it, blogginga
Some days I will keep femin
den beneath my long hair,
into the back pocket of hip-
jeans. Other days I will wear
Unfinished business
r year, I red of my lips, breathe it out in the the chopi
write a hard exhales of my afternoon runs. mean out
nism for Some days, Iwill share it with others very bein
in the form of projectingthe writing influence,
of a reserved, polite female student It's eas
in class who deserves to feel proud terms of
of herself. Other days I'll share it in women a
the form of "Get the fuck out of our we need
house." You can call that whining hit me w
if you want. You'd be wrong, and it talking at
wouldn't change a thing. Feminism to imagin
will always be a part of me, and it and reali:
will never go away. that these
It will never go away, and neither ject of ha
will this sense of "victimization," tweets. H
because statistically, women are - but it's(
measure victims. One in every five women being at
eed for in the United States is a survivor when it's,
of rape or attempted rape. One in Even i
acebook every four women in the United settings
e hours States will experience domestic vio- Arbor in
to find lence in her lifetime. One in every really sti
lots of six women in the United States has we put u
lts were been a victim of stalking. the shitt
ce they Rape, physical and verbal abuse, our coun
acebook stalking - these are extreme yet dis- that we'
e), but I turbingly prevalent examples of why built hou
icularly we still need feminism - of why, it celebr
yes, we feel victimized. But I want and miso
t only to focus on more than statistics that I hada
campus we've heard time and time again. used to sa
ainst it. Wednesday, I went to a staff meet- in the Uni
inse to ing at a local high school. I learned than ever
u define that one teacher had asked her class time to 1
ng and something like, "How many of you That used
ust one have witnessed or experienced hate- really kn
ction of ful language specifically targeted OK to lo
* overall toward the appearance of a female made in f
freaked online?" Apparently, everyone in her the back:
at I was class raised their hand. She asked Ask a
thought the same question, but replaced - one o
'ho I am "female" with "male." Unsurpris- and top
ion." ingly, fewer hands. or other
"Nag- This is something women grow jumpsuit
endered up with. From the time I began Kiddo fri
credibil- processing the world around me she repea
women. and consuming media in the form have unf
going to of sugary Disney princess mov- going to
minism. ies, I've always known that women similarr
about it, achieve power through beauty - campus,
about it. that we will always be judged by in the re
ism hid- the way we look. If women's beauty unfinishe
tucked begins to fade, or doesn't live up to
hugging the arbitrary standards of the men
it in the who surround them, we're put on
ping block. And I don't just
r looks are bashed - our
g starts to lose credibility,
,respect.
tsy to think about this in
numbers and theoretical
nd girls and think, Yeah,
feminism. But something
'hen I heard that teacher
bout this subject. I began
e my own female students,
zed it was entirely possible
students could be the sub-
teful comments and nasty
tell, I could be the subject
one thing when I'm the one
acked. It's another thing
one of my students.
n one of the most ideal
to be a female - Ann
the 21st century - there
ll is no escaping the shit
p with on a daily basis -
that has been woven into
try's foundation so deep
ve planted flowers and
ses and monuments over
ating the end of sexism
gyny.
a high school teacher who
ay something like, "Women
ited States have more rights
r before. This is the best
be an American woman."
d to piss me off and I never
ew why - now I do. It's not
ok at the progress we've
feminism, pat ourselves on
and call it a day.
nyone who knows me
f my favorite characters
role models - feminist
wise - is the yellow-
ed super-killer Beatrix
oom Kill Bill. In the movie,
ats the phrase, "You and I
inished business." I'm not
kill anyone. But I have a
message to feminists on
in the United States and
rst of world: We all have
ed business.
- Katie Steen can be reached
at katheliz@umich.edu.
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