Blog 4

The purpose of sports is a very complex question. I enjoyed playing volleyball in school. It taught me the value of teamwork, dedication, commitment. Sports provide these qualities and many others to players. Sports are for anyone at any age or skill level. They allow individuals to either participate or watch. Although, they allow young children to start early in life and grow in their interests and abilities. There are many benefits that can come from sports. I am able to use my own personal experiences to help me identify this. I started in volleyball as a capable player, but I did not have the opportunity to play for a traveling team to give me more experience. Despite this, I worked incredibly hard to be successful. However, this is where the negative side of playing sports came in for me. Volleyball soon became about how much money your parents could spend to buy the best equipment, clothing, and trainers to make you successful. I soon felt lost in a world that I had once felt apart of. This negativity ruined my enjoyment of the game and led me to quit playing. When I look back on my school experience, not continuing in volleyball is one of my biggest regrets. I loved the sport and still do, but the standards of today's high school athletics were too much for me. I did not have the money to keep up with these standards and intensity.

Blog #3

In the video we watched in class, I made several connection with the reading that we were also assigned. The first had to do with Kelly and Deborah. Both of these women wanted to look like a princess on their wedding day. Kelly wanted to be like Princess Grace of Monaco and Deborah wanted to be like Princess Diana. They wanted to be like royalty to set them apart from the rest of the people that they were with so they could make a statement. In the reading, Queen Victoria's royal wedding was described to be extravagant and different than previous weddings. Queen Victoria set many of the standards that brides strife to fulfill today, such as wearing a white dress that was a fashion statement all its own. Her wedding dress removed practicality from the concept of choosing the perfect dress, and this trend is still followed today.

In addition to finding the perfect dress, each bride that does come in has a specific vision that they feel compelled to fulfill. This is why choosing the perfect dress is so important. A bride's dress is a statement of her style and beauty. However, their budget is not always able to fit everything that they want. This was apparent with Crystal. Crystal wanted two different dresses with styles that would please both herself and her future husband. Weddings costs in recent years have skyrocketed, for example, the average wedding in New York is $67,000. The reading discussed that in a royal wedding, money was of no issue. Princess Diana's dress was close to millions of dollars in todays money. Although, most brides do not have this kind of money to spend on one day. Crystal was forced into this realization when her $13,000 wedding dress budget was not able to cover both dresses. However, she was able to compromise by having the designer make one dress bodice with two different skirts.

Blog #2 Sexual Objectification

https://telfertimeadvertising.files.wordpress.com/2011/07/midriff.jpg

http://historynewsnetwork.org/sites/default/files/154997-ecig_custom-f5195ef495c578ad8c8850130b0d053934b80041-s6-c30.jpg

The first ad that I chose is an advertisement for vodka. It features a tall martini glass with a woman inside of it in a crouched position. She appears to be much smaller in than the actual glass-- the glass acts almost as a cage for the woman. She is dressed in a tight-fitted outfit that puts her chest, torso, and legs on display. The video that we watched featuring Caroline Heldman gave many different points to determine if an ad is sexual objectifying. This image reflects some of those points in that  presents the woman as if she is a commodity that can be bought and sold. This advertisement presents the idea that if you buy their product, you will be able to experience this woman in some way. The image also presents the woman as a stand-in for the actual alcohol in the martini glass.
My second ad is an advertisement for an electronic cigarette company. This ad only shows the woman's genital area. Again, taken from In addition, this image suggests that sexual availability is the defining characteristic of this woman. The placement of her hand in her swim suit makes this very apparent. In addition, the brand of the e-cigarette company is displayed on the front part of her swim suit bottoms. This makes that area of the woman the main feature of the ad even though it has absolutely nothing to do with the usage of e-cigarettes. This company appears to be implying that by using their products, consumers will be able to meet women like this.

Video Assignment

The first video that I chose was from CNN. This video focused on the basic information of the issue. Then it proceeded to describe the importance of Lauren finding empowerment in what she was doing,  regardless of if it was breaking cultural norms or not. However, a marriage counselor and therapist put out the idea that we should accept and be proud of this college student who is a porn star for doing what she loves. Next, I chose the video from the View. In this video, Lauren was actually a guest on the show and stated that her financial need to pay tuition played a large role on why she decided to go into the porn industry. The hosts of the talk show emphasized in asking why Lauren felt the need to do porn, and if it was the right thing to do morally. In addition, they addressed the issue of how Lauren's parents were handling this news, and if they supported her work in the porn industry. However, Lauren also vocalizes the empowerment that she felt by having the right to make decisions to her own body. It was concluded in both videos that Lauren received a large of amount of severe threats against her. Lauren spoke out against recent retaliation for her porn work. It was especially apparent while on the View that many of the hosts disagreed with her. Regardless, it was determined that the threats toward her were not necessary.