Women in Congress Pushed for Shutdown Compromise

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Women in Congress Pushed for Shutdown Compromise

The United States claims to be a representative democracy, ideally representing the demographics of each state in its two national legislative bodies. The idea behind the bicameral legislature is that in the Senate, there will be an equal number of representatives from each state, whereas in the House, the interests and desires of the people from each congressional district will be carried out by their congressman—or woman. Though the 113th Congress is the most diverse that the United States has ever seen, there are merely 20 women in the 100 member Senate and including delegates and 81 women in the 435-member House of Representatives. The idea that the demographics of the House and Senate are representative of the United States is one that should be viewed skeptically, especially when only 20% of the Senate represents 53% of the voting population today. What’s more, the fact that a female bipartisan coalition began the compromise to end the government shutdown shows the fact that women are some of the biggest adults in Congress today.

Back in the day, Congress used to be a much more brotherly group of people who would live in Washington, D.C. every day and not just days in which Congress is in session. The only people who remain true to the way Congress used to run are actually now the female senators. The twenty women in the Senate avoid party politics, promising not to put down each other in the press or run against each other, but also are friends with each other, meeting for monthly dinners. Regardless of party, women take the effort to make bonds which will prove to help them when creating a bipartisan piece of legislation that will pass through the Republican House and Democratic Senate.

On October 8, after a regular Senate women’s dinner, Maine Republican Susan Collins took the first step to end the shutdown, refraining from blame and proposing a concrete plan to end the crisis while asking her “Democratic and Republican colleagues to come together”– something that definitely wasn’t happening before. Democrat Barbara Mikulski of Maryland chimed in, stating “I am willing to negotiate. I am willing to compromise,” backed up by Senator Lisa Murkowski of Alaska who agreed that what Collins said was “a plan which [she thought] is pretty reasonable and responsible.”

Reflecting on the role of women in beginning the end to the infamous October government shutdown, it is discouraging that there is such a dearth of women willing to run for office, as the twenty women currently in the Senate have proved to be leaders in their legislative body.  It’s even more interesting that today, women are attending college at a higher rate than their male counterparts, yet they are not represented nearly as strongly in their government or in other prominent leadership positions. Not until women are given equal representation as men- 50 seats in the Senate- will they be a formidable force in creating legislation for a government that is “of the people, by the people, for the people”, one that is willing to compromise to get the job done.  A woman’s place, in 2013, is in the House… and the Senate as well.

East Students Attend Veterans Memorial at Amberleigh

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East Students Attend Veterans Memorial at Amberleigh

This year, many students from Williamsville East High School attended the Veterans Memorial at the Amberleigh independent living community.  At the event, students first listened to a speech about the relationship between poetry and war.  The presenter, like many of the veterans at the senior community, served in WW2. Many people came to see it, and the presentation was both moving and meaningful.  Poems like “In Flanders Fields” share deeper meaning about not just the time period, but also the culture of war. In addition, students went to a lunch with these veterans and conversed about their experiences both during and before the wars they lived through.  Many of these people served their country when they were only 16 or 17 years old.  They served in the war and came out in their 20’s, ready to join the workforce.  The times were different then;  news came days after it happened, and sometimes people didn’t know the status of their loved ones for months at a time. These veterans lived through truly difficult times and shared with us living pieces of their history. We, the writers of the East Side Paper and entire Williamsville East student body, salute them.

Political Realism Versus Idealism in Syria

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Political Realism Versus Idealism in Syria

What should the US do about the conflict in Syria? Should we intervene and uphold international law? Or should we stay out of it because nothing good could come out of it? In international relations there are two main schools of thought, Realism and Idealism.

 

Enlightenment thinker Thomas Hobbes popularized political Realism; to Hobbes any action that a state made was to increase its own power. A nation was to gain and maintain as much power as possible in order to survive. War is just another tool in a nations arsenal to increase its power, but one must be careful not to engage in any conflict that could leave the state in a worse position than it was in before. It is for this reason that many realists condemned the Vietnam War because Vietnam was not a threat, and intervening did nothing to advance the states power. In realism, every action was selfish, reflecting a negative view on human nature that Hobbes held.

 

18th century philosopher Immanuel Kant was probably the most popular Idealist. Idealism in a basic sense is trying to further a more unified and peaceful world. Idealist believed that governments should work together by forming large international organizations such as the UN and promote trade and democracy. They believed that all states should give up selfish short-term views in favor of the bigger picture in peace and morality. Idealism also states that war is almost always found between two autocracies, or a democracy and an autocracy, never between two democracies. It is for this reason they also believe that the world should become more democratic in order to achieve “perpetual peace”. It is for this reason that President Woodrow Wilson decided to fight imperial Germany, whose actions were in the opposition of peace and stability in Europe.

 

Now to what to do about Syria, many of you reading this might say that it would be a Realist position to intervene in Syria, and the Idealist would not intervene. This is actually untrue. Just because a state is a realist state does not make them a war mongering state, they simply use war as a means of consolidating power. A realist would actually not want to intervene. There is no gain to be had from Syria. Intervention would result in a potential loss in American lives and no benefits whatsoever. In the Iraq war, a main reason we intervened was for oil, and the “threat” of WMDs; there WAS a benefit from intervention. Now an idealist would want to intervene. Idealists think that international law should be upheld and enforced by an international organization such as the UN. But ironically the most idealist organization in the world does not want to intervene. An idealist would overthrow Assad and install a democratic government in his place. The west is seen as a very idealist place, but in reality that is a lie. We did not intervene in the war between Iraq and Iran when chemical weapons were also being used, we didn’t intervene in Darfur where an ethnic cleansing was being carried out. In this writer’s humble opinion, we should have intervened, not just the United States, but Germany, France, Britain, Russia, any country in the UN, in order to lessen the economic burden on any single country. I am pleased with the diplomatic solution that has been presented to us, but if that deal was not followed through, Assad should have been punished. In order to succeed as a society we must create, and uphold international law and further progress to become one international state, where democracy will reign supreme.

 

This writing was inspired by our Political Forum discussion on October 3rd and if you made it to the end of this article you will probably be interested in joining in on the discussion, held every other Thursday in room 310. You might also enjoy philosophy forum, held every other Tuesday in room 306.

 

Haunted Houses: Not Scary Enough

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Haunted Houses: Not Scary Enough

The rise of the modern haunted house started with the opening of Disneyland’s Haunted Mansion in 1969, a relatively tame ride that included some mildly frightening ghosts and goblins. But these days, it takes much more to scare us.

 Modern America is has become desensitized to blood and gore. Ours is a culture of violence normalized, in which the perverse has become passé. According to industry experts. we are so used to casual violence in video games or movies that it is becoming increasingly difficult to scare people at haunted houses. Twenty years ago, a haunted house meant limp spaghetti brains, peeled-grape eyeballs, and people in masks jumping out of corn mazes waving fake knives. Today, that probably wouldn’t even scare an elementary schooler. Our threshold for shock has risen; we find fewer things truly horrifying. Simple scare tricks just don’t cut it anymore.

Modern haunted house owners must use animatronic monsters, fog machines, holographic projections, and elaborate sound and lighting in order to deliver an effective scare. Movie effects specialists that have lost their jobs to the rise of CGI technology flock to work on haunted house productions. People are demanding a more horrifying experience, and haunted houses deliver by using Hollywood-level sets and professional makeup crews to create their monsters.

A Pennsylvanian haunted attraction, “Shocktoberfest”, took things up a notch by proposing a “naked haunted house”. The reasoning goes that people feel most vulnerable when naked. Layers of clothing provide a sense of protection that is literally stripped away in this setting. Patrick Konopelski, the owner of Shocktoberfest, says “walking through the house nude heightens the sense of fear.” He admits that his idea is wild and maybe even slightly creepy but chalks it up to necessity. No matter what the haunted house industry does to improve their scares, Konopelski says “the only way to satisfy customers would be to cut off their arms and slap them upside the head with them.” Basically, it has simply become so hard to scare a desensitized public that haunted houses have to resort to extreme measures.

So what does this thirst for terror and gore tell about us? Timothy Haskell, director of a haunted attraction in NYC, says haunted houses have become an “extreme sport”, and “They’re all mirroring our culture the exact same way. We all want extreme everything.”

When our desire for horror impresses even those that deal in fear itself, that is not a good sign at all.

 

DIY vs. Buy

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DIY vs. Buy

IMG_0460Since many pre packaged costumes targeted towards our age group are hypersexualized (skirts on Little Bo Peep and Little Red Riding Hood were surely not that short in the original tale, and I can’t recall them wearing high-high white socks), it’s difficult to even find a costume that you feel comfortable wearing to school or trick-or-treating around the neighborhood. Though there may be a place and time for these scintillating outfits, is $70 really a fair price for the amount of cloth you are given? Halloween has become a multi-million dollar industry, with store owners raking in cash due to the heavy demand for store-bought costumes. With each costume for adults costing upwards of $50, it seems that was has become the norm is actually an insane trend. It’s easy to decide to purchase a prepackaged, unoriginal costume at the local Target, or to order one from Party City with a click of a finger (often with free shipping!), but it’s unlikely that your costume will be remembered for years to come.

These concerns have led to the revival of the Do-It-Yourself (DIY) costume phenomenon, the original Halloween trend. Being able to create your own costume with items from thrift stores, your own closet, or even household items is a much more cost-savvy alternative, with an even larger array of possibilities to boot.

One of the best things about DIY costumes is that you can adjust your costume to pop culture at the time. You may be able to find a fox costume, but what if you decided to create a shirt with parts of the lyrics to “What Does the Fox Say” and wear some ears and a tail instead? Or instead of being another cat in a mass of black cats this Thursday, why don’t you dress up as the Youtube icon Grumpy Cat, wearing a gray shirt, cat ears, and a frown? It’s more memorable for sure, and people will have a laugh.

DIY costumes can be as time-consuming or quickly-made as desired. For instance, you could decide to go all the way and be a filing cabinet (famously worn by East alumni Bobby Finley in years past) by using a large, spray painted cardboard box, or use clothing items you might already own (90s scrunchies, a tied white button-down, plaid skirt, cardigan, knee socks, and high braided pigtails) and go as “Baby One More Time” era Britney Spears, like senior Julie Adams did in 2011. You could even go for commercial icon Flo, the Progressive girl, by wearing all white and a headband, or be Breaking Bad’s Walter White by magic marker-ing (not sharpie-ing, as that probably isn’t the best idea) a goatee on, wearing yellow, and looking sketchy.

The best option, it seems, is to mix and match DIY and store-bought costume items. For instance, you may have a hard time building cat ears from scratch for your Grumpy Cat costume, but a trip to the Transit Target may yield a cat costume kit for under $5, including a set of ears and clip on tail. Even if you spend a few bucks on an item or two, you’ll still be utilizing your creativity and won’t look like anyone else.

The feeling of satisfaction you get from wearing a DIY costume is something that’s worth the extra effort. And knowing that no one else will be wearing the same exact Superwoman costume as you? Priceless.

 

The Best Neighborhoods to Trick or Treat

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The Best Neighborhoods to Trick or Treat

IMG_0461The age old question still stands: where should you go to trick-or-treat on All Hallow’s Eve?

The three largest neighborhoods in East’s district are undoubtedly the Woods Hood (an affectionate term for the area encompassing Chapel Woods, Woodstream Farms, Wellington Woods, and Roxbury Park), Renaissance (to the east of East, known for the multiple streets that branch off of Covent Garden and Renaissance all the way to Transit Road), and Loch Lea (the huge area that used to need four buses for the single neighborhood in middle school near the East Amherst/Clarence border).

Most students know at least one person who lives in each of these areas, so it’s difficult to decide where the loot will be found this year. You could be adventurous and tackle all three– but doing so in this year’s rainy, chilly weather may lead to hypothermia. The best way, without compromising your health (but hey, if you’re going around trying to score pounds of candy, I’m not sure if your health is the first thing on your mind anyways), is to decide on one area to harness under your command.

After trick-or-treating in all three of these neighborhoods, I decided to compile a list of the pros and cons of each of these neighborhoods, hoping that you will choose one (or all three) to conquer tonight.

 

The Woods Hood

As a Chapel Woods native, I’m going to let you in on a little secret. One of the houses on the northern end of the street gives out goody bags full of rare candies because the owner runs a candy shop. Where this Narnia is, I will not tell you, but it’s up to you to decide whether or not to discover it.

There are also several houses on Deer Run (the street that connects Chapel Woods to Roxbury Park) that give out king sized candy bars towards the end of the night because most youngsters stay within their own mini-hood and do not venture down the half-mile long road.

The cons? Well, as I said before, the Woods Hood is a conglomerate of neighborhoods, so it’s very time consuming to walk the miles upon miles to gather your loot. If you’re going to go through the area, I’d suggest you either take the Roxbury Park-Deer Run-Chapel Woods route, or the Woodstream Farms-Wellington Woods-Chapel Woods route. It’s hard to hit Roxbury Park and Woodstream Farms in the same route, but it’s possible! Just remember to use your phone GPS if you get lost.

 

Renaissance

I’ve only trick-or-treated in Renaissance once, but I have to admit, they are the most liberal candy givers. There’s also a nice woman on Via Foresta who gives out cold drinks and has chairs set up if you would like to take a brief rest.

However, the people on Renaissance tend to have younger children, and therefore close shop relatively early in comparison to those in Loch Lea and the Woods Hood. If you’re planning on going to a party after trick-or-treating or are bringing a younger sibling, this is probably your best bet.

 

Loch Lea

Ahh, Loch Lea. Maybe it’s the sheer magnitude of it- rows upon rows of houses- or the amount of king-sized candy bars given out at this locale, but it has been the most popular neighborhood in recent years. This is definitely an older (cough high school aged) crowd, and you’ll have to bring good sturdy boots or shoes because a. you’ll be tired from running around, and b. it will probably be muddy due to the rainy forecast, and Loch Lea does not have sidewalks. I do have a horror story in which I thought it would be a good idea to wear moccasins one year while trick-or-treating on a Halloween that occurred the day after a downpour- big mistake.

If you’re planning on trick-or-treating until the double digited hours of the night, this place is for you. However, due to the number of people flocking here, many houses do run out of candy and it’s quite crowded whatever street you’re on.

So there you have it folks. Choose wisely, be safe, and in Mr. Nogowski’s words, “don’t do anything stupid”.

 

Scariest Places in Buffalo: Where’s the Scare?

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WHY FEAR IS STILL HERE, HOW THE DEAD AREN’T QUITE DEAD

AND

WHERE YOU CAN FIND THEM

(IN BUFFALO NO LESS)

 

There’s a sort of sweet anticipation that is almost tangible in the wind the moment the leaves turn crimson and the air turns cool. Pumpkins and tombstones and witches decorate the walkways of houses, while kids make excited plans on how to score the most candy on that magical night.

Halloween.

It comes every year, and, to many, it’s their favorite holiday. After all, rare is the person who does not like the free candy, the costume fun, nor all the decorations and pumpkin-themed delicacies. But, with minds so absorbed in candy corn this time of the year, the darker side of this holiday is often forgotten. It’s probably not entirely accidental; thoughts of pumpkin spice lattes are indeed much more cheery than ones of the ghosts, ghouls, witches, werewolves and the like who are supposedly coming out to haunt the town.

Still, there are those who fear that the “scary” factor of Halloween is now all but missing. Haunted houses might provide a little thrill, but they’re not real. Halloween seems to leave some people wondering exactly where the spooky spirit of the holiday has gone. Where are the actual ghosts? The haunted houses? Where’s the scare?

Fear not! The fear is still here. (So….fear.) Sufficient research seems to prove (to this reporter at least) that there are indeed plenty of haunted places in Buffalo, and those with a penchant for scary things might be very interested in walking around and them more investigating .

So, without further ado, the top 4 most haunted places in Buffalo:

 

4- The Lancaster Opera House:

The opera house is one of the oldest buildings in Buffalo. Built in 1897, it has seen its fair share of history. During the Great Depression in the 1930’s, it was used to distribute food and shelter and during WWII, it was used as a base to fold parachutes for the army. Eventually it fell into disrepair, but was restored and reopened in 1981. Since then, it has been used for various things including plays, dances, craft shows, and exhibits.

But, there is reason to believe that the Opera House is haunted. Lights turn themselves on and off. There have been many reports of a woman wearing a lavender dress from the 1940’s standing in the balcony, looking down at the stage. Employees have reported feeling an unseen entity following them around at night, usually when they’re locking up. Men in WWII uniforms have been seen walking across the hall. Voices echo from the stage when there’s no one there, and actors have heard footsteps above their basement dressing rooms hours before the performances.

However, this hasn’t been enough to scare people away. The ghosts have yet to do anything that might endanger people or make it unsafe and so it now simply seems to add to the Lancaster Opera House’s charm.

 

3-Buffalo Naval and Military Park:

Large, dark navy blue ships create a grandiose and intimidating figure as a passerby walks by, slurping on some ice cream from the nearby Perry’s store. The Buffalo Naval and Military Park, while beautiful and scenic, is said to have haunted ships.

USS The Sullivans, named after the five Sullivan brothers who died tragically in the Battle of the Solomon Islands, is said to be haunted by one of the brothers, George Sullivan. Though none of the brothers ever served on the ship, visitors and employees alike have claimed to encounter the spirit. Reports say there is an angry spirit that pulls on people’s hair, blocks their way through the submarine, and breaths down their necks. There have been further reports of paranormal investigations that found lights in the forward berthing room, tapping sounds in the radio room, and whispers and knocks throughout the ship.

However, many paranormal investigators claim that it is the USS Little Rock that is the most haunted. Though it never served in the war, it served as a hospital for wounded soldiers in the Mediterranean and many of those men died. Their bodies were stored in the meat freezer until they could be buried. Most likely due to this, there have been many reports of moving shadows, feelings of being watched, whispered conversations, the sound of footsteps, and many apparitions. There is a sink in the galley that turns itself on. A sad, tearful sailor is said to follow women around, trying to find someone to sympathize with him and to comfort him. Another sailor pulls practical jokes on the visitors.

Many paranormal investigators have successfully communicated with these ghosts. Though the thought of it’s is scary, it seems like the ghosts don’t mean any harm and want only to serve on their ship.

 

2-Shea’s Performing Arts Theater:

Shea’s Performing Arts Theater is the main draw to the Buffalo Theater District. It touts many famous musicals and shows and it’s influence of Spanish and French Baroque and Rococo styles make it a gorgeous theater to be in and going to Shea’s is quite the experience.

However, Buffalo’s favourite theater seems to be a favourite of the undead too. The most famous reports are of a man with a mustache who meets patrons in the balcony and simply remarks “Isn’t it beautiful?”. When the patrons look down to survey the lobby under them and look back up, the man is gone. Many claim that it is the ghost of Michael Shea, Shea’s founder, confirming it by saying that his portrait is the exact likeness of the apparition they meet.

There are many other reports of suspicious activity as well. Crew have heard footsteps in the lobby and theater many hours before a show opens. Crews have complained that their equipment has been tampered with and laughter and conversations are often heard from coming down to the lobby from the balcony. Actors have reported that they have heard their musical cues long before the orchestra is set up and playing their cues.

Are these reports really true? Do Michael Shea and his friends still haunt their theater, laughing and talking?

The answers are in Act 2, after a fifteen minute intermission. There are snacks in the lobby.

 

1-HH Richardson Building:

Also known as the Buffalo State Asylum, this building is one of the most haunted in Buffalo. Commissioned in the 19th century and opened in 1895, this building has many theories and conspiracies surrounding it. It is said to be one of the most haunted in Buffalo.

Opened as a psychiatric hospital for the insane, there are many theories that the ghosts and haunting are caused by the level of spiritual and emotional trauma done to the patients. Keep in mind that one of the more popular treatment options at the time was electric shock therapy.

There have been more than one reporters of people passing by hearing screams and yells of pain coming from the building. Objects have been known to move on their own and there are many claims of people moving through the building despite it being abandoned in the 1970’s.

Another spooky theory that surrounds this building is something called “The Haunted Film”. A photographer was hired to shoot the building as it was known for it’s architecture, but something happened that immediately caused him to abandon his project. The photographer refuses to identify himself, so the mysterious happening is unidentified also.

The footage (both photos and a video) was turned over to the FOEH (Friends of Endangered History) who, when trying to make a documentary on the architecture of the building, came across several anomalies in the footage.

The photo film (which is available for viewing on thehauntedfilm.com) shows a crumbling building with paint peeling and machines that hint at its brutal past. It is creepy and scary as it is with simply just the rusting wheelchairs and overall abandoned look, but several things that seem out of place add to the peculiarity of the story.

An image of the buildings abandoned elevator shaft show spots that look like lens flare, but the there is no other light other than the camera’s flash. Though they could be dust, in a later photo that includes the elevator, they appear in a different position entirely. And a photo of a staircase seems to show the outline of a cloaked figure standing in front of a curtain.

The video itself is stranger. The photographer seems unaware of large orbs moving about around him. The FOEH went to some video experts, but even they were unable to explain the strange happenings.

However, this is not a building open for exploration. Heavily guarded and surrounded by a fence, it is currently going through restoration. Exploring for this particular haunted site might just be limited to internet searches.

But if almost every website seems to say the same thing, they can’t all be conspiracies, can they?

So this Halloween, definitely dress up and make sure you get your candy. But in keeping with the tradition of thrills and chills, be sure to look up these spooky places. Who knows? You might just discover something new.

Most Popular Halloween Costumes

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For some, Halloween is much more than going door-to-door scoring a few weeks supply of Kit-Kats, Skittles, and Snickers galore.  Although this sweet n’ sour indulgence is surely one to look forward to, nothing quite beats the true spirit–no pun intended– of dressing up!  Halloween is that one time of year where it’s actually socially acceptable to be crazy and go all out. Whether that be purchasing your ensemble at a local store, buying your gadgets online, or doing it the good old-fashioned way and making your own costume, you have the freedom to do anything you want!  Some may be completely original in their ideas, others may look to their peers or the past, and some may do both.  For those of you who need some last minute inspiration, or happen to be curious about popular trends of previous years, keep reading!

The Avengers

One of the most popular costumes of 2012 was The Avengers.  Ranging from Black Widow, Iron Man, Captain America, Thor, or the Hulk, these live-saving warriors seemed to have caught the eye of thousands of people last year!  Men, women, boys, and girls of all different ages were out sporting the superhero look last Halloween.

Snooki

Yes, you read it right.  The Italian MTV diva was a big hit amongst girls across the country in 2011.  Her trademark hair poof, animal print halter dresses, smoky eye, and spray tanned skin made for a hilarious fun costume.

 

Lady Gaga

No one could deny Lady Gaga’s outfits are flamboyant and memorable. Her eccentric attire definitely inspired many teenage girls, specifically in 2010.  With hundreds of ways to to create this spunky look, people all over dressed in Lady Gaga’s iconic outfits.  Some wore bubbles, crazy shapes, glitter dresses, and even fake meat!  Without a doubt, the Gaga costume was a big hit.

 

Vampires

In 2009, right around the time the popular book Twilight was made into a film, people just couldn’t get enough of the sharp-toothed monsters. Something about these mysterious  immortals attracted thousands of people. Whether they chose the contemporary Cullen look, or traditional Dracula look, people of all ages added their own special touch to the classic creatures.

 

One of the best parts of Halloween is dressing up with your friends and taking in the tradition and festivity of the night.  The Jack-O’-Lanterns, hot chocolate, pumpkin pie, spicy lattes, spooky decorations, goblins and ghosts, and crazy costumes make for a great way to end the fall.  Dress up; be crazy; take in the true essence of Halloween!

 

Sexualization of Women’s Costumes

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Now I don’t know about you but I loved shopping for Halloween costumes when I was little. It was my chance to be my favorite character whether it be Misty from Pokemon, Cinderella, an alien, and even be a boy if I wanted to. It was my favorite part of Halloween-besides the candy of course. As I’ve gotten older, costume shopping has just gotten more and more frustrating. Every year I run over to Party City trying to find the coolest outfit only to walk out of the store dejected from seeing all the “sexy pirate”, “sexy Nurse” costumes, leading all the way to “sexy axe murderer”. What? I certainly don’t find anything sexy about an axe murderer. This year I thought I finally had found the perfect costume-a Transformer-only to find the whole entire costume was made of a mini skirt and a bikini top. Halloween night is usually cold enough for which you have to wear a jacket, I find it hard to believe that any costume retailer would think it is okay to go outside in 40 degree whether to go trick-or-treating in a skirt and bikini top. Women’s costume’s are oversexualized.

I used to think it was just teens and women these retailer’s were targeting but now they are even targeting toddlers. Just last month, Walmart set an ad featuring a toddler wearing a “Naughty Leopard” costume which consisted of a black skirt, and a lot of sheer. Public outrage forced Walmart to remove the costume from their catalog but the mini skirts and spaghetti strap costumes are still advertised for teens. When will the public start protesting this?

Many say it is a choice that it is a person’s decision whether they want to wear costumes that are so revealing, and it is true, but according to the American Psychological Association this oversexualtion has spiraled its way across social media causing many teens to look as their body as “not good enough” and forced them to into hurting their physical and mental health. Many of these same girls have ended up with eating disorders, low self esteem, and depression. Unfortunately, it seems like there is no end and it is only getting worse.

Many have found this a very disturbing and have starting selling their own costumes. A Mighty Girl is a website set on empowering women and making them feel good about themselves. They have started their own line of Halloween costumes which accurately portray a nurse, superhero, or animal.

America spent approximately $1.8 billion on Halloween costumes in 2010, and half of those purchases would have been for females. As Americans who have set equal rights for both genders, we really need to look at the impact that all this sexualization is having on our future generation, and take that information to make some changes even if it is with just one costume. One costume could make all the difference in making one girl feel less sexualized and help her feel good about herself.

Chocolate Poll Results

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Chocolate Poll Results

poll chocolateWhat chocolates are you hoping to get on your trick-or-treat route? Students in East’s Symphonic Orchestra were surveyed and these were the results.

Poll Numbers:

  • Hershey’s – 2
  • Milky Way – 1
  • Twix – 7
  • Kit Kat – 12

Clearly, if you’re trying to figure out what to purchase to hand out tonight, buying Kit Kats will surely send a storm of symphonic orchestra fiddlers to your door.

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