Cornell Student Delivers Presentation In Underwear...
News:
Cornell Student Delivers Thesis In Underwear After Professor Questions Her Outfit
A group of students defended the professor, writing that she was “noting the importance of professionalism.”
Full Article : huffingtonpost.com
Zaynab:
I could see where both persons believe they have a point.
I agree with the student that how you dress should be up to you entirely. But, if you are doing a presentation ideally you would want your views to be weighed seriously and how you dress could be an unwanted distraction from the points at hand. Also, though it was a mock presentation you would want to put your best there as well.
Further, if there is a disagreement in an environment that allows you to have a say or open discussion why not see it through instead of storming out, venting and getting others to go along with you. I think that's a form of cowardice as the student could not stand alone (right there and then) and fight her battle.
Back to the issue at hand. I don't think the professor is wrong for asking her about how her mother would feel, in a context.
Also her stripping down was not about her presentation but came across more like an ego.
I also wanted to add a side note in response to their "perception of men" comment.
Males WILL be looking at your body...is this even a question?
Plus, her body is within the acceptable realm. This could add to her comfort of displaying it.
leslie:
I viewed the video of the protest and I was less than impressed. While the young female is free to express herself as she chooses and while I agree that female bodies, more so than males, have been overly sexualised and shamed, the convention for presenting a lecture or seminar is business attire. For her lecturer to advise her of such was by no means crossing boundaries. However, the lecturer's reasoning for advising her against her attire was flawed; if she was more sensible, she could have better articulated another position. It is true that the short-pants wearing, or otherwise revealing attire would attract the straight male gaze. It is also true that regardless such does not warrant male abuse. Still, I agree that her choice of clothing in this situation was inappropriate. I also do not think that in this instance it was the most effective form of protest.
Many so-called feminists do disservice to the movement by claiming prejudice or injustice where there is none. The #metoo movement is one such example where feminist extremism prevails. Many males (some deserving) have received condemnation without a fair hearing. Although I may be wrong about the lack of judgement on the part of this female, as I was not privy to what the university lecturer actually said, I suspect that she read the lecturer wrong. This situation also points to the general character of modern-day feminism as well as the LGBTQIA movement which is to silence people who disagree with their stance. So, her response to a simple observation or a difference of perspective was to protest. Her right to do so, I fully agree but it was a protest in vain in my view.
Ayinde:
I would really like to know whether males presented in shorts in the past. I agree that people should feel free to dress how they want. However, some institutions have rules or convention that govern how people dress for certain functions; if people choose to protest them then that is fine also.
If it is customary that people dress a certain way to attend certain functions, then if one goes against the usual protocol, one could be challenged and even be asked to conform. One is not bound to comply or respond but should be able to explain one’s position. Going against convention can be distracting, but one also has the right to do so except where it is reasonably forbidden. If people are making ill-informed comments without malice, then that could be addressed through discussions.
By default, many people are racist and sexist and even if someone may be informed about feminism, they may be blind to racism, colorism, sizeism and ageism, and they may also harbour Eurocentric perceptions of beauty. If they are white or light skin they may be unaware of how privilege allows them to behave as they want and still be accepted.
A white or light skin girl who is considered attractive can easily resort to stripping in protest and if she does so there is no shame on her because her body-type is preferred. People easily buy her version of events and so it goes. From a privileged position, she could really be arrogant and be protesting, "How dare you tell me what I can or cannot do?" and this is embraced as empowerment.
If I see a female walking along a dangerous lonely street at night, I might tell her that she may be better off walking on another street as she could face attack by males who are up to no good. She could argue, “It is my right as a woman to walk anywhere I wish and dress anyhow I want. Why don’t you tell those males to behave?” Sure, she is 100% correct, but that does not automatically mean that I am wrong either. Getting criminal males to change their behaviour takes more time than it would be to address the immediacy of the danger that she could be in. Thus, she can either try to be flexible in her judgement and see another point of view or be right and face the possible consequences.
Meri:
I thought that she did not take the time to think; she went into an extreme protest too quickly. If she did not have a body that was considered mainstream she may have thought out and presented a meaningful argument to the professor without resorting to stripping. These females who want to dominate the women’s rights movement are most times ill-equipped to conduct themselves in a manner that leaves room for others in that they take the sting out of other forms of protest that could have been used more wisely. They want all the limelight and have no qualms about what they do to achieve it.
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