Cornell Student Delivers Presentation In Underwear...
News:
Cornell Student Delivers Presentation In Underwear After Professor Criticizes Choice Of Clothes
By Pritha Paul
May 11, 2018 - ibtimes.com
A Cornell University student stripped down to her undergarments during a thesis presentation Saturday after her professor criticized her choice of clothes during one of the test runs of the presentation.
During a rehearsal of the presentation, Letitia Chai’s professor Rebekah Maggor asked whether the denim cutoff shorts she was wearing was appropriate for the occasion.
“The first thing that the professor said to me was ‘is that really what you would wear?” Chai wrote in a Facebook post about the incident. “The professor proceeded to tell me, in front of my whole class, that I was inviting the male gaze away from the content of my presentation and onto my body,” she wrote in a presently-deleted Facebook post on May 2.
She told the Cornell Sun she was “so taken aback that I didn’t really know how to respond.” While most of her peers in “Acting in Public: Performance in Everyday Life” class took her side, questioning Maggor’s perception of men, one of the students defended the professor’s remarks, saying Chai should dress more conservatively for the sake of morality.
Full Article : ibtimes.com
amandalewis:
I think this article has two sides, the professor and the student.
The Professor: In the world we live in, appearance unfortunately plays a part in how we are viewed, prejudged and interpreted. Was it the student's intention to dress similarly on the actual day of presentation? I do not know. If the professor assumed that the student would dress in this manner, then a general reminder could have been given to all the students at the end of the class regarding their dress code on presentation days. And yes, I believe that the statement was made partly because she was a female; would a male student be addressed regarding his attire or even in the same manner? I do not know.
The student: I personally disagree with the way the student managed the situation. Storming out of class was very immature of her and she did not stay to hear the rest of what was being said so she could factor it into her reaction. Does colourism have a role to play? I believe so. The student is light-skinned, and most likely white privilege has done a lot for her. Although she is from a minority group she may have still gotten away with a lot.
The point the student made by stating that females should not be judged by their attire is true. However, understanding the times we live in, one will understand that compromise in some cases is needed to effect change.
Nakandi:
I would be interested in knowing what the dress code is. If it is clear on how to show up then I would be interested in knowing why the student chose to go against it during the test run, to begin with.
IF the institution has a dress code then I feel some kind of way about dragging in the male gaze. It is one thing to be inappropriately dressed as per a code, it is another if it is because males will be distracted. 🙄
Makini:
The reasons the lecturer gave -distracting males- and the student -morality- continue to be ways to police the female body. Why should females dress to make males and other females comfortable if they themselves are comfortable and know the work they are presenting. I do however think attire choice should reflect the seriousness of the space and denim shorts does not first come to mind. However, the perception of seriousness is so vague, abstract, and can be very Eurocentric/Victorian/pedantic. Distraction in a general sense should be a consideration like wearing “gogo” lights on your head may be one person's idea of distraction or denim shorts another. It would be interesting to hear the follow up given that she deleted the fb post.
Interestingly, the department where I currently study is trying to address such issues. I’ve seen Beyonce in tour wear in presentations about antibiotics resistance and puppy pictures come across screens during presentations...which has been somewhat a mockery the way they were included. But more to do with attire, last week a student who wears very dark shades was asked by her supervisor for them to be removed during her proposal seminar. I was not there but the teacher's argument was professionalism and the student's argument was "I’ve worn it in exams with no issue"...it definitely stirred up against the student who along with two siblings are seen as troublesome and arrogant.
Finally, the guidelines about attire can be very subjective. An east Indian accountant suggested before my proposal seminar, a few years ago that I should not wear an afro ...but I did. I saw on her face that it made her uncomfortable that I did not take her unsolicited advice. The same supervisor who told the student about the sunglasses once said in the kitchen in an open discussion that an afro is not a professional hairstyle. Also, many may think its "distracting", so these are good conversations to have about body image, identity and freedom of expression.
Leanna:
I did have a reasoning with someone about this issue. I agree there are similarities between Makini's hair situation and this students dress code. Also, I think the professor's opinion on how the student should dress is rooted in flawed notions of respectability and morality and student protesting it is displaying that she does hold those views. In my reasoning with the individual noted it is the professor's right to give that opinion and the students right to protest it and I agree. I saw that opinion as a part of policing women's bodies. That opinion was about sexism and with Makini her colleague's opinion was about racism.
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