tallcollegestudent-blog

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Our first production of WVU News: For this broadcast I was an assistant producer, education reporter, and in charge of digital playback. 

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

As part of my Title IX and Sexual Harassment training, I had to make a video documenting the dangers of stalking. Here is a video that I shot and edited. 

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

A video package story done in Morgantown, WV.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Package story

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Sample VO/SOT/VO package story for my Video Reporting class.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

For the school newspaper, I wrote a piece about Clinton when it was discovered she had pneumonia. 

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Here is an article I wrote for West Virginia University’s school newspaper, the Daily Athenaeum. I am a staff writer for the Opinion section.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

I was selected to run West Virginia University’s Snapchat account for the day!

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Package Story

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

The “Final Girl” Trope in Horror

All genres of film have some sort of cultural significance. For comedy, it is to make the audience laugh and be able to use the quotes in everyday life. For romance, it installs the idea in people’s heads that being with the one you love is the be-all, end-all. Porn; bodily arousal, Action; excitement, Fantasy; motivation, and so on.

One genre of film that often goes overlooked is horror. Everyone knows that horror films are there to make the audience scream, close their eyes, and have nightmares. While this is definitely true, there is a huge cultural relevance horror has to society that often goes unnoticed. Ever since horror films have been made, they have been used as tools to demonstrate and exaggerate cultural anxieties and fears. As times progress and new fears in society occur (ex. War, racism, and disease), the horror genre fulfills its duties of portraying current fears to the audience. Watching horror movies over the years is almost like watching a timeline of the world we live in. Perhaps that is why horror is truly scary; the movies subconsciously overstress fears we have with terrifying related imagery.

As second-wave feminism was in its prime and people were bored of the same horror movie formula, the genre did something that was unheard of. In the 1970s, the Final Girl trope was added into horror films. Now, even if one has never heard of the Final Girl, they definitely know what it is. Essentially this is the girl who seems to be the smartest, not conventionally beautiful, and survives until the end of the movie. Back in the day, this was seen as a huge feminist act. Laurie Strode surviving the attacks and escaping Michael Meyers (Halloween, 1978) and Sally defending herself against the cannibalistic Leatherface and family (The Texas Chainsaw Massacre, 1974) became cultural icons to both the feminist and horror community.

There of course is a flaw with this new added character, however. While the Final girl does survive, she often times simply runs (rather than fight back), and is almost always saved by a man. In the 1970s, the Final Girl was seen as a huge step in the feminist direction. As stated before, horror tends to shift with our culture and acclimate to things going on in our society. The Final Girl trope in the horror genre has become outdated and revised in modern horror films due to our progressing feminist society.

One film that challenges the role of the Final Girl is Evil Dead (2013). In this remake of the 70s cult classic, a group of friends go to a remote cabin in the woods to help their friend Mia get through heroin withdrawal. During their stay, however, an ancient book unleashes a demon that possesses Mia and starts killing them all one-by-one.

It is first important to note about this film that it is a remake. The same director and one of the main stars from the original signed up to make a new reimagined version of the film. In the original Evil Dead series, the main protagonist is a male character. He is the only survivor and never actually becomes possessed himself.

In 2013, there were many things going on in the United States with women’s rights. It was in 2013 that Defense Secretary Leon Panetta announced that women would be allowed to serve in combat roles. Panetta stated, "The time has come to rescind the direct combat exclusion rule for women and to eliminate all unnecessary gender-based barriers to service,” and faced much backlash from the country (Curtis 25).

Consciously knowing this fight against women in combat was occurring, the minds behind Evil Dead took a turn of the Final Girl trope when they decided to make Mia become possessed. In all films with the Final Girl, they seem to be the ones who run from the evil. In this film, however, Mia is the evil. During the movie, the demon inside of Mia violently kills her friends and tortures her soul. It is also important to note that the main character besides Mia is her brother. Not having a love interest is definitely something to note. There is also absolutely no sexual contact of any kind in the film.

Towards the end of the film, Mia’s brother is the one to get the demon out of her. If this were the 1970s, that would be the end of the film, having Mia be saved by a man. This film however takes it to another level, and leaves Mia as the only survivor to fight the demon itself. This fight scene does not include Mia running around and screaming for help. Instead, she finds weapons, she fights, she rips off her own arm that got pinned under a car, and she uses a chainsaw to cut the demon in half. This scene is completely outrageously done, but it is truly terrifying.

2013 was a year specifically progressive for women in military and other branches of combat. The controversy over this was a hot topic, and it is not a coincidence that this film includes a woman who fights harder than any other character in the film.

Another film that revises the Final Girl trope is You’re Next (2013). The story for this film seems somewhat mundane; a family gets together at a remote house for a nice vacation together and is attacked by masked maniacs. This story does utilize the new version of women in horror with the character Erin. Essentially, Erin is stunningly beautiful and seemingly nice and innocent. Immediately after the family is attacked though, she begins to fight like crazy and use extensive expertise in the name of survival. It is later explained that Erin grew up on a survivalist compound due to her paranoid father.

One cultural fear that has been pretty prominent in society in the recent years is home invasion. This is due to the fact of a rise of home invasion crimes in the United States. While this issue is not specifically talked about in the news as often, it is true and installs fear in people. That seems to be where this idea of the invasion comes from in You’re Next.

What this film does especially well is make the viewer never question the fact that a female is the one taking charge and doing the fighting. One article states about slasher films the idea that “once a female is involved in the film, her destiny is either to fall victim immediately or stay hidden until the end” (Miller 111). The evidence to support this quote is overwhelming, but instead of using the normal formula, You’re Next has the female protagonist be the only one who truly fights.

In the conventional Final Girl trope, a man often saves the women after she outruns the killer. It is about 3 quarters of the way in the film that we find out these attacks were not random, and it was actually planned by a few members of the family. Eventually, we find out that Erin’s boyfriend, Crispin, was in on the plan as well. He gives a passionate speech about never wanting her to get hurt, as he just wanted to inherit the family fortune so they could live a good life. Another turning point of the movie was when Erin brutally kills her boyfriend. She does not even consider his proposal and, to say the least, ends her relationship with him.

You’re Next is a prime example of how the horror genre shifts with our ever-changing society. The 2010s are the years of strong women and female empowerment, and movies like this reflect that in their viewings. The fear that this movie plays off of is vulnerability. When reading the title You’re Next, it is easy to infer that this title represents the masked villains killing the family members. In actuality, the title refers to Erin, and how she will not stop killing everyone who threatens her until she is the last one standing.

In the 2000s, 3rd-wave feminism has become such a prominent feature of our society. The goals of this current wave of feminism are to have complete sexual freedom and to be all-inclusive. One of the main fights going on within our government and country is the debate against women’s reproductive rights. These rights include access to birth control, having the choice to an abortion, and easier access to sexual education.

One movie that blatantly utilizes the fight for women’s rights as their plot device is the horror film It Follows (2014). In this film, a young women named Jay has a sexual encounter with a man she has been seeing. After they are done, he warns Jay that he passed something onto her when they had sexual intercourse, and that it would be following her. He also states that the only way she can get rid of it is to pass it along to someone else. Throughout the film, Jay is followed by people who slowly walk toward her, and only she can see them.

This movie is explicitly showcasing the use of cultural fears and anxieties in their film. At a time where women’s sexual rights are at their peak, It Follows uses sex as a literal evil entity. It has been said that the curse in this film represents either a sexually transmitted disease or pregnancy. Either way, this film tackles the issue of women’s reproductive rights in the horror genre.

One article that talks about representations of strong women in horror fiction states, “the sexualized horror victim has started to break away from simply being a victim. (Lazard, 133)” The author goes on to say that sexual activity does not inherently have to mean weakness, and can actually represent a form of strength.

It was in 2013 that the federal government passed a bill that would eventually make birth control for women not covered by insurance. This fight is still going on, and is a huge issue to many people. One year later in 2014, It Follows comes out and tackles this exact topic; a girl who has sexual intercourse but does not want to face repercussions that are out of her control.

Because 3rd-wave feminism is heavily involved with sexuality, It Follows also uses sexual activity as a tool for modifying their Final Girl. Jay, whose name is androgynous, goes the whole film trying to protect herself.  In the traditional Final Girl trope, the girl often runs away from the killer for the majority of the movie instead of fighting back. This film plays with this idea, as Jay’s only way of escape is to run. She cannot fight the entity that is following her, as she is warned that if it touches her she will die.

Sexualized females are often a target in the horror genre. As our feminist society progresses, however, these women are now being used as the ones who not only fight, but also take charge and survive their horrific situations.

The horror genre has the most cultural relevance of any other type of film to our society. Through time, horror takes what the world is talking about and uses it to their advantage. Every decade there are new conventions added to this genre. After the Final Girl was introduced, the world started to enjoy horror once again. Eventually, because of our progressive and feminist society, this had to be updated. There is a direct correlation between societal shifts and the changes in the horror genre. Now, a man does not save the Final Girl. Instead, she saves herself, just like all women can finally do at this time in our world.

Works Cited

Alvarez, F. (Director). (2013). Evil Dead [Motion picture]. USA: TriStar Pictures, FilmDistrict, Ghost House Pictures.

Case, M. A. (2009). FEMINIST FUNDAMENTALISM ON THE FRONTIER BETWEEN GOVERNMENT AND FAMILY RESPONSIBILITY FOR CHILDREN. Utah Law Review, 2009(2), 381-406.

Craven, W. (Director). (2011). Scream 4 [Motion picture]. USA: Dimension Films.

Curtis, R. (2016). Emancipated Surf. Touchstone: A Journal Of Mere Christianity, 29(2), 25-27.

Gillmor, A. (2015). Feminist Horror. Herizons, 29(1), 20-23.

Heller, D. (2002). Found Footage: Feminism Lost in Time. Tulsa Studies In Women's Literature, 21(1), 85.

Lazard, L. (2009). V. 'You'll Like This - It's Feminist!' Representations of Strong Women in Horror Fiction. Feminism & Psychology, 19(1), 132-136.

Miller, C. (2014). You can't escape: inside and outside the ‘slasher’ movie. International Journal Of Jungian Studies, 6(2), 108-119.

Mitchell, D. R. (Director). (2015). It Follows [Motion picture]. United States: Northern Lights Films, Animal Kingdom, Two Flints.

Silva, D. (2010). THE FINAL GIRL. Bitch Magazine: Feminist Response To Pop Culture, (49), 68-69.

Wee, V. (2006). Resurrecting and Updating the Teen Slasher: The Case of Scream. Journal of Popular Film and Television, 34(2), 50-61.

Wingard, A. (Director). (2013). You're Next [Motion picture]. USA/UK: HanWay Films, Snoot Entertai

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Persuasive Appeal- Euthanasia

Imagine an 88-year-old woman, terminally ill with cancer. She is in constant severe pain, has already settled her will, and is constantly begging to be put out of her misery. Does it make sense to let her suffer until she dies naturally, or should she be allowed to choose to die on her own terms? Physician-assisted suicide (euthanasia) is a controversial issue that is so prevalent today, even though it may not get as much coverage in mainstream media as some other issues. If someone has been declared terminally ill, or has a medical issue that causes constant pain and suffering, they should be able to make the decision to end their lives peacefully by means of euthanasia.

One reason a person should be able to end their lives by being euthanized is because of long-term, harmful diseases that stop regular human functioning. People who can not talk, walk, move, on their own, should be allowed to end their lives on their own terms, as long as they still have proper brain functioning to make this decision. An example of this is Tony Nicklinson, a man who suffered a stroke in 2005, which has left him mentally sound, but paralyzed from the neck down, unable to speak. Nicklinson communicates through blinks and head movements. When his case was taken to court, Nicklinson pleaded with the jury about how “much peace of mind [he] would have, just knowing that [he] can determine [his] own life instead of the state telling [him] what to do” (D. Miller, 2012). There have been many other cases where people have had diseases and wanted to end their lives. The fact that they are left to suffer until they die naturally seems to be crueler then to let them die peacefully.

Another reason someone should be allowed to choose to end his or her lives by means of euthanasia is because people actually tend to support euthanasia. According to a study done by Statistic Brain, 54% of medial practitioners are in support of euthanasia. If more than half of medical professionals (the people actually performing these procedures) support the legalization of euthanasia, there is obviously good reason. We are told to listen to our doctors our whole lives, and we should continue with this topic. Two other statistics that need to be shared are the fact that 55% of terminally ill patients die in pain. If someone has settled there will, said goodbyes, and made peace with the fact of dying, then there is no sense to make them wait for the pain to start, they should be allowed to end before the pain begins. The other statistic that is most crucial is the fact that “nearly 70% [of people] are in favor of giving physicians the ability to legally end a patient's life by some painless means” (A. Blumberg, 2014). Seventy percent is a huge number, showing that obviously not only medical professionals, but the general public support euthanasia as well.

There are many counterpoints to the legalization of euthanasia, and it seems that majority of these oppositions come from a religious base. Many Christians believe that their God made each person individually, and therefore should be allowed to take them away when “he” pleases. Also, the claim that “there are countless passages on the sanctity of life” has been made, just further justifying the reasoning that it is not respectful to religion or God to end lives by means of euthanasia (Rsrevision, 2015).

The last argument as to why euthanasia should be legal to those terminally ill or suffering is because choosing to end your life peacefully is about individual liberty, and should not be decided by the court of law. Sue Rodriguez was a mother in her 30s, and a woman who was dying slowly of Lou Gehrig's disease. Rodriguez lived for several years with the knowledge that her muscles would waste away until the day came when, fully conscious, she would choke to death. Rodriguez also apparently “begged the Courts to reassure her that a doctor would be allowed to assist her in choosing the moment of death” (C. Docker, 2000). Eventually, the court still refused, and a brave doctor was courageous enough to break the law, and end Sue Rodriguez’s life peacefully. The fact is, if someone wants to end their life badly enough, they will find a way to do it. The doctor who ended Sue Rodriguez’s life should not be looked at as a criminal, but as a courageous man doing his job, making sure those in pain are comfortable. John Stuart Mill, one of the architects of democratic doctrine, is a huge advocate for the legalization of euthanasia. Mill’s belief is that the court has no ruling in someone’s decision to end their lives, and this is because “patients who desire euthanasia for themselves are not physically harming other people” (D. Swanton, 2010). A court is allowed to make laws and punishments for murder, robbery, and other things that harm others. When a terminally ill or suffering patient wants to end his or her own lives peacefully and with dignity, the court should have no voice in allowing to stop this decision from happening.

A person who constantly is suffering should not have to live in pain. There is a simple way to end this, the legalization of euthanasia. Beyond having morals, this should be legal because of terminal illness, medical practitioners and the public supporting it, and because the court should not have a say in how a terminally ill patient ends their life. If a doctor prescribes us pain medication to numb the pain, we listen, no one questions, and we trust the doctor. Why is it so different when it comes to euthanasia? If a person is suffering, the doctor claims it is okay to perform, why should there be any question about it? Euthanasia is a topic that does not come across in mainstream media as much as other controversial issues. It may not seem as pressing as other issues, but the people currently suffering in pain, begging for their lives to end, would think differently.

References

Miller, D. (2012, June 19). Tony Nicklinson Euthanasia. News. Online. www.dailymail.co.uk

Euthanasia Statistics. (2014, July 13). Online. www.statisticbrain.com

Docker, Chris. (1996, January 1). Cases In History. Viewed March 16, 2015. Online www.euthanasia.cc

Blumberg, A. (2014, June 19). Nearly 70 Percent Of Americans Support Euthanasia, But Opinions Vary By Religiosity. Huffington Post. www.huffingtonpost.com

Swanton, D. (2010, January 26). Euthnasia. Online. www.ethicalrights.com

 Euthanasia Statistics. (2015, January 1). Online. www.rsrevision.com

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

“Brave” Film Analysis

Walt Disney and company has created an extensive amount of films over many decades. One of the main trademarks of Disney movies is the Disney Princess. Kathi Maio, author of the article “Disney’s Dolls,” states “even the more independent [princess] heroines –at heart, they all still identify with male authority instead of seeking their own empowerment.” Not only this, Maio also makes the claim that “in the end a good-looking boyfriend remains the truest measure of feminine happiness and success.”

One film that proves these claims made by Maio are wrong is the Disney film “Brave” (2012). Brave centers around a fifteen-year-old princess named Merida, who lives in ancient times, and is soon to be married to a random suitor. The problem is, however, is that Merida wants her freedom, not a man. Merida’s mother, Elinor, is the queen who wants to keep tradition.

The fact that Merida’s mother is the one who enforces the rules automatically disproves the first section of Maio’s quote involving identifying with male authority. Merida’s father is more of a relaxed king, who seems to just go with the flow. While Merida is still under the influence of someone, it is not a man.

There are many examples in this movie when Merida specifically undermines the authority of men. An example of this is during the final climactic scene. Merida’s father does not know that Elinor has turned into a bear, and he goes after the bear trying to kill it, not knowing that it is his wife that has been placed under a curse. Merida tries to protect the bear, because she knows it is her mother, and the father pushes her away. Immediately after being pushed away and held back by a man, Merida fights back. She proceeds to flip the man holding her over, grabs a sword, and sword fights with her dad. Once Merida realizes that her father will not quit, she cuts off the rest of his peg leg. Not only did she defy her father’s wishes, she physically had to take action, and cut off part of his fake leg so he could not walk. After she cuts, she says, “I will not let you kill my mother.”

Arguably the main premise of Brave is the fact that women do not need a man to be happy. Maio claims that only a boyfriend will let a girl be truly happy in the end. From the beginning scene Merida does not want to be married, and she sticks to this opinion throughout the whole movie. There is not even a potential love interest in this movie, as Merida never even so much as considers marrying someone. By the end of the film, Elinor (the queen) has decided to break tradition and support Merida’s wish of freedom.

Brave goes one step further to prove that Merida does not need a man. The end of the movie specifically shows all of the potential suitors leaving to go back home on their ships. Some movies may just imply that the men have left; this movie shows the physical leaving of the men, showing that Merida will live her life happily without a husband.

The last scene of Brave has a beautiful narration by Merida, while her and Elinor ride horses through the forest. Brave is about being independent, and how important a relationship between a mother and daughter is. The theme of this movie does not change, and decisions are never made because of the authority from a man. Kathi Maio claims that Disney princesses eventually need to abide by the authority of a man, and that only a boyfriend or husband will make a female happy. In Disney’s “Brave” (2013), Merida is a princess who never listens to the authority of a man, sticks to her own will of independence, and lives a happy life even though she did not get married, making it a truly feminist film that demonstrates the power of women.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

“Bridesmaids” (2011) Movie Review

The R-rated comedic film “Bridesmaids” (2011), written and starred by Kristen Wiig, directed by Paul Feig, tells a rare story that is seen in Hollywood; the love life of adult women.

Annie (Kristen Wiig) has a life that is not going so well. On top of her bakery getting shut down, Annie lives with two overbearing, space-invading roommates, who do not understand what is culturally acceptable. Annie’s romantic life is nonexistent, unless you count Ted (played by Jon Hamm), the man who way-too-obviously uses her for sex. Despite all of her other troubles, such as her car that needs to be punched to start, Annie continuously has an optimistic viewpoint on life, much of which can be attributed to her best friend Lillian (played by Maya Rudolph).

Lillian and Annie have an inseparable bond as best friends, but this is put to the test when Lillian gets engaged, and Annie is chosen as her maid of honor. Starting off mostly fine, but stressed, Annie’s life seems to continuously go down the toilet, while everyone around her seems to be happy as can be.

The real challenge comes when Annie is introduced to Lillian’s new friend Helen. Helen has her life put together and seems to be trying to compete to be Lillian’s best friend, and exile Annie in the process.

“Bridesmaids” (2011) is a heart-warming, wild story that tests the boundaries of love and friendship, by putting a group of outrageous women together as they prepare for their friend’s wedding day.

Before “Bridesmaids” (2011) was released, the highest grossing R-rated female comedy was “Sex and the City” (2008), which had grossed over 150 million dollars in the USA box office. “Bridesmaids” (2011) beat this record, with a total USA grossing of just fewer than 170 million dollars.

Stars Kristen Wiig and Maya Rudolph had previously starred together on “Saturday Night Live” (1975), which is how Wiig decided to cast Rudolph as her star partner. Not only these two, “Bridesmaids” (2011) has an all-star cast starring people such as Rose Byrne, Jon Hamm, Jill Clayburgh, Rebel Wilson, Melissa McCarthy, and Ellie Kemper.

This movie accomplished a rare feat; being an Oscar-nominated comedy film. The film took two Oscar nominations; One for Kristen Wiig, Best Original Screenplay, and the other for Melissa McCarthy, Best Actress in a Supporting Role. The film currently has a strong 6.8 rating on IMDB (higher than most comedies), and an incredible 90% success rate on RottenTomatoes.

Unfortunately in today’s society, when women take over comedic roles people tend to be skeptical that they will be cliché and unfunny. Saturday Night Live star Kristen Wiig disproves these accusations by providing a movie that shows a fresh take on the merry misadventures of a group of women in their thirties.

Wiig’s star power is undeniable in this film, as she shows a range of acting skills, not specifically comedic. Something director Paul Feig did that surprised most was pull in a wave of not-so-known actresses, most notable Melissa McCarthy.

McCarthy is clearly the comedic hero of this film, with her exceptional delivery and comedic timing. McCarthy was previously known for her role in the television show “Mike and Molly,” but did not reach stardom until this film. When McCarthy is in a scene, such as the infamous food poisoning one, she steals the audience’s breath with her incredibly original and outrageous dialogue.

“Bridesmaids” does many things extremely well, but seems to fall short where many comedy movies do; the length. Running 2 hours and 5 minutes, “Bridesmaids” is another long comedic film. Some may attribute the length due to the fact that this movie has serious undertones that need to be explored, when in reality Feig could have easily condensed the film while still getting the story across in an effective manner.

Nevertheless, “Bridesmaids” pushes boundaries. The opening lines of the movie are explicitly sexual, with an out-of-breath Jon Hamm exclaiming, “Grab my balls!” The first visuals of the movie are Wiig and Hamm’s characters ferociously having sexual intercourse in multiple positions. Before this film, it is nearly impossible to think of a female-driven film that successfully portrays something that explicit.

It is often common for scenes in comedic movies to drag on, getting less and less humorous as the scene continues. In “Bridesmaids,” there are many scenes that feel as if they are about to drag, but what happens instead is a hilarious kick-in-the-face comment that sends the audience into uproarious laughter.

The film “Bridesmaids” blew critical and customer expectations out of the water. The piece never gets too serious, and has just enough outrageous lines to make someone have to take a break for the bathroom. “Bridesmaids” is a terrific female-driven comedy that refuses to be trapped.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Religious Discrimination Towards the LGBT Community

MORGANTOWN W.Va.----- Students in the LGBT community at WVU feel there is an extreme discrimination issue from their different respective religions.

Morgantown, WV is home to WVU, a school that holds over 30,000 students. Many of the students at this school identify as non-heterosexual, thus leaving them part of the LGBT community.

The primary house of worship around Morgantown is the church, and some students from the LGBT community have voiced their concerns that they do not feel respected by their religion.

Darrick Phillips, a senior at WVU and an active member of WVU’s most recognizable LGBT organization “Spectrum,” voices concern when it comes to practicing his religion.

“I grew up in West Virginia, so religion was, by default, a pretty large part of my growing up,” said Darrick. “After I came out though, they didn’t kick me out of the church, but it was clear that people would give me the evil eye.”

Since Phillips has come to WVU, he claims to not attend church as much, but still fears discriminatory actions when he does choose to go.

“You just assume that in a college town people will be more accepting, but I swear I still feel the anger from some people when I choose to go to church,” explained Phillips. “It is also hard because it’s not like I can just hide my gayness when I choose to.”

The LGBT community obviously has concerns about their religious practices, and one person who realizes these concerns is heterosexual sophomore year student Caroline McCarthy. McCarthy considers herself a strong ally of all the LGBT community, and has many concerns when it comes to how they are treated.

Coming from Boston to West Virginia, McCarthy explains that she is still in shock when she sees how people from the LGBT community can be treated.

McCarthy states, “Where I come from literally everyone I know is accepting of everyone else. Coming to Morgantown really scared me, and showed me that there is still such a prominent issue when it comes to LGBT people’s safety,” she continued.

Describing her religious beliefs, McCarthy considers herself “agnostic with a taste of Christian values.”

“I’ve actually only been to church twice since I’ve come to school,” stated McCarthy. “I actually made my gay friend come with me for fun, and it ended up making me so sad because he seemed so uncomfortable the whole time he was there.”

McCarthy went on to describe her friends encounter in the church, explaining that he was so uncomfortable because people were staring at him, and he felt like he was being targeted for being gay. Towards the end of the service when they came to collect donations, McCarthy explained that they completely skipped over her friend even though he was holding out money to give.

One woman who definitely has things to say about the LGBT community at WVU is Teresa Pershing. Pershing is a lecturer in the Women and Gender Studies Department of WVU; she also teaches a class titled “Perspectives on the LGBTQ Community,” where she discusses different views and historical imprints regarding people of the LGBT community.

Pershing admitted that she is not an expert when it comes to the religion department, but definitely had a lot of knowledge and opinions when it came to the LGBT community at WVU and their safety/ resources.

“I think that our campus climate is atrocious,” Pershing blatantly states, regarding the amount of resources for LGBT students at WVU. “I think that in general mountaineers are good people, but I think that there’s a lot of closed-mindedness about difference.”

Pershing did not originally start here in West Virginia, as she completed her college years at Slippery Rock University in Pennsylvania. When it comes to the people of West Virginia, Pershing states that her “experience with actual Appalachian people is that they tend to mind their own business.”

Following this, however, Pershing also stated “When issues have to be confronted in the political realm, all of a sudden there is this presumption of conservative-mindedness.”

This conservative-mindedness in which Pershing speaks of was also mentioned by McCarthy, who stated that “If West Virginia were a liberal state or just wasn’t so backwards, there would be little-to-no discrimination from these hateful Christians.”

During her interview, Pershing explained how there can definitely be a correlation between people from West Virginia and why they discriminate. “It certainly is the case that some West Virginians are closed-minded because we are not a very diverse state,” she claims.

Half of the student population at WVU is from the state of West Virginia. Also, the school is primarily Caucasian, with over 80 percent of the students identifying as such. Pershing believes that  “If there was a greater amount of racial diversity… of ethnic diversity or religious diversity, [we] would see people more openly talking about who they are and engaging in identity politics that would benefit them.”

By engaging in these “identity politics,” Pershing believes that there would be more of an increase in acceptance, and less discrimination from all viewpoints.

The LGBT community at WVU is increasing constantly, or at least becoming more visible. Phillips believes that “[The community] is growing every day, so the fact that [they] are still discriminated against just for believing in the same God as these Christians is criminal.”

According to both Phillips and McCarthy, religious discrimination is only a fraction of the plethora of issues that the LGBT community faces in West Virginia. While everyone is hoping for change, the tone that Phillips gave was anything but reassuring.

With “Spectrum” only restarting in 2013, and support from non-LGBT people slowly increasing, it seems as though the LGBT community has a long way to go before they never have to face discrimination. When it comes to religion, it seems evident that these students do not tend to feel safe or welcomed into their own houses of worship.

“As long as there’s this ‘us vs. them’ mentality… we’ve stuck ourselves in ideological positions that we’re not willing to negotiate,” said Pershing.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Society’s Monsters- An Analysis on “True Blood” and the LGBT Community

Society’s Monsters

The obsession with monsters in modern society most likely stems from human beings’ desires to see things that will challenge and scare them. While the majority of monsters in cultural texts are used simply as means to promote fear in viewers, there is one type of monster that is different: vampires. Ever since vampires have been mentioned in folklore, they have represented different outliers of society. In today’s era, vampires have become more erotic and visually appealing to the viewer’s eye, but their primary purpose to represent deviations of normality remains. One example of a cultural text that depicts vampires as an abnormality is the HBO television show True Blood (2008). Taking place in the humid, rural, and mostly Christian town of Bon Temps, Louisiana, True Blood is about a world where vampires have always existed, but have only recently been able to claim their existence to the public due to a new scientific innovation. Vampires used in cultural texts have successfully portrayed many different types of outliers, but this show focuses on one specific type. True Blood uses vampires to metaphorically demonstrate the prejudice towards gay people in modern society from viewpoints of religion, tradition, and hatred. By making our society’s problems indirectly visible, True Blood pushes viewers to critique our culture.

Alan Ball, the creator and director of True Blood, is an openly gay man who describes himself as an atheist. Quotes and comments from the cast and crew also show that most members of the program are both liberal and nonreligious. This and many other points of evidence are definite proof that the show is a metaphor for the prejudice LGBT people face. As J. Bryan Lowder says in his article regarding vampires in mainstream culture, “Since its start, True Blood has been widely understood as a kind of allegory for the gay rights struggle in the United States” (Lowder, 2014).

During the second season of True Blood there is a storyline that directly correlates to LGBT prejudice. The story involves a church camp that is specifically dedicated to hating vampires. Throughout the episodes we hear hateful preaching, derogatory language, and see blatant acts of discrimination. This whole storyline is a representation of how people are hateful of anything different. J. Jack Halberstam’s “Gaga Feminism,” discusses how being heterosexual is considered the norm. Halberstam states, “these notions of orientation are saturated with assumptions about the normative, the right, the conventional” (Halberstam, 84). In True Blood humans are considered the normative, and vampires are deviating from this norm. A deviation of normality is exactly what the radical churchgoers are protesting. In one episode, the ringleader behind the vampire-hating church exclaims, “[Vampires] are traitors to their race. The human race. They hardly deserve mercy” (Ball). In this show, the church believes that because vampires are minorities that do not fit in with their religious ideals, that they are automatically traitors of God and the norm, and deserve to be punished just for whom they are.

Historically, churches have seen members of the LGBT community as abominations that could potentially ruin God’s plan. This point is accurately depicted in True Blood as well, because the members of the vampire-hating church in the second season fear they will cause devastation. Author Bernard Beck agrees with this sentiment. In Beck’s essay Fearless Vampire Kissers: Bloodsuckers We Love in Twilight, True Blood, and Others, he states “The overpowering desire [vampires] evoke is as upsetting to the ordinary citizens… as the fear of destruction they awaken” (Beck 91). People that are discriminatory towards the LGBT community often believe, because of their religious backgrounds, that they will cause destruction. In True Blood’s metaphorical nature, they use this idea as a means to demonstrate how ludicrous some of these beliefs are. An important word that Beck uses in this quote is “desire”. In society, members of the LGBT community, mostly gays and bisexuals, have a stigma attached to them that all they want to do is have sexual intercourse. In True Blood, this idea is exaggerated by making all of the vampires extremely erotic, and also having many of them be bi or homosexual. The impact of this decision allows viewers to have a definite understanding of the point the show is trying to make. Before this, everything was metaphorical and left to interpretation. Now, however, by making the vampires not heterosexual, the audience knows exactly what they are representing. The show purposely made vampires extremely sexual and in the second season the church acknowledges that it is scared of them because of their sexuality.

Another correlating point towards the LGBT community in True Blood’s second season is the fact that there are multiple occasions when the vampire-hating church claims that because vampires cannot be turned back to humans, they must die. By saying this, it is simple for viewers to understand that this is a metaphorical way of talking about how gay people cannot be converted “back” to being heterosexual. Halberstam says, “Despite homophobic environments, gays and lesbians cannot, mostly, be converted ‘back’ to heterosexuality” (Halberstam, 85). In the show, these “homophobic environments” are the churches that are there to support the discrimination of vampires. The point of this is that even though there is so much hatred and prejudice towards both gay people and vampires, there is no way for them to be converted back to the “normal,” therefore they are stuck with who they are.

While in the shows second season there are a plethora of examples involving discrimination, True Blood also used this season as an opportunity to see vampire “activists” voice their support. There is a war going on in this season of the show. This war seems parallel with today’s “war” between the LGBT community and the church. In the episode “Release Me”, one character, whom had originally hated vampires, voices his support towards them. “Maybe all of you [churchgoers] can get your heads out of your Christian asses for one second and see that you are not in charge anymore,” he exclaims (Ball). Author Adrienne Rich supports the idea that the LGBT community, or outliers, needs to be more supported: “Feminist theory can no longer afford merely to voice a toleration of ‘lesbianism’” (Rich 229). Rather than just agreeing to coexist peacefully, Rich is stating that there needs to be support, understanding, and acceptance in conjunction with toleration of the LGBT community. In True Blood there are many characters during the second season that do not preach their hatred for vampires, but are not totally accepting of their kind. This is an example of Rich’s idea of tolerance versus acceptance.

One plot point that is extremely prominent in the entire run of True Blood, most specifically the second season, is the idea that vampires have “come out” of the closet. In terms of the LGBT community, “coming out” is defined as someone disclosing to the public that they are not heterosexual. In the television show True Blood, however, “coming out” indicates a vampire finally revealing to the public audience that they exist. Coming out of the closet is meant to be a completely freeing experience, lifting stress off of people’s shoulders, so they can finally stop pretending. In many ways this is true, but there is still much conflict when it comes to exposing your sexuality. These exact conflicts are mentioned in Eve Kosofky Sedgwick’s Epistemology of the Closet. In her publication, Sedgwick states, “The closet is the defining structure for gay oppression in this country” (48). Going into further explanation, Sedgwick explains the idea that once a member of the LGBT community comes out of the closet, they will forever face opposition from society. This correlates to True Blood because there are many times during the second season when vampires revealing themselves have resulted in negative reactions. An example of this is in the episode “Timebomb,” where a churchgoer decides to blow himself up in a hotel suite filled with vampires and their supporters. This all happens because of his hatred to the societal outliers.

Although coming out of the closet is socially known to be a freeing experience, Sedgwick explains that because of the opposition and conflict people will face, coming out realistically only will force people to continue to come out of more “closets.” After admitting their sexuality, people will continually have to come out to others, and will always have to justify themselves, making the closet not a truly uplifting experience. These points are clearly represented in True Blood, as vampires face tremendous amounts of opposition from society. In the show’s second season, the church uses vampires coming out as a means to fuel their anger, all while building supporters. Vampires are supposedly going “against God’s will,” and will “ruin society for the rest of [the church] if [they] don’t stop them first” (Ball). This hatred all stems from Sedgwick’s idea, that once someone comes out of the closet, they are not only still trapped, but will actually face a more constant struggle.

In the second season of the show, True Blood makes many obvious references of prejudice towards LGBT people. Besides the church, the show’s second season also introduces the American Vampire League (AVL). This organization is the opposite of the church, being that it is a vampire support group that fights for the rights and equality for all vampires. In his online news article regarding the show, Lowder writes “A GLAAD or HRC-like organization, the American Vampire League, is formed to promote vampire rights—especially through the Vampire Rights Amendment, a constitutional measure that would make vampires equal to humans under the law” (Lowder, 2014).

The metaphor of this organization in True Blood is clear, as it means to represent LGBT supportive groups in modern society. Similar to these real life groups, the AVL faces critics and opponents, many of which are from the famous vampire-hating church. This war that goes on between these two organizations is extremely parallel to the fights that occur between religious organizations and pro-LGBT groups.

True Blood uses indirect notions of prejudice towards vampires to describe and analyze the prejudice the LGBT community faces from society. Making these problems visible in a mainstream media television show forces viewers to critique what we should consider the norm in our culture. True Blood lets the audience see that the monsters in society are not the outliers, but the people who abhor them.

Works Cited

Ball, Alan, dir. True Blood. HBO. Los Angeles, 7 Sept. 2008. Television.

Beck, Bernard. "Fearless Vampire Kissers: Bloodsuckers We Love in Twilight, True Bloo    Blood, and Others." 13.2 (2011): 3. Print.

Halbserstam, J. Jack. Gaga Feminism: Sex, Gender, and the End of Normal. Ed. Michael  B         Bronski. Boston: Beacon, 2013. 184. Print.

Lowder, J. Bryan. "True Blood's Queer Legacy." Slate. 25 June 2014. Web.

Rich, Adrienne. Blood, Bread, and Poetry (Compulsory Heterosexuality and Lesbian Exis     Existence). London: Virago, 1978. Print.

Sedgwick, Eve Kosofsky. Epistemology of the Closet. Berkley and Los Angeles: U of  Cal      California, 1990. 258. Print.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

“The Good Dinosaur” Movie Review *Spoiler Free*

Fresh off of their success from “Inside Out” (2015), The crew at Disney-Pixar visually stuns audiences with their new heartwarming tale “The Good Dinosaur” (2015).

The premise of this new story answers the question “What if the asteroid that wiped out the dinosaurs actually missed Earth?” Arlo, a tiny, fearful dinosaur joins forces with an equally miniature human being, the fearless and eccentric Buck. Together they find their way back to Arlo’s family after he is swept away in a river during a severe storm. Throughout their journey, Arlo and Buck learn how to adapt, befriend welcoming Tyrannosaurs Rex’s, face evil foes, and become best friends.

The premise of this film is somewhat clichéd, as it describes an outlier of the family who seeks to prove that he is deserving of some sort of honor, which in this film is putting their footprint on their families personalized food-container. Arlo, of course, is the last of the family to have his print on the wall.

One thing all viewers seem to be able to agree on regarding “The Good Dinosaur” is the astonishing visual work of the film. The film takes place millions of years ago; meaning that virtually all of the scenery is pure nature. This may have been a challenge, as creating life-like visuals of nature can be hit or miss. With this films impressive rumored budget of $200 million, Disney-Pixar was able to produce visuals that made me question whether or not what I was looking at was real or animated. There were times during the film that I could not focus on the actual dialogue because I was so completely stunned by the scenery. This film is by far the most visually appealing film by Disney-Pixar, which gives it a great boost.

The mistake Disney seemed to make was releasing this film the same year as their massive hit movie, “Inside Out.” Similar to how “Big Hero 6” (2014) did not compete amazingly at the box office because people were still reeling from their most successful movie “Frozen” (2013), “The Good Dinosaur” has not impressed at the box office. It seems evident that people were feeling a slight overkill from Disney and company, so they seemed to ignore the new film. If “The Good Dinosaur” were to be released in 2016, there is no doubt that there would be a higher box office income as well as more critical acclaim.

Still, even with the not-so-impressive commercial success, “The Good Dinosaur” managed to make just under $200 million worldwide, as well as receiving a Golden Globe nomination for Best Animated Film. It is no surprise that at this point, Disney and company can successfully produce films that are entertaining for people of all ages.

“The Good Dinosaur” relies on adults to explore their inner child, and remains simple enough for kids to understand what is going on. Rather than have huge underlying meanings like “Inside Out,” this film is pretty straight-forward, but that in no way takes away from its charm. “The Good Dinosaur,” which stars Jeffrey Wright, Frances McDormand, Steve Zahn, Anna Paquin, and Sam Elliott, will not go down in history as one of Disney-Pixar’s best films, but will without a doubt keep a loyal fan base, and will pave the way for stronger animated features in the future.

[tallcollegestudent-blog]

Demi Lovato “Confident” Album Review

The word “underrated” may not come to mind when thinking of teen-pop sensation Demi Lovato, but it remains true that this beautiful powerhouse of a woman does not get enough credit. Earlier this year, Demi stated that she had finally found her musical style, so she and her partners at Hollywood Records put this style to the test with a new album release. “Confident,” Demi’s 5th studio album was released October 16th of this year, and while there are of course some more null moments, this album proves that Demi is not a force to be reckoned with.

Demi’s second single off of the album was “Confident,” and is also the first track listed. This song completely demonstrates Demi’s maturity as a young women, with lyrics that imply a female confidently achieving sexual arousal, “It’s time to get the chains out // is your tongue tied up… // and you can get off // but it’s all about me tonight.” Confident is a perfect single for the album because it is not only a song that is made for radio; it is a song that proves how great of a singer Demi is. Towards the final bridge and chorus, Demi releases the notes and riffs fans adore. She sure did not hold back when writing and recording this song, but hey, what’s wrong with being confident?

The first single off of the “Confident” album was the song “Cool for the Summer,” which was released, appropriately, over the summer of this year. Demi clearly made this song to show that she is not a little Disney girl anymore, as the lyrics imply a summer hook-up with someone of the same sex “Don’t be scared cause I’m your body type // just something that we wanna try.” Unfortunately, this introduction to Demi’s first album in over two years was not as impressive as Demi’s dedicated fan base, Lovatics, had hoped for. It is clear that this song was written simply to be a summer radio hit, as it lacks the meaningful lyrics and huge notes that Lovatics are used to hearing. The song is not bad in any way, but it does not do the rest of the album, or Demi herself, justice.

Before the album was released, Demi and her PR team made a great scavenger hunt for fans, where they would hide previews of songs off of the upcoming album. One-by-one these previews were being found and then circulated over the Internet. The preview that most stunned me was definitely the third song off of the album, “Old Ways.” It would not be a Demi album if she did not acknowledge her troubled past. “Old Ways” takes a spin on her usual perspective, however, and actually focuses on how she is finally passed her struggles, and will never return. With lyrics like “I just keep changing my colors // I’m not in the same place that I was,” Demi proves that she is a changed women. Vocally, this song is not the strongest on the album, but it certainly does provide some great notes towards the finale, and ends with a firm “Not going back to my old ways.” A perfect cross between rhythmic, lyrically eclectic, and powerful, “Old Ways” is a song that fans will not soon forget.

The 4th song off of this album is “For You.” This is a turn in the album, as it is the first song that is not fast and up beat. The biggest weakness of this song is the chorus, as it seems to lack emotional depth, and becomes repetitive. This does not ruin the song however, as the verses, the bridge, and the finale are something listeners will love to hear. Lyrically, the song is about romance. Demi talks about how she will do anything for a specific someone, presumably boyfriend Wilmer Valderrama, “For you I would do anything for you // nail my heart to the ceiling // put my fist through a wall.” As the song comes to a close, Demi fans will be delighted to hear the large, powerful vocals that Demi is known for. The song finishes strong and proves as a worthy contender to the album.

While all of this has been great, it seems at this point in the album that there has not been a classic Demi power ballad. This all changed with song number 5 “Stone Cold.” Beautiful, tragic, painful, inspiring, and raw, this song is exactly what Lovatics wanted from Demi, and more. “Stone Cold” is a heartbreaking melody about someone who lost their love to someone else, and is unsuccessfully trying to cope “God knows I try to feel happy for you // know that I am // even if I can’t understand.” The songs progression is outstanding. The start of the song shows Demi’s lower register, which she has obviously improved on. As it continues, the chorus’s are powerful and emotional. Demi then beautifully hits high notes in her head voice, which is rare with this artist. Eventually, the song climaxes into an explosion of heartbreaking emotion, unbelievable control, and impeccable belting notes. “Stone Cold” is rumored to be in consideration for a 2017 Grammy award (the release date of this album missed the deadline for 2016 consideration). If this song does not warrant a Grammy nomination, than I cannot tell you which song does.

Both “Kingdom Come (feat. Iggy Azalea)” and “Waitin For You (feat. Sirah) are arguably the weakest points on this album. Having a guest artist appear in a song can be a good thing, but in this case it pulls the “Confident” album a step back. Anything following “Stone Cold” would be difficult to compare, but these two songs are not the best choices for the album. Demi’s vocals are, of course, wonderful, but these songs are seemingly written around the rap verses, and not Demi. What I mean by this is that the only parts of these songs that have lyrical substance are the rap verses. Iggy’s verse is solid in her song, but the lyrics in the rest of it are repetitive and the melody offbeat with the rest of the album. While the message “Waitin For You” tries to get across is clear, the song does poorly in relaying it to audiences. The verse in this song provided by rapper Sirah is awkwardly aggressive and pulls away from Demi’s vocals. These songs are not terrible, as a not-so-great song by Demi is better than any artist’s best song, but these songs are seemingly interchangeable, leaving a very bland combined 7 minutes of the album.

Earlier this year while Demi was recording her album, she tweeted something that mentioned, “whistle tones.” Once I heard this, I was extremely excited to see if Demi could actually pull off these intensely high notes. The song that these tones are showcased in is the 8th song of the album, “Wildfire.” A classic formula for a Demi song involves starting off slow and content, and then providing a final minute of explosive vocals. “Wildfire” challenges this formula in a great way. Finally we have a relaxing song by Demi, one that we can just listen to contently without crying or screaming in awe of her voice. This song may be my favorite off of the album, as it is something so different from her norm. Rather than savagely belting notes, the finale of this song simply switches to chest voice rather than head. Those whistle notes I mentioned also come in the background track of the finale, and it is still amazing to me that Demi hit them. I do not believe she will perform them in concert, but the fact that she could do it even once was astonishing. “Wildfire” is a strong song on the album that is written about how powerful one’s love for another can be.

Another emotional song, the 9th track of the “Confident” album is “Lionheart.” This song was written about a childhood friend of Demi’s who had passed away, and later would be dedicated to her dog that tragically died as well. Lyrically, “Lionheart” packs a punch. “You’re here like a silhouette // when the darkness rules // you’re the brightest moon,” and many more lyrics in this performance show that the meaning of this song is that your loved ones who have died are now watching over you and will always be a part of you. With Demi’s personal experiences about loss, the emotion is clear. The vocals in this song are strong, with a powerful chorus. This song was one of the most personal that Demi had written, and it is a great addition to her 5th album.

Yes, yes, yes, yes. That is all I can say about the 10th song of the album, “Yes.” The verses in this song are slow, simple, but also pretty fun and a great build up to the chorus. Another love song, “Yes” sings about how a couple respects each other equally as they prepare for a life together. The uplifting, anthem-like chorus consists of lyrics like “I can’t promise that it’s gonna be fine // but here I am if you’re ready to try… // here’s my life for better or worse,” showing that Demi is ready for a life with someone, but only if they are ready as well. It is clear that Demi had been working on her higher register in preparation for this album, as the verses in this song are mostly head voice. Towards the end of the song, Demi hits us with some great big notes, even singing the chorus up an octave, because why not? If I could sing like that I would be doing things like that too.

If there are any spelling areas from now on, just assume my eyes are still blurry after listening to the 11th song of Demi’s 5th album, “Father.” The title is simple, the lyrics are gut wrenching, “You did your best or did you // sometimes I think I hate you // I’m sorry dad for feeling this // I can’t believe I’m saying it.” Demi’s relationship with her biological father is something she has kept mostly quiet about. It is obvious that he was abusive, as Demi has now admitted without going into specifics. After the death of her father, Demi decided to write a song dedicated to him. This song is about finally forgiving her dad for the pain he caused her. The layout of this song is very original, as the chorus is never repeated in the exact same way. After the second verse, Demi and her amazing vocal chords powerfully sing long, high notes that demonstrate how passionate of a singer she is. The song ends with Demi wishing her father a second chance in heaven.

Vocally, the 12th song off of the “Confident” album, “Stars,” is one of the strongest contenders. Demi hits difficult low notes in this song, and them seemingly jumps octaves higher in a flash. One can also feel the fierceness behind Demi’s voice as she sings this song. The weakest point of this song is the awkward EDM-like chorus. It almost seems like this short medley was put in the song just to become more relevant, as EDM and “trap” music have gained a huge following in the younger generations. The song could easily do without this section. Lyrically, I will not judge too harshly, as the song is clearly supposed to be fun and wild. The lyrics are not deep, but neither is the song. “Knock em’ all out // beat em’ like Rousey // we don’t give a,” is an example of some of the amusing lyrics in this song. Ronda Rousey even tweeted to Demi thanking her for giving her a shout out! If you do not take this song too seriously, everyone should love it.

Finally, we save what I think is the best, for last. The final song on Demi Lovato’s 5th studio album “Confident” is titled “Mr. Hughes.” We do not know who this Mr. Hughes is, but he is probably made up. This song pays homage to summer jams we all grew up listening to. The storyline of this song is probably fictional, as it seems like it is about a teacher who was involved with a student, broke her heart, and now wants her back. Lyrics like “I forgive but can’t forget your mistakes… // oh it’s Mr. Hughes // and he’s got the blues // cause his high school dreams they never went too far,” imply a comical revenge tale. The reason this song is my favorite from the album is not only because of Demi’s vocals (she hits low notes constantly throughout the song), but also because this song is simply a jam. The beat, lyrics, and vocals all combine to make a song that parents and kids will want to dance to. This is my obvious choice for her next single, as it is extremely radio friendly, and I believe everyone, even non-Lovatics, will love it.

Demi Lovato is an artist who continually grows and is not afraid to show it. She has an upcoming North American tour this summer with Nick Jonas, and I am sure seats will be filled, partly due to the success of her album “Confident.” Lovatics were upset that it took over 2 years for a new album by Demi, but I would gladly wait again if she comes out with a 6th album that even comes close to her beautifully-crafted 5th album. By saying goodbye to the past, moving on from hardships, and finding her musical style, Demi Lovato now has nothing standing in her way.