Op-Ed
Letters: "Cornell Diaries" irresponsible, disgusting, sexist
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‘Cornell Diaries’ irresponsible, digusting, sexist
To the Editor:
Re: “The Doggie-Style Lover,” Eclipse, Oct. 30
After reading the article “Cornell Diaries: The Doggie-Style Lover” in the Eclipse insert, I felt absolutely furious; no, livid is a better way to describe the feeling. I hoped quite earnestly that my capacity for reading comprehension had just failed me. It was by far the most offensive piece I have ever read in a Cornell publication. Saturated with ultra-sexist sentiment, it was excruciatingly painful. It was raw, sure. Some publications, perhaps The Cornell Daily Sun included, thrive on the perception that what their audiences want and need is the rawest image of life imaginable.
While it is not wrong for The Cornell Daily Sun to realistically portray the collegiate lifestyle, I would like to argue that such portrayals must be constructive as well. It is a delicate issue. Given events that have taken place on Cornell’s campus over the past few semesters (i.e. rapes, rape allegations, etc.), our media sources maintain an influential role in the direction that our campus culture moves.
What kind of culture does this sort of piece promote? Surely it does not promote one that is characterized by respect towards women. I asked many of my friends to read this piece that same day and throughout the weekend, sharing with them my concerns. From my female friends, I received responses very similar to my own. They were offended, outraged, disgusted and, quite frankly, confused as to the purpose of this piece in The Cornell Daily Sun. My male friends as well were offended by the portrayal of men opposite their partners, as well as being offended on behalf of the women in their lives.
So on their behalf, on my behalf and on the behalf of every woman within the Cornell community and beyond its reaches also, and especially on behalf of the subject of the Doggie-Style Lover, my question to you is: What on earth were you thinking?
Neele Reimann-Philipp ’10
To the Editor:
Re: “The Doggie-Style Lover,” Eclipse, Oct. 30
When my friend suggested that I read “The Doggie-Style Lover” the other day, I assumed that it was going to be yet another mediocre article about post-pubescent, coming-of-age sexual realizations and experimentations. You know the kind — they seem to be a dime-a-dozen in The Cornell Daily Sun. But to my surprise it surely surpassed this mark, and ended up being the single most offensive piece of writing I have ever read at Cornell.
The mere fact that Eclipse allowed for this piece to run says a lot about the editors, and it saddens me to think that those responsible have any sort of justification supporting their decision to run it. Simply put, this anonymously written, diary-style article perpetuates the good old spit-in-the-face attitude that is so common amongst hateful and privileged individuals. And Eclipse has entirely helped project that message.
The editors should be ashamed of themselves for allowing something like this to be published. It is an insult to all women and any other self-respecting individual disgusted by this kind of garbage.
Patrick Castrenze ’10