CONTACTING US NEWSROOM: (541)346-5511 fc-MAIL: ode<@oregon. uoregon.edu ADDRESS: Oregon Daily Emerald P.0.80X3159 Eugene, Oregon 97403 UNUNt EDITION: www.uoregon edu/~ode Perspectives EDITOR-IN-CHIEF Sarah Kickler EDITORIAL EDITOR MikeSchmierbach NIGHT EDITOR Carl Yeh Avoiding a Suet Would Though the power of women has been increasing, pop culture is doing a lot to promote gender bias,*' and to push young girls into gender roles vX ___^ ********' . Americans are masters of the art of self-deception. We’ve gotten used to the idea that if things look fine on the outside, then they must be fine on the inside. Consequently, we sometimes miss the big picture. For example, when we gaze around a pop culture landscape lit tered with female icons like Madonna and Oprah Winfrey, it is easy to forget that sexism still exists in this country. When asked for ex amples of powerful women, we can cite Secretary ot State Madeleine Albright and At torney General Janet Reno almost without thinking. And there was, of course, last sum mer’s Lilith Fair, the consummate example of female Kameron Cole uonnnauon oi a traditionally patriarchal enterprise. After all, we say, ifsomany women are so popular and successful, then it’s ob- « vious that sexism is on the de America has been giving its girls the short end of the proverbial stick for centuries. But it's easy for us who are by now many years removed from our preteen days to overlook that. After all, the blatant gender bias of the not-so-dis tant past is gone. The Easy-Bake oven is passe, and Barbie has a computer. This doesn’t mean that things have gotten that much bet ter for ,, cane. That might be a valid argu ment if sex ism simply entailed the unequal distri uuuuu anu cA‘ ercise of power between men and women. Furthermore, if that’s what constituted sexism, then it would be no problem to fight. The easiest enemy to defeat is the obvi ous, predictable one. But like most other social ills, sexism thrives by taking on far more complex and in sidious forms. There are certain undeniable facts in this world, things that are more matters of common sense than of studies or statistics. And one of these undeniable facts is that girls. Now more than ever they are prodded into gender roles by the considerable force of pop culture. Consider, fora moment, this year’s crop of preadolescent icons. The Spice Girls, the manufactured darlings of the 9- to 13-year-old de mographic, peddle their vapidity under the guise of "girl power.” The teen magazine market continues to expand, with new publications of fering the same crop of “How to Make Boys Want You — Bad” arti cles and self-esteem busting beauty tips that many post-adolescent women remember from their youth. These things exist for one key reason: They fulfill a need fora group that is largely ignored by so ciety. The three- to four-year period be fore they reach adolescence is prime time in the development of girls. Unfortunately, evidence shows that this is the time when most girls fall through the cracks. If we really intend to change the way women are perceived in this country, then it is imperative to ad dress the needs of young girls. If we fail to offer realistic, positive female role models, then we are ensuring that the young adult media/adver tising complex will pick up the slack. And do we really want a whole nation of Spice Girls? Kameron Cole is a columnist for the Emerald. Her views do not necessarily represent those of the newspaper. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR uneck eligibility This January, the Oregon Stu dent Association gained a ma jor lobbying victory: The Ore gon Health Plan was once again expanded to cover students. Due to this change, thousands of students across the state are able to apply tor medical cover age pending a few restrictions. If you are interested in apply ing for assistance through this program, please take a moment to look over the guidelines for eligibility. You may be able to receive aid and not even know it. Full-time undergraduate students are able to qualify for OHP coverage if: you are unin sured or pregnant; you are in a program serving displaced workers per section 236 of the 1974 Trade Act; or you receive AFDC or Poverty Level Med ical. Although there are re source requirements that must be met in addition to the above guidelines, it is worth while to further consider your eligibility for the Oregon Health Plan. If you or someone you know doesn’t have health insur ance, call Health Choices im mediately at 1-800-359-9517 and apply for coverage. Cov erage can go back to the date of application and may make a major difference in health costs. Sadie Rogers Sociology