He Said, She Said
Women are roaring, but are the men listening?

She Said
By Jami McManama

I am woman, hear me roar. Are you scared yet? Well good, you should be. Do you want to know why? Because, believe it or not, women are starting to make their mark on this country. I realize that some of you might think this women’s lib thing is being run into the ground, but I don’t care. I’m proud of my fellow females and the strides they’ve been making. We’ve come a long way, baby, and I’m not talking about Virginia Slims cigarette ads. There are tons of women who have risked controversy and ridicule to climb to the top ... and stay there.

Ok, I’m going to start with the Spice Girls. Whine all you want to. But, in spite of everyone’s criticism, these fab five from Britain have climbed to the top of the music charts. Their signature "Girl Power" motto has changed the lives of many young women of the world.

People (mostly men) have harped on the stupidity of the Spice Girls. Yeah, I bet they’re crying all the way to the bank. Even if their songs are cheesy and their outfits are skimpy, they have the guts to get out there day after day and make a statement that you can’t ignore. I agree with Jennifer White, who says "I have girl power out the ass."

And let’s not forget about TV. No one can turn on the television without seeing Rosie O’Donnell. Despite the fact that this single mother of two doesn’t fit Hollywood’s stereotypical female image, she has accomplished more in the past few years than anyone expected. Her Emmy-winning talk show has one of the highest ratings in the business. Eat your heart out, Jerry Springer. It seems the only way a man can get to the top in talk shows is to provide his audience with a bar fight in every show. That’s intelligent.

These women have used their power for great causes, such as cancer and AIDS research, and are giving young girls positive role models for the future. The last time I checked, Jerry Springer didn’t donate any time or money to breast cancer awareness. How sad. It’s time for women to stand on our own two feet. We have the power. Now all we have to do is use it.

He Said
By Brian O'Neil

Well, although I agree with my counterpart about the fact that the women’s movement is making great strides, I am not scared. It is my opinion that we are still living in a man’s world. I’m not saying that it is necessarily a good thing; what I am saying is that it is reality. And until that is changed, women are going to be on a lower level than men.

I am glad that you stated the Virginia Slims slogan, because, if I’m not mistaken, Virginia Slims holds a tennis tournament every year that continues to promote women as sex objects who are best suited to be walking advertisements, not strong role models.

As for the Spice Girls, how can you say they have talent based on the facts that they are women and that they wear very little clothing? I really don’t care for them because they have no musical ability. I believe that women could have better role models than a group of British nitwits who wear no clothing and sing horribly.

Yes, the viewing audience for Rosie O’Donnell is large, but it is no larger than the viewing audience for Jerry Springer. And no matter how stupid his shows are, I like them. They are made for entertainment and entertainment only. If Rosie did a better show, then maybe she would have better ratings than Springer. Yeah, I could rave on a talk show about how much I love Claudia Schiffer like Rosie does about her love for Tom Cruise, but it still wouldn’t be a stimulating topic.

The power of women in society is on the rise, and I have no problem with that. I just don't believe we should take it too far with policies that end up tipping the balance in favor of women. Take, for example, affirmative action. Women who deserve a job should get that job, but they should not take a job away from a man who is more qualified.

Don’t get me wrong, I think that the women’s movement is a good thing, just as long as a woman doesn’t take my job.