Blog - LALENA

3 Fashion Tips for Pandemic Times

5/15/2020

Here in Canada, like some areas of the world, there are plans to begin lifting some restrictions and opening more businesses. Since that means we’ll all likely be going out a bit more, I thought it was a good time to post some fashion tips for pandemic times!

First for men, because I feel like sometimes guys don’t get enough fashion tips & these articles are often girl-focused.

#1 Shave your Face.

No, I’m not kidding. I know you’ve been in quarantine and all, and when you were staying home, as much as possible, sure that was fine. Now, there’s an issue.

Masks don’t fit well or tightly over beards.

One of the first people I heard about testing positive for Covid-19 was a friend of my mother’s who was very careful. He carried around a spray bottle of 99% alcohol that he used to sanitize surfaces and his hands. He even wore a Vogmask (which is a reusable N95 designed for the public). Still even he admitted, the mask didn’t fit well because of his beard and he commented that he needed shave to get the mask to fit better. Just a few days later, he had a fever and cough and was being tested Covid-19. The test came back positive. It’s possible he caught it some other way, like droplets hitting his eyeballs. But to be safe, shave!

#2 Updo for You

For all genders, if your hair is long, tie it back when you go out.

Hair can get contaminated with coronavirus. I have no idea how long it lasts on hair, I haven’t seen any studies specifically talking about hair, so I’m guessing it’s similar to fabric, which means 4 to 48 hours.

Have you ever had the wind blow a strand of your hair in your eyes? Or accidentally gotten a strand of hair in your mouth? If so, tie your hair back! Put it up! Keep it away from your eyes & mouth!

#3 Short, Natural Nails are In!

For women (or I guess anyone else who likes to do their nails), keep your nails short and just add polish. Avoid gel and acrylic!

You want to keep your nails short, because they’re much easier to keep clean and short nails work better under gloves. (Invest in a good nail brush too, to help clean under your nails.)

You want to avoid gel and acrylic for similar reasons. Natural nails are much easier to keep clean and there’s also the issue of lift with gels and acrylic, or any kind of applied nail. Lifting is always dangerous, not just in terms of damage to your nail, but as an empty space that stuff can get into… You do NOT want to provide a location for coronavirus to hang out on your hands!

So short, natural nails are in!

World Belly Dance Day & Shimmy Mob

5/9/2020

"Creating change...one shimmy at a time!"

Today is World Belly Dance Day. Normally, I would have spent the day performing at various location around Vancouver with Shimmy Mob!

Shimmy Mob is global flash mob that raises awareness about domestic violence and raises funds for local women's shelters.

Since most places in the world are still under lockdown we had to do everything online this year, including the performance.

This is my best attempt at the choreography for this year. I'm a beginner at belly dance and I found it a bit hard to learn from the videos.

I gave it my best though, because it probably more important this year than it ever has been. Domestic violence has increased dramatically during this time.

If you need help in BC, contact Victim Link BC 24/7 (many languages)
Call 1-800-563-0808
Text 604-836-6381
Email VictimLinkBC@bc211.ca
TTY accessible at 604-875-0885 or collect at 7-1-1

"Creating change ... one shimmy at a time!"
Team Vancouver, BC (Canada)
#wbdd #shimmymob2020

Official 2020 Shimmy Mob Choreography by Yasmina Ramzy
Song: “El Binti Beida”
Artist: Arabesque Dance Company Orchestra

World War 3: Humans vs. SARS-CoV-2?

3/21/2020

Today it really sunk in for me how much this is like a war-time effort.

Very late on Friday night, like at 10pm, I got an urgent email from a provincial industry group wanting to know by Monday morning, how many machines your business has, what types, what fabric supplies do have on hand, etc. They wanted to assess the local industry capability, just in case we need to help out with manufacturing apparel or gear.

Hmmm... Does that sound familiar to you? Times when industries are asked about capabilities and called to help out with manufacturing.

Then I was texting with someone today. He's a pilot, so he’s out there working. And I thought, oh yeah, that’s right. You're essential services! You're one of those people on the front lines risking illness to transport what we need. I sent him a pic of me in a bikini. I thought he deserved some kind of reward for his efforts.

Then I thought...um, wow. Pinups for pilots? Again, this is really reminding of something.

He talked about wanting to meet me, you know, when this craziness was all over...

Wait a minute, what movie am I now?

I talked to friend of mine last week. He works in grocery store. He told me how crazy and busy things had been with all the panic buying. Then he got sick with cold, so he had to stay home from work. He was still sick a few days later, so he was probably going to have to stay home for a week or so.

Another front-line worker. Someone who probably caught his cold on the job, from all of the people out buying groceries!

During the BC Health Ministry briefing today, they talked about healthcare workers getting sick and how that's a risk.

That’s a real problem, because we need healthcare workers to take care of us!

And worse, the healthcare workers are transmitting it and that’s an issue! That’s how the illness spread to care homes for the elderly and why we have outbreaks in several care homes in the Greater Vancouver Area now.

The healthcare workers picked up the illness in the community. They didn’t realize they had, because they were in the incubation period and they passed it on to the very people they were caring for.

Healthcare workers are not getting sick from patients...they're getting sick when they go out for groceries.

This what they’re talking about when they talk about “Community Transmission” and the great danger with community transmission.

Healthcare workers are at risk in the community. They’re getting it in the community, they’re getting it at the grocery store, etc. They’re getting it from YOU!

We have to stay away from other people, because it protects them!

I've been in self-isolation, because I got a mild fever last weekend. I still have it, a very mild cold. So mild I probably wouldn't have even noticed if I wasn't looking for it. But a friend told me that they had come down with a cold and a fever. And I knew a couple of people in my building had just returned from an international trip. I ran into one of them in the elevator and they were wearing a mask, and they told me they were going getting tested for COVID-19. So I was concerned and checked my temperature.

I think with COVID-19 for some people, it's so mild you barely notice it. I think that's part of the problem. You don't realize you have it. You feel pretty good, so you go out and do things.

And if you do get a more serious cold, the 14 day incubation means you spread it around for 14 days before you even realize anything is wrong.

They talked about this during the briefing too. How that 14 day incubation period means when a person does get sick, they have to track down everyone that person interacted with in the last 14 days.

Can you remember every place you went, every store you checked for supplies, every person you got within 1-2 metres of in the past two weeks? Every person you stood next to in line? Every person who rang up your groceries? Who rode in the same elevator as you?

So just stop, please! Don't go out! Not now! We are in a state of emergency! Seriously. STAY HOME!

I know it's hard to comprehend just how important it is, but we are at war with a tiny, invisible enemy. And we need to work together. It's about YOU. It's about me. It's about ALL of us.

Here in BC, they're saying the next 10 days to 2 weeks are critical!

Only go out if you absolutely NEED to go out.

If you do go out, treat it like the fucking zombie apocalypse! Stay 1-2 metres (3-6 feet) away from all other people!

You should ONLY be spending time alone, or with people you live with, that's it right now!

All other connection is virtual! Phone calls, texts, email, video chat. Connect! But do it remotely.

Thank goodness we still have power and an internet connection, though it feels it’s gotten much slower than it’s been in years, since everyone seems to be using it now.

We can do even do some #QuarantinePinups to share with those wonderful people working to provide us with essential services, like groceries & healthcare, but it's going to have to be wearing a bikini on the balcony, doing some pinup shots on the patio or taking some photos in various rooms around the house.

#Coronavirus #COVID19

Note: If you are in BC and have industrial sewing machines and fabric supplies and have not filled out the survey yet, please feel free to contact me and I’ll send you the details. They want the information by tomorrow morning, Monday, March 23rd. (I did ask if I could share the information publicly, but they haven’t answered, so send me a message if you need the details.)

Distancing: How Far Away Do I Need to Be?

3/20/2020

It's weird. A week ago I was writing that post about COVID-19 preparations and encouraging everyone to #MakeAPlan. Here we are a week later & I don't know about you, but in my city we're pretty much at lock-down, shelter-in-place, STAY HOME land.

The local government has made an emergency declaration that everyone is to stay home unless you absolutely need to go out (e.g. for groceries) & if you go out you're supposed to stay 1-2 metres (3-6 feet) away from all other people.

So while I was out on my patio today enjoying some fresh & air sunshine (do it, it's beautiful), I did some people watching.

I saw some people walking around & I was curious to see if people knew how to do distancing. I saw 5 different people pass each other while walking around my neighborhood.

Success Rate?

3 people clearly didn't know how to judge distance and were too close to each other.
1 person kept a 1 metre distance.
1 person clearly knew what they were doing and stayed 2 metres away from other people.

So that's what inspired this post & video.

How to Measure 1-2 Metres
I apparently could do this by sight from many floors above ground level. I think it's because I sew, so I'm used to working in metres and yards & knowing how long a metre of fabric is in relationship to the human body.

So here are some helpful tips:

1 metre = ~1 yard = ~3 feet
2 metres = ~2 yards = ~6 feet
1 metre is about the distance from the tips of your fingers to the center of your body, if you're average adult, obviously this varies with body size.
2 metres, if you stretch out your arms on both sides the total distance is about 2 metres (again, depends how big/small you are, this is for an average human being).
Sidewalks are ~1.5 metres wide*

So, yes, get some fresh air and sunshine! Open your window, step out onto your patio, into your yard. But if you're walking near other people, here's the best arrangement for walking.

DON'T pass each other on the sidewalk. You should keep a sidewalk width BETWEEN you and other people!

#COVID19 #Coronavirus #SocialDistancing #PhysicalDistancing #Distancing

*"Current standards are for a minimum 1500mm wide sidewalk, generally constructed of broom-finished concrete, in low density residential areas. Higher density residential areas have a minimum 1800mm wide sidewalk." https://vancouver.ca/files/cov/AccessibleStreetDesign.pdf

Pandemic Panic: "Communicate with family, friends and neighbours"

3/13/2020

"Communicate with family, friends and neighbours"

This is the last step recommended for being prepared as an individual by the Canadian government for COVID-19. I figure social media is often how we communicate these days, particularly when many of us are working from home or live far away from one another.

"Share your plan with them, as this might motivate them to make their own."

Ok, I'm doing it! May it inspire you to do the same. :) So here's my plan & my supplies. Supplies first, cause that took days to track down. LOL

My Supplies
1. Soap
This is something I always have in stock. It's Dr. Bronner's soap, the unscented version. It's all-natural and concentrated, so it has to be diluted with water. So I'm set for soap. :)

2. Anti-Viral Disinfectant
I chose to get the same natural cleaner I usually get, Seventh Generation's Cleanwell products. I found and bought one of each of this type of cleaner. The cleaners contain Thymol. Here's my evidence for believing Thymol works:

I found a US government PDF that lists a Thymol based cleaner as a coronavirus disinfectant.
Seventh Generation says they've submitted an application to the EPA to be on the list of official products recommended, but they haven't heard back yet.
And Another Thymol product has issued a press release about their cleaner being effective against Coronavirus.

3. Toilet Paper
Yes, I got toilet paper, but not like a shopping cart full. LOL I got a package. Seemed reasonable to me. Wishing I had a bidet really. LOL

4. Alcohol-Based Hand Sanitizer (60% alcohol or higher)
Sadly, by the time I got to the stores there was none of this left, anywhere. I have a little bit left, but thought getting ingredients might be a good idea.

5. 70% & 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
This was also completely sold out by the time I got to the stores! I do have a little left, so I'll work with what I have until stores restock. From what I've read 70% is good for sanitizing & 99% can be used to make sanitizing solutions.

6. Aloe Vera Gel
Interestingly, even Aloe Vera gel was sold out many places I went to! I got something that was as pure as possible (98% aloe vera gel).

Note: If you choose to make your own hand sanitizer, should use 99% Isopropyl Alcohol + Aloe Vera Gel. You must include at least 60% alcohol and can go up to 72% alcohol in the mix.

7. Thyme Oil
I ran across Thyme oil at a store that sells essential oils and thought, yeah, why not? It's pure Thyme oil, or in other words, Thymol. Not diluted at all. I figure a drop of this in the homemade sanitizer won't hurt.

I also found a recipe for a sanitizing spray using Thyme oil, here it is:

10-30 drops thyme essential oil
1 oz. rubbing alcohol
8-ounce spray bottle

Put thyme essential oil into an ounce of rubbing alcohol, shake it together, then fill the rest of an 8-ounce spray bottle with water.

I consider this kind of a last resort. I'd use the store-bought Thymol cleaners first or 70% alcohol, as I know those are proven to work. This recipe off the internet...hmmm...I don't know, but it's Thymol, so it should work.

8. Surgical Masks
I already had these in with my medical supplies. The general advice for the public is, if you have a cold, STAY HOME. If you must go out, for the love of all things, put on a surgical mask!

Rules for putting on a mask:

Wash your hands before!
Put surgical masks on with the blue side facing out. (It's waterproof on that side.)
Wash your hands before removing it & after you take it off. (Consider it contaminated.)

That's pretty much all the physical supplies. And people, buy what you need, but please don't overbuy! A few people stocking up does not help us all. Everyone needs basics.

It's already gotten to the point where Dentists in BC are having to cancel appointments because of surgical mask shortages!

And as I mentioned several items were not available anywhere, at any of the stores I visited & for some items that's been true for a while now.

My Plan
1. Washing Hands...more
I clean my hands a lot already. Anytime I come in from being outside, I wash my hands. Anytime I'm going to touch food, I wash my hands before. Just common sense, right?

2. Don't Touch Your face!
Seriously! This is one of the main transmission routes for any bacteria or virus. Your eyes, nose, mouth...so wash your hands before you touch your face! I already do this, just trying to be more conscious of it.

3. Namaste
Handshakes are definitely out these days. I'm kind of hoping we can all switch to Namaste. :)

4. Clean Your Phone
Really, it's one of those objects that gets dirty and you touch it a lot and you sometimes put it near your face. Clean it, often! Again, something I already do...

5. Avoid Touching Surfaces
Elevator buttons, handles on doors, etc. Alternatives:

Gloves
Edges of Jackets
Paper Towels
Sanitize surface &/or clean hands after contact

6. Indoor/Outdoor Protocol

Shoes Off & Wash Hands

I ask people to remove shoes at the door and invite them to wash their hands after entering, particularly if they've been on public transit.

Outdoor Clothes

I hang outdoor coats in a closet. I also tend to change from outdoor clothes to indoors clothes when I get home. For visitors, I keep track of where they sit & if they've been on public transit, you can bet I'm cleaning a bit after they visit. :)

7. Avoid Crowded Places
Ok, this is new for me, but my friendly Canadian government says, if COVID-19 becomes common in your community, you will "want to have thought" about how to change your behaviours to reduce risk. I'm having thoughts...

Since we've now had at least one incident of "community transmission", I'd say the GVRD now qualifies as a community risk zone. In the Vancouver area, someone got COVID-19 and they have no idea where they got it or who they got it from, they didn't travel or have contact with anyone known to have it. I'm pretty sure it was a combination of that announcement, the first local death, and the WHO officially saying it was a pandemic that made everyone rush out to buy supplies at the stores this week.

So, the Canadian gov says your plan should include reducing exposure to crowded places. So here's my plan for that:

Working from home when/where possible.
Limiting social contact. I spend time with a small number of people rn.
Attempting to avoid peak times for stores. (I find this is getting hard, cause everyone seems to be doing this, so stores are busy off peak too.)
Keeping my distance from people physically, particularly if they're coughing, etc. Nothing personal, just avoid, get away. (But isn't this always true?)
Avoiding public transit. I've started avoiding public transit in general. Normally, I'd take Skytrain, but for now, my car is my friend.
Considering whether I want to attend social events. I attended one small social event, but I'm considering if I want to do the larger gathering and events I'd normally do this month.

8. Wellness
I know the government is suggesting having some food on hand & that's probably a good idea & I generally do. Here are some highlights of what's in my kitchen.

Powdered Bone Broth: Just add hot water for a basic broth, veggies &/or meat for soup, some egg for egg drop soup. Easy to use and versatile.
Canned Soup: I always try to keep a couple cans around. :)
Frozen Foods: My freezer is filled with fruits, vegetables, gluten-free bread, pre-made meals, lots of food...and that's the usual state of my freezer.

I guess this is a good place to mention supplements too.

Vitamins: I usually keep Vitamin C & a multi-vitamin in stock.
Spirulina: It's something I believe can be healthy based on the reading I've done, but you do need to be picky about brand, quality, purity. It's basically a supergreen food.
Quercetin: I choose to buy some based on this article. I understand the Quercetin I got probably isn't the same thing they're testing, but from what I've read it seems like a relatively safe supplement that's good for lots of things, including recovering from colds. My theory was probably won't hurt, might help, I'll get some! :)

I think eating well is important. You need to make sure you're taking care of yourself physically. I think the same is true mentally. You need to take care of yourself mentally too.

Make sure you educate yourself. Make sure you meditate, pray, relax. Sleep well. We need calm rational actions the most right now & acts of compassion. And belief does play a large role in how we feel and even how well our immune systems work!

So go ahead and read about The Extraordinary Decisions Facing Italian Doctors, but also make sure you read Coronavirus: Ten reasons why you ought not to panic. Both perspectives are important to have.

If you're looking for some light edutainment, I highly recommend "Cells At Work", which is on Netflix. I think now is a great time to watch it, cause you'll understand how the immune system works so much better. And it's cute. :)

#pandemicpanic #coronavirus #covid19 #makeaplan

International Women's Day: Be a Lady They Said

3/8/2020

I thought I would share the video, "Be a Lady They Said". I found it to be very powerful in speaking to the many contradictory expectations of women.

Happy Valentine's Day: Tools to Understand Love and Attachment

2/14/2020

For all of you who do not have someone to celebrate Valentine's Day with, I wish you a day filled with lots of love. Fill it with self-love. Treat yourself to a bath, chocolate, wine, whatever it is that feels good to you.

For those of you who have loved ones to celebrate with, enjoy and appreciate.

I also wanted to share a couple of tools you can use to understand your experiences with love and attachment better.

Do you know your primary Love Language?

How about your attachment style?

I think both of these tools can be helpful, regardless of whether you're involved with someone or not. It's about learning how you feel and how you tend to approach love and relationships, which is kind of a form of self-love too.

Feminist Friday: The Super Bowl Sunday Special

2/9/2020

Feminist Friday is back, because I felt compelled to write about the Super Bowl Sunday halftime show.

Why did I watch it?
Francesca (aka Sabeya) posted on Facebook saying she wasn't watching the Super Bowl & asked if other people were not watching it too. Someone commented that Francesca was missing the halftime show & she replied saying she watched the halftime show. I wondered why, so I checked out the details and learned that JLo and Shakira were performing. According to article I read, Shakira's been belly dancing since she was young. Suddenly, it made sense. Francesca is a professional dancer. She teaches a belly dance fitness class I attend & she's the person who started Shimmy Mob, the world's largest belly dance flash mob! So I decided to watch the halftime show.

My View
First, let me say there were some things I really liked about it! Shakira and Jennifer Lopez are both talented entertainers & they put on a great song and dance act. I thought it was very cool that both of the women featured weren't young; Shakira is in her 40's and JLo is 50! I also liked many of the songs and artists that were featured. I love Reggaeton. I often dance to it at clubs & Mi Gente is on one of my playlists. :)

Now let's get to some of the problems, starting with this. I think this image really sums up one of the biggest issues I had with the show. Here we see JLo in a nude bodysuit with sparkles that strategically cover some parts & mimic the look of lingerie. And we see J Balvin next to her fully clothed and covered. We see her dancing suggestively & him pointing at her butt.

This sends a very clear message & it's one I've seen time and time again since I was a kid. The message is, if you're a guy and you want to be a musician, go for it! It doesn't matter what you look like. Whether your hot & ripped or kind of plain looking, heavy or thin. All kinds of guys are popular musicians! And when you're up on stage, if you're a guy, you just need to sing. But if you're a girl, well, you better be hot and thin & you'll have to wear revealing outfits & dance suggestively.

It used to be you had to be young too, but with Shakira and JLo being featured it seems like being young isn't necessarily a requirement anymore. But being hot and wearing lingerie-like outfits is required & don't forget those moves! Crotch grabbing, twerking and pole dancing!

I know some people defended the outfits Shakira and JLo wore saying they were similar to the cheerleader's outfits & I agree cheerleader outfits are often skimpy. But why do skilled singers need to dress in outfits to match the cheerleaders? And why do cheerleaders wear those outfits? Where are the male cheerleaders dressed like Chippendale dancers?

Others have pointed out that the outfits and dance moves are just like what you see at concerts done by these women. I agree, but why are women expected to wear revealing outfits and move suggestively and sing? Why is this standard? Why is this considered not just normal and acceptable, but the ideal? Why is THAT what's required to become popular, or even break into the industry? Why is THAT what it takes to become the richest woman in the entertainment industry? Is hot & sexy STILL the only way for women to get ahead?

To me, the halftime show looked like it was crafted for the male gaze, an adult heterosexual male gaze.

I know some people pointed out that a male singer sang without a shirt last year & no, that is not the same. When the standard becomes that male singers have to wear lingerie & dance around suggestively, then we'll have some gender parity!

Maybe the NFL could get Todrick Hall to wear a nude bodysuit like JLo's, with sparkles just covering the crotch and he could do his routine from Nails, Hair, Hips, Heels. That *might* begin to even the scales.

I find it sad, because it's the same old message we've been fed for years. Guys, you get measured by your talents. Girls, you get measured by your looks, how sexy you are, talent is secondary.

Just take a look at listings looking for female singers. They say openly they want young, hot looking women. The entertainment industry is one of the few industries where it's perfectly legal to choose based on looks, ethnicity, age...you can feel free to be biased! It's an industry where you're often judged on how hot and sexy you look, more than your talent. This is part of the reason why plastic surgery is so popular, particularly with female entertainers.

Women like Shakira and JLo know how to cash in on this. Same with Beyoncé, Kim K and dozens of others (including lots of Instagram influencers). These women choose to flaunt their bodies to promote their talents, or in the absence of talent (e.g. Kim K.'s infamous comment that she doesn't know how to sing or dance…).

I know personally I've felt torn by this. I've always wanted to be recognized for my talents and skills! My intelligence and the fact that I can act, dance, sing and create art. I've purposefully downplayed my appearance and covered my body, but I've seriously wondered if that's the wrong choice! When I see examples like Beyoncé and Kim K. being some of the richest and most powerful women in the world, I wonder if maybe I should be flaunting my 34H cup tits and shaking them for the world, because it would probably earn me a lot more money! And when these women are held up as examples of being feminist, I wonder WTF am I even doing?

I used to think such behavior would hurt your reputation and damage your professional career, but seeing women like Kim K. go from sex tape to one of the richest women in the world, it makes me think it doesn't matter. You can release a sex tape, do porn, wear revealing outfits, pose nude, etc. and it won't hurt your reputation or damage your professional career. In fact, it can make you rich, famous and popular!

I've seen how women like Cardi B. have openly admitted to not just stripping, but drugging and robbing men. Like she actually did what's portrayed in Hustlers in real life, which is a crime! And somehow there was no outrage. She's not considered a pariah like Bill Cosby. Why?

And as much as I love some of Lizzo's songs, that outfit she wore to the Lakers game with the cut-out butt? Ugly AF & why a sports event? And it’s not about her size, that outfit would look ugly on ANYONE, any gender, any size! But I'm not a fan of ass-less pants either. I feel like the *only* place I can imagine a use for bottomless pants and dresses is a kink club. Not a sporting event.

And here we are at another sporting event, sporting things that make no sense. Like that POLE! Seriously, WTF? Why was there pole dancing during the halftime show? Pole dancing is something that happens at strip clubs. I mean, where else does that happen? (There IS an answer to this question later on in this post.)

Mom's View
I asked my mom for her view, because a number of comments I read from moms said they wouldn't want their young daughter or son to see that halftime show. She commented on the crotch grabbing moves, the skimpy outfits, the pole dancing. She didn't feel it was appropriate for what was supposed to be family entertainment.

She recalled a scene from an old black & white movie where one woman is giving advice to another saying to always remember, "British in the parlor, Parisian in the bedroom." She feels like she’s pretty liberal and her 30 year old friends agree, but she feels like you should be tasteful, refined, elegant in public & feel free to go wild in your bedroom. She felt that movie quote sums up that idea nicely.

She asked, "Why are we celebrating just their bodies and shaking their booty?" She told me she felt like feminism had somehow gone from being able to pursue any job you want for equal pay to let's flash our boobs & crotch. She questioned what kind of values modern feminism was putting forward. "How is this encouraging women to be confident & free? Free to do what? Vulgar movements?"

She thought some of the dance moves were "simulating having sex" and she found that distasteful. "And then to have the children there” commenting on children's choir, my mom sounded truly sad for the young children exposed and involved.

I asked her what age she thought would be appropriate for the program. "Teens?" she said hesitantly, "but even then", she commented again about the "appalling" content. She said she felt "over 25 would be better, when you've had some life experience.” I laughed and asked why 25 and she commented on the values being conveyed and the lyrics in the songs.

I hadn't even paid attention to the lyrics. My mom had! She commented how "She-Wolf" is a story about a woman who feels neglected by her partner, so she goes to a bar looking for casual sex. "What is this teaching you?" she exclaimed. "Rather than talk to your partner, you should go cheat?"

Then she commented about "Hips Don't Lie" and how the message was that if a woman swings her hips and dances suggestively, then it means she wants to have sex with you. Now every guy at the club is going to think I want to have sex with him!

My mom mentioned the halftime show reminded her of the documentary "Generation Wealth". I wasn't familiar with it, so I decided to watch it.

Generation Wealth: Pornified Culture & Where Else Do You See Pole Dancing?
So I watched the documentary & at the start I didn't see the connection, but then Chris Hedges commented, "We're a completely pornified culture. The images of porn are now so pervasive and accessible throughout the society they've leeched into popular culture."

The on-screen images reflect this and include a pole dancing fitness class. Oh yeah, that is a thing! I know they exist locally here in Vancouver too.

Last year I even signed up for a couple of dance classes focused on hip hop that advertised themselves as being for fierce, independent women, using names like "Army of Sass". When I showed up, I found out the classes were focused on teaching you how to dance sexy in heels. Yes, they were using some hip hop moves, but in heels. Needless to say, I dropped the classes. I like sneakers for dance. :)

Generation Wealth now had my attention & it is related. Chris Hedges comments later in the documentary that "unfettered, unregulated capitalism does what it's designed to do, which is commodify everything. Even human beings become commodities that you exploit for profit, until exhaustion or collapse."

Kacey Jordon, the former porn star is interviewed at one point. She talks about that fact that when she started she wanted to be an actor. When she was offered porn she agreed, because it seemed similar and related, it seemed like a way to get into doing films. She commented about Kim Kardashian's success saying "Kim is my inspiration for, I can still make it, you know, because I have lots of sex tapes to show & maybe I'll still come out on top somehow."

So Beyoncé, Shakira, JLo, Kim, and all the female celebs and influencers, I call to you. I want you understand what kind of inspiration you are giving to the young women of the world. I want you fully comprehend what kind of influence, what kind of role model you are. I want you to understand the kind of messages you're sending. Honestly, not just to young women, the kind of messages you're sending to ALL women, and to men too for that matter.

Every time we use SEX to sell, we are feeding into the system that says that being hot and sexy is what matters the most. It says that how hot you are is more important than how intelligent you are. That how sexy you are is more important than your talents and skills. That a woman's body is her most important and valuable asset.

I'm not saying you have to wear sack dress to perform, but there is a time and a place for lingerie and I don't think it should be the stage (or videos for that matter). But I know that's the path to millions. It's the path paved with gold. The temptation is strong. I know it is. I've felt it. I've had friends who have given in to different degrees. I know women who post sexy selfies & I've known women who have been strippers & women who have done sex work. I know sexy pics get lots of likes and followers. And I know you can make a lot of money being a stripper and doing sex work.

At one point in Generation Wealth, a young girl named Sheena is interviewed, she's 15 and she says "I wanna be a topless dancing showgirl...if I can accomplish being that, then I can accomplish anything."

I think this quote points to what I think is horribly awry with modern feminism. Women are being told and shown that the way to get ahead, the way to accomplish ANYTHING, fame, fortune, success, etc. is to show and shake your body! That the path to power as a woman is to take off your clothes, to be hot and sexy, that that IS empowerment, that that is feminism.

Sadly, I read that Jennifer Lopez thinks this debate is “silliness” and she feels the halftime show was “really well reserved”. In her interview with Jimmy Fallon she says, “and that small faction of people who want to be negative about it, I can’t even let in because it was such an amazing night.”

So apparently she thinks it’s just a “small faction” of people who think the performance was inappropriate and that they’re just being “negative”, so she won’t even listen to what they have to say. :(

I think that’s really sad, because it makes it clear to me that she not going to listen to anyone who doesn’t agree with her. She’s not interested in hearing how her performance showed that women are on top of the world when they’re half-naked twirling around the top of a pole.

I wish I could end this post on a more positive and hopeful note, point to some bright spots, some hope for change, but this is the same issue and same messages I’ve seen since I was a child and things don’t really seem to be getting better. In some ways it seems like things have gotten worse.

My mom asked if I was going to encourage people to write to the NFL & I feel like go ahead if you want, but I think the issue is larger than that.

I think it might be more effective to write to female entertainers to try to change their minds, but I’m not sure if they will listen.

I guess I should thank JLo for making it crystal clear what it takes to get to the top of the world as a woman. The halftime show made it clear that as a female entertainer, what really matters is how hot & sexy & scantily clad you are. But if you’re a man, you can wear baggy sweatpants and glasses, because men just need talent.

I wish I felt like I could stand up and say, no, I won’t do that! But I know all too well that my success and even my ability to get jobs is directly related to how many followers I have on social media.

I guess I should post more hot and sexy pics. Goodness know lots of guys asked about that bikini pic after I did the Dolly Parton Challenge. I’m sure my social media following would increase if I did!