Bic Lady Pens

When thinking of what to write for this week’s blog, I looked at the top of the “Our voices” page and saw the image of the pen.  Then it came to me, the Bic Lady Pens!

If you haven’t heard about the “lady pens” allow me to catch you up.  Bic started marketing a new product called “Bic for Her” pens that come in stereotypical feminine colors.  If you look on the website, Bic tells us it’s a “ball pen essentially for women!” which doesn’t explain much to me, but when I continued to look at the website I found another pen just for women.  This one is “Bic Cristal for Women” and tells me that it has a “tinted barrel thinner for a better handling for women.” (Obviously that’s been a concern for us women all these years, don’t you find yourself complaining about how difficult it is to write with a normal pen?)

Bic started marketing these pens awhile back, without much buzz around the product, until they decided to approach a potential spokeswoman.  They asked Ellen DeGeneres if she would be interested and I’m guessing you can imagine how that went over.  If you can’t imagine, you can check it out online http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eCyw3prIWhc

While I think Ellen is hilarious and justified in mocking those pens, it made me think about other products that are marketed “for her” that don’t serve any special purpose.  For instance, pink tools.  Sure, I appreciate that some people want to buy tools that are pink because they like the color, but after doing a quick search online, all the pink tools I found are sold as “ladies tool set” or “tools for women.”  Interestingly enough, I also found a website for “Tomboy Tools” where you can host a tool party for your female friends and they can learn how to use tools and purchase items.  All in pink of course. 

I did a little research and it appears that many items that are marketed just for women also cost more than the regular product.  According to a 2010 Consumer Reports study, equivalent items in a drugstore (like shampoo and deodorant) cost more if they are specifically marketed to women.  The reason is often special packaging, different scents, etc.  But often the same product with a different look costs more.  This seems pretty ridiculous, yet people are obviously buying the products.

So what’s the solution?  I think it all comes down to choice.  If you haven’t seen the documentary Miss Representation (the Lieben Center has a copy!), there’s a part in the film that addresses women’s buying power.  According to the documentary,”86% of the purchasing power in this country is in the pockets of women.”  That’s a pretty large percentage, and it tells me that if women aren’t buying your product, it probably won’t succeed. 

I think there are plenty of products marketed toward women that I currently buy, including shampoo, body wash, and razors.  But that’s my choice as a consumer.  Just like I have the choice NOT to buy products that I don’t think are necessary, like lady pens. 

Is there a product out there that you think is ridiculous to have “for her?”  I’d love to hear it in the comment section!

Kindly,

Allison Taylor

Many Voices, One Forum: CSW Fall Forum

“A feminist conceptual model of leadership ‘rests in the assumption that leadership manifests itself where this is an action to bring about change in an organization, an institution, of the social system-in other words, an action to make a positive difference in people’s lives.  Leadership, then, is conceived as a creative process that results in change’” –Helen Astin and Carol Leland

Leadership, as mentioned above, was exhibited on campus last week.  The Committee on the Status of Women (CSW) hosted its fourth annual event, the Fall Forum. 

Historically, the CSW has sought to hear the voices of the Creighton Community.  In 2010, the committee decided to assemble a group of women on campus and hear their concerns.  Professor Christine Wiseman and Sr. Maureen Fey helped facilitate the day.  Faculty, staff, students and administrators voiced their opinions on the culture of Creighton and how women played a role on campus.  They gathered and eight themes emerged as characteristic of Creighton in 2010:

·         Lack of Communication

·         Lack of Mentoring and Networking

·         Women are Not at the Table

·         No Central Location/Person/Advocate

·         Family Concerns

·         Need for Education

·         Work Life Imbalance

·         Lack of Role Modeling

From these themes, Summit attendees chose to sign their name to a report submitted to Fr. Schlegel and campus.  The CSW worked the following summer to create a strategic plan, or a way of proceeding, based on the needs identified.  They have been working diligently to address a culture shift on campus ever since.

Last year, CSW recognized the need to listen to the community once again.  With new university leadership, a paid parental leave policy adopted, a new office of Equity and Inclusion on campus unveiled, and a campus climate survey conducted, the CSW knew it was time to bring campus back together to take the pulse of our community.

The Committee sought to open the lines of communication by presenting climate survey results.  They aimed to empower participants with information as they learned about communication and gender.  They wanted to listen to concerns so that they can set the agenda for the CSW to do additional advocacy work on campus.  And they wanted participants (student, staff and faculty) to network informally at lunch and through optional book clubs.   Throughout the day, many voices came together in one forum!

As the day wrapped, additional themes gathered by listening to participants were shared.  Much work is yet to be done, as several themes appear strikingly similar to the 2010 report.  The CSW is compiling the data from the day and will issue a summary report to Father Lannon and campus.  This data will be used to set the future agendas for the committee.  I encourage you to visit the Committee’s website to review the fall 2012 report, once published: www.creighton.edu/women. 

As a Creighton community, we are called to be agents for change.  I pray that the Committee continues to collaborate with the Lieben Center, Women in Medicine and Science, Women and Gender Studies and many others throughout the community to engage in the “creative process” and advocate for the status of women at Creighton.

 

Kindly,

 

 

Michele Starzyk

Assistant Vice President for Student Life

CSW member