Grow a Pair and Don’t Be a Pussy

Awarded to Sarah Jane Nelson for work submitted in Spring 2022 to Amy Fant in ENGL 1020: Research and Argumentative Writing

Have you ever been called a “pussy”? How did it make you feel? Did you feel flattered to be compared to a resilient and remarkable organ that can expand to birth a human child? The average baby’s head has a circumference of 14” (Growth Charts), and since the beginning of human existence, females have been birthing people from their amazing pussies. Unfortunately, when you were called a pussy, you may not have felt resilient and remarkable as the word has come to represent weakness and a lack of courage. On the other hand, have you ever been told “you have balls?” Did you take that as a compliment meaning you are courageous and resilient even though testicles are among the most vulnerable, sensitive, and easily harmed organs on the male body? These terms are so common, most people don’t even think about their true meaning, but referring to “balls” as brave and “pussy” as a representation of weakness is not only inaccurate, but it is damaging to both genders.

The idea that bravery comes from balls is nothing new. Juliet Lapidos for Slate discovered that as early as the 16th Century, anatomist John Banister claimed that balls were the cause of “strength and manhode.” Going back this far, before science was as advanced as it is today, humans were seeking to understand the world around them, and survival was often dependent on a person’s size and strength. Women were oppressed and worked in the background of society while men pranced around with their large testicles congratulating themselves for being the most powerful gender.

Those large testicles had value back then and they still do today, literally. Pro Publica did a study on what Worker’s Compensation will cover for the loss of different body parts in different states, and they found that although there is no compensation for female specific parts, some states put a handsome dollar amount on a testicle. If a worker loses a testicle on the job in Illinois, that gonad is worth $73,537! In the same state, an index finger is worth only $58,557 and the loss of a big toe gets you just $51,748 (Groeger and Grabell). The compensation amounts provided prove that in the state of Illinois, testicles are more vulnerable and more valuable than female genitalia.

The female genitalia is not only undervalued but it’s actually used a as a derogatory term across our culture. You can hear the word “pussy” used as an insult in films, on television, from sports coaches and players, and even in the U.S. Military. The U.S. Dept of Defense states on its website that, “Your military is an all-volunteer force that serves to protect our security and way of life, but service members are more than a fighting force. They are leaders, humanitarians, and your fellow Americans.” (“Know Your Military”) What is this “way of life” these leaders and humanitarians are protecting? Does it include the dignity of women in that protection? Helen Benedict would disagree. She’s a professor at Columbia University, and in 2009 she wrote a book on women soldiers serving in Iraq. In her research, she found that 41 percent of female veterans treated at the West Los Angeles Veterans Affairs Health Center said they had experienced sexual assault in the military, and 29 percent say they were raped (Clemmitt). Benedict states, “At the heart of this crisis is an apparent inability or unwillingness to prosecute rapists in the ranks. Only 181 out of 2,212 subjects — or 8 percent — investigated for sexual assault in 2007 were referred to courts martial, and they generally only received slaps on the wrist, even for convicted offenders.” I personally know a woman who was raped in the military twice and she didn’t have any success with prosecuting the perpetrators. What does rape in the military have to do with using the word pussy as a derogatory term? Benedict points out that the language used by drill sergeants who “routinely denigrate recruits by calling them pussy, girl, bitch, lady and dyke” creates a rape-friendly culture and she claims that “military language has an unabashed hatred of women.” She states that “the message sent from the top is that women are second-class soldiers, fit mainly to serve as “sexual prey.” (qtd. in Clemmitt). This study doesn’t even touch on the fact that the male’s genitalia is used to represent bravery and resilience. I believe this has an impact on the issue as well. Women don’t need to “grow a pair” and the military should recognize that in their choice of language and actions.

Today, using the word “balls” to represent strength isn’t a term used solely by drill sergeants in basic training. It’s accepted by many across genders and was even used in a political interview with Sarah Palin on FOX News Sunday when she stated that Arizona Governor Jan Brewer “has the cojones that our president does not have to look out for all Americans” (qtd. In Condon). Palin isn’t confused about the gender of Brewer and Obama. She was using the term cojones (Spanish for testicles) to refer to the concept that balls equal bravery. When most people take a moment to think about it, they would agree that those who have testicles are not necessarily braver than those who don’t, yet by using this term to make her point, Sarah Palin subscribes to the idea that a male is automatically braver than a female. Even on the national political stage, the term “balls” representing “bravery” persists in our society.

I grew up with the nursery rhyme, “Sticks and stones may break my bones but words can never hurt me.” This is scientifically incorrect. Words have power and it is damaging for a woman to hear her genitalia used as a derogatory term while the opposite gender’s genitals are heralded as a representation of bravery. A peer reviewed study featured in BMC Research Notes followed Swedish school children ages 11, 13, and 15. The findings showed that the students who were exposed to sexual jokes at school reported lower life satisfaction. In a previous study by the same group, they found that sexual jokes were associated with higher levels of psychological health complaints (Låftman et al.) What is classified as a “sexual joke” is not clearly defined in the study, but I feel that the use of the term “pussy” to describe a person who is being weak or cowardly qualifies as a sexual joke, especially to someone who has female genitalia. These and other sexual jokes are often laughed off as harmless, but this study shows that jokes that are sexual in nature lower life satisfaction and are especially harmful for younger students and women. Even though many of those who use the term “pussy” as a joke or criticism do not intend to do harm, it’s important to understand that words can hurt the body, mind, and spirit.

If a sexual joke using the word pussy is damaging, what about complimenting someone by saying they have balls? After all, paying a compliment is positive, right? I agree that being told you are strong, tough, and resilient is good, but using testicles to represent resiliency is inaccurate given the sensitivity of that organ. In Men’s Health Magazine, British surgeon Karan Raj describes the sensitivity and vulnerability of testicles by detailing how a blow to the testicle can even lead to death. “A sudden forceful trauma to the crown jewels can result in testicular torsion; a twisted testicle. This causes the blood supply to that area to be cut off. This is when the real countdown begins. A person has about six hours to get the ball untwisted before the ball is lost forever. If left untreated, the lack of blood supply results in ischemia and eventually necrosis; this is tissue death. The affected ball turns black,” he continues. “This necrotic ball can become infected. This localized infection can then spread to the surrounding groin and pelvis, and even enter the bloodstream, causing a body-wide infection called sepsis. And if sepsis isn’t treated urgently, it can be lethal.” (qtd. in Ellis) Having testicles on the outside of the body makes them very vulnerable, but that doesn’t change the fact that they are awesome too. Being very sensitive is a wonderful trait and one that would be good for men to build an association with. Using the term balls accurately to mean sensitivity could be a positive change for the male gender which is so often discouraged from being vulnerable. One could say, “You really showed a lot of balls when you opened up emotionally about how that made you feel.”

We’ve established that in many facets of our society from the military to the politics, “balls” have represented strength and “pussy” has represented weakness and cowardice, but some still argue that the word “pussy” is not a derogatory term at all. Should we loosen up and stop being so sensitive? Even Webster’s dictionary supports this theory as it lists its first definition of the word “pussy” as, “CAT” (“Pussy Definition & Meaning”). Maybe Webster is right. Maybe the sign on the local animal shelter should read, “Adopt a Pussy Today!” Or perhaps someone can foster stray kittens at their “Pussy Rescue.” I’m sure the subscriptions would skyrocket if Cat Fancy magazine changed their name to Pussy Fancy. Defending the word pussy as being anything other than a reference to women’s genitalia illustrates the uphill battle we face in having serious conversations about how damaging this term is to women when used in a negative connotation to represent weakness.

So what’s next? Where do we go from here? We know that these terms serve a purpose in our society. A coach or drill sergeant yelling, “Don’t be a pussy!” is a powerful message that rings loud and clear. Telling someone to “Grow a pair,” is also an important statement used commonly and effectively in our culture. Regardless of how engrained these terms are, they are inaccurate and therefore unacceptable. I’d like to suggest several phrases that could serve as acceptable replacements. When someone is being courageous, you can say, “You really showed some vagina!” If someone is being cowardly, you could urge them to, “grow a vagina” as in, “You need to just finally grow a vagina and ask your boss for a raise.” I think it’s important that we don’t start using the testicle as a negative term either. Criticizing a person who is vulnerable and lacks resiliency by saying “Don’t be a testicle” is not a good choice. Two wrongs don’t make a right. I do suggest that spinning the testicles sensitivity into a positive, as suggested before, is a good solution. I hope that going forward you will think twice about the words you use to represent bravery, sensitivity, weakness, and resilience. As a proud birther of two children, I can assure you that using the word pussy to represent cowardice couldn’t be further from reality. Now go out into the world and be a pussy by adapting to changes, showing incredible resilience, and taking all the poundings life brings and still thriving.

Works Cited

Clemmitt, Marcia. “Women in the Military.” CQ Researcher, 13 Nov. 2009, pp. 957-80, www.library.cqpress.com/cqresearcher/cqresrre2009111300.

Condon, Stephanie. “Palin: Obama Doesn’t Have the ‘Cojones’ for Immigration Reform.” CBS News, CBS Interactive, 2 Aug. 2010, www.cbsnews.com/news/palin-obama-doesnt-have-the-cojones-for-immigration-reform/.

Ellis, Philip. “A Doctor Explains What Can Happen When You Get Kicked in the Nuts.” Men’s Health, 2 Dec. 2021, www.menshealth.com/health/a38411658/kick-balls-testicular-torsion-doctor-explains-karan-raj/.

“Growth Charts – Data Table of Infant Head Circumference-for-Age Charts.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 23 Aug. 2001, www.cdc.gov/growthcharts/html_charts/hcageinf.htm.

“Know Your Military.” U.S. Department of Defense, www.defense.gov/KnowYourMilitary/Our-Forces/.

Låftman, Sara Brolin, et al. “Sexual jokes at school and students’ life satisfaction: findings from the 2017/18 Swedish Health Behaviour in School-aged Children study.” BMC Research Notes, vol. 14, no. 1, 26 July 2021, p. NA. Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/A672348063/OVIC?u=tel_middleten&sid=bookmark-OVIC&xid=e80f763a. Accessed 5 Apr. 2022.

Lena Groeger and Michael Grabell, ProPublica. “Workers’ Comp Benefits: How Much Is a Limb Worth?” ProPublica, www.projects.propublica.org/graphics/workers-compensation-benefits-by-limb#Illinois.

Lapidos, Juliet. “When Did Testicles Become Courageous?” Slate Magazine, Slate, 3 Aug. 2010, www.slate.com/news-and-politics/2010/08/when-did-testicles-become-courageous.html.

“Pussy Definition & Meaning.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/pussy.

Coding as Literacy vs. The Implementation of Coding in Pre-School Education

Awarded to Joshua Swartz for work submitted in Spring 2022 to Adam McInturff in ENGL 1020: Research and Argumentative Writing

Abstract: The purpose of this essay is to explore and examine the research and ideas presented in the article “Coding as Literacy in Preschool: A Case Study” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021). The article focuses on making the case that computational thinking involved in such skills as coding and computer programming are useful for everyone to learn. It also takes this idea and focuses on the effects and benefits of learning these subjects has on pre-school children. This essay aims to not only support and agree with Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, but provides further evidence and frameworks that are being utilized in pre-school settings to successfully indoctrinate computational thinking as an educational subject at the pre-school level.

Keywords: Computational thinking, Coding, Computer Programming, Computer Science

Introduction: In a 1995 interview, Steve Jobs said “Everybody should learn to program a computer, because it teaches you how to think.” (Grupetta, 2018) Coding serves as a language that is meant to bridge the gap between creative expression and computers. It allows us to communicate our ideas to computer systems and bring them to life digitally. In the same 1995 interview, Steve Jobs spoke specifically about how the use of coding programs had nothing to do with anything practical, but rather, it was a way to mirror your thought process (Grupetta, 2018). This is why teaching coding to children is so crucial. Not to find the next Steve Jobs, or Mark Zuckerberg, but to help children express themselves creatively and to “mirror their thought processes” and bring them to life digitally (Grupetta, 2018). Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto & Osorio state that “coding is increasingly recognized as a new literacy that should be encouraged at a young age” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, p. 1). They also state that “learning to think, create, and collaborate like a computer scientist, especially using its languages is useful for everyone” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, p. 2). I agree with these statements because I believe in not only the potential educational value these subjects could provide to young children, but also the potential positive effect it can have on shaping social skills, problem-solving skills, and creativity in young children.

However, when attempting to implement computer science topics as educational subjects it has often been discovered that “children and teachers find themselves constrained by what is possible through limited expertise in computer programming techniques” (Morgado, Cruz, & Kahn, 2010). “Coding as Literacy in Preschool: A Case Study” identifies approaches presented by previous researchers that provide an initial framework on how to successfully implement computational thinking into preschool education and a solution to introducing coding concepts to young children.

Constructionism: The article in focus acknowledges that the process of teaching computational thinking, coding, and programming to young children is an attempt to teach them to think differently while interacting with various media. This idea is essentially known as constructionism and preaches the importance of “learning by doing” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, pp. 3-4). Constructionism is an educational framework originally introduced by Seymour Papert. Papert is widely known as an important pioneer in computer science and education. Papert was a co-creator of the first programming language developed for young children. Papert’s programming language, known as Logo, aimed to potentially transfer the knowledge and skills children developed through Logo to other areas of learning. Papert’s constructionism and Logo laid the foundation for other programming languages used for children, such as ScratchJr (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 254).

A common misconception is that computational thinking skills that are derived from computer science primarily require thinking (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, p. 3). However, Papert’s constructionism framework has shown that coding and programming are most useful when used as a form of expression and creativity that result in a digital creation (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, p. 3).

Gomes Bers took this idea of constructionism even further by establishing the phrase “coding as play” referring to the active nature of children and their desire to play and relating it to Papert’s constructionism theory of “learning by doing.” These two methodologies provided a guiding framework on how schools could approach introducing computer science concepts to young children (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021). Bers has stressed the importance of teaching coding, programming, and computational thinking skills to pre-school children through the use of digital tools and programming apps, such as the aforementioned, ScratchJr (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 253).

Implementation of Software Apps: Other researchers such as Garry Falloon have added to this constructivist concept of “play” by pointing out the importance of young children learning coding while interacting with digital devices and software apps such as ScratchJr (Falloon, 2016) (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 254). Falloon found in his study of ScratchJr and similar apps that they served as “valuable teaching tools” that had a significant effect on the development of problem-solving skills in young children (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 254).

Another study showed that while interacting with the program Logo, young students ages 5-6 years old developed social skills, problem-solving abilities, and were even able to grasp mathematical concepts (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 254). These studies are crucial because they show that young preschool age students are in fact able to learn coding concepts and can simultaneously develop other useful skills in the process. Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio also express this point by stating: “similar to natural languages, children should be introduced to and familiarized with these new, artificial languages from an early age thus fostering their perceptual, expressive, and creative skills and laying a strong foundation for the development of critical and functional competencies” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021).

The use of “drag and drop” apps such as Scratch and ScratchJr, etc. remove the “syntactic complexity from code development” (Falloon, 2016) and also make it easier for preschool educators to implement into their classes because “teachers and their students are better positioned to explore computational thinking activities, freed from technical intricacies of mastering text-based coding” (Falloon, 2016). The advancement of these educational technology devices and apps allow young children to access programming and input commands without any knowledge of programming syntax or any prior reading literacy (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 253). This is very helpful to both students and teachers because it helps to remove misconceptions that learning these computer science subjects can be boring or too advanced to understand (Cifci & Bildiren, 2020).

Implementation of Robotics: The implementation of coding and programming activities at the preschool level usually require the children to work collaboratively and involve combining an app with robots (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 253). This expands on the case studies presented by Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, where they focused their study “on the introduction of three approaches to computation in preschool (3-6 years), specifically computational thinking, programming, and robotics” (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021, p. 1). I agree with this approach because it utilizes constructionism by allowing the children to interact with the apps and “do.” It also indoctrinates Bers’ “coding as play” theory by allowing them to “play” by collaborating with other children and experimenting with the apps to complete certain tasks such as building shapes (Falloon, 2016). Finally, combining the app with a physical artefact, such as a robot, allows the children to see their results (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020).

The keystone in coding is ultimately testing that code for functionality. The utilization of robots in conjunction with these drag and drop apps is a useful way for young children to test their coding and see their results. An example of this involves a study conducted by Bers where he “investigated 4-6 year old children from three different kindergarten classes using hybrid/graphical computer language (CHERP) to program a robotic vehicle that they built themselves” (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020, p. 253). If the vehicle was unable to operate, then the children were challenged to re-think their approach and assess their coding on the app.

This teaches the children input-output concepts and encourages them to explore different ways of thinking which has ultimately been shown to improve the social skills and problem-solving skills of young students (Falloon, 2016) (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020). A similar experiment utilized robots in teaching programming to children ranging from Pre-K to first grade. Where this study differed, however, was that the children involved in the experiment all had intellectual disabilities. The experiment concluded that these children were still able to successfully program the robot despite their learning disabilities (Taylor, 2018). I believe the successful implementation of these robots lay a groundwork of teaching coding and programming concepts to pre-school children. Where apps like ScratchJr allow the child to program without any prior knowledge of computational thinking skills, the implementation of physical robots allow the children to piece the puzzle together and understand the concepts of coding by testing their input commands through the robot. These methods and processes, in my opinion, serve as crucial building blocks in shaping pre-school children’s minds to think like computer scientists at an early age.

Introduction to STEM Subjects: The idea of coding as literacy refers to the learning and implementation of computer programming languages (Monteiro, Miranda-Pinto, & Osorio, 2021). One big misconception of implementing computer science as a subject is that the students will be learning skills related to computer science. This is false because the development of skills such as coding and programming also help students improve their understanding of concepts that can translate to other educational subjects (Morgado, Cruz, & Kahn, 2010). These subjects that are often found to be further developed and used while learning coding are known as STEM subjects. The acronym STEM stands for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (Cifci & Bildiren, 2020). With the use of previously mentioned “drag and drop” apps at the preschool level, as well as other guided play activities, these young children are being introduced to basic concepts of STEM subjects (Cifci & Bildiren, 2020).

Conclusion: With the vastly growing interest in coding and programming, the implementation of coding as literacy in pre-school can be extremely beneficial in the long term. The early 21st century has seen amazing advancements in technology and its impact on our lives is rapidly evolving (Cifci & Bildiren, 2020). Introducing computational skills such as coding and programming at the pre-school level could allow children to literally advance their understanding of these concepts throughout their educational career. This could lead to advancement in the professional computer science field and even help to prepare students for careers in computer science (Otterborn, Schonborn, & Hulten, 2020).

The use of apps such as Scratch and ScratchJr, allow children to learn coding in a way that is enjoyable, encourages their creativity and expression, and presents the material in a simplified manner, making these concepts easier for young children and educators alike, to understand. I have personally seen firsthand the impact of using Scratch has had on my 9-year-old daughter. Scratch and coding are not taught at her school exclusively; however, the students have access to Scratch on their school tablets. It is not something that is incorporated into the curriculum but is there for the child if they choose to explore the app on their free time. Since using Scratch, I have seen an immense improvement in my daughter’s creative expression and problem-solving skills. She has even designed several games using the app and published one of them. Despite her progress with learning coding, I’m curious how far along she would be if she had started in pre-school, or if the apps and computational thinking subjects were being implemented into her curriculum more exclusively.

Overall, I agree with the research and ideas presented in “Coding as Literacy: A Case Study,” and I believe computer science fields continue to grow and play an important role in our society and will continue to do so. I believe that learning coding and programming is useful for everyone. I am eager to see further developments in research and techniques regarding the benefits that the implementation of computer science as a subject at the pre-school level will have in the future.

References

Ciftci, S.; Bildiren, A. (2020). The Effect of Coding Courses on the Cognitive Abilities and Problem-Solving Skills of Preschool Children. Computer Science Education, 30(1), 3-21.

Falloon, G. (2016). An analysis of young students’ thinking when completing basic coding tasks using ScratchJr. On the iPad. Journal of Computer Assisted Learning, 32, 576-593.

Grupetta, S. (2018). Code Today. Code Today https://www.codetoday.co.uk/post/2018/07/25/steve-jobs-1995-everybody-should-learn-to-program-a-computer-because-it-teaches-you-how

Monteiro, A.F.; Miranda-Pinto, M.; Osorio, A.J. (2021). Coding As Literacy In Preschool: A Case Study. Educ. Sci. 11, 198.

Morgado, L.; Cruz, M.; Kahn, K. (2010). Cookbook of Computer Programming Topics. Australasian Journal of Educational Technology, 26(3), 309-326.

Otterborn, A.; Schonborn, K.; Hulten, M. (2020). Investigating Preschool Educators’ Implementation of Computer Programming in Their Teaching Practice. Early Childhood Education Journal, 48, 253-262.

Taylor, M. (2018). Computer Programming With Pre-K Through First Grade Students With Intellectual Disabilities. Journal of Special Education, 52(2), 78-88.

Thus Saith the Almighty Canon!

Awarded to Cole D. Arias for work submitted in Spring 2022 to Candie Moonshower in ENGL 1020: Research and Argumentative Writing

It’s a common trend for modern comedy to satirize social ideas to their most extreme form. For example, in the show Futurama, one of the most prominently remembered episodes follows a resurgence of the most heretical enterprise. Entitled “Where No Fan Has Gone Before,” a humorous take on fandom is played with by means of the final frontier.

In the year three thousand, Star Trek has been outlawed and banned on Earth due to its fan-base regarding the show with an overzealous outlook. At mere mention of the name, anyone present will cower in terror, armed authorities quickly descending upon the scene to subdue and bludgeon the perpetrator without restraint. The cause for this moment ends up becoming the primary topic for the episode’s remainder. By the early twenty-third century, Star Trek’s fandom had evolved from gatherings of nerds in convention halls, into a global super-religion spanning millions of devotees, which eventually turned fanatical and violent, resulting in a mass extermination of all things Trek-y. While the rest of the episode follows Futurama’s familiar structure of spacebound antics, its first act has always been a conspicuous piece of evidence for my considerations of fandom.

At first thought, the idea of a fan base ever gaining enough traction to become a religion seems absurd. For those uninitiated into fandom culture, the precursive concept of growing obsessed with fiction is just as alien a topic to consider. If you pay attention to the behaviors and responses of today’s fandoms, you will begin to understand that these concepts are no longer a joke and that they may be harming the stories we love and the ones not yet told.

The digital age has provided a space for a once alienated minority to gather in constant collective, which has spawned virtual cesspools of hate: places where fans devolve from innocent, childlike wonderers into crying adult children. The digital plane acts as their domain, where they thoughtlessly attack any art they find unappealing. Even those who create and portray these stories are not safe. If we do not take action, we could be allowing a vocal minority to bully and suppress those who work so hard to bring their visions to the world.

In the minds of most fans, there are moments in art that define their love of a genre or franchise. For me, scenes that come to mind are ones like the climax of Arrival (Denis Villeneuve) or the ending of A.I. (Steven Speilberg), both of which impacted my perception of the world and how we should treat the time we are given. Like many others across the world, I share a deep passion for more culture defining stories, such as Star Wars and Lord of the Rings. My experience with these epics, added to a few odd quirks that left me ostracized from social groups during my adolescence, left me in a position to be engulfed into the deepest depths of fandom while also enriching myself into the beauty of storytelling. My experience, added to the reflective outlook I apply today, has raised enough concern within me to make fandom zeal and its effects a main subject whenever discussing modern fiction.

At the core of discussion lies the sub-communities that attempt to make themselves the loudest voice of any semi-prevalent fandom. These groups will often consist of people associated with derogatory terms like manchild, neckbeard, and incel and are also the ones who give healthy fandom such a negative stigma. The trademark arguments used by these groups regularly consist of cries for the good ol’ days to return and how no matter what writers do, it will always be bad because the fandom doesn’t have direct jurisdiction. This extends to philosophies of hate and creates an often tipped, delicate balance of keeping these groups at bay while also attempting to freely create a story without third-party pressure.

One of the more recent examples of fandom backlash went down over Amazon’s Rings of Power, which is a show based on JRR Tolkien’s epic, Lord of the Rings. Darren Mooney, a writer for Escapist Magazine, discusses this backlash and analyzes the reasons for why fans are so angry. In the article, he reports, “This is the reactionary backlash accompanying any modern project with female characters or characters of color” (Mooney). When seeking to confirm his accusation, the comments section of the original Youtube trailer will show it all. While much of the disdain may not be for social progressiveness, the level of hate for a product before it can be fully analyzed is astounding, especially when no grasp of the plot and its loyalty to the source material can even be determined. In the end, it sets up a product to fail before it even has a chance to prove its worth to those who often claim themselves as true fans.

The reaction to The Rings of Power is still a developing story, so we cannot accurately understand what this reaction means in the long run, but other creative works can provide a map for how a fandom’s reaction will be once a product has had its moment in the spotlight. From the long list of recent incidents, none stand out more than what happened following the plot-leak of The Last of Us: Part 2. In short, just before the release of the highly anticipated game, a disgruntled employee decided to disclose the game’s entire narrative on ResetEra. This incited an online swarm of angry gamers to descend upon the social media accounts of developers, actors, and defenders with flurries of enraged statements and death threats. To summarize, an article by Sam White from GQ-Magazine states it perfectly: “The anger has come about because Naughty Dog dared to kill off the protagonist of the first game, not to mention have the gall to represent women, lesbians, [transgender people], and Black people” (White).

Before the online realm, fandoms originally extended to the limits of story and no further. Today, this is no longer the case. When tracing the reactions of a particular fandom, most uproar normally takes place at a point of controversial change, which is then taken by the fandom and morphed into a rallying cry. With this in mind, the world of online streaming has become a unique place where fandoms can be observed real time with a particular development. While many of these channels correlate with specific stories and nothing else, the scariest and most dangerous viewers lurk in the streams of online personalities, a dangerous combination for a media style of constant, uninterrupted connections.

To summarize the weird portion of streamer fandom, they are nothing short of obsessed. This can sometimes mean lonely viewers donating their lives’ savings for a quick five second shout out from their supposed “friend.” While this isn’t an inherently toxic trait for the receiver of the money, it paves the way for more obsessed fans to go deeper into the personal lives of entertainers. In the complicated world of Twitch streaming, female content creators are the ones most targeted by these crazy followers. The most famous of which, a streamer named Pokimane publicly addressed these fans on multiple occasions. In a Gamerant article by Mina Presley, some quotes are pulled from Pokimane’s most famous incident of an obsessed fan. In her article, she quotes the streamer, saying, “You’ve made so many accounts just to ask me the most weird and random questions about my friends…please stop trying to psychoanalyze or micro-manage my friendships and relationships with others” (Presley).

Pokimane is not the only streamer who has combated issues like this, too. A smaller streamer who goes by Nico wrote on Twitter about a particular fan who had written a 246-page blog about her. In her post, she documents the extent of this fan’s obsession, listing many of the disturbing things written and said about their online interactions. She best summarizes his mentality by saying, “He took me being nice to my Twitch chat as me being nice to him directly. He took every single thing I said and dissected it on stream in this blog. He wanted me to treat him like a friend” (Nico). It’s fans like these that make it difficult for creators to feel safe when making content, whether it be with streaming or storytelling. The levels of obsession go deep into the roots of thought, and often leaves those who learn about fan obsession worried about how far one angry nerd will go in their quest for a nonexistent fantasy.

With a constant connection provided by the internet, it can sometimes look hopeless for stories to enter relevancy when hateful trolls mount digital ramparts with inflamed comments. However, as with most things on the internet, the severity of an issue is often overexaggerated by one’s rate of exposure to the topic. For this discussion in particular, looking toward the fans of a fandom quickly makes one realize there is an overwhelming level of support for persecuted fiction. At conventions, people display passion for writers and their worlds, creating environments where like-minded groups express appreciation for a dream made reality. When analyzing fandom, we should not take its distant, unfiltered, and screeching whines as the primary voice. They are simply the most obnoxious. If you ever find yourself encountering a canon that entrances you into its complexities, I implore you look past the hecklers. Instead, explore the communities who feel the same way as you. Stories are never perfect, but a fan’s love makes it immeasurably better, so your support yields an even greater future. Turning to rage is never the solution, and if you think that stance is false, I have another challenge for you: go write your own story.

Works Cited

Lewis, Lisa, et al. “Fandom and Participatory Culture.” Subcultures and Sociology – Grinnell College, https://haenfler.sites.grinnell.edu/saubcultural

To Include or to Individualize Students with Autism: Uncovering the Answers

Awarded to Emma Jones for work submitted in Spring 2022 to Amy Fant in ENGL 1020: Research and Argumentative Writing

William is a four-year-old boy who has been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). His fifth birthday is soon approaching, and his mother is growing increasingly worried about him starting kindergarten in the public school system. She hears murmurings about inclusive-style classrooms, heavily individualized education, and mixtures of both. She is overwhelmed with the thought of having to advocate for her son when the views on the optimal approach for him are varying more by the day. She continues to conduct research but feels like she is falling deeper and deeper down the rabbit hole. Recently, there has been a spike in the number of children diagnosed with autism. In the year 2000, about 7/1000 U.S. children were diagnosed with ASD, and in 2016 that number grew to about 19/1000 U.S. children having ASD (“Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder”). With the increasing prevalence of autism spectrum disorder, a solid early start for these children is vitally important to their future as functional adults. There are many opinions about the type of education that students with ASD should be receiving. Some lean towards an all-inclusive experience, meaning that students with autism should learn alongside their neurotypical peers. Others believe that it is more beneficial for these students to be purely enriched in individual learning, apart from neurotypical peers. Then there is the middle ground where these students receive a hybrid of the two models. Research currently shows that the middle ground is optimal. This is because both inclusivity, as well as individuality, are extremely necessary for students with autism to have the best educational experience. The amounts of these specific educational approaches may vary, but these learning strategies work cohesively together to benefit these students.

Autism is a common impairment across the United States today, so it is important that individuals be informed about what it means to have ASD. Emily Simonoff, who writes for the Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, summarizes autism as, “[…] a lifelong disorder characterized by qualitative impairments in social interaction and communication alongside a pattern of restricted or repetitive behaviors and sensory anomalies.” In simpler terms, those with autism experience difficulties socially. It can be an arduous task for them to communicate their needs, empathize with others’ emotions, compromise, share, and take turns (“Social Skill Difficulties in Autism”). Autism often brings with it rigid behaviors and little opportunity for exploration. These behaviors include having a strict routine that must be followed without change, severe difficulty adopting favored social skills, repetitive body movements, and even self-harm (Pretorius). Another important fact about autism is that it is a disorder that widely varies and can be conveyed through many signs and symptoms. There is a spectrum for autism, meaning some cases of it can be extremely severe and other cases mild in nature (“Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication Problems in Children”). Children are usually diagnosed with autism around the age of three (McPherson). Learning a child has autism as early as possible is best because of how rapidly the brain develops throughout childhood. Since autism can be commonly diagnosed at such a young age there is much hope for those subject to it. Therapy can start early as well as other helpful regimens to give the child a big head start. Because this early diagnosable age is so common, the caregivers of these children have an advantage in prepping them for school.

Because prepping these students for school already requires so much effort and consideration, advocates should promote more than one learning method for students with autism. From one perspective, it’s a disservice to students and parents to stop at full inclusivity as the final victory and neglect individualized learning. If a student is affected by autism, how can it be fair to hold them to the same standards as neurologically typical students? It does not make sense. Without the proper support, they will end up struggling. This is not because they have low intelligence quotients. In fact, “almost half (46%) of children identified with ASD have average to above average intellectual ability” (“Intelligence Quotient”). One reason they would struggle in an inclusion-only environment must be attributed to the bigger picture that their brains do not function the same as the average person. Those with autism are no less intelligent than others, they just see the world in unique ways. Therefore, they deserve to have individualistic attributes contributing to their educational experience. Mckenna Meyers, a mother of a child with autism, former teacher, and journalist, urges caregivers of children with autism spectrum disorder not to fall for the trick that full inclusion will be enough for the success of their child. Each child is unique and will require different resources and learning strategies to succeed. Those in special education reason that those with ASD cannot just follow the norms of neurotypical students because without extra assistance they will not be able to keep up. Meyers reinforces the idea that parents should never let their child settle for less. They should be their child’s biggest supporters, pushing for their needs to be met, so that they can flourish just as their peers do. For this ideology to spread, parents need to be coached on how to best fight for their child to receive a quality education. School systems first need to realize that, as bad as it is for their autistic students to have to face a fully inclusive education, it is also harmful to the standard students in the class. For example, if a student with autism begins to struggle, let’s say, not because of their intellectual abilities but a struggle with effective communication when doing group work, then it not only hurts them but negatively impacts the entire cohort. Instead of putting this student through a non-productive group project, it would be wiser to isolate their struggle with communication and focus on building that skill in the personalized educational environment. Then, if they come to a place of mastery, they could efficiently work within a group to accomplish completing a cooperative project.

Though incorporating individualized learning time into a student with autism’s education is vital to their success, it is also just as important that they not be totally isolated from their neurotypical peers. These students gain valuable social skills, such as sharing and cohesively working together. This classroom-style is extremely valuable because it helps those with ASD to practice and apply skills they are working on individually. If a child were bound to the constraints of an individualized learning environment, then their only interactions would be with the adults instructing them. Although these adults are extensively trained in working with this unique population, these children deserve the right to build relationships and hopefully friendships with peers too. Nicole Reagan with the Jewel Autism Centre brings up another reason for the support of these enriching inclusive experiences. She draws attention to the benefits of inclusion such as how it sharpens social skills and provides immersive experiences. The Centre also mentions that sometimes children with autism are fully separated from their classmates and placed in segregated mini schools, echoing the issue with a strictly individualized learning plan. The issue with this is, that now these children are not learning advantageous behaviors from the neurotypical population, but are engaging only with disabled peers, who are displaying more severe and unwanted behaviors (Reagan). In other words, inclusion helps these students reach their full potential socially and academically. This supports why the inclusive aspect of an autistic child’s learning is so important. It allows for them to spend time with peers and pick up on their positive social characteristics such as collaborating with others, sharing, and effectively communicating. Then, they can work on embedding these within other social interactions, which will lead to deeper relationships budding, and friendships blossoming. Inclusion is the missing puzzle piece of learning that cannot be provided in a fully individualized approach.

A mixture of inclusive style education and individualized learning is most supported by research, but there are still other methodologies at bay. The other viewpoints either argue for a fully individualized education or full inclusivity. Those who argue for a fully individualized learning experience for children with ASD do not argue against the motives of inclusion, but the impracticalities of it. In the Education Next Journal, Ann Dybvik lays out reasons why people argue against inclusion. She mentions a common claim that special education was created because students with autism cannot learn at the capacity of their non-disabled peers with the regular curriculum. On the other hand, skeptics of inclusion worry that the addition of those with ASD to the traditional classroom will only hold non-disabled students back and interrupt their learning. These claims have value. Yes, students with autism comprehend material differently. Yes, they may struggle with some of the tasks that come naturally to their neurotypical peers. But let’s consider what those with autism have to offer to traditional learners. While autism is considered a disability, it comes with numerous amounts of intriguing positive qualities. Those with autism possess rare creativity, striking integrity, and ferocious resiliency (Bennie). The list goes on. In more detail, these children take outside-of-the-box approaches to innovation. They can conjure up ideas and solutions to problems that the typical brain would never dream of. They keep their word because they do not see a gray area within lying or cheating. When something goes wrong, they can bounce back from hardship and persevere through difficult situations. We can all learn something from those with ASD. Therefore, the individualized learning experience and inclusion are equally important. Individualized learning nurtures their strengths and helps develop their weaknesses so that they can experience inclusion. These two aspects of education work hand in hand. The benefits are not just for the population with autism but are also fruitful for neurotypical children. Through the combination of these two educational methods, both populations can learn valuable character qualities and fresh academic outlooks that will impact them for the rest of their life.

Now, William’s mom feels hopeful that she has found the correct approach for her son’s education. She sees clearly that inclusion and individual learning are both equally critical to provide the best education to children with autism. She accepts that the amounts of each that a student receives will differ, but the principle remains true. With more children than ever being diagnosed with autism, those that represent this population, especially those that are involved in the school system, need to be properly equipped to come alongside them. This starts with you, readers. Inform those around you about this disorder, and why there needs to be a balance of educational experiences for these students. Those with autism are uniquely made people who require additional support while completing their education. Since we know this, it is our duty to spread awareness for those that cannot advocate for themselves. Those with autism deserve to have both a mixture of individualized and inclusive education. Will you contribute to helping this population of individuals succeed, for the betterment of them, as well as us?

Works Cited

“Autism Spectrum Disorder: Communication Problems in Children.” National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders, (NIDCD), 30 Aug. 2018, www.nidcd.nih.gov/health/autism-spectrum-disorder-communication-problems-children.

Bennie, Maureen. “The Positives of Autism.” Autism Awareness Centre Inc., 25 March 2019, autismawarenesscentre.com/the-positives-of-autism/.

“Data & Statistics on Autism Spectrum Disorder.” Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, 2 Dec. 2021, www.cdc.gov/ncbddd/autism/da-ta.html.

Dybvik, Ann. “Autism and the Inclusion Mandate.” Education Next Journal, 13 Jul. 2006, www.educationnext.org/autismandtheinclusionmandate/

“Intelligence Quotient (IQ) Among Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD).” Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2015, Gale In Context: Opposing Viewpoints, link.gale.com/apps/doc/DAUUVV009591663/OVIC?u=tel_middleten&sid=b-ookmark-OVIC&xid=71d4e6dd.

McPherson, Donnessa “What Is the Average Age of Autism Diagnosis?” Autism Parenting Magazine, 4 Jan. 2022, www.autismparentingmagazine.com/autism-diagnosis-average-age/.

Meyers, Mckenna. “Why Students with Autism need more than Inclusion: A Teacher’s Perspective.” Soapboxie, 23 Dec. 2020, soapboxie.com/social-issues/Why-Inclusion-in-Special-Education-Is-Insufficient-and-Why-Parents-Should-Demand-More.

Pretorius, Karla, et al. “Repetitive and Restrictive Behaviors in Autistic Children.” Autism Parenting Magazine, 17 Nov. 2020, www.autismparentingmagazine.com/repetitive-behavior-autism-children.

Reagan, Nicole. “Inclusion of Autistic Children in Mainstream.” Jewel Autism Centre, 2008, jewelautismcentre.com/jewel_blog/inclusion-of-autism-children-in-mainstream/.

Simonoff, Emily. “Trajectories in Symptoms of Autism and Cognitive Ability in Autism from Childhood to Adult Life: Findings from a Longitudinal Epidemiological Cohort.” Journal of the American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, vol. 12, no. 10 Dec. 2020, pp. 1342-1352, www-sciencedirect-com.ezproxy.mtsu.edu/science/article/pii/S0890856719322312.

“Social Skill Difficulties in Autism.” Life Skills Resource, Centre for Autism Middletown, life-skills.middletownautism.com/strategies/leisure/social-skills/social-skill-difficulties-autism/.