Group 6 - Question 4

Question 4 Prompt:

Are there any direct references or appeals to the audience on the featured text? State your theory about what those appeals to the audience suggest about who the writer believes the audience is, what they believe the audience values, or what the relationship between the writer/audience seems to be.

Response:

The article “Metrosexuals Come Out” explores how and why metro sexuality has become more common and acceptable in modern pop culture. The author writes this article for a sophisticated and skeptical audience that is interested in finding out why metro sexuality has become more popular. The New York Times is a very prestigious and respected newspaper. Writers for this paper need to support their claims with empirical evidence and sound reasoning. Many of the articles within The NY Times are meant to expose people to topics and ideas they may not know much about. These articles also serve the purpose of spurring further conversation and dialect on the written topic.

This article is written with the assumption that the normal man does not particularly enjoy shopping and spends less time and effort trying to look good. This assumption was fairly accurate in the past but is quickly changing as more men begin to fit the stereotype of a metro sexual. One reference from the text supports this bias of the author, “ 'They're all low-slung jeans and working out with six packs and more hair product than I've ever used in my life, and they smell better than your mother on Easter,' he said.” This quote demonstrates how much effort metro sexuals put into looking and smelling good compared to what is thought of as the norm.

The most interesting claim this article makes is the role of marketing in the rising popularity of metro sexuality. The gay writer Mark Simpson believes that marketers wanted men to spend more money on consumer products such as clothes, colognes and eloquent food and beverages. Since marketers had this incentive to promote male consumer spending, they helped to promote the idea of the metro sexual man. Marketers made it more acceptable for men to appear metro sexual instead of the stereotypical “manly man.” Whether this rising emergence of metro sexuality is good or bad is left up for debate. One gay man talks about how it’s become increasingly difficult to distinguish gay from straight men. “'Before, you used to get punched,' he said. 'Now it's all, 'Gee thanks, I'm straight but I'm really flattered.'”

Group 5, question 5

As far as this article, “Bioware outs gay male relationship in Mass Effect 3,” is concerned there is not much persuasion involved. Really, for the most part, this article is extremely objective and mostly just like a report of a finding. While reading the article, the reader is constantly having facts thrown at them about the original source, such as information about the game and what homosexual characteristics have been added to it. The article then goes on to describe the negative uproar that rose from the protestors of the new added features of the game, who, we find out, actually ended up utilizing false evidence in their claims. An explanation and response from the producers of the game to the criticizers is also present within the article. This is important because it shows the creators’ purpose and reasoning so we can get a better understanding about the thought process that went into deciding whether or not to add the extra features into the game. This article is extremely information based in its purpose and, for the most part, keeps an unbiased voice throughout, although, I feel there is a slight hint of support for the issue. What is so important about this document is that it informs the public of these new developments in societies views of homosexuality. By seeing that other people are challenging societies norms, readers might decide to challenge their own view and others views of the subject at hand. By providing the public with information, the article brings the possibility of rethinking their stance on the issue presented.

Group 6 Question 5

In the article, "Metrosexuals Come Out", metrosexuality is seen as a trend that will only get larger. Seeing as the article was written in 2003, the trend is quite visible 8 years later. The article does not really teach the reader anything that they do not know regarding metrosexual men. We all know who they are and what they look like. They keep up to date on the trendiest clothes, spend a good amount of time beautifying themselves, and can keep up with the ladies' shopping habits. This is present all around us. From magazines such as GQ informing men on the latest styles to turning on the TV and seeing the guys from Jersey Shore with their infamous GTL.

Really, the only knew information that the article presented is the fact that "metrosexual" was coined as a satirical term, but has become widely accepted and largely known. Although it could make some people uncomfortable I can't see why. These men just care about how they look as much as the next high maintenance girl. Metro men are also comfortable with how they look and want to show it off as much as possible, clearly from how much time is spent preparing to go out.

Group 5 Question 1 - Matt Perry

Since this is not a gaming website as one might think it doesn’t advertise a lot of gaming items. It does however have an advertisement for a computer which this game can be played on. I think that this is clearly more a news related website. On the side it clearly has links to other articles posted on their site. After the first paragraph of this article it shows a related articles category which is designed to help people further pursue an interesting topic. I don’t know why they would have it towards the start since people would most likely read the whole article and then decide if they wanted to hear more about the issue. At the bottom it has its links to twitter and other social media sites imply that they reach broader audience via these methods. At the very bottom they have links navigating all over their website for ease of access to other parts, this is helpful because when you are done you can easily hop around to other sections and read what’s happening there.

They have a myriad of advertisements mostly because the website doesn’t specialize in one particular topic. They also have links to more technology classified articles such as video game reviews and articles about new games. The toolbar at the top has numerous general sections which then drop down into more specific sections. This shows that they want to be organized but not have so many links that the viewer’s feels overwhelmed and the website looks cluttered. They include a “Top News” sections with all the general sections top news story as deemed by the editor.

Group 6

We have been talking a lot in class about gender roles, both male and female. The article that we (Group 6) decided to talk about today discusses metrosexuality and what gender roles metrosexuals fall under.

The article was found in the New York Times in the Style section, and is from 2003. The main point of the article is that metrosexual men are becoming more and more common and are becoming more accepted by society. Advertisers like Axe and Old Spice are starting to appeal to the more groomed and well kept man. The metrosexual man that they describe, Karru Martinson, " likes wine bars and enjoys shopping with his gal pals, who have come to trust his eye for color, his knack for seeing when a bag clashes with an outfit, and his understanding of why some women have 47 pairs of black shoes. (''Because they can!'' he said.) ". These hobbies/qualities are usually seen as feminine but the line is becoming blurred.

The difference between metrosexuals now and a few years back is that these guys are not ashamed of who they are. They are proud of their great fashion sense, hair products, and the fact that it helps them to get girls. One man was quoted as saying ''It doesn't bother me at all. Call it homosexual, feminine, hip, not hip -- I don't care. I like drawing from all sorts of sources to create my own persona.'' These men are used by marketers to find the latest trends, because these are the guys that are going to splurge on the newest thing.

The funny thing is that metrosexual was a term coined to mock marketers. Gay writer Mark Simpson created it to satirize consumerisms toll on traditional masculinity. Traditional masculinity is tough, strong, and dirty. While marketers tended to reach out for the sensitive guy who went to malls and enjoyed spending money on hair products. This was used as a way to reach an even broader audience.

Why do you think metrosexuality is so easily accepted into society but homosexuality is not? How do you feel knowing that metrosexual is a term coined from marketing? Metrosexuals have become more normal in our pop culture largely because of marketing efforts to increase consumer spending within the male demographic. What do you think this says about our culture?

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/06/22/style/metrosexuals-come-out.html?pagewanted=2&src=pm

Devin Tomb Summary: Writer/Blogger Workshop

Each of her articles is built around women. However, her writings are not limited to a specific area. She has written about women bettering other women, as well as fashion and style. Yet, a lot of her writings have to do with being an advocate for women. Her article about women, who have been abused or murdered by their domestic partners, had a strong voice and included little words. Her style of writing is short, powerful, and to the point. Her writing career has been very interesting and blossomed during college. During her undergraduate career she wrote an article about the rise of cosmetic surgery in China. It would be interesting to know what sparked that interest for her? Did she meet people in college who have taken part of this Asian trend? During college, was there a specific event that sparked her interest in writing about women?

Liz Funk - Writer Blogger Workshop

Liz Funk Summary

By following a wide variety of girls and learning about their lives, she uses this information to construct her “ethos” for this book. These girls become credible sources and their actions cannot be disputed. She likes to write about society as a whole and she captures what she sees through these women. She uses relevant examples such as Dane Cook’s comedy performances to further prove her point about how girls feel like they need to be perfect.

Liz focuses on tackling issues such as perfectionism, stress reduction and tends to focus her writing on women and issues they face. Others articles she writes, such as “Pretty in pink: men,” she tackles issues about gender stereotypes for men and the idea that society is letting men become more metro and feminine. She used a person that we all know today, Zac Efron, to catch the readers attention and draw them into the article.

Overall, Liz tends to have a conversational style of writing which is easily relatable to her audience. She uses common people and sources that everyone is aware of to make her articles more interesting as well

Shelley Mann Summary - Writer/Blogger Workshop

How would you characterize the site and print paper's audience-who is the "public" Shelley and her writers are producing this publication for?

-This site is an informative site giving opinions on food in the Columbus area. The audience for the Columbus Crave would be well-set people who can go out anytime and try new foods.

What particular challenges might arise when writing for a local audience?

-It can be difficult to judge what people would like to eat. Every person has different taste buds, so it could be difficult telling everyone what they should eat. Also, if you critisize a particular restaurant, you might offend the Columbus community. It's also difficult to find all these new and delicious foods around the Columbus area.

Amy Eisinger Summary Writer/Blogger Workshop

Amy Eisinger is very informative in her articles. Her main point is to educate the reader and help them improve their wedding day. She gives a lot of advice on wedding topics. Amy focuses more on the feminine side of love, such as bachelorette parties, planning, wedding day fashion, and how-to articles. Amy Eisinger is called an "expert" on weddings and it is evident in her writing. She writes with a confident voice and seems to enjoy what she does. Even in her appearance Amy keeps her strong voice and makes it easy for the reader/viewer to trust her. Amy also presents the reader with factual information to back what she is saying.

Katie Amey Summary Writer/Blogger Workshop

Katie Amey mainly writes for a teen girl audience, however, some of the articles do focus on different audiences. She also writes about lifestyle, bands, and tv shows, which are not focused on a female audience. They appeal to many types of people depending on their interests. She is able to change her writerly ethos to adapt to different situations because her articles are mainly interviews. However, her questions are formatted to appeal to different audiences, for example, her zac effron interview talks about romance and sex appeal while the phoenix interview was more formal and talked about the actual band/music. Her articles/interviews all focus on male actors/musicians in the entertainment idustry. Most of her articles also appeal to a female audience. Her ultimate goal is to inform fans about their idols and favorite celebrities.

Interview Tips!- Writer/Blogger Workshop

Tips for Good Interviews

--When formatting interview questions, be careful to type the way you would in informal communication. There should be no “LOLs” "I dunnos," but it should still read like a conversation. You need an artful balance.

--Interview questions should be more open-ended.  Yes/no questions will not get you far, and you will not be able to get the most out of your time with your interview subject. That said, do research on the person/company ahead of time so you do not ask questions you easily could have gotten the answer to yourself. Never make the interviewee feel as if they are wasting their time talking to you.  Follow-up questions and clarifying questions are always a good idea.

Example of a good interview question: “Devin, how did you get your start in magazine reporting?”

Good follow up/clarifying questions might include: “So, do you think your internship experiences or your college class work was more influential in getting your first job?”; “How did you go about actually finding that job?”; “Are there other helpful resources you would suggest for students who want to do more public writing?”

--Except for certain situations (like investigative reporting, for example, which we aren’t dealing with in this class) make sure to not ever directly criticize yourself and definitely do not criticize the person you are interviewing.  These are informative interviews, aimed to help you!

For all interviews: Be sure to speak clearly--be willing to repeat your questions if asked!-- and thank your interviewee for their answer. 

For Skype interviews: HOLD EYE CONTACT—this is a way to show respect, and that you value your interviewee’s time. Do not fidget or stare off into space!

Katie Amey, MTV/Twist- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT KATIE AMEY

Kathryn Amey is an entertainment writer and editor. As a student at McGill University focusing in Political Science, Communications and Psychology, Katie began her journalistic career as a Teen Vogue health and beauty intern, where she was a regular blogger on TeenVogue.com.

While at CosmoGirl and Seventeen magazine, she gained rich experience in teen entertainment, having interviewed A-list Hollywood talent including Zac Efron, Selena Gomez, the Jonas Brothers, and Phoenix, among others. Katie has also written on pop culture, music, fashion, and film for NYLON and NYLON Guys, and for teenmag.com and redbookmag.com. Katie also served as an editor for the online Leacock’s Magazine, where she booked and conducted the majority of their entertainment features.

Katie currently works as an intern for Twist magazine, where she covers health, entertainment, and beauty for a tween audience, and has a regular column for MTV Canada’s Fora site.

Read the online articles below. How is Katie’s writerly ethos able to adapt to these various audiences and situations? What are these? What links can you draw between these diverse posts? Think especially about how you might compare and contrast the rhetorical goals of these articles.

Post 1: http://www.seventeen.com/entertainment/features/zac-efron-charlie-st-cloud-interview?click=main_sr

Post 2: http://www.twistmagazine.com/2011/05/twist-chats-with-one-tree-hill.html#more

Post 3: http://leacocks.com/FeaturesBlog/2010/10/phoenix/

Post 4: http://leacocks.com/FeaturesBlog/2010/08/leacocks-goes-greek/

Post 5:

http://www.twistmagazine.com/2011/05/twist-hot-news-zac-efron-spott.html#more

Post 6: http://fora.mtv.ca/2011/05/the-new-york-diaries-moving-in/

You will compose three individual questions for Katie, and email them to me by the end of class.

Amy Eisinger, The Knot- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT AMY EISINGER

Amy Eisinger is a graduate of the University of Florida, and got her graduate degree in journalism at New York University. She is the associate editor at The Knot, working on the website, TheKnot.com, their sister wedding site, WeddingChannel.com, the national Knot magazine, and also writes for the The Knot regional magazine as the Florida magazine editor. Amy has also written for publications like the New York Daily News and various teen magazines. Her specific beats within weddings are catering, celebrity weddings, reception ideas, DIY; and she also does photo editing. Amy also frequently appears on camera, doing appearances and interviews on do camera with other publications as a "wedding expert."

Read the attached articles, and watch/read the clips below. How would you describe the rhetorical goals of Amy’s writing and appearances? What particular points of view on love and romance does her writing reflect or challenge? Think, too, about the role ethos plays in her career. How would you characterize her “expert” persona? How does Amy construct her ethos through both her writing and her appearance in different venues?

Post 1: http://abcnews.go.com/International/video/royal-wedding-etiquette-13085309

Post 2: http://www.youtube.com/user/WatchTheDaily#p/u/15/Y9sz-m_Gl_0

Post 3: http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/the-top-5-ways-chelsea-clinton-breaks-all-the-wedding-rules-2181323

You will compose three individual questions for Amy and email them to me by the end of class.

Liz Funk, Supergirls Speak Out- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT LIZ FUNK

Liz Funk is a speaker, journalist, and author writes about Generation Y, focusing especially on perfectionism, young women’s wellness, and youth trends.  She has been published in USA Today, the Christian Science Monitor, Newsday, the Washington Post, New York magazine, AOL.com, CosmoGIRL!, the Huffington Post, the New Jersey Record, the Baltimore Sun, the Nation, Tango magazine, Vibe Vixen magazine, the Times Union, and Girls’ Life, among other publications. For two years, she wrote a blog about young women’s issues for the Albany, NY newspaper the Times Union.  Her poetry and short stories have been published in the Rockland Review, the Georgetown Review, Peace and Freedom (UK), and Offerta Speciale (Italy), among many other media outlets.

Liz is an avid speaker who frequently gives lectures and teaches workshops about perfectionism, college student stress reduction, and journalism.  She has spoken at Cornell University, Rice University, New York University, Boston University, Columbia University, Colgate University, Emerson College, the University of Virginia, American University, Penn State University, the University of Iowa, the University of Missouri, Hampshire College, and Mississippi State University, among scores of other colleges.  She is a regular instructor at the Columbia Scholastic Press Association’s conferences for high school journalists at Columbia University.  Liz also works as a writing coach for aspiring journalists, poets, and novelists.

Supergirls Speak Out: Inside the Secret Crisis of Overachieving Girls is Liz’s first book, which was featured in Newsday, Elle, the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune and on the Today Show.  Liz is a 2009 graduate of Pace University and lives in upstate New York.  Her assistant is a collie named Buddy.

Read the posts below, and get an idea of Liz’s primary interests by looking over the first chapter of Supergirls Speak Out. How does Liz construct her ethos in these pieces? What common thematic threads connect her diverse work? What questions do you have for Liz about balancing her own commitments to writing, publishing, and lecturing as a recent college graduate?

Post 1:  http://www.thefrisky.com/post/246-the-lone-plus-size-woman-in-bridesmaids-wearing-a-different-dress/

Post 2: http://www.lemondrop.com/2010/05/04/bad-shoes-and-the-women-who-love-them-a-new-feminist-book/

Post 3: http://www.csmonitor.com/Commentary/Opinion/2008/0801/p09s03-coop.html

http://books.simonandschuster.net/Supergirls-Speak-Out/Liz-Funk/9781416562771/excerpt/1

You will compose three individual questions for Liz and email them to me by the end of class.

Devin Tomb, Glamour- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT DEVIN TOMB

Devin Tomb is the editorial news assistant at Glamour magazine and a reporter for Ed2010.com. She has written for Glamour, CosmoGirl and The Los Angeles Times, among other publications.

Devin is primarily interested in writing news and feature stories about real women. In 2010, she traveled to China to report on the rising cosmetic surgery trend among women in Shanghai, and she regularly blogs for She's the First, a non-profit dedicated to supporting girls' education around the world, as its campaign developer.

Devin is a 2010 graduate of Penn State University, where she was the editor-in-chief of Valley, PSU's women's magazine, during her junior and senior year. She was the first editor-in-chief to put female student leaders on the cover, with the intention of inspiring underclassmen to become leaders in their own way.

Tomb’s most recent responsibilities for Glamour include writing their new fashion column, “Love Your Style,” and developing new content for their iPad app.


Read Devin’s articles, both attached and below. How are these articles connected in their style, or concerns? What questions do you have for Devin about how her college experience of public writing prepared her for an even larger sphere at Glamour, CosmoGirl, and O, The Oprah Magazine? Do some research on these publications. What do they have in common, or not? Why might they have attracted Devin’s interest?

Post 1: http://www.glamour.com/tell-somebody/2011/relationship-violence-victims-yes-it-happened-to-them#slide=1

Post 2: http://www.glamour.com/fashion/2011/04/hawaii-street-style-6-outfit-ideas-to-try#slide=1

Post 3: http://www.glamour.com/magazine/2010/08/women-of-the-year-readers-choice-award-2010-nominees-salamishah-tillet-scheherazade-tillet

You will compose three individual questions for Devin, and email them to meganreid2@gmail.com by the end of class.

Shelley Mann, Columbus Crave- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT SHELLEY MANN

Shelley Mann is the editor-in-chief of Columbus Crave, a new Columbus food magazine. She previously worked as the editor of Columbus Alive!, and while an undergrauate at Ohio State, edited The Lantern. Read her biography here:

http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/features/stories/2010/01/28/ca_u_unedited_shelley-mann.html

Review the attached articles, and familiarize yourself with ColumbusCrave.com by clicking around the site, learning about the publication, and analyzing its rhetorical goals. How would you characterize the site and print paper’s audience—who is the “public” Shelley and her writers are producing this publication for? What particular challenges might arise when writing for a local audience?

Post 1: http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/features/stories/2011/01/27/staff-pick-fitz-and-the-tantrums-at-the-newport.html

Post 2: http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/features/stories/2010/11/25/victorias-secret-fashion-show-2010.html

Post 3: http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/features/stories/2010/09/23/movie-review-cairo-time.html

Post 4: http://www.columbusalive.com/live/content/crave/stories/2011/05/restaurant-review-rigsbys.html

Post 5:

http://columbuscrave.com/crave/blog/1/51610976-Summertime-at-Jenis

You will compose three individual questions for Shelley, and email them to me by the end of class.

Ashley Spencer, J-14- Writer/Blogger Workshop

ABOUT ASHLEY SPENCER

Ashley Spencer is the features editor of J-14 Magazine, America’s top selling teen entertainment publication. She regularly conducts celebrity interviews, researches and writes fashion, beauty, and news copy, develops video content for the web, and blogs up-to-the-minute news on J14.com. Before working at J-14, Ashley honed her research and editorial skills with work experiences at both local and national organizations, including Florida’s INsite Magazine, CosmoGirl magazine, The Orlando Sentinel, and the United States Embassy in Vienna.

Review the attached articles, as well as the post below. Familiarize yourself with J14.com. How would you characterize the site and magazine’s audience—who is the “public” Ashley is writing for? What are the rhetorical goals of her pieces? What particular challenges might arise when writing for a teen audience, in terms of ethos and persona?

Post 1: http://www.j-14.com/2011/02/j-14-exclusive-alex-pettyfer-in-talks-for-hunger-games-role.html

You will compose three questions for Ashley, and email them to me by the end of class.

Group 5 Article

In today’s media world it is still irregular to see video games support and/or include homosexual content. This may be because it can cause backlash and skepticism about your company hurting the overall support of the game. One company though has been leading the way openly supporting homosexual relationships and including them in numerous games. Bioware an Edmonton based studio has introduced the option into numerous of their Role-Playing Game series.

This article is announcing to the general public that a new video game “Mass Effect 3” will contain the option for your character to be homosexual. Previously Bioware, a successful company with many successful games such as Mass Effect 1 and 2 and Dragon Age series, has had such an option in previous games but it is now garnering attention. It was announced by Bioware that they have made the option for a character to be gay and have a relationship with another male character in the game. This feature in their game has come with lots of backlash from Fox News and a blogger, both later apologized. These games that Bioware created are showing how homosexual relationships are slowly becoming important in the Role-Playing Franchise.

This is one of the first video games to incorporate such content and thus people everywhere did not necessarily see it their way. The Edmonton based studio commented on their online forum in defense of their support of same-sex marriage saying “So long as romances of any kind are optional and need to be actively pursued by the player in order to be experienced, they simply don't have a leg to stand on. Advocating that nobody should be able to have content you don't intend to personally use is largely pointless—outside of a vague notion that such efforts should go towards other things, instead. Personally, it's not a lot of effort to include them. The resources we can devote to a minority of players isn't great, but I imagine to those players it's quite worth it... and I would hope that some folks could be sensitive enough to be happy for those players, at the very least out of the selfish notion that they may one day end up in the minority of some content issue and receive the same consideration if nothing else.”

Effectively stating that they would in no way force this upon everyone who played the game, do you have a problem with Bioware putting the option into their Role-Playing Game? If your children were to want to play this game and you knew this content was in it, would you let your child play it? Do you think the game deserved such a backlash for this?

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/video-games/controller-freak/bioware-outs-gay-male-relationship-in-mass-effect-3/article2023589/