An open letter to Halloween Skanks:

Bailey White should be fired, if not for her terrible journalistic skills, or hypocritical statements, or offending pretty much everyone that she could with this horrendous article, but for her ignorance. It's embarrassing to the student body to have some one of this ignorance writing in our paper.

I wonder how many people actually care about this, and how many people are just jumping on the band wagon.

An article like this was obviously written with the intent of stirring up shit, no question about it. When I read it though, I laughed out loud. The author of the article may have been a little extreme in a few places for my liking, but it wasn't MY opinion.
I do however agree with the basic point she was trying to get across; I worked a shift at the Superstore on Halloween, and throughout that night I saw more sets of tits and chicks walking around in tights and panties than I EVER wanted to see. While I choose to not display myself in that fashion, I respect the girls that do ONLY for the confidence they have in their own bodies. On the other hand, I cannot respect these girls as people.
The jeans I wear are just as tight as every other girl's on campus, and I own a handful of 'titty shirts', but the extent to which girls undress when in "costume" is shameful.
It is ridiculous to state that girls who choose to show off their bodies on this one night a year will never find a husband. Yes, there is a very good chance that some random guy at the bar will take them home and fuck them, and forget about them a week later, but it's ONE NIGHT A YEAR.
It is most unfortunate that some typically modest (or at least what could be considered such in our society) girls strip down for Halloween, but there's a difference between them and the sluts that bare all, all year. Those are the girls that have an actual problem, and will have a hard time finding a serious boyfriend. If they're even looking for one.

if this is what we're doing so people will read the AQ... we're in big trouble..... BIG trouble

I am not a frequent reader of the Aquinian, as I do not attend STU, so could some please explain to me. Is this article a satire? Some sort of poorly written joke? I would love to hear from the author, and have her explain her piece.

It's meant to be satire... the problem is that this particular piece of satire is so poorly written that it isn't funny at all. I laughed more at the commentors who took this article seriously and replied to its points in earnest than I did the actual content of the article. You know the execution is pretty much terrible when people can't even tell who or what you're mocking. You can't just make the most crass, outrageous statements you can think of and call it satire, or expect others to recognize it as such...

Dear Skank Hater,
First and for most I can honestly say that I for one pity you. Whatever purpose this article was supposed to serve- a publicity stunt to get people to read The Aquinian or to obtain attention for you personally, you have definitely offended a lot of people, including myself.
Halloween is a tradition that is celebrated one time a year. People celebrate Halloween for many reasons, but for most, it provides an opportunity to dress in different character and have fun. In no possible way does dressing up for this one night reflect who one is as a person. I think that I speak for most when I say that celebrating Halloween as a child has not established any sort of beliefs that going to other people and begging for things is how you get things in life. I’d be shocked to see any evidence that would support your idea that it does.
What really surprises me the most is the religion reference- which I found to be irrelevant to your argument. Having a general knowledge about the Catholic religion myself, I have never seen, nor heard of a dress code in The Bible (if you find this I’d like a copy of it). I do however believe that The Bible does say that Jesus loves everyone no matter what and forgives people who sin. Glad this is the case for you and your “Catholic mind” considering you had no problem referring to “Sweet Mary mother of Jesus” in a non-Christian context, which you and I both know is a sin.
I find it mind boggling that you also throw feminism into your article. My understanding of feminism is basically women who form together to promote equality for women, so that both genders are treated equally within society. Feminist theories do not in any way suggest that women should conform to the “traditional female role” and act, dress, walk, and talk how a man would want us to. Nor does it influence the idea that “men are pigs” or that the only way a woman will be happy in her life is has a husband who respects her. This is degrading to both men and women.
I do however understand the point you are trying to make about the way some women carry themselves. Society has experienced extreme transition in the last decade in regards to fashion and I do believe that appearance does have an impact on impressions. This being said, clearly this is where the main problem is. As a society, it is obvious we need to change the way we look at one another, and not stereotype people based on how they appear to us. This is how you are coming off in your article though. You have stereotyped girls who dress provocatively, labelling them as “skanks” and judging by their appearance you believe they lack intelligence. There are many girls that I know, lots actually at St. Thomas University, who are beautiful, they strut their stuff in provocative clothing, maintain 4.0 GPA’s and have a significant other who genuinely respects them. Obviously you could have done some research there and took some note on these wonderful people who should have been recognized.
All in all, I truly think you could have written a better article. There has been much controversy over your thoughts and I would have expected more from someone obtaining a “liberal education”. When you write something that is being exposed to the general public, it is often more meaningful and better understood when it is positive, objective and your arguments don’t contradict one another. We as females should be sticking together as a disadvantaged gender, “pumping each other’s tires”, envying girls who looks better than we do rather than be jealous, support the idea that it’s okay to be independent, the list could go on. Obviously these are your thoughts and your opinions, which you are 100% entitled to your freedom of expression in the same way that people who dress “skanky” are. Your argument provides readers with many different thoughts and feelings about what you are trying to say but really it makes you sound like you are bitter, shallow and insecure- things that probably aren’t even true, but if they are I recommend getting rid of these qualities immediately because this may be the reason you’re not meeting you’re “future husband” in your L.L Bean sweater. I really do believe that because of the reputation STU has as a Catholic university, I do not think that your article should have been published. Although you do have a right to your opinion, this article could have been revised and been more appropriately written for the general public.
Oh, FYI, I consider myself to be what you label as a “Halloween skank” and I just thought that I would let you know that in full “Halloween skank” attire Halloween night, I had a few very respectable, well educated men approach me and ask me for my number to take me out sometime on a date. All of which followed through with calling. This just goes to show you can be an everyday “skank”/”Halloween skank”, still meet respectable men-who respect you as a person, and have good academic standing, the full packaged deal really. After all, haven’t you heard the saying “she’s not just a pretty face.”

It is truly beautiful to witness so many dormant minds awaken when someone utters the word skank, albeit more than a dozen times.

You should all so engaged when your student representatives are elected to spend your money and make important decisions on your behalf.

I just want to say that, no matter whether you agree with the content, you must see that this article has been great for bringing about a discussion of the issues involved. It is great seeing people get worked up to the point where they actually become involved and voice an opinion instead of sitting back and saying nothing. As Matt says, this has people reading newspapers and this website more then they used to (as I'm sure statistics from the administrator will show).

A Shank is a home-made prison weapon, like a razor melted into a toothbrush handle. Nobody called anyone a shank.
We are in the 21st Century.

One should asks themselves, is the attention or "more reads" worth their integrity?

This article is offensive to both men and women. Not all men are pigs who will have sex with the first half-naked woman they see, and not all women need a husband to be happy, or are skanks if they wear something other than plain underwear or blue jeans. I don't understand how this got published; if this kind of writing is acceptable to the editors of the Aquinian, then the editors of the Aquinian should undergo a serious review of their standards.

First of all there are a few issues I have a problem with, concerning your letter to so called shanks. First and for most the idea of how woman will only truly be happy when they have a husband. Where do you get off saying “And finding a husband is the only way you will ever be happy” Excuse me miss but have you forgotten that we are now in the twentieth century and woman do not need a husband to be fulfilled and happy; there are many woman with high powered jobs that are extremely successful without a husband and many women are having families without the so called male counterpart.
As for your statement on how woman dress,you are a bit hypocritical and confusing. You state that woman need to stop dressing to impress men on Halloween than you go on in your conclusion of your article stating woman need to dress for the men they may encounter? SO what is it dress everyday for the men you may meet and your potential husband but when there are holidays that allow you to dress different you must not have fun instead stay inside going through your closet for clothes that will make you a good candidate for a eighteen century wife, or if you do decide to have a life other than searching for a husband you must wear sweaters or as you stated “thick cable knits a la L.L. Bean”
Since when do woman need a husband to be happy and why is it that you state woman should not dress up on halloween to try and impress men but every other day we should ? Im just confused on what you were actually trying to convey.

Hey, I think this is great!

Congrats Aquinian and Bailey, on creating good discussion on important topics like feminism, women's issues, right of free speech, stereo- typing, religion and sexism.

Keep up the good work. I've book-marked the Aquinian for the first time, and I'm a fan of university campus newspapers.

"Editor’s Note: We at the Aquinian are still hashing out our policy with regard to comments. Typically, we will not publish comments generated soley as a means of personally attacking the author."


Ironically the Aquinian will however publish articles in their paper that are generated soley as a means of personally attack women and men.

Dear Bailey,

First I think you should take a lesson in writing, one doesn't start a sentence with AND. Secondly, if you are giving us girls a way to dress, you should probably follow it yourself. I realize that you were editor last year and you tired to "Change the world", but this is not the way to do so. I personally don't think that without a husband you will never be happy. Even if you were trying to be funny, you went the wrong way about doing it. Lastly, this is a catholic University, and I was actually ashamed yesterday about the things that were in the paper, actually both of your articles.. ummm.. something they have in common.. you.

One of those shanks you hate,
Jamie.

Matt: Whatever that is it sure isn't professional. The paper can do better, I think it becomes accetable, egotistically, when a close knit staff views such material as fair and worthy for a student newspaper. This writer, or commentary seems to me to be all about Ms. White who is supported strongly by both the Aquinian and TheNewBrunswickBeacon. I think, whatever that was all about, isn't just used to get people to read, there's no monetary gain from higher readership, and even if that was the idea behind the article then the paper needs to seriously reconsider the quality of pieces in their paper if they want serious readership.

Hi Bailey,

Are you a journalist? Hoping to be one someday? Well you should reconsider how you address your audience. Your subject matter is acceptable but what isn't is your use of language and the stringent view point. Otherwise, if you're not looking to any form of career in journalism you should take a big step back and seriously consider how to better interact with the world around you. I expected more and still do, I look forward to a level of maturity, if any, on your part..

Thank you.

this article was (very) poor satire, but bailey clearly has a great understanding of people. how many people read the newspaper the week before last? how many these past two weeks? the number has increased exponentially and though it's not through any journalistic merit, it's readers nonetheless. i applaud bailey's ability to capture the interests of the community but i sincerely hope she can keep from being pegged as nothing more than a "shock jock" of journalism.

I think that the above comments say overall what is wrong with this article. Just as a personal note, however, I wanted to add that I have never read anything more insulting as I have with this article. It is crude articles like this that make me not want to read STU news papers at all. I would be ashamed of my self if I ever published anything as sexist as this..

Wow...are you kidding me? Yeesh you don't even like halloween so you've no reason to comment on what people are wearing :).You say in the course of this article that it's less feminist to dress like that. "Marriage" and "what men are thinking" is just some of the things you mention in the article. That is horribly unfeminist. It's fun dressing up as "skanks," as you so put it, it shows that we're proud of who we are and what we've got :).

PLUS we dont need husbands to be happy...whoever thinks that...is just....medieval thinking

But I LIKE my colorful underwear, I dont wear it for guys to see :) I wear it to be colorful

Honestly Bailey, we're not all clones. We don't all want to wear jeans and cable knit sweaters because unlike you, we actually have personality and originality. And unlike you, we can use those qualities to impress men because we don't enjoy blending in with everyone else. We like to stand out and express who we are through more than just a necklace. And just because we like to show off our assets, doesn't mean we have no respect for ourselves and are letting men take advantage of it. I thoroughly enjoy dressing up a little "skanky" one day of the year and thoroughly enjoy grinding against men because I ENJOY doing it. It's not because I'm trying to impress men, because I do have brains and can impress men in a lot of ways, but I do it because it's FUN. And not all women want to be in a relationship or get married to every man they have sex with. I strongly believe in women's rights, which means I believe that women can very well use men for sex if they want. It's our right to do just as much as it is theirs to do. Give your head a shake Bailey, because some of us out there actually do like to have fun and be original, and I can promise you, we WILL find husbands. It's you dear, that I'm a little worried about because men don't tend to like crazy women who are relationship crazy, they tend to fall for women with originality and personality. So have fun wearing your cable knit sweaters and boring underwear, and good luck finding a man to fall in love with you.

Ms. White.

Thank you so much for this article, it is about time a young woman stuck up for herself and the rest of us, I hate walking around campus at anytime during warmer months, but especially at Haloween and feeling like I have found myself in sin city?!! this is Canada for hecks sakes, the amount of indecency that women have nowadays is frankly appaling.

I just think that they should understand what they are doing, hanging themselves out there like a piece of meat, and the fact that the men simply encourage them is appaling. I just wanted to congratulate you, and simply say that girls, if you want a decent man do wait Ms. White says and wear a nice wool sweater and wait till a good decent man says I do.

do you realise you said skank 16 times in this? fuck.
and i'd like to take that chunky cable knit sweater from L.L. Bean and ------------- :D
thanks sexy!

I too dislike the current dress of Halloween that I most often see on young women these days. However, you are the part of so-called civilized society that I would not want to be a part of. For a so-called "Feminists" you are stereotyping women who dress up on one day of the year. For all you know on every other day, they are brilliant, well-dressed women who are not above being silly one day of the year.

I have a friend who is like that. She is intelligent, dignified, and modest. For Halloween, she dressed as a prostitute. This is the magic of Halloween, what you dress up as does not define you the other 364 days of the year.

As well, please don't stereotype men as pigs. To describe a whole gender as unable to control themselves when they see a sexually open women is horrifying. Later, you then say that women will never be happy without a man. Are you saying that without a selfish, lustful pig is what will make women happy?

Also, women got the idea that they could wear whatever they like from the feminist movement, because amazingly at one point, women COULDN'T wear what they wanted without being ostracized.

I agree that women do not need to dress in such a revealing manner, but I also believe you need to refrain from attacking them in such an unladylike manner. So please, put your stereotypes and cruel barbs away.

Sincerely,
Findlay Mackay-Boyce.

I'm sorry, but this is a University Paper, a Catholic one at that and we shouldn't be discriminating against women while saying that "and finding a husband is the only way you'll ever be happy." This is so utterly offensive in on so many different levels. I'm sorry you date back to evolution with your theories, but this is 2009, and if i women chooses to dress like a so called "skank" in your books on halloween, then who are you or anyone else to judge her.

Dear readers,

I am sure I am not the only one who was mortified by the November edition of The Aquinian and the publishing of Bailey White’s piece, so tactfully titled “An open letter to Halloween Skanks.” In her article, directed solely, as it would seem, at women whom she repeatedly refers to as “skanks,” a word which is supposed to be synonymous with whore and really sets women back about fourty years, Ms. White takes on the yearly tradition of Halloween.

Her assault on the much-loved tradition begins with a rather ironic choice of words. In attacking the “Pagan-y qualities” of Halloween which “don’t sit right to [her] Catholic mind,” Ms. White uses the phrase “sweet Mary, mother of Jesus.” This is bad on two accounts: the first that she uses Mary and Jesus’ name in vein, something a devout or even barely-practicing Catholic would know is generally not proper and is certainly not lady-like, as Ms. White claims to be; second, Ms. White seems to ignore the premise of judge not, lest ye be judged yourself, in order to afford herself the luxury of a more damning, hate-filled piece.

Ms. White, does, however, accept that her Catholic mind is not the only problem, that there may also be another issue: her intolerance of women who choose to dress in a manner which she doesn’t find befitting of a proper lady- no doubt, the liberal use of Jesus and Mary’s names is absolutely acceptable. She says, rather crudely, that “the real problem with Halloween is the skanks.” She reveals this piece of insight to the readers with as much class as one could possibly imagine such a lady as Ms. White having: “men are pigs, and if you dangle your assets in front of them, they can’t help but to bed you.” At this point, congratulations must be offered to Ms. White: I was unaware that any lady could spew such hateful filth and still be considered a lady.

She then goes on to attack these women whom she has so horrendously labelled: “but my heart goes out to you skanks. Most skanks don’t even have the brainpower to engage a man in meaningful conversation... you’re too stupid to impress a man any other way.” While I generally tend to shy away from making assumptions about motives, I must say that the motive of Ms. White is ever clearer: there is most likely an intense and deep-seeded anger towards these women whom she has labelled skanks because men, whom she has labelled pigs, are more apt to give them attention than they are to Ms. White. But is it any wonder? Ms. White, in her illustration, has made it clear that women should have an engagement ring on their fingers, if they’re lucky. The truth is, Ms. White’s hatred is probably more of a detourant for men than her lack of skanky-dress. Perhaps, even, her use of the word “pig” in relation to men has something to do with it.

So if I may offer any advice to Ms. White, without trying to impose my own, secular mind on her Catholic one, I would say this: get over yourself. Your language, your beliefs and your attempt to push them on everyone else are enough to keep men and women alike miles away. You do not hold the monopoly on truth and you are certainly far from a lady. Before you preach the art of being a lady, perhaps you should practice. Ms. White, you may look like a lady but you are far from one.

Yours,
Ryan Owens