Kermit Says: Be Vocal

On a recent, restless, insomnia-filled late night, I randomly stumbled upon some old news out of Texas initially reported by the Huffington Post back in November of 2013. Richardson High School hired Christian motivational speaker and co-author of Christian dating books, Justin Lookadoo, to inspire and motivate its students. While Lookadoo did, in fact, inspire his captivated audience, I’m sure their response wasn’t what he imagined. You see, many of Lookadoo’s dating tips stem from a close-minded, misogynistic viewpoint. His books promote archaic conservative ideas like “datable girls know that guys need to be needed. A Datable girl isn’t Miss Independent” or “God made guys as leaders. Datable girls get that and let him do guy things, get a door, open a ketchup bottle. They relax and let guys be guys. Which means they don’t ask him out!!!” or my personal favorite, “Datable girls know how to shut up.”

While Lookadoo does a GREAT job with the ladies, he certainly doesn’t forget about the men. He admonishes guys who are actual human beings…guys with feelings! “Being a guy is good. Datable guys know they aren’t as sensitive as girls and that’s okay. They know they are stronger, more dangerous, and more adventurous, and that’s okay. Datable guys are real men who aren’t afraid to be guys.” How contradictory is that last line? Lookadoo says real guys aren’t afraid to be themselves, yet his limited and narrow-minded view of masculinity (and femininity) completely disregard and even rebuke those who don’t fit this stereotypical construction of what it means to be a guy and what it means to be a girl. As Women’s History month comes to an end, one would think that in 2014, such binary and limited definitions of sex and gender wouldn’t exist, right? That folks would think a woman could be the next president of the United States of America, right? That they’d understand that women—like men—are strong, powerful, intelligent, independent, driven AND kind, compassionate, tender, nurturing human beings, right? Right. One would think…

So, what does all of this have to do with being vocal? Everything! Despite Lookadoo’s attempt to spew nonsensical ideas, his audience members chose not to accept them. In fact, they chose to speak against him, and those responses took the internet (and Lookadoo) by storm! The audience members were fearless, they knew they had something to say, and they said it—no matter what. Like those students, and like my own students whose class participation grade is worth 15% of their final grade, your voice is valid and valued. I want to hear from you. The world wants to hear from you…to hear your thoughts and opinions! Whether it’s through the clothes you wear, the music you listen to, or the words that escape through your lips or finger tips, express yourself and convey your thoughts. Don’t hesitate to ask questions or speak out against injustice. Stand out and speak out.

Being vocal can be a scary thing. I’m sure some of those students were scared of speaking out against adults, but sometimes things need to be said to better your world…our world. Speak out. Speak up. Be agents of positive change. Stand for something or fall for anything. Get involved and make a difference, but in order to do that, you have to first stop and listen. Being vocal and an active participant in a classroom and in life also means being a good listener. Listen to each other, listen to yourself, and learn from each other. This is a huge task, but I believe in you, your loved ones believe in you, now believe in yourself. Be persistent, be patient, be inquisitive, and above all, be kind. With everything I’ve imparted, we need—and I’ve included myself in the “we” because I want you to know that you’re not alone in this journey—so we need the e: be …