TINT (Y The SkyTrain is not the only TransLink breakdown (¥ Competition in academia (Y Rated 'R’ for smoking And more! Have your voice heard! Contact: Elliot Chan, Opinions Editor M opinions@theotherpress.ca www. theotherpress.ca Speaking of the horny devil » Why provocative art is healthy for the city : touted male appendage had Elliot Chan Opinions Editor f © opinions MS Ua) |] @theotherpress.ca QO: September 10, Vancouver commuters travelling past Main and VCC Clark got a chance to admire the newly erected statue of the Prince of Darkness—briefly. While some found good humour in the statue, others clearly had penis envy after seeing the nonchalant : exposure of the red devil. : With one hand up giving some weird Spiderman web-slinging symbol and the other one placed : suggestively close to the large member, it’s not surprising that many people were upset and the statue was removed. However, a petition to “Save the Devil!” is now surfacing online and the number of supporters has passed 666 in less that 24 hours. : Phallic and nude monuments and statues have been around since the dawn of man. From the statue of David to the world-famous Haesindang : Park in South Korea, the highly : been an inspiration for artists : for generations. Nevertheless, : Vancouver has once again shown: : itself to be a prudish, stuffy : group with a snobby belief that : in order to be a “world-class : city,” the only monuments worth : : presenting are those of animals : and of Douglas Coupland’s head : : with gum all over it. If Gum : Head is art, then surely Horny : Devil—the name I’m giving it in : : this article—is art too. What’s the difference? Let’s be honest, there are : much more pertinent things : to worry about than those blasted devil-worshippers : corrupting our children. Ifa : devil statue with a large penis : is going to upset you on your : way to and from work, maybe : it’s time to ask yourself why. : Art is supposed to “comfort : the disturbed and disturb the comfortable,” but most artwork : around the city is so forgettable : that it might as well be fire : hydrants, garbage cans, or those : : mystery grey boxes painted with : foliage. When seeing something : like the Horny Devil, I get : excited—no, not in that way. : I feel as though some cultural : progression is happening. We get so focussed on what we : have to do ona daily basis that : we forget what we are: horny, : sinful animals. The devil statue reminds us that we are all the : same on the inside. I, for one, would much : rather look at the devil than at : an empty podium. What the hell is that podium used for anyway? : What is that little public square : used for? I don’t know, but I : guess freedom of expression is : not one of them. : T applaud the person or : group that constructed the : Horny Devil. After all, the city : is full of CEOs and thought : leaders, but we need more : artistic rebels. We need people : to break us from our status quo, : refresh our memory, and allow : us—as a collective—to grow. The : Horny Devil does not have to : bea display of immaturity, but : the general reaction is a perfect example that we, asa city, are not mature enough to handle it : for what it is. The Horny Devil is : areflection of ourselves and we : are not ready to embrace it yet. Would you like a boy toy or » Gender roles and their effects on children Mercedes Deutscher Contributor I was outraged. What is the : point of separating the toys in : those eggs according to gender? : Sadly, Kinder is not the only sa child, few things were more exciting than when my mom would give mea Kinder : Surprise egg. Underneath that: unmistakable white foil was delicious milk chocolate. Under that chocolate was a new toy. It wasn't just any toy either: it was a unisex toy that anyone of any gender could enjoy. I had the same Kinder toys as the boys in my kindergarten, and vice versa. So what happened? I was puzzled two years ago when I first saw a Kinder Surprise wrapped in pink instead of the usual white. My first thought was that Kinder was having a campaign for breast cancer awareness. It wasn't until later that I realized the truth behind these new pink eggs. The toys inside were catered to girls. : company to separate toys into : genders. At McDonald’s, it’s common to hear the cashier : ask: “Would you like a boy toy : ora girl toy in the Happy Meal?” : : After all, there is little room for : tolerance between Hot Wheels : and Barbie. It’s a trend that has been : going on for generations. A : neighbour of mine once bought : a toy tool shop for his three- : year-old daughter, who was : already growing to be quite : the tomboy. When purchasing : said tool shop, the cashier : mentioned that the store also : had play kitchens available. : On the opposite end of the : spectrum, I’ve seen parents : frustrated at a daughter who : wanted to dress up as Spiderman: : for Halloween instead of a girl toy? : princess or fairy. Why? Perhaps it’s the : latest attempt of conservative : parents to “control” their child’s : sexuality and gender identity. : Maybe it’s another indicator of : a misogynistic society, teaching : : boys that it’s shameful to be feminine and that girls are : not allowed to explore their : masculine side. It’s downright : terrifying that people are so : afraid of these issues entering : their families that they would : deny their own children the : chance to follow their interests. : By classifying toys as : appropriate for one gender or : another, society is teaching : children early on that there are : borders to being male or female. : Children are taught that their : interests don’t matter when : adults deny them what they : enjoy because it’s not expected from their gender. : To families and to friends, By classifying toys as one gender or another, society is teaching children early on that there are borders to being male or female. : there are few parts to life more : exciting than the imagination : of a child. Please encourage that : imagination. Encourage those : interests. Focus not on the sex : ona birth certificate but rather : the individual within. Let your : daughters be mechanics and : superheroes. Let your sons wear : whichever colour they choose. : The future generation will thank : you.