Muleskinner

Issue date: 3/20/08 Section: Features

Media Credit: Drew Woolery: Muleskinner Jimmy West (left) and Lee Rivers (right) act out a scene where store clerks tell actors and audience members they have no clothes that will fit them. [Click to enlarge]

Media Credit: Drew Woolery: Muleskinner Erica Reagan, freshman social work major, examines the second room of the tour, featuring walls of images and negative audio clips. [Click to enlarge]

"How many of you have ever made a negative comment about someone's appearance? If you have, please step forward."

About 13 out of 15 people rise to their feet and take a step into the middle of the circle.

"How many of you have heard someone say something negative about the way someone looked, but chose not to confront them?" The entire group takes another step toward the center.

The Objective

The Beyond Words Oppression Experience, a University-sanctioned event that has been taking place since 1997 and attracts about 500 faculty, staff, students and community members, takes many forms at several institutions around the country.

Called the Tunnel of Oppression at some universities, the idea behind the event is "to challenge people's thoughts, perceptions and inner feelings on issues dealing with oppression and hatred," according to information handed out at the University of Kansas' annual event in 2006.

How it Works

Sponsored by the Office of Community Engagement and University Housing, the 45-minute tour takes a group of 20-25 students through a series of skits, videos, audio clips and pictures designed to evoke emotion regarding the chosen topic.

This year's topic, chosen in conjunction with the theater department's production of "Fat Pig" in February, focuses on body image and how media portrayals affect the way people see their bodies.

Brenda Moeder, assistant director of University Housing and committee chair of Beyond Words, says the participation of about 45 people is required to get the event off the ground.

"We have a committee of seven people who recruited volunteers to help. We have tour guides, we have actors, we have facilitators who process with the groups at the end, which are usually counselors and graduate students."

Although individuals are welcome to view the exhibit, the biggest majority of those who attend the event are members of classes or live on a particular dorm floor.

"If you just have one or two people going through at a time, the experience isn't as powerful. We always put individuals in with groups in order for them to get the most out of the experience," Moeder said.

The first part of the tour is a skit that takes place in a clothing store. The employees are telling customers they don't carry clothes big enough to fit them and accuse minority shoppers of stealing.

The next room features an exhibit, complete with audio clips of people making negative comments about another's appearance. Combined with the photos, the walls are covered with "body myths," which make statements like "Men who have a feminine walk are homosexual," and "Large people are lazy and don't work as hard as thin people."

The final room is equipped with three televisions playing videos regarding body image and discrimination. The audience is asked to focus on one screen and the story the video tells.

When the videos are over, a video including UCM students, faculty and staff is played that gives their thoughts on how the media affects body image.

At the end of the tour, the group has a discussion regarding their experience with a facilitator. John Slobaszewski, assistant housing director of the Central Village Apartments, played this role in the 9:30 a.m. session Tuesday.

He compared himself to Dr. Phil as he got the discussion up-and-running with questions about things people notice in the media that affect body image, as well as how people from other countries view body image in comparison to the United States.

Ever-changing experience

Beyond Words has covered several topics over the years, including the Holocaust, discrimination against Native Americans, African Americans, gays, lesbians and bisexuals, as well as homelessness, gender and financial status.

"People have in their head what groups are oppressed. People want to see everything covered every year, but it just can't be done. It is hard to tackle all topics every year," Moeder said.

Kelly Greer, the instructor of a section of Race, Class, and Gender, was there with her class as they went through the exhibit.

"I found it interesting and refreshing that the tour focused on men and women's issues. The two played off one another very well."

What students think

Moder describes the many different reactions audiences have to the experience.

"Some are forced to come here because of classes. There are others who are affected by one thing with the entire experience that clicks with them. They might realize there is something they've done to another in the past that they shouldn't have done. It's hard to gauge how much the experience has affected them, but we're optimistic that stuff has happened that we just don't know about."

The tour took place in the Ozark Room of the University Conference Center Tuesday and Wednesday, but speaker Magdalen Hsu-Li, an Asian singer-songwriter, will be speaking in conjunction with the event at 7 p.m. tonight in Hart Recital Hall.

Hsu-Li was a victim of racism and prejudice regarding Tourette 's syndrome. The event is free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Brenda Moeder at 543-4515.

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