Last night, I went with some friends to the hypnotist show that was put on in the Cave. At first, it seemed like all fun and games, but there were a number of different things that were said during the show that I couldn't help but wonder about, especially in relation to the sexism and heterosexism discussions we had last week.

At the beginning of the show, Ron Stubbs, the hypnotist, was joking about how most of us have been under hypnosis before. These jokes basically consisted of statements about how guys undergo hypnosis when they are watching sports games and girls are hypnotized anytime they enter a mall. When I mentioned this to others, they claimed that the statements were merely "harmless jokes," but I couldn't help but get kind of frustrated... I am personally trying to rid myself of different social stereotypes of men and women which in essence conform males and females to the ways they can act, the things they can enjoy, etc. And yet, a performer, one who is probably exposed to a substantial percentage of the population, merely continues these stereotypes with a few jokes. While I understand that working to minimize the continuation of stereotypes such as these within myself, as well as talking to those around me and encouraging them to do the same, truly is an effective step forward, it is kind of discouraging to know that for every stereotypical joke my actions prevent, another is being told to yet another unaware audience.

Another instance that caught my attention was one in which one male student, while under hypnosis, was told that anytime he heard a particular song, he was going to see the "hottest" girl he had ever seen, that he "wanted" her, and that he was supposed to show her his "sexiest" dance moves. The comedy part came in when you consider that the girl was actually a microphone stand with a wig on it. At first, it was hilarious. But I couldn't help but wonder what would have happened if he were gay. It was assumed that he was heterosexual, that he would be attracted to this imaginary individual of the opposite sex. Similarly, there was another instance in which the hypnotized individuals on stage were told to imagine that the hypnotist was the most attractive person that they had ever seen, that they "wanted" him and that again, they were to show this by dancing with him. At first he had the girls dance with him, but then he had all of the guys dance with him. I couldn't help but feel that the hypnotist's intentions were that the audience would find this supposed gay behavior - guys dancing with and/or fighting over another guy - funny. But really, the hypnotist was just objectifying gay individuals, using them for a good laugh, at their expense. Even still, one of the guys that was on stage was homosexual. So not only was the hypnotist mocking the gay population as a whole, I felt as though he was mocking this individual in particular. 

Because I have been thinking about these examples, and others that were present throughout the show, part of me feels as though I may be over-thinking things, but I don't think I am. However, where do these observations bring me? Is preventing sexism and heterosexism in my own life enough to change our culture so that things like this cease to happen? I want to think so, but I'm not so sure...