How To Be A Lady
In This Day and Time, Is It Possible?
Courtney Taylor
Issue date: 11/4/09 Section: News
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As an icebreaker, Ra'Vone Royster asked the audience how they defined a lady. Miss Freshman, Tatianna Mosley stated, "It depends on your culture on what is a lady." A few of the young women agreed and responded accordingly. Audrey Muhammad, a Freshman Seminar professor, spoke on the "Virtues of Being a Lady." She defined the difference between a woman and a lady. "Women have their dos; she need to do the dishes or she need to do my child's hair. Ladies have don'ts; she don't sit with her legs open or she don't talk loudly." Ladies should hold certain standards and qualifications. "Be mindful of the product you endorse," stated biology professor Dr. Erin White. She did a visual presentation on "How a Lady Dresses." Her visual presentation included several examples of outfits that define a lady.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs, Dr. Janice Haynie perfected the topic, "How a Lady Handles Slack-talk and Gossip." One way or another women have engaged in gossip, some more than others, but what a lady will do is know how to respond to it. "It's not what someone calls you, it's what you answer to," Dr. Haynie stated. She reminded the group that gossip will never subside. A lady will handle it responsibly and maturely.
Immediately following an introduction, Student Programming Coordinator
Tunisha Miles gave a visual presentation of "How a Lady Handles Fighting and Arguing." Ms. Miles shared a few personal stories, indicating what a lady should do in that particular situation. Her comical, yet understanding viewpoints showed that a lady would never raise her hand or curse to anyone, she would simply walk-away or reason with that person in a respectful manner.
Psychology professor Marcia Parks quoted Russell Lynes when she said, "A lady is a woman who makes a man act like a gentleman." She polished the true definition of "How a Lady Handles Herself around Men." Parks gave a few attributes men look for in a lady such as being modest, non-nagging, prissy, letting a man show his chivalry, keeping a full schedule (not being available, all the time), and having a signature scent, so that when a man smells the scent anywhere else, he would always be reminded of her. In a subtle, yet direct tone, Parks declared, "A woman, who walks into a room and demands attention, her head is up high and her body flows; has mastered grace and therefore is a lady."
Helene Cameron from Career Services answered pondering minds on her topic about "Media Etiquette." Her point was to distinguish a real lady and one who declares herself a lady in the media, such as the women on many reality television shows. "…I mean, come on ladies, how many ladies, you know will go on Flavor of Love and fight over Flav…?" While everyone shared a laugh, Cameron continued in seriousness that what is portrayed on television is not always reality. She suggested the young women think about what is real and what is not. Cameron gave a thought to consider by Aristotle, "We are what we repeatedly do." Will a lady curse, make a fool of herself in front of millions of people, raise her hand to other women, or reveal her sexuality to the world? She understood the popular sites of MySpace and Facebook and warned the young women of the severe consequences of them and how employers currently look to them in their hiring process.
The President of Bronco Women, Willisa Covington, ended the program with an inspiring message and ways to improve upon being a lady. As Ms. Parks mentioned, "If you know how to carry yourself, you will be pursued as a lady."
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