Lube commercial targets homosexual customers

You have to love K-Y. No, not because it makes lube, but because its commercial is the first mainstream commercial I’ve seen made for a homosexual audience. Two women, Emma and Alex, sit on a bed and talk about their relationship and how K-Y Intense helps the big “O” moment. “Gay male couples have been featured in print advertising since 2008 and now the brand is continuing its tradition of support and visibility with advertising that is inclusive of lesbian couples,” a spokesperson for the company said in a release.

Hell yes! It’s about time commercials started depicting all the different lifestyles in America. It’s interesting that they led with two women and not a gay male couple as per their print advertisement but maybe we’ll see that in the future. Hopefully the next step is to start using interracial couples. Let’s be honest, it’s not 1950, and interracial couples are the fastest growing marriage type in America but commercials rarely, if ever, reflect that. Props to K-Y for reading the writing on the wall, but let’s hope the trend continues.

— Michelle A. Monroe is a journalism senior. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Greek Life has massive ASUA influence, don’t deny

Last week, the Daily Wildcat reported ASUA President James Allen said that rumors based on Greek Life controlling the outcomes of elections should be disregarded. Allen contended that even if the rumors are true, that shouldn’t matter and that ASUA should focus on getting others involved in the ASUA elections.

No exact numbers are produced on how many Greek Life members vote. But, when you look at how many Greek Life members are annually elected, and their margins of support, it’s easy to conclude the participation of Greek Life plays a very dominant factor in the ASUA elections. And let’s not pretend that we really believe Greek Life members are either the only ones running for the office, the only ones qualified for office or the most involved people on campus. Don’t delude yourself. James Allen is trying to down play just how much of his murky, and relatively inactive presidency he owes to Greek Life. Don’t forget he too is a Greek Life member. Anyone with short-term memory recalls all of his brothers traipsing about the campus in their “Vote James Allen” shirts or his scandal involving a rumor that he sent text messages to sorority members addressing them by stating “morning, hun.”

While Allen may seem to be publicly biting the hand that fed him his ill earned presidency, he no doubt knows it’s dire importance to his candidacy and every future ASUA/Greek Life goon. Although, it is a wise remark from Allen, ASUA should attempt to diversify the pool of voters so that the representative body isn’t just who Greek Life supports.

On the other hand though, if more varying groups of people get involved in the voting process that could dilute the Greek vote out and maybe just maybe we could see a student government body that truly more representative of the student demographics at the UA. Believe it not, the UA doesn’t revolve around Greek Life, although the greeks may like you to believe that.

— Storm Byrd is the Perspectives editor. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Are you there fall? It’s me, Andrew

The penultimate month has come around for another year, and many students are being battered by that second or third test in what at least feels like every single class. With November ranging from insurmountable philosophical conundrums to impenetrable math problems, all waiting for UA students to answer. However, the month brings another, harder question, one that students, teachers, administrators alike at the UA probably have great difficulty answering: How do you know when it’s fall in Arizona?

In other areas of the world, the question is easy enough to answer. The trees change color, the weather gets permanently chillier, and it comes to an end when there’s snow on the ground. There are no such indicators to go by at the UA. If one wanted to see color changing foliage they’d have to find pockets of more traditional trees in the mountains. The hiking around Tucson is a fun and recommended adventure, but one certainly can’t really tell if it is autumn or not. Snow is almost as sought after and elusive in Arizona as money falling from the sky. It might have been fall in September this year, but after a couple of days of a freak cold snap it went right back to being hot. Even if jackets were to make their way out tomorrow, by next week the short sleeves might have to return.

So must Arizonans simply trust their calendars to determine the season? The Autumnal Equinox fell on Sept. 23 this year, and the Winter Solstice, the darkest day in all the year, will fall on Dec. 22. According to those dates fall has been here more than a month, but those university students who had to walk from class to class at noon these past 30 or so days would likely beg to differ. It appears that for Arizonans, the third season is an enigma as deep as any the universe might hold. So next time you’re asked a particularly hard question by a professor, ask them whether it’s fall in Arizona or not. The resulting debate will be, if nothing else, enjoyable.

— Andrew Conlogue is a junior studying philosophy, politics, economic and law. He can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.

Starbucks cheer is already here

It’s only a few days after Halloween, so you know what that means: You can now get Starbucks holiday drinks. Unlike some people who are frustrated with the early arrival of the holiday season, I think we should embrace it.

It doesn’t matter that it’s 80 degrees outside and that campus is still in shorts and tank tops. Nor does it matter that sipping on a hot latte while walking to class could very well end in heatstroke. It’s a little silly how people get so incredibly excited about the peppermint infused beverages, and it makes it even more puzzling that they come out the day after Halloween. The transition between holidays is, well, very short. However, those festive red cups adorned with tiny holiday animals and snowflakes welcome in the winter season, even in the desert.

Just like most major corporations, Starbucks heavily markets during the holiday season and it seems every year companies and retailers make Christmas come a little sooner. Starbucks obviously starts their holiday drink season so early because there is a demand for it. And obviously there are other places in the country that are experiencing winter weather, unlike us. Now, I’m not saying let’s all put on our reindeer sweaters and turn on the Christmas Pandora station quite yet, but I don’t see how a wintery beverage can take away the charm of the holiday season. Let that gingerbread latte warm you up to the idea of winter festivities.

— Ashley Reid is a journalism sophomore. She can be reached at letters@wildcat.arizona.edu.