Out of one side of their mouths, Teen Mania tells women not to be responsible for causing men to lust. Yet, out of the other side of their mouths, they tell women to make sure they are being feminine and beautiful.
The most infamous example of this is Dave Hasz’s “paint the barn” speech. In the first week of the Honor Academy, Dave Hasz gives his “Aura of a Statesman” teaching which includes very specific suggestions/requirements for grooming habits while at Teen Mania. He encourages women to “paint the barn” i.e. – wear makeup. He would go on to say that many barns look old and dilapidated and just need a fresh coat of paint. Many interns took offense to this statement (and rightfully so), so he quit using that particular saying while still preaching exactly the same message.
He would also tell women not to just put their hair in a ponytail every day because “we have to look at you everyday.” He wants women to put some effort into their apperance and do their hair differently each day. In fact, just this week Dave took it even a step further and suggested specific hairstyles that women should wear in order for the modern intern woman to look “feminine and beautiful.”
And all this time, I thought beauty was on the inside.
These statements are so wildly inappropriate and misogynistic that it literally makes me sick. Is there any other environment where you can imagine a leader dictating to his female employees or followers how they should wear their hair? The only one that comes to my mind is CULT.
36 comments:
S.Z.B.says:January 18, 2012 7:33 AMReply
Ew. Just, ew.
melcro28says:January 18, 2012 8:26 AMReply
The waterfall braid thing just cracks me up with all its ridiculousness. At the time I sat through the “Paint the barn” speech, I think I felt a little helpless. I was 17, had never worn make up, didn’t know how to wear it and didn’t have money to pay for it! Silly.
wanderersays:January 18, 2012 8:49 AMReply
are…. you kidding…. me???????
Ericsays:January 18, 2012 9:30 AMReply
Contrast: “Your beauty should not come from outward adornment, such as braided hair and the wearing of gold jewelry and fine clothes.” –1 Peter 3:3
Do you suppose they’re intentionally trying to find ways to directly contradict the Bible?
Steve Lumbleysays:January 18, 2012 9:33 AMReply
Carnal men think about carnal things
Romans 8:5 For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh……
Shilohsays:January 18, 2012 12:12 PMReply
Am I the only one who doesn’t even think that hair style is a universal kind of pretty?
That’s so… skeezy
lol. Dave is basically like, ‘this is what I think is attractive. all the intern girls should dress like this.’
hahahaha. CREEPER.
Ssays:January 18, 2012 12:13 PMReply
I am a 20 years old. I didn’t wear makeup from ages 15-17. And guess what? Guys still found me attractive and asked me out. Apparently Honor Acadamy guys are shallow and you shouldn’t date them.
Recovering Alumnisays:January 18, 2012 12:15 PMReply
Personally, I think the hairstyle looks like something off of Little House on the Prairie. I would never be caught dead wearing it. But thats just my style. 🙂
Shilohsays:January 18, 2012 12:26 PMReply
I think only legit hippies can pull it off.
If you seriously only eat organic, play the guitar, wear ti-dye tee-shirts… or make you’re own cloths and happen to have long hair and your boyfriend does too- you can pull this look off.
Dave doesn’t care about women. not if he only thinks they’re are pretty when they paint the barn and get all dolled up every time they leave their dorm room.
Ssays:January 18, 2012 12:30 PMReply
Now that I think about it, when I went one a GE trip, the honor acadamy girls did do weird braided stuff with their hair everyday….
Marisasays:January 18, 2012 12:32 PMReply
I always thought those older intern girls on my GE trips who were constantly giving me make-up advice were just playing the older sister part. Makes me wonder now where their intentions were.
wanderersays:January 19, 2012 8:25 AMReply
Will tomorrow’s teaching be Why The Pump is a More Godly Heel than the Slingback?
Ssays:January 19, 2012 8:55 AMReply
Is anyone else thinking that this stuff could be grounds for a sexual harrassment lawsuit? I think the intern who decides to do it could be seriously rich.
Anonymoussays:January 19, 2012 10:08 AMReply
I remember specifically noting my year how Dave Hasz seemed to favor the girls who put a little more effort into their appearance. Weird. He even commented one day when a group of us walked by and were dressed up for a day in Dallas. Wish I could remember what he said!
On another note, I remember a another intern our year who took it upon herself to take one of my roomates under her wing to try to ‘help’ her with her style. Ay yi. yi. That always made me a bit uneasy. She was like her ‘project’.
Anonymoussays:January 19, 2012 11:06 AMReply
This is definitely a little creepy for an older guy to be telling his staff and intern women on what kind of hair style they should be wearing. This is not appropriate behavior at all.
Esthersays:January 19, 2012 1:44 PMReply
Wow.
juliesays:January 19, 2012 2:42 PMReply
Two things come to mind reading this. First off, everyone who was so insistent that TM doesn’t practice any mind control should consider how weird it is that Dave, who is not a woman, is telling women how to do their hair and no one at the internship finds that the least bit bizarre. Can you imagine any other arena in life where a man in authority would be instructing young women to do their hair in the way he prefers and no one spoke up or called him out on it? Secondly, this is a great example of how the lines are always blurred there about what God wants and what Dave/Ron/Heath/and other leader want. If it comes out of a leader’s mouth, there’s an assumption that it’s what God wants you to do. An assumption the leadership doesn’t try very hard to dispel.
juliesays:January 19, 2012 2:45 PMReply
Also, when will the men start doing make up and fixing their hair in elaborate ways every day for work? When will they be required not to just follow the dress code, but also dress in a style approved by the leadership. You know, because we all have to look at them every day.
Anonymoussays:January 19, 2012 11:38 PMReply
(Bangs head against wall)
Anonymoussays:January 19, 2012 11:43 PMReply
Ladies, fix you hair and wear makeup everyday so you don’t grow up fat and bald like Heath Stoner
Shilohsays:January 20, 2012 9:13 AMReply
This IS sick- but do you think men are exploited? They were kinda treated like dogs I think. (they were expected to be these perfect prince charmings and i imagine girls probably acted like they were a plague anytime they came around.)
But I guess I never really thought about it. Obviously they couldn’t have had the best internship ever. I just don’t know what it is they were taught.
Shilohsays:January 20, 2012 9:19 AMReply
On top of it all we were just kids! This is all A LOT of pressure to put on a bunch of 18 year olds. At that age everyone is naturally beautiful anyways. You don’t need make-up or cool hair! Maybe when your boobs start sagging and you start balding (a lot… And your hair is graying) then you might need to spice things up. But 18?! Come on. Dave is such a pervert!
I’m genuinely curious if guys think they received quality teaching on how to be a man. Because there is just no way Dave treats them any different then the way he treated the women. He’s a control freak and a manipulater.
laynesays:January 20, 2012 9:50 AMReply
I can’t even wrap my brain around this one.
Anonymoussays:January 20, 2012 11:18 AMReply
There was a Intern my year (Movers: Aug. ’96’97) who Dave verbally extolled in front of the whole class time and again. She truly was a beautiful young woman but she would style her long hair and wear make-up, and perfume and dress femininely. She could ALSO teach the guys a thing or two about chainsaws, tractors, back-hoes, etc. (as she grew up on the farm.) Dave would continually proclaim that SHE was a model of femininity AS WELL AS an example of what a good wife might look like: feminine, uncomplaining, hard working, able to keep up with the boys. Most of the men of our class had secret crushes on her. I remember one time, the class was having a work day (after church or something like that) and she was dressed very nice, in a dress, etc. Dave said they needed her help with a piece of equipment that was stuck or tricky to drive with its current load and she jumps up on that piece of equipment in her “church outfit” and she takes charge of that situation and then the project. Dave and ALL the guys just watch her, mouths agape. Then Dave proceeds to “teach” the class – Look here X girl is able to just take care of this situation, while wearing her nice clothes………” In retrospect most from our class would remember this girl AND the fact that the women who had nice clothes, wore makeup and were particularly girlie were favored the most by ALL leadership and received the choicest jobs. Beth McComber
Shannon Kishsays:January 20, 2012 1:09 PMReply
Beth, that is horrible. I would say that Dave was being creepy and would question whether he was trying to oogle that poor girl.
Anonymoussays:January 20, 2012 1:54 PMReply
Beth, You are so right about this part especially,
“In retrospect most from our class would remember this girl AND the fact that the women who had nice clothes, wore makeup and were particularly girlie were favored the most by ALL leadership and received the choicest jobs. Beth McComber”
Anonymoussays:January 20, 2012 2:00 PMReply
DH seems like a nasty old man with teaching like this. Talking about short man syndrome.
And with statements like, “we have to look at you everyday,” makes me very uncomfortable being I don’t want DH to “look” at me.
I had to look at his Nazi haircut for a year which wasn’t appealing at all but I didn’t copy&paste any ideas for him and preach it from a self proclaimed pulpit. Come on.
Fitzsays:January 23, 2012 9:34 PMReply
This is just horrible. I’ve been sitting on the sentiments behind this and it is so disgusting. The Honor Academy boasts about being a culture separate from ‘the world’ but if you compare the DH’s ideas about women’s appearance and the worlds, they are EXACTLY the same in concept. If anything, the HA works as a magnifier for this kind of sexist dribble that is completely pervasive in our society.
The idea that Dave Hasz is sending these girls is that that women, above being people they are decoration, that they owe it to men and other onlookers to maintain a certain standard of decoration, and that their bodies are public property.
It breaks my heart to see a message so destructive coming from leadership that does nothing but claim they are teaching the young women on campus to be Godly, independent women. Prettiness when done as an obligation or penance is 100% divorced from independence.
To the women of the HA who are currently there or have been there and have been affected by this message, there is something you need to know and embrace:
YOU DON’T HAVE TO BE PRETTY.
You don’t owe prettiness to anyone.
You don’t owe prettiness to your boyfriend, spouse or partner.
You don’t owe prettiness to your co-workers or your fellow interns.
You don’t owe prettiness to your mother, your sisters or your core mates.
You don’t owe prettiness to your children.
You don’t owe prettiness to civilization or society in general.
PRETTINESS IS NOT A FEE YOU PAY FOR OCCUPYING SPACE WHILE FEMALE.
Prettiness, if you choose to look pretty, is for you. Because prettiness can be rewarding, pleasant and fun. Prettiness can make you and people around you happy, and making yourself and others happy is feels nice and is often satisfying! But NEVER is your obligation to make other people happy at the expense of your body. Your body is for you and God.
Recovering Alumnisays:January 23, 2012 9:36 PMReply
Fitz – you just nailed it outta the park!!!
Lisa Mariesays:January 23, 2012 11:06 PMReply
A few commenters have already mentioned that beautiful intern women got the most attention from leadership and the best jobs, so I’m just going to come out and say it: every female intern I’ve known to work in Dave’s office has been extremely “conventionally” attractive. Blond, feminine figure, wore make-up, dressed well, etc.
Anyone else notice this?
catsavedsays:January 28, 2012 8:37 AMReply
Is it some weird coincidence that I logged into the alumni page today and got the message “Your hair looks pretty”!?!? What a strange thing to have as a greeting on any website let alone a ministry one.
Anonymoussays:January 31, 2012 11:24 AMReply
He was simply using the waterfall braid as an example… He was NOT saying that we had to wear our hair like that!
Truth68says:January 31, 2012 11:56 AMReply
But Anonymous, here’s the point. It is not David Hasz’s business to even comment on women’s braids or hair. It is kind of creepy if you ask me. Hair styles will not do anything for our salvation or relationship with Christ.
Ericsays:January 31, 2012 12:48 PMReply
Anonymous– An example of what? How to wear your hair? Then the point still stands.
The only thing that would redeem it as an example would be if Hasz used it like this: “Some women want to wear their hair like this. Other people like a plain pony tail, or even short and spiky and dyed blue. It’s all good, because God is looking at your heart, not your outward appearance….” I’m guessing that wasn’t his sermon, was it.
gracemakesfreesays:February 1, 2012 9:41 PMReply
LOL – the Anonymous comment is hysterical!
“He was NOT saying we had to wear our hair like that!” LOL
I probably would’ve defended him when I was there, too. Now, almost 10 years later, I find it incredibly humorous.
What is he doing talking about this in the first place? And what is he doing paying attention to teenage girls hairstyles? Maybe we should give him and Ron pictures of how men started doing their hairstyles after the 80’s ended???
Anonymoussays:April 21, 2012 9:39 PMReply
Wow…just, wow! I never went to HA, but I’ve been involved with TMM since 1994. I wonder if this is how they “encourage” ladies to dress on the mission field as well, or only in America? ‘Cause I gave away all my heels, and most of my “cute clothes”, I don’t wear make-up (because it would melt off my face), and I wear my hair in a pony-tail with a head band every day out of necessity, because I live in Haiti as a full-time missionary and it’s too hot for all that nonsense! I used to be a follow-every-rule-goodie-two-shoes kind of girl, but maybe I’m more of a rebel than I thought… 😉 I just happened upon this site a few days ago, and it really breaks my heart that a ministry and person (Ron Luce) I so highly esteemed for so many years has done so much damage to so many people. I pray for restoration in all things for everyone affected!