http://webgossipsite.info/news-2/amanda-todd-and-our-perverse-society-2/
AHHH. Now this is what I'm talking about!!!
Saturday, October 20, 2012
I know it's not polite to talk politics, but...
Mitt Romney wants to "get rid" of Planned Parenthood: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xthySc5BPG4
Women's Health and the 2012 election: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgzDVKYCYfA&feature=relmfu
So since this is a women's studies class, and reproductive health care is a hot-button topic this election, I need to vent about this a little.
I'm not trying to tell people which way to vote or sway anyone's opinions. I don't care if you are pro-life or pro-choice, the fact is that defunding an organization such as Planned Parenthood will have horrible consequences in terms of people's reproducitve health care. Some individuals hate PP because they are a pro-choice organization. I can't change anyone's minds on that issue (even though I personally think women should have the choice, especially in cases of rape or extreme danger to the mother) but I can share some statistics that I wish people knew before threatening to shut down such an amazing organization.
Only 3% of PP's efforts go to abortion, and most of the time the services aren't even performed at their clinics but are outsourced to other health facilities. And federal funding does NOT go to pay for those services, women pay out of pocket. (Due to something called the Hyde Ammendment) The other 97% of what PP does includes routine physical exams, cancer screenings, pap smears, STD testing and treatment, birth control services, relationship and marraige couseling, teen preganancy counseling (which shows women ALL their options), rape counseling, education in schools, resources for gay/lesbian/questioning youth, and much more. Without these services we will most definitly see a huge increase in unplanned pregnancies and, guess what, more people seeking abortions. In that case, defunding PP would be pretty counter-productive. And overturning Roe v. Wade would be a ridiculous idea becasue that would not take away some people's desire to have an abortion, it would only take away the legal and safe options in doing so. Do we want to see women getting them performed by back-alley doctors again and dying of infection? Doubt it.
Sometimes I wish we could just keep the politics out of the bedroom and off of our bodies, and leave these personal choices to us.
Women's Health and the 2012 election: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xgzDVKYCYfA&feature=relmfu
So since this is a women's studies class, and reproductive health care is a hot-button topic this election, I need to vent about this a little.
I'm not trying to tell people which way to vote or sway anyone's opinions. I don't care if you are pro-life or pro-choice, the fact is that defunding an organization such as Planned Parenthood will have horrible consequences in terms of people's reproducitve health care. Some individuals hate PP because they are a pro-choice organization. I can't change anyone's minds on that issue (even though I personally think women should have the choice, especially in cases of rape or extreme danger to the mother) but I can share some statistics that I wish people knew before threatening to shut down such an amazing organization.
Only 3% of PP's efforts go to abortion, and most of the time the services aren't even performed at their clinics but are outsourced to other health facilities. And federal funding does NOT go to pay for those services, women pay out of pocket. (Due to something called the Hyde Ammendment) The other 97% of what PP does includes routine physical exams, cancer screenings, pap smears, STD testing and treatment, birth control services, relationship and marraige couseling, teen preganancy counseling (which shows women ALL their options), rape counseling, education in schools, resources for gay/lesbian/questioning youth, and much more. Without these services we will most definitly see a huge increase in unplanned pregnancies and, guess what, more people seeking abortions. In that case, defunding PP would be pretty counter-productive. And overturning Roe v. Wade would be a ridiculous idea becasue that would not take away some people's desire to have an abortion, it would only take away the legal and safe options in doing so. Do we want to see women getting them performed by back-alley doctors again and dying of infection? Doubt it.
Sometimes I wish we could just keep the politics out of the bedroom and off of our bodies, and leave these personal choices to us.
My Reaction to Girls
The reviews I read about “Girls” were incredibly mixed. On the
positive end of the spectrum, many people felt that it was refreshing and
realistic. They compared it to “Sex and the City”, revealing the authentic differences
in women’s physiques and sex lives. Some, however, felt that the show only
depicted a specific type of woman, the young, privileged white girls.
I had a pretty positive reaction to the show. It incredible
to see the women on screen depicted not as glamorous or perfect, but shockingly
normal. Their problems were also extremely relatable. Most people go through a
transition in their lives between “girl” and “woman” or “boy” and “man”,
feeling not quite sure about which category they fall into. This is the central
to the story and is experienced by all groups of people, whether privileged
white girl or otherwise.
Let's Talk About Sex, Baby!
Like we briefly talked about in class yesterday, sex really is everywhere. TV, movies, music, video games, magazines, billboards, commercials, etc. Even if kids aren't "doing it" yet, most of them know about it and talk about it. But is it always being shown in the most appropriate way? I would say no.
A lot of times sex is portrayed on TV and in music in a risky, raunchy, graphic way. Very rarely does the media show the respectful, loving, romantic sides to sexual relationships. This can be very problematic to young people who draw a lot of their conclusions and social interactions from the popular media.
On top of this, many adults do not feel comfortable talking to kids and young people about sex. So what are they left with? They still see it and hear about it everywhere, yet no one wants to claim responsibility for it, so they are left to draw their own conclusions. By doing this they may not have the most accurate or appropriate information.
What this ends up doing is creating a hyper-sexualized society who is taught that sex is important and essential, yet taboo and something that needs to be repressed. Don't get me wrong- some things should be left personal. But if we were just more comfortable talking about certain things, perhaps people with certain dysfunctions/fetishes wouldn't feel so alone, or people would have access to more accurate information, or couples could satisfy each other more because they would actually know what the other one likes! It's always been so strange to me that sex is everywhere yet no one is really talking about it. And that we are taught at a young age to be sexy and desirable, before really knowing what that means. Yet when a 10 year old asks what a blow job is her mother nearly faints! Big surprise when "The Whistle Song" is being played every hour on every popular radio station!
When it comes to educating young people about these things there is definitely a time and place. There is some information that may be age-appropriate for a 16 year old that you obviously wouldn't say to an 8 year old. But that doesn't mean that we should determine an age that we throw all this info at them and expect them to 1) process it all and 2) make good decisions. Adults- parents, educators, etc- should not be afraid to answer certain questions and bring up certain topics in an age-appropriate way and teach things little by little. Start with a very simple foundation and build on it, that way when they are teenagers they've been hearing these things all their lives and aren't shocked or confused. The language and amount of detail may change over time, but the same basic ideals have always been there. And so has the fact that we're not afraid to have these types of conversations with them and be honest and not be afraid to communicate.
Because let's face it, if we don't all do our part to educate the future generations, they will be getting love, sex, and relationship advice from influences like Lil Wayne and Jersey Shore. And that's terrifying.
A lot of times sex is portrayed on TV and in music in a risky, raunchy, graphic way. Very rarely does the media show the respectful, loving, romantic sides to sexual relationships. This can be very problematic to young people who draw a lot of their conclusions and social interactions from the popular media.
On top of this, many adults do not feel comfortable talking to kids and young people about sex. So what are they left with? They still see it and hear about it everywhere, yet no one wants to claim responsibility for it, so they are left to draw their own conclusions. By doing this they may not have the most accurate or appropriate information.
What this ends up doing is creating a hyper-sexualized society who is taught that sex is important and essential, yet taboo and something that needs to be repressed. Don't get me wrong- some things should be left personal. But if we were just more comfortable talking about certain things, perhaps people with certain dysfunctions/fetishes wouldn't feel so alone, or people would have access to more accurate information, or couples could satisfy each other more because they would actually know what the other one likes! It's always been so strange to me that sex is everywhere yet no one is really talking about it. And that we are taught at a young age to be sexy and desirable, before really knowing what that means. Yet when a 10 year old asks what a blow job is her mother nearly faints! Big surprise when "The Whistle Song" is being played every hour on every popular radio station!
When it comes to educating young people about these things there is definitely a time and place. There is some information that may be age-appropriate for a 16 year old that you obviously wouldn't say to an 8 year old. But that doesn't mean that we should determine an age that we throw all this info at them and expect them to 1) process it all and 2) make good decisions. Adults- parents, educators, etc- should not be afraid to answer certain questions and bring up certain topics in an age-appropriate way and teach things little by little. Start with a very simple foundation and build on it, that way when they are teenagers they've been hearing these things all their lives and aren't shocked or confused. The language and amount of detail may change over time, but the same basic ideals have always been there. And so has the fact that we're not afraid to have these types of conversations with them and be honest and not be afraid to communicate.
Because let's face it, if we don't all do our part to educate the future generations, they will be getting love, sex, and relationship advice from influences like Lil Wayne and Jersey Shore. And that's terrifying.
My reaction to GIRLS
Overall I think the show is pretty interesting and I think it defiantly paints a realistic portrayal of both men and women. I think aspects that both genders possess are present in the characters on the show however there is obviously hints of extremeness to make the show entertaining. I think the show brings up a lot of issues for its demographic that people experience and have to deal with on a daily basis. Making the characters easy to relate too which is a reason why I think the show will end up being a big success. I feel like as long as your viewers can continue to relate to and enjoy the product your putting out weather it be music or a television series it will be successful. I think girls is a good start to the type of television series that need to be on t.v. more. We need more television series that can realistically relate to our everyday lives while still being entertaining and that is a golden quality that I believe girls possesses.
Not going to make everyone happy
In class we talked about the pros and cons of the show Girls. Personally I loved the show and think it's very entertaining. A problems we discussed in class about it were, not enough racial diversity, men being portrayed in extremes and lastly that the girls in the show are extremely lucky in their lives and that they shouldn't be complaining. I see the arguments for these to be very strong and I can see where their coming from but then again I feel like people are always going to find a problem with everything. It could fix all those problems and people would still say something. Me personally I enjoy that they have a very specific type of girls in the show; I feel like that makes it much for effective. Sometimes when shows try to address everything, like race and gender, the show starts to be a walking billboard for shoving information down viewers trouts, for example, Glee. I do enjoy the show but I feel like because they are addressing every issue ever in the cast or plot of the show the messages somewhat get lost or lose meaning. Girls does a good job at making every girl watching identify with every character, no matter what the problem. The show is allowed to get much more personal and raw then if they were having to deal with 40 other different societal problems.
Life's Not a Bitch, It's A Beautiful Woman
We've come to this point in the class where patterns begin to repeat. I am allowed to make broad generalizations about things I know little about. The last reading from Friday, which we didn't get to discuss much in class, was about Middle Eastern Women and their struggle for freedom. The last reading, bu Graham-Brown, entitled "Images of Women", illuminates for me the ways that power struggles take place everywhere, in every country, of every region, between individuals and also between groups. While Western women must try to thrive within a legal language invented by men, Middle Eastern Women (sweeping gesture) likewise struggle for power also within the home and in their public lives. It seems that women everywhere, even the very privileged young ladies in Girls, is painfully always semi-aware of the doors that are not open to them to them in life. All these readings suggest that women, or any individual suffering oppression, has no choice but to look for a window, for the human spirit does not prefer to deny itself anything which it sees others enjoying. While harems keep women controlled and sequestered, "safe" from the public noise and din, they are also protected from happiness and liberty. This power struggle involves rights to awareness and a voice. The idea of a harem keeps other, non-accepted, or inferior men from being able to access certain women of a family, but at the cost of the women's free experience of life. And in Girls, where a healthy upbringing and privilege affords you untold amounts of comforts and freedom, the cost is their independence. Our 'seclusion and segregation' has been engrained into our societies and mindset as 'just the way it is'. No one could listen to the stories told during Take Back the Night without noticing a few patterns. Women are allowed to be sexual beings, but at the cost of their sexual freedom. If a predator insists a female was asking for it, what he really means is that he perceives women as surrendering their right to say no by expressing their sensuality as human beings.
Crazy About Girls...
I had never seen or even heard of the show Girls prior to class last week. When we were watching it I found my self almost in a trance watching it. I was mesmerized by these characters, their personalities, their style, just everything about them. I feel like it is a kind of Sex In The City for a younger crowd. But what I love most about this show is that they show you real women, and real men trying to live in a real world. In Sex In The City they showed a more extravagant lifestyle of going out every night and shopping all the time. But in reality these are things that people our age can not do everyday, or even at all!
The show girls hit close to home for me because in a couple years I will be out of school trying to face a new world. I will be struggling with internships and jobs, as well as with love, sex, and friendship. I believe that this show is such an empowering one, I wish every female around our age could watch it. It promotes good self esteem, good friendships, and it shows the real hardships that come with life. I still have only seen the two episodes that we have watched in class and I am hooked. I want to watch the rest of the season. I am so glad that we finally have something on TV that shows real women, not stick figure models. And instead of showing glamorous lives, it shows that there are problems that come with life but you can get threw them. There is something for everyone in this show, something or somebody that everybody can relate to. I hope this show stays on for years to come, I would love to see where these characters end up 5 years from now.
The show girls hit close to home for me because in a couple years I will be out of school trying to face a new world. I will be struggling with internships and jobs, as well as with love, sex, and friendship. I believe that this show is such an empowering one, I wish every female around our age could watch it. It promotes good self esteem, good friendships, and it shows the real hardships that come with life. I still have only seen the two episodes that we have watched in class and I am hooked. I want to watch the rest of the season. I am so glad that we finally have something on TV that shows real women, not stick figure models. And instead of showing glamorous lives, it shows that there are problems that come with life but you can get threw them. There is something for everyone in this show, something or somebody that everybody can relate to. I hope this show stays on for years to come, I would love to see where these characters end up 5 years from now.
Real TV
I loved Girls. Really, I loved everything about it. The awkward sex, the way men are portrayed, the way the girls don't know what they're doing with their lives. The show just seems so real without being reality TV.
The awkward sex for starters. Sex is messy, not always romantic and pretty as a lot of shows seem to make it out to be. Not to mention the main character's body type. She's not a flawlessly skinned, size zero, shiny haired supermodel. She looks like someone you might run into in New York City, she's not always put together perfectly, her hair isn't always perfect and it isn't the end of the world when she isn't perfect-there are bigger worries than her looks. It's nice to see men who aren't perfect too. Normally we see these guys that are perfect images of jocks, or are just completely nerdy. There is no middle ground. But these guys have real feelings. The girls all have all this potential for their lives, and very little holding them back, but they have no idea how to move forward with their lives.
I think it's really great to see something on tv that I can really relate to. The show may not represent everyone but it has enough in it to show everyone something they can relate to. Everyone has different experiences, and it's hard to portray that, but I think everyone can find some sort of experience in the show similar to theirs and learn from it.
The awkward sex for starters. Sex is messy, not always romantic and pretty as a lot of shows seem to make it out to be. Not to mention the main character's body type. She's not a flawlessly skinned, size zero, shiny haired supermodel. She looks like someone you might run into in New York City, she's not always put together perfectly, her hair isn't always perfect and it isn't the end of the world when she isn't perfect-there are bigger worries than her looks. It's nice to see men who aren't perfect too. Normally we see these guys that are perfect images of jocks, or are just completely nerdy. There is no middle ground. But these guys have real feelings. The girls all have all this potential for their lives, and very little holding them back, but they have no idea how to move forward with their lives.
I think it's really great to see something on tv that I can really relate to. The show may not represent everyone but it has enough in it to show everyone something they can relate to. Everyone has different experiences, and it's hard to portray that, but I think everyone can find some sort of experience in the show similar to theirs and learn from it.
Why Boys Read National Geographic
I was looking over National Geographic articles/blogs and I came across this one blog about why boys read National Geographic. In the blog the man discusses how he used to go to his grandparents house and head staight for the National Geographic copies that his grandparents owned. He discussed how he used them to learn more about the womans body, but he had wished that they had more pictures of naked white woman. Also maybe if there were more pictures of naked white woman than he may have held them in a higher esteem, and they wouldn't be seen as such a sexual deviant.
When I first read this blog my first reaction was to accuse this guy of being a total pervert. But as a analyzed the blog more I began to understand why young boys looked to National Geographic as an outlet. Yes, it is most definately used for the purpose of masturbations. Yet it also becomes a source of information for boys comeing of age. It provides them with information on a woman's body that they normally would not get in a health class. So really should we encourage this kind of exploration. I'm not exactly sure, but I know that there definitely needs to be some changes in the way our society teaches sex and gender to our adolescent generation in schools.
Another point in the blog that he mentioned was about National Geographic not putting any pictuers of white woman in their magazine. And maybe if they did he would have more respect for the white woman's body. This was another statement I didn't exactly know how to take. Why exactly did this man need a naked picture of a white woman in National Geographic to respect them? On the other hand though we can also wonder why National Geographic doesnt represt the white woman in their magazine more? Is it because they are represented in various other ways or is it that white woman are not as common in third world countries? All these questions are still somewhat a mystery to me. But I was hoping if anyone else viewed my blog they could give their input on the topic? I do agree with the idea that if white women were shown like this woman below they would appear to be as sexually deviant as they do today. It would become more natural than sexual for a white woman to be shown naked in a magazine.
As I came of age in the 1960s, my older brother and I relished a visit to my grandmother’s house in Westbrook, Maine, since piles of National Geographic were stacked chronologically in her attic. We would disappear into the dusty atelier for hours, poring through the years for photos of naked women; mostly African, Asian, Melanesian, or Amazonian. It was our first exposure to naked women, however neither of us understood why white women were racially unacceptable to the editors of the National Geographic and their exclusion from my early years of sexual awakening meant that the only other source to see naked white women was in stroke books and those women accepted everything. To this day a white woman clothed or naked conjures up a succubus of deviant behavior. Maybe if national geographic had published photos of naked white women on a beach in the South of France I'd hold my females of my racial make-up in higher esteem.
At least sexually!
When I first read this blog my first reaction was to accuse this guy of being a total pervert. But as a analyzed the blog more I began to understand why young boys looked to National Geographic as an outlet. Yes, it is most definately used for the purpose of masturbations. Yet it also becomes a source of information for boys comeing of age. It provides them with information on a woman's body that they normally would not get in a health class. So really should we encourage this kind of exploration. I'm not exactly sure, but I know that there definitely needs to be some changes in the way our society teaches sex and gender to our adolescent generation in schools.
Another point in the blog that he mentioned was about National Geographic not putting any pictuers of white woman in their magazine. And maybe if they did he would have more respect for the white woman's body. This was another statement I didn't exactly know how to take. Why exactly did this man need a naked picture of a white woman in National Geographic to respect them? On the other hand though we can also wonder why National Geographic doesnt represt the white woman in their magazine more? Is it because they are represented in various other ways or is it that white woman are not as common in third world countries? All these questions are still somewhat a mystery to me. But I was hoping if anyone else viewed my blog they could give their input on the topic? I do agree with the idea that if white women were shown like this woman below they would appear to be as sexually deviant as they do today. It would become more natural than sexual for a white woman to be shown naked in a magazine.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
Why Boys Read National Geographic
As I came of age in the 1960s, my older brother and I relished a visit to my grandmother’s house in Westbrook, Maine, since piles of National Geographic were stacked chronologically in her attic. We would disappear into the dusty atelier for hours, poring through the years for photos of naked women; mostly African, Asian, Melanesian, or Amazonian. It was our first exposure to naked women, however neither of us understood why white women were racially unacceptable to the editors of the National Geographic and their exclusion from my early years of sexual awakening meant that the only other source to see naked white women was in stroke books and those women accepted everything. To this day a white woman clothed or naked conjures up a succubus of deviant behavior. Maybe if national geographic had published photos of naked white women on a beach in the South of France I'd hold my females of my racial make-up in higher esteem.
At least sexually!
Take Back the Night
Take Back the Night is an event to
educate and create awareness of domestic and sexual violence against
women. Being a feminist, I felt the need
to support this event by attending. I also took this event as a time to educate
a friend, who was always skeptical of the phrase feminist. After Wednesday
night, I am sure her thoughts changed.
The event started with speeches
about where to get help when needed and skits were performed. After these
activities, anyone was welcomed to take advance of the safe space provided to
tell their story. The stories were all moving and touching and made me realized
that this is why I am so dedicated to Women’s Studies and being a feminist. The
complete atmosphere of the room was something so welcoming and understanding. I
felt a part of something bigger than I realized. A group of men and women
standing together to acknowledge these dangers that have affected so many
people and are planning to do something to better the world we live in.
After attending this event with my
friend who was unfamiliar to actual definition of feminism, I was curious to
her thoughts. My friend was shocked at how many people she recognized from her
classes that spoke out. She explained how you would never guess that something
this traumatic has ever happened to them. I explained to her that feminism is
about hating men like everyone thinks; it’s about fighting for rights that
matter for women and men. It’s protecting them. It’s about being part of
something that has some much more.
I want to say thanks to everyone
that found the courage to speak. Your courage has inspired this event and to
allow others to find the bravery to speak out themselves. Your courage is
leading to better situations in the future.
"Girls" representation of hipster racism
When looking for reviews and articles on Lena Dunham's show Girls, I came across this piece of writing on "hipster racism":
http://thoughtcatalog.com/2012/is-hipster-racism-real/
The author, Dave Schilling, discusses this term, originally discussed in the Los Angeles Times, and how it relates to the representations in Lena Dunham's show. She claims to be "the voice of a generation" and therefore makes this show seem to be relatable in some way or another to the general population. Schilling states, "If a television program is called Girls (not Rich, White Girls) and is lauded by the critical masses as an important document of modern femininity, the producers of the show are trapped having to answer for the lack of actual universality, whether that is fair or not." He then goes on to recognize the subculture of "hipster" and how this is not a universal lifestyle. However, the fact that minorities are not represented and that this show does focus around white women in their 20s living does not make Lena Dunham racist by any means. Writers tend to draw from personal experiences, and in this case Dunham bases her show on her own life which may not be ethnically or racially diverse.
I enjoyed reading about this idea of "hipster racism" and Schilling's arguments against it. Although there are many criticisms of Dunham's show and its lack of representation, I believe if you take it for what it is then you will enjoy the comedy and realness of the show.
You should definitely check this article out if you have time!
Sex.
As mentioned yesterday in class, sex is everywhere. Everything that is in this culture, in some weird way, can relate to sex. Sex has been made normal, regular, and routine. Can you recall a movie that does not have sex in it these days? Is it necessary that in a lot of horror movies that there has to be a sex scene? These are questions that I find myself asking constantly. Sex is such a normal thing that if one does not choose to have sex until marriage, it is a foreign and looked down on choice, in majority. If you choose not to have sex until marriage you are also, in some cases, looked at as doing it because of religious reasons. This is not true for everyone. Why is it that sex is such a predominant aspect of a relationship? A lot of relationships, nowadays, either start with sex or are solely sex. Why do you think this is? In my opinion, becoming sexual with someone right away can take away from the emotional aspect of the relationship. Sex between people is so normalized that we seeing young teens and even younger who are in a relationship participating in sex. The society completely corrupted the idea of sex, in my opinion. It corrupted it so much that I almost hate it. Damn, who the hell hates sex?!
Friday, October 19, 2012
Are these Girls Privileged?
HBO's "Girls" begins with two parents sitting around a table in a nice restaurant in New York confronting their 24 year old daughter, Hannah Horvath played by series director and writer Lena Dunham, about how her interning job won't cut it any longer and they cannot provide her support.
In an interesting article I read, a reporter for JTA brings forth the question whether "Girls"is about young women's struggles, or some women's privileges:
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/04/19/3093321/is-hbos-girls-about-young-womens-struggles-or-some-womens-privileges
For the most part, this article is making apparent that these particular girls are facing "first world problems". These so called "first world problems" about their sexuality and independence are still indeed problems that should be addressed, and it is done in a realistic, sort of "awkward", and comedic way. The audience is then able to confront and explore these important "first world problems" in a very healthy manor. This is why I find "Girls" to be so creative, and not just about a group of "privileged" white women. Not finding a job right after college, safe sex, and just being treated right ( not subduing to comments from men like- "You have to ask me if you can come") are just a few of the issues within the show. I think the reporter in the article found more of these "first world problems" in the fact that the girls in the show are growing up in the well-off community of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and are not the "underdogs", like children of immigrants that are struggling in a recession, which seems to be less often featured in television shows. However, the maker of "Girls" based it from her personal, yet relatable struggles, so I don't find the neighborhood which they live to be fairly relative. Yes, it might seem a bit more practical if one of the white girls in the group of friends was replaced by a woman of color, working an average nine to five job, perhaps someone who is just not doing something as unique as say writing a memoir. I believe the show still adequately expresses the message needed to be expressed, which to me is ultimately the idea that you are not alone in the on-going "cruelty" that women in the modern age face. Though in class we only viewed the first two episodes, I found that Lena Dunham does a great job expressing this struggle to not just women of the target audiences, but for everyone, thus I find Dunham a very bold, influential woman.
.
In an interesting article I read, a reporter for JTA brings forth the question whether "Girls"is about young women's struggles, or some women's privileges:
http://www.jta.org/news/article/2012/04/19/3093321/is-hbos-girls-about-young-womens-struggles-or-some-womens-privileges
For the most part, this article is making apparent that these particular girls are facing "first world problems". These so called "first world problems" about their sexuality and independence are still indeed problems that should be addressed, and it is done in a realistic, sort of "awkward", and comedic way. The audience is then able to confront and explore these important "first world problems" in a very healthy manor. This is why I find "Girls" to be so creative, and not just about a group of "privileged" white women. Not finding a job right after college, safe sex, and just being treated right ( not subduing to comments from men like- "You have to ask me if you can come") are just a few of the issues within the show. I think the reporter in the article found more of these "first world problems" in the fact that the girls in the show are growing up in the well-off community of Greenpoint, Brooklyn, and are not the "underdogs", like children of immigrants that are struggling in a recession, which seems to be less often featured in television shows. However, the maker of "Girls" based it from her personal, yet relatable struggles, so I don't find the neighborhood which they live to be fairly relative. Yes, it might seem a bit more practical if one of the white girls in the group of friends was replaced by a woman of color, working an average nine to five job, perhaps someone who is just not doing something as unique as say writing a memoir. I believe the show still adequately expresses the message needed to be expressed, which to me is ultimately the idea that you are not alone in the on-going "cruelty" that women in the modern age face. Though in class we only viewed the first two episodes, I found that Lena Dunham does a great job expressing this struggle to not just women of the target audiences, but for everyone, thus I find Dunham a very bold, influential woman.
Continuing the conversation...
During our class discussion, a few things popped into my head that I felt would sound better if I had a little extra time to think about them before sharing with everyone.
First of all, there is a misconception in our society where "men are the only ones to masturbate". Yes, many women report that they do not masturbate, but there are plenty of us out there that do. Another comment I'd like to make is that it's not necessarily a horrible thing that some men masturbate to nonsexual representations of women and sexualize their appearance for their own pleasure. Some women are guilty of that too (I mean, come on, have we all seen Ryan Gosling in an interview? Sheeeeesh).
The problem that arises with this sexualization is that is happens in a society that teaches men that they are entitled to not only masturbatory gratification, but sexual gratification. Jean Kilbourne explained that the media uses a woman's physical appearance as a reward for men if they buy the right products and act a certain way, and portray to women that they should appear a certain way in order to be desirable to the men in our society. This combination of giving a sense of sexual entitlement to the men and instilling a submissive, insecure mindset into the women, is what makes for trouble. Instead of keeping the masturbatory gratification to themselves and seeking fulfillment on their own, society encourages men to go out and use an actual women as an object of sexual gratification.
Now, please please please understand that I'm not trying to say that all men that masturbate visual images of women are wrong and think they are entitled to using a woman's body for their own pleasure. I'm just commenting on the fact that the media has taken this to an inappropriate level by using the heightened sexuality that exists in our society to portray sexuality in an unhealthy manner.
First of all, there is a misconception in our society where "men are the only ones to masturbate". Yes, many women report that they do not masturbate, but there are plenty of us out there that do. Another comment I'd like to make is that it's not necessarily a horrible thing that some men masturbate to nonsexual representations of women and sexualize their appearance for their own pleasure. Some women are guilty of that too (I mean, come on, have we all seen Ryan Gosling in an interview? Sheeeeesh).
The problem that arises with this sexualization is that is happens in a society that teaches men that they are entitled to not only masturbatory gratification, but sexual gratification. Jean Kilbourne explained that the media uses a woman's physical appearance as a reward for men if they buy the right products and act a certain way, and portray to women that they should appear a certain way in order to be desirable to the men in our society. This combination of giving a sense of sexual entitlement to the men and instilling a submissive, insecure mindset into the women, is what makes for trouble. Instead of keeping the masturbatory gratification to themselves and seeking fulfillment on their own, society encourages men to go out and use an actual women as an object of sexual gratification.
Now, please please please understand that I'm not trying to say that all men that masturbate visual images of women are wrong and think they are entitled to using a woman's body for their own pleasure. I'm just commenting on the fact that the media has taken this to an inappropriate level by using the heightened sexuality that exists in our society to portray sexuality in an unhealthy manner.
Another Question
There were a few questions I wasn't able to ask during discussion leading. One of them was for the third article of the reading assignment. My question was: On page 322 it says "The Middle East is a geographical area covering no less than 20 countries (if it is confined to the 'Arab' East) that display a few similarities and many differences." How do we go about changing the label that we have for these countries and in opposition, how do we eliminate the label of North American women as "Christian women?
I think one way of eliminating these labels is to have people from other countries come and have lectures on college campuses. There are many people from our school and surrounding schools like Buffalo State and the University of Buffalo that I'm sure would be willing to talk at our school. My cousin goes to Buff State and one of her roommates is from Jordan. My cousin knows so much about this foreign country now and other people would find her roommate's home life interesting as well. Obviously, flying people in from countries to lecture to students and professors would be expensive, but these foreigners are near us and we should take advantage of that.
I think one way of eliminating these labels is to have people from other countries come and have lectures on college campuses. There are many people from our school and surrounding schools like Buffalo State and the University of Buffalo that I'm sure would be willing to talk at our school. My cousin goes to Buff State and one of her roommates is from Jordan. My cousin knows so much about this foreign country now and other people would find her roommate's home life interesting as well. Obviously, flying people in from countries to lecture to students and professors would be expensive, but these foreigners are near us and we should take advantage of that.
Monday, October 15, 2012
Everyday Struggle
It's hard for feminists to stay upbeat, seems like. Kayla, you've got some interesting points, and thank you for sharing your difficulties with explaining to your family and friends that you advocate feminism. Although it is hard, you are right to attempt to explain it to them, because a great deal of hostility that feminists are met with, obviously, is because people believe they are trying to enslave men or break off into a separate country that farms men for food or something like that.
It's not the case at all, I have learned, but I remember my father saying something like that-- when I asked what a feminist was, as a little girl-- he said :
"Feminists are people who believe women are better than men."
Maybe he was joking? Because he also has told me hummus was camel poop once. And that clouds were made in factories.
I think this reflects a mass misunderstanding of the gravity of the matter, though. For some people, it is hard to see what is at stake here, in the feminist battle. For example, on issues of birth control and insurance. For many, there is a belief that the issue on the table involves promiscuous women, who can't afford enough condoms. When in reality, the issue can be as brutal and grim as spousal rape, severe poverty, genetic disorders, and other terrible insults to people's qualities of life, that are easily ameliorated by access to birth control. People need to remember, a woman's ability to control what happens to her body benefits all!
Kayla, congratulations on being considered for an internship at Planned Parenthood in Buffalo! I actually went to an Estate Sale over the weekend at the deceased former Director of Planned Parenthood's house. He worked at Buffalo General-- what a coincidence. His house was very cool. Anyway, though, my point is, you are in a position where you are aware of how hairy it can get, and you have the uncomfortable responsibility of clarifying these issues for people.
It's not the case at all, I have learned, but I remember my father saying something like that-- when I asked what a feminist was, as a little girl-- he said :
"Feminists are people who believe women are better than men."
Maybe he was joking? Because he also has told me hummus was camel poop once. And that clouds were made in factories.
I think this reflects a mass misunderstanding of the gravity of the matter, though. For some people, it is hard to see what is at stake here, in the feminist battle. For example, on issues of birth control and insurance. For many, there is a belief that the issue on the table involves promiscuous women, who can't afford enough condoms. When in reality, the issue can be as brutal and grim as spousal rape, severe poverty, genetic disorders, and other terrible insults to people's qualities of life, that are easily ameliorated by access to birth control. People need to remember, a woman's ability to control what happens to her body benefits all!
Kayla, congratulations on being considered for an internship at Planned Parenthood in Buffalo! I actually went to an Estate Sale over the weekend at the deceased former Director of Planned Parenthood's house. He worked at Buffalo General-- what a coincidence. His house was very cool. Anyway, though, my point is, you are in a position where you are aware of how hairy it can get, and you have the uncomfortable responsibility of clarifying these issues for people.
Crazy Feminist
I'm curious to see if anyone else has had issues or difficulties when talking to someone and identifying themselves as a feminist. My family, my friends, and even my boyfriend often ask me how school is going and what I'm currently working on at my internship at Planned Parenthood in
My mom and most of my female friends understand some of it, they're just not as active or vocal about it as I am. My dad, male friends and family members, and especially my boyfriend, however, just don't seem to get it! For anyone else in this situation, I was wondering what you say or how you handle this. When describing feminism and my personal views and goals, the main points I address are: Women's Studies developed because things were (and still are) unequal between men and women. It's not about women trying to exceed men, it's just about equality; Women and girls should have equal access to power and resources as men and should not be stigmatized or refused certain rights simply because of gender; I also often explain how images in the media can lead to many problems including low self-esteem, eating disorders, and even violence against women and how we, as a society, need to address these issues and raise strong girls and sensitive boys.
I guess when I start talking about gender is when people get really confused. My guy friends claim that I try to "blur the lines between men and women." What does that even mean?! I explain to them that, even though there are definitely biological differences that do set us apart, I feel as though many people focus on the differences between men and women and often don't notice the similarities. I also try to point out how people are obsessed with gender and really let it determine how they treat others. For example, if you're having a little girl you will most likely paint the room pink or some other "girly" color and people will buy you what they determine as "feminine" clothes. Most people would not paint the room pink if they were having a boy. But really, what's the big deal? It's just a color! I think people are so obsessed with sexual orientation and making sure their sons aren't gay that they confuse that with gender and assume anything "girly" will make their son less of a man. I challenge this idea with many people and they do not seem to like it. I also point out how the toy aisles are set up at stores. Girls- pink, purple, art sets, kitchen sets, dolls. Boys- blue, green, red, army men, guns, balls, tool sets. Why can't all the kids toys just be in one section together? That way if a girl wants a football or a boy wants an art set, it's not that big of a deal.
I also have to hold my tongue with a lot of my friends getting married who go completely traditional and don't see how it can seem very suppressing of women. Don't get me wrong- I love weddings and people should plan their special day however they want it to be. That's their business, not mine. I was a bridesmaid once last year, once this past May, and will be again twice next year! I am very happy for my friends and family members who are starting this new chapter in their lives. But they are driving me crazy lately with the "he got my dad's permission first before he proposed" and "I can't wait to take his last name!" I just wish they saw it how I did- Like they are being treated like a piece of property. Not that the men in their lives literally treat them that way, but that the institution of marriage and those traditional things that go along with weddings are very male chauvinistic in origin.
Oh well, I guess I can only do so much. I don't expect to change everyone's minds or have them see it from my point of view. I just wasn't sure if anyone felt the same or experience the same reactions. Us crazy feminists, right?!
^^ I love this ad for no gendered clothing. Wish we saw more of this!! :)
Malala's story By: Kate Rapp
I know sometimes it may be tough for college students to stop what they're doing and watch the news once in a while. But after learning about a story from my professor this morning I'll be sure to do so more often. My professor was talking about how disorders are prone to more women because of social pressure, he then brought up how this teenage girl in the news would probably suffer from trauma from many of those pressures she feels from the Taliban. He asked us if we had heard what happened and none of us did. I later read up on the article which informed me that a young 14 year old girl was shot in the head by the Taliban on her school bus because of what she wrote in her blog. This girl Malala was recognized by Pakistan by winning the National Peace Prize and encouraged people to take a stand against the Taliban. She had written about how she wished for education for girls in Pakistan because she has hopes to become a doctor one day. The Taliban does not stand for people speaking against them and certainly the idea of women going to school is out of the question. So because she had written about women's rights and was an advocate she was shot in the head- BUT thankfully she survived and is now in Britain for treatment, even though she is in serious condition. the Taliban made a note of this though: "The Taliban, who say no
girl should be educated, have claimed responsibility for the shooting.
They have threatened to go after Malala again if she survives. 'We do not tolerate people like Malala speaking against us,' Taliban spokesman Ihsanullah Ihsan said." After reading this, it terrifies me and I don't even live close to Pakistan. Stories and events like these make you re-think about what your complaining about and how lucky we are to have some of our rights. I'll be thinking about Malala a lot and hoping for a full recovery.
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