Women in Management

This article I found in The New York Times talks about an effort being made to include women in more management positions:

http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/04/29/new-group-aims-to-increase-number-of-women-in-management/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Of course it would be nice to see more women in management positions, which is what a group of chief executives and corporate leaders of major companies are hoping to accomplish. Having women in higher positions in the workplace would have a great image for women and only strengthen the argument that women and men are equal. It would give young girls the motivation to aspire to be like these successful women.

 I don’t agree with the article, however. Don’t get me wrong, I am all for women in power, but to just be handed this power to meet a quota isn’t right. Women should be promoted to higher positions if, and only if, they deserve it. If they have truly worked hard to get to where they are, and they qualify for the position, then yes, give them a management position.  If they are given management solely for the fact that they are women, then that is only insulting.  

Another blog for the blogosphere about Donald Sterling

The topic of Donald Sterling and his racist rants to his ex-girlfriend are a hot topic right now. This is the big news story of the moment and people can’t get enough. Simply searching “Donald Sterling” brings up pages upon pages of articles discussing his recent insanely racist views and the recorded audio of said rants. The blogosphere is ablaze with opinions and thoughts on Sterling, but I thought I would throw my two cents in as well.

Honestly, I had no idea about this entire scandal until I saw bell hooks speak last night and she briefly discussed it. It may be because I hate the NBA or because I have one week until graduation and a mountain of schoolwork that has yet to be completed, but whatever the reason, this story was not on my radar. Today, with a little research, I learned that Donald Sterling is the 80-year-old owner of the Clippers who apparently is super racist. In recordings, thought to be done by his ex-girlfriend, V. Stiviano, Sterling goes on rants about disliking people of color, especially Black individuals.

Sterling makes some insanely racist comments that are actually horrifying to read or listen to. It’s bizarre that in 2014, there are still people who believe these things. However, bell hooks brought up a great point last night about how these comments were all said in private to someone Sterling believed he could trust. It’s unfortunate that because he is such a public figure that his private thoughts are now out there for the world to see. I don’t agree with anything Sterling said or believes, but as bell hooks said, “Would you want the things you say in private to be broadcast to the world?” I know I wouldn’t.

In reality, Donald Sterling is not the problem. Sure, it’s easy to see him as a racist and blame him completely and then move on with life. But Donald Sterling is not the only person in the U.S who feels this way. He is a public figure and it’s easy to just see him, but the problem is much more widespread than just this one man. At one point in his rant Sterling makes a comment about the players on his team and how he is the one who “gives them food, clothes and housing.” This idea that his Black players owe him something because he is the one who signs their checks is this “plantation mentality” in effect. The fact that people, not just Sterling, still view the races this way is the real problem. We can blame Sterling and then move on, but at the end of the day, our entire society needs to change its thinking because as bell hooks stated, white supremacy is very much still alive today. Donald Sterling’s thinking and beliefs are a problem, but they are not THE problem because that extends much further than just one man’s racist views.

Walk of Shame or Stride of Pride

Last Friday started out like any other day. I woke up and drove with my boyfriend to get coffee and on our way we saw a guy walking down the road, clearly still dressed from the night before with his sport coat draped over his shoulder. It was evident that this guy had been out the night before and probably got too intoxicated to return home. I laughed, looked at my boyfriend and said, "Oh the walk of shame, we've all been there." My boyfriend also laughed and replied, "Walk of shame? When it's a guy it's called the stride of pride." I was completely taken aback. What is that supposed to mean? When girls can't walk home or choose to stay over at someone's house, it's seen as shameful and funny. However, when guys do the same, it's something to be proud of?
This difference in judgement based on gender is appalling. We have been taught that women who stay out all night are slutty and should be ashamed, but guys who do this are awesome and should be celebrated. This perpetuation of gender based judgement on the same activity has to stop. It is the same judgement that is used when a person loses their virginity. Guys are celebrated as heroes while girls are judged as sluts and whores. This slut shaming has to stop and by using phrases like "walk of shame"  we are perpetuating gendered language about sexuality. The solution seems simple, stop using language like this, but someone needs to start the trend. I nominate us.

Report from the Bahamas by June Jordan

June Jordan's article focuses on the exploitation of workers in the poor countries that wealthy Europeans and Americans vacation to. These workers are making not even half of what their visitors make, yet they work just as hard to maintain their job and please greedy customers. It's so sad to see the way people treat hotel and service workers. Every year, my family spends a week in Mexico on vacation. We have had our time shares for over 50 years and know many of the employees because they have been working at the resort for ages. Last year was my first time going in two years, but I was immediately recognized by the manager, who called me by my name and told how beautiful I had grown to be. It makes me truly sad to think that other people talk down to this man because he isn't American, doesn't speak perfect English, and works for a resort where they are guests. "It's his job to do what I ask and what makes me happy because I'm paying for his salary" is just so gross. People let themselves get wrapped up in the luxury of being on vacation and somehow think that excuses disrespectful, rude behavior.
In relation to women and what we learned about woman's labor last week, I think minority groups and women have similar experiences in the work force. They are both discriminated against and expected to do 'lesser' work that white men simply would not do. Most of all, they are both treated like shit. People talk down to them and think that, because they are minorities and women, that they are there to do what the customer pleases.

Report From the Bahamas

Report From the Bahamas is an excellent essay written by June Jordan about racial issues and insensitivity that she observed on vacation. Jordan begins the essay with a description one of the hotel's ads which displays a smiling Black man, fully dressed in a tux, standing in water up to his calves holding a drink tray. This image is disturbing to say the least. It portrays this man as being so eager to serve you and make you comfortable, that he will happily walk into the ocean in a tux just to serve you a frozen cocktail. She goes on to discuss the women in the marketplace who are haggled with by cheap western tourists. This all occurs on an Island where the poorest people leave their families in order to work at vacation resorts to wait on wealthy guests. These guests, who probably make more money in a week than these people will make all month, are the same people who will haggle for a lower price with a local market vendor.

There has obviously become some sort of disconnect between social consciousness in "normal life" and social consciousness on vacation. Most people would probably think nothing of the clearly racist advertisement while on vacation. However if a similar ad was presented here in the U.S, everyone would be fighting against it and bashing the company for lack of respect. The degradation of people based on race and gender is still very much alive. June Jordan's reading prove that realness and we can no longer let ourselves go on vacation from social consciousness.

Consciousness Raising

I liked the fact that the article, Consciousness Raising, addressed the advancement of women studies, and the awareness that women have gained about feminism, sexism, etc. through the years.  It is nice to see that more and more women are learning that the way they are treated and/ or viewed in society is lesser than the image of men. We have come to realize that we do indeed live in a male dominated society and understand that this can no longer continue. Although the consciousness of women has been raised, it seems as though the action is still lacking. It is great that women acknowledge that what is going on is wrong, and that they know what needs to be done, but now it is time to get it done. The study of women has become accepted, but what about women themselves? It is about time that women and men's equality become accepted in society. 

Color Me Non Toxic

Personally, I kind of like the smell of nail salons. I have to admit I would be kind of disappointed if I walked into a salon and didn't get that overwhelming whiff. The chemicals used, however, are dangerous for the patrons, so you can only imagine how dangerous it is for the workers who are exposed to it for hours. If a new method has been developed in which chemicals are not used, then it is something definitely worth trying. The workers use little cloth masks to avoid breathing in the toxins, but that's not doing anything. They are still putting their lives at risk by going to work every day.  Many of these workers are immigrants who are just trying to make enough money to get by and send home to their families. They are just trying to make a living, but that doesn't mean they need to put their lives on the line at a job that probably pays minimum wage. The men and women who work in nail salons definitely deserve better working conditions. 

Color Me Non-Toxic

It was actually unsurprising to me to read about how dangerous working in a nail salon can be. All you have to do is open the door to a nail salon to smell the toxic chemical smell that emits. It can be difficult to be a customer and smell that acetone smell for the hour it takes to get a manicure, but to work in a salon and breathe in those fumes all day is not only unpleasant but harmful to health. Uyen Nguyen's sister had a miscarriage in her eighth month of pregnancy after working in a salon and breathing in the carcinogenic chemicals all day, every day.
Why are these unsafe practices allowed to continue? Why is no one advocating for these women, mostly immigrants, who are risking their good health in order to give me a manicure? These women are afraid that speaking up about these harmful effects will cause them to lose their jobs, so we must speak for them. We must demand safer practices and the removal of formaldehyde chemicals from our salons. No manicure is worth someone else's life.

Color Me Non Toxic by Momo Chang

When people think of dangerous jobs, manicurist isn't usually what comes to mind. Momo Chang, in her article "Color Me Non Toxic", speaks out for the nail salon workers who are exposed to chemicals throughout the work day. Chang wrote that workers breathe in chemicals from the different nail products all day long, and without protection! Her article caused me to think back on my past few trips to get my nails done and think about the atmosphere and the people working there. The second one opens the door to a nail salon, there is a powerful wave of air that smells like nail polish and chemicals. I am very conscious of chemicals and sprays; I don't like to expose myself to lysol or febreeze because they are not healthy to breathe in. I could not imagine working in an environment where the air is mixed with formaldehyde, toluene, and dibutyl phthalate (I don't even know what these chemicals are, but they are obviously not natural and do not belong in the human body!). Many of these workers are foreign and do not speak english or have much other work experience, so they don't have the option of leaving their job because of the air. Also, a lot of them probably do not realize how awful the chemicals are for their body. One woman at my local salon worked throughout her pregnancy, as did the owner. The owner's daughter was then basically raised in the salon, and now at eight years old, all of the customers know her and love to play with her. She does her homework, plays with dolls, and watches movies from her own spot in the corner of the nail salon. Her mother probably has either no idea or no other choice but to expose her child to these chemicals. I agree with Chang that salons need to move towards eco friendly practices, especially for the health of the manicurists.

The Way It Was by Eleanor Cooney

Reading Eleanor Cooney's article, The Way It Was, gave me a first-hand account of what it was like to get an abortion before 1973. I could not imagine being pregnant and trapped, with only few dangerous and expensive options. 

Before this article, I didn't really know anything about abortion history in the United States. I honestly did not even remember what Roe v. Wade was, but I did some research after reading this article because I was actually embarrassed by my lack of knowledge. While the internet gave me many facts, statistics, laws, and important people, Conney provided me with an in depth account of her personal experience. It was much more interesting and important for me to read her story because it illustrated how truly horrible it was for women trying to get an illegal abortion. She recalls going to dirty offices with creepy doctors and attempting to get a dangerous procedure because she simply had no other options. That scared me. I would never want my friends or sisters to feel trapped between two equally awful decisions: giving birth to an unwanted child or paying tons of money for a dangerous procedure that would put them in the hospital. 

After reading Cooney's article, I don't understand how anyone could say that abortion is completely awful and should be illegal. It saves lives and protects women who otherwise would be doomed to awful consequences. 

The Way it Was

In "The Way it Was", Eleanor Cooney explains the difficulties a young girl experiences in order to get an abortion. Unfortunately many of these procedures are done in unkempt places that may not be sanitary because they are inexpensive and low key. People try to keep the procedure a secret for fear of judgement.

Although I have been raised Catholic, I have always been very pro-choice. I believe in a woman's right to choose what she does with her body. If she wishes to abort a fetus, I only hope that it is done in a proper way, rather than tripping or falling down a flight of stairs. Even though I do not agree with using abortion as a form of birth control, I do believe that the procedures should be safe and not cause judgment from others.  

Health and Reproductive Rights

This week I read all of the readings about health and reproductive rights because it is a topic that I've always been very interested in. Being raised devoutly catholic, I was always taught that abortion is wrong no matter what. Throughout my college career, I have begun to educate myself on abortion and reproductive rights and although I'm still trying to find my opinion, I now know that abortions being legal is saving lives.
In "The Way it Was" by Eleanor Cooney, she discusses the way things were before Roe v. Wade. Women had no other options and were forced to get basement abortions that left them sterile or dead. These practices are unsafe and cannot come back into practice. If abortion were to become illegal, abortions wouldn't stop, they would just become unsafe again. I don't know where exactly I stand on abortion, but I do know that women don't deserve to die if they choose to terminate their pregnancies.

Rape Culture 101

Melissa McEwan does a great job pointing out what rape culture is, even though there is no concrete definition. Most people associate rape as an act of violence in which sex is forced. For some reason, however, our culture creates a certain criteria that one must meet in order to claim that they were actually raped. According to our rape culture , you can only count rape as rape if you are a woman, if you are a virgin, if protection was not used, etc. There also tends to be a lot of victim blaming involved, where the victims are considered at fault for maybe dressing too provocatively or being intoxicated. Regardless of how many sexual partners a person has had or whether or not they are in a committed relationship, rape is rape. If consent was not given, it is rape, and it should not be taken as lightly as it is in today's society.

Textual Harassment

The invention of text messaging has had some of the biggest impact on our generation than any technological advance in the last twenty years. Texting has made it easier to contact friends, send quick messages without the obligation of a phone call and to harass and bully other individuals. I think every teenager or twenty-something can recall a time where a person texted them constantly either saying mean or inappropriate things or just simply bothering them. In Donna St. George’s article, she examines what happens when these harassing texts are not just annoying or uncomfortable, but they are abusive.

St. George discusses cases where young women have been killed by there abusive boyfriends and only after this violence, are hundreds of harassing text messages are found. This type of abusive is a largely psychological one because of the controlling aspect of texts. If a boy sends a girl a text and she doesn’t answer, usually he will wait around until she answers. In these abusive situations, these men are sending text after text demanding to know where the woman is, who she is with and proof of all of these things.

Textual abusive is a huge issue because it is a largely private one. Most people don’t share their texts to a significant other with anyone else, so if there is this kind of controlling behavior, it is largely kept private. Also, a lot of young women aren’t reading these controlling behaviors as warning signs, especially young, high school girls who may be in a first-time relationship. Some women will normalize this behavior by saying that their boyfriend is just worried, or that he just wants her to be safe. But the truth is, relationships are about trust and when this trust is impeded on through textual harassment, that relationship becomes an abusive one.

Rape Culture 101 by Melissa McEwan

"Rape culture" is a term thrown around a lot, especially in feminist articles like the ones we read in class, but does not have a clear definition. There is no brief, short and sweet, factual definition of what rape culture is; it cannot be summed up in a sentence or two. McEwan does an amazing job describing every angle of rape culture and providing all the different examples of rape culture in society. She also includes pop culture references, such as how football teams hiring a dogfighter would "elicit more outrage" than a rapist (during the last NFL draft, players accused of sexual assault and rape were drafted without a second thought while Michael Vick is considered a disgrace to the NFL). I would recommend everyone I know to read this article because it covers all the bases and does not rank rape as one concrete thing. McEwan discusses all different types of sexual assault and makes a point that rape is not a woman's issue, which I think is really important. Rape is too often referred to as a woman's issue, but men and children can also be raped. Also, women have families. They have husbands, children, parents, siblings, and friends. Why would society consider rape a woman's issue when more than just a woman is affected?
Another important point that McEwan makes is that rape culture is so saturated into our society that people cannot even point it out. It is common for rape jokes to be on TV or for a woman to be warned about her outfit before going out at night. As a woman, I don't even blink an eye at a guy yelling something provocative at me or a passing car honking their horn when I walk down the street. All of these things prove that our society is deeply sexualized and that rape culture is the norm.

"Our Violent Economy is Hurting Women" by Vandana Shiva

All over the world, women suffer from violence because of society's mindset that they are unequal to men. Although it is a problem everywhere, violence against women is extremely severe in the middle east because of the lack of women's rights. It is absolutely disgusting that rape cases have increased 240% since the 1990's [page 2] and something needs to be done. Shiva analyzes the connection between the economic treatment of women and the brutal crimes against them, saying that women are valued less because they produce within the home verses within the economy. 

I think this article was interesting, but definitely a bit confusing. The wording and technical language threw me off a bit, but once I reread it, I agreed with Shiva's opinions. She is correct that society values economic production more than production within the home, which is the role of many women in the middle east. I did get a little lost during the second point about the Earth and resources, but I can partially understand the relationship she is trying to make between the treatment of women and the planet. Overall, Shiva is speaking out against violence against women and calling for a change, which needs to happen. Something needs to happen in the middle east because things are continuously getting worse for women. 

Our Violent Economy is Hurting Women

Despite all of the progress that  women have made, rape and other forms of violence against women unfortunately still exist. Vandana Shiva claims that the increase in domestic violence is due to the status of the economy. Men feel entitled to lash out at women because of the social issues that are troubling them. Since we live in a patriarchal society, it is considered socially acceptable for men to be strong and aggressive beings, but there is a fine line between strength and violence.

Although there are certain laws that punish those that hurt women, a lot of the violence goes unreported. Many women who are abused choose to keep it hidden from others for a variety of reasons. By not reporting these crimes, however, society is teaching young girls that it is okay to be treated in this way.  These impressionable girls will then enter abusive relationships in which violence is a daily horror.  Violence against women needs to end , and sooner than later. 

Global Feminism

Feminism isn't just about solving women's problems here in the United State. We cannot look at feminism and only see our goals such as equal pay for men and women and the body image issues that plague women of the U.S. While these goals are important, we cannot sit idly by while our sisters in under-developed countries are sold into sex slavery, forcibly circumcised and treated like second-class citizens. These sorts of issues must be made important at by women in the West because we are all women in the fight for equality. These horrendous issues plaguing women in other countries globally mirror issues in our own country. While these acts may be more violent or horrifying, the underlying sexism and misogyny, pointed out by hooks, is an issue faced by all. Global feminism is feminism. The rights that we fight for here are the same rights women around the world are fighting for. We all want equality and an end to sexism.

"Our Violent Economy is Hurting Women" by Vandana Shiva

Vandana Shiva starts off this article by giving us the numbers of rape cases in India since 1990 through The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB). A lot of people should realize is that these are only the cases that were REPORTED, there have been many more rapes that were not reported or have been hidden from society because of the fear of being treated differently in society. As an Indian, I have been to Delhi and also have a lot of family and family friends that live in Delhi as well. My recent visit, was actually during winter break and I have heard a lot of stories about rapes that were not reported and was "thrown underneath the rug." The main reason for this is because in India, a women has to remain "pure" to be married because if she is not "pure" then she will not be able to find a suitable guy that is willing to get married to her. Does anyone ask or care if the guy was a virgin or not?
Another reason for why some rapes are hidden, is like I mentioned before, because society would look down upon the woman and will treat her differently. This is what is wrong with society, they care so much about the woman and how she is and what she can or cannot do that, that they are really unfair to the woman and do not treat them like equals to the men

Persepolis by Marjane Satrapi

The first time I read Persepolis, it was my freshman year of high school and I did not really know much about the topics discussed in it, such as female oppression or anything about the Middle East. It was the first graphic novel I had ever read, so I thought it was cool and interesting, but just as a story. This time around, Persepolis was much clearer for me and I could relate parts of the story to my previous knowledge. I think Marjane Satrapi did an amazing job simplifying her story in a way that readers could understand the Islamic Revolution without confusing them with too many facts or characters. She provided readers with a very unique perspective, that of a young girl in the midst of the revolution, that even those well versed on the Islamic Revolution have not yet heard. Satrapi empowers the women of Iran to speak up about the revolution and shares an important story with the rest of the world. Because of Persepolis, I have a much better understanding of culture in Iran and why the situation for women is the way it is.
In my opinion, this is the perfect time for our class to begin covering global feminism because of everything that's happening in the world right now. It is a huge time for revolution; over the past few years, we have seen large scale protests in Turkey, Brazil, Greece, Iran, the Sudan, and many other countries. Egypt revolted in 2013 and ousted their president, while Venezuela is now protesting and the Ukraine is in the midst of their revolution. I do not know much about any of these protests or revolutions, but stories like Persepolis help me to understand the current issues of global conflict. I am excited for the rest of the semester because I want to understand more about feminism worldwide, and just about different countries in general.

Persepolis: An Eye Opening Novel

Persepolis is probably a book I never would’ve read if it weren’t for this class, but I’m really glad it was assigned because it was amazing. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began Persepolis, I mean how impactful can a graphic novel be? But I was so wrong. Reading about the extreme changes in Iran written by someone who experienced it was incredible.

            As a child, you don’t quite understand all of the things happening around you. For Marji, this was definitely the case in the first part of the book. She talked about the rebellion being almost a competition in school with the other children. To be cool, you had to know someone who was in jail or had been killed. Reading about children who bragged about things as serious as these events was heartbreaking. To them, their family members being jailed or killed was the new normal. It had become normal to be accosted on the street by a group of grown women because they didn’t agree with what Marji was wearing.

            Reading a book that is truly written from the perspective of a child/teenager made me truly realize the way a rebellion can affect people my age. Until I read Persepolis, I had never considered what it would be like to wake up one day and have my rights taken away. I never thought about what it would be like to go to school one day and be forced to cover my head and hair in a scarf because that is the new law. This book was eye opening to say the least. I will probably move on to read Marjane Satrapi’s sequel to Persepolis hoping that it can be as amazing as Persepolis.

Happy Heteroween

Halloween has always been a holiday where you can dress up and pretend to be something you're not. As I have gotten older, I've noticed that more and more girls dress provocatively on Halloween in order to be sexy. I think this is great! Girls who are usually more reserved and might dress conservatively most of the time have an opportunity to experience being overtly sexy. However, there is a time and place for this kind of Halloween celebration. Obviously, here at Penn State we are all around the ages of 18-22 and this kind of expression of sexuality is appropriate. Off of a College campus, however, it might be a little inappropriate to dress up as a sexy nurse and hand out candy to the neighborhood children. It's wonderful that we can be let loose a little on Halloween, but there is definitely a line.

Something I don't agree with in Dan Savage's article is that men are discouraged from being sexy on Halloween. I have seen numerous male costumes that allow men to be completely shirtless. This Halloween my guy friends dressed up as soldiers from the movie "300" for the sole purpose of being able to show off their chests. Obviously, they wanted to feel and look sexy as well and there is nothing wrong with that.

I think all men and women deserve to let loose and be able to avoid a negative label for one night. Just because we all dress a little provocatively on Halloween does not make any of us sluts or whores. People who oppose this expression of sexuality probably need to lighten up.

Our Porn, Ourselves by Sarah Estrella

I think Sarah Estrella's article, "Our Porn, Ourselves", is refreshing. Although society sees men who watch porn as entirely normal, women who watch porn are looked down upon. Women cannot openly talk about porn the way men do, and they are taught to feel ashamed for watching porn. This all ties in with women's sexuality and how, if a women has a healthy sex life, she is a slut. I know so many boys whose parents know they watch porn, but if my parents ever saw me watching porn, I would be so embarrassed and ashamed - even though I shouldn't feel that way!
I never realized there was a divide between feminists about porn, but Estrella described two sides with completely different opinions on females and pornography. I think it's amazing that women are coming out as supporters of porn and saying that if a women wants to watch it or not watch it, either way it's her choice and we support women's rights in general. I definitely agree that no matter what, women should support each other's sexual decisions because every adult deserves to control their own sex life. Part of the Our Porn, Ourselves group's manifesto really speaks to me and sums up my opinion of women and porn, which is, "WE who believe that to tell a woman how she may or may not enjoy her sexuality in any way is to deny that woman of her rights over her sexuality."
Overall, it is vital that women control their own lives and stand up to any kind of oppression. If you want to watch porn, it's your life and feel free to watch it!

Happy Heteroween by Dan Savage

“Happy Heteroween” by Dan Savage was an interesting read to me. I really enjoyed reading it because of what Dan had to say about Halloween. Telling us how the straight community took over Halloween from the homosexuals, to show off their bodies and their sexy side. Unlike most feminists, Dan didn’t really care about the costumes that are worn during Halloween; in fact he supports the fact that people wear revealing costumes.

I never cared what girls wore during Halloween or any other day, because in all honesty, it is their body. If they want to show it off or wear tight clothes, in all means go for it. Halloween, is one of the few events, where girls can wear whatever they want without being called sluts, whores or even trashy. However, guys on the other hand try to stay away from wearing anything revealing because it makes them appear gay. Every person; homosexual or heterosexual, women or men, should not really care of what people say or think. It is your body, do what you want to with it because it’s your right.

Happy Heteroween

I really enjoyed this article and the points that Dan Savage made. Unlike most feminist writers who are angered by the skimpy clothing women are encouraged to wear, Dan supported revealing Halloween costumes. He believes Halloween is a holiday where straight men and women should be proud to show off their bodies and feel good about themselves. Since homosexuals have their pride parades, heterosexuals should have Halloween.

            Halloween is typically a time for a woman to wear little clothing and claim it as a costume. This kind of behavior on a daily basis would definitely earn her the title of a whore. On Halloween, for the most part, it is socially acceptable. On the other hand, straight men are more likely to dress on the conservative side. This is done out of fear that they might appear gay.

            Personally, I don't think this is an issue of sexuality. Men and women, both homosexual and heterosexual, should be proud of their bodies. Enough slut shaming and judging people based on how they look and dress. If you are confident with the way you look, flaunt it.

Enlightened Sexism by Susan Douglas

As a little girl, it was inspiring to see women on TV exploring space, working in the White House, and doing science experiments in a laboratory. Olivia Benson, the detective from Law and Order: SVU, was a beautiful and completely badass detective. No matter what one may argue, media does influence children. Constantly seeing women working important jobs on TV, where they were on equal standing with men, is a positive influence on young women. It shows them that women can achieve any job they set their mind to and that they can aspire to become more than just a housewife. I disagree with what Susan Douglas has to say about how the media's illustration of equality is fooling women into thinking they are equal. In today's workforce, women may not be completely equal to men. I don't really know because I have never worked at a real, 'grown up' job before. Either way, the media is not aiming to fool women and set them up with false hopes. They are portraying women in different roles and showing that a woman can put herself to use in more ways than just a housewife, homemaker, and mother, if that's what she wants to do. It is inspiring and, in my opinion, very important that the media depict women succeeding. The media is not trying to allude women into thinking they are equal, like Douglas says, but instead inspiring them to get out there and work where they want. Although I do agree with her opinion that women are overly sexualized in the media, I overall disagree with Douglas because I think the role of powerful women on TV inspires women and girls to reach for a successful career.

Enlightened Sexism

While reading Enlightened Sexism I couldn't help but think of my own family. My mom has always been the breadwinner of the family, so when my dad lost his job awhile ago, things didn't drastically change. It was decided that he would be of better use at home, dropping off/picking up my sister and I from school, doing the laundry, grocery shopping, preparing meals, etc. For a few years this continued and I found nothing wrong with it, everything was being taken care of. A girl in school told my sister that in my family the roles were switched: that my mom was the man and that my dad, the woman. He was a "stay-at-home dad", but he wasn't a woman.

Just because he wasn't bringing in money, didn't make his useless. He really helped my mom out by doing the things that she was too busy to take care of. I didn't feel like the roles were reversed, but others did because society suggests that what my dad was doing were women's tasks. Even though women have long been accepted in the workforce, it is still socially acceptable for women to tend to their homes and children. Men are expected to be the ones to provide for the family, because that is what makes them "manly". I totally disagree with this. Women can choose to work or stay at home, and men can do the same. What they decide to do should not affect the way that they are viewed in society.  

We are the Ones We've Been Waiting For

We are the Ones We've Been Waiting For is a fantastic article by the Moya Bailey and Alexis Pauline Gumbos. They are two Black feminists who really want to spread their message in a completely new way than was ever possible in the older days of feminism: they took to social media.
The internet has become such a vital part of our everyday lives. We get email alerts on our phones, check twitter every 20 seconds and know exactly what everyone around us is doing at all times. But, the internet lets us do something amazing that we had not been able to do before. With the internet, we can connect with anyone from anywhere. When deciding to spread the Black feminist message, Moya and Alexis created a blog, a Facebook group, a reading group and a network that allows them to meet up regularly with other Black feminists who share similar ideas. This utilization of social media is the best way for people to get their message out there and band together to make real changes. In this era of feminism, the only way to be heard is to get the message out there to large groups of people. Alexis and Moya did just that.

Gate C22

Before meeting my boyfriend, I was never a fan of PDA. I always felt uncomfortable and judged kissing in public. I was horrified at the beginning of my relationship to find out that my boyfriend loves PDA. He's constantly kissing, cuddling, and touching me. Although it made me feel so weird at first, I love it now. Like Kristen said, I think it's really cute that he is the loving, emotional one in the relationship. I like that we are less traditional and he doesn't fit the male stereotype of being opposed to PDA.
I thought this poem was really interesting and sweet. Even though it was short, the poem really illustrated how much the couple was in love and everyone in the airport could tell. I love how Bass wrote about older lovers because love is often depicted to be between young people. It's rare but refreshing to read about. People usually assume that older couples have lost their spark, but this poem definitely shows a couple that hasn't lost their flame.

The Power of Marriage

             I want to start by saying that I loved this article. It is a beautiful piece of romantic writing that makes me believe that the author really does believe in love. Personally, I’m a romantic and I’ve always found it amazing and sweet that one day I would find a man I loved and get to spend the rest of my life with him. I’ve been dreaming about marriage since I was a little girl. That being said, it makes me sad that little girls who are not heterosexual can’t dream of that marriage like I could. Although some states are making progress, it’s not possible everywhere and that is simply unacceptable.

            This year, I attended my first non-traditional wedding. My boyfriend of two years invited me to join him at his fathers’ wedding. Yes, he has two dads (and a mom, but that’s another story). I have always been supportive of equal rights and I could not have been more excited to attend. The wedding was the most beautiful thing I’ve ever witnessed. His fathers looked at each other while exchanging vows like they couldn’t ever be a part again. They showed the kind of love that is rare to see lately.

            I think that anyone who loves someone else that much, should be able to get married. Marriage is a union between two consenting adults, it doesn’t matter if they are gay or straight or transgender. Marriage is a way to show the ultimate love for another person and everyone should be allowed to legally experience that kind of beauty.

Gate C22

                A lot of my friends are not fans of public displays of affection. "Get a room" they say, to couples who get a little touchy-feely in front of us. Personally, I see nothing wrong with it...as long as there is a boundary. Holding hands, soft kisses, fondling --- that's all fine by me, just keep it PG.

                Sometimes when you love someone you can't control the way you feel. You just want to show them your love, without caring where you are. I think it's actually nice to see, because people tend to think that we aren't supposed to show our emotions, especially men. To see a man kiss the person he loves in public is refreshing. The macho stereotype is being replaced with sensitivity. A gentle form of a man that doesn't care what others think about his actions, but rather is interested in showing his partner his love. 

                This reading was short and sweet, but meaningful. People couldn't stop staring at the couple kissing. Maybe because they were concerned that the couple wasn't coming up for air, or maybe it was just odd to see in an airport. The sad reality is that maybe some of the people staring were in awe because they have never experienced that kind of affection before. I think everyone wants to love and wants to be loved. When we see others in love, it may make us happy or sad depending on our current love status. Despite how spectators feel about it, PDA should be accepted, because if I was one of the people kissing in Gate C22, I would want to be able to show my affection for my lover, and I'm sure others would want to too. 

God, Sex, and Pythagoras

In Shelby Knox's article "God, Sex, and Pythagoras", she uses the story of a girl in her Geometry class to illustrate how she was raised. She comes from an extremely religious home where her life was basically spent living in virtue and spending time in the church. I can't relate to this lifestyle at all, and I found it super odd that people actually live this way. In today's society, it's socially acceptable to have no involvement in the church. I don't really agree with the church in general, it tends to be extremely corrupt and misleading. Knox's childhood is a perfect example of the church and their confusing, unfair treatment of women and sexuality. She claims that at 16 years old, when many people are beginning to have sex, she simply did not know what it was.
That's completely foreign to me and it definitely proves that there is a lack of sex ed in this country. I believe there is a way to teach kids the truth about sex without shaming them or promoting it. The fact that girls are told sex before marriage ruins them and makes them a "fallen women" is absolutely disgusting. Knox's article gave me insight into the life of someone who was taught to associate sex with shame and is a great tool to support better sex education in America.

The Cult of Virginity

Jessica Valenti’s point of view on virginity is one of the truest and most relatable things I have ever read. Growing up in a fairly strict Catholic household, attending Catholic school for fourteen years (including pre-K) I told from an early age that girls who have sex before marriage are going to hell and are simply not “nice” girls. I carried this with me for a very long time, so long in fact that when my first friend lost her virginity in the 10^th grade, it became the biggest deal. We questioned, “How could she do this, doesn’t she know that sex is wrong?!” From then on, she and every other girl who had already cashed in the V-Card became “those girls,” the ones who everyone talked about.

          
 But do you know what everyone wasn’t talking about? The boys. No one cared about the boys in this situation who were active participants in losing their virginities as well! Boys aren’t put under the same microscope, as girls are when it comes to having sex. Rather, it’s quite the opposite. While girls are put down and thought of as “bad girls” or “sluts,” boys are patted on the back and congratulated when they have sex. As a woman this double standard is so frustrating.

            
What is most frustrating, however, is where all of the judgments on women come from. Sure, some of them are from men, but at the end of the day, most of the hate and judgment about sexuality is from other women. In Valenti’s article, she discusses a time when her mother found an empty condom wrapper in her bag and told Jessica that if she kept having sex, no one would want to marry her. This is a sentiment that women hear more than you would expect. At 20 years old, when I finally got up the courage to tell my mother that I had lost my virginity that year and made the responsible choice to go on birth control, she hung her head and kept repeating, “Where did I go wrong?”

            
This response to women’s sexuality is just the kind of thing that Valenti is discussing. This double standard and almost slut-shaming that we’re subjecting our fellow women to. When we make a decision about our bodies, do we want that questioned or have judgment passed upon it? No. Then why do we believe that it’s okay to subject other women to our judgments and opinions on their choices? Whether a woman has had 0 sexual partners or 15, she can still be a good and pure woman. The judgment ends now, and it needs to begin with us. 

The Cult of Virginity

This  story reminded me of the "double bind" concept we talked about last week, how women are screwed in every aspect. In my last blog I talked about how women are considered unclean when they menstruate, but would also be viewed as unclean if for some reason they could not menstruate.  This week, "The Cult of Virginity" article made me feel the same way.

This time, women are either whores or prudes. You can either be judged for sleeping with someone or judged for not sleeping with someone, your choice. No one blinks an eye when a guy loses his virginity, but when a girl loses hers, she's a slut.

 In some ways I feel like virginity/ loss of virginity is overemphasized and in other ways I feel like it's underemphasized.  Sometimes I think "to each his own".  As the owner of my body, I feel as though I have the right to do with it as I please. If you choose to abstain from/ give in to sex, it's ultimately your decision, and no one can stop you. On the other hand, when you hear about 13 year olds sleeping around then getting pregnant, then there is a problem. In cases like this, sex hasn't been handled properly. Unfortunately, there is no proper way to handle sex. It is such a delicate topic that many people refrain from talking about it altogether. That's where the problem lies; people need to educate themselves about sex, stop labeling things, and let people live their lives. 

X: Fabulous Children's Story

X: A Fabulous Child’s Story is a fantastic story by Lois Gould. It centers on a fiction experiment where a set of Parents raise their child genderless. This baby’s name is simply X and it is raised with both girl and boys toys, clothes and lessons. X is taught to be a person, not to be a boy or a girl. Obviously, this upsets many parents once X goes to school, but it is discovered that X is actually the most well-rounded and normal child the school psychologist had ever seen.

            This story was so impressive to me because it really gets you thinking about gender as a social construct. Gender is a completely taught behavior, not a learned one. Boys aren’t born with the knowledge to like blue, trucks and violence. These are all taught just like girls are taught to like pink, not be too rough and enjoy dolls more than superheroes. These behaviors are what is keeping gender-norms alive. As a functional society, we don’t even really need to introduce gender to our children until puberty. There is no benefit to drilling these gender norms into our children’s heads before they can even talk.

            This story reminded me of a very interesting news report from a few years ago that centered on Baby Storm. Storm’s parents decided that it was unimportant for the world to know Storm’s gender and that they would raise him or her without the constraints of gender norms. This of course became a media circus and people demanded to know Storm’s sex. The parents never waivered, and to this day it is unknown to the public whether Baby Storm is a boy or a girl. The parents have decided to let Storm announce his or her gender when Storm thinks it’s time. I think they've made an excellent choice, good for them. 

Caveman Masculinity: Finding Manhood in Evolutionary Science

Reading Martha McCaughey’s 2008 article “Caveman Masculinity: Finding Manhood in Evolutionary Science” opened my eyes to something I experience every day, but have never really noticed. McCaughey analyzes how evolution and historic male behavior are used out of context to explain masculinity, male sexual aggression, and ‘normal’ male behaviors. People have been using cavemen as a justification for male violence, claiming that men cannot help themselves because they have genes and behaviors inherited from their prehistoric ancestors. According to this theory, sexual aggression, rape, and promiscuity are due to the urgency to reproduce back in caveman times. Men claim they are attracted to younger, attractive women due to their reproductive viability because as cavemen, they needed to reproduce quickly. “Men are told that their sexist double-standard concerning appearance is evolutionary,” (McCaughey). Society has been lead to believe these ideas because they seem scientific and have factual evidence, so the caveman ideology has become a social norm.

In my opinion, evolution is not a valid reason for male aggression. Men cannot act however they please and blame it on their manly, caveman genes. Had cavemen passed on behaviors to us, I would have the urge to wear a fur pelt and live in the wilderness, which I definitely do not. I do believe that genes can account for mental illness or aggression, but not from cavemen and certainly not for all males.

If Men Could Menstruate

While reading the "If Men Could Menstruate" reading, all I could think about was Beyonce's song "If I were a Boy". Both the song and the reading talk about the double standard that exists between men and women. The positive things that men do would have a negative connotation when applied to women and the negative things that women do, would have a different spin for guys.

Take menstruation, for example. For some girls, it may be an embarrassing time of the month, but if men could menstruate, and women could not, this wouldn't be the case. For men it would be a masculine competition. Men would brag about whose cycle lasted longer, lost the most blood, etc.

Gloria Steinem said that in this world where men could menstruate that women would be considered unclean "without the monthly loss of impurities". Women would be viewed as dirty, yet in some cultures today, women are isolated during their menstrual cycles....for being dirty. So basically women are considered unclean when they have their periods and even when they don't. Women can never win.  As a woman I find it extremely frustrating that double standards like this exist. 

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Hey Everyone! I'm Kirsten Wojacek from Morristown, New Jersey. 

I'm a freshman studying Biology here at Penn State and I'm excited to get to know everyone better! 

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My name is Cassie and I'm a freshman business major from Little Silver, New Jersey. I'm interested in this class and excited for the semester!

Hey Friends! This is Kaitlyn checking into our beautiful new blog! I'm a Senior at Penn State taking Women's Studies 100 and I can't wait to share my thoughts with this blog.