I had seen the movie Hotel Rwanda, and known about the war that was going on; that was ten years ago. The documentary, The greatest silence: Rape in the Congo showed a deeper, more cringe worthy side than the movie ever could. This is the biggest civil war that the people in the Congo have ever seen, and sadly it just keeps getting worse. The fight over gold, diamonds, and coltan (used to make our batteries for our phones) has lead to villages being burned, houses being raided, and families torn apart; most by rape.
One of the most dehumanizing thing in this world is for a woman to be raped. Not only by a males genitalia but by objects such as branches, guns, and handles of swords. The militia goes into homes of these families and either sends the father running for his life or kills him, then they have their way with the women in the house. Often their children and made to watch, and sadly sometimes they are a victim of rape as well. There is no one type of women who is raped, all ages, women who are pregnant, and especially those who are married. When a married woman is raped, she is no longer desirable, this can lead to a life filled with turmoil. Many of these women are raped so viciously that hospital care is required, some need surgery, and other lose their genitalia all together. The men of the militia are out to ruin the villages, and stop them from gaining more power, by sterilization.
Of the women who are raped, over 30% will contract HIV from their perpetrator. The terrible things that these women go through is often enough to ruin their lives. Sanctuary's have been set up in some of the larger cities, and out in the jungle where women can receive medical support, and protection from the militia. These sanctuaries also provide mental support, by giving classes (so the women have a trade to go out into the world with) and also all of the other women there have been affected by the same thing. These women use each other as a support system. These women's children are allowed in the sanctuary, but sadly they are stigmatized by the outside world as bastards, their fathers have left them, because their mother is no longer clean. Some of these children are even products of the rape that their mother endured.
The militia has been asked multiple times "why do you rape these women?" the response is "It will bring us to victory!" Many of these militia men started out by being a product of rape or someone who had lost their entire family, and was adopted into the military for the leaders use. The poor children have been brainwashed by what they have known for most of their lives. The leaders know that if you run out the men of the country, who will fight? they are weakening the defense system by ruining families. Men are afraid to come back, and many of them don't come back for their wives.
Eve Ensler, creator of the vagina monologues has been raising money for the women in the Congo to help them stay safe and get the medical attention that they will need. The city of joy is what she created.
Thursday, December 6, 2012
Election Night: REFLECTION
DON'T MIX!
At around 6 o'clock the bar started to fill up, by seven everyone had a beer in their hand and were faced towards the one TV that we have at the bar that I work at. Everyone was dead silent, and the TV was turned up loud. The predictions of who was going to win the elections just kept pouring in. When the electoral votes were cast, and states started being declared there was a strong anticipation in the room. Somehow, maybe because were in Rhode Island, just about everyone in the room was there in support of Obama. If Romney had taken control of a state, there was booing, profanities being said, and then the Obama chants started. When Obama has attained a state the entire bar erupted in applause. Although I was slinging beers, it was interesting to see how into this election people were. I remember four years ago for the 2008 election I watched it in the living room with my parents rooting our favored candidate on. I wasn't sure if going to a bar for elections was normal. When the timer started for the next state to be declared red or blue, there was a count down going, just like if a spaceship was getting ready to launch. It was quite an experience, especially towards the end when there was no way that Romney could win, it turned into shots (drinks) and massive cheering. Many people attempted to wait around for the speech that Romney was supposed to have prepared but at that time it had already hit one o'clock. Many people were speculating that he had to write his speech on the spot because he was so gung ho on winning. I don't know where I will be at the next election, but a bar doesn't seem like such a bad choice.
Voting for Justice: EXTENDED COMMENTS
This week I took a look at Ally's blog, she hit upon one of the things that many people were worrying about before the election; taxes and what the upcoming President was going to do about them. Ally pointed out that yes, Obama has broken some promises, tweaked others, but he has kept many of them. Romney who was the new candidate was spewing out his ideas left and right about how he was going to get the country out of debt, and whose taxes were going to go up and why. He was throwing out numbers so fast that he couldn't keep them or his lies straight. The question that so many Americans fell to was "how are we supposed to trust Romney as our president if he cant even elaborate on the tax plan that he has mapped out?" Looking back at this after the election I can definitely see that this may have been a huge reason why he lost the election. You can't sell people lies.
Intterupting the cycle of oppression/ combatting bigotry :Connections
In Blanchard's article, he explains that there are three different types of racism, those who go out of their way to be racist, those who are naive about the situation and then there are the people who have absolutely no idea that they are being racist. With or without the perpetrators knowledge, they are oppressing someone. Blanchard focuses on race while Ayvazian focuses on everyone as a whole. She explains that everyone at some point in time in their life will become oppressed. "Even a white, christian, heterosexual male will be targeted at old age". She explains that there are targets and there are dominants of every group. For Blanchard the targets are the races except for whites and the dominant can be anyone. Both authors have found a solution that they seem fit for the problem at hand, and they both seem to revolve around education.
Ayvazian explains that beliefs and behaviors are congruent with each other, so if you believe that someone is below you, you will treat them that way. The group that is being oppressed needs to have an ally in the dominant group. the author explains that the oppressed group will never be heard; there might be small snippets in the media here and there but they will never have the power to have anything actually changed. "Allied behavior is clear action aimed at dismantling the oppression of others in areas where you yourself benefit". (pg2) Lorde, The Masters Tools will Never Dismantle the Master's House, explains exactly this; oppression wont help someone get out of oppression. You will need help from others, you will need someone to take a stand for you; someone who isn't being oppressed.
Frye is very connected to Blanchard's work because being oppressed because of your race is putting your in a double blind- no way out situation. If you don't fight for your race then you can be classified as being snooty, or using it as an excuse to be a bum in society, or that your you have no ambition to stop being oppressed (there are plenty more excuses/ reasons) but; if you want equality for your race compared to others, then you can be seen as ungrateful for what you have, not proud of where your from. Often times African American people who aren't living up to their stereotype of clothing are made fun of by people asking "why are you dressed so white?" I saw it all the time in my high school, but what if the person doesn't want to walk around with their jeans half way down their butt, or chains around their neck (I understand I just stereotyped there), they are ridiculed for trying to better themselves, and often its people in their own circle of oppression that are oppressing them further.
Ayvazian explains that beliefs and behaviors are congruent with each other, so if you believe that someone is below you, you will treat them that way. The group that is being oppressed needs to have an ally in the dominant group. the author explains that the oppressed group will never be heard; there might be small snippets in the media here and there but they will never have the power to have anything actually changed. "Allied behavior is clear action aimed at dismantling the oppression of others in areas where you yourself benefit". (pg2) Lorde, The Masters Tools will Never Dismantle the Master's House, explains exactly this; oppression wont help someone get out of oppression. You will need help from others, you will need someone to take a stand for you; someone who isn't being oppressed.
Frye is very connected to Blanchard's work because being oppressed because of your race is putting your in a double blind- no way out situation. If you don't fight for your race then you can be classified as being snooty, or using it as an excuse to be a bum in society, or that your you have no ambition to stop being oppressed (there are plenty more excuses/ reasons) but; if you want equality for your race compared to others, then you can be seen as ungrateful for what you have, not proud of where your from. Often times African American people who aren't living up to their stereotype of clothing are made fun of by people asking "why are you dressed so white?" I saw it all the time in my high school, but what if the person doesn't want to walk around with their jeans half way down their butt, or chains around their neck (I understand I just stereotyped there), they are ridiculed for trying to better themselves, and often its people in their own circle of oppression that are oppressing them further.Oppression: Frye ARGUMENT
When I think of oppression, I think of women, African Americans, the poor; anyone who is being held back in life because of a quality that they don't posses that would be beneficial to them if attained. This author Frye argues that "Oppression is the experience of being caged in: all avenues, in every direction, are blocked or booby trapped." (pg5) She believes that there are certain standards and criteria that need to be met to actually be oppressed. Frye believes that we need to secure an absolute definite definition for the word because it is being thrown around too easy, it needs to be sharp and sure. To place a representation in your mind for what oppressed actually looks like, Frye uses the image of a bird cage (just like Maya Angelou did), imagine being so close to one of the wires that you can't see any of the others, you have a glimmer of hope that your not stuck, you keep going around and looking at the wires so closely as individuals that you don't see how close the others are. The wires are so close that you cannot get out, you are trapped by your surroundings, everything that holds your cage together is actually holding you in. It will always be a lose lose situation.
I understand the ideas that Frye presents but I don't think that you have to be in such sever situations to be oppressed, I you were a woman in the corporate world and you have reached that glass ceiling, you keep trying, someone will see your work, and there is the hope that you can move up. Frye is telling us that you have to have no hope, and no way out. I believe that everyone is oppressed in some way or another, we all have something that is held against us no matter what.
Here is a different look at who is actually oppressed, something that many of us westerners would never have questioned
I understand the ideas that Frye presents but I don't think that you have to be in such sever situations to be oppressed, I you were a woman in the corporate world and you have reached that glass ceiling, you keep trying, someone will see your work, and there is the hope that you can move up. Frye is telling us that you have to have no hope, and no way out. I believe that everyone is oppressed in some way or another, we all have something that is held against us no matter what.
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Fear of Feminism/ Tsunami QUOTES
Both articles base themselves off of the idea of feminism. A Tsunami in History goes through the stages of feminism an how it came to be from day one; Abigail Adams reminding her Husband President John Adams to "remember the ladies". The article reminds us of the hardship in each wave (1,2, and the present 3rd) and what each wave is fighting for. The fear of feminism takes place in what was present day (1994) and expands on how feminism is doing today, and how the women of the third wave are reacting to it. There were three quotes that really stood out to me in these articles.
In the Fear of Feminism article by Lisa Hogeland she says that "Feminism politicizes gender consciousness, inserts it into a systematic analysis of histories and structures of domination and privilege." (18) Feminism takes the awareness of women's vulnerability and the celebration of women's difference and makes it political. As much as feminism is there for a woman's support, it is also bringing to light the things that we know but we choose not to face. In the article it says that women know that walking alone at night is not the safest thing to do, and we know the dangers, but we don't want to admit the fact that in our society we are not safe by ourselves. We know the facts but bringing it to light for us again after being educated on it makes it seem unfair. We want to have the privilege and the right to feel safe walking across campus, but the fact is that we cant, we are too vulnerable. As women and as feminists, we believe that we are strong and capable of anything but we are being held back by the pressures and ideas of society; and sadly this is the idea of the society that we live in, men are known as the dominant figure, and have been through history.
On page 25 of the Tsunami article there is a quote that caught my attention the moment I read it. "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle" Irina Dunn. This explains both articles in one sentence. You take two things that don't work and you find out that they don't need each other. As a women in society, we are always told "oh well don't worry you will find someone soon", or "there's a nice young man waiting out there for you". The only thing that women need men for are as follows... ..... .... .... their sperm. We can find support from family and friends, we can find love with those people as well. Some people don't even find love from men, nor do they want it. Our sexual needs can be taken care of and it doesn't have to be from a man. just as many men womanize females for the sole purpose of "planting as many seeds as possible", I believe that we can use them as they use us. Only when they want something, and in our case it would be a baby. I completely understand that there were not the same medical measure that we can take now a days if we would like a child without having to directly come in contact with a man. This is what the second wave is about, being able to go out on our own and get things accomplished and support ourselves. To this day we are still out fighting for those rights.
When talking about why women are afraid of the word feminism, Hogeland explains that "Feminism requires an expansion of the self- an expansion of empathy, interest, intelligence,and responsibility across differences, histories, cultures, ethnicities, sexual identities, otherness" (21). Women in today's age are only educated to an extent on all of these topics; its like seeing the tip of the iceberg an the expansion is underneath, its the real education. Because of religion, personal reasons, and many more some women will go under the surface of some of the topics but not all. We pick and choose what pertains to us.
I found this article giving us the reasons why people say they aren't feminists, these are people who our children watch and know, and also who we are familiar with. I find that they are feminists but are denying it. click here!!
In the Fear of Feminism article by Lisa Hogeland she says that "Feminism politicizes gender consciousness, inserts it into a systematic analysis of histories and structures of domination and privilege." (18) Feminism takes the awareness of women's vulnerability and the celebration of women's difference and makes it political. As much as feminism is there for a woman's support, it is also bringing to light the things that we know but we choose not to face. In the article it says that women know that walking alone at night is not the safest thing to do, and we know the dangers, but we don't want to admit the fact that in our society we are not safe by ourselves. We know the facts but bringing it to light for us again after being educated on it makes it seem unfair. We want to have the privilege and the right to feel safe walking across campus, but the fact is that we cant, we are too vulnerable. As women and as feminists, we believe that we are strong and capable of anything but we are being held back by the pressures and ideas of society; and sadly this is the idea of the society that we live in, men are known as the dominant figure, and have been through history.
On page 25 of the Tsunami article there is a quote that caught my attention the moment I read it. "A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle" Irina Dunn. This explains both articles in one sentence. You take two things that don't work and you find out that they don't need each other. As a women in society, we are always told "oh well don't worry you will find someone soon", or "there's a nice young man waiting out there for you". The only thing that women need men for are as follows... ..... .... .... their sperm. We can find support from family and friends, we can find love with those people as well. Some people don't even find love from men, nor do they want it. Our sexual needs can be taken care of and it doesn't have to be from a man. just as many men womanize females for the sole purpose of "planting as many seeds as possible", I believe that we can use them as they use us. Only when they want something, and in our case it would be a baby. I completely understand that there were not the same medical measure that we can take now a days if we would like a child without having to directly come in contact with a man. This is what the second wave is about, being able to go out on our own and get things accomplished and support ourselves. To this day we are still out fighting for those rights.
When talking about why women are afraid of the word feminism, Hogeland explains that "Feminism requires an expansion of the self- an expansion of empathy, interest, intelligence,and responsibility across differences, histories, cultures, ethnicities, sexual identities, otherness" (21). Women in today's age are only educated to an extent on all of these topics; its like seeing the tip of the iceberg an the expansion is underneath, its the real education. Because of religion, personal reasons, and many more some women will go under the surface of some of the topics but not all. We pick and choose what pertains to us.
I found this article giving us the reasons why people say they aren't feminists, these are people who our children watch and know, and also who we are familiar with. I find that they are feminists but are denying it. click here!!
Sex as a Femmisnt Practice: HYPERLINKS
When I first saw titles of the ideas that we were going to be reading on, I tried to figure out what they meant. Sex positive... was I sex positive? is it a good thing? bad thing? was it talking about if I was positive about my sexuality? Come to find out its about being positive on your own sexual preferences. Google defines it as "is an ideology which promotes and embraces open sexuality with few limits..". It is not biased against preference on sexual partners, or lack there of. As women, we are heavily scrutinized by our choice of sexual partners, and choices that go with them. As a sex positive person, there is no judgement of how many people you sleep with or how you sleep with them; "it's about ethics and self- development rather than simple pleasure-seeking" (Rachel Rabbit White)
To self- develop you need to find what your comfortable with and what your willing to try. There is no pressure because not everyone right off the bat say I love bondage!, or I can't wait to go home and watch porn with my partner! things take time and trust; trust with the other person your with. If you aren't comfortable with something and you still allow someone to take sexual advances with you, then you are not sex positive; you need to stand up for yourself. Something that Rachel Rabbit wrote that I absolutely love and would love to see people using was the way to respond to someone who turns you down sexually; you say "Thanks for taking care of yourself " I believe it would lessen the blow to someone and not make them go around saying that the other person is a B**** or a slut because they wouldn't sleep with you.
If you are lucky enough to find someone that you want to share your experience with and your willing to try out some bondage there are plenty of at home objects hanging around or you can even go online to find some! there are plenty of site and stores just like this one bondage gear where you can order whatever your heart desires. If your not into practicing it yourself and prefer to watch it, there are plenty of movies out there that can help you out with that as well.
Sadly as many sex positive people there are out there, there are also sex positive feminists. These feminists believe that porn and bondage are the roots of rape and shaming women. this website says that porn goes against the thoughts that women should be safe and respected. The women and men who choose to get into the porn industry sign agreements, and know what they are getting into. They are being safe as well because everyone in the industry has to be tested on a regular basis, at least once a month as reported in this article by CNN. The porn industry became main stream in the 1980's and this is when sex positive feminists freaked. Robin Morgan ( a radical) said that " Pornography is the theory; rape is the practice" this came after she was quoted saying that "pornography was a central underpinning of patriarchy and a direct cause of violence against women".
There are plenty of studies that confirm that porn leads men to believe that they have a higher sexual power over women, and there are also studies that disagree. It is all up to you and how you see it. Whether your a sex positive or a sex positive feminist be something! here are a few things that I found that are interesting and or may give you a good laugh.
10 ridiculous anti- porn commercials
and I know you've heard of it, but did you know they hold one in Providence every year?
slut walk Providence
To self- develop you need to find what your comfortable with and what your willing to try. There is no pressure because not everyone right off the bat say I love bondage!, or I can't wait to go home and watch porn with my partner! things take time and trust; trust with the other person your with. If you aren't comfortable with something and you still allow someone to take sexual advances with you, then you are not sex positive; you need to stand up for yourself. Something that Rachel Rabbit wrote that I absolutely love and would love to see people using was the way to respond to someone who turns you down sexually; you say "Thanks for taking care of yourself " I believe it would lessen the blow to someone and not make them go around saying that the other person is a B**** or a slut because they wouldn't sleep with you.
If you are lucky enough to find someone that you want to share your experience with and your willing to try out some bondage there are plenty of at home objects hanging around or you can even go online to find some! there are plenty of site and stores just like this one bondage gear where you can order whatever your heart desires. If your not into practicing it yourself and prefer to watch it, there are plenty of movies out there that can help you out with that as well. Sadly as many sex positive people there are out there, there are also sex positive feminists. These feminists believe that porn and bondage are the roots of rape and shaming women. this website says that porn goes against the thoughts that women should be safe and respected. The women and men who choose to get into the porn industry sign agreements, and know what they are getting into. They are being safe as well because everyone in the industry has to be tested on a regular basis, at least once a month as reported in this article by CNN. The porn industry became main stream in the 1980's and this is when sex positive feminists freaked. Robin Morgan ( a radical) said that " Pornography is the theory; rape is the practice" this came after she was quoted saying that "pornography was a central underpinning of patriarchy and a direct cause of violence against women".
There are plenty of studies that confirm that porn leads men to believe that they have a higher sexual power over women, and there are also studies that disagree. It is all up to you and how you see it. Whether your a sex positive or a sex positive feminist be something! here are a few things that I found that are interesting and or may give you a good laugh.
10 ridiculous anti- porn commercials
and I know you've heard of it, but did you know they hold one in Providence every year?
slut walk Providence
Making strides for breast cancer : Social Justice Event
On October 21st, I got my sorry bum out of bed at 7 am. I never am out of bed, or even awake at 7 am, but I promised to myself, and two others that I would be up and ready by 9am. The night before, pink bandanas were bought and t-shirts were decorated with glitter pens. I knew the walk was three miles, but I wasn't anticipating that I was going to have to park and walk another mile. With giant coffees in our hands we headed towards registration then started our walk. I was walking into a sea of pink! There were teams of people, some had shirts dedicated to someone in memory, and others wore them for a friend who was still fighting. I was shocked at the diversity of all of the people who were participating. The age, race, and sex all seemed to go from one end of the spectrum to the other. Economically you couldn't tell who was in what class because everyone was dressed in sweats, and shirts supporting the cause. Through the walk there were mass amounts of people who were standing on the side lines cheering the participants on. Every time a mile was completed there was either a sorority or fraternity keeping our motivation going. Walgreens had booths for water and tootsie rolls set up for a little boost mid walk. There was no pushing or hurrying others along, and no one went at the exact same pace.
I saw this event as something that brought all people together. Because of the breast cancer pandemic, it was safe to assume that everyone there had been affected by it some way or another, and if you hadn't; then all you had to do was look around you. I had no idea that sororities and fraternities from our own campus were going to be there, it made me proud of RIC, having our name out there and being associated with something for a great cause. Surrounding schools also had supporting fraternities and sororities in attendance. Once you crossed that finish line there were so many more people cheering and clapping than I could imagine. This was an all out celebration for people, there was music, food, and even activities. I expected that everyone did the walk and then left, this was not the case. We hung around for about an hour and a half after we had finished the walk just talking to people and seeing what was offered.
For a first time walker I was extremely happy, and a would definitely do this again when it comes around next. I also highly suggest that others do it as well. Drag along your friends, donate for the cause and even if its not your cup of tea at least you did something that will help out someone else's life and also benefits yours.
I saw this event as something that brought all people together. Because of the breast cancer pandemic, it was safe to assume that everyone there had been affected by it some way or another, and if you hadn't; then all you had to do was look around you. I had no idea that sororities and fraternities from our own campus were going to be there, it made me proud of RIC, having our name out there and being associated with something for a great cause. Surrounding schools also had supporting fraternities and sororities in attendance. Once you crossed that finish line there were so many more people cheering and clapping than I could imagine. This was an all out celebration for people, there was music, food, and even activities. I expected that everyone did the walk and then left, this was not the case. We hung around for about an hour and a half after we had finished the walk just talking to people and seeing what was offered.
Monday, October 29, 2012
Halloween and the fight on costumes!
After reading last week's "Cinderella Ate My Daughter", I stumbled across a clip from a very well known show "what would you do" the host presents people with situations on hidden cameras that test people's morality. Episodes often present on parenting methods, race and class issues and also situations that may be dangerous for people if someone were not to step in. In this episode it was based around halloween norms, what children should be allowed and what is normative for them to wear.
******Watch the clip here!*****
Sadly as much as people say that you should have free choice of what you wear, and to never limit a childs imagination through clothing and gender roles, every single person in this video does. For someone to tell a child that they cant be spiderman because thats the boys costume is further instilling what many children are taught. You would expect to hear that from a little boy to a young girl; that is playground nonsense. The worst part of the video, is when the actress mother tells another mother that she hopes it is just a phase and that she wants to try and nip it in the butt while she can.... AND THE AMOUNT OF MOTHERS THAT AGREE!!!! for someone to say that a child is going through a phase that does match with the sex of the child is insane. When I grew up I was never limited to what my halloween costume was, one year I was an alien! and not a girl alien, there was nothing about the costume that would give away my gender. To limit a child of what they can wear goes against what we as a society should be striving for. I was so happy that a young woman stepped in and whole heartedly told the little girl that she can be whatever she wants to be... including spiderman for halloween. The way that she went about it is the way that this "problem" should be tackled daily; with love, understanding and compassion.
******Watch the clip here!*****
Sadly as much as people say that you should have free choice of what you wear, and to never limit a childs imagination through clothing and gender roles, every single person in this video does. For someone to tell a child that they cant be spiderman because thats the boys costume is further instilling what many children are taught. You would expect to hear that from a little boy to a young girl; that is playground nonsense. The worst part of the video, is when the actress mother tells another mother that she hopes it is just a phase and that she wants to try and nip it in the butt while she can.... AND THE AMOUNT OF MOTHERS THAT AGREE!!!! for someone to say that a child is going through a phase that does match with the sex of the child is insane. When I grew up I was never limited to what my halloween costume was, one year I was an alien! and not a girl alien, there was nothing about the costume that would give away my gender. To limit a child of what they can wear goes against what we as a society should be striving for. I was so happy that a young woman stepped in and whole heartedly told the little girl that she can be whatever she wants to be... including spiderman for halloween. The way that she went about it is the way that this "problem" should be tackled daily; with love, understanding and compassion.
Tuesday, October 23, 2012
Cinderella Ate My Daughter REFLECTION
When Dr. Bogad said that this class was going to ruin how we looked at things I understood that to a certain extent; after reading Cinderella Ate My Daughter by Orenstein I fully understand why. This may have been the most relatable article that I have read yet in this course. New information that I thought i had known about has been brought to my attention, and things that I didnt even think about have been shown to me. Yes we all know that boys color is blue and girls are pink, thats how we as society show gender, but it wasn't allways that way. I've considerd myself mind blown when the author explains that back before the 50's boys were acttually sent home in pink and girls in blue. The original color scheme was because pink was a light shade of red so it was thought to represent power, and blue was the color of the Virgin Mary = me mind blown. Pink hadnt started to be pushed as a girls color until the late 90's early 2000's, Orenstein claims that after 9/11 it gave girls something to latch onto in a upsetting time in peoples lives, just like shirly temple did during the great depression.
Because of the popularity of Shirly Temple, she was made into a doll, costing 4 times the amount of any doll o the market at that time, she was relatable and seen as a good thing for children. The American Girl Dolls are said to have the same popularity, they arent big chested like the barbie dolls, and they have an educational back story of not just shopping but as heros, having power and not living fully up to female expectations. The American Girl Dolls ran about $110 dollars while your average barbie was around 10, and the limited edition ones would cost you twenty more dollars on top of that. Im not sure if my mom just didnt want to spend the money on the american girl dolls, or that she knew we would end up destroying them or the dog would probably chew off one of her extremities just like our barbies; but we were never allowed to have one. My mothers reasoning to us was that "in order for us to have one of those dolls, a little girl in china would be getting paid 1 penny an hour for making something that we are being charged 100 dollars for" my mother always said it wasn't right, but weren't we doing the same thing when we buy barbie dolls?
Barbie dolls have changed dramatically over the years as well. At my grandmothers house she still has all of my mom and aunt's barbies. They have dark hair, usually up in a beehive hair-do, they have plaid skirts that go past the knee and also a top that is simple and covers all. The barbies that I had when I was younger were things such as tropiccal barbie who had a palm tree bikini and super long blonde hair that went to her knees. Needless to say me and my sister liked playing hair dresser, and that when we were done with her, the poor barbie looked like someone cut her hair with a chainsaw. We once played a game to see who could get a barbie stuck in the apple tree that was outside our 2nd story window, the poor girl was up there for 5 whole years. It became a laughing matter in our house, taking bets on which storm was going to knock her down. Orenstein says that studys have shown that as much as girls love playing with dolls, over 40% will mutilate, draw on or somehow change the barbie.
The last thing that I would like to bring to your attention is that while the pink fad lauched in the 2000's so did the launch of the disney princesses line. Yes we all know who they were due to the classic movies that we grew up with, but they were relaunched, and sold to little girls. Shown and sold to them because disney knows that being a princess is a little girls dream. Mattel, the producing company takes the generic disney princess and leaves behind those who dont wear the jewels, or hold the same values as the others. Poor Pocahontas and Mulan are left out of the collection, because one pretends to be a boy (not cool) and the other doesnt have a fairytale ending (unless you see movie 2 and 3 which werent produced until about 10 years later). These two woman dont thrive on finding a perfect man or get to wear a dress (suitable for a ball) all movie. All woman come from different eras, places in the world, and are seen to be independant of eachother. There havent been any cross over movies, or stories where they meet up and get along. Even when put into cartoons and photos with eachother, it has been pointed out that the girls aren't actually interacting with eachother, they arent even looking the same way. Orenstein says that they are shown to the public as independent, and even worse show little girls that they advoid female bonding. Inn no movies does one of the princesses have a super awesome girl side kick or even friend. The girls in the movies are often shown as the villans if they aren't a princess.
Seeing pictures such as this ...
...... just adds to what the article had said. they are not friends!
Because of the popularity of Shirly Temple, she was made into a doll, costing 4 times the amount of any doll o the market at that time, she was relatable and seen as a good thing for children. The American Girl Dolls are said to have the same popularity, they arent big chested like the barbie dolls, and they have an educational back story of not just shopping but as heros, having power and not living fully up to female expectations. The American Girl Dolls ran about $110 dollars while your average barbie was around 10, and the limited edition ones would cost you twenty more dollars on top of that. Im not sure if my mom just didnt want to spend the money on the american girl dolls, or that she knew we would end up destroying them or the dog would probably chew off one of her extremities just like our barbies; but we were never allowed to have one. My mothers reasoning to us was that "in order for us to have one of those dolls, a little girl in china would be getting paid 1 penny an hour for making something that we are being charged 100 dollars for" my mother always said it wasn't right, but weren't we doing the same thing when we buy barbie dolls?
Barbie dolls have changed dramatically over the years as well. At my grandmothers house she still has all of my mom and aunt's barbies. They have dark hair, usually up in a beehive hair-do, they have plaid skirts that go past the knee and also a top that is simple and covers all. The barbies that I had when I was younger were things such as tropiccal barbie who had a palm tree bikini and super long blonde hair that went to her knees. Needless to say me and my sister liked playing hair dresser, and that when we were done with her, the poor barbie looked like someone cut her hair with a chainsaw. We once played a game to see who could get a barbie stuck in the apple tree that was outside our 2nd story window, the poor girl was up there for 5 whole years. It became a laughing matter in our house, taking bets on which storm was going to knock her down. Orenstein says that studys have shown that as much as girls love playing with dolls, over 40% will mutilate, draw on or somehow change the barbie.
The last thing that I would like to bring to your attention is that while the pink fad lauched in the 2000's so did the launch of the disney princesses line. Yes we all know who they were due to the classic movies that we grew up with, but they were relaunched, and sold to little girls. Shown and sold to them because disney knows that being a princess is a little girls dream. Mattel, the producing company takes the generic disney princess and leaves behind those who dont wear the jewels, or hold the same values as the others. Poor Pocahontas and Mulan are left out of the collection, because one pretends to be a boy (not cool) and the other doesnt have a fairytale ending (unless you see movie 2 and 3 which werent produced until about 10 years later). These two woman dont thrive on finding a perfect man or get to wear a dress (suitable for a ball) all movie. All woman come from different eras, places in the world, and are seen to be independant of eachother. There havent been any cross over movies, or stories where they meet up and get along. Even when put into cartoons and photos with eachother, it has been pointed out that the girls aren't actually interacting with eachother, they arent even looking the same way. Orenstein says that they are shown to the public as independent, and even worse show little girls that they advoid female bonding. Inn no movies does one of the princesses have a super awesome girl side kick or even friend. The girls in the movies are often shown as the villans if they aren't a princess.
Seeing pictures such as this ...
...... just adds to what the article had said. they are not friends!
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
what are little boys are made of? REFLECTION
In Micheal Kimmel's article, he looks at two different viewpoints on how little boys behave, why the behave this way and if we as a community should focus on changing the behaviors. To make a good argument you always have to do your research on the opposing side. Kimmel gives excuses for little boy's behavior that have been taken from published books. The opposing argument is that little boys are so pumped with testosterone that it would be insane to think that little boys can conform to the ways of little girls (what feminists want). One of the hysterical excuses that Biddulph offers to why boys have a harder time listening is because their ear canals grow in spurts (unlike females) and that when they are having a growth spurt their listening is temporarly blocked. Don't you think that children would complain if they couldnt hear something? I have a strong feeling that nurses and doctors would catch on very quickly if that was the case. Another author, Gurian says that violence is a part of boys everyday lives, that hazing, bar mitzvahs, and military boot camp are all testosterone driven; made for violence and boys. Kimmel jokes at the fact that he has never seen a bar mitzvah turn violent. Michael Kimmel believes that many of these authors are making excuses for boys to not conform with the newer thoughts of society; that men dont have to use violence, and they can bear some sort of emotion.
From the femminist point of view, they understand the biological differences between boys and girls (including testosterone levels) but they aren't buying it. Statistics from across countries show that the U.S. is leading with violence. What makes the U.S so different from other places if we have the same amount of testosterone and estrogen in us? From the feminist point of view, they are not saying that boys have to stop being rambuncious, super active or stop playing with trucks; they are simply saying that violence doesnt have to be involved. Men and boys are responsible for at least 85% of violence in the U.S. With a changing community, boys no longer have to hold all of their emotions, or be so violent. The main thing that feminists are trying to get across is that you can still be a boy or a man without violence. One of the better advice books that Kimmel has seen was written by a man and a woman together; explaining that changes can happen, and that those who say boys will be boys are not actually helping the situation but worsening it. "Boys will be boys" is giving men and boys the right to be violence, act out, and be uncivilized; hurting the imiage of men and being extremely offensive to those who are trying to change how men are seen. I 100% agree that the "boys will be boys" statement is undoing and harming beliefs that may have been set for young boys now. It is not an excuse for someone to act out. I found an article which takes more of the excuse for young men route. It explains to mothers that you have to understand that boys are adventurous and that they need energy releases, unlike girls. I believe that it is completely "boys will be boys" mentality driven. http://www.brainy-child.com/article/boys-behavior.shtml
From the femminist point of view, they understand the biological differences between boys and girls (including testosterone levels) but they aren't buying it. Statistics from across countries show that the U.S. is leading with violence. What makes the U.S so different from other places if we have the same amount of testosterone and estrogen in us? From the feminist point of view, they are not saying that boys have to stop being rambuncious, super active or stop playing with trucks; they are simply saying that violence doesnt have to be involved. Men and boys are responsible for at least 85% of violence in the U.S. With a changing community, boys no longer have to hold all of their emotions, or be so violent. The main thing that feminists are trying to get across is that you can still be a boy or a man without violence. One of the better advice books that Kimmel has seen was written by a man and a woman together; explaining that changes can happen, and that those who say boys will be boys are not actually helping the situation but worsening it. "Boys will be boys" is giving men and boys the right to be violence, act out, and be uncivilized; hurting the imiage of men and being extremely offensive to those who are trying to change how men are seen. I 100% agree that the "boys will be boys" statement is undoing and harming beliefs that may have been set for young boys now. It is not an excuse for someone to act out. I found an article which takes more of the excuse for young men route. It explains to mothers that you have to understand that boys are adventurous and that they need energy releases, unlike girls. I believe that it is completely "boys will be boys" mentality driven. http://www.brainy-child.com/article/boys-behavior.shtml
Tuesday, October 9, 2012
Lorde "The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle The Master's House" REFLECTION
The picture that comes to many people's minds when shown the word "feminist" is a white, lesbian woman who probably is dressed down like a man. Many also only believe that fighting for womans rights have only stemmed from the right to vote, but it goes much deeper and includes so many more woman. In the article " The Master's Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master's House" Audre Lorde she connects with so many other woman by telling them that she is a black lesbian femminist.
Patriarchy is mentioned numerous times in the article. The comparison between a male dominated family and your not so common woman/ woman family is put in the spotlight by the restrictiveness that the woman often has to endure. She also explains how so many woman lead their lives but choose to ignore the fact that it is run by the patriarichal ideal. What was interesting to me was the way she explained a woman to woman family run house hold; the two woman are not fighting for the power of who is the more dominant, but they are working together, the are looking for a "redemptive" relationship. I have seen many different family dynamics, and the ones with the same sex parents seem to be less stressful with the children, less fighting (that I can see). Lorde believes that pregnancy is the only social power open to woman, and sadly unless the woman in the relationship has a higher paying job, that is often what she is used for. You can revert back to the old ages where the womans only duty was to have children, and she see's it as a problem that many woman face.
What I dont agree with Lordes about is that we are stuck with the tools that our family is made from, and no matter how hard we try we can never get out; that the master is keeping us down. I believe that we can get out of any situation that comes upon us. Because of all of the education there are ways out, help services, and many people to lean on. It is your responsibility of you want a change. You cannot see the masters house as your only source of support, you wont get out. One things that I found amusing about this article was when she points out that there really is no difference between the daily manifestations of marital slavery and prostitution. It made me laugh at first because I immediatly thought "of course there is!" and then came to the realization that they are both stuck in "jobs" that are go no where and at the same time are oppressing woman.
Men are not the only ones oppressing women, its also women doing unto others. Although womans rights and feminism have been researched heavily, Lorde explains that there is a huge problem of rascist feminism: people involved with spreading feminism, but not for the whole of woman, often third world woman and woman who are not white are left out or forgotten. Lorde uses the example " The woman who clean your house, tend to your children while you attend conferences on feminist theory, for the most part are poor woman, and woman of color." THESE ARE WOMAN TOO!
Lordes had a very eventful life figting for women of all color, sexuality, class and age.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorde
Patriarchy is mentioned numerous times in the article. The comparison between a male dominated family and your not so common woman/ woman family is put in the spotlight by the restrictiveness that the woman often has to endure. She also explains how so many woman lead their lives but choose to ignore the fact that it is run by the patriarichal ideal. What was interesting to me was the way she explained a woman to woman family run house hold; the two woman are not fighting for the power of who is the more dominant, but they are working together, the are looking for a "redemptive" relationship. I have seen many different family dynamics, and the ones with the same sex parents seem to be less stressful with the children, less fighting (that I can see). Lorde believes that pregnancy is the only social power open to woman, and sadly unless the woman in the relationship has a higher paying job, that is often what she is used for. You can revert back to the old ages where the womans only duty was to have children, and she see's it as a problem that many woman face.
What I dont agree with Lordes about is that we are stuck with the tools that our family is made from, and no matter how hard we try we can never get out; that the master is keeping us down. I believe that we can get out of any situation that comes upon us. Because of all of the education there are ways out, help services, and many people to lean on. It is your responsibility of you want a change. You cannot see the masters house as your only source of support, you wont get out. One things that I found amusing about this article was when she points out that there really is no difference between the daily manifestations of marital slavery and prostitution. It made me laugh at first because I immediatly thought "of course there is!" and then came to the realization that they are both stuck in "jobs" that are go no where and at the same time are oppressing woman.
Men are not the only ones oppressing women, its also women doing unto others. Although womans rights and feminism have been researched heavily, Lorde explains that there is a huge problem of rascist feminism: people involved with spreading feminism, but not for the whole of woman, often third world woman and woman who are not white are left out or forgotten. Lorde uses the example " The woman who clean your house, tend to your children while you attend conferences on feminist theory, for the most part are poor woman, and woman of color." THESE ARE WOMAN TOO!
Lordes had a very eventful life figting for women of all color, sexuality, class and age.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lorde
Wednesday, October 3, 2012
RI Breast cancer license plates!
pro jo link Gov Chafee is presenting a new plate for Breast Cancer awareness month, you can buy the plate for $41.50 and the state will take $20 and donate it to the state Department of Health's women's Cancer Screening
Program, which provides mammograms for uninsured and under insured women
between the ages of 40 and 49!
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Economic Justice as a Feminist issue
While examining the working class persectives for the Center of the Working Class, I came across many stoylines that I like many are all too familiar with, the single parent with an alright job trying to support their family, two parents who still cannot manage to make enough, or even the kids right out of high school or college that just cant seem to find a job that pays adequatly.
The Center for the working class providedmany useful links to government websites where misuses of payroll can be reported. Also the website listed what your employer can and cannot do in regaurds to how you are paid. Many of the links were about working overtime and not being compensated for your full hours. I first handedly know how it feels to work fifty plus hours a week and then my paycheck says that I only worked 40. As a waitress the overall mentality is that you dont work for your paychecks, you work for your tips, but then again every penny counts.
I once was assigned to read "Nickl and Dimed" by Barabra Ehrenreich, I consider it one of the most influencial books that I have read in my college career. Wiki Nickel and Dimed. This woman who is a well known journalist set out to try and live on minimum wage. Taking any job she could get she attempted to make it in over three cities, sadly she was not successful. Like many other woman, some of the only jobs she could get were cleaning houses, waitressing or working at a walmart where she faced problems with union and pay.
On the PBS website, people like us attempted to show that although it may not seem like it, there are many people who you would not think were working class but are. One of the things that I disliked about the PBS website is that it almost reinforced the sterotypes through the games that they had. In one of the games it told you if you were working class or not by the items that you chose. One of the items that really stood out to me was the gun rack that you could put in "your living room". The gun rack represented working class because some people hunt for their food, yet there are plenty of wealthy people who are gun collectors and would love having a gun rack in their living room. The website tried to open our minds about who is working class yet I believe it did the opposite. I really hope that the movie doesn't convey that message as well.
The Center for the working class providedmany useful links to government websites where misuses of payroll can be reported. Also the website listed what your employer can and cannot do in regaurds to how you are paid. Many of the links were about working overtime and not being compensated for your full hours. I first handedly know how it feels to work fifty plus hours a week and then my paycheck says that I only worked 40. As a waitress the overall mentality is that you dont work for your paychecks, you work for your tips, but then again every penny counts.
I once was assigned to read "Nickl and Dimed" by Barabra Ehrenreich, I consider it one of the most influencial books that I have read in my college career. Wiki Nickel and Dimed. This woman who is a well known journalist set out to try and live on minimum wage. Taking any job she could get she attempted to make it in over three cities, sadly she was not successful. Like many other woman, some of the only jobs she could get were cleaning houses, waitressing or working at a walmart where she faced problems with union and pay.
On the PBS website, people like us attempted to show that although it may not seem like it, there are many people who you would not think were working class but are. One of the things that I disliked about the PBS website is that it almost reinforced the sterotypes through the games that they had. In one of the games it told you if you were working class or not by the items that you chose. One of the items that really stood out to me was the gun rack that you could put in "your living room". The gun rack represented working class because some people hunt for their food, yet there are plenty of wealthy people who are gun collectors and would love having a gun rack in their living room. The website tried to open our minds about who is working class yet I believe it did the opposite. I really hope that the movie doesn't convey that message as well.
Wednesday, September 5, 2012
post 1 : about me
As you can see from my blog, my name is Abbey. I'm from Windsor Ct, a little town stuck between Hartford, and the airport in Windsor Locks and also between city life and farmland. I currently live in North Providence year round (dorm life wasn't for me). I work full time at Congress Tavern in downtown Providence and I babysit on occasion. This past summer I worked, took a summer course and traveled to northern Vermont and to D.C and Baltimore. When not in class im either working, sleeping, hiking, or hanging out with friends or family. The reason im taking this course is because I have filled my major and minor requirements with extra credits that need to be filled (and it seemed like it could be interesting). Hopefully I am introduced to many new things that I had not known before.
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