OUTLAW

The transgender population grows day by day. With that, the criticism and hatred of that population grows. Personally, I have had many encounters with the transgendered population; my family even through a Drag Queen fundraiser at a bar to raise money when my grandmother fell ill with breast cancer. The large amounts of criticism and hatred towards the transgendered community is a just a constant flow of stupid that stems from society's xenophobia. New prejudices have taken over the traditional ones, as the ideas and concepts of gender change. Society fears things that are different than the "norm". The social construct of gender is so fixed into what we are "suppose" to be. These strict norms that we are all suppose to adhere to create severe consequences and reactions. People are killed at the hands of bigots and those afraid of something that might not fit into what they have been taught to see as a man or woman. The cultural revolution that comes from the explosion of the great numbers of the transgendered population is frightening for some, and the ignorance and fright causes tragic results.

A Question of Class

In contemporary society, you (and often times, your family) create a social and economic stance for yourself. Those who are in the lower classes are viewed as the pariahs of a society that is ruled by the high class. Of course, you can fight and become a member of this exclusive club; through hard work, termination, and overall, expensive education. The social system that exists within American society is unchanging, it seems that you can only break out of the rigid top class, yet there is no way that you can break in; unless you make a million or two. The rich and famous are the ones who have the advantage in society, the world of socialites and heiresses. In a Question of Class from Women's Lives, the author gives the gritty view of the poor in the south, she questions the romanticized view that is present in movies and books, and shows a world of hunger, self-hatred and violence. The author tells of her struggle with her abuse from her stepfather, and how it continued mainly based on her mother's economic strain and inability to support her children on her own. In this class of severe poverty and low social standing, the author's family do not fight to get out, as is often the surreal view of the working poor, the ideology of the American Dream, and how anyone can achieve it. The members of this class are realists, cynical to the idea of change. Within this story, the characters do not fight their class standing, they only fight to survive. The low class poor is a world all within the American class system that most people have never been introduced to. The severe poverty that is talked about is becoming more of a reality for a lot of people based on the economy right now. The story was an eye opener for me because who knows how many people are going to be a part of a class such as this in just a matter of months. The world of prostitution and sugar daddies is not something that sounds appealing to me; it was so easy for this to happen to generations of families before me, will it be my family next?

The Body Politic

Anorexia and bulimia are infectious diseases that ravage mainly young females of today. The finger pointing of fault can be aimed in a multitude of directions. Mainstream culture socializes females to want, to need to be smaller than a size four. Women who are stick thin are viewed as the epitome of the female form, those whose bodies you should strive for, those who you should look up to, and model your self around. Or it could be blamed on some severe mental health issues. In The Body Politic, the author gives the literal definition of anorexia, which is "loss of appetite". I found this a bit ironic, as anorexia nervosa, the disease, is the squashing and hindering of your appetite. It is not the voluntary act of "losing" something, it is the intentional act of pushing something away, to have that control over your body, whether it being healthy or not. While everyone knows that anorexia is not healthy, that it can lead to severe health issues later in life, the mass media of our society does not necessarily chastise it. It does not push the idea of sticking your finger down your throat, or not eating for days;instead it takes a more subtle stance, and points its spotlight on those celebrities and public "figures" that do fit into the cocaine-chic ideals of a female body. Anorexia nervosa and bulimia nervosa have become social phenomena. Eating disorders have become such a normalcy in American culture that the shock value of a young girl sticking her finger down her throat is almost nonexistent. In The Body Politic, the author speaks of her experiences with struggling in her anorexic days. The most obscene part of it all in my opinion is the applause and congratulations she got for her stick thin body, while she was slowing dieing. The intense obsession that we all have with the female body, and the fight to make it "perfect" is so ridiculous it's leaving poor young girls in the dust. Another point that the author brought up was that anorexia was patriarchy at its finest. "I digested the connection between a nation of starving, self-obsessed women and the continued success of the patriarchy." The ideal women that all strive to be, or fight against is one that is at the hands of the male view of what a female should be. These women who suffer from anorexia are viewed as powerless, ready to be saved and consumed by her male counterpart. Anorexia itself, is instantly gendered to the young female, submitting herself to the patriarchal views of "healthy" and "beautiful".

"Who Am I If I Am Not My Father's Daughter?"

We are all socialized to think a certain way that is pertinent to both society and our individual cultures. For some, it is to judge the outside world with the lens of white, Christian, middle class America. Others to be totally accepting of those around them. One of the biggest challenges for people to overcome is to forget about the boxes society makes and to just choose the path that is suitable to their beliefs. In the story "Who Am I If I'm Not my father's Daughter?", the author tells of her personal struggle with those social constructs and how even in her adult days, she struggles. The author uses anecdotes from her childhood and her adult life to create the space of her coming to terms with both her gender and cultural identity. The realization she has that she does not fit into the box her parents (with her father as the prime example) and the generations before them, created for her is an epiphany that many people go through. This article was especially interesting to me because of the ultimate message she puts out there. She lets the reader know exactly what her point of view is; no misconceptions can be made. The story she creates, and the experiences she bring sup of her culture and the culture shocks she endured is something that I can definitely relate to. I find that almost everyday I have some experience, whether it be the smallest thing on the radar, or completely life changing, that changes my view on the world.

"Once an Enemy, Always an Enemy"

The reading Hanaan's House from Women's Lives presented a real world, current example of racial inequality and bias in the United States. The story that the author tells is one that has most likely played out in many households and neighborhoods. The rift that still exists in our country not only on an ethnic and racial background, but also religious background is the plague of our generation. Finger pointing and irrational behavior have caused tremendous difficulties within our society. The constant stream of hate and superiority that exists makes it impossible for change to happen. Within the story, the author brings up many instances of racial oppression that she has run into, and the most heart wrenching and difficult are within her personal relationships; such as a little girl letting her know that they would always be enemies because of their backgrounds. People scream for equality and justice for all, while within our homes and our neighbor's homes, barbaric statements are made, with the most recent victims being those of Middle Eastern descent. New racist jargon has been thrown into our vocabulary, replacing the old with new (with towel head being a colorful example). People point their finger at all Muslim, or even Middle-Eastern looking, people; when in reality terrorism cannot be blamed on one race or religion; it is a problem that stems from centuries of feuding and hatred. Now, a world is created where a little girl knows that you will always be enemies because of were you both come from. Racism and militarism seem to be walking down the road hand in hand; we interfered with Iraq because of the link that Saddam Hussein had with the attacks of 9/11; or that he had WEAPONS OF MASS DESTRUCTION. In reality, neither of these existed. Iraqis fit the stereotypical "description" of what a terrorist is; and while it is not the only reason, racism towards those of Middle Eastern descent is a definite factor. Personally, I am pretty pacifistic, I find this war completely useless and mainly a tool to spread old-world like imperialism in a new world, only this time with bigger guns.

He Works, She Works, but What Different Impressions They Make

This article was so blunt for me, I found it enlightening. The binary that exists within society of the man and woman goes far beyond just the basic gender and biological sex of a person, it is constructed into the way society perceives us- and the battle within the workforce space for equality is one of the largest conquests. The two column set up of the article instantly causes the reader to process the binaries and oppressive tone within the work force. Personally, I have only worked in the female dominated area of child care. I have seen the reverse of this patriarchal oppression, the the discrimination against men who work in the field. The complex system of work force oppression, while predominanty aimed towards women, does go both ways. For this articles sake, though, the responses to the male and the female employee are undeniably realistic. I have heard statements similar to these within my own family that before this course, I did not question. The patriarchal set up of the work force and the gendering that exists makes it extremeley difficult for working women to push forward.

Chapter 3 From WL

From Chapter 3 from Women's Lives, the author delves into the social construction of the female body and body image, relying heavily on the social norms for a woman. She breaks the article down into three separate overarching sections; and in some cases, breaks those down into even smaller sections. For me, I found the section on Resisting Body Stereotypes to be the most interesting. The author discusses the differences in beauty ideas between the middle white class idea of beauty and those that conflict with it; such as African American or Jewish American culture views. Being a young woman, my friends and I fight with both the middle class idea of beauty, and our own culture's ideas of what beauty is. While there are the ideas of beauty that contradict the box of what beauty is supposed to be, there is still the influencing umbrella of popular society. While women fight against these ideas, there are still those women who fight to fit into this box; whether it be through diet, exercise, plastic surgery or eating disorders. The goal of a "perfect body" is completely unattainable. No matter what, the dictator that is popular culture will still be able to find something wrong with you.

Radical Heterosexuality

While we were not assigned this article, I was flipping through Women's Lives, and the title, Radical Heterosexuality, caught my eye. The author, Naomi Wolf, challenges the traditional idea of a feminist. She creates a baffling persona of a feminist, one who hates sexism yet still loves men. Throughout the article she challenges the stereotypical man hating feminist, and constructs one that while being able to love the opposite gender, still fights for the equal treatment of women. This article stood out because of the idea of feminism that the author is searching for is one that many do not see possible. The feminist she is creating is one that I find commendable. Yet, to most, being a radical heterosexual female is often an enigma. Feminism has been traditionally constructed to be "butch" lesbians; unladylike with super short hair, wearing mens clothing, and burning their bras in city centers. The author fights to design an idea of a feminist that is accepting of all areas; whether straight, lesbian or bisexual, of women fighting for equality. She goes on to tell of the "Men We Love". She searches for a man that sees her on an equal plane, one who also fights for the equality of women. I thought this article was a way to step out of the usual idea of what a feminist was; a way to show that straight women can be feminists, as well; and just because they choose to love the man, they can still hate sexism.

abstract

Ashley Smith
10887589
Women’s Studies 200: Gender and Power
Margo Tamez


In the traditional construction of American society, males must be hegemonically masculine and females must be hegemonically feminine. In our culture and many cultures around the world, a person’s biological sex and the gender you see fit for yourself are synonymous, when it often does not turn out that way. People battle with the constricting traditional views on gender seeking to create their own take on it. For my final project, I want to research differing gender roles among not only American culture, but Asian, African, and European cultures. Both males and females within these societies go beyond the basic boundaries to create different gender identities. Throughout the past semester, many of the readings dealt directly with the issue of gender identity, and the issue was present in every blog at one point. Gender is created differently for every person, especially within the college community, where students have their minds opened to ways of being they may not have felt comfortable with prior to their arrival. Interviews will be essential to my project, providing direct experiences and ideas from a younger and more unique point of view.

Faciliation for March 30, 2009

Ashley Smith

Facilitation: Feminisms Black OriginsAnn. "Feminism’s Black Origins (from Ann)."

The Primary Contradiction. 2006. 30 Mar. 2009.

Key Words: Black, women, white, womanhood, race, gender, issues, history, masters, sexual, equality, slavery, spirit, revolutionary, active, America, feminist, socialism, lesbian, group, political, oppression, fought

Key Phrases: difficulties in gender; insensitive to the problems that black women face; ALL women are due as fellow human beings; dominant thinking; pursue the right to vote; black women’ white women; Jim Crow laws; National Black Feminist Organization

Key-ideas:

• The article gives a brief overview of the major movements in both the Civil Rights Movement, and in the feminist movement that were undertaken by black women
• The article provides many exceptional examples of how black women have contributed to liberation of both women and black people alike
• The article makes it clear that the author believes that for too long white women have been seen as the founders of the feminist movement, and women of color have been left behind
• The article comes from the point of view of a black woman, and gives insight into how complex the black (and other Women of Color) feminist movement is
• The author, Ann, breaks down the black feminist timeline into waves.

Quotes:

“Given the discursive power of race, black feminists have not had the privilege of abandoning the construction of a singular identity, though they recognize the plural identities of their own existence.”

“As much as they would like to think they are the owners of it, white women are not the ORIGINAL feminists. WOC are.”

This quote works as the thesis of the author’s argument. While I do not agree completely with the statement, it is quite the powerful one to make. I think that you cannot pick one race, one person, or even one time when feminism began. The author’s claim is a little bit too black and white; it lacks the comparison needed to see when the first feminist thought was made. I believe that it is impossible to decipher when the first feminist thought or act was taken; you cannot put a time and place on a progressive thought. While I do agree that women of color have been left out of the traditional ideas of feminism for being placed first as activists within their race, not their gender; I also believe that the fight for justice and equality for all is not something that can be time stamped.

Questions:

1. Do believe that it is possible to pick one binary, women of color or white women, as the original feminists?

2. Have women of color been left out of the records for the feminist movement because of their race, or did they have an equal chance?

Militarism

In "Chapter 13: Militarism and Violence" from Inequality & Violence in the United States: Causalities of Capitalism, Chasin defines militarism as the "maintenance of a large military establishment that goes far beyond the needs of national defense, the ideas that justify military actions, and the actions themselves." Within the chapter, Chasin takes an in depth look on how militarism in the United States is associated with all three types of violence. She makes a point of how militarism adds to the destruction (over time) of democracy. Militarism makes it almost impossible for a country to be democratic without violence being essential to its success. This is apparent in countries around the world, especially in the United States. The US relies on having a large military, its latest escapades being the conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq. The United States, as of right now, is in a severe economic recession, and it is apparent how much of the wars and conflicts that we are involved in provide grave downturns for our economic stature. The goal of these conflicts is to bring democracy and freedom to everyone involved, but it, in turn, makes it incredibly difficult for any progress to happen when thousands are dieing from both sides. As of today, April 24, 2009; 4277 United States soldiers have died in Iraq since the 5/1/2003; and in Afghanistan 679 since 2001. These are just military deaths. Contractor deaths in Iraq are 1264; and the number of journalist deaths in Iraq is 139. All together, that equals 6,359 American soldiers and civilians (those being the contractors and journalists) have died. If you go to http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2003/iraq/forces/casualties/2009.04.html, there is a complete list (along with information about them and a picture) of all those who have died in the Iraq conflict. This is nothing compared to the 1,320,110 Iraqi deaths that is estimated by antiwar.com. The number of total Iraqi deaths can only be an estimate, as there is no actual count or record of how many Iraqis die. I believe that Iraq has become a wasteland, and Saddam Hussein is not necessarily the overlord that created it; the imperialistic, militaristic agenda of the American government is.

Mid-Term with Pictures

1. Food shortage and spreading cholera epidemic further destabilizes Zimbabwe

http://www.thetakeaway.org/media/photologue/photos/cache/zimbabwe_large_image.jpg

In this image, there is a long line of women and children waiting in line to get a chance at getting clean drinking water in the Zimbabwean capital, Harare,. The image gives a look into the troubles that Zimbabwe is infested with, one of them being a lack of clean water for all inhabitants. The image provides a backdrop for the cholera epidemic that hit the country last August and still ravages today, leaving 3,688 dead (http://www.cbc.ca/health/story/2009/02/17/zimbabwe-msf.html?ref=rss). The struggle for power in the country, and extreme division between the rich and poor, and the lack of clean water for all sets a doomsday on the country. In the picture, the poor are the ones who are represented providing not only a backdrop for the cholera epidemic, but also the strict class divides that are present in Zimbabwe today.

2. Hitman: Blood Money

http://www.gamepro.com/article/features/53254/the-most-controversial-video-game-ads-of-all-time-page-2/

In an ad that ran in April 2006 for a PC gaming magazine, sexualized violence is the obvious theme. From the provocative way that the woman is laying, to the bullet wound in her skull to the shoes on her feet, the ad screams sex. She’s in a sexual position that is often construed as “take me now”, giving the viewer a mixed image of what the video game is really about. The woman is meant to be taken over by the men who play this murdering game, and she is used as a ploy to get young males to buy this video game. She is a part of the Dream World, where women are for the taking, mere objects to be used and abused. The header for the ad reads “Beautifully Executed”, making the themes of sex and murder, in this ad, almost synonymous.

3. Well, at Least He Drives a Prius

http://www.autobloggreen.com/photos/well-at-least-he-drives-a-prius/673794/

When looking at this ad, it struck me as an ad essentially promoting violence. It shows a man dragging (presumably) a dead body into a lake, with the caption “Well, at least he drives a Prius”. The ad feeds into how society accepts violence, especially when it comes from men. It excuses it because the man drives an environmentally friendly car. This ad was a part of a string of controversial ads that Toyota ran for its Prius car, the other two with more sexual connotations. The ads in general were poor acts on the Toyota Company’s part. I chose this one out of the three because of the blatant violence that was present. At first, I found it mildly amusing, and then I started to think of how the company was making it apparent that they were okay with malicious violence such as murder.

4. No Easter Egg Hunt This Year

http://www.prometheus6.org/send/send/23696

This picture was sent in an email by a Californian mayor to friends that caused a monstrous controversy that lead to him resigning. The picture shows the White house lawn filled with watermelons. The image is blatantly racist and aimed at President Obama. It is stereotyping African Americans, with the age old “black people love watermelon”. I first saw this picture while watching a late night talk show, and was instantly offended. It attacks the president based on his race, and demeans his place in power. With Obama elected, people screamed of the changes that would occur and that finally racially inequality was gone; but insensitive images like this only prove that racial inequality is still a problem in US society. Merely electing a black president is not going to instantly get rid of social inequality when ignorance such as this still plagues people who are in government positions.

Defining Power and Gender

Defining Gender and Power

Gender is not merely the sex of a person, what body parts they have or do not have. Gender is the social construct that all of us grow up with. We are told to behave like a lady, or be a man. Gendering starts when we wake up in the morning and plays out all day long. Most men and women play into the roles, or boxes, of what gender they are supposed to fall into; but some consciously fight against these roles, creating the term gender bending for those who bend the traditional roles of what gender is supposed to be. Gender is defined, socially, by the clothes we wear, the makeup we choose put on (or choose not to), the way we hold ourselves and the way we are seen by others.


Power has many different levels. There are different types, and different ways that power is executed. There can be physical power, the power of words and even power of emotions. Power can be seen as muscles, or large stature, but it is also the ability to convince people to believe what you want them to, or has the capacity to get someone to do something that you want them to. Power is often unequal in almost every relationship, whether it is between friends, an intimate relationship, or in a family.

GROUP NUMBER TWO!!! read me :)

Here is the stuff she put up in class... Sorry it took so long
Wednesday

• 1 Presenter
• Groups: Writers/Scribes
• Observers (A): Write, compose and organized narrative of your detail
• Observers (B):Write, compose and organized narrative of your detail

Appoint 1+ Observers

A.: Who Will Analyze:

1. Challenges in defining power and gender
2. Resistance among members of group
3. Agreement making in group

B.:Who's Job it is to:

1. Note the gaps: Who speaks? Who Listens?
2. Who Organizes: The flow of conversation, the flow of knowledge
3. What are the constraints on producing a "coherent" narrative of gender and power
4. What are people's expectations in the group?

Patriarchal Terrorism

The phrase "patriarchal terrorism" is used by sociologist Michael P. Johnson as a way to conceputalize the violence by male figures in some families. Growing up, my best friend, lets call her Jane, was abused by her father on a daily basis. Being nine, I did not quite understand what the bruises and burn marks meant. As I got older, our famlilies (being military families) grew apart and about six months ago, I got a chilling call from my mom. My best friends mother was in the hospital from a deadly beating that she got from her husband. Even to this day, I do not understand how she stayed for those ten years in a relationship that was completely belittling and physically harmful to both her and her children. While reading Chapter 11: Interpersonal Gender Violence, my complete relationship with Jane and the rest of her family came to mind. The patriarchal terrorism that played out in that family relied heavily on the general idea that you are not suposed to interfere with other people's households. While thinking about why Jane's mother did not leave, I read that minimally, 50% of women in an abusive household leave. The reasons why are definitely hard to pinpoint. But I think the fact that affordable housing today is so hard to find, especially for women, domestic violence (if the woman decides to leave) becomes a cause for homelessness for women, could play a part. I think that if we really wanted domestic violence, and the patriarchal terrorism to end, then we would help those women who put themselves out because they are in danger. After reading this chapter, I went to the The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World and looked at the chapters on Domestic Violence and looked at the figures for the United States. 23 women a week are killed by intimates. Thinking of Jane's mom, and how lucky she is to be alive, of all women murdered between 1976 and 2005, 43% were by an intimate. 22%-35% of women who visit a hopsital Emergency Room do so because of domestic violence. Sometimes the enemy is not overseas hiding in a cave, but rather in your best friends bedroom, beating her until she is black and blue. The whole world turning a blind eye, because what happens in a family is a personal matter, and you just do not intrude on the lives of others.

Lyrics versus Images-Dreamworlds 2

While watching Dream Worlds 2, the videos that were all crammed into that film I had seen before. Some of the words to the songs played out in my head, distracting me from the content of the movie. This brought up an interesting point to me. Since birth, I had been shown these images, but never thought twice about them-until now. For me, I think that the words of the songs, whether they be lust, love, or just plain old bumping and grinding, take away from the deliberate meaning 0f the images portrayed. In my mind, the rump shaking and scantily clad women fit into what the music artist was talking (or singing) about, making it almost okay for the women to be portrayed in this way. If a women is doing all these things, even participating in a little girl-on-girl action, but the artist claims that it's all for the love baby, then its smiled upon because it is good to see a nice pretty girl snag a good man. That is the ultimate goal. To get married and have lots and lots of babies who will then keep the cycle going... circle of life. While this is all fine and well, the means by how we accomplish this goal worry me. Music videos, the very same in Dreamworlds 2, tell women that to get a man (and to keep him) you must be thin, have amazing hair, be able to dance like nobody's business, and of course, be drop dead gorgeous. Of course, I disagree with all of this. This videos are merely a dreamworld, these women are the minority of the female population, and because of the "respect" mainstream culture has for these music video divas, they, the minority, have a huge impact on both the female and male population.

Women and Domestic Violence

When I opened The Penguin Atlas of Women in the World to chapters 7-9, I was hit with bright colors and numbers... Many many numbers. I started to read the two pages in my western, left to right way. The startling numbers jumped off of the page; instantly making me compare the numbers of so many killed a year... or a week... to that nations total population. I read the little snippet about the percentage of how many women believe it is okay for "a husband to beat his wife for one or more specific reasons-burning food..."(28). For Egypt, 94% of women believe that it is acceptable for husbands to beat the wife. The other day I was talking to a friend of mine, who is half Egyptian, and another friend of Mexican descent. I brought up this fact, and the first girl replied to me, agreeing with the fact. It startled me; but I thought about how she plays the role of the stereotypical woman. She believes that women do belong in the kitchen, she is often taken advantage of (not in a sexual way) by male friends of ours. The oppression of women goes both ways- women often accept it. I kept on reading and the next eye opening facts were talking about so-called "honor killings". The mere idea of a woman being killed just because they were sexually inappropriate for that specific society. The highest number was in Pakistan for the year 2006, with 4,100+. And then it kept on going... The number of women killed by Domestic Violence... the number of cases reported... And I felt my heart go out to women who are defenseless and who society has deemed as lesser beings. Each day women are killed by husbands... boyfriends... stalkers... step fathers.... whomever, merely because the male views them as something to be used, something that when they are done or if it doesn't work properly, they can just be thrown away.

Roxanne Roxanne

I grew up with a Hip Hop. Blasted from every television, every c.d., every car stereo. The music I listened to was not the same hip hop that is on the airwaves today. While reading Love Feminism but Where's My Hip Hop?", I knew exactly what she meant by "rap music... offers space for public dialogues about love, romance.." My parents were very much into the rap of the 1980s and 1990's and into my early teens I listened to all of the rappers the author lists and so much more. I knew the lyrics, I idolized those hip hop divas. I also understood the audacity that some male rappers had. The music blasting from the stereo would speak lustfully of watching women walk down the streets, and the plans "to bang Roxanne" (Roxanne, Roxanne by UTFO). In almost all of these songs written by male MC's, they were merely making a world where "women are portrayed as objects of conquest" (89). In this world, to fulfill my role as a bi-racial woman, I needed to wear short little spandex skirts and dance with my ass sticking out. But, there were also those songs that spoke of love, that made me dance around the house singing at the top of my lungs like a crazy little 8 year old.... the romance and not just wanting to chase that "skirt", but to keep her, and treat her right. I see the competing ideals in hip hop that was evident in its prime-the 1980s. I was born and raised in it. I was taught to value my body, and to be able to realize that not all men valued me for the right reasons like the men in my family. I loved the author's connection between feminism and hip hop.... Something that has been a staple in my life in all 19 years, could also be a reflection of society's sexist views.

A Black Feminist Statement

While reading A Black Feminist Statement, an article from Women's Lives, there were many things in the article that I related to and disagreed with. I felt that the author did a great job in telling me, the reader, the struggle that her and her colleagues went through to get any form of equality, not just within white society, but with black men as well. She quoted a black man who said, "Women cannot do the same things as men-they are made by nature to function differently" (39). I wish that I could say that this is the first time I've heard this. She talks about sexism within the black community, and how it was just another struggle for equality for black women. I think that the struggle for equality is not always about white against black, female against male; I think the hardest battle is not just breaking through those barriers, but also just within your own culture-your own community that you have to fight through.
Something else that she talked about was a stranger, more subtle form of sexism. She does not want to be seen as a queen or put on a pedestal. "To be recognized as human, levelly human, is enough" (39). When I first read the quote, I laughed a little. Not in a mocking sense, but in agreement. Instead of being taught that women are lesser beings then men, some younger men are taught to put their girlfriends, and the girls they are courting on a pedestal.. To treat her like a princess, buy her pretty things, take her pretty places, open the door for her, stand up for her. Why can't I do these things myself? I'm not gonna lie, it's nice when someone opens the door for me, but is it a symbol for women being weak? Am I not able to buy myself that purse I'm looking at, or to be the one who asks you out, or when some jerk cuts me off, is unladylike for me to flip them the finger; does this make me scary? More manly? Am I too aggressive?

Body Bag Journalism

In Chapter Two of Inequality and Violence in the United States, the author uses a term that for some reason stood out. On page 34, Chasin goes into detail about television news and how its main topic is crime stories. This is not the first time that I have heard the crazy idea of people who relay the news to me are searching for ratings.... and to them it is by instilling fear into me. Stories of murder and rape and missing children fill the nightly news. She then drops a few phrases that are used by the television news.... "if it bleeds, it leads"; "a lurid crime report with a high body count will.. become the lead story, no matter how insignificant its actual news value" and my personal favorite "body-bag journalism" (34). For me, it seems like the medias need for that sensational, violent, and high body count story, helps to fuel the fire of American violence. I'm not saying that the media asks for the violence, or that people who illicit violent reactions are responding to the news; but it makes me think of those killers and rapists who, for whatever reason, are searching for glory in their violent acts. Another thing that I found startling and a little sickening, was on page 33, when the author brings up George Gerbner. He "is convinced that economic motives explain much media content. Violence, he claims, is a 'good commodity for the global market'" (33). While this can apply to anything from sitcoms, to video games to movies; in my mind I created a connection between Gerbner's statement and the channel four news I watch before I go to bed each night. The bottom line for a news service is getting those coveted ratings- they want people to watch... their advertisers who pay those big bucks to have a slot in their evening news, want people to watch. I find it ridiculous that something we have, the freedom of speech and the right to have a free press, is now marketable. We are told the stories that they (media conglomerates) want us to hear.