The difference between global and transnational feminism is that transnational feminism does not lump common interests together and instead attempts to form autonomous affinity groups across boundaries the world-over. In order to get past the identity problem when it comes to the identity category of “woman”, feminists must think only about the diversity associated with the different experiences of each individual woman. Every woman has experienced a different path in life, and must be judged by those experiences and not by their gender.
Some critical parts of a gender justice framework, in my opinion, should include the importance of deterring racism and race inequality as well. While we always highlight the importance of establishing feminine equality among the male race, it is always important to remember that the prevention of racism should work hand in hand with these efforts. Although racism is no where near as bad today as it was in the past, it is still a prevalent issue in America. It is not just with African Americans either. Racism involving the black community receives a lot more attention than racism involving the Hispanic and Asian communities.
Also, I must add, my best friend (who is an African American) and I had a discussion last night and she told me that she hates the term ‘racism’. When I asked why, she stated, “We’re all of the same race. We’re all of the human race, so it doesn’t make sense to call it racism.” I have to agree with her. I never really saw it in that perspective before. So instead of calling it ‘racism’, we started a new term. We are now substituting ‘racism’ for ‘colorism’. Colorism is the act of discriminating against an individual for the color of their skin.
To get back on track, I think that ‘third women’ are resentful of Western feminists because sometimes Western feminists try to force their ideals on ‘third women’. Instead of forced coercion into adopting certain ideals, Western feminists must focus on instead giving support to third women by supporting the ideals and achievements that these women make. I do think that the earlier theories of feminism presented in this course were a bit hegemonic. None of the feminists really talk about the issues that global women find to be most prevalent. The feminists in these lectures mostly talk about the issues in the United States. If we took the opportunity to examine what these women all over the world see as the most pressing issue, we might be able to find a common ground with these women and would be better adapted in supporting their own motives.
Sunday, July 19, 2009
Sunday, July 12, 2009
Hetero/sexuality
I think the personal is political in my relationships, because I do not follow the stereotypical patterns in a relationship. Instead of being “girly” (as we discussed in previous modules – putting on pretty outfits, make-up, etc) and getting all dressed up to go out to dinner and expecting the guy to pay, I would be okay with playing video games for a couple of hours and both of us paying for the meal, or taking turns paying for meals on different dates.
I think socialization into gender affects intimacy in relationships because socialization tends to favor the man as being the dominant, heroic type. Girls are supposed to be “swept off their feet” because of the romance of the guy. Girls, in return, are expected to act cute or sexy in order to appear pleasing to the man. However, recently, I think that a lot of this has changed. Now days, some guys spend just as much time trying to look good for their significant other and try to act ‘sexy’. Girls also pay for their significant other’s meals more often now days as well.
I think homophobia discourages intimacy because it can be seen as ‘arrogant’ by other people, and it turns them away from that person. A lot more people encourage acceptance of all people, than others think. So when homophobia is acted out negatively, a lot of people are offended by this and their feelings for the homophobe are affected negatively. Also I think in general, people have a hard time being friends with someone of the same sex who is gay. For some reason, I believe that they fear that that person will hit on them or flirt with them, which is actually not true at all. If a gay person knows that you are straight, then they wont make any move to become intimate with you. That does NOT mean that you cannot be friends with that person.
Before college, I was definitely afraid to become friends with a lesbian because of some of the fears I listed above. Going into college, however, there were three lesbians that lived on my hall. When you live with three lesbians in your hall for a year, you start to realize that gay people are just people, and even more importantly they are people you can become good friends with. There’s no point in trying to discourage friendship with another person just because they are interested in members of the same sex as you are. Like I stated before, if they know you are straight, they won’t try and hit on you and it won’t make you gay by hanging out with people that are gay.
I think socialization into gender affects intimacy in relationships because socialization tends to favor the man as being the dominant, heroic type. Girls are supposed to be “swept off their feet” because of the romance of the guy. Girls, in return, are expected to act cute or sexy in order to appear pleasing to the man. However, recently, I think that a lot of this has changed. Now days, some guys spend just as much time trying to look good for their significant other and try to act ‘sexy’. Girls also pay for their significant other’s meals more often now days as well.
I think homophobia discourages intimacy because it can be seen as ‘arrogant’ by other people, and it turns them away from that person. A lot more people encourage acceptance of all people, than others think. So when homophobia is acted out negatively, a lot of people are offended by this and their feelings for the homophobe are affected negatively. Also I think in general, people have a hard time being friends with someone of the same sex who is gay. For some reason, I believe that they fear that that person will hit on them or flirt with them, which is actually not true at all. If a gay person knows that you are straight, then they wont make any move to become intimate with you. That does NOT mean that you cannot be friends with that person.
Before college, I was definitely afraid to become friends with a lesbian because of some of the fears I listed above. Going into college, however, there were three lesbians that lived on my hall. When you live with three lesbians in your hall for a year, you start to realize that gay people are just people, and even more importantly they are people you can become good friends with. There’s no point in trying to discourage friendship with another person just because they are interested in members of the same sex as you are. Like I stated before, if they know you are straight, they won’t try and hit on you and it won’t make you gay by hanging out with people that are gay.
Dis/ability
I think disability cannot be defined without referencing the idea of normal ability. In every definition of disability there is a mention of a flaw in a human’s physical, mental, or emotional condition. That, in and of itself, indirectly points out the notion that their normal ability is impaired. I think disability and stigma are related because they both point out physical defects in a human.
I don’t really think that fatness should be considered a ‘disability’. People make life decisions regarding what they eat and how much they exercise. Obesity is extremely preventable. I do not consider obesity a disability because people choose to be obese. People also choose to work against obesity and make themselves healthy. I think institutions are created with regard to normal ability by buildings things such a steep staircases for high schools and other levels of schooling, and some certain buildings do not have ramps that are wheelchair accessible.
I do not think it is possible to deconstruct socially constructed notions of disability. I think this is because human society is too judgmental. Even if we took away all the ramps, disability parking spots, brail signs, etc. we would still overanalyze a person to find their disability. If humans appear physically different or act physically different, a lot of us are quick to assume they have a disability and thus feel like they must be treated differently.
Disability theory and gender are related because we see that women are technically disabled because a lot of women are kept in the house to take care of their children and do not have the ‘normal ability’ to work. Descriptions of women as frail make it seem as if they have a disability in comparison to men who have normal abilities and are strong. It once again places women in the ‘subservient’ role in society.
I don’t really think that fatness should be considered a ‘disability’. People make life decisions regarding what they eat and how much they exercise. Obesity is extremely preventable. I do not consider obesity a disability because people choose to be obese. People also choose to work against obesity and make themselves healthy. I think institutions are created with regard to normal ability by buildings things such a steep staircases for high schools and other levels of schooling, and some certain buildings do not have ramps that are wheelchair accessible.
I do not think it is possible to deconstruct socially constructed notions of disability. I think this is because human society is too judgmental. Even if we took away all the ramps, disability parking spots, brail signs, etc. we would still overanalyze a person to find their disability. If humans appear physically different or act physically different, a lot of us are quick to assume they have a disability and thus feel like they must be treated differently.
Disability theory and gender are related because we see that women are technically disabled because a lot of women are kept in the house to take care of their children and do not have the ‘normal ability’ to work. Descriptions of women as frail make it seem as if they have a disability in comparison to men who have normal abilities and are strong. It once again places women in the ‘subservient’ role in society.
White Privilege
I think ‘white’ still holds a lot of power in society today. There are still cases in America where people of other races are arrested or found guilty of crimes more frequently than that of white people. I think ‘white’ was first used as a racial category probably as far back as the 16th or 17th century or even earlier. As long as there have been slaves and people of color around, the ‘white’ racial category has been around.
I think ‘white’ implies higher social status. While there have been movements – especially with Obama becoming the first African American President – towards other races receiving higher social status, white men and women still dominate the government. It took us this long to have an African American president, and even still a lot of members in Obama’s party are white men. Unfortunately, as a whole, society still sees white people as being the most powerful.
I think there is a such thing as white culture, but no one really pays attention to it because it has been the norm for hundreds of years. Things associated with being ‘American’ are sometimes associated with white culture, even though other races are most definitely ‘American’. I think it is hard to establish what would define ‘white culture’ because most of it is, like I said, associated with being an American, and also because there are many different branches that form what it is to be Caucasian. For example, a family might be Italian or Irish. If they are Italian they are frequently associated with loving a good wine, or eating things such as pasta or other traditional Italian dishes. If a family is Irish, they might be known to love alcohol, eat things like corn beef and cabbage, etc. Even if it is not true, a lot of people stereotype these nationalities.
I do not think that white can be used as a group name without invoking connotations of white supremacy. As long as people are still actively aware of the negative history associated with African Americans (the years in which they were enslaved), white supremacy will always be a term that is prevalent. Even as we try to move away from white supremacy, there are still institutions that remind us daily of its existence. I think whiteness and white supremacy are definitely linked. You could be white, working as a janitor, and have tons of best friends that are of a different race, and you would probably still be seen as being above certain races that hold the same job.
I think ‘white’ implies higher social status. While there have been movements – especially with Obama becoming the first African American President – towards other races receiving higher social status, white men and women still dominate the government. It took us this long to have an African American president, and even still a lot of members in Obama’s party are white men. Unfortunately, as a whole, society still sees white people as being the most powerful.
I think there is a such thing as white culture, but no one really pays attention to it because it has been the norm for hundreds of years. Things associated with being ‘American’ are sometimes associated with white culture, even though other races are most definitely ‘American’. I think it is hard to establish what would define ‘white culture’ because most of it is, like I said, associated with being an American, and also because there are many different branches that form what it is to be Caucasian. For example, a family might be Italian or Irish. If they are Italian they are frequently associated with loving a good wine, or eating things such as pasta or other traditional Italian dishes. If a family is Irish, they might be known to love alcohol, eat things like corn beef and cabbage, etc. Even if it is not true, a lot of people stereotype these nationalities.
I do not think that white can be used as a group name without invoking connotations of white supremacy. As long as people are still actively aware of the negative history associated with African Americans (the years in which they were enslaved), white supremacy will always be a term that is prevalent. Even as we try to move away from white supremacy, there are still institutions that remind us daily of its existence. I think whiteness and white supremacy are definitely linked. You could be white, working as a janitor, and have tons of best friends that are of a different race, and you would probably still be seen as being above certain races that hold the same job.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Romance and Relationships
I think my family reflects the normative U.S. family somewhat. Both of my parents work, but they value each other’s opinions and decisions about what to do within the household and outside of the household, equally. I think social institutions reinforce power relations in the family by issuing certain statements about the roles of women and men within the family that paints a picture and expectation of male dominance over the female. I think a lot of things in society need to be rewritten to express equality for both genders.
I think dating and romance scripts are taught through the media, mostly. I mean certainly young males and females hear about their parents experiences with dating, but considering that was a different generation, I think that they pick up most of their tips from TV shows, which is not always the best thing. I think these scripts teach us about the normative U.S. family by showing that through dating and romance, the initial signs of dominance of one sex over the other start to occur. Dating scripts hold up gender norms by showing what a female is supposed to do in a situation as opposed to what a male is supposed to do, and their roles are completely opposite of each other.
In my home, both of my parents clean equally now days. However this development was only recent. Before my mom got a job, she would clean the house every day and cook every day. She still cleans and cooks frequently, but now my dad tries to clean more to help her out. My mother still cooks, however. I am pretty lazy when it comes to chores, but I try and help my mom out with dinner and cleaning up after the dishes almost every day because I feel badly that she has to work all day and then come home and cook and clean.
Obviously, looking at what I just wrote, this definitely reflects typical social norms. I think that women’s and men’s different ways of communicating aren’t as stereotypical as mentioned in the module. My dad can be more talkative than all the women in our family put together, and we interrupt him frequently when he talks. He also tends to end sentence in a question formality. I don’t know if it’s because three women influenced him, or what. I think women’s and men’s different ways of communicating affect relationships a lot. I think women try too hard to gain a man’s attention and keep it. I wonder how different things would be if women initiated conversations in the same way men do.
I think dating and romance scripts are taught through the media, mostly. I mean certainly young males and females hear about their parents experiences with dating, but considering that was a different generation, I think that they pick up most of their tips from TV shows, which is not always the best thing. I think these scripts teach us about the normative U.S. family by showing that through dating and romance, the initial signs of dominance of one sex over the other start to occur. Dating scripts hold up gender norms by showing what a female is supposed to do in a situation as opposed to what a male is supposed to do, and their roles are completely opposite of each other.
In my home, both of my parents clean equally now days. However this development was only recent. Before my mom got a job, she would clean the house every day and cook every day. She still cleans and cooks frequently, but now my dad tries to clean more to help her out. My mother still cooks, however. I am pretty lazy when it comes to chores, but I try and help my mom out with dinner and cleaning up after the dishes almost every day because I feel badly that she has to work all day and then come home and cook and clean.
Obviously, looking at what I just wrote, this definitely reflects typical social norms. I think that women’s and men’s different ways of communicating aren’t as stereotypical as mentioned in the module. My dad can be more talkative than all the women in our family put together, and we interrupt him frequently when he talks. He also tends to end sentence in a question formality. I don’t know if it’s because three women influenced him, or what. I think women’s and men’s different ways of communicating affect relationships a lot. I think women try too hard to gain a man’s attention and keep it. I wonder how different things would be if women initiated conversations in the same way men do.
Theorizing Privilege
Prejudice affects my life I many ways. Personally, because I am a bit heavier than most girls, I have experienced that it is harder to easily make friends with others. Also, I do tend to dish out prejudice as well. If I see someone wearing a really short skirt, I will tend to prejudge them as being slutty. I see ideologies show up even at places such as JMU. A lot more of the English and creative writing courses that I have taken here have been taught by women. A lot more of the business courses I have taken have been taught by men. I think this also causes gender inequality. I feel that (though I do not know for certain) teachers in business courses get paid more than teachers in English courses.
I think hate crimes maintain systems of inequality by reinforcing aspects of racism. There are definitely more African Americans killed in hate crimes than Caucasians. Also hate crimes where an employer doesn’t hire a man because he’s black or white or asian encourages others to hold similar situations that bars opportunities for a specific race.
Some images of hate crimes that I can recall mostly revolved around gay males at my high school. These males were picked on and shunned in the boys’ locker rooms because the straight males didn’t want the gay males to ‘look at them’ in a certain way. Honestly, the situation infuriated me. I don’t see any point in shunning someone for being homosexual. If they aren’t purposely bothering you, then you have no reason to be so hostile to them.
I think hate crimes maintain systems of inequality by reinforcing aspects of racism. There are definitely more African Americans killed in hate crimes than Caucasians. Also hate crimes where an employer doesn’t hire a man because he’s black or white or asian encourages others to hold similar situations that bars opportunities for a specific race.
Some images of hate crimes that I can recall mostly revolved around gay males at my high school. These males were picked on and shunned in the boys’ locker rooms because the straight males didn’t want the gay males to ‘look at them’ in a certain way. Honestly, the situation infuriated me. I don’t see any point in shunning someone for being homosexual. If they aren’t purposely bothering you, then you have no reason to be so hostile to them.
Inscribing Gender on the Body
In beauty norms, power relations are reflected because women are expected to keep higher self-maintenance and hygiene than men. Also, it is more unacceptable for women to be overweight than it is for men. Beauty norms affect women more directly by encouraging women to go with the flow in terms of things such as fashion, make-up, and plastic surgery. I think that it affects men to some extent, but not nearly as much as women.
Beauty norms have affected me in several ways. I buy make-up constantly and it always takes me close to an hour to get myself ready to go out for the day. Also, I am currently trying to lose weight so that I can appear better physically. There are definitely things I like about my body. I like my eyes and my legs, but I think it will still be a long time until I can almost like everything about myself.
The connections of beauty standards to women’s health mostly have to do with people who are anorexic or bulimic, or even people that are overweight. When society pressures women to be a certain way, they might starve themselves, throw up their meals, or do the opposite and binge eat because food makes them feel good about themselves. Women can resist the beauty ideal by being comfortable with who they are and making fashion statements that instead of expressing society’s wants, express their own wants. Phallocentrism controls men’s bodies in the sense that it makes them feel like they have to practice being manly enough. It reinforces the idea that men are supposed to have hard attitudes and not express emotions.
Beauty norms have affected me in several ways. I buy make-up constantly and it always takes me close to an hour to get myself ready to go out for the day. Also, I am currently trying to lose weight so that I can appear better physically. There are definitely things I like about my body. I like my eyes and my legs, but I think it will still be a long time until I can almost like everything about myself.
The connections of beauty standards to women’s health mostly have to do with people who are anorexic or bulimic, or even people that are overweight. When society pressures women to be a certain way, they might starve themselves, throw up their meals, or do the opposite and binge eat because food makes them feel good about themselves. Women can resist the beauty ideal by being comfortable with who they are and making fashion statements that instead of expressing society’s wants, express their own wants. Phallocentrism controls men’s bodies in the sense that it makes them feel like they have to practice being manly enough. It reinforces the idea that men are supposed to have hard attitudes and not express emotions.
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