I just recently came across a new MTV show called Catfish. This show is about online dating. The narrator of the show, Neev, was once in an online relationship and when he finally met the woman he thought he loved in person, she was not the same person he saw in all the pictures. He hosts this show to help people who are online dating meet their loved one to see if the relationship and person is real. Most of the time the situations end up as people posing as someone else because they are embarrassed of what they look like. Throughout the online relationships the person posing refuses to skype and meet in person because they are posting pictures that are not really them to make the person falling in love with them think that's what they look like. Generally these people are well overweight and have low self esteem issues. These people just want to find love but do not feel like they can because of the way they look when the people who fall in love with them fall in love with the personality of one person and the looks of a complete stranger. This is becoming more common in todays society and its extremely unhealthy. These people later find happiness after admitting their wrong doing, posing as someone else. This tv show is extremely interesting, you should check it out sometime.

Stef Pirri

About Body Image


http://articles.latimes.com/keyword/body-image

After hearing the presentations and doing a presentation on the beauty ideal and self image i wanted to look into what kind of things were portrayed in public. The URL above is from the Los Angeles Times and it has a short summary of a bunch of different articles in the magazine. I was curious as to what was said in these short summaries to persuade people to change their ways. This is being reflected onto the public and the age of girls being concerned about their body image is getting younger and younger.






-Stef Pirri

More about domestic violence against men


 http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/jun/07/feminism-domestic-violence-men


I found this article above on the theory of how domestic violence against men started. This article really expanded my mind of how sometimes women try to play the victim. Also, how violence against men is just brushed under the carpet because it is so "rare" and uncommon". I believe it is rare because people do not pay attention to the importance of it all. A bunch of people commented on this article with their opinion. People expressing their opinion can expand the minds of others. Its important for everyone to be aware that men are regularly abused not just women.



-Stef Pirri

Domestic violence against men

http://www.oregoncounseling.org/handouts/domesticviolencemen.htm

After seeing two presentations in our class about domestic violence I realized those two groups mainly focused on domestic violence against women. Why didn't they talk about men being abused in violent relationships? Well I did some of my own research to find out more about this topic and the link above displays many reasons why domestic violence against men goes unseen. One of the main reasons why is because men do not report it so they cannot get a clear estimation. I think its important for men to speak out on this topic because it will make people more aware of what goes on instead of having something so important go unseen.

-Stef Pirri

http://www.google.com/imgres?um=1&hl=en&sa=N&tbo=d&biw=1311&bih=571&tbm=isch&tbnid=-ntDlbwtbEFogM:&imgrefurl=http://dowhattheytoldya.tumblr.com/post/33169144848/planned-parenthood-is-not-just-an-abortion-clinic&docid=DBqJC5p4oT2_VM&itg=1&imgurl=http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_mbl4iv7XVM1rxe4vdo1_1280.jpg&w=720&h=445&ei=WDDGUK7GFOnm0gGbwoD4BQ&zoom=1&iact=hc&vpx=979&vpy=137&dur=2186&hovh=176&hovw=286&tx=169&ty=204&sig=104227425977162834713&page=1&tbnh=144&tbnw=240&start=0&ndsp=18&ved=1t:429,r:5,s:0,i:102

In another class I have been doing a ton of research on planned parent hood. I think this topic is extremely important for the people of our generation. People are so against planned parent hood and mostly view it as an abortion clinic. The URL above shows a diagram of what planned parent hood is mostly used for. Only 3% use of this clinic is for abortions. Contraception is used for 35% of the clinic and another 34% is used for STI testing. Contraceptives and STI testing can be acquired at your doctor but some students and young adults do not hold health care for themselves so going to planned parent hood is the cheapest way they can reach these resources. Another extremely important part of planned parent hood is 17% of caner screening. If a young adult does not have health insurance and does not visit the doctor regularly they could risk not knowing about any type of cancers they could have. Planned parent hood provides this for a smaller price. It is so important for people to become educated on the facts of a place like this.

-Stef Pirri

American Apparel Case Study

http://store.americanapparel.net/product/index.jsp?productId=rsams300&c=galaxy
http://www.gender-focus.com/2010/05/04/american-apparel-ironic-%E2%80%93-don%E2%80%99t-you-think/
http://www.salon.com/2009/04/10/american_apparel/
   While home for Thanksgiving break, I took a trip to King of Prussia Mall with some friends. We were strolling through the mall and decided to browse American Apparel (a clothing store for men and women) because they have simple, stylish clothes available in a wide variety of fun, nontraditional colors and prints. When we first walked into the store, the first thing we saw were jeans that had a waist that looked as though it would fit only one leg into...they were size "XXS". (These are in the women's section.) My friend and I were very bothered by this. It was ridiculous and completely irrational that these jeans were made and targeted to sell to full grown women. Not to mention it did not make us feel especially good about ourselves... We left the store and when I got home I was still thinking about the pair of jeans and I did some further research on the matter. First, I went to the American Apparel website to see the jeans and the actual measurements. XXS was an option to order yet it was not listed in the size chart. XS was listed on the measurement size chart and they claimed this was a "0" with a measurement of 23-24 waist. The largest size offered was an XL which they consider a "12-14" with a 33-35 waist circumference. They also featured short slideshows of the models in clothing. The models were all very thin, with ribs and other internal body parts jutting. Next I found many articles on the internet opposing American Apparel, for more than what I was expecting... The founder of the American Apparel Company is Dov Charney. He has been accused of sexual harassment of his employees a number of times. Only "super hot" or "special" men and women are selected to work. In addition to the snarky ways of advancing and the promotion of employees, commonly through sexual favors as reported by a number of past employees, their consistently pornographic advertising also speaks for itself. Although claimed "artsy" to try to justify ads that sexualize women in an attempt to use women’s bodies to sell products.
   The company recently launched a plus size line...only available to men however. The founder has said this is an effort to attract tall, muscular, "bodybuilder" men who also want to be fashionable to purchase clothing from American Apparel, which in turn is also just a masculine form of the beauty myth!
   However, ironically it is mentioned that among this madness, the clothes are not made in sweatshops and the employees are all paid above minimum wage. Regardless, I will not be applying to work or looking to purchase from American Apparel in the future.
-Nicole
(MWF 12-12:50)

What does Title IX mean to you?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ARIDJiJwmhY&feature=related

While researching for my final paper, I came across a youtube video on Title IX and what Title IX means to certain women.  Title IX is a federal law prohibiting sex discrimination in all education settings.  Because of Title IX, men and women have equal rights when it comes to admissions, athletics, financial aid, housing, recreational services, etc.  To me, Title IX is very important when it comes to athletics.  I have played soccer since I was 3 years old and it has since been a huge part of my life.  If Title IX was not passed, I may not have ever had the chance to play soccer for the past 17 years of my life.  Not only did Title IX affect my athletics, but being able to get a quality education may not have been possible if this law had not been passed.  What does Title IX mean to you?

-Carter

Transgender awareness

http://articles.cnn.com/2011-06-17/entertainment/tracy.morgan.visits.lgbt_1_transgender-teens-gay-youth-gay-rights-advocacy-group?_s=PM:SHOWBIZ

After attending the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 16, 2012, I began to have an interest in this topic. I started to research and read a lot of articles about this issue. The URL I pasted above is a newspaper article about a woman recognizing the violence of  sexual orientation after she made negative comments about "gays" and "lesbians". Even though, this article is over a year old I strongly believe it is a moving article for anyone who has an opinion on the abuse of sexual orientation. After I attended the transgender remembrance I started to have a new recognition for people who suffer from this pain and discrimination. Sometimes people just don't realize how offensive they can be and how it can effect someone emotionally. I think this article is important to read for everyone; whether you have a strong opinion on this topic or not. It will bring different aspects of sexual orientation violence to the attention of people who over look this topic. I hope you find some interest in this article and enjoy it!

-Stef Pirri

Athlete Ally

A buddy of mine works as a high school wrestling coach, and brought this to my attention.
Below is a link - and if you scroll down and watch the video - it tells you all about this initiative, Athlete Ally, of including being an LGBT ally in the honor code of sportsmanship. I thought it was really moving and exciting.
I feel like this attacks the problem of homophobia and disrespect in a way that a regular LGBT groups cannot - and I am so happy that it exists! I wonder if it has been taken to any of our coaches and players here at West Chester University?

http://www.athleteally.com/

Hope you enjoy and are as moved as I was!

Courtney

Lana Wachowski’s Remarkable Human Rights Campaign Visibility Award Speech

http://thinkprogress.org/alyssa/2012/10/24/1082391/lana-wachowski/

I just wanted to share this, especially since it is trans-awareness week. (Although, I guess the week is about over.)

It is sometimes nice to see some positive news on the women's and gender studies front - here is an example. Click and watch the link - the whole thing is very very worth it. She is brilliant, funny, beautiful, inspiring, and just all around amazing. And I feel pretty honored to be able to get this kind of account from someone - especially someone who does not like to share their personal life with the public.

Hope you enjoy!!

Courtney

The Beauty Myth

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9oosWNHzSEE

    I was always interested in Photoshop and photography as I was growing up.  I was aware that the photos seen in magazines and other media were always altered to some level in order for the photo to fit the "beauty myth", but I was not aware of the extend some graphics artists went to in order to do so.  After learning more about the beauty myth and watching the Dove commercial in class, I was interested in learning more.  I found this short video clip online that takes a plus size model and transforms her to fit the ideal image by taking inches upon inches off of her thighs, covering up her rolls, and enhancing her butt and bust.  Not only did these transformations occur, other alterations such as change in skin tone, skin complexion, and even hair color took place.
   The original plus size model was gorgeous as she was.  By changing basically every aspect of her body, they were able to make her fit the ideal look for women nowadays.  This video shows that it is nearly impossible to meet the beauty standards society has set.  I believe more people need to become aware of how much transformation actually takes places in order to "make" a model.  If more individuals are aware of this, people will eventually begin to realize that our standards are unrealistic, which could essentially prevent women from developing low self esteem and eating disorders in the long run.  Any thoughts?

-Carter

Domestic violence and the myths associated with it

http://blog.seattlepi.com/seattlesports/2012/11/15/it-looks-like-hope-solo-and-jerramy-stevens-indeed-got-married/

     I happened to come across this article about domestic violence just as we were discussing the topic in class.  Current U.S. Women's Soccer goalkeeper, Hope Solo, was said to have been abused by her fiance, former Seahawks tightend Jerramy Stevens.  She was said to have a laceration on her elbow, but after speaking with the couple, Stevens denied knowing of anything happening that night and Solo did not admit to any type of abuse.  In domestic violence cases, most times an arrest must occur, therefore Stevens was arrest for fourth-degree assault.
    Many myths are associated with domestic violence, some of which are supported in this situation, and some which are disagreed with.  The media has been focusing on the myth that women are too weak to leave the relationship once abuse occurs.  In this instance, Solo went on to marry Stevens shortly after.  Another myth that is somewhat supported in this instance is that the woman is silent.  In this case, Solo was said to shout to her brother, who was speaking with police "Dont say anything to them, Marcus!" whereas Stevens denies remembering anything that happened that night, although he was found "asleep" on the floor next to the bed with blood stains on his shirt.  On the other hand, a very common myth that violence only occurs with individuals who are poor, uneducated, or a minority is very plainly not supported.  It is safe to say Solo and Stevens, both being elite athletes, do not fit into any of those categories.
   I myself, as I am sure many others are saddened to read this article, as I would be reading or discussing any domestic violence case.  I am not sure what exactly to think of the situation without knowing exactly what happened, but I do have enough information to disagree with the way media is handling the situation.  Instead of focusing on what the victim did not do, I feel like it is more important to focus on what needs to be done to help the couple out for their future together.  Any additional thoughts or comments?

-Carter

The "So Called" Beauty Ideal

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rHh2cpLGzIA&feature=related

I know this video is a little lengthy but I promise it is worth watching. This youtube video shows the sad truth that the "so called" beauty ideal painted throughout the media affects our society. It amazes me to see how people can judge the beauty of a person through a false ideal that is unattainable. This youtube video shows the lengths that these aspiring models with go to in order to make the so called idea weight to pursue their dreams in modeling. It is a sad to see how two model scouts can judge women and men by their weight and heights and distinguish if they are worthy enough to be considered the beauty ideal. What is an either sadder fact is that the mothers of these girls play into it. Scroll to 4:05 in the video and listen to what the mother of the aspiring model has to say about her getting to her dream. Its a sad reality of what happens today in our society. And that a 24 inch waist is said to not make the cut in modeling. How can this not affect the psychological processes of women in a harmful and unhealthy way. How can the scout say what they try to promote is a healthy way of slimming down when the size that they want these models to be at is in fact not healthy? It is also sad to hear the models saying that they want to eat. Does not eating make a girl more beautiful? I hope this video creates both awarness and understanding that this falsified beauty ideal is not actually a beauty ideal and not a way of happiness. It is important to realize that every women and men are beautiful in their own way and it does not take unhealthy starvation to become beautiful!

By: Angela DiCampli

Obama administration endorsing a virginity pledge-based abstinence-only program

The reason why I chose this article is because since Obama has been such a big follower in bettering women in society, now all of a sudden he is supporting this program that sounds like it would be for a good cause, but it ends up not. The program does not enlighten students on what is happening to their bodies during puberty and how they can work through the sexual urges they might feel during this time. it gives little to know information about the actual dangers that sex can have such as HIV, AIDS, or other sexually transmitted diseases. this relates to the course because throughout the program description they have some quotes from the student and teachers manual for the program. Some of these explainations about why students should abstain from sex is:

“Males and females are aroused at different levels of intimacy. Males are more sight orientated whereas females are more touch orientated.” The implications of this difference are explained further: “This is why girls need to be careful with what they wear, because males are looking! The girl might be thinking fashion, while the boy is thinking sex. For this reason, girls have a responsibility to wear modest clothing that doesn’t invite lustful thoughts. ” (Heritage Keepers, Student Manual, p. 46)

Instead of giving valid reasons why students should abstain from sex, they are blaming women for wearing clothing and leading the boys on.

these reasonings in the program have little to no explaination of the dangers of sex and also contains little to no information about puberty, anatomy, sexually transmitted diseases, or sexual behavior.

~ Ashley Marcello


http://feministing.com/2012/05/02/why-is-the-obama-administration-endorsing-a-virginity-pledge-based-abstinence-only-program/

      Gender-Neutral Restrooms
The reason why I chose this article is because it will tie in with what we will be talking about today. I also chose this because I wanted to know more about what people where doing to makes these changes.  West Chester are trying to makes changes by changes the rest rooms  on the first floor in the dorms gender-neutral  The article talks about how men and women who are transgender are afraid to use the bathrooms in a public places because they do not want to be harassed, beaten or arrested. It talks about how transgender people get arrested because they do not know which bathroom to use and if they use the bathroom for the identity they were born they will be arrested.  This article also talks about how we need to understand the terminology associated with transgender issues and access.  It also state that heterosexually people take using the bathroom for granted.  It also talks about the Trans-friendly colleges how colleges all over are changes dorms and bathrooms to gender-neutral.
http://www.amplifyyourvoice.org/youthresource/genderneutral
~ Gwendolyn Dickerson

Domestic Violence Not Taken Seriously

http://www.newsday.co.zw/article/2011-05-20-domestic-violence-act-not-taken-seriously

This article ties in with our last class since we talked about domestic violence. This article states that their are many cases that when spouses have came to police to report domestic violence, that there case wasn't taken seriously and they ended up being murdered by their partner because the proper steps weren't taken. The Domestic Violence Act of 2007 was put in place to help in the advancement of women in Zimbabwe.A prosecutor allegedly beat his wife and placed a hot iron on her buttocks, raped her six times and then shoved hot spices into her reproductive organ. Those 6 rapings happened throughout the night . They alleged rapist was only held on $100 bail. The man bragged to his wife that he was untouchable because he was a lawyer in the attorney generals office .This just shows how people that work in the law no how to commit crimes and get out of them.

-Dennis Brown

Leggo my LEGOS: Fair play for girls

http://feministing.com/2012/04/20/leggo-my-legos-fair-play-for-girls/
http://www.sparksummit.com/2012/04/17/why-are-we-still-talking-about-lego/ (continued article)

LEGO has recently made a LEGO Friends line which is specifically for girls. The line consists of packages of Lego’s with themes such as decorating homes, getting hair done, cooking, and anything stereotypically related to a girl. This is when the article stuck out to me. Just because it is cliché for a girl to do such things, doesn’t mean every girl in the world wants to decorate homes or cook. The boy’s line of Lego’s has themes like ninja quests, policeman, doctors, construction workers, and fighting alien invasions. This once again not only shows the stereotypes of girls, but also to boys. Who says that boys can’t decorate homes or be interested in cooking? This is what media, toys, and society say is not the “norm”.

A group called SPARK, whose mission is to challenge the sexualization of girls, has asked LEGO to “Stop selling out girls.” Having toys like this automatically makes little girls think they can only take certain paths in life. LEGO is basically telling little girls and boys what they can or cannot be. Also, because these are little girls playing with these toys, they are being exposed at an early age of what society thinks a girl should be in life. That then does nothing but block girls from being whatever they want to be. SPARK states, by telling LEGO what they want, “And we want them to improve the Friends line by giving the characters more diverse story options, and maybe even introducing some male characters.”

I don’t think LEGO should separate their lines by gender. If a little girl wants to be a policewoman or have ninja quests, then they should be able to do that. This issue could relate to various topics we speak on in class, such as how women are seen to only do womanly things and not take on what is considered, “a mans job”. This article just reinforces the cage women are stuck in.

-Jazmyn Hudson

KIA Optima

http://feministing.com/2012/02/06/superbowl-commercial-sexism-notbuyingit/

In the series of 2012 Superbowl commercials, KIA aired a commercial featuring supermodel Adriana Lima. In the commercial, there are two dreams that are seen. The first dream is a short depiction of what apparently all women dream about: rainbows, pretty white horses, and long haired half-naked men. The second, more in-depth, commercial features the manliest of manly dreams: supermodels, rock bands, a fast car, and other stereotypical masculine representations. Other than the fact that the woman's dream is about the quarter of the length of the man's, his dream also interrupts hers when he crashes the car into her scene and steals her away. KIA sends a clear message that the majority of Optima buyers will more likely be men and implies that women will be "unable" to handle such a race car. It is also an implication of the difference in mentality between men and women. KIA sends the message that men are more creative and have a stronger and wider range of mindset than women who apparently only think of fragile and safe ideas. There were two other KIA Optima commercials that were aired that did not include the woman's half of the dream at all.

Is the military labeling rape survivors as “crazy” to get rid of them?

http://feministing.com/2012/04/16/is-the-military-labeling-rape-survivors-as-crazy-to-get-rid-of-them/

The reason why this article caught my attention was because in class we spoke of different ways women are continuously being oppressed. This article shows how women in the military who have serve our country our being victimize. Women who had the courage to come forward about being rape have been  labeled "crazy". In the military they consider women who have gone through rape as a personality disorder in some cases the survivors have been kicked out the military and lose all access to their benefits. According to the article, from 2001 to 2010, the military discharged more than 31,000 service members because of personality disorder–and a disproportionate number of them were women. For example, in the army, 16% of all soldiers are women, but women constitute 24% of all personality disorder discharges; in the Marines, women made up 7% of the Corps and 14% of personality disorder discharges.  This article is related to the Marilyn Frye article that we as women are caged in whether we want to believe it or not.

Double Standards http://abigailbarefoot.tumblr.com/post/11169148924/what-you-cant-tell-from-the-photo-above-is

I choose this blog because it gives a good example of the double standards with gender and sex which we discuss in class. In this blog there are two examples of how women are not surprisingly the target. In the first image there is a women photo’d naked in a magazine and to its left there is a man photo’d naked in a magazine. To further explain, the magazine of the man photo’d naked was covered by newsstands believing that it was to pornographic but yet, as for the magazine of the naked women that magazine however was not covered. As for the second image it is a male that is photo’d on a cover magazine but was covered due to the fact that he looked too much like a women, and also his photo was considered to be pornographic.  For the second example I decided to include it in my blog because I thought that it was kind of contradiction to the overall marketing corporation.

                                                                                                                 Kiana Waters

No Comment, Newcastle: “Not an Attractive Woman”

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2012/04/05/no-comment-newcastle-not-an-attractive-woman/

  This blog stood out to me. The commercial being advertised is so blatant with its sexist remark or “joke”. I agree with the blogger, this is a enforcing a stereotype that all professional women are ugly and only “a male standard of beauty” can be shown on TV. The company says they are being honest, well they are sure are. They are not holding back any sexist views. They are showing their true thoughts which can be linked to how women are being oppressed today. The commercial relates to the reading for today, “Oppression” by Marilyn Frye. As Marilyn would say being oppressed is like being caged in. There are forces and barriers blocking women which are not accidental.

When you first look at the commercial you think joke whether it’s good or bad. But also like Marilyn says, you have to look at the bigger picture to see the network of connected obstructions. The bigger picture here is women are oppressed, and held back from many things just because they are women and especially because they are not attractive to men. So these are all reason why this company is not showing the woman because her outward appearance is not worthy enough.

The commercial implements what society has instilled, that women should only be seen when pretty and not heard whether you’re pretty or not. The company is being completely honest and not wasting anyone’s time and when I say anyone I mean only heterosexual males. I’m offended that when the commercial says no nonsense they mean what some people really think about women. There are no thoughts or consideration for anyone else’s feelings. I don’t like this commercial nor do I think it is funny. I think it is extremely common in every way. To me this is a good example of trying to control women and how they should live their lives according to the oppressor.

Christie Butera

Mississippi’s Sole Abortion Provider in Danger

http://msmagazine.com/blog/blog/2012/04/03/newsflash-mississippis-sole-abortion-provider-in-danger/


This blog caught my eye and relates directly to what we are discussing in the class now.  The article tells us that 99% of counties in Mississippi do not supply a clinic for abortions. The Mississippi Senate Public Health Committee passed a bill "HB 1390" which requires doctors performing the abortions to be board-certified OB-GYN's with hospital admitting privileges. This bill is yet another slap in the face to women's reproductive rights of Mississippi.   Supporters, including Gov. Phil Bryant,  justify this bill stating that it is intended to provide women with better healthcare and to assure a certified doctor for "that very complicated procedure."  What is not being taken into consideration is that it difficult for a physician to receive approval by a hospital, considering the hospital or medical center can refuse admitting privileges and Mississippi is a very conservative state.  This leaves the patient with no other option but to remain pregnant, or perform abortions in their own home using th RU-486 pill, which is only successful until the ninth week of pregnancy.

First-Ever Abortion Study in Rawanda

http://feminist.org/blog/index.php/2012/03/30/first-ever-abortion-study-in-rwanda/

I chose this article because it talks about the study of abortion in Rwanda, and directly relates to last weeks reading by Margret Sanger. It talks about how most abortions are "secret and considered medically unsafe".  17% of maternal deaths in East Africa are due to unsafe abortions, the process or lack of post-op treatment. The main point of the article was to realizing the need to "address the unmet need for modern contraceptive" in order to decrease the number of unplanned pregnancies and deaths from abortions.

Amber Gandy

Transgender Miss Universe thrown out of competition

http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/47fXdW/www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2119786/Jenna-Talackova-Transgender-beauty-queen-kicked-Miss-Universe-Canada-pageant.html/


The organizers of Miss Universe Canada threw out Jenna Talackova once finding out she had undergone surgery to to become a woman.  She had already reached the finals of Miss Vancouver before being banned from continuing further in competition.


According the the national director Denis Davila, Talackova claimed on her registration that she was born a female.   Davila became suspicious and confronted 23 yr old Jenna about her sex change and Talackova admitted that she was actually born male. 

'She feels like a real girl and she is a real girl. She didn’t expect people to question it,' Davila told thestar.com. 

'She was hoping we could put her back in the competition, but the rules are very clear and there’s no way we can go back on it.' 

-Meaghan Weikel

Are Women Leaving Religion?

Are Women Leaving Religion?
Desiree D'Amico
http://news.discovery.com/human/women-leaving-religion-when-120309.html

The article that I chose is titled “Are women leaving religion?” This article talks about how not only religion, but conservative political parties such as the Republican party is on the verge of losing many women supporters. This is not to say that women are leaving religion all together, they are choosing not to attend church as frequently or just practice in their own homes. The data is supporting this statement. According to the article the number of women who attend church on a weekly basis has dropped 20% from 1991-2001. This number isn’t including the amount of women who are on the verge of leaving. The article cites a woman who after attending her church for 22 years has decided to leave due to a “painful and controlling church culture.”

                I am behind these women 100%. The church needs to learn to change with the times also. I understand it is built upon much history where men are the leaders and controlling everything but society has changed and it is time for the church to change also. There are no positions in church where a woman is in charge. This isn’t very encouraging when children attend church and see all males in the positions of power. There needs to be more diversity in the church clergy.

Wife-Beating Tennessee Lawmaker Should Resign, Obviously.

http://feministblogs.org/

David Hawk, who is a State Representative in Tennessee was arrested on Sunday, March 18 for battering his wife.  Crystal, Hawk's wife said that they had began drinking earlier that day and after that it all went downhill.  David began searching through his wife's cell phone and then started his rage.  Crystal reported that around 8:00am on Sunday morning they began fighting and her husband hit her in the face and knocked her to the ground while their 11 month old daughter was in her arms.  David's story is surprisingly different from his wife.  When David spoke to police he reported that his wife held a gun to his head while he was holding their daughter and at that time he escaped from the house with his daughter in his arms, even though no gun was found at the scene.  Hawk was released on a $500 bond on Monday morning and said he expects to be back at work by Friday.  His court date is scheduled for May 21st.

I found this article interesting because of our conversation on how women are not taking seriously.  Reading this story I cannot help but think that this case was not taken seriously because of Hawk's position in the state.  Just because he is a state representative does not exclude him from the laws and punishments that others would receive without his job tittle. 

The Scary, Weird World of Pinterest Thinspo Boards

http://jezebel.com/5893382/the-scary-weird-world-of-pinterest-thinspo-boards

The post I decided on relates to the body image issues that women (and some men as well) deal with. Pinterest is a website that allows people to share pictures and interests with one another. However, on this site, there has been an increasing amount of "thinspiration" posts. These are posts meant to inspire anorexic women using pictures of emaciated women and advice on how to starve yourself. Some include reasons to want to starve yourself ("To look down and see a "0" on your clothing") or quotes to encourage each other ("Do not reward yourself with food. You're not a dog", "Do you really want them to have to order you a plus-sized casket?") The reason these kinds of posts are so common on sites like Pinterest is because it allows these people to express themselves while remaining anonymous.

A similar blogging platform, Tumblr, has actually started banning blogs that are dedicated to self-harming activities. Bloggers who search terms relating to anorexia will instead be redirected to information on how to seek help. I think it's really important that websites recognize and take action against issues like this, because use of these sites until now has only facilitated the spread of ideas like thinspiration.

Riot Police Arrest 31 Protestors against Forced Ultrasound

http://feministing.com/2012/03/05/riot-police-arrest-31-protestors-against-forced-ultrasound-photos-and-video/

The Virginia state Legislature passed a bill that would require women to have an ultrasound before they may have an abortion. Because the majority of abortions occur during the first 12 weeks, most women would be forced to have a transvaginal ultrasound in which a probe is inserted into her, and then moved around until an ultrasound image is made. A proposed amendment to the bill that would have had a patient consent to this intrusion or allowed the physician to opt out of doing the vaginal ultrasound failed. So the law basically states that women seeking an abortion in Virginia will be forcibly penetrated for no medical reason whatsoever. Similar to rape…

Some women are weary of going to the gynecologist’s office for a routine exam because it’s not the most pleasant experience so I’m not sure why they are forcing this law if there truly is no medical reason for it. Their only goal is to hope maternal instincts kick in right at that point or the women are made to feel guilt and pressured into it backing down from their well thought out decision.

There was a protest made over the woman’s health care bill passed by the state Senate which brought hundreds of women and men of varying ages to Richmond, Virginia to the state Capitol grounds on March 3^rd. It ended with the arrest of 31 people who were seated on the Capitol steps.

The bill would have most likely be enacted into law by the governor, Bob McDonnell, who is trying for a gig as vice president and had already indicated that he will sign the bill but it hasn’t been signed yet. Originally, it did require a transvaginal ultrasound but then they decided on an abdominal one instead. This is slightly less intrusive but still a violation of rights.

The whole thing violates a woman’s right, as well as her relationship with her doctor and it’s clearly unethical. Legislators are acting as if women don’t understand the gravity of the situation and are essentially making the decision even more of a hardship. Women don’t have abortions because they believe the fetus isn’t human or they don’t know the truth. It’s insulting to think that they are blissfully unaware and need to be shown the “right way” to handle it.

Regardless of your stance on abortion, you must be aware that there are special circumstances where abortion while being unfavorable would be the best option overall. What if you had a fourteen-year old daughter who was raped? Would you want to further her traumatic experience by taking her to a government forced ultrasound to guilt her into keeping the fetus? Is it her responsibility to feel that child who was completely unplanned and is the result of another man’s force growing inside of her?

Shaina Jacob

Banning Child Beauty Pageants

http://jezebel.com/5891182/france-considers-banning-child-beauty-pageants


The French government has issued a report calling for a ban on child beauty pageants, as well as padded bras and high heels on young girls. The proposed ban comes after 10-year-old Thylane Blondeau showed up in heels and a provocative outfit in Vogue Paris magazine last year and sent the world into a frenzy. The senator who wrote the report, Chantal Jouanno, has said that the girls were being disguised as sexual candy, and the sexualization of young girls is "contrary to the dignity of the human being", as well as a step backward for gender equality. Vogue defended the models by saying the girls were simply 'dressing up like their mothers.' 

As we discussed in class, pageants are an extreme form of setting young girls up to give into today's beauty standards, and it also elevates them to act and look older than they are. I mean, I like heels and push up bras too, but my age is appropriate for that, 10 years old in my opinion, just isn't. There's nothing sexy about these pictures...they're just disturbing. 

Women's health and contraception

http://www.ourbodiesourblog.org/


When I was picking a blog out for class i happened to come across one I watch about on The View. A women named Sandra Fluke speaks infont of the world, about how she thinks all insurances should cover birthcontrole. She talks about how this will lessing the amount of teens that are having babys. From  her statement Rush Limbaugh a radio host talks out about and says basically the goverment and him money are paying for her to be a "SLUT". First off I think any man that calls a women a slut doesn't respect a girl, just because she wants to stand up for the women that can't get on birthcontrol.I strongly agree with what Sandra is talking out about, this can lessing teen births, and I think thats what she was going towards not saying her insurance wont pay for the type of birthcontrol she takes, she didn't say that at all. By limbaugh calling Fluke a slut one of his major advertisment pulled there commersial from the show. This is just showing no one suporst what he called Fluke.

By: Annie Marcinko

"Feminism is Evil"

I chose to discuss this blog with the class because this person clearly has no knowledge of what feminism truly is.  This blog is about how a woman’s place is in the home “baking cookies, knitting, and caring for the children.”  It is saying that women who work for equality stem from the devil because the differences in dominance between men and women are clearly biological.  This relates to the class because it is going against everything the authors of our readings are saying.  Bell Hooks found her voice by ‘talking back,’ but according to this blog, she would be going against God’s authority.  “America's churches, marriages and homes are being destroyed by the vile feminist agenda.”  According to this site, feminists are not working towards equal opportunity...we are trying to destroy society.  In my opinion, this is why everyone should be required to take women’s and gender studies courses.  If people understood the purpose of feminism, they would not feel this way.

Lisa menture "Young Women"

http://thefbomb.org/2012/02/doctors-nurses-and-one-terrific-professor/

I found this blog very interesting wanting to be a teacher. I wanted to find a blog that found out  how young women viewed Feminism. I was just shock that young women in a college class when asked to come up with a pronoun to replace the noun boss, many young women in the class said He. I found that so odd young women of today still think of a boss as only a he. As a teacher I want to empower young girls to feel they can be a boss if they choose to. I want all young girls and women to feel they can do and be anything a man can do and be in the work place. Statics show more women are in college then men so their are going to be many more women as bosses. I never want a young girl or women to  replace the noun boss for the pronoun He.

The Annual Post About Sexist Super Bowl Commercials 2012

http://www.feministe.us/blog/archives/2012/02/08/the-annual-post-about-sexist-super-bowl-commercials-2012/
I Choose this blog because I feel as though the idea of "sex sells" has come to a point where it is getting out of hand. Especially with nationally televised shows and sports events. The viewers of these shows range from young adults to the elderly. Generally commercials focus their attention on a certain group of people, not taking into consideration how a certain commercial may affect a child who may be tuning in. The Super Bowl this year had some of the most provocative commercials i have seen to date. It makes a woman feel as though she is only a sex object, designed to please a man. The topic of nudity is also brought about, even when it comes to M&M commercials. I know that there are also commercials depicting guys in a sexual nature, although they are often depicted as strong men. Woman are often depicted as objects.

http://thesocietypages.org/socimages/2012/02/22/questionng-definitions-of-freedom/

This blog caught my eye because of the images of the cartoon and the picture from PostSecret. It shows how different American culture is from middle-eastern culture in terms of women. In both places, women are given a disadvantage because they are either supposed to be stick thin and wear minimal clothing to impress men or like in the middle east, they have to hide every inch of their bodies except their eyes. I can agree with the person who said they weren't sure what side they would choose; either my body is going to showed off like a trophy for everyone to see or nobody but myself will know what i look like. It is sad to know that all over the world women are facing struggles like this everyday because of the way they dress. What if men were in this situation? How do you think people would react then?

Kira Shollenberger

Anti-choice org on Planned Parenthood: Like drug dealers, but with sex?!?!?!

http://feministing.com/2012/02/15/anti-choice-org-on-planned-parenthood-like-drug-dealers-but-with-sex/


Hard to believe, but this blog on Jessica Valenti's site feministing.com is about a legitimate video from the American Life League Report in which the host is ranting about how horrible Planned Parenthood is. It is just absurd, and condemns Planned Parenthood's practices of educating young people about sex. As we talked about in class, the majority of what planned parenthood does is provide people with health services and education. However, as we talked about, there is an ongoing conservative political uproar against Planned Parenthood, and this blog is just one of countless examples of anti-Planned Parenthood propaganda. Don't be fooled by this and other similar organizations' agendas - Planned Parenthood is simply trying to educate young people about their bodies and how to be healthy. Don't young people have a right to know the facts? Statistics show (and pretty much everybody knows) that regardless of the type of sex education (or lack thereof), people are going to have sex if they want to.  Which it turns out (surprise!) a lot of people do. Some don't , and that's fine too! The question is - wouldn't we want our young people to know the FACTS about sex and sexuality, instead of COVERING UP or spewing MYTHS about this topic, which universally ALL humans have to deal with at some point in our lives??!!!!

By Courtney Potts

H&M's models are now computerized

H&M uses computer generated model

Ned Resnikoff from MsMagazine.com wrote an article discussing the clothing company, H&M's decision to use only one generic model body for all displays and photographs. This means that the company is only hiring face models who are then superimposed onto some graphically designed, very thin body. Additionally, the company has also chosen to shade in different skin tones so as to appear more diverse.

 Resnikoff points out in the article that it seems obsurd for the company to show diversity through creating different skin toned bodies yet they only use one body type. I thought that Resnikoff described the irony of their diversity statement very aptly. If this company was truly trying to promote diversity they would not have opted for a super thin graphically designed body.

H&M's lack of diversity has managed to dehumanize and therefore misrepresent women. Women are still struggling to be correctly represented but can not effectively do this until more women participate in voicing these concerns. For example, Bell Hooks, author of Talking Back, created an opportunity for herself to have a voice through writing. Hooks admitted that she was not warmly accepted and that she was often times lonely but, her voice was -that- important. Hooks would not have been as lonely had the women around her stuck up for her. Woman as a whole need to be more bold in creating opportunities for having a voice.

--Ricque Morrow, WOS 225

Wednesday Weigh-In: What do you want from an Equal Pay App?

Wednesday Weigh-In: What do you want from an Equal Pay App?

In this blog, it explains how the  Obama Administration made the Equal Pay App challenge. This allows women to use software developers to make sure they are being paid fairly. It could also give you ideas for negotiating. The app would be able to pull up different professional positions, along with the average salaries to make those comparisons. Women would be able to see if they are truly being treated fairly.

Jessa Ruiz, WOS 225

Male Feminist

http://community.feministing.com/2012/02/02/the-male-feminist/

Feminism is not necessarily that we only talk about women's issues, we talk about everything through a certain view of feminism.  A feminist is a person whose beliefs are based on feminism, also it is the one that believes and supports equality of women where they are being oppressed in the world.  Therefore, its encourages men to involve themselves in personal and social change towards gender equality.  It inspires men to develop respectful, trusting relations with women, to promote equitable ways of living and being, and to join with women in projects of fender equality and social justice.
Linh

Being Poor Makes You "Unamerican?"

http://feministing.com/2012/02/01/mitt-romney-says-he-cares-about-americans-but-not-the-very-poor/
When I read this article, I immediately connected it to Dorothy Allison's life story and the hardships she faced. This blogger talks about Republican Presidential candidate Mitt Romney and his apathy towards the "very poor." If it were up to him, he'd cut all government funded organizations that assist the financially unstable. I think that someone who is this far out of touch from the opposite end of the spectrum doesn't get to see how it feels not to have essential needs. Dorothy Allison grew up in a household that was deprived of basic lifestyle needs, and I feel that she would be appauled by this act of selfishness. I also felt this article related to the "us" and "them" that Dorothy Allison mentions in her story.
-Amanda Gohn
Dorothy Allison - A Question of Class