When the Olympics took place in Berlin Germany one of the races had more controversy than the rest. When Caster Semenya won the gold medal in the 800 meter women's race there was much talk as to if she was actually femal or not. Many people attributed her deep voice and "facial hair" as reasons why she should be tested to in fact assure if she was female or not.
I thought that this had to be extremely humiliating for her to have to go through, especially with it being a nation wide debate. I believe that it should have been discussed more privately before have tons of rumors spread. I understand why in this case it would be significant as to what her gender really is, but should have been handeled in a more professional manor.
-rachel wynn
Friday, December 17, 2010
Stay at home dad
http://justjared.buzznet.com/2007/10/14/ben-affleck-stay-at-home-dad/
After we talked about being a stay at home dad i saw that Ben Affleck is one. He enjoys it. There is nothing wrong with being a stay at home dad.
After we talked about being a stay at home dad i saw that Ben Affleck is one. He enjoys it. There is nothing wrong with being a stay at home dad.
Celebrity Dad
http://www.goodhousekeeping.com/family/celebrity/joel-mchale-interview-about-family
I liked this article becasue you got to see how a celebrity father thinks. He does put his family first
Marc Sternberg
I liked this article becasue you got to see how a celebrity father thinks. He does put his family first
Marc Sternberg
Transgender Basketball Player
I found this article on ESPN. He is the first transder basketball player ever to come out as a D 1 athlete. He plays for the womens team. http://sports.espn.go.com/ncw/news/story?id=5758450
Tuesday, December 14, 2010
Oprah aired a show last friday that was a follow up show from a story that appeared on her show years ago. A few decades ago, a man who was HIV postive and gay jumped into a public pool in a small town in Virgina. This created an uproar from the town`s members. Th public pool was shut down for sanitation. Oprah assembled the towns people together so they could voice their opinions on the matter. At the gathering on Oprah`s show, they ostraziced this man by using harsh and hateful words towards homosexuals and AIDS victims. They expressed strong animosity and contempt for what he had done. The man died a couple years later from AIDS. The follow up episode featured some of the most outspoken citizens and asked what they had thought about themselves and what they had said after watching the tape again. The man`s sisters appeared on the show on behalf of their deceased brother. The citizens said the tape was dificult to watch yet they seemed to defend what they had said in it.
This show was very difficult to watch. My heart broke for the man who experienced such cruel discrimination and for his family.
Did anyone else watch this show? What were your feelings/comments?
-Shannon Reilly
This show was very difficult to watch. My heart broke for the man who experienced such cruel discrimination and for his family.
Did anyone else watch this show? What were your feelings/comments?
-Shannon Reilly
The article from the Forbes website was a little disturbing, especially the one written from the point of view of Michael Noer, who advised men to not marrying a woman with a career because "If a host of studies are to be believed, marrying these women is asking for trouble." He then goes on to talk about the downsides of marrying a woman who has a job, including "you'll be unhappy if she makes more money than you do". First of all, he needs to get over his male ego. If the biggest issue here is who's bringing home the bigger paycheck, than men need to take a step back and reexamine their argument. The author writes that women who work have a higher chance of meeting a coworker they like more than you. Well if you're so worried about you're spouse leaving you that you don't want him or her to work, try being NICE to him or her! You can't keep women from working just because you're afraid that they'll leave you for a coworker.
Julia Smoot
Julia Smoot
Monday, December 13, 2010
Chelsea Lately
I just finished watching Chelsea Lately and her special guest was Nicki Minaj. I thought Nicki had a great interview and she brought up a women's studies topic. She said that it is hard to be a successful woman because you are expected to fill so many different roles in your life. She commented on how she wants a man who can be somewhat aggressive, but if she were to be aggressive in the relationship then she would be a "bitch". She also said how a double standard exists between successful men and women. A woman is expected to be the cheerleader for her kids, and a support system for everyone in her life; but she can't be too aggressive in her intimate relationship. Nicki says it's not fair. And I agree. Women are strong, but shouldn't be expected to please everyone. We also shouldn't have to fear expressing ourselves to other for fear of being judged.
-Katherine Henry
-Katherine Henry
Craigslist & Sex Workers?
http://womensrights.change.org/blog/view/a_sex_workers_solution_for_solicitation
I found this article to have completely thrown me off. I never realized that people have relied on craigslist for incomes, and the issue whether of not the safety and well being of the individuals are enough to remove the erotic services on craigslist. Although a verified section in a newspaper or magazine would help make the services safer for both parties, I feel like that the main issue is the impact that would have on the reputation of the company itself. Would having these ads in the smaller magazines have any impact on the safety of both parties?
-Kevin Ung
I found this article to have completely thrown me off. I never realized that people have relied on craigslist for incomes, and the issue whether of not the safety and well being of the individuals are enough to remove the erotic services on craigslist. Although a verified section in a newspaper or magazine would help make the services safer for both parties, I feel like that the main issue is the impact that would have on the reputation of the company itself. Would having these ads in the smaller magazines have any impact on the safety of both parties?
-Kevin Ung
The Root Interview: Beverly Guy-Sheftall on Black Feminism
Before this interview, i can honestly say that i have never heard of Beverly Guy-Sheftall a day in my life and this is upsetting to me as a young African-American man. I have always wondered if there was a voice to the black women alone in feminism and here she is. Quite frankly i personally felt the only big influence on black feminism was Nikki Giovanni I'm not forgetting about the White, Asian, Indian or any other group of women from another race but i feel that there should be a voice for each race though feminism is a issue for all women. Each individual culture or discourse community needs to be extinguished alone before adding in others to create a bigger solution. Like Guy-Shelftall said, black feminism is something that is needed not only for the black community but also black culture. How many times do we all hear the term "Baby Mama Drama" and instantly think of a black women? Single parents, mostly mothers are a feminist issue first and a community issue second and then a build up to greater things.
Though it should be on wanting to create a better future for man kind alone, it sometimes has to get racial in order to get the amount of help that is needed in some situations. There was a part in the article where Sheftall referred to For Colored Girls, a book that Tyler Perry recently released as a movie that is currently still in theaters. I will never forget how a bunch of African-American men on facebook said in there statuses and still some to this day on how much they have a great respect for black women and appreciate all women. Now I'm not saying that a male feminist population is vastly building, but everything starts with awareness and hopefully the movie did reach as many as it claims.
Guy-Sheftall also stated that we should each ask ourselves, "What kind of life do i want to live?" because that constitutes our liberation, by defining our life for our self. I know that i want to live a prosperous one where there is respect for every living thing. I don't plan on asking for everything to be liked or loved and no prejudice because its impossible. Not because i feel the people can't do it, but simply because opinions is what makes each and every living thing unique.
So the question the question of the night, What kind of life do i want to live for?
Tyrone Brown
Though it should be on wanting to create a better future for man kind alone, it sometimes has to get racial in order to get the amount of help that is needed in some situations. There was a part in the article where Sheftall referred to For Colored Girls, a book that Tyler Perry recently released as a movie that is currently still in theaters. I will never forget how a bunch of African-American men on facebook said in there statuses and still some to this day on how much they have a great respect for black women and appreciate all women. Now I'm not saying that a male feminist population is vastly building, but everything starts with awareness and hopefully the movie did reach as many as it claims.
Guy-Sheftall also stated that we should each ask ourselves, "What kind of life do i want to live?" because that constitutes our liberation, by defining our life for our self. I know that i want to live a prosperous one where there is respect for every living thing. I don't plan on asking for everything to be liked or loved and no prejudice because its impossible. Not because i feel the people can't do it, but simply because opinions is what makes each and every living thing unique.
So the question the question of the night, What kind of life do i want to live for?
Tyrone Brown
Sunday, December 12, 2010
"Training Rules" Response
I just watched the documentary "Training Rules" about Penn State's women's basketball team and their coach Rene Portland. I was so shocked by this documentary because I had never heard of these happenings before. For the coach to have such outward hatred toward lesbians is such a shame, and it's a shame that it was allowed to last for so long. Throughout the documentary they followed several basketball stars on the PSU team during Portland's coaching years. The Gulas twins were captured on film and discussed their stories. I found it so inspirational that at the age of 19 when they were told to either life a secret life in the closet and play basketball, or quit the team, they chose to quit the team. They didn't want to live a different life- they were happy with who they are.
I don't know how this woman could have ever thought she was doing a good thing. She was sexist and created fear in these women who were gay.
An interesting part of the documentary occurred when they began to discuss money. Money seems to be a common evil in sporting debates. The PSU alumni have such love for their alma mater and at one point began supporting the women's basketball team through generous donations. Once this happened, PSU lost some of their ability to rule over the coaches because the school no longer had the power (aka the money in this case).
I was pleased when the documentary said that PSU added sexual orientation to their anti-discriminatory laws in 1992. However, the implementation of these new rules proved to be quite the challenge. Even after all of these accusations from former players and other PSU coaches, I was so alarmed that Portland was still winning awards for coach of the year. And the fact that she still had a job! PSU only fined her 10,000 dollars, which like one woman said was a slap on the wrist to Portland.
At the end of the documentary there did seem to be hope. The WBCA created their code of ethics which mandated training for coaches. Also, the NCAA hosted a "Think Tank" in 2006 to help generate ideas toward eliminating negative recruitment in college athletics.
-Katherine Henry
I don't know how this woman could have ever thought she was doing a good thing. She was sexist and created fear in these women who were gay.
An interesting part of the documentary occurred when they began to discuss money. Money seems to be a common evil in sporting debates. The PSU alumni have such love for their alma mater and at one point began supporting the women's basketball team through generous donations. Once this happened, PSU lost some of their ability to rule over the coaches because the school no longer had the power (aka the money in this case).
I was pleased when the documentary said that PSU added sexual orientation to their anti-discriminatory laws in 1992. However, the implementation of these new rules proved to be quite the challenge. Even after all of these accusations from former players and other PSU coaches, I was so alarmed that Portland was still winning awards for coach of the year. And the fact that she still had a job! PSU only fined her 10,000 dollars, which like one woman said was a slap on the wrist to Portland.
At the end of the documentary there did seem to be hope. The WBCA created their code of ethics which mandated training for coaches. Also, the NCAA hosted a "Think Tank" in 2006 to help generate ideas toward eliminating negative recruitment in college athletics.
-Katherine Henry
Monday, December 6, 2010
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8xPZydoBj0&feature=player_embedded#!
Marriage Equality USA did some Christmas caroling on the streets of San Francisco to spread some holiday cheer and speak out against Prop 8 in a cute, different way. :) I saw this on Perez (my guilty pleasure) and thought I would share.
-Lainey Boyce
Marriage Equality USA did some Christmas caroling on the streets of San Francisco to spread some holiday cheer and speak out against Prop 8 in a cute, different way. :) I saw this on Perez (my guilty pleasure) and thought I would share.
-Lainey Boyce
Sunday, December 5, 2010
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Friday, December 3, 2010
White Student Union
http://abclocal.go.com/wpvi/story?section=news%2Flocal&id=7822288
West Chester University was on the news because of the recent incident about a white student union meeting on campus. I was shocked when I heard about this!! Students (myself included) received an email from the campus climate intervention team that there was no such thing as a white student union and as stated in the email that "in investigating the situation, we have learned that the meeting was, in fact, designed to draw anti-racist allies together." I still can't believe people would do this! It left me with a bad feeling in my stomach, I'm happy I did not see any of the fliers around campus. It's a shame that this is the kind of publicity our university is getting. Thankfully it was stopped and we can hopefully move past this. It seems as if every time we make progress something pops up to make you realize how much farther we need to come. I'm curious how other students felt about this...
-Lainey Boyce
West Chester University was on the news because of the recent incident about a white student union meeting on campus. I was shocked when I heard about this!! Students (myself included) received an email from the campus climate intervention team that there was no such thing as a white student union and as stated in the email that "in investigating the situation, we have learned that the meeting was, in fact, designed to draw anti-racist allies together." I still can't believe people would do this! It left me with a bad feeling in my stomach, I'm happy I did not see any of the fliers around campus. It's a shame that this is the kind of publicity our university is getting. Thankfully it was stopped and we can hopefully move past this. It seems as if every time we make progress something pops up to make you realize how much farther we need to come. I'm curious how other students felt about this...
-Lainey Boyce
Thursday, December 2, 2010
Sexual Harassment for Undocumented Women
http://www.splcenter.org/get-informed/publications/injustice-on-our-plates#
I found this article and it completely relates to the topics we are discussing in class right now. Apparently there has been research on the working conditions of undocumented immigrant women working in the food industry, and they are finding that these women are subjected to sexual harassment, ridiculously low wages, and even stolen wages. For example, they "surveyed 51 poultry processing plants and found 100% had violated labor laws by not paying employees for all hours worked. Also, one-third took impermissible deductions from workers’ pay". In regards to the sexual harassment, they found that “hundreds, if not thousands, of women had to have sex with supervisors to get or keep jobs and/or put up with a constant barrage of grabbing and touching and propositions for sex by supervisors." This is also a really prominent example of intersectionality. The sexual harassment that most of us probably think of is much less severe. I know that I thought these problems were an issue of the past that we have grown beyond but clearly I was wrong if these women are facing this reality everyday. This is also a good article to make us aware of the privileges and responsibilities we have to try and stop the spread of negative opinions about immigrants and to help these women fight sexual abuse in the workplace just as we are combating it in our own lives. Read it, you might be surprised what you find.
Shannon Kearns
I found this article and it completely relates to the topics we are discussing in class right now. Apparently there has been research on the working conditions of undocumented immigrant women working in the food industry, and they are finding that these women are subjected to sexual harassment, ridiculously low wages, and even stolen wages. For example, they "surveyed 51 poultry processing plants and found 100% had violated labor laws by not paying employees for all hours worked. Also, one-third took impermissible deductions from workers’ pay". In regards to the sexual harassment, they found that “hundreds, if not thousands, of women had to have sex with supervisors to get or keep jobs and/or put up with a constant barrage of grabbing and touching and propositions for sex by supervisors." This is also a really prominent example of intersectionality. The sexual harassment that most of us probably think of is much less severe. I know that I thought these problems were an issue of the past that we have grown beyond but clearly I was wrong if these women are facing this reality everyday. This is also a good article to make us aware of the privileges and responsibilities we have to try and stop the spread of negative opinions about immigrants and to help these women fight sexual abuse in the workplace just as we are combating it in our own lives. Read it, you might be surprised what you find.
Shannon Kearns
http://www.mtv.com/videos/movies/600786/nicki-minaj-will-not-drink-pickle-juice.jhtml#id=1652275
I watched this documentary on the fabulous Nicki Minaj on Mtv the other night, and when this part of the interview came on I immediately thought of this class and the first article we read. This video clip is the modern day (especially in the music industry) example of Frye's article on how women are expected to act. I love Nicki Minaj, she makes a GREAT example of how women are binded!
Everyone take a look especially if you like her music, it's funny!!!
Jacqueline Beley
I watched this documentary on the fabulous Nicki Minaj on Mtv the other night, and when this part of the interview came on I immediately thought of this class and the first article we read. This video clip is the modern day (especially in the music industry) example of Frye's article on how women are expected to act. I love Nicki Minaj, she makes a GREAT example of how women are binded!
Everyone take a look especially if you like her music, it's funny!!!
Jacqueline Beley
Article about Transgender and LPGA
So I found this really cool article about how the LPGA tour is removing wording that restricted Transgender people from participating! A great step forward I believe. Read and comment if you'd like!
-Frank S.
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-lpga-transgender
-Frank S.
http://sports.yahoo.com/golf/pga/news?slug=ap-lpga-transgender
Racism
Everyone cringes when something that appears racist is spoken or written, but I do not understand why. We know or at least, I know racism is still present in society. It’s not a subject of the past, but it just strange that some people are culturally ignorant regardless of advances we have made. There was an email sent out to alert everyone that there is no “white student union.” Think about how you felt when you read the email. Did you cringe? Our reaction to racist-like things displays our awareness of racism.
Racism is something that should be taken very seriously, but I wonder if it’s better to hide it or make it known. Awareness of racism is better than the hidden reality. I would rather know that a person hates a particular race, so that I know how to approach them. I want to know their ignorance so that I may be able to educate them. Most racist ideals come from a misunderstanding or overgeneralization of something. Some people are racism without ever having contact with the hated race. This is simple ignorance. Lack of understanding between cultures creates space for racism to develop. Cultural sensitivity and competence breaks down the wall of ignorance that supports racism. If my color was different would my actions still be interpreted the same way or might they say I’m acting like a black girl?
Safi Parker
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
Elizabeth Smart
here is a link to an article about Elizabeth Smart that i found during class
Elizabeth Smart
*Chelsey Sipe
Elizabeth Smart
*Chelsey Sipe
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