Final Essay 1

              Women have overcome many barriers in the struggle of power between the sexes, but they are still burdened with more obstacles as the prevalence of the mass media increases. As the media in our country has drastically increased, a standard has been set for the “perfect” way to be, which has hindered the advancement of feminism because of the lack of confidence seen in young women, as well as the reputation feminists had gained. 

            Many of the readings this semester had an impact on me, but the ones that left me thinking the most involved feminism and women’s struggle for power. When I interviewed Tosha Stacy, about her role in the police force.  She didn’t have any complaints over salary, or job position.  Advancement in their field rested on the time that they had been there, as well as physical training accomplishments. Tosha is 5’4” and petite.  She wanted to prove to the other men that she could do what they do, and as well as they do. Tosha completed the physical training, as well as the gun control, and tactics, which were used to overpower dangerous citizens.  She completed the course with her male parter, who was also her partner on the streets.  I look up to her as a strong female in a male-dominant field of work.  I think this is an accomplishment for any woman. Unlike Tosha, other stories about women show that this power struggle has overcome them. 

            In Jessica Valenti’s essay, He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut, Valenti talks about how women are seen as objects for their bodies, while men use their “power” over women to control them.  One example is when Valenti talks about the “Purity Balls,” when “fathers take their daughters to a big fancy dance,” (Valenti 15) and keeping his daughter’s virginity until he hands her off to her husband in marriage.  Integrity Balls, the counter of Purity Balls focus on not takng a woman’s virginity, or ruin her purity for her “future husband.” (Valenti 15).   I think that women have the right to choose what they do.  Although I do not think that it’s right for a young girl to giver herself up easily, when a girl matures, and moves out she experiences and learns new things.  She is an adult, and has the right to do what she chooses.

            Lisa Belkin, in The Opt-Out Revolution, argues that women struggle with making a family while trying to succeed in their career, and many women choose, instead, to succeed in other ways such as satisfaction in the home, while balancing her personal life with caretaking of children. All of these traits, of course came from images of “ideal” women.  Belkin said that women were “redefining success : Balance and sanity”.  Women have the right to do what they want with their careers and lives, and having children is a big part in a woman’s life.  Although I plan now, to follow my future career, I might change my mind. 

            Fresh Lipstick, an essay by Linda Scott, establishes that the founders of feminism were anti-beauty, working against the growing beauty and fashion industries, and that women in the ruling class, with more leisure time, concentrated on creating the perfect woman.  Women in the early 1800’s wore corsets for skinny waists, layered their heavy clothing to create a more voluptuous silhouette, and wore tiny shoes.  All of these traits, of course came from images of “ideal” women.  Scott said that women were “redefining success : Balance and sanity.”

            Naomi Wolf, in The Beauty Myth, defines the “Beauty Myth” as “A violent backlash against feminism that uses images of female beauty as a political weapon against women’s advancement” (Wolf 10). Since women have all freedoms men enjoy, men have to struggle to control women.   They do this by objectifying them, and women go with it, and be what men want them to be.  Although the gap between beauty and ugliness has lessened in the recent years, beauty and fashion have taken over the youth of our county. 

            In Chapter 2 of Manifesta, a novel by Jennifer Baumgardner and Amy Richards, feminism is defined and explained in a few contexts.  According to Baumgardner and Richards, feminism is ” a social-justice Movement for gender equality and human liberation” (Baumgardner 61).   Also included, are a few things that feminism is not.  Among them are: “Feminists encourage women to leave their husbands, become lesbians, and destroy capitalism.“ (Baumgardner 61).  I agree with Baumgardner, when she says “Identifying ourselves as feminists means addressing uncomfortable topics.”  We have discussed some issues that women have in our class, though none I think were too uncomfortable.  It is tough to realize the problems

            Women’s climb to equality has been a long and hard one, yet we still have not reached the top.  Past women have taken action to gain access to voting, and working with men, but many of us have not gained equal pay, and are caught in this beauty crisis to be what fits in.  Women are forced to be whatever men want them to me.  But the power that women have gained has allowed them to reach out and be who they really want to be.  

            These readings have caused me to be more open to new ideas.  I feel like I have learned more about what’s really going on with the fads, and popularity contest that’s sweeping the nation.  I really want to know how women can gain the power to overcome the pressure put on them by the men.   In my future, I will be more open to other people’s ideas.   I think it will help me get along with more people.

Blog 10

The Association for Women in Science is working on an issue that is very important to me.  As I was researching groups and organizations for a previous blog, I found this association.  This group works to help women succeed in the male-dominated science fields.  I already see this domination when I count the three women in my Chemistry class compared to the 15 men.  The AWS works to help women get internships and jobs in the science field.  is a real important issue to me because I love the sciences, and plan on going into a science-related.  I want women to be strong, and very involved in the sciences and advancements taking place.  I plan to be involved in this when I get older, at least by donating.  I am also encouraging other women to join the few looking for a science-related career.

Reading Gender: The Eternal Feminine

            Castellanos uses the portrayal of women in this play to explain the significance of the power that men use to control the actions of their wives.  The stereotypical roles assigned to Mexican women throughout history, including the idea that women shouldn’t think, are the main fuel for Lupita’s thoughts in this play.  

            In the beginning of Act II, Lupita falls back into her hair-dryer dreams, but this time is in a paradise.  She encounters Eve, the first woman, as well as Adam, the first man.   When Adam first arrives, he makes sure that Eve knows “her place”.  He orders her to repeat her name, as to make sure that Eve will not forget who she is.  When Eve inquires why she must repeat her name, Adam responds by saying, “a decent woman doesn’t ask those questions.”  According to Adam, a woman is supposed to “obey”, and “not talk back.”  Adam even labels Eve as non-human.  She is a “thing” or “animal.”

            One of the main issues of feminism today is gender roles, and their impact in our culture.  In this scene, the assumptions about men show that they are expected to be the head, or leader, in the relationship.  The men do the thinking, as portrayed by Adam’s duty to name all the animals of the paradise.  The women are expected to be mute, not thinking, and following the orders of men.  The women are said to have come from the “rib” of a man, and therefore is only a part of him, not a whole human.  This is why Adam calls Eve an animal. 

            This scene, where Lupita interacts with Eve and Adam, is significant in that it shows the relationship between the first human woman and man.  Castellanos portrays their relationship like this because she is trying to emphasize an issue that has been present since the beginning of time.  Castellanos wants the reader to understand the presence and prevalence of this issue.  Mexican women, according to the play as a whole, are expected to be the inferior to the men.  They are to do what they are told, and not to think about anything.  Castellanos wants the reader to understand that this ideology is in need of change.   

            Gender role issues like this one are not just present in the Mexican society.  Finkbeiner, in “The F-Word”, explain the main gender role that exists in our society today.  She talks about maintaining the family, and bringing home the money.  The man in the relationship, according to modern society, is supposed to be the one working and bringing in the main income for the family.  This gender role sets up the relationship between couples, where the woman is expected to stay at home, and be the caretaker. 

            Gender roles play a big part in the feminist movement, and are the main issues in “The Eternal Feminist”.  By displaying the men in this play as dominating, and the females as submissive, Castellanos is able to portray the relationship between Mexican men and women, and bring to light the issue that women all around the world have been fighting for years.  

Blog 9

The Association for Women in Science works on achieving equality for women in science, mathematics, engineering, and technology.  They work for women, helping them with mentoring, scholarships, and job listings.  The science field is dominated by males, and this non-profit organization is trying to change that.  They promote women in these fields, while trying to advance the movement of women into the science fields.  They help facilitate networks, as well as help women with getting jobs in these fields.  They do, however need contributions to keep helping women all over the country.  They work in a national level, as well as local chapters, which is why you need to donate! 

In FIFE, chapter 8, Hooks talks about the women "leading" the feminist movement, and how they are viewing it in a "neocolonial" way.  Hooks basically says that many of the top world feminism issues are viewed by the westerners as something barbaric, when they really could be mirrored with some issues here in America.  One thing that really caught my eye was the issue of "female circumcision", that Hooks brings up as one of the top world feminism issues.  Not knowing what this was, I googled it and came up with some pretty disturbing answers. While I disagree with this procedure, I agree with Hooks when she says that we can't see world issues from just our perspective.  In fact, many of the woman interviewed about this issue said "that it is a source of empowerment and strength".  Although this surprised me, I can accept the differences between our culture and theirs.  

In The Globe Trotting Sneaker, Enloe talks about the women who work to put together Western athletic shoes.  Most of them are Asian, and they work for companies like Nike, and Reebok.  The women hardy earn a living doing this, as the big companies push to pay them less and less.  I have thought about this before.  I work in a woman's clothing store, and we get weekly shipments.  I have looked on the tags of the clothing before, and most of it is "Made in China".  Some other accessories and jewelry are from India.   As i pull away the plastic wrapping and paper stuffing, I think of the hands that packed the items accurately, stuffing everything neatly in a box before it gets shipped across the world.  I have thought about this for quite some time, feeling bad for the conditions that other women have to work in.  Here I am making as much money in a day as they make in a month.  Sure things are WAY different here, but does that give us any right to rely on other countries' people for our financial and physical pleasure?

Ethnography Assignment

Research Design:  While reading Feminism is for Everybody, The F-Word, and other articles, an issue really stood out in my mind.  The issue of unfair treatment in the workplace distressed me.  I have read about unequal wages between men and women, as well as inequality in other areas, such as maternity leave and opportunities for advancement.  I was enraged when I read about this, for I believe in fair and equal treatment in and out of the workplace, not just between sexes, but also between ethnicities.  This issue incited my thoughts, and I began to look for a way to gain a better understanding of what is going on in my community.  One article I have read, aside from class, brought in some equality issues in the police force including pay and overall treatment.  In order to further my understanding, I would need to ask questions concerning treatment by supervisors, co-workers, and citizens. 

Methodology:  I plan to gather information on this subject by interviewing a former female police officer, and to see her reactions about these inequalities.

Interview Questions and answers with Tasha Stacey:

1.     1. Who did you work for and what was your position?

 af I was an OU police officer, and part of the patrol unit that patrolled the streets.

2.     2. How long did you work as a police officer?

I held that position for four years.

3.     3. Were there any female supervisors in your office?

There was one other female in the patrol unit, and she was above me, but only because she had been there longer than I had.

4.     4. What obstacles, if any, did you encounter while performing your work duties as a female?

My size was the biggest obstacle.  I was very small, especially compared to the men.  I had to complete training where I learned physical techniques to help me learn to control people that were bigger than I.  

5.     5. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a supervisor because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?

No.

6.     6. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a peer or co-worker because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?

No.

7.     7. Did you see or experience and unfair or unequal treatment by a citizen because of your gender? If so, what was the experience?

The first person that I ever had to fight was a 40-year-old female, who was not very respectful.  I more often got into fights with young males, who were less respectful than older males.  Young females were also more respectful to me than older females.  

8.     8. Concerning wages, do you feel you received equal wages for your job as your male co-workers?

Yes, I had a partner who I completed my training with.  He was a male, and we made the same amount.

9.     9. Was there a fair and equitable pay scale in place for both male and female officers?

Yes, there were equal raises for the time a person had been there, as well as regular yearly raises for everyone. 

10. 10. Did you or anyone you know or worked with experience harassment on the job because of his/her gender?

No.

Field Notes: Being in a mainly male-dominated field of work put pressures on Tasha to prove herself as an able worker and police officer.   Once the males saw that she was able to do her job fully, she were treated like an equal by the rest of the men.  

Write Up: Based on Tasha's reactions from the interview, I think that for the most part, inequality in the workplace has subsided greatly.  Especially when looking at a male-dominated field of work, I found no evidence of unequal treatment based on Tasha's gender.  I really do believe that things have changed, and I think that this is a perfect example.  Tasha proved to herself and her co-workers that she was fully able to perform a "man's job", and she excelled at something that not many people would have thought she would.  I also think that more research needs to be done on this subject, for I found no evidence of unfair treatment.  More research needs to be done concerning this in the male-dominated fields in order to prove the inequalities that are being put forward.  

Blog 8

There were many different responses to Belkin's "Opt Out" essay.  The main arguments that Belkin makes throughout her essay is that women are quitting their high-paying careers to start a family, and how that is effecting the progress of the feminist movement in the business industry.  She says that because the women are quitting their jobs to have children, the men are left at the high positions.  Another side to the argument, however, is that the women that Belkin observes are all graduates of ivy-league schools, and professional women that made it high up on the ladder in their careers.  These women do not represent all of the women in our modern society, the majority of which do not attend ivy-league schools, or attain professional jobs.  Another point against Belkin's thesis is that the women who are leaving their professions, are doing so voluntarily.   They would rather stay at home and care for a family, then deal with the stresses of their work. 

I have only experienced a little as a child, concerning this situation.  My mother, upon having her third child, decided to quit her current job to stay at home.  She did, however, decide to start a home child care business, caring for others children as well.  When all of her children were old enough to attend full day school, she started searching for another job to get back into her working career again.

Blog 7

Lately, I have seen a children's movie called Beverly Hills Chihuahua.  It is about a rich and stuck-up female chihuahua named Chloe, who gets lost in the foreign streets of a city in Mexico. For the majority of the movie, she is the only female dog, and she receives help from only male dogs.  Her protector is a male german-shepard, and the dog that saves her in the end is a male chihuahua.  The main antagonist is a male doberman, and two other antagonists are a male iguana, and a male rat.  Two other protagonists are also male dogs, both of which are bigger than Chloe.  This really stuck out to me, and throughout the movie, Chloe was the picturesque damsel in distress.  Another thing that I noticed concerning gender roles, was when the male gardener of Chloe's owner traveled down to Mexico to help Chloe's babysitter locate her.  The babysitter was a ditzy, blonde, and irresponsibe female, who could hardly get anything done.  The gardener was a tan, muscular, and confident male who accomplished a lot when he started a search for Chloe.  The only trailers that I ever saw for this movie were of a song during the movie, and didn't incorporate gender roles at all.  I think that the portrayal of gender roles in this movie are stereotypical, and I don't agree with them.  I agree with Finkbeiner in The F Word, when she says that "sex without marriage is no longer a taboo".  I also agree that this is because of birth control that is more easily acquired now than it was in the past.  An interesting point that was made in chapter seven, was that the "new generation is marrying later in life, and slightly less often than their mothers".  I think that in our new generation, marriage is not as important or the normal in everyone's life.  Other options are being more accepted today, like being a single parent, or having a homosexual spouse.

Chapter eight talks about the changing of gender roles accomplished by the waves, and Finkbeiner makes a good point when she says that contemporary women "have quite a different outlook on life than previous generations".  I am in this new generation and I can definitely see the differences of moral levels of women my age, compared to older women, like my mother, grandmother, and co-workers.  I do consider myself a feminist, and I was surprised when Finkbeiner asked, "Could feminism's inability to attract young women have something to do with this type of attitude?"  I know many feminists that are around my age, and many of them have different moral values than me. I would have never thought that feminism was not popular among young women, as Finkbeiner said.

In chapter 13 of Feminism is for Everybody,I was surprised that mothers heading households without a father-figure, put more emphasis on sexist ideas and roles.  However, I can certainly see where this is coming from.  I do believe that women can raise a boy to be a proper man.  Chapter 14 talks about sexuality and partnership, and the changes they have underwent from the waves.  I am happy that these changes have happened, and that now the household roles have become more equal than in the past.