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.  

Blog 6

The first ad gives the impression that skinny is cool.   The hot new, modern things are skinny, just like these skinny beautiful women portrayed just above the television.  This offends me because it is putting an emphasis on the thinness of the women, as well as the television.   It also objectifies women, placing them next to a device we use for entertainment.  Therefore, it places women in the entertainment category, meant to satisfy men.  Even though I have not seen this ad personally, I have seen other degrading ads just like this one that display only skinny, unrealistically fit women. 

The woman above is shown wearing mostly black, a slimming color, with grey, boring skin.  The thing that stands out to me is the woman’s short, blonde hair.  This stands out because many times, beauty is associated with having long, luscious, flowing hair.   Also, the woman is standing in very awkward poses.  The poses also show off her legs, making them look longer.  Her appearance contributes to the message, and stereotype the audience receives from this advertisement. 

            If there are billboards advertising alcohol or tobacco, I haven’t seen them recently around the campus.  I do, however see smaller signs posted in convenient stores that promote smoking and/or drinking.  I believe these images are aimed at the youth of America, even if the subject is not old enough to drink, or buy tobacco.  Drinking and smoking are portrayed as cool and fun, and also as adult-like.  

The second ad shows a woman smiling, obviously having fun outdoors, and getting dirty in the mud.  This ad challenges the stereotype on women that they don’t like the outdoors, or getting dirty and muddy.  This ad does offer an alternate form of femininity, displaying to the audience that women can have fun getting dirty, as well as men. 

            I noticed in this ad, that the woman is smiling, showing a bit of her personality.  I also noticed that the main focus on the ad is the woman’s face and smile, unlike many other ads that only include the bodies of women.  Also, the woman isn’t perfect, so a stereotype is not being displayed.  I find this advertisement appealing mainly because it goes outside of the normal to show a “real” woman, not a super skinny (clean) model.

In Feminism is for Everybody, chapter 5 talks about the movement for women's sexuality being one of the main focuses of the feminist movement.  I was surprised that some women actually preferred abortions to the birth control pill.  I can, however, see where they were coming from.  Like Hooks says, " using the pill meant a woman was directly confronting her choice to be sexually active."  Some women put their morals in front of the way they cared for their bodies.  I believe that women should choose exactly what happens to their bodies, and I am glad that women have accomplished so much with their reproductive rights, to help make my life easier today.  

In chapter 6, Hooks talks about women's self-esteem and beauty issues.  When I read about women not being able to wear pants to work, I started to think about my own freedom to wear anything I wanted to.  I have always had this freedom, unlike other women in the past, and the idea of restrictions on this seemed foreign to me.  I was surprised when I read that the cosmetics industry started campaigning and labeling feminists as ugly, thinking that the movement would ruin their business.  I also found it interesting that women continue to challenge and confront the medical industry, in the issue of health care.  I want to go into medicine, something few women actually accomplish because the medical field is dominated by males.  I am sad that it is still like this, and I would love to be joined by many more women in search of a career in the health field.  Hooks also talks about how beauty is portrayed in our modern society, and how the media amplifies this.  I thought it was interesting when Hooks says, " Today's fashion magazines may carry an article about the dangers of anorexia while bombarding its readers with images of emaciated young bodies representing the height of beauty and desirability." I very much agree with this statement.  I even picked up a magazine that I own, and scanned through the pages, looking at the thin, young women portrayed in ads advertising beauty products.  This was my favorite chapter so far in Feminism is for Everybody, and it's made a permanent statement in my mind.

Blog 5

I chose "Black Eyes, Blue Tears" as the first song on my playlist because Shania sings about breaking out of her abusive, controlling relationship. She says that she's not going to stand being beaten and controlled, a common expectancy of women's roles in a relationship. 

"I'm Just a Girl" is also about breaking out of the stereotype of women being refined and pretty.

"DateRape" is about a guy taking advantage of a girl, and using her for his personal satisfaction. "Love Story" shows a picturesque idea of how love should be. The guy is the charming, daring prince, and the girl is the lovely princess. This song just strengthened the stereotype of how love should be. "Warning" also shows some stereotypes of women; "batt your eyes girl", "seduce a stranger". "The Waitress" is full of objectifications of women. They are "hot" and have big butts, and charm the guys with their looks. Both "Like a Boy" and "If I Were a Boy" show how women view men's actions and behavior towards them. They both talk about what things would be like if the roles were switched. "No Woman No Cry" includes the stereotype that women are emotional and need to be comforted when they are. "Complicated" is about the girl being confident in herself, while the man is the one changing himself to fit in or be someone else. I included this song at the end because I think it sends a message that men can be affected by their surroundings and change themselves.

My taste in music has indeed changed in the recent years.  I used to listen to main-stream music.   Now, I mainly listen to indie, and underground music.  Both of these, I find, to be less focused on material objects (yes, including women and their bodies), and more focused personal struggles, including love, and overcoming those problems.  At the time, I didn't think about all the degrading things that are said to and about women in the main-stream songs.  I still can't believe they play these songs on the radio!  What does that say about America?

In chapter 7 of Feminism is for Everybody, Hooks discusses the issue of class in the early feminist movements.  Before this class, I didn't know that this was even an issue.  I did know that working class women were involved, but I didn't realize that the upper class women were the prominent women.  I feel bad that the working class women had to work, and working wouldn't set them free, like the upper class women.  I also don't like that the class issue was mainly white supremacy, and that many women were left out of the movement.

In chapter 16, Hooks talks about lesbianism, and how it ties into the feminist movement.  I was surprised that in her black hometown community, being gay was more accepted than being lesbian.  It seems like the opposite in my community today!  I know that when a girl is a lesbian, or bisexual, a guy finds it attractive.  When a guy is gay, he is excluded extremely from his peers, and considered dirty and weird.  I also was surprised when Hooks said that the majority of lesbians aren't even involved with the feminist movement, for one reason or another.  If anything, I thought they would be the ones involved the most!

Blog 4

I plan to go into the health field, and right now I am leaning toward medicine.  One course in the Women's Studies department that I think would be helpful is the Women's Health class.  My future plans include working with both men and women in the health field, both as patients and as co-workers.  I will also need to know about the biological differences that men and women have in order to accurately diagnose and/or prescribe proper medications.  

In the past, I have worked with both men in and women in the food industry.  My first job was a waitress at Mazzio's Pizza here in Norman.  When I first started my job, the duties were different for men and women, for the most part.  Only women could be the "front girl", or waitress; Only men could be cooks and deliverers (with few exceptions).  I thought almost nothing of it then, I was young and it was my first job.  As time went on, I started to see more diversity within the job positions.  It was then when I saw what was going on, but I was pleased that the positions were no longer sex-based.

I now work at a women's clothing store, which is a much different experience, since all of my co-workers are women, and the majority of the customers I assist are also women.  I can admit that oftentimes when I see a male customer alone in the store I always ask him if he needs any help.  (A lot of the time they look completely lost) Most of the time they praise my assistance because they don't "know what she likes".  Also, when I see male customers with their partner or girlfriend, they always follow her around, holding her things, with a bored look on his face.  I do like working with all women.  I feel that we can connect better in the workplace, which helps me be more efficient.  

In Feminism is for Everybody, Chapter 4 talks about publishing women's works, as well as feminist writing in the industry.  I agree that it is a great way of spreading feminist words and thoughts to further expand knowledge over this subject.  I also agree that it has helped spread and strengthen the belief, for I have learned a lot about this issue from readings I have read.   

In Chapter 4 of The F Word, Finkbeiner lists the top 10 Social Issues among young women going to a university or college.  I definitely agree with this list, putting the issues very close on my list of social issues.  Of course, Gender equality is the top issue.  One thing that surprised me, however, was that education was listed as number Eight.  I would think that among young women fulfilling their education careers and choosing to further their knowledge would rate education higher on the list because of issues they may go through while going to school.  Another thing that stood out to me in this chapter was when Finkbeiner says that women on average earn less money than men in the workplace.  I have heard this before and this issue always makes me wonder.  What is still the problem here? Women have gained so much more equality than they had in the past, why hasn't this issue also been solved?  This question is often on my mind, but who knows if it will ever get answered!

Blog 3

Iron Jawed Angels was a really empowering and emotional movie for me.  I learned about some of the problems that women went through back when the American society was less equitable than ours today.  I was actually surprised about how cruel some people were about women standing up for themselves and their rights. Some possible themes of the film are:

1. Standing your ground produces results

2. Fight for what you believe in

3. Don't back down, even when nothing is going in you favor

One example of the tensions that women working for suffrage was the wife who's husband was a republican senator, and he did not approve or agree with women's suffrage or the activities that his wife was participating in.  She stood up for what she believed in and did not take the bail money or presidential pardon offered to her.  She joined her fellow women in the workhouse until they were released.

Another example was the struggles that the women had with the disapproval and dismissal of the issue by government officials, including the president. When war was declared, their problem only worsened, and their task made harder.  The president didn't want to even hear about women's suffrage, and couldn't believe when the women were standing their ground when he declared war.  The women kept pushing the issue at the president, as well as individual states.  By doing so, the women were able to accomplish their goal, and women gained the right to vote.  

Alice Paul and the other women fighting for equality were able to accomplish their goals by being educated about the subject and the issue, and by pressing the issue with great force, never letting up.  They also truly believed in what they were fighting for, which also helped their determination to accomplish their goal.  

I agree with Bell Hooks' definition of feminism, and I think it is one of the best definitions I have heard.  I also agree that sexism is the base of the feminist movement.  I love that Hooks mentions Native American women in their struggle, saying that all women have struggles with equality, even though some of them may be different.

I also agree with Hooks when she states that Feminism is a learned belief, for I have developed into one myself.  I thought it was interesting that Hooks said that early feminists had to be conscious of the sexism in their societies and lives in order to fully understand their argument for feminism.  

I was surprised at the experience Hooks went through with her college education.  I didn't think that the sexes could really be thought of still, as so different.  It also angered me to hear of the way women were treated in her co-ed school, versus an all women's college.  I disagree with what the male teacher told her about men being naturally smarter than women, I think both have the potential for equal smartness.

I agree with Hooks' argument about domestic violence.  I think it is wrong, and people should be educated about all the different kinds of domestic violence. 

I now understand why Feminism got the label of "radical, man-haters".  I do, however think that the women who started the radical movements had a right to be mad.  They had been in bad relationships with men who abused them; I would be mad too!

Blog 2

Karen Wheeler, Age 47

Karen is a single mother, who raised her two girls mostly by herself.  She feels very strongly about modern stereotypes of women because she runs her household as well as works full time at two jobs.   She believes that women, especially mothers, should not be stereotyped and expected to be a stay-home wife and mother, while the man in the family goes out to earn the money.   Her mother taught her to be a strong woman, and to stand up for what she believes in.  She says that from early womanhood, her mother, as well as grandmother taught her that women have the same rights that men do.  Karen defined feminism as believing that men and women are equal in every way.  One experience in her life that made her conscious of her gender was going through a divorce, and having full custody of her two daughters.  She said that the responsibility was something that she could handle, and she loved that she was the primary caretaker of her daughters.  

Wheeler, Karen. 27 Jan 2009.

Reading Response

I definitely agree with Finkbeiner, and her argument about sex education in public schools.  Girls need to learn about their bodies, and all that they are capable of producing, so they can be educated and be able to make the right decision when the time comes.  They also  need to know about some of the consequences that might come.  Most importantly, I agree that young girls should be supported through this rough, awkward time in their lives, and sex education, in this modern world, is necessary to help increase the safety of the young women.  

I also agree with Finkbeiner when she talks about the modern feminist movement.  The strong women in our past had won the right to vote, and the right to be in the workforce.  Our third generation of feminists are pushing for individual power.  The modern feminists want what's best for each woman, whether its a stay-at-home mother, or a working mom.  

 McIntosh's "White Privilege" was a really interesting read for me.  I am Native American and I have often thought about some of the Privileges that white people have.  I most definitely agree with the long list that McIntosh states because I have personally experienced some of those things, as well as other discrimination issues.  One thing disagree with in this piece is when McIntosh states "that your race will not count against you in court, should be the norm in a just society."  I think that this should not be the "norm", and that everyone, regardless of their race, should have a fair trial.  However, I know that this is not the case in our society, and should be changed. 

Blog 1

Hey, my name is Leana Waters, and I'm a senior at Norman High School.  I am enrolled at OU for Concurrent Enrollment, and I'm currently taking 6 hours.  I chose this course to learn more about the components of feminism, and to learn how it affects today's society.  The questions that I would like to have answered are:

1.  What is feminism?

2.  Why do today's young women feel so pressured to be beautiful?

3.  What are the stereotypes women face daily?

4.  What are the stereotypes men face daily?

5.  What are modern feminists focusing on?