Leading Post: The Power of Feminist Curiosity

Cynthia Enloe’s introductory chapter, “Being Curious about our lack of Feminist Curiosity”, emphasizes the importance of curiosity in investigating issues further, particularly the system of patriarchy which, as she articulates, pervades nearly all facets of society. She explores the many power structures which are dependent on our continuing lack of curiosity, and encourages us to pursue the questions our feminist curiosity provoke in order to gain a better understanding of how masculinity is privileged, and how that privilege depends on the controlling and/or complicity of women. Furthermore, she acknowledges energy-saving purposes that certain words we take for granted entail, such as “natural”, “traditional”, and “always; and how these words provide protection and immunity to bothersome questioning. Her analysis of the system of patriarchy and its dependence on feminized roles proved very insightful.

The following chapter, “The Surprised Feminist”, Enloe emphasizes the importance of acknowledging and admitting surprises, a feminist attribute which she contends to be highly undervalued and underutilized. She explains that we as a society are socialized to deny surprise, because acknowledging when surprises occur tends to undermine one’s credibility. However, she expresses that being open to surprise may be one of the most useful attitudes to prepare oneself for what lies in the future. As she quotes, “Whenever one is surprised, one most likely can manage to squeeze the new development into a comfortable, worn conceptual shoe.” Surprising gives us the opportunity to examine unanticipated developments through a conceptual framework, allowing us to integrate feminist theory to practical events.

I found it interesting how she acknowledged that no patriarchal system consists solely on just men or the masculine, and her analysis on the enduring and adaptive nature of patriarch helps illuminate how women are made to overlook their own marginal positions in society, providing a false sense of security, protection, and value. Patriarchal institutions need feminized constituents in order to operate; By taking women seriously and investigating these issues more thoroughly, feminists are able to see the influence of patriarchy embedded in broader social institutions and processes.

Being a Curious Feminist

Enloe's article "Being Curious about Our Lack of Feminist Curiosity" really discusses about she wants us to become aware about what is going on around us. She says that if it were a natural thing to do then it would be easy but its not. People use the words "tradition" and "always" to get out of exploring new things. It is easy to ignore the topics around us when they are traditional or they always happen. Basically, it is a way to avoid the entire situation and to do nothing about it. Its the easy way. She said that even she is complicit with her lack of curiousness. I understand because it seems like it is an easy rut to fall into and that everyone does it, including me. To seriously listen is hard to do and you will find your self being surprised at what you have missed. Enloe brings up "girlhood" and how she is curious about the "American girlhood, even that of a tomboy, which was subtly feminized" (8, Enloe). She tries to figure out if her childhood was militarized by the actions that were going on around her. I would say that there was for her because she grew up around the post war time.I would say mine was not. As for the tomboy girlhood. That is something I understand completely. My mother was always in one ear trying to get me to wear dresses but my dad was in the other trying to get me to play sports. It could be very confusing as a child but I can see how Enloe made the comment of a subtly feminized girlhood.

Enloe's second chapter on "The Surprised Feminist" discusses how as human beings we are programmed not to be surprised. We rather have the reaction of "Oh well, of course it would tun out like that" (14, Enloe). I believe this is because we are afraid to be be surprised. We don't want to be shell shocked that something happened because that is what a surprise is. It is to have our current notions thrown into confusion. Enloe says that we should be open to surprise so that we are prepared for it when it comes. She used the example of the Columbine High School massacre in Colorado. Each surprise has been gendered so far one way or the other. It changes and shapes our perceptions of masculinity and femininity. It is natural to be curious about the men with the guns and why they needed to prove their masculinity. She says we need to dig don deeper and be ready for surprise and to stand against it. I agree with her. I think preparing ourselves for the future and what could happen is exactly how we should go about life. Be ready for anything to happen.

Identity Poltics and Activism

Today’s readings did a successful job at illuminating the power of activism and leadership to create meaningful social change. The first article, “Navigating Identity Politics in Activism”, written by Allison Attenello, explores the political implications of racial, economic, social and cultural identities when navigating power dynamics, describing her experiences volunteering with a community group that represented the needs of Mexican immigrants in New Brunswick, NJ. Her experiences representing the needs and interests of a racial and cultural identity that she is not a part of dramatically altered her conception of identity politics, and have raised profound questions regarding activism and leadership in diverse communities, emphasizing the need to recognize one’s identity in order to promote social change and empowerment. In recognizing these differences in identity, she suggests, we are able to discern how common experiences and can form bonds and create sites for collective action for women and men of different backgrounds.

Shira Lynn Pruce’s article, “Blurring the Lines of Divide” describes her experiences developing her identity as a Jew, learning Hebrew, Jewish History, and Zionism, and how these characteristics of her identity enabled her to develop a passion for activism and pursuing social change within her community, both local and abroad. Through her experiences battling anti-Semitic violence and intimidation on college campuses in North America, she developed her leadership skills and quickly grew inspired to mobilize interest across America to promote messages of pride, progress, and support by launching her umbrella organization “Israel Inspires”. She has achieved widespread success in organizing and campaigning for women’s right inside of her campus and nationally, earning a job working for the Israeli parliament Knesset shortly after graduation. Her experiences working with other women from different backgrounds, whether Jewish or Gentile, man or woman, enabled her to search for common ground and other similarities, which she firmly believes can be used for building bridges, establishing communication and allowing open dialogue. What I found most interesting from her article was the distinction she examines between grassroots activism and formal political participation, and how the two are recognized differentially in the public sphere; society acknowledges one group as respected professionals, and dismisses the other as delinquent protestors. Overall, through her experiences with grassroots activism in college and her professional employment working abroad with the Israeli government, Pruce was able to realize the interaction and intersection of her two life passions, and is able to blur the line between formal political participation and activism, pushing the boundaries of social change to new limits.

Newsflash 3.0: Princess Culture and Damsels in Distress

Newslink:
http://www.newsweek.com/2011/01/26/disney-princesses-and-the-battle-for-your-daughter-s-soul.html


Constructions of masculinity and femininity widely permeate mainstream film and television, and our consumption of such media can produce considerable impacts on the development and direction of one’s life at an early age. In fact, many Disney films operate under socially constructed stereotypes for gender norms, encouraging and promoting certain behaviors and lifestyles to children based on their gender and sex, which has prompted serious concern over the content which our children are exposed to and internalize. Jessica Bennett’s Newsweek article “Disney Princesses and the battle for your Daughter’s Soul” explores the dangers of mainstream media and the messages that are conveyed to girls at early ages; messages that subtly yet profoundly inform our cultural expectations for gender performance and female behavior.

Bennett’s article focuses on the experiences of Peggy Orenstein, a renowned author of several books regarding girls and a critic for the New York Times, examining the difficulties Orenstein confronts raising a daughter of her own in the “princess” culture that pervades today’s society. This culture, she explains, encourages girls to “engulf their rooms in pink chiffon and rhinestone tiaras” through their consumption of mass media and advertisement, and these messages are conveyed at an alarmingly early age. To illuminate this point, Bennett examines several classic Disney films such as Cinderella, Sleeping Beauty and Snow White, all of which are movies that depict Princesses or female characters in a similar and contrived fashion that is consistent with patriarchal stereotypes of gender performance and behavior. Each film, all of which I have watched previously as a child and unable to recognize the element of gender at play, pit the young, feminine, and beautiful Princess against an evil ugly old woman, waiting for true love in the form of a Prince that she has never met to rescue her from misery. In The Little Mermaid, Ariel even sacrifices her voice for the chance to secure the love of a man she has never met.

While these Disney films are often considered childhood classics, the narratives convey a far more profound message to its young viewers which echoes several sentiments Susan Douglass raises in “Enlightened Sexism. The princesses in these films are unable to help or empower themselves, and are essentially rendered powerless, dependent on the love and approval of men to acquire true happiness. Moreover, each movie places an emphasis on the beauty of the Princess in order to gain the approval of men, which encourages girls at the earliest of ages to conform and adhere to patriarchal ideals of beauty and perfection. As Douglass articulates in her chapter “Lean and Mean”, the rampant objectification of women in the media has imposed significant pressure on women to be thin, and has reinforced the notion that only when women become an object of desire can they obtain true power and happiness. While young girls watch these Princesses struggle to become the Prince’s objects of desire, notions of femininity, gender performance emerge, which are then internalized and replicated in the behavior of young girls.
Furthermore, I also found it interesting how the protagonist is often depicted as a young, beautiful and feminine Princess who is pitted against an old, ugly, evil woman. Analyzing this plot through Douglass’ lens, these Disney movies pit women against each other across generational lines, and equate age with ugliness, which can impose serious consequences on the physical and mental health of women at older ages. What’s worse is that with such overwhelming societal pressures to be beautiful, women have resorted to less safe and unhealthy measures to satisfy these demands, resorting to plastic surgery or eating disorders, which can potentially lead to anxiety, depression, and low self-esteem.

The “princess mania” that permeates our culture puts women in a compromising situation. Girls learn, from a mix of mass marketing and media, that their worth is dependent on their beauty just as much as their smarts. And while girls have excelled in sciences and math among their male counterparts, they are subtle coerced into a cultural mold, socialized to obsess about meeting Prince charming and to compete with who has the prettiest dress. Each girl learns and internalizes the notion that she is a princess of her own, which lays down the foundation for gender behavior and performance at an early age. Therefore, the more mainstream media girls consume the more conscious they are about being pretty and sexy, and at increasingly young ages. As Douglas points out in the “Sex ‘R’ Us” chapter, the over-exposure and emphasis on female body parts and sexuality has become the norm, and the sexualization of women can be seen at extremely young ages as portrayed in shows such as “Toddlers & Tiaras.” This is an alarming reality that is directly influenced by the princess culture, and shows no signs of slowing down. Open sexual publicity can also be demonstrated, encouraged, and promoted though other forms of media such as magazines (Cosmo, Maxim, etc) and commercial advertisements, serving as constant reminders for women to adhere to ideal standards of beauty whilst deflating their self-esteem. One study mentioned in Bennett’s article even found that seeing advertisements from one to three minutes can have an adverse effect on girl’s self-esteem.

One alarming reality that Orenstein brings to light is the fact that there are virtually no alternatives for girls who choose not to play with pink princess toys. In fact, Bennett’s article mentions that Disney alone has 26,000 princess items on the market today, which is part of a $4 Billion-a-year franchise that is the fastest growing brand the company has ever created. However, it’s not that the princess role model is inherently bad; it’s that it turns into something else. Girls not only need to be the fairest princess of them all, they must, as the article quotes, “be the most Paris Hilton, or Kim Kardashian of them all”; in short, the princess mold is yet a precursor to future sexual objectification and display.

After reading this article, I found it interesting to see how some of my female friends have evolved from their interaction with this princess culture and how this mold has translated into several aspects of their lives. I know of several girls who love pink, and engulf their rooms and interior in ultra feminized décor. It’s not a bad thing, and an expression of individuality and personal preference. But I understand the point Orenstein illuminates, and believe it to be a delicate balance in discerning what represents women’s acquiescence to oppressive patriarchal standards, or an expression of individuality and personal preference. Regardless, I feel it is necessary to acknowledge these concerns in order to investigate the detriments of princess culture more thoroughly, and eliminate the gender inequalities and patriarchal stereotypes that often result.

Worked Cited:
Douglas, Susan. Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is Done. New York: Times Books, 2010. Print.

Leading Post: Leaders for Different Nations

Attenello's piece "Navigating Identity Politics in Activism" and Price's piece "Blurring the Lines That Divide" both discuss leading activist that majored in women and gendered studies. They bith felt that it was their passion to be able to take part of feminist activism in any way that they could in order to make a difference for the people around them.

Alison Attenello believed that women's roles in activism is rarely mentioned throughout communities but that it should be because it is central to social change. She believed that "the relationship between power and identity became the lens though which she evaluated political ideas and strategies as well as legitimized her own participation in social change organizations" (97, Atenello). She joined a community group that represented Mexican immigrants which she later became Vice President of. These women of Latina decent were getting raped along with women from Rutgers; the lines were traversed. But the city made it a big deal that the students were the ones getting raped and out no attention to the Latino community. They became enraged and organized a march. Even though Attenello didn't belong to the community she decided to help in any way possible because it enraged her too. Later when she told Lupe (President) her worries that she shouldn't speak out for the group because she wasn't from their background, education or class level, Lupe didn't see this as a problem. Antenello still left to pursue other activist work such as violence against women. She felt that the only way she could help the group was to leave because of their differences.

Shira Pruce's leadership incorporated what she learned growing up (Hebrew, Jewish history, and Zionism) and turned it into a lethal combination. She visited the death camps on Poland and learned also about how the homosexuals, people with disabilities, and other non white conformist were also among the Jews who were being tortured and killed. As terrorist attacks were going on during her college years she was looking on the outside and formed bias opinions. She recognized that bias and what came along with it. After her experience in Israel and coming back to the United States, she could see the bias newspapers after 9/11 blaming the whole country for the acts against the United States. Even ones in the United States attending her school, people showed hate to and their was no reaction from them. So becoming enraged, she got hard facts and found ways to tackle the Jewish/ Zionist group on campus. After taking women study courses she realized her anger came from feeling marginalized and that subordination still existed. She then organized women's rights and LGBT rights in Washington D.C.. After graduation she got a job with Knesset Israeli and eventually organized three different social projects and demanded a raise. She got it because she worked hard and deserved it. She believes that strong women are ready to fight and that we nee to step up and support them.

I believe that these two articles really show how these different women came out and found a passion that they truly believed in. They did not belong to the community essentially but they became apart of it when they joined in and supported the activist groups who were speaking out for these women. They didn't make it about culture but about women in general and how we need to stand up for all women's rights around the world. I can relate because I am not part of any group based on ethnicity or class. But i am apart of the gender role and reading these articles inspired me to want to be apart of something that supported women in a way that could help stand up for their rights.

The Impact of the Individual on Social Change: The Importance of Activism in Today’s World

I thought that all three of the readings for today did a wonderful job of promoting certain roles one can take within social justice activism. Re-reading Jessica Greenstone’s, “Learning the Meaning of One” takes me back to the beginning of the semester when we were first assigned this piece. I remember fully connecting with Greenstone’s words, especially because of our mutual identity of a white, female, Jew. However, now that I re-read Greenstone’s words I connect with them on a much deeper level. As one of the last posts of the semester, I can truly say how much this class has taught me about the realities of our society. Before taking Women’s Studies, I was a fully naïve member of our patriarchal culture. I admit that I too fell for the constant enlightened sexism that is presented in the media, and I was a believer that women’s issues were slowly becoming obsolete today. Moreover, I never attached myself to activism in any way, but now that the semester is almost is over I feel the need to promote social justice in the same sense that Greenstone does.

Greenstone states that we all have biases based on the unconscious influence of societal constructs and beliefs, and that we all need to be placed in the shoes of others to reach enlightenment. I think that education is one of the greatest modes of such enlightenment, especially in the field of activism, and thus, I agree with Greenstone in that social change only succeeds once individuals are exposed to certain disturbing truths within our society. I think that social justice classes should be required in all elementary/ high schools, and here too at Colgate. I also think that as a newly educated group of students, we all now have the responsibility to promote Women’s Studies to our peers, so that they can be enlightened as we have been.

After this class, I also now see just how much my identity affects all of my social biases and choices. I am reminded of one of the first days of class in which we wrote down adjectives that describe ourselves. At that time, I don’t think that I fully recognized the power of each of those adjectives in relation to the way that I view the world. Now I understand the importance of these qualities, especially when it comes to activism. As Allison Attenello claims in, “Navigating Identity Politics in Activism,” the importance of recognizing one’s identity politics is crucial if he or she were to become a social justice leader. Attenello acted as a leader of a Mexican women’s rights group, Unidad de New Brunswick, however, she felt that she could not fully connect to the wants and needs of this group due to her lack of understanding of the cultural identity of the group. Thus, instead of remaining as an active leader of the group, she transitioned to becoming an instructor of activism among these women, helping them with their organizing and leadership skills instead of representing them as an outsider to their identity.

Overall, the readings for today portray the power of social activism in producing real social change. Throughout the semester I have been amazed at how much such young men and women can accomplish for society, solely due to their exposure to the realities of the world. For example, in the third reading for today, Shira Pruce describes how she rallied for the rights of both women and Jews, and eventually became a part of Isreali Parliament (Knesset) almost immediately after graduating college. I find this to be extremely impressive, and it enables me to see just how influential one individual can be on social change. I am thankful that I have had the opportunity to be a part of this class, and to also be enlightened about certain aspects of our culture that remain hidden to most eyes. I also hope to enlighten others through my newfound knowledge of social justice, thus passing along the significance of these hidden realities in order to aid in heightening the quality of life for all marginalized individuals today.

News Flash 3: Guidelines for Preventing Sex Crimes!!!

Campus Sex Crimes are being investigated and Vice President Biden wants to do more to prevent sexual violence. The NY Times article put out in April 4, 2011 discusses how Vice President Biden is going to New Hampshire on Monday to issue instructions on how to help prevent sexual violence on campus. Since reading Brownmiller and Crenshaw I have come to realize this is not going to be easy for Bien to accomplish. Also, since living at College I can definitely see what goes on behind closed doors and what does not get reported.

“Mans discovery that his genitalia could severe as a weapon to generate fear must rank as one of the most important discoveries of prehistoric times, along with the use of fire and the first crude stone axe” (Brownmiller, 312). I believe that this statement is one of her most powerful statements she could make about men. It covers the fear that women feel about how men can have so much power over them. It also, says that the men know they can have this power and they can exploit it anyway that they want to. In the NY Times article, Dillon says sex crimes often “go un reported because victims fear that universities will not discipline the offenders” (Dillon, 1). I can see why the victims would believe this. Unless you have direct proof it is one person’s word against another person’s word. You can’t charge anyone with circumstantial evidence. Also, in Yale an investigation is going on because in 2008 a fraternity was photographed holding a sign that was sexually degrading to women and Yale did nothing about it. Fear is definitely a problem that women face, especially with acts like this because they cant even trust authority figures to do anything about it. So why would they help them with sexual violence acts towards them? Power is what the men gain in this situation. Brownmiller says that “to simply learn the word rape is to take instruction in the power relationships between males and females” (312-313). Even though this says that women are only victims and I want to say this isn’t true, well it certainly seems like it when we wont stand up for ourselves. We give all the power to the men and we don nothing to fight for it back. This power has seemed to be a problem since the beginning. Folk tales like Little Red Ridding Hood has women being the damsels in distress and the men coming to their rescue. It is not just in one folk tale, it’s in every single one. The power balance is messed up and we are being the victims here.

Creshaw’s article “Mapping the Margins” also highlights on the power relationship between men and women. She says “certain strands of feminist and racial liberation movements, for example, is the view that social power in delineating difference need not be the power of domination; it can instead be the source of political and social reconstruction” (Creshaw, 1). This is basically saying that power is a reason that men are sexually violent against women but it is not the only reason. Sometimes men are looking for political power or social power over different races and genders. For example, rape can be used as a weapon of War. It can be used to dominate a culture and gender to put fear in victims and have the dominating power over them. Why do men take over villages and rape victims or plunder the village? It all about the fear they can put into the victims and eventually the country. Dillon even quotes the secretary of education who heads the Office of Civil Rights that “there is a terrible and alarming trend in the country of sexual violence” (Dillon, 1). This basically means, that even she is fearful that the trend will continue to expand across the country and maybe even further. It is affecting everyone now, every race, gender and ethnicity. The Education Department is trying to set up new guidelines to be able to prevent sexual violence from occurring and spreading further. If all campuses are like Colgate then I don’t see how a form will be able to prevent these things.

The Colgate Campus is a hook up culture like most colleges are. We are made up of sororities and fraternities, which host the rape culture. Rape myths also go along with these college parties such as: if your drinking you deserve it, or if you dress provocatively, if you come to the environment then you should expect it, and if you dance with someone then you want to hook up with them. All these myths lead to the fact that men take advantage of certain scenarios and assume that all women want to have sex with them if they put themselves into these situations. It should be warning to women on what to expect and to be careful, but it isn’t. We willingly participate in events that put us in compromising positions. When the Educational Board says that they want new guidelines then realistically you would have to get rid of every frat as a start. For example, here at Colgate we host Derby Days which is where men put on drinking events and form teams to gain points. The more sexual favors you do for them, the more points your teams get. The drinking is just a mask to help cover up what really is going. There are also women degrading other women in these places. Women throw beer on freshmen and call them out for everything that is going on. So we can’t blame everything on the men, women are just as much as part as the problem as the men are. Another thing that the Educational Bored would have to stop is the parties in general. Places I know put zanex in certain drinks that only girls drink so that they blackout and don’t remember anything that went on the next day. This can be dangerous because men could take advantage of you and you probably wouldn’t even remember it. It is going to be hard to get rid of all these rape cultures across the country.

Overall, sexual violence seems to be a major issue that is spreading across that country. Brownmiller and Crashaw both suggests that power that we give them men or allow them to have, is the major issue. The NY Times reports that they are the Educational Bored is going to try to prevent sexual violence on campus. They are starting with investigations against Yale and how it has “ a hostile environment and the university is not responding effectively” (Dillon, 1). I don’t think that they can really see what is going on. I would say what the Board should concentrate on is getting women to stand up and report events. It allows women to gain their power back and brings forth the attention that is needed. Even is it doesn’t get taken care of, it will still be better to get the attention that is deserves rather then none at all.

References:

Crenshaw, Kimberle. Mapping the Margrins: Intersectionality, Identity, Politics, and Violence Against Women of Color. The Public Nature of Private Violence, 1994.

Dillon, Sam. NY Times: Biden to Discuss Ne Guidelines Against Sex Crimes. NY Times NewsPaper, 4, April 2011.

Brownmiller, Susan. Excerpt from Against Our Will. In: The Essential Feminist Reader. Modern Lbrary, 2007.

NewsFlash 3: Heidi Montag, Version 3.0- To the Youth of America- Don’t Like Your Face? There’s an Answer!

Link to article: http://www.newsweek.com/2010/01/14/heidi-montag-version-3-0.html

As a child, I truly believed that I was living an extremely deprived life, because my parents chose to maintain a cable-free household. I was resentful of this parental decision, and I constantly thought of manipulative plans to sign us up for Time Warner. However, as we have discussed in class via Douglas’ lens, there are certain aspects of the media today that make me tremendously thankful of my devoid-of-cable-childhood.

While I do find reality TV deeply entertaining, it becomes the pinnacle of toxic media flow, further enhancing our society’s patriarchal culture. Specifically, I am thankful that I did not witness MTV’s The Hills, until I was at an age where I could disengage from its content, and view it as the complete opposite of “reality.” One character within The Hills in particular, or Heidi Montag, has had a highly influential force on the eyes of intrigued teen-fans in the form of her sex-appeal and glamorous lifestyle. Many find this blonde bombshell of a character to be highly ridiculous (and certainly entertaining to watch). However, many young teens also consider her “real,” and they thus can subconsciously validate her decisions, no matter how ridiculous they may be. Therefore, the idea of Heidi as a social icon becomes highly problematic (especially for the mental health of young girls) in light of her recent quest to become a living Barbie.

In a thought-provoking and clever article for Newsweek, “Heidi Montag, Version 3.0,” Sarah Ball and Jessica Bennett critique Montag’s shocking 10-in-one plastic surgical spree that took place in 2009. By the time Montag was 21 years old in September of 2007 (which is still at the cusp of adulthood, in my opinion), she had received a nose job, collagen lip injections, and breast implants (A cups to C cups). Montag was determined to get these procedures done because of extreme self-proclaimed insecurities due to criticisms of her appearance in her youth (she admitted to being teased for her looks as a child), and in the media as an adult (a high price of fame, I’m sure).

This self-loathing reached an unhealthy extreme at age 23, when she decided to completely surgically reconstruct herself in order to reveal her “inner beauty.” In November of 2009 Heidi received a grand total of 10 plastic surgeries at once, including further breast augmentation (she admits that she eventually wants “H’s, for Heidi!”), a brow lift, liposuction of the thighs, and even an ear pining, among others. As Ball and Bennett point out, one of the most disturbing aspects of Heidi’s surgeries is that certain ones focus on the minutest details of herself (i.e. the ear pining). Heidi discusses this specific surgery with People in which she states that it was mortifying to view herself on TV with ears sticking out like “Dumbo.” Speaking about her post-op body she adds, “For the first time, I have sexy ears! I can wear updos, instead of hiding them behind my hair.” Unfortunately for Heidi, I’m pretty sure that her viewers will be distracted by her new DDDs before noticing at her newly pinned ears.

One of the major problems with Heidi’s overall transformation is the underlying social constructs of cosmetic surgery that objectify all women today, and that surely planted the seeds of self-loathing within Heidi to begin with. As Douglas states in her “Sex ‘R’ Us” chapter, our society has clear physical standards of acceptable beauty. As is reiterated in this chapter, perhaps one of the most unfortunate consequences of the achieved strides of sex-positive feminists is the over-exposure and over-emphasis on female body parts that has become the norm in society today. Women are constantly reminded of the need to be “perfect,” physically, given that the consequences of not following this expectation are seemingly unsuccessful lives, devoid of love and happiness. Thus, women like Heidi choose to deprive and hurt themselves by flocking to dieting companies and plastic surgeons in order to look like our own formulated constructs of perfection. Perhaps the most disturbing aspect of Heidi’s surgeries is that she was considered to be socially beautiful pre-operating table, making this quest for perfection even more pronounced.

Further dangers of Heidi’s elevation of plastic surgery in the media are related to the known risk of psychopathologies within young women that stems from their social comparison of themselves to Hollywood figures. Similar to Douglas’ thoughts on female self-objectification, Joan Brumberg discusses what happens when women over-analyze their own bodies in, “Body Projects.” She explains that today, women view their bodies as the ultimate expression of themselves. She further highlights the idea that with more freedom to expose their bodies throughout the ages, women have become more anxious about certain parts since they are required to mimic the “norm” presented in the media. Thus, often women fall to certain pathologies such as depression and eating disorders due to their personal unwanted deviation from the norm. Heidi too, ironically falls into this media-created trap of idealized perfection by going under the knife to be fully accepted by the public. Unfortunately by doing so, she also further perpetuates this dangerous cycle by becoming an icon for our youth to observe, admire, and copy.

In fact, as is discussed by Ball and Bennett, many young girls already view the extremes of plastic surgery as normal, and as a mode of gaining power in society. This mindset becomes extremely dangerous in our world of standardized beauty in that as more young girls view Heidi’s transformation as the “norm,” they will be more apt to choose this action as a quick self-esteem booster, thus mutilating themselves in order to rise from a place of self-loathing. As is stated in the article, the American Society for Aesthetic Plastic Surgery shows that the amount of cosmetic-surgery procedures performed on those 18 and younger have nearly doubled over the past decade, and that nearly 14% of Botox injections are currently given to those in the 19-34 age group. Nora Ephron, a screenwriter and director, comments on this issue in the article, further elucidating this twisted social attitude: “I think it’s a very interesting time for girls, in that what we all grew up believing -that you have to play the hand you’re dealt- is no longer true. In some sense, you really can go out and buy yourself a better face and a different body.” Hence, by watching Heidi (the life-sized Barbie) on MTV, young women learn that they will only be happy once they are changed from their natural selves (if they can afford it), thus fully supporting female objectification and marginalization for our future generations.

It is important to note another issue with Heidi’s seemingly insane slew of plastic surgeries: the role of her husband in her feelings of self-hatred. Spencer Pratt is portrayed as a pure misogynist (at least within the media); chasing playboy bunnies while dating Heidi at the same time. One can only wonder how much of an influence this subordination had on Heidi’s decision in choosing to undergo these surgeries, especially when it was revealed in the article that Spencer videotaped her on a handheld camera while a doctor marked off her “problem areas” pre-surgery. This incidence feeds into Brownmiller’s idea that we live in a culture that endorses male persecution against women. Spencer constantly degrades Heidi on The Hills, and receives no consequences, making male-viewers assume that this is how to appropriately treat their female colleagues.

While I am avidly against Heidi’s decision to undergo such an extreme transformation, I can understand her reasons behind this behavior (extreme media judgment, male partner criticism, the psychopathology behind self-hatred beginning at moments of childhood teasing, etc.). Even though it may promote our inherent social belief that all self-confidence should be attached to one’s physical attractiveness, I think that at times, plastic surgery can be highly beneficial to both men and women facing extreme self-loathing. Most importantly, similar to what we have discussed in class regarding “designer vaginas,” plastic surgery is a CHOICE. It can be life-saving when it comes to certain physical medical problems (such as 3rd degree burns), and definitely can act as a mental healer as well in that it heightens self-esteem.

Heidi Montag holds the freedom of choice, and who are we as a society to judge or to disallow any of her actions? While I disagree with the extremes of Heidi’s surgical procedures, and while I think that as a public figure, she should have thought more deeply about the effects that this personal choice may have on her young viewers, I can only pity her eventual decision to Barbie-fy herself. Overall, I think that the social problems behind Heidi’s surgeries overwhelm her short-term newfound happiness due to these bodily changes. I believe that Heidi, and society as a whole, both have the responsibility to heighten the importance of positive self-esteem within the media so that our youth are not mentally harmed via pop culture’s idealized norms. Moreover, I think that as a society it is time to regulate content of reality TV as to prevent psychopathology within young women. Lastly, I think that the dissolving of such intense female objectification within the media needs to occur for the sake of celebrities and for that of all women. Only when changes such as these are made can we slowly be let out of consumer-ized cages of inferiority and self-loathing, into a world where natural faces and bodies are not only accepted, but are perhaps appreciated more so than ones filled with silicone.

*Attached is a video that demonstrates the psychopathology surrounding the want for multiple plastic surgery procedures. Some experts would claim that going through numerous plastic surgeries is related to addictive behavior, thus further translating to the motivation behind Heidi’s actions: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eojGbmyYmhQ

Works Cited
Ball, Sarah, & Bennett, Jessica. “Heidi Montag, Version 3.0.” Newsweek 15 Jan 2010: <http://www.newsweek.com/2010/01/14/heidi-montag-version-3-0.html>.
Brownmiller, Susan. Excerpt from Against Our Will. In: The Essential Feminist Reader. Modern Lbrary, 2007.
Brumberg, Joan. “Body Projects” from The Body Project.
Douglas, Susan. Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is Done. New York: Times Books, 2010. Print.

Gender and the Military

This week’s reading focused on the widespread issue of sexual assault and abuse in the military, and discusses the various implications that result from the constructions of masculinity and femininity that permeate throughout military regimes. Cynthia Enloe’s chapter, “Men in Militias, Women as Victims”, explores the existing male pressures to be masculine in the army, detailing the account of Borislav Herak, a Serbian man who later infamously is charged for what had come to be known as the “Bosnian rapes.” Investigating the processes and social institutions that led to this behavior, Enloe’s analysis illuminates the gendered dimensions of ethnic and nationalistic processes that shaped and informed the actions of Borislav and his fellow militia-men, actions that contradicted what they felt was right, but nevertheless motivated by the “warrior” element that is central to the modern cultural construction of Serbian masculinity. This pressure to “fit in” and adhere to Serbian constructions for gender performance illuminates the power in men’s fear of emasculation, a fear that compels men to engage in such military cultural practices without regard for what is morally right.

The following chapter, “Spoils of War”, she describes an event that occurred in September 1995, on the island of Okinawa, Japan, where three U.S. soldiers were charged for the assault and rape of a twelve-year-old girl. Enloe examines the patriarchal assumptions that encourage U.S. men in uniform to view women as “warrior’s booty” and engage in such behavior as sexual assault, harassment, and rape. She explains the widespread belief that soldiers have “uncontrollable sex drives” and that the military’s effectiveness may be compromised if these sexual desires are not satisfied, a view I believe is used as justification for the increasing commercialization and exploitation of women around military bases. Her analysis alarmingly reveals how U.S. military practices may not only condone but also facilitate the sexual abuse and exploitation of women.

Steven Lee Myers’ NYT article “A Peril in War Zones” further discusses issues of sexual abuse in the military, focusing on the experiences of Capt. Margaret H. White and her time served in Camp Taji. The article emphasizes the increasing prevalence of sexual abuse within the military, and how these issues are rarely confronted and appropriately addressed. Capt. Margaret discusses her experiences suffering from sexual abuse and harassment, and articulates her fear of coming forward about it because of the potential he-said-she-said recriminations that would reverberate throughout the military base, which may compromise the goals of the mission. Her experience is not an isolated one, as many women in the army are forced to suppress anxieties and concerns that emerge from sexual harassment for fear of repudiation, or even discharge. Women are often discouraged from voicing their opinions and experiences against sexual assault because they do not want to deal with the embarrassment and implications that may jeopardize their career if they speak up. However, I do feel optimistic about a more inclusive and just military in the future because of increasing numbers of women in our armed forces. As more women enter the forces and climb up the ranks, issues of sexual abuse and assault will have to be confronted and addressed. Cultural change requires a lot of effort, even more patience, but ultimately a defining presence is necessary. Given enough time, the presence of women in the military will grow louder, and their voices will be heard.

Women and War

Cynthia Enloe's articles focuses on the rape of women during War time. The first article "All Men Are in the Militias" discusses Borislav Herak and how the chain of command forced him to rape women during the Bosnian rapes. We was accused of 16 rapes and some murders after the fact if these women. During the interview he confesses to all these things because he was afraid of what the army would do to him if he refused. The army provided him with shelter and food. He was afraid of being sent to the front line of a bad area and being shot if he refused to do what they said or be sent to jail. Also, there was the issue of gender. The army company was strictly men only, therefore he was with his men and felt pressured to participate. The only time he actually felt morale was when "he was drinking schnapps or barbecuing with the men"(116). The second article focuses on how 3 American Marines were charged with the rape of a 12 year old girl. Rape and sexual assault causes political outrage and prostitution is also is illegal in Japan. he excuses is that is supposed to release "natural urges" and women are left to their own devices.

The NY Time articles "A Peril in War Zones" and "Living and Fighting alongside men" talk about similar problems discussing women and sexual assault in the US Army. Only about 2,000 rape/assault charges were brought up this year which is only 10%. Women are afraid to speak out in fear of losing their position and because they are supposed to be tough. One women said that she was supposed to be fighting along side the men and the issue of War was a bigger issue then what was going on with her. This is not true because if I was getting stalked, raped, or sexually assaulted I wouldn't have a clear head going into battle. She said she felt safer outside the lines then walking alone at night in her own barracks. Eventually White was investigated for 19 accounts of sexual harassment. When a women knows she isn't the only on, it is easier to deal with. They don't feel less tough because it wasn't just happening to her. Also, living situations can be difficult. You are now allowed to date a fellow officer. The army doesn't really care because they have bigger problems to deal with. Most women are looked at as "a bitch, a slut or married but even then still one or the other"(1). It is still difficult for women in the Army even though they are fighting side by side with these men.

Overall, sexual assault and rape is still an issue through out the military with the men. Men from different countries are obeying orders to avoid jail and losing the way they live. Even the Us is struggling with sexual assault problems that are not being reported. The military and Pentagon talks about prevention and educating people on he problem but with no results is this really helping?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2LHsMC184Ow

This is a video clip of the army talking about the prevention they are doing.

Leading Post: The Problems Facing Women During Wartime

All of the readings for today emphasize the relationship between the subordination of women in the military and as victims of war-related crimes. In Enloe’s chapter, “All the Men are in the Militia, All the Women are Victims,” she describes the dangers of the existing male pressure to be masculine within the military. She uses the example of Borislav Herak, a Serbian militiaman who took part in the horrific “Bosnian rapes.” Enloe includes an interview with Herak in this chapter in which Herak states that the main reason that he took part in the rape of so many innocent women was due to his want to “fit in” with a group of domineering males and to follow orders from a higher military power. There are many obvious problems with this militiaman-mindset; however, what I find the most disturbing from Herak’s testimony is that even if these soldiers had a problem with rape as a militarized order, they never stood up to any authority, let alone discussed their actions with each other, making them cowardly and weak.

In another Enloe chapter, “Spoils of War,” she further describes how women are marginalized via male-driven wartime attitudes. She states that oftentimes, the male soldier’s excessive and spontaneous sex-drive is used as an excuse for prostitution and rape. She even goes on to claim that perhaps the use of female prostitutes in foreign countries can be seen as a vehicle for rape due to the power-trip-esque effect it has on male soldiers.

Myers also writes about the problematic male-warrior attitude within our modern day military in her article, “A Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.s.” She uses the example of Captain Margaret H. White who was stalked by a former colleague and warrant officer at Camp Taji. She describes the trials of women who feel trapped by male harassers in the military, since they are typically poorly judged for making any form of sexual-related complaints to authority figures. Moreover, these women feel guilty in reporting any form of sexual abuse from members of their units because they fear that it will somehow harm their missions. Thus, un-reported abuse reigns supreme in the military, a highly rough and debilitating environment for women to succeed in, to begin with.

I find it interesting that even our nation’s most physically strong females can so easily be taken advantage of by males that face little to no consequences for their behavior. However, I am not surprised that sexual abuse is rampant in the army due to the aforementioned extreme “machismo” attitude of male soldiers that exists today. Perhaps the most shocking piece of Myers article for me was that rape kits were not available at all army bases for female soldiers until recently. Even this small fact exemplifies why women are silent when it comes to sexual abuse: they are hardly ever taken seriously, and they are not even provided with the assistance that they require most in the face of extreme vulnerability.

On a lighter note, Myers second article, “Living and Fighting Alongside Men, and Fitting In,” describes the strides women have made within the army over recent years. Even though the above article portrays the harsh realities that many strong female soldiers face, as a whole, women are becoming more and more accepted as legitimate commanders and fighters today, paving the way for safer and more equal conditions for future generations of successful militia-women.

I found Gloria Steinem’s article, “Supremacy Cimes” to be fascinating and highly thought provoking. Steinem discusses the social epidemic of privledged white male violence today. Instead of killing to elevate their statuses or to obtain food or other material objects, this class of individuals seems to kill “just because they can.” Of course, at times, white male murderers have a reason behind their actions, or have serious mental impairments that disable them from viewing their behavior correctly. However, it is no coincidence that this class of people are continuously the constituents behind college shootings (I retract my argument- the Colorado shooting’s murderers had a motivation behind their campus-wide shootout- find the blacks and athletes!), fraternity gang bangs, or other hate crimes.

This article reminded me of another horrific death that occurred earlier this year at Rutgers University. A gay student, Tyler Clementi tragically committed suicide after his roommate and another student secretly used a webcam to record a sexual encounter between Clementi and another student, and broadcasted it online. While these two students may not have directly murdered Clementi, it is their treatment of a minority (who they must of felt dominant over) that is the underlying problem. As a society, we cannot let any individual get away with this form of malicious behavior or feelings of social supremacy.

Similarly, as Enloe points out in, “Whom do you Take Seriously?,” women cannot stand for violence as social dominance in any form, be it rape, domestic abuse, or office harassment. Silence within these issues only sparks further intolerance and social injustice. We can only await the day when those who feel invincible to political and social law are put in their places by the voices of those who are marginalized and abused.

Lead Post: Power and who is entitled to it

Cynthia Enloe makes an interesting connection when discussing silence that women particularly go through. I found it interesting when she brought up that teachers only genuinely pay attention to the male students when the discussion is based on world affairs or politics. I think I will agree with her point on this because even though society is equalizing there are still more male-dominated subjects. We still have not had a female president and this therefore, proves politics are still male-dominated. Then Enloe brings up Hannah Arendt which i have read recently about in my human rights class. Enloe brings up public speaking , and taking seriously what one's fellow citizen has to say. The problem is, is Arendt's main argument is that their is no law that protects stateless people. For example, the Nazi's oppressing the Jews because they did not belong to the community and therefore were not protected by a state. So by connecting this to women, male-dominated states can silence women by not making them part of the community and they wouldn't be considered citizens with equal rights.

Another topic that Enloe brings up within silencing women is through violence and sexual harassment. This is something that is also kept out of the public to avoid scandals. As we have read before, women are being "forced" into the work place for various reasons. Some being because they need to bring respect to the family, others are for the wages, and even prospecting for marriage. Factories also "recruit women in order to lower labor costs, and second, to persuade parents and local notables that women would able to retain her respectability" (77). Women are silenced because if they speak out against sexual harassment then they are deemed less pure and it jeopardizes their job, family honor, and marriage opportunity. CAW has been trying to make issues public and trying to have women speak out against these concerns for the form of power but it is very difficult goal. Enloe incloses four basic tests that seem to be more realistic and helpful: "Are all forms of violence against women deemed appropriate for political deliberation, Are women who dare to speak out at risk of losing their status, Does sexual harassment rank high on agendas, and How dependent is the creation of a national community on women's silence in their lives daily" (82).

"Supremacy Crimes" discusses how primarily white dominated are the typical intelligent, middle class and heterosexuals who want everyone to be like them. They are usually the ones with the problems with race, gender and sexuality. They are most likely to be "hooked on the drug of superiority" (1). The article discusses that the white superiority drug usually makes their situation worse, while other killings are usually to make ones situation better. It is an interesting thing to think about because looking back on the article it is true. The discussion of power has been brought up in both articles and is definitely a contributing factor to a lot of problems that people are facing.

In conclusion, power seems to be the basis of both articles. It comes in different forms such as women and their right to speak out against issues without repercussions or white supremacy crimes and the issue that a white men have with other people not like them. Which ever the issue comes from, it is all related to power and who has it in this male dominated world. Even with equality making bigger steps there still are underlying issues that need to presented.

Rape and Violence

"Man's discovery that his genitalia could serve as a weapon o generate fear must rank as one of the most important discoveries of prehistoric times, along with the use of fire and the first crude stone axe"(312, Brownmiller). This quote was actually used recently in a paper that I read for another class about rape used as a weapon of War. I found this interesting when I came across it because it seems that rape has been used throughout time and is continued to be used today. Rapist justify what they are doing by saying "women want it or they bring it upon themselves" , but I am here to tell you that this is not true. After reading the Little Red Ridding story and how it was really about rape it made me upset because that is a story I enjoyed as a child. I guess everyone has to grow up sometime and face reality. Women do not secretly wish to be ravished and sexual encounters should be our choosing.

Crenshaw's article "Mapping the Margins" deals with violence that women deal with and have been brought to light. Women who have had violence against them often do not have the means to bring these men to justice. They are poor women who cannot afford to bring these men to justice. It goes with out saying that the statement "praying on the weak" is still in effect. Also, race is a major factor in violence. It is easy to take advantage of someone who does not know the country or someone because you are racist. It makes it almost justifiable in their mind. It does not just happen within these intersectionalities. I my self have almost been a victim but having friends who watch your back and know to stick together helps avoid the situation all together. Rape and violence toward women is an interesting topic to touch on because their are so many different view points on how to handle the situation but regardless it should always be handled.

Culture of Rape: Male Aggression as a Tool of Oppression?

As is made apparent by Susan Brownmiller and Kimberle Crenshaw, we are currently living in a culture that allows for and even endorses violence against females. Perhaps due to the economic disparities that exist between men and women today, females often remain attached to abusive males for financial security. Crenshaw illustrates that women of color, Latina women, and female immigrants especially, are often trapped in this cage of abuse due to poverty or language barriers. However, it has been found that almost all women, no matter what cultural identity or economic background, have experienced some form of violence/ harassment in their lives. Brownmiller illustrates that our socially constructed conception of sexual relations in today’s society fully perpetuates patriarchy and male physical dominance over women. With the example of rape, Brownmiller explains that this act further brings about male control of society because the threat of violence instills fear in women, making them call on men for protection. This vicious cycle allows rape to be used as a tool of intimidation for all women, thus making it a crime and a feminist issue.

One way in which our society endorses violence against females is the media. Many films and television shows openly portray harassment against females that goes unpunished and that is openly tolerated. Moreover, as we have discussed in class, the porn industry openly endorses violence against females that instills a patriarchal mindset in male viewers. As Brownmiller discusses, this widespread mindset enables men to hold a philosophy that secretly all women enjoy being domineered, and thus all women want to be raped.

I often witness this violent and problematic attitude on Colgate’s campus, a supposed elite and prestigious institution, filled with our country’s future leaders. The hook-up culture here fully promotes female subordination and exploitation. Many males on campus believe that if a girl acts a certain way while intoxicated, she is “asking” to be aggressed. Even in the jug I often witness solely females inhabiting the dance-floor while males survey this crowd of women, attempting to locate its weakest targets. Even though the hook-up culture on campus can be highly problematic regarding female mistreatment, throughout my years here, I have seen visible attempts to evolve from this patriarchal system of sexual relations. A few years ago there were numerous signs on bathroom doors exposing true stories of female sexual harassment on campus, making this issue real and relatable for all. Moreover, with events such as the “Yes Means Yes” seminar, and “No Excuse for Abuse” campaign on campus, as a student body, we are definitely taking steps to rid our generation of a toxic attitude regarding violence against females. Overall, while these events serve as a great starting point, much larger strides should be taken to expedite a general shift in attitude toward female violence and exploitation on campus and throughout the world.

Women in Health Care

Being relatively unfamiliar with health care policy, this week’s reading provided me with a rich and insightful perspective on women’s role and experience in the realm of public health and activism. Carol Mendez’ piece offered profound insights on her journey arriving to the United States as an undocumented immigrant, to becoming a medical student pursuing public health and health care policy. Using feminist activism as a powerful framework to eliminate health care disparities and social injustice, she describes the experiences she gained volunteering and the problems she confronted with health care disparities based on race and ethnicity. She investigates the language barriers and cultural obstacles immigrants face that lead to social inequity, and urges us to reconceptualize health care on a grander scale to account for such disparities.

Courtney Turner’s article focused on the strength of collaborative leadership and its strength to facilitate positive change in public health. Similar to Mendez’ sentiments, she readily acknowledges the failure of our current health care system to adequately evaluate and address stigmatized populations, such as drug users. Her experiences working in a needle exchange program provided her the opportunity to witness the “flow and disconnect of public health”. Working directly with individuals and clients enabled her to see the gap between the privileged policy makers and those that their work affected. These experiences revealed to her the need to connect theory to practice, and research to action with regarding to public health policy.

Jan Oosting Kaminsky’s article details her journey and experiences into the nursing profession, and describes its close relationship to the feminist movement. She discusses gender roles within the medical field, detailing the influence feminism has had on nursing historically, and how the interaction between nurses and doctors has changed as gender shifts have occurred. I found it interesting how she explained that second-wave feminists discouraged females to pursue traditional female-oriented professions such a nursing, and encouraged them to pursue careers in male-dominated fields such as law, or business. However, she explains how the present generation has been more inclusive of both tradition and radical decisions of women pursuing professional fields, and maintains that women-dominated fields such as nursing should be recognized as empowerment and progress.

Reading these articles revealed many of the shortcomings of our current health care system and the struggles that lie ahead. I think it’s necessary for policy makers to be more informed about the circumstances of those affected by such policies, in order to formulate more efficient and effective policies to diminish health care disparities and social inequity. As Mendez articulated, we have a responsibility to share with those that have less and enable others to help and empower themselves. Recognizing this shared responsibility, and embracing it, steers us in the right direction towards universal health care and social equity.

Leading Ladies

The first reading by Carol Mendez discusses the idea of female power. Carol was an illegal immigrant growing up and had a tough time when her parents dies. She lived with her grandmother who eventually could no longer raise her and moved to the US to live with her aunt and uncle. The one line I particularly liked was when Carol said that her grandmother "taught her to be self-sufficient, to work earnestly for advancement, and to serve others" (68). She participated in activist groups and eventually attend college thanks to the help of her counselor and a scholarship. She now is attending medical school and working with trying to give opportunities to illegal immigrants to earn citizenship.

Courtney Turner's article took a different approach. She worked on public health issues and switching needles for drug users. She also had an interesting childhood growing up and she learned at an early age that she wanted to help others. I can relate to this because I also grew up "thinking male". I had all guy friends and loved sports and being competitive. She now works with the people listening to their personal stories about HIV and forgets about them being a drug user but get engulfed in their pain. She works trying to them to use needles and have safe sex even if it looks like she is promoting it. She rather have them doing it safely if their going to do it.

Jan Oosting Kaminsky's article is about her path to nursing. She worked with a non profit organization in South Africa with promoting HIV/AIDS prevention. This experience made her want to purse a medical career. After 9/11 hit it made her want to continue on her path to become a nurse. She attend John Hopkins University School of Nursing and worked with pediatrics in the ICU. She talks about the important relationships with the doctors and how there are more male doctors then females. The relationship between feminism and nursing is complicated because it is a predominately a women based job where feminist want women to get into more male based jobs and equal them out. Being able to purse your dreams and do what you want is a feminist view though. I can relate to this, because my mom is a nurse and really loves her job. She likes helping people and being able to do something for them.

Leading Post: The Power of the Female Healer

All three of the readings for today portray the role of women in healthcare positions throughout the US. Carol Mendez begins this trilogy of readings by describing her background as an undocumented immigrant desperately working to live the American Dream in today’s repressive society. Mendez is eventually able to attend college and medical school, thus serving as a female, Hispanic, bilingual physician, and attempting to create social change within the US healthcare system.

Courtney Turner also discusses the power that activism can have within the field of public health. Specifically, Turner discusses her experience working with individuals living with AIDS in the Needle Exchange Program (NEP). Here, she further demonstrates that our healthcare system greatly stigmatizes those who are already oppressed in society (racial minorities, women, drug abusers, etc.). Thus, she posits that the most important change we can make as a society is to remove our judgments of others when it comes to public health so that healthcare can fully be a right for all, and not solely a privilege for society’s top tier.

The last reading for today, written by Jan Oosting Kaminsky, discusses differing views of nursing in today’s world. She states that many feminists turn away from nursing since it is often stereotyped to be a gendered profession. However Kaminsky also postulates that this mindset is counterintuitive to the feminist movement, since, technically, more value should be placed on nursing in society because of its aura as “women’s work” (women hold 94% of the positions within this field!). In reality, nursing serves as an extremely important and undervalued profession. Nurses have the skills and the power to heal others both physically and emotionally, and they act as connection factors between doctors and patients. Kaminsky also describes the nursing shortage that exists today, and she advocates for both men and women to fill the increasing retirement gap in this field to ensure the stability within our healthcare system in the future.

All three of these pieces inspired me as a woman, and as a potential future medical student. I found Mendez’s piece to be especially moving, because it allowed me to recognize how privileged I am to have relatively few cage bars blocking my ability to attend medical school. I further connected with Mendez’s piece because I agree with her observation that those who do not speak English in our country are heavily oppressed via our healthcare system. For the past two summers I worked at NYU’s Langone Medical Center, and I can say firsthand that there is a genuine lack of bilingual doctors in most medical centers (even in this Mecca of healthcare within NYC). Even with my very limited store of Spanish, I could understand just how frustrating the process of describing symptoms can be to those who do not happen to understand patients’ native language.

These three readings also demonstrate that healing is a process much deeper than sole medical treatment. Instead, it requires immense social support, nurturing, and understanding; qualities that women are known to innately hold. Moreover, today women have the potential to claim very unique positions of power in medicine that were previously unheard of. Overall, it is important that we level the playing field for women and for all oppressed workers within our healthcare system for the future health/ well-being of all of us.

Abortion and Motherhood

Although currently legalized, abortion still remains today a largely contentious issue in American society and elsewhere, spurring widespread debate regarding the ethics and morality of such medical practices. Divisions emerge from the conflicting perspectives and definition for what constitutes as life; some believe abortion is murder while others believe that women have a right to exercise control over child-birth. Personally, I’ve always identified myself as pro-choice, and reading Judith Arcana’s article reaffirmed my belief that abortion is ultimately an issue of motherhood. Every woman who has an abortion knows what it means, deals with the emotional burden of her action, and never takes the decision lightly; as Arcana aptly expresses, she “lives in that meaning the best way she can.” It’s important to acknowledge that mother’s are well-aware of the repercussions of abortion, and have taken full responsibility for it, believing the choice she made is the best one for herself and her child.

In today’s society, I feel that people often make hasty judgments towards women who choose abortion, and often try to portray having an abortion as act of malice or neglect for human life. However, it is easy to make such judgments when ignorant of the mother’s personal circumstances, the conditions surrounding the mother, and the probability of the child having a healthy and successful life if born. I also found it interesting how Arcana highlighted the words we use to describe abortions under different contexts. If the pregnancy is deliberate or accepted, we call it baby; when the pregnancy is an accident or rejected, we call it fetus or embryo. Just shows how personal circumstance influences one’s perception on abortion.

Overall, I believe that abortion is ultimately the up to the choice of the mother, and should be taken as the best decision for both the mother and the child. The unfortunately reality is that many abortions happen because of unexpected pregnancy, and unwanted children are often neglected, poorly raised, and often lack the emotional care and nurturing to live strong and successful lives. Women should have the right to decide when they want to conceive a child. It’s a privilege that men possess but often fail to acknowledge; why shouldn’t women be treated the same?

Leading Post: Women and Abortions

"How it all began: I had an abortion" article discusses how women and Germany began to have their abortion rights. In 1971, the Movement de Liberation des Femmes started in France and worked it way to the neighboring country Germany. Before this many people had the idea that Germans were not angry about not having pro-choice. They believed that the women who wanted this were "witches, like in the US" (356). There was anger because the belief that women needed to be the perfect house wife, lover and hold a job was just a very unrealistic view. Women were against protesting at first because "it wasn't going to be serious" or "it would only shock the grass root" (357). Meaning that they didn't want to risk their repetition for something that wouldn't stick or they didn't want to be apart of something that would shock other people. Most of the women who agreed were women of lower class with basically nothing to lose. It was a major deal that these women stood up for what they believe in.

Judith Arcana' article "Abortion Is a Motherhood Issue" is about her idea about abortion. She starts off discussing her medical history and how it has left a mark in her life. The one thing that I don't really agree on is when she says that abortion is like making a decision to "send you kid to school or not, ect" (226). She gives numerous examples of comparing how abortion is. I understand that she is trying to say it is a life decision but I don't think you can truly believe in the comparison that she is making. I do agree when she goes on to say that it can effect women in different ways. Some can become depressed about their loss or some can be relieved. There is nothing wrong about any emotion because you are human and they are natural reactions.

As a woman, I have always believed in pro-choice. I see this as a matter of a life choice and a decision that will effect you for the rest of your life. I would have to say I am also pro birth control so that you don't have to make that difficult decision. Neither decision is wrong or right it is just a matter of opinion. I believe that having the choice is better then not. If something terrible happens to you and it was illegal to have the choice then you would be stuck. This makes it so as a women you have the choice to decide for yourself what you think is the right thing to do.

News Flash: Flying Under the Radar: Eating Disorders and the Forgotten Generation

Know Thigh(self): I hate feeling my thighs touch one another. They did not touch when I was at my thinnest, yet my legs could barely support me then. This sculpture arose from that self-loathing. When I peeled the plaster off my thighs, I had to admit that they were not all that big. The process reminded me of how anorexia distorts thinking. -Judith Shaw, 58

Eating disorders have become an increasingly widespread problem in America, affecting millions of women due to society’s constant attention to and obsession with being thin. Various forms of media, including advertisements, film and television reinforce this behavior by pressuring women to conform and adhere to an unrealistic construction of beauty, imposing serious consequences on women’s health. More than 10 Million Americans suffer from anorexia, bulimia, and other eating disorders, and although many think such problems are limited to young adulthood and adolescence, the reality is that older women are just as susceptible to health risks as their younger female counterparts. Tara Parker-Pope’s NYT article “An Older Generation Falls Prey to Eating Disorders” explores the prevalence of eating disorders in older women, and addresses the many concerns that are being raised regarding women’s health.

Although eating disorders have traditionally been identified and associated with younger people, experts have begun to find more and more women showing up at clinics in midlife or even older. In Parker-Pope’s article, the woman is a 58-year old yoga instructor, Judith Shaw, whose desire to lose weight consumed her physical well-being, distorted her perception of herself, and ruined her confidence and self-esteem. Deciding to get “healthy” at the age of 40 after having children, exercise and diet soon become an obsession, and that obsession readily encroached on many aspects of her life.

Ms. Shaw, describing her struggle, expressed, “I was looking for something to validate myself. Somehow, the weight loss, and getting harder and firmer and trimmer and fitter, and then getting recognized for that, was fulfilling a need.” The sentiment Ms. Shaw expresses reflects an experience many women share, and resonates with the concerns Susan Douglass articulates in her book “Enlightened Sexism.” As Douglass reiterates in her chapter “Lean and Mean”, the rampant objectification of women in the media has imposed significant pressure on women to be thin, and has reinforced the notion that only when women become an object of desire can they obtain true power and happiness. The “need” that Ms. Shaw expresses is her need for validation and recognition. Unfortunately, the fulfillment of this need is directed outward, and thus cannot be satisfied from within. For Ms. Shaw, and many other women who struggle with eating disorders, this means their emotions and happiness hinge on the approval of others, men in particular.

Susan Douglass further details this development in her chapter “Sex R Us”, attributing this cultural power structure to the media’s attention to sex and sexual display. In women’s pursuit for sexual equity, a claim for equal power, women wanted to be seen as active and equal sexual agents, not mere objects. Through the “embedded sexism” and subtle manipulation of the media, the “sexpert” emerged; a cultural icon that women believed was a means to empowerment and liberation. However, doing so entailed further subjugation, requiring women to acquiesce to patriarchal standards and an unrealistic construction of beauty.

The message the media conveys towards women is clear; as Douglass expresses, “your body is your central, crucial resource in establishing your net worth as a female.” (216)And as women began to exhaust their options for weight loss and search for other alternatives in achieving this goal, more and more have resorted to engaging in cosmetic surgery and other harmful practices. Botox, liposuction, breast implants, and other cosmetic practices and surgery provided a new way for women to exert control over their bodies, but not without consequence. Studies beginning in 2007 have found that the suicide rate among women who had received breast implants was twice the suicide rate of the general population. (223) These findings illuminates not only the extent through which women punish themselves physically to be thin, but also indicate serious mental and emotional distress that follow, such as depression, anxiety, low self-esteem, and eating disorders.

With this said, it is even more important to acknowledge that it is not only younger generations of women who face societal pressures to be thin, but often older women. Also mentioned in Parker-Pope’s article is Cynthia M. Bulik, director of the Eating Disorders Program at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. The program, initially aimed at adolescents, since 2003 has had half of its patients being adults. Some may have had eating disorders early in life and have relapsed, but a significant minority first develops symptoms in middle age or later (Women with such disorders outnumbering men by 10 to 1.) Cynthia states “We’re hearing from women, no matter how old they are, that they still have to achieve this societal ideal of thinness and perfection. . . Even in their 50s and 60s… women are engaging in extreme weight- and shape-control behaviors.” Regardless of age, women in our society are constantly reminded of their weight through their consumption of film, television, advertisements, and other forms of media, and have been conditioned to be overly conscious of their weight and increasingly discontent of their bodies.

Researchers have found that, younger or older, patients tend to engage in the same destructive behaviors: “restricted eating, laxative abuse, excessive exercise and binge eating.” However, one concern that has emerged is that older women have become much more adept at concealing their problems; symptoms may be attributed to aging rather than an eating disorder. For example, when a thin adolescent stops menstruating, doctors typically raise concerns about weight and eating habits. However, in Ms. Shaw’s case, they assumed it was early menopause. Furthermore, when she developed anemia and osteoporosis, they attributed it to her age rather than years of malnourishment. Because of this trouble discerning eating disorder symptoms from age-related illnesses, many older women fly under the radar, likely a much higher percentage than we’ve been able to identify.

The increasing sexualization and objectification of women, especially at younger ages, in the media is what leads people to believe that disorders are limited to younger women; internalizing this assumption conceals the true extent and convolutes our perception of the problem. Failing to acknowledge these concerns and provide adequate support services and resources for older women represents our failure to address issues of eating disorders in its entirety, and will not diminish the problem in the long run. It’s important to understand that these issues develop over a lifespan, and that age represents a misconception, not a limitation, to the extent and reach of health related issues and eating disorders.

Works Cited:
Douglas, Susan. Enlightened Sexism: The Seductive Message that Feminism’s Work is Done. New York: Times Books, 2010

Parker-Pope, Tara. "An Older Generation Falls Prey to Eating Disorders"
http://well.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/03/28/an-older-generation-falls-prey-to-eating-disorders/?scp=1&sq=eating%20disorder&st=cse

The Abortion Debate

I would say that the most immediate “women’s issue” that came to my mind before taking this course would be that of abortion. As is demonstrated in, “How It All Began: I Have Had an Abortion,” feminists across the globe began fighting for their rights as citizens to obtain abortions as early as 1904. Moreover, abortions were made legal within the first trimester of pregnancies in the US with the Roe vs. Wade decision in 1973. However, in modern day society, abortion remains the cause of extreme social and political debate.

As a (potentially biased) woman, I personally agree with Arcana in that abortion is ultimately a “motherhood issue.” Pregnancy only alters the female body (in ways that men can never understand). Moreover, mothers are heavily downtrodden in our society, as we have discussed in class. Thus, perhaps due to the fact that abortions can only be performed on women (who are expected to remain docile and forever-nurturing), they have been labeled as shameful acts in society. Because of this societal-induced burden of abortions, I have a great respect for the women in the feminist liberation movement in Germany who protested anti-abortion laws by publicly signing a petition stating that they had received one in the past.

As a neuroscience major, I understand some of the scientific details of the act of abortion, and I have also been instructed as to how true “life” has been defined in the womb (if I am remembering correctly, brain function of the embryo-science’s classification of “life”- begins after the first trimester of pregnancy). Therefore, even though I fall on the pro-choice side of the abortion debate, I can understand how many pro-life individuals construe this act as immoral, since it remains scientifically complex and unclear. However, I can only have a great respect for all women that have to courage and strength to obtain abortions, since as Arcana puts it, “every woman who has an abortion knows what it means, and lives in that meaning the best way she can.”

I think that overall, abortion is purely a female’s choice, and it should be taken as what is best for the well-being of the mother and of the child. If newly impregnated women believe that they cannot care for a child sufficiently, they should not be made to feel ashamed or guilty for their lack of nurturing resources. Every single human being, male or female, makes choices everyday. Abortions are an extremely important choice for numerous women, thus enabling them to retain healthy ways of life (especially those who have been assaulted, raped, are too young to have healthy children, etc.). As Arcana points out, no woman who receives an abortion takes it lightly (regardless of her religion, race, class, or age). Thus, no one should judge women for making this incredibly difficult choice if they feel that it is necessary in their own lives.