Women of the World: Beauty

Being a female made this article more interesting and personal. I have seen a lot of people including friends of mine obsess over their bodies and image. High school is the best place to really see this happening. Girls at such young ages are becoming obsessed with how they look and what they wear so much that it is sickening. For those that do not meet the standard norm of how one should look are teased, bullied, and pushed to the side. The magazines and tv shows on display today are perfect examples of where a lot of this "beauty ideal" comes from. There are reality shows like, "Beauty and Beast", "America's Next Top Model", and multiple make-over shows. All this does is teach people that unless you already fit this certain profile you need to "fix" yourself with diet, tanning, hair color, whitened teeth, and new clothes. In some ways we need to blame ourselves for falling into the trap of the media and peer pressure. Unfortunately, these images are getting to our children who are more impressionable and vulnerable to peer pressure. People need to be more responsible, but the media needs to consider the idea of morales and realize image is not the most important attribute in life.

Women and the Military, War, and Peace

Facilitation: Kirk, Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. “Women and the Military, War, and Peace,” Women’s Lives Multicultural Perspectives Fourth Edition, New York: McGraw – Hill, 2007, 483-500.
Key - Words: Military, human security, racism, militarism, opposition, violence, crime
Key – Phrases: Responsibility to protect, “Don’t ask, don’t tell”, see reality in oppositional categories, “specific policy prohibiting sexual harassment”
Key – Names: President Bush, Francine D’Amico, Laurie Weinstein, Guenter-Schlesinger, Kristin Henderson, Betty Burkes, Scharnberg
Key Ideas: There are always two sides to every story. In this chapter the side for military and the side against military are discussed. What is focused on is the woman’s point of view of the military and their jobs through support, active duty, reserves, and contributions. For some women the military is an opportunity for employment with better pay, benefits, education, travel, and escape from crisis-torn inner cities in the United States.
While the military has taken giant leaps in the past few decades towards rights for women within the institution, there have also been reports of crime, harassment, racism, and a stigma held over many women soldiers. Even those women not contracted with the military are finding faults with militarism believing that it is not providing human security.
Questions:
1. Do you believe genuine security is created by militarism?
2. Why has the issue of gays in the military become an issue in mainstream U.S. politics?
3. Do you believe women should be allowed to perform any duty or position in the military no matter the physical requirements, added stress, and danger the position entails?
Quotes:
A young soldier jumped into the gunner’s turret of an armored Humvee and took control of the menacing .50-caliber machine gun. She was 19 years old, weighed barely 100 pounds and had a blond ponytail hanging out from under her Kevlar helmet.
“This is what is different about this war,” Lt. Col. Richard Rael, commander of the 515th Corps Support Battalion, said of the scene at the time.” “Women are fighting it. Women under my command have confirmed kills. These little wisps of things are stronger than anyone could ever imagine and taking on more than most Americans could ever know.”
(Scharnberg 2005)

Abstract

When we think of soldiers we tend to think of all the work, training, and will power these men and women put into their jobs, but what about the families of these soldiers? This study examines the effects of deployment and training on the lives of the families left behind. Many families are moved on to military bases and subjected to relocations on a regular base. The rules and regulations on a military base are unlike those seen outside the base. Organizations have been designed for the study and research of military families in order to provide better support groups and facilitations. For instance, the Military Family Research Institute is based at Purdue University as an outreach organization designed to provide insight into the experiences of military members and their families and to design and implement outreach activities to assist families (MFRI 2008). While steps are being taken to apply the necessary tools to further help military families, statistics show military members are experiencing deployments at a rate not seen in previous wars or conflicts which is causing unknown effects on families, especially those in the National Guard and Reserves (MFRI 2008).

References:

"Sesame Street: Talk, Listen, Connect." Military Family Research Institute at Purdue University. 2008. Purdue University. 1 Apr. 2009

Chapter 15: Militarism; Structural and Interpersonal Violence

Some questions that came to mind from this chapter dealt with the discussion on "shark attacking" and homophobic tendencies in the US military. The topic of military rests on a blurred gray line to me. There is no topic that is black or white. To start with, many people say why did that officer make that soldier do that specific operation, etc., but what people are forgetting is that the military is just one big chain of superiors. It was not the officers decision to send the troops into a certain mission, but a superior of a superior and so on's decision. The President is technically the "boss" of all these men and women. Many people in the military do not always agree with what they have to do, but they do it because that is what they are told to do. Here is where the gray line rests. The military consists of incredibly large amounts of paperwork and moving up the chain. The Army's motto is, "hurry up and wait". That is a large part of these soldiers lives.

Chasin mentions how sergeants call the soldiers names as an insulting maneuver in training. This is called "shark attacking". Drill sergeants are taught this in drill sergeant school. The maneuver is done to break the soldiers down and rebuild them into the soldier that they want. It is also used as a way to get people to listen and pay attention. While this may seem innapropriate, extreme, and cruel in a way, people have to remember becoming an infrantymen, transporter, etc. in the Army is not the same as working a 9-5 job in a cubicle. Soldiers have to be prepared to defend, protect, and at all costs possibly kill other human beings. The training that goes into this has to be extreme and different from any other organizations form of training. People forget the situations that these soldiers have to be put in. If you are not mentally tough enough than you are going to get yourself and others killed. The examples of names and terms used in shark attacking in Chasin's book are not nearly as bad as what I have heard soldiers talk about when it happened to them. Why sergeants find it ok to use racist and degrading terms is not exactly clear to me, but I am assuming a lot is ignorance. Not all of them do this, but it is still done.

As far as the "don't ask, don't tell" policy in the military I feel it is somewhat justified. The soldiers are placed into large rooms full of bunks and nothing else. There is no privacy or separation. The bathrooms are the same. There are no doors on the stalls or anything. So placing a person that is gay in a room full of people of the same sex could make the other people uncomfortable. I do not think it has anything to do with judgements against the person that is gay, just that the facilities provided to the soldiers are not equipped for providing privatization. It would be the same as putting women and men together in the same bathroom and "dorm room". There would be uncomfortableness among both parties. It is a touchy situation and hard to find a compromise that would work for both parties without someone being offended.

Gender (from Anne Serene's Trans Reference site handout)

I used to always think that gender meant female or male and that was it. Last year I took a sociology class and was introduced to the idea that gender is much more than that. In fact, gender is not really scientific, but more theoretical. There is no biology behind the word. That would be sex. For much of my life I never really thought outside the box about gender. There was either female or male and than there were people that chose to be trans gender or what have you , but I never really thought about how to categorize them because it was something out of the "norm" to me that I did not think much about. This article really enlightened me to the idea that gender is something society has created as a way to label people. I think it was done more in a way to put people's thoughts at ease. Meaning, people do not like to have to think about what "gender" you are. If it takes a minute or to for someone to try and figure out if you are male or female than that someone may become uneasy, uncomfortable, and possibly upset. Our society likes things to be simple and straight to the point, but not everything is like that. In fact, sometimes society makes it even more difficult. Gender is more of a cultural theory and view than anything else. A label so to say that society tries to hang over our heads so that others know what we are and can choose how they want to treat us and react to us. A male who comes across another male will treat him differently than that same male coming across a female. What society does not understand is usually than considered something bad. What we do not know frustrates us which is why I think society tries to impose by creating groups and labels for everyone and everything.

Job within group on "Gender" and "Power"

My job was as a scribe to keep track of everything that was said as we talked and discussed the words. I helped write down a more clear definition of our idea of "Gender". This job was interesting because I was able to speak my mind even though I was writing as well. The topics that came up were enlightening and made me realize that just two words came be extremely difficult to define and label.

SAE Chp. 8 Ideas (presentation reading)

I felt like I did ok, but there were some ideas and topics I forgot to mention or add just because I think I was a little worked up right before my presentation. This subject is very special and in a way emotional to me just because I have such close ties to the subject at hand. Also, I feel like all we hear now a days is negative opinions about the United States so my goal was to remind people that really it is not ALL of America, but a select group that creates this opinion.In my life I get to see soldiers every day which helps remind me who we are as a nation and what so many people are doing for our country right now just so that we have the freedom to go to school, drive our cars, and live our lives the way we want to. I feel a lot of people are losing hope and patriotism in our country and giving in to what others are saying about us. Just because a book or newspaper says it does not mean it is true.For instance, the Army ROTC is in charge of raising and retiring our flag on campus. A few weeks back I went to watch my boyfriend and his cadets retire the colors for the night and as I watched I noticed how not a single person stopped to watch our flag be lowered or even really look at what the cadets were doing. Some looked as if they were puzzled and confused as to what was going on, but nobody did anything to show any sign of respect. In fact, as they were marching in line back to Avery a couple of guys actually blocked their formation and almost made them lose stride. That upset me so much because it just shows ignorance and lack of respect. I am not trying to say we all need to be crazy patriots, but to at least remember who we are and that there are people out their fighting for us with little to no support from the USA. Like I was trying to say in my presentation I hear so many people grill my boyfriend and our friends in the Army about how they think they are dumb or crazy for doing what they are doing, but they never stop to think about how much that really hurts these guys. To them they are doing one of the most noble things they could do and really enjoy all the blood, sweat, and tears it takes to make it in the military. These people are dedicated individuals doing what so many would never have the guts to do. We don't have to support the cause, but at least support our men and women in the services. What is sad to me is that they are defending people that don’t even care to be defended.At the same time a majority of the world is trying to point fingers and blame, blame, blame. Instead of exurting all that energy in blaming and being negative why don't we use that energy towards something positive and towards a solution. Let's work together to find a cure. We always hear about the past and how it was so bad for whatever reason, but let's start looking to the future and how we can make it so nothing like the past will happen again. As a society let's look past the media and ignorance and use common sense and knowledge. Overall, I thought I did fairly well. I enjoyed the responses more than I thought I would because I knew that my ideas and feelings towards the subject are fairly controversial to a lot of people. I was not sure how everyone would react, but in actuality the responses were exactly what I was looking for. I hope I was able to make some sort of impact and open people’s eyes to the distorted images created about America, my home, your home, our home.

Facilitating Discussion: The State of the American Empire

Title: The State of the American Empire: How the USA Shapes the World

Author: Stephen Burman

Citation: Burman, Stephen. The State of the American Empire: How the USA Shapes the World. Brighton: Myriad Editions, 2007.

Chapter 8: Ideas

Chapter is split into 4 topics.
How America Sees the World
How the World Sees America
Diplomacy and Intelligence
Culture Wars

Overview:
America was once thought so highly of and now after 9/11 the worlds opinion of us has changed. America's image is declining. People do not agree with what we have done, our reactions to certain events, or our "pushyness" with our culture and views. Countries are fighting back against the culture we push. America is becoming what we have also strived not to be.

This contributes to women's studies in that it involves cultre, race, ethnicities, and power. Our culture is clashing with others and our sheer size and power is pushing more than ever our values, ideals, and motives.

Slavery Timeline

I found the time lines to be interesting in seeing the change from the beginnings of slavery to almost recent times. What I noticed was how slavery was a prominent trade that everyone knew about and now in recent times we like to think that slavery does not exist, but really people have just become better at hiding it. As the centuries progressed more laws and declarations were passed to eventually end the idea of slavery. Unfortunately, many countries are still enslaving people. For instance, Natalee Holloway went on vacation to Aruba until she suddenly disappeared. While visiting family in California the paper had an article about a man housing immigrants in a house in the area. Police found that he had enslaved all the immigrants and had them work all day at his restaurant and than drove them home and locked them in the house until the next morning where he picked them up and made them work at the restaurant every single day. He told the people that they had to pay off their debts to him. Unfortunately, the immigrants lacked so much education they did not know what he was doing was completely illegal and wrong. While slavery is nothing like what it used to be we cannot forget that it still exists in places. While rules, laws, and regulations against slavery have been created we must not forget that "rules were meant to be broken" and people will find ways around them. Education is the key in helping people stay better informed of their freedoms and rights.

Poverty, Race, and the Invisible Men

I found this article to be interesting in a couple of different ways. For instance, the idea of "Invisible Men" really seems true to me because I did not even know there was a problem. I assumed that people in poverty or of a different race received the same treatment whether female or male. As I thought about this subject more I started to wonder whether maybe men were choosing not to see a doctor as much as a woman would because they feel like they have to be tough and that no one can help them but themselves. For example, I never met my father's dad because he passed away from a heart problem before I was born. The only reason he did not live was because he refused to see a doctor until it was too late. In fact he never even used Novocaine when he did see a dentist. My father is the same way. He hates to take medicine if he doesn't have to and he especially hates to see the doctor. Unfortunately, when he was diagnosed with cancer there was no other choice and the amount of medication he has to take is unfathomable. If we look back at our father's generations, their father's generations and beyond, the idea that men are supposed to be tough and take care of themselves creates a certain kind of stubbornness that could possibly lead to the statistics we see today in men's death rates. As we move into the present and eventually the future I predict more and more men will be taking a stand for a healthier life and increase the age that men live. As for now maybe the men are choosing to be invisible?

White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack

In my sociology class last semester a similar topic was discussed about the "privileges" of the white race in America. While I agreed with a lot of what was said in this article and to a point in my sociology class, I still always ask the same question, "If I went to China, Africa, Russia, etc. would I not be the minority?" Of course I would be a minority in China. That is because I am not Asian and a majority of China is. When people complain about being a minority in America I feel like I need to say, "well I am sorry for that, but yes this is a country dominated by white people". Just the same if I went to another country where the dominating race is something other than white. I do not believe people should be judged or less priveleged because of their race or ethnicity, but please do not pull the "minority card" because yes, you are in America and we are predominantly white. I would never go to another country and whine and complain about how I am the minority so boo hoo me. Be proud of your differences! If you are being treated differently or badly that is another issue that is not right, but please do not make a scene or hold a grudge against the citizens of that country because you do not see as many people of your race. Could I be more priveleged than others? Maybe, but the issue at hand is how you use that advantage. I do not think I should feel bad for MAYBE having more privileges because I know that I am using that privilege for the better good. For those that do not use their "invisible knapsack" in an ethical, decent way should be ridiculed individually. So many people put others in groups, but really it always comes down to individual people. No one can say that EVERYONE did this one thing because there will always be someone against the curve. If everyone was educated and open minded many of these issues would be resolved, but unfortunately that would be difficult if not impossible to have happen. Instead we need to live each day to the fullest and optimistically. Always remember that whatever issue or problem you are having it is not the end of the world and someone else is probably having the same problem or an even bigger one. Your life is your life and no one else's. Do not allow yourself to be placed into a group or label unless you choose to be. I am a Coug and choose to hold that label and be apart of that group, but I refuse to be placed into a group of more privileged people because in the end everyone has something going for them and than something just as equal not going for them. We are all the same whether you can physically see that or not.

Rape & Race in the Nineteenth-century South / Women and Race in Early Modern Texts / White Slavery, what the Scots already know

Slavery has been a serious and tragic part of not only the United States history, but history for all countries. Whether we have found written accounts of slavery or not there has been some type of human enslavement. What I found interesting is that many people think of Africans as a majority of people enslaved, but really citizens from all races and ethnicity's have been involved. For instance, English, Scottish, Irish and more have had experiences with slavery. Not to mention, men, women, and children all participated in the trade and endured all the same tasks together. No one was given less work because they were female unless they were partaking in the rigors of pregnancy or childbearing. Today, people believe women cannot perform all the same tasks as men and, particularly children, have been protected by laws so as not to have to do any sort of labor before an appropriate age. In a way the tables have turned for women. Men did not see women as more weak and as the 'homemakers' as much as they do now. Today it is as if women are having to prove themselves all over again by saying that they can do just as much as a male can.

Noble and Ignoble: The Development of Two Savage Stereotypes : 1665-1860

It had to be one thing to travel for such long periods of time to a land you had never seen, but another matter to confront people with a look and language all their own. I cannot imagine what the pilgrims and Indians must have thought about each other for the first time. What is sad is how Americans were able to fabricate a national feeling about "American Indians" as savage and primitive. While the times must have been difficult and enveloped with a notion of fear around every corner, the new Americans were quick to judge and mold the Indians into a vicious character that would be more entertaining on screen. The creation of the noble savage did not even come around until the 1820s during the romanticism influence on American writers. Still, we know today that the overall view of Indians is more of the savage, drunkard, primitive type. All I can hope is that our history books teach our children the truth about the pilgrims and the Indians and leave all the drama and exaggerations out.

When Europeans Were Slaves

I found a quote from the reading that really made me think about how slavery managed to last for so long? Robert Davis said, "Even Americans were not immune. For example, one American slave reported that 130 other American seamen had been enslaved by the Algerians in the Mediterranean and Atlantic just between 1785 and 1793." If Americans managed to become slaves themselves than why did slavery go on for so long in America? How did someone not pass the message along that slavery really was not all that great. Not to mention, didn't someone think that maybe one day there would be an uprising by the slaves and that eventually you can only break a persons spirit so many times before they just do not care anymore and will do whatever it takes to get out? I think slavery really shows people's ignorance. By that I mean the ignorance of slave owners. Davis also said, “Much of what has been written gives the impression that there were not many slaves and minimizes the impact that slavery had on Europe,” Davis said. “Most accounts only look at slavery in one place, or only for a short period of time. But when you take a broader, longer view, the massive scope of this slavery and its powerful impact become clear.” I do not know about anyone else, but I never thought slavery had a small impact or lasted only a short period of time. In fact, like I said in my earlier blog there are still places that are enslaving people. Once again, ignorance plays a huge role in people's actions, ideals, and morales.

U.S. Declaration of Independence-Preamble

As I read through the document one word consistently stuck out for me and that was "He". The beginning of the article uses "people" when referencing those included within the rules, laws, and obligations of the document, but as you read further down the "peoples" turn into "He". For the time that this declaration was created I understand why the drafters used "He", but I do not understand why the article starts out using "people" which can encompass more than just males, but than switches over to flat out saying "He (males)". I also wonder if any of the drafters of this document tried to write the declaration in non specific words because they knew that times were becoming revolutionary and changing and evolving in ways that they never could have imagined. Thus, the declaration has not had to be completely re-written for the sake of evolving times.