Blog 8

So, this school semester comes to a close and I am here on my blog to write one of my last entries. I was pondering what to write and started to think back on all of the topics that we had discussed for class and I couldn't think of one that I had recently dealt with. Then the idea came to me that our last chapter talked about becoming involved and active with a movement or cause. This gave me the idea that I should take a step forward and actually do something to call to action on what I have learned this semester. So, I figured where better to begin a cause then right in your own home to see what the other family member(s) is/are thinking. I asked my husband if he knew what a feminist was and of course he gave the answer that they are loud speaking women who do not like to be told what to do by men. I referred to my textbook on what a woman should be able to do (it listed about 13 items) and he agreed with pretty much all of them. Then I continued to inform him that the list I just read him is what feminists believe in too. It is still amazing to me on how a lack of knowledge on a particular subject brings fear and more negative ideas about it rather than curiosity and positive thoughts. Through this class I have learned alot more about what women one hundred years ago had to go through and how I am so grateful that there were women who stood up and said there needed to be a change. The knowledge of how women's rights weren't given to us on a silver platter makes me more motivated to go out and vote just because I know I can.

Blog 7

The other weekend I had to complete my drill time for the US Coast Guard Reserves in St Louis, MO. While I was there our command had planned out a couple of training sessions for us on certain topics with one of them being on human relations issues. During this particular training we were told to gather into groups of 5 people and then we were given a list of 12 different types of people. From this list we had to choose only 7 people that we would put into a "capsule" to send to another planet to start up the population again (the earth was about to be somehow destroyed). The 12 different types of people that were listed were a 70 year old priest, a Jewish writer, a female actress, an accountant, the accountant's wife who was pregnant and use to take drugs, a stripper who smoked marajuana, a Chinese feminist student, a pharmacist, a medical student, a professional basketball player, an armed policeman, and a wheat farmer. When all of the groups were done deciding who they would take in the capsule we were instructed to say out loud who we chose to not take. It was interesting to see that in almost every group they decided to leave behind the Chinese feminist student. One of the reason why I fought to keep her for our group was because we knew for sure that she was a female and she could help repopulate the new planet. But, to my surprise most groups wanted to leave her behind because it would make the trip "easier". With hearing that reply I saw how little people know what a true feminist is. They just assume that it is a loud speaking, strong opinionated, unruly woman who won't take 'no' as an answer (from a man). It almost seemed to me like all of the groups were scared to 'deal' with a feminist and so they would rather leave her behind than deal with her at all.

Blog 6

The other day I had taken my father-in-law to the women's volleyball game (for extra credit in one of class). We had a great game to watch and the school spirit was great to see. The one thing that I wasn't to comfortable with was the uniforms that the women volleyball players were wearing. I understand that the "huggies" (what they use for shorts) are the most effective type of bottoms because they don't get caught on anything and they are light weight. But, have you seen them? The huggies are basically like black underwear and they leave nothing for the imagination. I have noticed the different uniform changes throughout the years not only for the volleyball players, but also for other male sports as well. It seems like the men sport's uniforms are getting baggier and baggier (basketball and baseball) all the while women's uniforms are getting tighter and tighter. I am not sure if wearing a tighter uniform is the women's request, but is sure gives a show for the male audience. I can't say too much about tight uniforms because I was a swimmer that would have to wear a swim suit in order to compete. But, I was in the water during my event and the tighter the suit the less the drag from the water. All I know is that I would personally feel uncomfortable at first in wearing what the women's volleyball team had to wear in front of a large crowd. I guess if I would just focus on the game and concentrated on winning the game rather than what people thought it wouldn't even phase me on what I was wearing.

Blog 5

It is interesting to see how even though we try to go against societies mold of what males and females are suppose to do we still end up doing them. What I mean by that is this afternoon at my house I found myself making baby food and doing "kitchen" things. All the while my husband was outside putting in a new motor in for his wind shield wipers on his car. A woman doing inside chores and womanly tasks while to male is outdoors working on the mechanical objects. I always thought of myself as well rounded when it comes to being able to do household chores, outdoor chores, and even fix/build things. But, then I got to thinking that sometimes society has a point. Society didn't choose the women to do the household chores because it was degrading. I think that society chose the women to do the cleaning because it comes more natural to us and we are for the most part better at it than the males. I also heard my husband already trying to teach our seven month old what 'no' means. I told him that seven months is a bit young to start to teach discipline and that you need to just pick the baby up and move him to another spot so that he doesn't keep playing with the remotes. I also find myself wanting to pick him up and cuddle with him if he happens to hit his head on the coffee table. I told myself that I never wanted to become a softy mom, but now that my son is here in this world there isn't anything I wouldn't do to protect him and to comfort him. It is amazing on how vulnerable you become once you berth a child and you have a piece of you (your heart) out in this world, and it will never again be physically connected to you. 

Blog 4

Last weekend West Lafayette, Indiana had a festival called The Feast of the Hunter's Moon. It is a festival that has many booths and the people who work there dress in many different time period outfits. There are people who dress up to represent the Scottish, French, upper class, working class, peasants, soldiers, Indians, and many more. Besides this being a fun festival to attend to you also get to learn a lot from certain time periods and how the people really lived back then. Besides the booths selling homemade crafts and food there are also activity fields where they perform old time dances or games. When my husband and I were passing by one of this activity fields I heard the announcer state that they needed participants from the audience to play a game that many children and adults played back then. The one thing that caught me off guard was that the announcer also stated that they wanted only male participants - specifically stating that no women were allowed to join this particular game. I was caught off guard by hearing that and was almost a bit irritated that the announcer would say that. But then I got to thinking that the announcer was just trying to show the audience how it really was back then in that time period. Women were excluded from a lot of activities just because of their sex. With knowing that women had it so much harder back then in feeling appreciated and even accepted I thanked God that I was born in this day and age. I appreciate all the women who have struggled to give women rights and to fight to have us "join the game with the men".

Blog 3

I will have to start by saying that these last two weeks were a little slow for me. Meaning I wasn't able to catch any conversations with issues that we have been reading in class, or even hearing anything on the news of interest. So, with that being said I will have to resort to talking about topics that I had read in the readings for this week, and previous chapters. When I first read the title to Chapter 4, Sex, Power, and Intimacy, I got excited. I was thinking that after I read this chapter I would be able to share the new information that I have learned with my husband. The one statement that I agreed with in the book said this, "When heterosexuals intimacies are grounded in unequal power relationships, it becomes more and more difficult for women and men to love in healthy ways". After reading that it re enforced what my husband and I share - and equal distribution of power in our relationship. There might be subjects or activities that one of us excel in more, but for the most part we are a balanced couple. It is said that men and women talk differently to where men speak in a more authoritative manner where as women tend to speak either in a softer tone or say things in more of a question as to trying to include everyone in their requests. One thing I do have to say about that issue is that even though men speak in a more authoritative way sometimes the person who speaks politely and with a softer tone will be able to get what they want faster. People who are spoken to with respect tend to be more willing to help or fill out requests instead of being told to do something.

Blog 2

So, when I signed up for classes this semester I didn't realize how intertwined they would be. The three classes that are overlapping certain subjects with one another are CDFS - family relationships and marriage, Food and Nutrition, and this class Women's Studies. The hot topic that seems to be going around within CDFS and Women's Study is the whole take on gays/lesbians. One thing mentioned in CDFS class was if gays were allowed to marry would that break down the whole meaning of marriage and what it stands for. In my opinion I believe that gays should be allowed to be joined together for life in the eye of the law. The reason for this is because say two people of the same sex live together for 20 years and then one day one of them passes away unexpectedly. In the eye of the law the person who passes away didn't have any living kin or significant other because their homosexual relationship/commitment was not recognized by the law. It's sad to see someone lose their life partner, but to also lose everything that they worked for together just because the law doesn't recognize it. I wouldn't agree with them calling their union a marriage, but more like a legal partnership, therefore, both parties (homosexuals and heterosexuals) are satisfied. The idea and values of marriage between a man and woman only are restored, and gays get to share what ever is theirs with their partner. Of course it is easy for me to make this decision in my head because I am a female married to a male and I am accepted by society for my choices.