Week 9 - Boys, Girls, and Toys – Oh My!

I can remember times as a child when I was walking through toy aisles in stores like Toys’R’Us and Target. On occasion I’d turn into an aisle with lots of dolls and think to myself, “Oh, I don’t belong here.” I didn’t want to be in that aisle because I felt it was the girls’ aisle. I’d leave and turn into the boys’ aisle, the one filled with Nerf guns and Legos.

Back when I was young, toy stores would separate their products into toys that were meant for boys and toys that were meant for girls. I don’t know what the toy situation might be like in the modern day, but as many toys are still gendered, I’d imagine it’s not too much better. Girls’ toys consist of dolls, dress up clothes, toy houses, toy animals, and kitchenware. On the other side, boys’ toys consist of Legos, Erector sets, video games, Nerf guns, action figures, toy race cars, train sets, and sports equipment. Legos and Erector sets encourage boys to be inventive and build from their own ideas. Such toys likely help push boys towards the math and science fields, which are generally considered more “masculine.” Sports equipment and toy race cars teach young boys about society’s concept of a “good man,” and the kinds of things he should like. Alternatively, dolls and dress up clothes teach young girls about society’s concept of a “good woman,” and that she should enjoy fashion and shopping. Toy houses and kitchenware set up girls for the position of a stay-at-home wife. The girls’ toys also lack the inventive aspect, which likely helps push them away from math and science fields.

It seems to me that the way toys are designed for girls or for boys fits right into the normal gender roles defined by society. Boys’ toys teach boys to be strong, inventive, and keep learning. Girls’ toys teach girls about house chores, preparing them for a life as a housewife. I think the main problem is that toys are even designed with a particular gender in mind. Since the genders have been arbitrarily defined by society, the resulting toys also follow the set genders. Any toy should really be for any child, irrespective of genders. Achieving this may require breaking through the traditional gender roles, which, unfortunately, has shown itself to be very difficult.

What toys should be: http://s154.photobucket.com/user/knighttoolworks/media/o-BOYS-GIRLS-TOYS-900_zpsb78b134f.jpg.html

Separate sections for boys and girls: https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/fe/fc/7e/fefc7e2f4c58f228703aa76af89e60a3.jpg

The girls’ aisle: http://farm5.staticflickr.com/4024/4359702274_8ebc8aea7a.jpg

The boys’ aisle: http://photos1.blogger.com/blogger/7709/854/1600/boys%20aisle.1.jpg

Week 9 - "Pussy Riot in Translation" Summary

In Russia, a group called Pussy Riot started to take shape and begin protests about various issues in Russia, including women’s rights. One of their most famous protests occurred when five of the members illegally started a performance in a church. Three of the protestors, Samutsevich, Tolokonnikova, and Alyokhina, were arrested and later jailed for their actions. The trials and their results gained international attention, with several countries criticizing Russia for the decision. Much support came from the West, even though many people did not even know what Pussy Riot stood for. Yet, within Russia itself, the group largely failed to make much of an impact due to the oppressive climate and the government’s control.

The article describes how Pussy Riot intended to use their bodies to protest, and details similar attempts by other Russians. For example, Pyotr Pavelensky, a young artist, has sewn his mouth shut, wrapped himself in barbed wire, and nailed his scrotum to Red Square as part of his extensive protests. While Pavelensky and Pussy Riot did gain attention, often their messages fail to reach the public, and are often misunderstood in the Western world.

Some journalists, like Masha Gessen, have attempted to document Pussy Riot’s activities and the stories of the members. In her novel, Words Will Break Cement, Gessen tells the story of Samutsevich, Tolokonnikova, and Alyokhina, the three Pussy Riot members who were arrested. Although Gessen does detail the events successfully in a novel, she writes the novel so that westerns can understand the story. As the political climate in Russia is so drastically different from that of the United States, it is difficult for Westerners to understand why certain actions would be taken. In the end, Gessen produced a piece of entertainment for Westerners, and did not address controversial issues in the novel. Some important parts may have been downplayed while other details are emphasized, as a result, in order to create a story that Westerns can enjoy.

Anya Bernstein has also researched Pussy Riot, and focused more on how the government treated the arrested members of Pussy Riot. When discussing how the members should be punished, one government official stated “If I could get my way, I would spank these girls and let them go.” This shows how the government treated the three women as little girls so that the public would not take their protests seriously. Bernstein also describes how Tolokonnikova and Alyokhina were strangely released from prison during the Sochi Olympics. Perhaps the government was attempting to push away the issue of Pussy Riot while the world’s attention was focused elsewhere. After their release, though, the two women suffered much physical abuse from the Russian public. They were unfazed, nonetheless, for perhaps they knew the effects of their actions would slowly and inexorably spread through the rest of the world. 

Week 7 - Gender and the Military

            Unfortunately, I do not know anyone that has been a part of the military, so I cannot comment from personal experience how gender played into a military position. In general, though, the military is an extremely male-dominated society. Joining the military is widely considered a very masculine thing to do. For any woman that joins that world, she often feels out of place and has to work particularly hard to prove that she can keep up with the men. There was some discussion of lowering the physical standards of soldiers to accommodate women. But most people in the military argued against this, saying the standards should be kept consistent for all. It will be harder for women to meet the standards due to natural differences in the human build. Nonetheless, most felt that all the soldiers should be on equal grounds, physically, without considering genders.

            Being married to someone in the military is hard, no matter who it is. The person who is not in the military will likely have to travel from base to base, trying to keep a career while taking care of any children. The person will also be waiting for his or her significant other’s return, hoping that the person will, in fact, return at all. Additionally, the long distance puts significant strain on the relationship. Media like TV shows and movies like to use the idea of a military wife, but rarely do you see a military husband. The classic military wife has a woman at home, trying to get by while worrying that her husband will never return from the military. The military husband, conversely, would be a man who stays home while the wife goes to the military. We hear stories about military wives with decent regularity, but military husbands are nearly invisible. Perhaps that is because society believes a man should be able to take care of himself and stay strong all on his own, while a woman needs comfort and friends to get through the tough times, as per the traditional gender roles.

            The media presents male soldiers as brave souls who are there to defend their country. There’s nothing unusual about a man joining the military, and in fact he is often lauded for his decision. On the other hand, a woman enlisting is an oddity, and the media will often portray her as almost an outcast. Many will highly question her decision, and wonder if she is “tough enough” for the military. If the media depicts a woman in the military, she is often striving to be better than her fellow men, so that no one can question if she’s “man enough” for the job. 

Girl Rising

Sokha from Cambodia

            Sokha was abandoned as a child by her parents. As an orphan, she ended up at a dump, sorting through the trash there, looking for pieces of metals and anything else that might be useful. She had to avoid the used needles, shards of broken glass, and other sharp objects as she walked through the garbage. All she really dreamed of was going to school and learning. Through much good fortune, Sokha made it to school and has managed to make a successful life for herself.

Wadley from Haiti

            At the age of seven, Wadley lives with her mother after her father was shot by a random customer who climbed into his taxi. Wadley was going to school, up until the earthquake hit Haiti, devastating the island. Wadley’s town was destroyed and she lived in a makeshift camp instead. As money was extremely tight, her mother could not afford to send her to the tent class being run nearby. Yet Wadley tried to go to class nonetheless. At first the teacher turned her away since she was unable to pay. But eventually, Wadley manages to stay at the class and continues to learn at school, even though her family could never pay.

Suma from Nepal

            In Nepal, many people make a bond with a master. The master provides food and shelter and is allowed to use the bonded people for work. As the daughter of two bonded parents, Suma was also bonded to a master when she was six. Her first master made her work all day, cleaning the house, washing the dishes, caring for the master’s children and the goats. Her second master had her sleep in a shack and perform other menial tasks from dawn until dusk every day. At the age of eleven, she reached her third master. Here, Suma met a school teacher who enrolled her in night classes to learn how to read and write. The teachers, aware that the bonding people is no different from slavery, pressured Suma’s master to release her. Suma eventually got away, and now fights to free other girls from their masters.

Yasmin from Egypt

            Yasmin and her friend were originally just going to get juice from a friend. A man with a donkey cart offered them a ride. But the man took them on a strange path. Yasmin’s friend ran away, but Yasmin herself stayed. Eventually they arrived at the man’s house, where he began drinking and offered Yasmin drinks. She asked to go home, and she and the man got in the cart again. This time he took her to a dark alley and said he wanted to be with her. She refused, and they fought: Yasmin, with a small knife, managed to defeat the man and spared his life when he begged for mercy. It is later explained that the man did rape Yasmin, but was never punished for it. As for Yasmin, she has never gone to school, and is now engaged to be married at the age of 13.

Azmera from Ethiopia

            In Ethiopia, Azmera, her older brother, and their mother live together. Her father and the older sister died, and her mother had to bury them both. One day, a man showed up at Azmera’s home and asked for her hand in marriage. Her mother’s initial reaction was to agree, for she desperately did not want to see another child die before her. Her brother had taken over the father’s work as a farmer, even though he wanted to learn how to read and write. He foresaw a future for Azmera in which she was more than simply a wife. He told their mother no, and Azmera herself asked for a better life. Now she goes to school instead and is leaving topics like marriage for much later in life.

Senna from Peru

            Living high up in the mountains in Peru, Senna’s father, like all the men in the town, worked as a miner, searching daily for gold deep underground. After a mining accident, though, her father could never go back to the mines, and became a cook instead. Senna’s father climbed the mountain each day to pound at discarded rocks, seeking out any gold the miners may have missed. Senna’s father insisted that Senna go to school, in hope that education would grant her opportunity. Despite the family’s poverty, Senna went to school no matter what. She got a job cleaning public toilets, of which her father was extremely proud. It was a start. Soon after, Senna discovered the world of poetry and became engrossed in it. Now she writes her own poems, and is determined to become a famous poet.

Mariama from Sierra Leone

            Mariama’s biological father died when she was very young, so her mother remarried to her father’s younger brother, as is tradition. Later, the younger brother also married another woman, Hawa. Mariama was the first to go to school in her family. She also managed to get a job as a radio show host at Eagle Africa. On the show, she lets girls call in so that she can offer advice on how to solve real-life problems. However, Mariama’s step-father was receiving criticism due to Mariama’s radio show, and told her to quit. With the help of Hawa, though, Mariama managed to convince her father of the value of the show and she continued her work. She intends to start her own TV show eventually, and spread her help to the rest of the world.

Amina from Afghanistan

            In Afghanistan, giving birth to a baby boy is everything. The men are in charge in this culture, and woman are treated as property. So when Amina’s mother gave birth to her, she apparently cried from disappointment. At the age of 3, Amina had to work. She cleaned the house, fetched fresh water, washed the clothes and dishes, and had to take care of younger siblings. Amina was lucky enough to spend some time in a classroom, where she learned to read and write. At the age of eleven, her marriage was arranged for a price of five thousand U.S. dollars. The money the family received was spent on a used car for Amina’s brother. Amina was also fortunate to survive her first childbirth without any complications. But she knew that she could not stay in this oppressed situation, and was determined to escape and lead others to salvation with her.

Ruksana from India

            Ruksana grew up in a city, and went to school at her father’s absolute insistence. When she got in trouble for drawing in her notebook instead of paying attention during class, her father did not punish her. Instead, he took her to an art store, and bought art supplies for Ruksana. Even though there was not enough money to afford food every day, her father knew what was important. One day, during the monsoon season, policemen came and tore down Ruksana’s village. The family maintained hope, nonetheless, and started to rebuild. Through all of this, Ruksana’s father continued to send her to school, even when they didn’t have a place to live.

United States Girl Rising

            People often think that problems like the ones occurring around the world don’t occur in the United States. But issues like rape, sexual harassment, and a lack of education still occur, even within our country, and females are often the victims. Additionally, the U.S. is plagued by gender inequality in various situations. Politics, media, and engineering are all fields that are dominated by men, and women in these fields are often criticized. Equality is also lacking in the household, where women are generally expected to take care of children and the house while men act as the primary breadwinners in their families. The American “Girl Rising” is one that is struggling to fight these inequalities and to make a strong life for herself in a male-dominant society. 

Her Story

            In the final episode, Allie’s friend Lisa gets an article published which reads “Paige Jones, Lambda Legal’s lead attorney is also transgender, a fact that has not been disclosed in proceedings. The case should be dismissed, and Mr. Jones should be fired from his position.” Paige addresses Lisa shortly after this, and tells her off for “talking about racial inequality without a black girl in sight” and “writing economic inequality pieces but [she’s] never been poor.” This scene struck me as particularly powerful, for it revealed a few major issues with the current state of affairs. One problem is that the people who are harmed by racial inequality or gender inequality often do not get any say in the matter. The other is that people are treated differently due to various characteristics, like race and gender.

            Regardless of progress that has been made in the field of equality, the government of the United States is still primarily comprised of white, old men. Racial and gender diversity is still limited. This leads to the question, why should white men be allowed to make laws that primarily affect black people or women? Similarly, why should I, as a man, attempt to force my ideals about women’s rights on the population? If we are to achieve racial equality in the United States, we absolutely need great discussions and compromises that involve representatives from all races. African Americans, Chinese, Europeans, Indians, Native Americans, and people from many more ethnicities need to come together and agree on racial equality laws together. Similarly, if we are to have serious discourse about gender equality, men, women, gays, lesbians, transvestites, transgender people, and others who can’t, and shouldn’t, be categorized need to all be involved.

            Many people have a habit of treating others differently based on their cultures or physical characteristics. In the show, Lisa argued that the court case should be dismissed for the sole reason that Paige was a transgender. One of the other friends makes the accurate statement that “I don’t think it matters that the attorney is trans.” The truth is that it really should not matter. A person is, first and foremost, a human. A person can be a woman or a man, heterosexual or homosexual, transgender or transvestite or neither, but the person is a person first. I think many people forget that simple fact and treat each other differently due to race or gender. I know that I am guilty of acting differently in front of certain people due to their race. The subtle changes people make in their behavior is not something most people are generally conscious of, though. I think this is something we need to become aware of so that we can recognize our own behaviors and work to correct them. 

Week 6 - Intelligence vs Icon

Marilyn Monroe was constantly characterized as a “dumb blonde” throughout her life. Yet in actuality, she was extremely curious and was always seeking to learn more. She spent much of her time reading and would enjoy conversations with intellectuals whenever she had that chance. Society and the media, though, found it easier to ignore her intelligence. I don’t think Marilyn Monroe explicitly try to hide her intelligence, but it also wasn’t something she advertised. In her heyday, the 1950s, it was probably easier for a woman to become popular simply by being a “pretty face.” If she tried to show off her intelligence, it is possible that she might not have been successful. Men generally want to feel dominant over women and among their peers. An intelligent woman would pose a threat to a man’s dominance. I think Monroe likely hid her intelligence because it was easier for a woman to use her beauty to become popular rather than her intelligence.

I think Scarlett Johansson is hiding part of her intelligence in order to become more popular and successful. She is often casted in Hollywood movies as some sexy female character, so it is clear that Hollywood wants her to be a modern sex symbol. However, I think she manages to keep her true self separate from the roles she plays. While her characters are generally sex symbols, Johansson does not seem to desire that lifestyle. Yet it is easier for a woman in today’s culture to be successful in the movie industry by playing mindless characters that let the men take charge, simply because that is what we are used to. Back in 2013, it was apparently a big deal when she announced her SAT scores were “above average.” The fact that this surprises our culture just exemplifies our mental image of her as another “dumb blonde.” Johansson manages to play the part of a “dumb blonde” very well for the most part, but it is likely still an act. She probably understands that Hollywood directors and producers are trying to sexualize her, and tries to use this to her advantage. Her roles in movies often have a surprising amount of control over men, which shows that she is conscious of her influence on society.

Website Sources:

http://decider.com/2014/11/22/scarlett-johansson-not-sex-symbol/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2637957/Heavily-pregnant-Scarlett-Johansson-says-shes-happy-away-object-desire-turns-30-year.html

http://mondoweiss.net/2014/02/johanssons-scholarship-intelligence/

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2440043/Scarlett-Johansson-reveals-SAT-grades-average.html

Week 6 - "Deadly Love: Images of Dating Violence in the 'Twilight Saga'" Summary

This article begins by describing some statistics about dating violence and how it is still a serious problem in today’s culture. Females are notably more often the victims than males, and many girls are more afraid due to their experiences with dating violence. In this article, the author hones in on one series, the Twilight Saga, and describes how it portrays violent relationships.

The Twilight Saga, written by Stephenie Meyer, is a series of four novels about the romantic relationship between a 17-year old girl, Bella, and a 17-year-old vampire, Edward. Many people have praised this series for displaying a traditional relationship with a positive light on abstinence. As Bella and Edward refrain from engaging in sex until after marriage, even Christian media promotes the series. However, a closer look into the series shows that the relationship between Bella and Edward is a controlling one with serious undertones of sexual and dating violence.

The author creates three categories of dating controlling behaviors: physical control, verbal orders, and emotional control. The article then describes various instances of these three types of violence or control. For instance, the analysis identified eighty examples of physical violence. These range from Edward’s inherent desire to drink Bella’s blood throughout the entire series to Edward defending her from other characters. The cases of explicit sexual violence are less common, but still significant. While Bella and Edward do wait until after marriage to have sex, the sexual relationship they do build is certainly violent. After sex, there is a passage describing the various bruises Bella incurred during the experience. In a different instance, Jacob, Edward’s rival for Bella’s affection, forcibly kisses Bella. Yet Bella’s suffering in this regard is largely overlooked and laughed at. Several times during the series, Bella is physically restrained, leaving Edward completely in charge. Stalking is also a prevalent issue in the novels, but it is often overshadowed and even romanticized, as if it is a good thing. Acts of jealousy, male aggression, and references to self-harm or suicide also appear regularly in the Twilight Saga.

As a series with the target audience of teenage girls, such relationships and violence are quite troubling. Moreover, the series as a whole portrays Bella in the standard female gender role, as a weak woman who relies on a man to fight for her. Meanwhile Edward and Jacob are the strong ones that go out to fight the battles and protect Bella, thus fulfilling the male gender role. Yet the series was very well received and is highly praised regardless. The author concludes by suggesting that scenes from these novels be used as examples of dating violence in an attempt to show young people situations and behavior to avoid in real life.