Final Paper 2

Contrary to what many believe, feminism is not about hating men and feminists are not only lesbians. Feminism, or as was suggested in class, humanism, is the belief that everyone should be equal. It is the belief that job opportunities and wages are equal for everyone. It is the belief that people should have choices- whether it is a woman choosing to have an abortion or a man choosing to stay home to care for his children. Feminism is much more than this also. It is the overarching theme that all humans were created equal.
Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner presents a concise, comprehensive view of the history of feminism in her book The F Word-Feminism in Jeopardy. Feminism, while continuing to focus on issues affecting women, has evolved through the years. The history of feminism is split into three waves. The first wave began in the early twentieth century. This wave’s main focus was on getting the right to vote expanded to women. This movement was led by women like Susan B. Anthony, Elizabeth Cady Stanton, and Alice Paul. “ ‘Men their rights and nothing more; women their rights and nothing less’ was a rallying cry of the time” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 21).
As seen in the 2004 film Iron-Jawed Angels starring Hilary Swank and Patrick Dempsey, the fight for suffrage was not an easy one. Most of the men of the time honestly believe that women did not have the capacity to make informed voting decisions. When Alice Paul and her fellow suffragists exercised their First Amendment right to assemble, they were arrested and taken to a prison for enemies of the state.
Most do not realize the sacrifices these women made for the women of today, and many do not think that less than a century ago women were not considered to be full American citizens.
The second wave of feminism began in the 1960s and continued until the early 1980s. This period focused on “increased gender equality in the workplace, access to reproductive health care and sexuality information, and civil-rights legislation that made discrimination on the basis of sex or race illegal” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 26).
This was a time of many political demonstrations, both for equal rights, including feminism and civil rights for African Americans, and against the Vietnam War. The second wave movement was led by women like Gloria Steinem and Susan Brownmiller. The Equal Rights Amendment, which has still not been able to pass, was proposed during this time. Many of the issues of the second wave have been carried over to the third wave to be expanded and improved upon.
“A new culture of open-mindedness is emerging in the third wave: there are many ways to be a woman” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 31). The third wave has had trouble focusing on a cohesive issue. Some are focused on the workplace, some are focused on reproductive rights, some are focused on gay rights. Many women have become discouraged by feminism because it seems as though nothing has been accomplished.
It is not clear whether we currently live in a third wave feminism world or a post-feminist world. Rowe-Finkbeiner in The F Word quotes a feminist leader who argues that because “more women [are] getting professional degrees, more women [are] working construction jobs, and women’s ability to sue for sexual harassment and to play sports” we live in a time of post-feminism (Rowe-Finkbeiner 107).
While it is true that great strides have been made in creating equality and promoting women’s rights, there is still a lot to be done. I hope that the third wave can organize to continue pushing for rights and the Equal Rights Amendment, in particular.
The discipline of Women’s Studies intersects with feminism on many levels. To appreciate the courses that the Women’s Studies department offers, one needs to understand the purpose and importance of feminism. Feminists should take at least a couple of Women’s Studies courses to appreciate and learn the history of feminism and to become motivated to help find a focus for the feminism of today. Women’s Studies courses would help third-wave feminists understand the dire straights that feminism could be in. If all third-wave feminists could understand the need to find cohesion then we could all work to help bring the movement back.
I am undoubtedly a feminist. I knew that I was a feminist before this class, but through our readings, discussions, presentations, and videos, I now know that I am bordering on being quite radical.
I have found that feminism really can be quite a dirty word. When I tell people that I am a Women’s Studies major, I either get a “What are you going to do with that?” or a look that says “You can’t be a feminist- you wear makeup, shave your legs, and like men.” Seeing the video of “This Is What a Feminist Looks Like” confirmed for me that a feminist can be anyone. Feminists are famous, feminists are tall and short, feminists are men and women, feminists truly can be anyone. Also reading Linda Scott’s Fresh Lipstick proved what I already knew. A woman can wear make up and high heels and still care about women’s issues and equality. Reading Fresh Lipstick after reading Wolf’s Beauty Myth was an interesting contrast. Wolf’s work, while striking true, disheartened my belief that feminists can care about how they look. This class proved to me that there is no clear definition of what a feminist is or should be.
I was sometimes uncomfortable saying I was a Women’s Studies major, implying that I am also a feminist. I now feel much more comfortable talking about feminism, both because I am proud and because I know much more about it.
Feminist issues incite me more than any other political issues, and I get pretty worked up about many things in the news. Thinking about men trying to take away a woman’s right to choose what happens to her body by having an abortion infuriates me. It should not be a man’s decision what a woman does with her body. It is hard to comprehend the gender inequality that still exists today. When my mom tells me that she knows she makes less than men in her company at the same level it is so disheartening and motivating at the same time. I am very sad for her because I know how much she works, but I am also motivated to pursue a law degree and work to fix these injustices. It is also shameful to think of what gender stereotypes our society is rooted in. I do not particularly want to have children, but if I do I am going to try my hardest to raise them where they feel comfortable liking what they like. Imagining trying to break this gender mold is difficult. All of society is so deeply ingrained in trying to make boys into boys and girls into girls.
Though these issues work me up, I feel almost helpless in directing the movement of the third wave. I feel that there are too many people and too many ideas for a small group of people to really focus the issue. All I can do is to keep working on my small part. I will now always be proud to call myself a feminist, and I hope that I can inspire others to examine their perceptions or misperceptions of feminism and realize that feminism is not a dirty word.

Works Cited
Iron Jawed Angels. 2004. DVD. HBO, 2004.
Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. “Are We Postfeminist? Education, Work, and a Nation in Flux.” The F Word- Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 107-127.
- - -. “Signs of the Times: Defining the Third Wave.” The F Word- Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 85-105.
- - -. “A Tsunami in History.” The F Word- Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 19-33.
Scott, Linda M. Fresh Lipstick. N.p.: Palgrave, 2004.
This Is What a Feminist Looks Like. youtube.com. 12 May 2009 .
Wolf, Naomi. The Beauy Myth. N.p.: Anchor Books, 1991.

Final Paper 1

Throughout the semester, this class has focused on many important aspects of feminism and contemporary issues facing women. While every issue that we discussed is important in its own right, they also connect to a larger web of issues that rest on politics. Every issue that we discussed from equal pay for equal work and maternity leave to reproductive rights and civic involvement is in some way influenced by politics and policy decisions. Unfortunately, women are inadequately represented in public office. For women’s rights to be recognized as a vital issue, more need to be involved in state and national government, especially elected office. This involvement needs to begin with young women. Elected women tend to be older women, but the older a woman begins her political career, they less time that she has to achieve higher office. Women need to become professional legislators.
Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner’s book The F Word Feminism in Jeopardy examines the impact of women in political office. In her introduction she quotes numbers from the 2000 presidential election: “Only 35 percent of women aged eighteen to twenty-four voted in the 2000 presidential election, compared with 65 percent of women over forty-four. This mean almost 19 million young women between the ages of eighteen and thirty-four didn’t vote” (2). This numbers are shocking and appalling, though more women were involved and active in the 2008 election. The 2008 election also proved that a woman actually has a true opportunity to be elected as president.
The five readings that had the greatest impact on me all involve women’s participation in politics and the impact women could have if they became more involved.
I chose three chapters from Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner’s The F Word - Feminism in Jeopardy: “Tracing the Social Divide: Campus Women, Social Issues and Volunteerism”; “Making a Difference: Women in Political Power”; and “Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport.” These chapters deal with young women’s concerns about women’s rights and politics and their involvement in the political process. “Tracing the Divide” examines the issues important to college women today. Rowe-Finkbeiner conducted a survey of college women asking, “In your opinion, what are the top three social issues facing young women today?” (59). The top ten responses covered a broad range of topics. They were, in order from one to ten: “gender equality, reproductive rights, self-identity, work-and-family balance, violence against women, economic issues, health care, education, societal and media images of women, and civic engagement” (59). As a college woman, I found these ten issues to be both vitally important and disappointedly not talked about in arenas outside of class. I have been continually disappointed by many of the young women that I am surrounded by. Many do not see the obstacles facing them in their future careers and lives.
The young women that were surveyed are interested in and concerned about issues that impact the lives of all women, young and old. Many of these issues have been of concern for decades, and yet the issues are still not solved. Gender equality in the workplace has been an issue affecting women since women really began entering the workforce at the beginning of the twentieth century. The Equal Rights Amendment tried to equalize earnings. This amendment has never been realized. In fact, a woman was its biggest naysayer.
Rowe-Finkbeiner examines each of the issues from the list in turn and then shifts focus to volunteerism. Her thesis is that young women, while actively volunteering with organizations that work on issues surrounding the concerns with the ten issues listed, they are not involved in politics. Rowe-Finkbeiner asserts that volunteerism may not be enough to solve these issues that are facing women today. She found that women are oftentimes overwhelmed by working on legislative or electoral issues (81). Though running for political office could be a frightening decision, I wish that the political arena could be friendlier to women so they would not be overwhelmed by it.
In the chapter “Making a Difference: Women in Poliltical Power,” Rowe-Finkbeiner examines women who hold elected office. She argues, “young women want politicians to emphasize issues that are relevant to younger voters” (214). It is hard for young women to feel a connection to Social Security reform or defense appropriations.
Her basic thesis is that if all 19 million women who are not voting began voting and if all women joined together on issues, the look of Congress would change completely (219). As a political science minor I have studied representative democracy, and though America is a functioning representative democracy, the lack of women in elected office is one of our political system’s biggest problem. For women’s issues to be brought to the forefront of policy issues, the composition of Congress needs to be equalized. Women only hold 73 of the 435 seats in Congress. When women make up 52% of the U.S. population, the 13.6% of Congressional seats held by women is inadequate. It is important for women to realize that gaining political power may be the first step in gaining women’s rights and equalities in other aspects. It will be through legislation that equal pay for equal work is made mandatory. It would be through judicial review that abortion would become illegal again.
In Rowe-Finkbeiner’s final chapter “Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport,” she once again explains the importance of voting. She attributes the decline in the youth vote to a few campaign tendencies. First, negative campaigning lend to young people no longer seeing politicians as “the sacred” (237). Young women view campaigns as a media race with “tabloid sound bites and bizarre sexcapdes” (237). Many also feel that the “campaign message” is always being pushed at them (238). Young people are increasingly choosing to be Independent or do not wish to be put in one of “two camps” (236).
These factors do work to create cynicism and negativity about politicians and government in general. However, as Rowe-Finkbeiner points out, it is still vital for young women to make it to the ballot box. It is much more likely that legislators are making policy decisions to please the constituents who voted for them. If young women did not vote in the election a few years before, then the politician who may have made decisions unsupportive of women is less likely to lose his or her seat in the next election.
I feel that Rowe-Finkbeiner shows the urgency and importance of both increasing voter turnout among young women and also increasing the number of women who run for elected office.
bell hooks presents a different picture in Feminism Is for Everybody. Instead of focusing on women in politics, hooks focuses more on the politics of advancing feminism. hooks is more radical than Rowe-Finkbeiner in some of her claims. hooks focuses more on the issue of race and feminism. She claims, “Given the reality of racism, it made sense that white men were more willing to consider women’s rights when the granting of those rights could serve the interests of maintaining white supremacy” (4). She argues that privileged white women often forget the struggles for equality (4). hooks is worried “feminist politics is losing momentum because feminist movement has lost clear definitions” (6). She is very likely correct. Feminism has to many objectives, and until there is political representation for all interests it is unlikely that anything will progress.
Jessica Valenti presents an interesting view on gender stereotypes in her book He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know. Her double standard of “He’s a Politician, She’s a Fashion Plate” examines why the news media also focuses on female politicians’ clothing before they focus on what they are doing. Not only do women lack adequate representation, the women who are in elected office are seemingly not taken seriously. Valenti gives examples of Nancy Pelosi and Hillary Clinton. The media famously brought attention to Hillary Clinton’s cleavage: “The Washington Post in 2007 devoted an entire article to how Clinton was showing tit” (56).
As young girls grow up in a time where much focus is already placed on how one looks, it would be discouraging to enter politics knowing that every fashion decision or mistake would be critically examined for millions to read about or watch on TV.
Though many feminist issues interest me, I have always had a great interest in the disparity of women in public office. I feel that I continue on to receive a degree in Women’s Studies and a minor in Political Science each will complement each other. I hope to be able to use both in law school, and I hope that I can use the knowledge of the importance of this relationship to work in some way to further women’s involvement in politics. I wish I could better understand why there are not more women in politics. Is it because they are discouraged to run? Or is it because they feel that they can make contributions in other areas?

Works Cited
Hooks, Bell. “Feminist Politics: Where We Stand.” Feminism Is for Everybody. Cambridge: South End, 2000. 1-6.
Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. “Democracy Is Not a Spectator Sport.” The F Word Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 233- 263.
- - -. “Introduction: The F-Word.” Introduction. The F Word Feminism in Jeopardy. By Rowe-Finkbeiner. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 1-17.
- - -. “Making a Difference: Women in Political Power.” The F Word Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 213-231.
- - -. “Tracing the Divide: Campus Women, Social Issues, and Volunteerism.” The F Word Feminism in Jeopardy. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2004. 55-105.
Valenti, Jessica. “He’s a Politicain, She’s a Fashion Plate.” He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know. Emeryville: Seal Press, 2008. 54-57.

Blog 10- Organization

Like I have mentioned in earlier posts, a group of women from Rwanda came to Oklahoma last summer. They came to take classes and follow a local woman who was in the same profession that they had in Rwanda. These women had the opportunity to do this because of the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women's program Peace through Business. Peach through Business currently works with women from Rwanda and Afghanistan. This May my mom is traveling to Rwanda to work more with the women and give a presentation on community involvement/activism. Rwanda and Afghanistan are both such turbulent places, but the situation in Rwanda is different than that of Afghanistan. Unfortunately, not many people know of the horrible atrocities that occurred in Rwanda in 1994. The genocide that happened did not really make the news nor is it talked about on the news today. It began in April 1994. The people of Rwanda are currently observing a month of mourning, but you don't see it on CNN or read about it on the front pages of papers.
Today, the women of Rwanda are in an interesting place. A large portion of the men were killed in the civil war and genocide. Women now hold positions of leadership in government and run many businesses. Peace through Business has allowed many to expand their businesses. A woman named Gloria owns a company called GLO Creations. She runs a shop that sells T-shirts, wall hangings, pillow covers, and table cloths that she sews and batticks.
I think that the opportunities that Peach through Business provide to women in countries that have gone through hardship are wonderful. I am so proud of my mom for going to Rwanda to further help these women, and I hope that as she continues to be active in the program, my role can increase as well.

Another passion that I have is the representation of women in politics which was the main subject of the reading for this week. It is to my great chagrin that women are so underrepresented in government on all levels. I really agree with Rowe-Finkbeiner that young women first need to start voting before they will ever be taken seriously as candidates. For women's policy issues to even be considered women need to vote. Candidates need to know that women are a viable, important part of their constituency. Young women of today need to mobilize for equality, as Pat Reuss says (185).

Reading Gender Paper

In her play The Eternal Feminine Rosario Castellanos examines and criticizes many stereotypical roles of Mexican women. The play follows the dreams that Lupita has while sitting under a dryer at a beauty salon. Lupita is at the salon to get her hair done for her wedding day. The contraption that makes Lupita dream was created to stop women from thinking. As the dreams progress, Lupita becomes unsure of her decision to marry and also comes to understand the truly important role that women played in Mexico’s history.
The beauty salon is an important part in Mexican women’s lives. The very wealthy women visit the salon once a day, often spending hours sitting idly. Men believe that this idleness will lead women to think, and women who think are a detriment to society. Castellanos is criticizing the notion that women should spend all of their time becoming beautiful without contributing anything else to society. The idea that women should not or do not think could be quite offensive. Castellanos portrays the idea in a way that becomes humorous though. She uses wit and humor to examine a very serious situation. And to most American women of today, this idea is so ridiculous that it cannot be taken seriously. Castellanos also uses Lupita’s decision to leave the salon without her hair finished to represent the new role that she believes women need to begin playing in Mexican society.
Because of the blackout Lupita’s hair cannot be completely set. She then asks for a wig to wear for her wedding day. As she puts the wigs on she sees stereotypes of appearance for different types of women: prostitute, feminist, mistress, and professional. As she disregards each wig, she slowly sheds the beauty myth. When she leaves the salon without her hair done, she leaves behind the notion that outward appearance is the most important facet of a woman’s life. She leaves behind the old role of women and accepts the new, more active role that women should have.
As Naomi Wolf writes in Beyond the Beauty Myth, “The beauty myth countered women’s new freedoms by transposing the social limits to women’s lives directly onto our faces and bodies” (270). Linda Scott counters this argument in Fresh Lipstick. Scott asserts that women can be beautiful and enjoy beauty accoutrements while still being a feminist and still taking an active role in their society. While I agree with Scott, I believe that Wolf’s claims directly apply to Mexican women’s worlds according to Castellanos.
Gender is obviously the primary theme in The Eternal Feminine. Castellanos is showing that the beauty salon and having the perfect hairstyle are only important to women. The salesman who sells the salon owner the dream maker contraption is condescending and manipulative. The owner is unsure as she as just purchased new equipment from him, but he uses the prospect of money to convince her. He is the one who perpetuates the thought that women should not be spending their time thinking. Castellanos assumes that all men and women conform to these standards. The only male figure that is portrayed in any type of positive light is the serpent in Paradise with Adam and Eve. And even he is typically thought to symbolize the devil.
Lupita does eventually break these assumptions, and she does so without a man’s guidance. Though Lupita does not outwardly claim to be taking a new path in life, it is certainly implied.

Week 11- NGO

I chose the NGO of N.E.W. Leadership. N.E.W. Leadership is a national organization that works with female college students who are interested in a career in government or politics. Though it is a national organization, they are campus based. On OU's campus the programs runs through the Carl Albert Center. Each summer they put on a week long workshop. I participated in the program last summer and learned so much. It is an intense time, but all the activities and all the women that I met were just great. It is a great program for all college women, not just those who are interested in working in government. I feel that it is important for all to understand the huge gender disparity in public office. Until we have more representation from women, women's issues will not top priority lists. This is why all women (and men) should either try to participate in the program or give monetarily (the program is provided free of cost to all participants). Everyone who went through the program with me had a great time, and OU's program is always honored at The Journal Record's Woman of the Year program.

I found the writings on feminism across the world very interesting. I was not familiar with women's issues in Asia. I was sickened to read about the athletic shoe industry. I guess it shouldn't have surprised me, but it still made me want to get rid of my Nikes.
I am, however, a little more educated about women's issues in Africa, specifically Rwanda. Last summer a group of women visited Oklahoma through the Institute for Economic Empowerment of Women. The women are business owners in Rwanda and they came for education and mentoring with a women from their field of business. Goretti shadowed my mom for a few days. She runs a business/travel magazine in Rwanda. All the women came to our house for a tea. They were all so inspiring. The government of Rwanda is mainly run by women because so many men were killed in the genocides of the 1990s. They are also responsible for picking up a lot of the pieces in the aftermath. I met a woman who teaches girls to sew. The girls in her school have all been in the sex trade industry because they were left homeless and had no other way to support themselves. She is working to give them a talent that they can make money from and get them off the streets.
This summer, my mom is going to Rwanda to visit the women and help Goretti get a program off the ground. The lessons that can be learned on both sides are just innumerable.

Ethnography Paper

Ethnography Paper

Research Design
Many blame wage gap on pregnancy and motherhood. There is also still an obvious glass ceiling for women in many professions. Growing up in a home with a working mom, I always wondered were things were harder for my mom because she was a mom and also what restrictions were placed on her because she was a woman?
My mom is the publisher and president of The Journal Record, a business newspaper in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. The paper is one of many across the country, and though she is the president of the paper locally, there is a corporate office that she answers to. The corporate staff is predominately male, though her local staff is mainly women.
I spent a lot of time in her office growing up, and since there were so many women in the office, I never thought anything of her being a woman. But now, as I hear her stories of the executives who work in the corporate office, I see that she has also struggled with gender inequality. Despite these inequalities she still managed to climb the ladder, while also having a young daughter.
I never felt that I was missing anything growing up. I saw my mom almost every night for dinner and spent the weekends with her. In my opinion, she was the best mom, but I wanted to see what she thought about being a mom and a career woman.
The respect I have for what my mom has done as well as the knowledge that most all women face inequalities in the workplace are what made me decided to base my research questions on motherhood in the workplace.
I conducted my research through an interview, and I visited my mom at her office.

Interview Questions

1. How have you balanced working and being a mom?
I don’t know if balance has ever been a reality, though it is something I always strived to achieve. It has taken a lot of juggling to keep up with my work and devote the time I always wanted to give as a mom. This has meant doing work after my daughter’s bedtime when she was young. As she got older we did our “homework” together. On the flip side, I tried not to miss any of her significant events at school and found a way to be a homeroom mom. Looking back, I think I was always there and fully present for her when she needed me. She is a well-adjusted, good person now—so I hope I succeeded.

2. What changed in the balance as you were promoted?
As I was promoted and my responsibilities grew, so did the amount of stress and hours needed at work. I didn’t really change anything in the way I approached motherhood, but my entire family did have to make concessions because of the time I spent traveling and at the office. Luckily I always had a great support system. We are not really a traditional family, so I never felt compelled to come home and cook a big dinner, which lessened my stress and gave me more time to spend with my daughter in the evenings. A cleaning lady really helped as well!

3. Do you think that being a woman/being a mother has hindered your career? Do people not consider you for positions because you are a woman/mom?
I have turned down promotions that involved moving because of my family, but I don’t think I have ever not been considered because I’m a woman. I know that is not the case for others, however. I do have some questions about salary parity in my company, however.

4. Do you feel that you missed things as a mother because of your career?
There have been things I’ve missed and guilt was a feeling I became accustomed to when my daughter was young. My mom spent more time with her during the day than I did. While I was so grateful for that, I have to admit to feeling some resentment that she was the one who saw Madison tie her shoes for the first time and ride a two-wheeled bike on her own. In hindsight, I don’t think it harmed Madison in any way and I think I made it up to her in time with her as she got older.

5. Does being a mother ever help you in your career? Why?
Being a mother and having a career is a true test of time management and multi-tasking skills. Both are skills that make me a better manager. Empathy, patience and consensus building are also qualities and skills developed by a good mother that have made me a better leader.

6. Does being a mother ever effect your business decisions?
Even though I’ve mentioned that I missed some of my daughter’s milestones over the years, I also chose, whenever possible, to be home rather than attend certain networking events and business meetings. I figured out a way to be at networking functions and work the room very quickly in order to get home. Being a mother has also provided me with a moral compass that I’m not sure was fully developed prior to motherhood. As I’ve stressed to my daughter the importance of always doing what is right, not what is popular, I’ve got extra responsibility to not just “talk the talk”, but to “walk the walk”.

Field Notes:
My Observations: I have visited my mom’s office many times, so her staff as really seen me grow up, and they always want to talk with me when I am there. They know that I am an important part of my mom’s life and, I think, they like when I come in and not resent it. Because of this, it was very difficult to go in and just observe. In my mom’s office are lots of pictures of me and of our family. Even at work she surrounds herself with her family.
She will also always tries to answer the phone when I call, even if that means it takes away from her work for a few minutes.

Write up:
I think that my mom has probably had a struggle balancing a career and a family, but I do not think either side has ever been negatively impacted because of the other. I do not believe that her company discriminates against her because she is a mother.

Response to Belkin

I found Belkin's Opt-Out article very interesting. I found it fascinating to read the stories of real women who had chosen to leave careers for motherhood, especially because they were women with Ivy League educations. I honestly can see both sides of this argument. Obviously leaving a job to stay at home with children is not an option for everyone, as many of Belkin's critics point out. But if a woman has the resources to stay home who is to say that she shouldn't? On the other hand, doesn't it create a brain drain of sorts? If the women who are leaving careers are the ones who have good educations and who are attaining high level positions then it is unfortunate. It is important for women to keep making strides in employment and when women leave it proves the point of many- women can be paid less because they are less reliable.

I do believe that American work places do need to make the work environment more friendly to women with families. If work places were more flexible then more women might stay in the work force. Many responses to Belkin's article cite inflexible work places as a reason why women leave, not that they are "opting-out."

My mom worked the entire time that I was growing up, so I have always had a hard time understanding stay-at-home moms. To me it seemed that my mom always did it all- she cared for me, took care of the house, and worked. Now I see how much a factor my grandma was. She has lived with us since I was three years old. She worked too, but her hours were much more flexible. She could pick me up from school and would make dinner for me while my mom was at work. We were fortunate enough to be able to hire a housekeeper to clean once a week so that no one had to bother with that. There was also just me. If my parents had had more children I think things would have been different. Though we really needed my mom's income, it would have been harder for her to work the long hours required for her to move up the ladder.

Like I said, I can see both sides of the argument. I think it is great for women to be able to stay home with their kids, but I think if a woman wants to work that is great too.

Week 7- Movie Review

I chose the movie The Secret Life of Bees to review. I read the book a couple of years ago not long after it came out, but I didn't see the movie until last weekend. It's basic plot is about a 14-year-old girl who killed her mother when she was 3. Her father is abusive, and after her African American maid gets beaten by a group of white men, Lily along with Rosaleen (played by Jennifer Hudson) flee. They go to a city Lily believes her mother once lived. They end up moving in with a family of very strong, cultured African American women (Queen Latifah, Alicia Keys, and Sophie Okonedo). This film, obviously, is not just about gender, but also about race. In the south in the 1960s families were supposed to be very traditional. The Boatwrights were not traditional. They owned their own company, and didn't need help from really anyone to take care of all their bees. Men are shown in a very negative light- Lily's father is abusive, and I really ended up hating him. Rosaleen was beaten up by a group of white men. There are two young black men who are shown in a positive light, but the younger one gets kidnapped by a group of white men (later leading to the mentally handicapped sister's suicide), and the other young man is in love with Alicia Keys character. She struggles because she wants to appear that she does not need a man, though she eventually accepts his marriage proposal. I am not sure that the trailer for the movie accurately portrays the themes of the movie. Maybe because I read the book first I think that there are much deeper themes than just the action of the plot. The movie was great though, it is one of not very many movies that show not just white women, but also African American women in a very positive light.

On page 48 of chapter nine of Feminism is for Everybody, bell hooks makes a great point. She says, "When reformist feminist thinkers from privileged class backgrounds whose primary agenda was achieving social equality with men of their class equated work with liberation they meant high-paying careers. Their vision of work had little relevance for masses of women." For the majority of people, both men and women, high-paying salaried positions are not realistically achievable. The majority of the population do not get college educations (it's close to half, but not quite), so the majority of people (and even some who have college educations) work in "blue-collar jobs." Though gender inequality is still an aspect of these occupations, the focus of equal pay is not considered when thinking of these jobs.

I thought that another interesting, and scary, point was made in The F-Word on page 121. Rowe-Finkbeiner claims that boy children are valued more than girl children. That parents with girls are more likely to get a divorce, therefore boys have a financial advantage even from birth. I am not sure that I disagree with her, I just have had a very different experience in my life. I am the only child, and I am a girl. My mom only wanted a girl, and really only wanted one child. My parents did get divorced, but my mom remarried when I was four, and still did not have more children. My stepdad (now my dad because he adopted me) is happy only having me, and I honestly cannot imagine him as a father to a boy.

Also, when thinking about the wage gap, how conscious is the decision to pay women less? Rowe-Finkbeiner claims that it is unconscious on the part of men, but how can that be so? I talked with my mom about this. She is the president and publisher of a business newspaper in Oklahoma City. Her paper is part of a larger group of newspapers and journals across the country. They have probably reached critical mass with the number of women publishers, but the regional leaders are men. She is sure that she is paid less than men, even though her paper makes more money than any other paper. She can't prove it, but it is frustrating nonetheless.

Until next time,
Madison

Week 6

Look to the post "Advertisement" made two weeks ago.

A few things stuck out to me in the F Word chapter on motherhood. On page 58 a woman is quoted as saying, "Being parents in a society that does not support parents is a huge concern for me." This is really interesting to me. It is true that the most of the workforce is not that helpful to expectant or new moms, but we do live in a society that values having a family. If someone does not get married or does not have kids they are looked down on and are often thought to kind of strange.

Also, the author makes a lot of comments in support of stay-at-home moms. I agree that they should be included in the census, but I think it is selfish for a stay-at-home mom to act like they work the hardest out of any other profession. What about the moms who work 8,9, 10 or even more hours a day, then come home to make dinner, help with homework, do laundry, run errands. When do they get the recognition that they deserve?

On the same line with motherhood, hooks makes a claim in Chapter 13 that "Women perpetuate this violence as much as men or more" (74). I do not necessarily disagree with, but that I wish had some substantiating evidence to back up.

Until next time,
Madison

Week 5- Playlist

I chose these songs, not necessarily because they truthfully represent gender, but because they represent gender and sexuality in a way that influences the mainstream population. Both Bitch and I'm a Bitch I'm a Lover describe all the ways that women can be. Women are diverse creatures, and don't always fit the same stereotype nor do women act the same way all the time. Hot N Cold and If I Were a Boy both describe women's perceptions of men. Superwoman describes powerful women, and in a way so does Man I Feel Like a Woman.

I would say that my taste in music has changed a lot through the years. When I was in elementary school I really didn't like to listen to music. Then in middle school I had this strange fascination with rap music. Now I will listen to just about anything- it depends on the mood I am in. I really never like country or hard rock though, and I honestly don't like rap that much more anyway. Lately, I have been really into listening to music. I usually just like to watch TV when I am hanging out at home, but I have been listening to my iPod a lot more.

bell hooks made some interesting points in Ch. 6. I am not sure I wholeheartedly agree with her assessment of female beauty. But maybe this is just because I like make-up and staying fit. While every woman should not try to fit the stereotype of "beauty" created by the media, it is important for women to stay healthy. Healthy weights are different for everyone, but everyone should strive to be the healthiest possible. By saying this I am not saying everyone needs to be a size 4. This view of beauty as anything a woman is is also the thesis of Chapter 1 from "Beauty Myth."

hooks also brings up interesting, relevant points in Ch. 5. I think reproductive rights are something that every woman should fight for. I just finished the course Women in the Military this afternoon. We spent some time examining pregnancy in the military. It seems that military personnel always blame only the woman for becoming pregnant. It takes two people to make a baby... We also examined the extremely high rates for abortion in the military. While I do not think that abortion would ever be used as a method of birth control, for some women that is their only option. Birth control should be more readily available to women and even girls. We cannot deny that young people are having sex. In my opinion it would be much better to help them from the beginning instead of denying it or hiding it.

Until next time,
Madison

Advertisements

1. I found the ad for Tom Ford Beauty particularly degrading to women. It perpetuates the stereotype that women are sex objects and should only be used to quench a man’s desire. Lots of advertisements show near topless women, and while I do not think this is okay, having a near bottomless woman takes too much more than a step too far. The woman looks sweaty, and it comes very close to showing everything. I am not sure if the message is supposed to be that Tom Ford is so great that women want to have sex with it. Also, there is a picture of a woman grabbing a man’s crotch. He is just sitting there like he expects her to do this. It is a vulgar advertisement that degrades women. Why can’t men be in these positions?
2. I really like the advertisement for Keds. It shows a young girl and her mother (I’m assuming) who are wearing matching skirts and red Keds. I think that it is a wholesome message to all women. You can be self-confident and wonderful without wearing stilettos and leather. It also emphasizes the importance of family, and the fun innocent times one can have. The message on the bottom says, “My favorites. My Keds.” It almost sounds like my favorites, my kids, which would be another positive message to parents.

Week 4- Careers with Women's Studies

Well, I actually am a Women's Studies major (Poli Sci currently, but I am changing). But I want to go to law school. There are many classes that interest me, and that I think would help me for my future career (though I'm not exactly sure what that is going to be). Obviously Women and the Law. If the class really studies cases involving women like our guest speaker said, then I think I am going to love it! I really, really enjoy learning about court cases- especially the Supreme Court. Also, Gender, Power, and Leadership in Politics and Administration; Gender, Law and Human Rights and Women Creating Social Change look really interesting. In all honestly, all of them look interesting :). I am in Women in the Military right now, and though I didn't have much previous knowledge about the military, it has turned out to be one of the most interesting classes that I have taken. It really fires me up to know that women still have positions closed to them.

I know I want to go to law school, but I honestly am not sure what I want to do after that. I think that I would really enjoy being a judge, but I know it's not a job that you can just go apply for. I know I need a little experience with the law before I can even run for a judgeship. But I know that I wouldn't enjoy working for a corporate lawfirm. I have thought about being a human rights lawyer or working in some way for women's rights.

My work history is not extensive, and only my current internship applies in any way to what I want to do in the future. I have an internship with the Lt. Gov. I love it, not only because I get to be at the Capitol and meet legislators and sit in committee meetings, but also because I get to work with one of the most powerful women in Oklahoma, who one day soon might be Governor. I do have a very successful mom in the business community in OKC, but it really inspires me to be around women in politics. Especially because women are so underrepresented. Here is an article that my mom wrote for her paper last week:
http://www.journalrecord.com/article.cfm?recID=95918

Only one man works in the Lt. Gov's office (besides her bodyguards). It is cool to see a woman helping women.

In FIFE Ch. 16, it seems to be that hooks is saying the best life is a life without men. Though our other reading was about boys, and how she writes boys childrens books. Anyway, I'm not sure if that is exactly what she meant, but what I took from it is that Feminists do have to be anti-men. This honestly makes me angry. It is true that we live in a patriarchy, and that it should change. But to make equality work, we need to work with the men not against them.

hooks said some things in her other piece that I am not sure I agree with either. On p. 43, she likens raising boys to terrorists. She calls isolation a weapon of psychological terror. While I do not have any brothers so I did not see the raising of a boy in person, I know plently of young men who are not scared to show emotion and who were not emotionally or otherwise isolated from their families when they were growing up. She also says that all boys are being raised to be killers. In Women in the Military, we have looked at this. Are men warriors because they were raised to be warriors? And there is no doubt that the aggression is a learned behavior because of gender socialization and gender separation in young children, but I think she takes it a bit too far to say that all boys are raised to be killers. I also do not agree with her assessment of boys relationships with their fathers. Now, obviously I am not a boy and could not relate much to this piece, but I have a father, and I honestly believe that he would not be in competition with his son. My cousin lived with us for six months, and while he was an older teenager, they did not compete. They did relate to each other in a much different way than I relate to my mom or to him, it was just that they were relating. Also, her criticism of Harry Potter was taking it too far. If we want to examine the sexism/racism/_____ism in everything, we could find it in everything, but then we wouldn't be able to simply enjoy something for what it is. Harry Potter has strong female characters, and I honestly do not believe that it is only appealing to boys or that only boys can relate to Harry.

I think I could relate and understand the Raising Ophelia piece much more. Though I did not (I even talked to my mom about it) go through a big stage of rebellion or moodiness, I know what it's like to be an adolescent girl. I would say that I have always been more like Lori. I always cared about school first, but still had many friends. People liked me, though I never considered myself to be "popular." I always liked who I was, and was never embarrassed to be seen with my parents. In fact, I often preferred to spend time with them. I do think that Pipher raises some very relevant issues though. It shocked me to read that 40% of girls in her town had considered suicide and that the suicide rate rose 75% in ten years (and that was only to the late 80s!). I honestly don't know if any of the girls I knew ever considered suicide. The all got along with their parents most of the time, and were more like me- school first and no partying. I'm sure it was out there; I was just lucky enough not to experience it.

Until next time,
Madison

Iron Jawed Angels- Week 3

Iron Jawed Angels is probably one of my favorite movies. I saw it for the first time last summer during N.E.W. Leadership, and I have watched it at least 3 times since. The first time I saw it I was absolutely floored by how Alice Paul was treated. I knew that the suffrage movement wasn't easy, but I had no idea that they were treated as enemies against the state.

I think this film is inspirational, not only to women, but to all people who are facing a seemingly impossible obstacle. If those women could do what they did in the time period and social situation in which they lived, I believe that just about anything is possible.

I also found it very interesting how they chose to portray the sexuality. The screenwriter and director really made the movie about what it was like as a woman of the time, and they showed it from every side.

One of my favorite parts of the film is actually when the women are in prison. I get goosebumps every time when Emily Leighton is escorted in. And I cry every time I hear all the women sing together. When Emily finally gave up trying to fit her husband's perfect mold, and truly embraced who she really was, was obviously when the tensions were erased completely. By doing something that would get her arrested, she let the other women know that she was not better than them, and that she cared.

It is sad that America had to see such a dark day before they saw the light. But American women (and men) can be thankful to Alice Paul for improving the equality in this country and for also providing us with such an inspiring story.

Chapter 4 from The F Word was very interesting. The first thing that stuck out was the high response of women who said they cared about reproductive rights. I am currently in Politics in America where my professor is teaching that America is not divided over abortion, nor do people really care about it. I knew he was wrong, but this provides evidence. Also, the statistics on rape and sexual assault absolutely blew my mind. How can America, which is supposed to be the greatest nation in the world, the most progressive, where everyone is living the American dream, allow statistics like this to occur. Why is this not on the news every night? Why isn't everyone screaming that 1.5 million women a year is too many?

I have always known that I was a feminist, but reading these books and listening to the debates in class, just affirms it.

Until next time,
Madison

A Generational Look at Feminism- Week 2

I chose to interview my mom. She is an over 45 woman who has a very successful career as the President and publisher of a business newspaper. The company puts on an event each fall that honors "50 Women Making a Difference." It is called The Woman of the Year. She has also been a supporter of women in business, and has always been a supporter of mine. She believes that I can truly do anything that I want to do. The only person that would stop me would be me. When asked what her experience with gender has been, she said this:
"Growing up, I had a mother who had a traditional female role of homemaker, but my also parents told me that I could do anything that I wanted to do. Though I’m not sure they believed it, I did. I didn’t go through life thinking that I needed to find a man to take care of me. When my parents got divorced it really showed me that it’s not smart to depend on a man take care of you. Both of these things combined made me know that I would have a career. I broke through a glass ceiling in a way because I have a leadership position in a male dominated field. Though I don’t always think of it this way- I am just doing what I want to do."
When asked what her history with feminism is, she said this:
"I was really inspired in college by a few Women’s Studies classes. As I’ve gone through adulthood I’ve made it an important part of my life to build and support women leaders. And until we are equal in business, government, we have to keep talking about it and finding ways to build women up. But I’m careful of the word feminism. I think I’ve found that I can get the same results in building women up without calling myself a feminist just because it has such a stigma that began in the 60s. In a way we have to play the game, but that doesn’t change what we have to do which is never give up. There are also a lot of enlightened men who feel the same way (though there are plenty who aren’t, and I just ignore them). You can’t go through life angry and bitter- you just have to go for it. You would never get anything done if you only think about what you can’t do."
She also said that many times men will ask her why they don't have a Man of the Year. She said that sometimes she can just give them a look that makes them shut up, but other times she gives them the statistics. The statistics of men versus women on corporate boards or who hold public office. While women have made great strides, it is still not equal.

My definition of feminism is different from hers. Though I do see the stigma that the word carries, that does not make me not want to call myself a feminist. I think that feminists are people who want equality for men and women in the workplace. They are people who want the stereotypical gender roles to be erased.

I don't think I have ever been held back because of my gender. I feel that my opportunities to get an education and find work have been equal to my male counterparts- so far anyway. Because I am in a sorority, there is no competition between men and women for leadership positions. I am fortunate in that I can hold the position of Vice President. And I also am surrounded by women who are also interested in leadership positions, graduate school, and taking a chip out of the glass ceiling in whatever field they may be studying.

Honestly, the only time that I am conscious of my gender is when I am doing something as trivial as getting my oil changed. The mechanics are all men, and they usually talk to me like I have clue about getting my oil changed. And while I may not know much about cars, I am more than capable of letting them know what I need. I think that I am very fortunate that events like these are what make me most conscious of gender.

I find The F Word fascinating. I think the book deals with issues that are important in girls' and women's lives today. Chapter 3 deals with sex, sex education, and access to birth control. I came from a very conservative high school- sex wasn't even mentioned in health class. We had a STD session at the very end of my senior year, but by this time most everyone had already had sex. I don't believe that abstinence only education is going to stop someone from having sex. Showing pictures of STDs in the eighth grade might, but there was a girl in my eighth grade class who was pregnant. Schools, and the government, should decide that teaching teenagers about safe sex and providing a school nurse and counselors who will listen is more effective in decreasing the rate of teen pregnancies and teen abortions.

In Chapter 5, I found it interesting that they blamed the Third Wave's focus on the individual for the fragmentation and lack of focus of feminism today. I would agree though. I believe that the scope is too broad- we still don't have fair pay. Feminists should focus on equal rights first. Sometimes it is more effective to have a brilliant argument than to go for shock and awe as I feel many third wavers do. I believe that America now has a President who will do a lot for equality- just last week he signed an equal pay bill, one that Lilly Ledbetter had been fighting for for years. Let us take advantage of this. Let us work toward a tangible goal.

In bell hooks' Feminism is for Everybody, Chapter 11 really stood out. I am also currently taking Women in the Military. We have explored violence and violence against women in relation to warfare. The interesting comparison that was made was that warriors feminize their enemies, so by fighting them it is like they are raping them. War is a patriarchy. War is essentially males dominating females. But we also heard from a zoology professor, that though males do produce more testosterone than females, it is not significant enough to explain their aggressiveness. Females can be aggressive too. It is more how men are socialized. They are taught from a very young age how men "should act." Until this can stop, until men can be better educated, I am not sure that violence against women will stop.

Until next time,
Madison

Introduction- Week 1

My name is Madison Melon, and I am a sophomore majoring in Political Science and Letters with a minor in Women's Studies. This is the first Women's Studies class that I have taken so far, and it seems like it's a great way to get an overview of the subject matter. I am very interested in women's issues, and I am proud to call myself a feminist.
Five questions that I would like to have answered through this course are:
1. Why does the media look at what a woman is wearing before the examine her speech or her accomplishments?
2. Why, after years of struggle, are men and women still not considered equal? (And not just in the workplace)
3. Why are women such big critics of other women?
4. Why don't more women run for public office?
5. Why does the media have one definition of "beauty"?

I hope to examine these topics and many more!

Until next time,
Madison