Final Paper # 2

Taylor O’Neal

Women’s Studies

Final Paper : # 2

Feminism to Me


Feminism is a powerful word. It is one word that represents a long list of other conflicting words. Feminism has a sense of history, self-worth, strength, empowerment, pride, and triumph. Yet, it also carries the burden of devastation, misery, struggle, and constant controversy. How can one word come with an endless amount of opposing characteristics? One single word has caused problems for many people for many years because it involves so much background. This word is constantly disputed over because it can contain numerous meanings, and as time presses on, this word continually evolves and reforms. Feminism can hold many different meanings for many different people, but feminism to me is the struggle for equal rights and fair treatment for women anywhere, at anytime, and with anyone.
Today, the word feminism sadly has formed a negative reputation. When most people hear the word feminist, other words such as dyke, man-hater, liberals, bra-burners, and violent protesters come to mind. This so-called feminist stereotype has completely taken a misfortunate path because feminism should be thought of as a positive movement. In the book The F Word written by Kristen Rowe-Finkbeiner, examples are shown where feminism is mocked and frowned upon in today’s society by using words such as “feminazi”. One quote in the introduction of the book sarcastically stated by Cheris Kramerae says,” Feminism is the radical notion that women are human beings“. Such sayings and descriptive terms of feminism should be frowned upon because they are wrongly informative on the true meaning of being a feminist. Yet, the most agreed upon correct definition of feminism (also firmly stated in the book) is: the belief in the social, political, and economic equality of the sexes.
In Women’s Studies this semester, we watched a video called “This is What a Feminist Looks Like” that was on YouTube. It discussed how anyone can be a feminist no matter your gender, age, size, race, religion, or ethnicity. Men can even be feminists! Being a feminists is like being in one huge club full of supporters for women’s equality; it has no restrictions or code to join. The only criteria needed to be accepted into the “feminist club“, is to fully believe that women and men are created equal and that everyone should be given fair treatment. This short 2:49 minute long video fully explains what being a feminist looks like, and how it looks like anyone, because anyone can be a feminist!
Feminism is a movement that started centuries ago, that has since continually progressed. The movement continues to grow, and evolve into different issues. Beginning to start women’s right to vote transforming into fighting for abortion rights today. As it changes, it loses and gains supporters. Some women and men are scared to refer to themselves a feminists, worried that it might associate them with controversial beliefs, because the movement has strayed from its original purpose.
So far there have been three remarkable waves of the feminism movement. The first wave of feminism, beginning in the 1900’s, focused mainly on women’s right to vote. Women were powerless in political decisions until 1920, meaning they had to obey and follow the laws, yet had no say in making them. Women were subjective to men, and socially ranked beneath them. Without the right to vote and share their opinions on matters that involved their daily lives, women weren’t counted fully as citizens. After years of struggle, protest, and oppression women finally were able to speak their opinions, and take part in political processes. They also began working outside of the home, and gained jobs that seemed unusual for women to attain, which gave them more economical status. The first wave began the individualism of women, by giving them their freedom and their voice.
In the second wave of feminism more political and educational rights were gained. More women began achieving higher educations by pursuing college, which came along with more substantial paying careers. By putting themselves through college and rightfully earning respect through their intelligence and dedication, women slowly reshaped the common idea of women staying at home with the children. Also during this wave of feminism, the movement began to take on broader controversial issues. Feminism became a more diverse movement as various sexual rights joined the cause. While women started fighting for their sexual rights such as the rights to contraceptives and abortion, many other women started fighting for homosexuality rights. By bringing these issues to the movement, many more trials and problems were brought to the publics attention, that before went unspoken and ignored.
Finally, the third wave of feminism is still taking its course today. Feminism has evolved into a variety of issues mainly all relating to sex in one aspect or another. These issues are either problems based on sexual rights concerning the body such as abortion, or problems with different sexual orientation rights, or even problems due to the discrimination based a person’s sex or gender. The feminism movement has greatly conquered most of the issues it use to stand for, such as the right to vote, etc., yet most people still don’t see the obstacles that women still face today, and how the stereotypical role of women still commonly stands in our culture. While in this third wave of feminism we face issues of body images, and women in the work force, and sexual insults in the media. The third wave is still pressing on strong. At the rate the feminist movement continues to strive forward, the issues we face today will shortly be the new history we learned about before.
With gay and abortion rights coming into play, the feminist movement strayed away from the original problem at hand. The main goal for the feminist movement is equality in society for women. I believe including gay and abortion rights in the movement increased the negative reputation on the feminist effort, causing a decrease in support, because it weakens the focus on the main feminist issues. Homosexuality and abortion movements should become a separate effort, that way they each effort receives the undivided attention it deserve. When these struggles are broken down into individual issues, I believe they can be better understood and supported, leading to an overall progression. Imagine if each of these issues were divided and then conquered; our society would be a much more peaceful environment.
Women’s Studies invites our molded, conformed minds to see the world of women versus men in different ways. It teaches us to recognize certain aspects of life that once went easily ignored, such as when we learned about sexual advertisements. Before taking this class, most students didn’t give ads in magazines, television, and internet sources a second glance. Yet, after taking this course, we can see the sexual degradingness these advertisements in our culture contain. Women’s Studies also educates us on the history of the women’s movement, and helps us appreciate the rights that women fought for centuries ago, that we still take for granted every day. This class invites us to think out side of the society’s “norm”, and stand up for what we believe in, and live in the ways that make us happy. Women’s Studies, I believe, plays a big role in feminism, because it is the class that reveals the truth about our culture. Most people don’t even realize when they are subjected to gender harassment, or when they are referred to as lower beings, or judged based upon sexuality. This class teaches the difference between the “normal” and the justified.
Feminism to me stands for something empowering. I proudly own the title of a feminist. Saying I am a feminist means that I believe I am equal to every one else in this world as they are equal to me. Being a feminist doesn’t mean I hate men, and it doesn’t mean that I am a lesbian because I have a love/respect for women. This also doesn’t mean I believe women deserve better treatment then men, or that women deserve more in life than men do. It only means, that I believe in equality for anyone and everyone. Mostly I consider myself a humanist - and a feminist is only a subcategory of being a humanist. Overall being a humanist describes myself and my personal views. I personally believe that anyone has the right to be treated fairly. We are all humans, and we all struggle. Everyone deserves equality and respect whether they are male or female, black or white, gay or straight. Being a feminist plays a small part in being a humanist, so I fully consider myself a feminist. Feminism has become a part of me and my life. Even though the word feminism continues to represent various meanings, some bad, and some good, feminism to me stands for compassion, peace, love, equality, motivation, personal growth, and individuality. So why wouldn’t anyone want to be a feminist?

References:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3YA13GNT8Mc
The F Word by Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

final paper # 1

Taylor O’Neal

Women’s Studies

Final Paper : #1
The Problem with Feminism
Feminism has conquered many of the issues it has fought for over the centuries. Women activists have gained women the right to vote, the right to get an education and a career, the rights to protect themselves with contraceptives, and it has brought many different sexual issues to the public‘s attention. However, the feminist movement continues to possess one flaw- the fact that there still a necessity for the movement at all. After years of progress and success, why is there still a requirement for the feminist movement? In this day in age, it’s shameful that in spite of everything it has accomplished, the need for the movement still exists. Our culture constantly evolves and progresses, one improvement after the other, yet social, political, and economical equality of women remains an issue. The feminist effort has been raging on for over a hundred years in our world, and yet we still face equality issues between men and women today. The women’s movement has triumphed over many objections through years of struggle and oppression, you‘d think the problems would be solved and forgotten by now.
This semester we learned a great deal about the feminist movement and the meaning of the word feminism. We’ve learned about the beginning, middle, and now the present stages of the feminist effort. The main concern for me now is: how come there hasn’t been an final stage yet? Five of our assigned readings in class cooperate well together on the issue that there still even an issue of feminism in the world today. The readings : White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack by Peggy McIntosh, Feminist Frontiers by Verta Taylor, Nancy Whittier, and Leila J. Rupp, He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut and 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know by Jessica Valenti, The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, and lastly The Will to Change by Bell Hooks, are all relating on women’s issues, and greatly connects to the most important detail that, the feminist movement is still necessary today.
The article written by Peggy McIntosh titled White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Backpack is presenting how feminism and racism are very much similar. Men are constantly unaware of the advantages they have over women, just as many white people don’t realize their upper hand they have opposing to many black people. McIntosh begins the article by calling these men, and white people “privileged“, yet towards the end of her message, she transforms her idea of privileged, and it then becomes an “unearned advantage and conferred dominance“. We didn‘t earn the right to consider ourselves higher ranked above other human beings, but our society and culture teaches us to do so. Our society still maintains the ideas of women’s roles as being subjective to men, which has been born and bred into our culture, and therefore goes unquestioned and unnoticed. Her study of how men go through life unable to notice these advantages they have over women connects with the morality that there is still a need for the feminist movement, because this type of ignorance shouldn’t stay tolerated and unmentioned. Just because oppression isn’t popular, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t be changed. The feminist movement opens the eyes to create this needed change.
Feminist Frontiers by Verta Taylor, Nancy Whittier, and Leila J. Rupp studies bicoastal women working in harsh conditions crafting products for the use of the United State. Women in the United States would never be expected to work in the condition as those that work overseas. The hourly wages in footwear factories are dramatically lower than the wages here in the United States. In China, the hourly wages are as low as $0.10-0.14 compared to our $7.38-7.49. With women being the majority of these factory employees, it proves that women in other societies still face feminist issues. In some countries the feminist movements are sadly paced behind ours, meaning that they have many more years of hard work ahead of them to achieve the progress we have accomplished here in the United States. Articles such as the Feminist Frontiers are just more supportive examples representing the present need for the feminist movement.
Next, the sarcastically comical assigned reading “He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut” by Jessica Valenti perfectly describes several different stereotypical scenarios where women receive unfair treatment just because the fact that they are indeed a woman. This article demonstrates that feminism should still be an issue in our culture with absolute perfection. The notion that men and women are thought of differently, and even if they perform the same actions, their consequences can be drastically different. For example, the stud/slut theory: when a woman has sex with multiple partners she is then considered used, promiscuous, and “slutty”, however, if a man has sex with multiple partners, he is given the reputation of a pimp, player, or “stud”. When this double standard is actually given thought, it seems ridiculous, yet the standard remains and endures. Also, the idea of the stay at home mother, and the big business man that works still stands in our society today. Slowly these standards presented in Valenti’s article are starting to falter and women are progressing against the stereotype, yet women still face these common misconceptions everyday.
Women are constantly subjected to body images in our society. Our culture still views women based upon their looks or their sexuality, instead of their minds and their personality. In The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, she discusses the timeline on the idea of “beautiful” that women are judged by. Wolf brings up an interesting point that the myth can destroy feminism, because it turns women against each other through jealousy-jealous of other women having what the others do not involving beauty. Year after year, the idealistic role of beautiful alters and so the women follow suit. Women stress about their weight, their wrinkles, their skin color, their hair styles, their outfits, and every other superficial aspect of appearance. Even though men are also judged upon their looks, women are greater looked after as objects instead of people. The third wave of feminism taking place today is struggling to fight against this so-called beauty myth, because the idea of beauty shouldn’t be categorized according to outward appearance, yet it should be determined by a person’s mind, personality, and soul. What determines beauty anyhow? Beauty isn’t something that should give women constant low self esteems, it should be something that is individual, and makes women love themselves because everyone is beautiful in their own way. The controversy over the Beauty Myth proves that there is still a dire need for feminism.
Lastly, the whole idea of feminism isn’t that women are better than men, or that men should lower themselves to women. Feminism is the idea that women are equal to men, and men are also equal to women. In an article by Bell Hooks called, The Will to Change, men face a lot of the same issues that women face when it comes to their personality and identity. Masculinity can be related to the beauty myth in our culture, because what defines a person’s masculinity or beauty? In the article Hooks expresses that boys at younger ages are more expressional of their emotions because they haven’t been taught to be tough and manly yet. However, as boys get older, they are treated with less emotional care than girls are, in order to toughen them up, and to avoid weakness. This stereotype that men should be masculine is the same wrong conception that women should be feminine. Our culture has determined masculinity as emotionless, strong, handsome, rough, and stable, while femininity is characterized as dainty, fragile, emotional, ditzy, and pretty. These misconceptions of “normal” men and women cause the problems with diversity in our society, making individuality hard to express with out facing ridicule. If women should be treated equal to men, then male issues should be brought to the table along with female issues. By recognizing the similar problems that men share with women, the feminist movement invites more controversies to cover and resolve. This results in prolonging the final wave of the feminist movement.
Each of theses assigned readings have taught me a great deal about the role of feminism still existing today. I strongly believe in the feminist movement, yet I can’t wrap my head around the problem that there still is the need for one. Our culture is so advanced in almost every aspect, yet we still can’t seem to get past the stereotypes of men and women roles in our society. Knowing that there is still a need for the feminist effort in the world I live, and plan on growing up in, makes me aware of the ignorance our culture still holds on to. This ignorance, I believe, will eventually be resolved, and men and women will hold equal respect for another. Yet, until then, the feminist movement presses forward because it will not give up on equality until every bridge has been crossed.

References:
The Beauty Myth “How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women” By Naomi Wolf
The Will to Change “Men, Masculinity, and Love” By Bell Hooks
Feminist Frontiers By Verta Taylor, Nancy Whittier, and Leila J. Rupp
White Privilege : Unpacking the Invisible Backpack By Peggy McIntosh
He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut “And 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know” By Jessica Valenti

Reading Gender Paper

Taylor O’Neal

Women’s Studies: Reading Gender Paper

The Eternal Feminine by Rosario Castellanos

In the play The Eternal Feminine there is a particular scene where the main character Lupita goes into a circus tent to see “Eve”. After meeting this performer portraying Eve, Lupita gets to hear a different version of the story of Adam and Eve.
In this version of Adam and Eve, Adam is a power tripping, uptight, organizer working for God, instead of a strong-willed, wise man as told in the real version of the Bible. Adam in this new revised version, annoys Eve by ordering her around and forcing a the name “Eve” upon her. Eve is completely different in this scene too compared to the original version of the Bible. This new and improved Eve is witty, and independent. She gets annoyed by Adam’s repetitive story telling and is bored by the typical life style of the Garden of Eden. Eve doesn’t take any demeaning orders from Adam, and she is rebelliously curious about her other life style options.
I chose this particular scene to display gender issues because the story of Adam and Eve is the first story of men and women. According to the Bible, Eve was made out of Adams ribs, which began the whole issue of women being controlled by men. It is generally believed that women must be below men, or subjective to men, because of the story of Adam and Eve. People all over the world have misinterpreted the Adam and Eve story, to falsely rank women below men.
Although this new version portrayed in The Eternal Feminine isn’t the one being printed in the Bible all over the world, it can be relatively eye opening, because it openly mocks the actual story of Adam and Eve. It reveals how ridiculous people are for basing the status of a woman to a man according the Adam and Eve tale. This new version looks at the story from a different perspective, one where Eve isn’t just a gullible woman that is easily talked into eating the forbidden fruit. Instead, Castellanos’s version represents Eve as a sophisticated woman who is open minded about other options. The newer version of Eve owns a very confident, independent personality which was frowned upon in Castellanos’s society.
I think Rosario Castellanos wanted to reveal another way to look at the story of Adam and Eve. Her play mockingly makes fun of the way women were undermined by men and all the frivolous tasks women would do for them. She even sarcastically makes fun of the traditions these women follow. The evil serpent in Castellanos’s scene doesn’t have to manipulate Eve into eating the forbidden fruit, yet discusses with Eve that she has other options in life. Eve, having a severe case of boredom in the Garden of Eden, doesn’t even think twice, but bite the apple, and sassily talks Adam into doing the same.
Understanding gender in society shouldn’t be based upon the story of Adam and Eve. Even if Eve was created from Adam, women shouldn’t be submissive to me. Through her play, she gives off the impression that women’s behavior is often silly, and that being submissive to men is idiotic. Rosario Castellanos’s stance on women equality is definitely encouraging. She thoughs outside of society’s “norm”, and wrote her play with motivation for women’s growth behind it.

blog diez.

I am a huge animal person. I still cry over my dog that died 9 months ago. I hate coming home without my dog. Me and my dad decided not to try and get another pet until we were completely over Bear.(that was my dog's name). So even though this might be unoriginal, it is still a very important topic to me. Pets and People Humane society is an amazing organization in Yukon, Oklahoma that gets homeless cats and dogs off the streets, and provides a home for them while trying to find them another home to become a part of. This is their mission statement :Pets & People Humane Society is a 501(c)3 non-profit, no-kill humane society that rescues adoptable cats and dogs from municipal animal control facilities across the state of Oklahoma on the day they are to be euthanized. We provide a safe harbor for our pets until they are adopted into responsible, loving homes. All are spayed or neutered to help end the vicious cycle of homeless pets.

In 1992 they associated with PetSmart to begin a separate non profit organization.And sooner after the their organization just rapidly grew. They opened the first dog park in Oklahoma in 1999. They have sheltered thousands of cats and dogs, and helped find good homes for many of them as well.


(To go on your own to find out more about Pets and People go to: www.petsandpeople.com)

Personally, i love this organization, because this is the organization that I adopted Beard from, and he was the best dog I ever had. (well the only one) But hes was an amazing dog. I still miss him everyday. I volunteer at Pets and People every once in awhile, and even though it's really depressing to see all these animals without a home, it's still nice to be able to volunteer and spend some quality time with them. I like the way they run their animal shelter, because they organize volunteers to come out and help with taking care of the dogs and cats. They have a huge play ground to spend time with the animals, and even though it's pretty smelly in the building, they have a really nice place, and take really good care of these animals. So I already participate in Pets and People, but I will definitely continue volunteering there. Especially during the summer when i have alot of free time throughout the day.

blog nueve.

I chose the Center for Reproductive Rights, which is an organization that uses the law to advance reproductive freedom. This organization is one that I fully believe deserves support. Every woman fully deserves to take care of her body and make their own choices. Right now, they are fighting for Plan B in the military, because it is proven that military bases are not required to carry it. So women do not even have the choice to take it. To think that a woman were to have sex on a military base, and not be able to have a normal backup plan isn't right or fair. So organizations that will recognize then fight for these issues completely have my support, and should be more supported by anyone. These are some of their accomplishments :
Defeating extreme abortion bans in Michigan and Virginia

Protecting teens' access to confidential reproductive health care in Kansas and Alaska

Winning a landmark ruling from the U.N. Human Rights Committee that establishes access to abortion, where legal, as a human right

Negotiating a groundbreaking settlement with Mexico on behalf of a young rape victim who was denied a lawful abortion, the first time a Latin American government acknowledged that access to legal abortion is a human right

Taking the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to court over the agency's refusal to make emergency contraception available over the counter to women of all ages

Reframing preventable maternal deaths as a human rights violation

Calling out the U.S. for racial inequities in reproductive healthcare before the UN

Exposing widespread physical and verbal abuse of women in Kenyan maternity wards

Promoting legal scholarship and teaching on reproductive health and human rights

Bringing to light dangerous new anti-choice strategies to overturn Roe v. Wade

Working with federal and state lawmakers in the U.S. to promote progressive policies and defeat proposals that would undermine women's reproductive health

Collaborating with more than 100 organizations in over 50 countries to strengthen reproductive health laws and policies


Go to: www.reproductiverights.org




Those are some pretty real issue that have been fixed or brought to the worlds attention all because of the Center for Reproductive Rights.This is majorly a gender issue because it has everything to do with the rights og being a woman, and being safe with their sexuality. To represent these women bby fighting for rights that most people dont consider to be important is very inspiring, and respectable.

ethnography shyea.

Taylor O’Neal

Ethnography Project

Women’s Studies

Are successful working women intimidating to the men in their lives?

Lisa Belkin’s Opt Out Essay really caught my interest when it came to women and their success in life, which is why I chose Missy Coker. My dad has a best friend named Scooter Coker; they have been friends for years. Scooter is married to Missy, who is one of the most successfully savvy women I’ve ever met, and she‘s merely 32. She has always been around, teaching me funny life lessons, by telling me her wild college stories. She’s is a pharmaceutical rep, and she makes twice as much salary as her husband Scooter. She’s very outspoken and outgoing. Many men are actually intimidated by this 5 foot 2 pixie red head, I know my dad is. She’s very witty, and always stands up for herself. She graduated from OSU with a degree in Marketing. I got to travel with her on Friday in her very expensive BMW business car as she went to two different companies to distribute her brochures and packages of samples of an allergy medicine of some sort. ( My dad loves it, because we get samples of good medicine from her all the time). But I loved just watching her answer her business cell phone in her business car in her business-like voice, and intelligently give others orders about where to visit, and deadlines, etc.

I had two main questions for Missy, to help me better understand success for career women, along with many others after reading Lisa Belkin‘s Opt Out, but mainly:

Does she ever have problems with her marriage because she brings home a greater income than her husband? And she laughed as she told me, “ Nope!, I warned Scooter before we got out of college, that I was going to make more money than him. Since we were high school sweethearts, I’ve always kinda worn the pants, he’s just use to it by now.”

And also, if any men that works under or above her ever acted intimidated by her, for being such a young successful woman? She replied by saying, “ Well Tay, there’s always going to be pig headed men that are intimidated by more successful women, but mostly no. I haven’t come across any that have had the guts to say anything about it.”

It was fun to drive around Oklahoma City while she sang along to Taylor Swift and smoked her cigarette. She told me she works in an office most days, but that day I was lucky because we got to just “cruise“. When we visited this one office, we walked in and I sat in a waiting room in front of receptionist desk where Missy delivered her pharmaceuticals. But there wasn’t any really intimidation coming from the nice woman filling out paper work. (Maybe jealousy at the fact that we got to leave).

I also was wondering if she would become a stay at home mother when and if she and Scooter ever decided to have children, as they currently do not. When I asked her, she said cleverly, “ I love my job, Scooter hates his, if anyone is going to give up their career, it’s gonna’ be him.” (Missy’s husband works as an outside salesman at Drive Train Specialists, which is trucking company.)

I asked her if she always knew she wanted to have a career, and be working a full time job at her age, and she replied with, “ Yes, yes, and yes. Not that I knew this is the career I wanted, but I knew that I would be the first one in my family to graduate college, and I always wanted to be able to support myself - by myself. Just knowing that would be an achievement for me.”

Missy helped me better understand the situation of working women, as well as Belkin’s essay. But to better answer my question, I believe I’d have to study more women as Belkin did. In this day in age, I assume most men are intimidated by successful women. Our society still mainly assumes that men “bring home the bacon”, while women cook the bacon. But women have increasingly become the money earners. So, it’s just a matter of time, til men are no longer intimidated by successful women, yet encouraging and supportive. But you know what they say, “ Oh, they’re just jealous”.

blog cuatro.

My future isn't exactly planned out yet, I am just now figuring out what I'm good at and what I might like to do with my life. I'm planning on majoring in Public Relations, and I'm really excited about it, because I think it's what I'm good at, and I can stay interested in it forever. But recently after taking this class, I really am considering minoring in womens studies, because this has been my favorite class this semester. Alot of the classes offered in the women's studies programs sounds amazing, and something I'd be interested in learning about. So if I decide to minor in women's studies, it's good to know all theses incredible classes are offered. I've been thinking alot lately about what kinda of career within my major would, and something I think I'd really enjoy is being a major events coordinator, or planner. Like Ford Center type events. I use to be Student Council President in high school, its something I absolutely loved doing. I loved planning assemblies and fundraisers. In high school , being in charge of alot of things as a girl didn't really bother anyone, but maybe as I get older, and if pursue the career as an events coordinator, I could see how being a woman might be intimidating for some men out there. But I think that career is well rounded when is comes to gender, so I'm not really worried about it too severely. I also worked in a Fabric Store for over a year near Quail Springs Mall, but being a girl really didnt have any effect on that job considering I only worked with other females. But I did work at sonic for a year through high school, and the whole "car hop" role was kind of based on gender. We were told to look presentable and nice to serve people food, and there are rarely any male car hops out there today. The boys were cooks, and the girls serve, which kind of says something on gender roles of women/men. But I know that there are still some areas in our society where women are still expected of typical women roles, but for the most part, I think that our society has progressed to mostly equality in the work place.

blog tres.

I absolutely loved this movie. I'll admit, I'll add it to my favorites. I learned alot about the womens rights movenment ofcourse. I mean, we learned a little about it in high school, but the movie went in depth about it. The thing I never realzied, or even thought about, was the difficulty for African American Women in the womens rights movenment. I think I was just naive, because I thought it was just one big movenment, I didn't realize that the white women were not as asupportive about African American womenrights, because they were just trying to accomplish their own first..and the issue of African American women rights was a whole different issue. I think Iron Jawed Angels had several differents themes in the movie. There was ofcourse political themes occuring with the war, and rebellion, and womens rights. Then there are personality themes suchs as friendship, pride, loyalty. This movie has it all. There are tensions among the women even if they are batting for the same team. There are some women that are in the National Women's Sufferage Society that handle thing differently than Alice Paul does. There are also tensions between white women fighting for their rights, and African American women fighting for their rights. These strong women overcame their adversities by coming together. Alice Paul and her other sufferagettes strived and battled for womens rights by undergoing things that not even some men can handle. Being thrown into women holding cells just for hunger striking is completely immoral, yet they took it, to show how serious they were about receiving the rights the women rightfully deserve. I absolutely can't get over this movie, it's so inspirational. I can't believe the things these women had to go through just to get what we take for granted everyday. Its just absolutely amazing to get a glimpse of what these women went through. I've been telling all my friends about this movie all week. They want me to shut up, but its just inspiring.

blog dos.

I interviewed my great grandma Earlene Hughes. Shes now 88 years old, and she's starting to lose her short term memory. My great grandma is the most straight and narrow person I've ever met, she goes to church 3 times a week, and says a very exaggerated prayer for every meal. She hates MTV, and anything on televison that isn't on the gospel channel or the news. She is very strict, but also very kind. She has the sweetest heart in the town of Booneville, Arkansas, just ask anyone. When I called my great grandma to ask her questions about feminism, she first answered the phone and screamed my mothers name. She always calls me Sheri, until I correct her. We all just laugh about it now. When I asked her about what she thought femenism was, she had the same stereotypical theory, " a bunch a crazy women causing unnecessary trouble ". I asked her if she every experience anything involving the feminist movenment, and she said ,"I had no time for that nonsense, I had 12 kids and a farm to take care of." She doesn't really approve of anything in my lifestyle, when my grandma found out I got a tattoo, she swore the devil was sweeping through my generation. Haha. When I asked her to describe an experience where she realized differences in gender, she told me that one of my great uncles that she had adopted turned out to be a "homosexual", she said, " i didn't raise him that way, but he chose to go down his own path alone." I never met him personally, or many of he adopted children. I just know my Meme, and Aunt Deana, they were her only real children. My great grandma asked me why I was asking her all these questions, and I told her I was in Women's Studies, and that we were discussing femenism, and she just laughed and said," they have classes studying women?" She's funny, I know that it's only because she grew up in those times, and she's just a conservative person. I love her though. One experience in my life when I was made conscious of gender is also an experience with homosexuality. One christmas at my dads side of the familys house, my uncle david alsways would have guy friends come home with him from California for the holidays. I always just thought they were friends. One time, my cousin Bryce, and my Uncle David, and his friend Jose, and I were playing a card game, and Jose got up and asked my Uncle, "would you like any more tea babe?" And me and my cousin Bryce looked at each other and I asked jokingly, " What are you guys gay or something?" and then my Uncle looked at me calmly, and said, " well, yea". I was only 12, so i kinda freaked out, because I was only kidding when I asked, I wasn't expecting that kind of answer. But I really like my uncle, and after my parents talked to me about it, I realized it's not a big deal, he's still my uncle, and there's nothing wrong with that.

blog ocho.

In Lisa Belkin's essay, the statistic make your mouth drop. To see the difference in working males and working women with MBA's is insane. Honestly, it's just kind of sad, because that doesn't seem weird to society. That more men have full time jobs rather than women. Think about how different the world would be if the ratios were equal for working men and women. 50 of graduated males stayed home with the children while 50 percent of graduated women went to full time jobs all day. A world where stay at home dads were equally looked upon as stay at home moms, a long with corporate/ CEO's women also. It's odd that these statistics are just normal. And it goes unnoticed to almost everyone in our society today. And it's alos odd that women choose to reject working. It's not just that working women aren't accepted these days, but women choose to stay at home. Why? Is it like a subconscience understanding of our society's "norm"? But it's a good point. I like when she asks the question: "Why don't women rule the world?" Yet she answers it with: "Maybe it's because they don't want to." It a good arguement. I really liked this essay, because its not negative to women who choose to stay home, and isnt negative towards those who choose to live their lives working. My mom didn't finish school before she had me, but after I got older she went back to school, because she wanted to finish her degree so she could start her own career. But I don't blame her for not finishing school, because she was a single parent, so it would have bee extremely difficult for her to go to school, work, and take care of me, and have a life at the same time. But I'm proud that she's now going back to school to finish her degree in pyschology. Personally, I think every person is different, and every woman has different goals that will make them happy. If a woman wants to pursue her career and advance in the work life, then hell yes! Go for it. That's amazing. But if a woman would rather stay home and spend quality time rasing her family, then hell yes to that too. That's an admirable job, and it's not easy. Ask any good mother. In this world today, I think women shouldn't be frowneed upon after years of college, then choosing to stay home with their family. I think that's a wise decision. For a woman to get her education, and have that as a back up incase they do decide to do anything career wise. So either way, I think women can choose how they are successfull. Either successfully working or successfully being a mother. They are both great options.

blog siente.

The movie Bride Wars was a really funny "chick flick" that was good at portraying the stereotype in america for young females. In the movie trailors it displays two best friends that are both engaged and are starting to plan out their weddings. At first they are excited to plan their weddings together, because they have been best friends since birth. But when their wedding gets planned on the same day, its best friends at war to see who gets the wedding date theyve always dreamed. They battle each other through pranks such as dying the other's hair blue, to tanning the other cheetoh orange. Also, not once in the trailor does it show the groom-to-be, which shows that men supposedly dont care about the wedding day near as much as the bride-to-bes do. They "just let the women handle all that crud". This displays how women are loco about weddings, and the idea of marriage. Women supposedly dream about their wedding day starting at the age of barbie and ken. "Typically" anyways. Also is doesn't show that alot of men during these times really do care about their wedding day, and are just as equally excited..A lot of men want to do their part for their big day also. It isn't just the brides big day, it's the future wife, and husbands special day too. And the way they must look on that special day is life threateningly important. Women must be perfectly tanned, and groomed, to look the idea of perfect on the most important day of their life. Which for me, I have many other plans, and the idea of marriage barely crosses my mind in competition with all my other goals and dreams. So stereotypically, I don't fit this mold of women obsessed with their wedding day, and I'm sure in this day in age, many women aren't any more. Yes, it was funny, and before taking this class, I really wouldn't have even considered the gender stereotypes in this movie. But now, I can see how, the men vs. women roles are even displayed in films, but it's kinda like brain washing.. It's un-talked about, and yes there are movies that stretch out of the "norm" but, most movies depict the women/men roles that are supposed to set the examples for today...So, there's nothing I can really do about it, but recognize the behind the scene messages that our media portrays today..But the movie was funny, it is true that women go banana's over their wedding day. And I'm sure that if I ever do change my mind, and decide to be lame and get married, my wedding day will be outrageously important too. :)

blog seis.

This advertisement to me wouldn't have even phased me before I took women's studies. But after being in this class, and learning about the advertisement world, and how it contributes to demoralizing women, i saw this ad in a magazing, and I was mortified. First of all, what normal woman looks like that?! Tan, huge breats! Good grief, it's disgusting! That's the way women are supposed to look these days? If that's what guys think is hot and attractive, I give up! And the way the man is standing above her, straddleing her with drinks in his hand, like having control of her, he's trapping her between his legs. Her face is directly below his penis! And they way she pulls her sunglasses down, as if she is impressed, by a guy straddeling her in a suit on the beach. Why is this guy wearing a suit on the beach? If i saw this is real life, I would look at this man weird. Who wears a suit on the beach? This advertisement shows that men are supposed to be above women sexually and in control. And the big breasted bimbo falls for it, and sexually allows this. I don't know, but this ad really bothers me. This isn't reality for normal people, and it gives people false impressions to grow up to. Like the movies! Romance on the movies is so unrealistic. They make sex seem so passionate and amazing, and out of this world, and even virgins should know better. Real life isn't like the magazines and movies.

blog cinco.

Music is the only thing that makes sense anymore.

1. Bye Bye Boyfriend I feel is appropriate because it's just a good song to listen to after a break up. :)

2. Nasty Girl is a song about girls that are too revealing and are disgracing themselves. So they are just singing to cover themselves up, and have respect for themselves.

3. Where I Stood is just a song I like because it's about how she has do hurt someone to stop hurting herself, even though she's hurting someones else, shes figuring out what's best for helself, and I think sometime's when it comes to your own happiness, you need to be a little seflish at times.

4. Pumpkin Soup is a song where the girl is playing the role of the guy, she just wants to have fun, and not fall in love, but they guys are getting mad because she just wants to have fun.

5. It's Cool, We can Be Friends is just a song about a boy who is inlove with this girl that just wants to be friends with him, which is strange, because alot of the times, its the other way around. And I just like the song.

6. 99 Problems, obviously because JayZ is just cursing away calling girls bitches. As if a bitch is a problem. Which is just completely disrespectful, yet, it is accepted in our society.

7. If I were a Boy, basically obvious reasons. I mean it depicts how men treat women, and how women feel when they are being treated this way. And how men just don't understand.

8. Independent Women Part 2, it's just a fun song that encourages women to do their own thing instead of depending on a man.

9. How Does It Feel, it is just talking about how a girl is used over and over by a boy that just uses her because he knows he can. Because if a girl is inlove with a boy, then he feels he can take advantage of her..

10. No Woman, No Cry, i just like this song because it shows how women can break a guys heart just as well as a man can break a girls. Which isn't always the story told. So i just like it.

My music taste has changed a tad I guess, I've always liked rock with really good guitar, because i grew up with my dad. But I really like alternative, and I really dislike rap. Rap is just so vulgar. I like oldies, and punk. But I try to stay away from country and rap. But most others I enjoy, and I think that's been the same since I was younger, I mean, yes I went through the boy band phase, along with britney spears, but who didnt? I still listen to alot of what i listened to in middle school, but i just have always had good taste in music :)

blog uno.

Well, my name is Taylor O'Neal to begin with. I'm 18 years old and a freshman at the University of Oklahoma. I'm majoringin Public Relations, I think? But I guess that's just the boring stuff. A little about me, hm. I've moved 14 times in my entire life time( not saying 18 years is a long life time ) and throughout highschool, I lived alone with my dad in Mustang, Oklahoma. I looved highschool. I was student council president, and I was over involved in everything. Which is saddening to me, because I'm not involved at all in college yet. My parents divorced when i was like 9, so it's really not that big of a deal. My mom lives in edmond, so I get to spend plenty of time with her too. I have a 13 year old half brother, who is by far the biggest pain in the arse. But I think it has to be our age difference. I'm still unsure if I'll stay here at OU, because I'm thinking of transferring to UCO next fall. Oh, yea, that's one thing that's difficult about me, I change my mind every 5 seconds about evverrryything. I just broke up with my boyfriend that I had been with throughout highschool, which has been very hard on me. And when you tell people about it, they just shrug, because they consider it a highschool love, which everyone seems to go through. But mine was insane. Our senior summer, he lost his left leg in an accident. So going through that with someone kinda makes a relationship a tad different than others. I'll admit, I'm still heartbroken. But to get to the point I guess, I'm very excited about this class! I know of older men that say they tried to take womens studies in college, and they just laugh, because they were very mistaken on what the course would be about. But my mom has raised me on the impowerment of women, and the ignored undermindment women still recieve today. For the longest time, all I wanted her to do was hush up when she went on one of her raves about women's rights. But now I'm really excited to take this course, just so I can learn more. I don't think we got a fair dose of women's history in highschool, so I'm pumoed about this class. If I had to ask 5 questions for this semester, I think I'd want to learn : 1. Do women honestly mature faster than men do :) ? 2. Anything really about women's sexuality? And why it's different for men and women in the sexual aworld? 3. Why do girls, call other girls sluts? Why aren't we all on the same team? 4. Since when did too thin become beautiful, and why? 5. (I think this may be just a life question..) Can realtionships actually work? Oh and one more, 6. Why isn't there a men's studies class? haha.

Those are just a few things, I'd like to figure out.


Well, I've never blogged before, but it's kinda fun.

peace!