FLAWLESS

“We teach girls to shrink themselves, to make themselves smaller. We say to girls ‘you can have ambition but not too much. You should aim to be successful but not too successful, otherwise you will threaten the man’.” These words from Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie are a proven example from the famous song “Flawless” by Beyoncé clearly reflecting that oppression is still an extremely prevalent issue in Today’s society. Marilyn Frye expresses her agreement with this issue in her article “Oppression” which our class read on September 17^th.  In her article, she discusses how the definition of oppression is recently being stretched, therefore making it less meaningful. There is this common misconception causing oppression to literally “press” human experience into distinct men vs. women groups, however, this is completely unacceptable to me. It’s believed that sensitivity is one of the characteristics assigned to the women population as a whole and if we are, in fact, found to be insensitive, then we may not be considered real women.  I personally do not agree with this at all and am appalled that this has been such a widespread belief for such a long time.  Through my experiences, I am in fact not anything like the typical women. I do not share majority of these characteristics that our population believes all females must posses and that is why this generalized idea of the perfect women is so bizarre. No one should be pressed into something they are not, which is why this belief can go on no longer. I strongly and confidently agree with Beyoncé’s song lyrics and Frye’s impression of today’s misunderstanding of what the world should be like in relation to what we realistically are.

Softball IS harder than baseball

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEtG5KvuWs4

"You throw like a girl!" This phrase is commonly used among friends to joke about someone who isn't playing as well. This expression can be offensive to some individuals because the expression is indicating that girls are usually weaker than guys. Most people assume female sports are much easier than male sports for this reason. For instance, in female sports or events, girls’ lacrosse is less physical than boys’ lacrosse. In military training, women have less push ups than men sometimes. While playing softball, girls wear shin guards, mouth pieces, or face masks to protect their bodies. After playing this sport for over eight years, I can honestly say I have used all of these protective devices during a game. That is because, contrary to popular belief, softball IS actually harder than baseball.

I know what most of you are thinking, especially the boys, “but the ball is smaller and harder to see because it is white!” This is true, but the video posted above The Speed of Softball provides valid information and statistics proving the speed of softball is more difficult than baseball. The information includes sizes of the field, ways the ball is pitched, time to run to first base, and reaction times for hitting the ball. Society today is quick to judge gender stereotypical sports. It is very normal for a boy to play baseball or football, but once a girl wants to play baseball they are immediately called “manly or dyke-y” (from personal experience). I can honestly say I am a very straight and girly female who just loves the game of softball. Watching this video made me realize how critical society can be when simply watching a sporting event. Just like the WNBA post, people are more likely to watch a men sporting event rather than a women sporting event. There’s no sexism involved, its simply the fact that male sports are more fun and exciting to watch than female sports, such as physical fights. I do also think woman sports, especially softball, should be treated with more respect. The Olympics dropped softball out of the Games because it was not popular enough around the world for there to be enough competition. This has possibly ruined many young girls’ dreams of wanting to play softball in the Olympics one day. In conclusion, society should realize that every action a girl does is not easier than how a boy does it. Next time a man tells a person, “You hit like a girl!” the person can take the man to a softball field and pitch to them to see how difficult it really is!

Always #LikeAGirl

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

If I asked you to “run like a girl,” how would you run?

Always, which is a feminine product brand, asked multiple teenage girls what they think it means to do something “like a girl.” The first teenage girl was asked to “run like a girl,” and she ran the stereotypical way a girl would run (according to society.) One of the boys being interviewed was asked to “fight like a girl,” and he laughed right before he did a whimpy-looking punch. Later in the video, Always asked younger girls under the age of 10 to run, fight, and throw like a girl. Each one performed the action as strong as they could. When one of the younger girls was asked what it meant to run like a girl, and she replied, “It means to run as fast as you can.”

This commercial shows the gender stereotype that girls learn when they’re younger. When the older girls are asked the “like a girl” question, each one doesn’t perform to their fullest capability. However, when the younger girls are asked to do each action, they all exceed expectation. It really does show that at a young age, girls learn to conform to the stereotype. Throughout a girl’s childhood and teen years, she hears the phrase “like a girl” numerous times while being used in a negative way, so they learn to see that phrase as an insult. If a girl is performing an activity to her fullest potential, then she is told that she’s “doing it like a girl,” that can negatively affect her self-esteem. No one wants to be mocked when they’re trying their hardest at something, but it constantly happens. Society should realize that we are girls and will act like girls, but that shouldn’t be a negative statement. Acting like a girl should mean you are performing at your fullest potential.

Tough Guise

In the video we watched in class, "Tough Guise: Violence, Media and the Crisis in Masculinity" it shows how men are supposed to be masculine and fulfill manly standards put upon them at a young age. When young boys grow up they are pushed by the media to be strong and act out violently instead of cry when something is wrong. Men are not supposed to cry because it is seen as weak and they are easier targets for bullying. Boys grow up playing aggressive sports like football and wrestling, where they learn to tackle in order to win. It is more acceptable in society for a man to act out in rage than to cry about a problem.

Feminism is the social, political and economic equality for women and men. Socially, men not being able to show much emotion is not equality with women. Women are able to cry at any moment, if something goes wrong, they get hurt or whenever they feel the need and it is socially acceptable. Men grow up with the influence of their fathers pushing them to be stronger and not show vulnerability. I think that feminism today mainly focuses on women, and issues like this are pushed under the rug. However, I would also venture to say that because of how set in stone society is, men will not want to show emotion if given the chance in order to keep their masculinity.

Shopping for Gender

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0NoOtaFrEs

All parents want for their children is for them to be healthy and happy. Healthy is more luck of the draw, but happiness is something that needs to be achieved, and their are many variables that can affect it. I do not have any children, but I can imagine that a parent feels that their child's plight to happiness heavily depends on how they raise and influence their offspring. Their child's road to a happy life begins with socializing them with kids their age. If society deems them normal, they should have less adversity in life. So Mom and Dad buy their son's action figures and their daughters princess dolls so they can relate to their peers, make friends, and be happy at school because they are "normal". But what happen's when a child goes against the grain? Debra Rosenberg mentions a young boy named Jonah in her reading, (Rethinking) Gender, who insists that he is actually a girl. He goes by Jona, wears a dress to school, plays with dolls and loves the colors pink and purple. The parents are worried for their sons future because they know he will eventually face judgement from others. They sent him to a private kindergarten so Jona wouldn't have to hide the fact that he is a boy. But eventually it will catch up to him and his parents know it.

The link above advertises how girls are sick of having they same girly toys. They are tired of all pink and pretty toys, and how society thinks they know what they want. I feel this is a great example that illustrates the social norms that have been constructed for young boys and girls. The girls say that they are not all princess's, they want toys that are more mentally stimulating. Just like how Jona wanted to able to play with the toys that weren't meant for his gender, girls should be able to do the same. Society has been slowly becoming more accepting to things they are not entirely used to seeing. The internet allows people to read other peoples perspectives and struggles. At least for me, it has made me more understanding and sympathetic to other peoples problems, knowing I don't know their whole story. And in this day an age we are learning that people's, as well as children's happiness doesn't depend on the acceptance of others, but the acceptance of themselves .

Male and White Privilege

Anthony Pipia

WGSS1000

9/21/15

Last week we discussed in class white and male privilege. I wanted to learn more about these topics, so I did a little research of my own. For starters I simply googled what white and male privilege were. Male privilege is a term for social, economic, and political advantages or rights that are made available to men solely on the basis of their sex. A man's access to these benefits may also depend on other characteristics such as race, sexual orientation and social class. White privilege is a term for societal privileges that benefit white people in Western countries beyond what is commonly experienced by non-white people under the same social, political, or economic circumstances. These issues are very real and there are many examples of each.

            An example of male privilege is that on average men get paid more than women. Women make on average about 79% of what men do. The pay gap is even worse for women of color who make significantly less than their white counterparts. Some examples of white privilege are “you are less likely to be arrested, you are more likely to get into college, you are more likely to fit in and get called back for a job, you are less likely to be perceived as a thug, you are less likely to be labeled as angry, you are more likely to make the headlines when missing, and you are more likely to find adequate housing”. How true are those examples? I’m not too sure in my opinion, but I do know that as long as racism exists so will white privilege. 

"Like A Girl"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XjJQBjWYDTs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VhB3l1gCz2E

    Always launched a powerful campaign this past summer to redefine the expression "like a girl".  In the first video a group of males and females that were past the stages of puberty were asked what it meant to preform an action "like a girl".  The responses were a range of weak physical abilities and performances that struck viewers as lesser than any normal action.  When asked, even the women ran slow, worries about their hair, and threw a ball half-heartedly.  Younger girls were then asked the same question about what it meant to do things "like a girl".  Their actions were bold and powerful. Their actions measured up to everything that they were capable of.
    The advertisement hits at a very popular stereotype in our society, that girls are inferior.  The expression "like a girl" is used very often in stages of puberty among adolescents.  The video also makes a good point that this expression is often used without realizing it is insulting and could have negative effects on young women that hear it being used.  The second advertisement highlights these feelings that girls often feel when they hear this phrase; weak, incapable, and below others.  One young girl in the video felt that girls "cannot be brave and aren't capable of rescuing anyone".  This is almost heartbreaking to hear and personally I want to look her in the eyes and tell her that she is capable of anything that she sets her mind to, because she is.
    As a society, this phrase needs to be erased from our vocabulary.  It is a very ignorant thing to say and makes no logical sense when you think about it.  Girls grow to be very powerful women capable of anything a man can do.  Sure, men are typically more athletic thanks to evolution but so what?  Always stated it best when they said, "why can't running like a girl mean winning the race?"  Being a girl is absolutely nothing to be ashamed of.  As people, we are far more than a gender definition that is false, we are ourselves.  These ads are vocalizing a very important message that everyone needs to embrace; gender stereotypes are absurd and harmful to the growing individuals of our society.  If the powerful women of today gave up because they couldn't preform as well as men, where would we be today?  As a woman, as an athlete, as a student; I can say that I am extremely proud to live my life "like a girl".

Net Work television's glass ceiling

http://www.theguardian.com/world/video/2015/sep/21/viola-davis-speech-2015-emmys-video

Last night millions of American’s including myself sat in their living room with their friends or family and watched the Emmy’s. The Emmy’s have been a nation wide tradition in this country since 1955, but not until last night had a woman of color won the best actress in a drama series award (the most coveted award for a female TV actress).  The 50 year old Juilliard graduate, Viola Davis, was the first to break this barrier for her starring role in the hit abc show, “How to Get Away With Murder”. Although Viola is the first woman of color to win this award, she makes it very apparent she does not believe she was the first one talented enough to do so. Viola used her acceptance speech to shed light on a serious problem we often come back to in our class discussions; systematic oppression.

            Viola starts her speech by stating “The only thing that separates women of color from anyone else, is opportunity. You can not win an Emmy for roles that are simply not there”. Networks are often scrutinized for their lack of diversity in programming by activist groups and Niche media, but it has never been brought to the for front of society until last night. Viola’s words last night relate closely with those in our reading from Benita Roth, examining a racial divide in the women’s movement. It seems as though one party was struggling so hard with an issue, that the other didn’t even recognize. With a white woman winning the very first Emmy ever in 1949, even before it the event was nationally broadcasted, it’s a wonder why it’s taken this long for a woman of color to cross this milestone

Busy Schedule or No Work at All?

I have always looked up to my mom throughout the years. After being laid off back in 2008, moving to New York without her family, then moving to Cincinnati and finally having us all back together, she is the strongest person I know. I sometimes wonder where she her strength originated from. I also wonder if she would have this same strength if she had decided to be a stay-at-home mother. After reading Friedan's article, "The Problem That Has No Name," I saw that other mothers have very different lives than mine. My mom gets up every day at 6:00 AM, puts on her business suit, and gets ready to sit in rush hour waiting to arrive at a company that is run primarily by men. While there, she coaches her own team and reports to her bosses on the team's progress on whatever project they are working on at the time. She works late to make deadlines, skips her lunch break to sit in meetings, and even comes in early to finish an assignment before her bosses arrive at work. Sounds dismal right? But, even with her busy schedule and staying in an office building for sometimes more than 20 hours a day, I have never heard her once complain about being upset with the life she's created for herself.

Before writing this, I wanted to see how many article are out there about the "Stay-At-Home Blues." I googled "Depression in stay at home moms" and got over 1,530,000 results. Once article that stuck out the me was, "Is Motherhood Causing My Depression?", by Kim Brooks. (http://www.salon.com/2013/02/25/is_motherhood_causing_my_depression/) This is a personal record of how being a stay-at-home mom makes her feel on a given day. She explains to us that, growing up, her mother was a stay-at-home mom. She remembers always seeing her mom crying and when she became a teenager she, "hated my mother for her inability to cope, saw it as a sign of weakness and self-pity." After watching her mother go through this, she knew she never wanted to be like her, until she had no choice. She was laid off from her part-time teaching job and forced to stay at home watch her kids. Immediately, she figured out how her mom felt: bored, upset, and resentful. This is only one example of how unfulfilling a stay-at-home mom feels every day. This problem goes much deeper than how Kim feels. It is a world wide, unexplained depression that affects people who don't feel like they are living up to their full potential. 

This is why I believe my mom is happy with her busy, exhausting job. Even though it has taken her away from her family at times, caused distress with my dad, and been the source our family to having to pick up and start all over multiple times, she IS happy. If she would have to stay home all day and take care of my brother and I, she would go crazy (partially because my little brother would driver her insane). This "Problem That Has No Name" can be be traced back to people not living up to their full potential. Every stay-at-home mom deserves more, they deserve to be happy.

Femvertising - Good or Bad?

http://womensissues.about.com/od/mediaimagesandinfluences/fl/The-World-of-Femvertising.htm

Since we can remember advertising has been a part of our daily lives and it doesn't seem like it's going to end anytime soon. Effective advertising targets its audience while reinforcing or creating stereotypes that back the products use or benefit. Ads can undermine, exaggerate, or insinuate common beliefs to draw attention and make a statement.

From the golden era of advertising, to radio and print ads before that women have been sought after consumers, "women control over $20 trillion, or 70% of global consumer spending." Advertising aimed for women is not necessarily always empowering and therefore can hurt the company's bottom line. That's where femvertising - appealing to the positive attributes of womanhood, without demeaning, belittling, or shaming women - comes in.

A survey compiled by SheKnows found that 52% percent of women admitted to buying a product because they liked how a company's ads presented women and 43% of women admitted it made them feel good about supporting the brand. Fama Francisco, VP for global feminine care at Proctor & Gamble believes that, "Femvertising works because these types of ads champion girls and women - they speak directly to them, and the people who love them..." The pitfalls of femvertising, some argue, is that it can be perceived as inauthentic; "inauthentic support cheapens the idea of women's equality, and that is dangerous not only for the purveyors of business behind those token messages, but to the feminist movement itself."  

When reading the article I saw the many benefits to femvertising with how it approaches bringing women into the marketplace and getting them to buy products, however, it can exploit women's interests and beliefs for the sole purpose of making money. Advertising has always toed the line of morality when purposely influencing buyers' by exploiting tendencies and/or insecurities. Without originality and true purpose, these ads can quickly look inauthentic and tarnish any attempt to support women, making women seem only as a business commodity.  
To most femvertising is good, "It proves that female consumers do not have to be talked down to in order for companies to sell their products and underscores the ongoing cultural shifts away from the sexism that has plagued advertising since its inception."

What do you think?