Iron Jawed Angels

This movie infuriated me. I hate to think about what these woman had to suffer in order to achieve something so fundamental, and the ways in which they belittled by those in power, how their fellow women belittled themselves. But I am eternally grateful that they persevered. The fact that in such recent history women were not even considered full citizens boggles my mind. It brings to mind the struggles of middle class women in the victorian ages accused of hysteria. Women were praised for being emotional but not allowed to show emotion. At least, not too much. And not too little either. Women were confined in the boring middle, placid beings with no extremes, and any woman who went to the extreme was not a real woman. I think my favorite character was the senator's wife because of the transformation she underwent as a suffragist. She was perhaps even stronger than the other characters, because she gave up her family for the cause. I was very impressed by her strength. I hope that I would be like these woman if I was fighting for such a cause. I think it's very important that we remember what has been done for us and not take these rights for granted. Needless to say, I will be voting this November!

Post-Modern and Third Wave Feminism

Post-modern/third wave feminism is definitely the kind of feminism that I fall under. I felt distanced when reading the perspectives of first and second generation feminism, like I had to either reject my "feminine" side completely or struggle with the difficulty of balancing both male and female roles at once. I know that I want to be a mother and I know that I want to be a professional, and thinking about doing both at once is daunting. It is comforting and inspiring to know that there is a newer, more open form of feminism that allows women to define what makes them feminine. While in traditional, patriarchal society, women were told what to do by men, it seems like first and second generation feminism were all about women telling women what to do. Third-generation feminism allows all women, no matter their background, to pursue the things that they think make them women, the things that allow them to live to their full potential as women, without fear of being bad feminists.

Biology's influence

I am really glad that Professor Widman came in to class today to discuss sexual differences. I am of the opinion that biological differences between the sexes must not be ignored if we are to truly understand the evolution of gender roles in society. There are reasons going far back in human history that can explain why women have a certain expected role (mother, nurturer) and why men have a different role (provider). These biological factors don't mean that we are controlled by our genes, or predestined to a certain role because of our evolutionary past. But that there are differences to be recognized, and to overcome these limiting stereotypes that are linked to our past we must first acknowledge that they exist. If women are generally expected to be mothers and men are expected to work, then society must be able to provide resources to allow those roles to change (ex: child care for working mothers, paternity leave for working fathers). I don't think that we are limited by our biology, but I do think that societal limitations were often due to biological and evolutionary factors.

Is this real masculinity?

The description of Gilder's theory of conservative sociobiology in the Clatterbaugh reading is, frankly, a load of tripe in my opinion. The idea that men are naturally "antisocial" and must adopt masculine principles in order to fit into society makes absolutely no sense. Gilder acts as if there is no emotional or intellectual incentive for a man to be part of a family or society at large other than to spread his genes. He is basically saying that men have absolutely nothing to contribute to society. And I find his view of the woman's role offensive as well. That a woman's purpose in life is to domesticate a man? Excuse me, I have better things to do with my time than to run around trying to find a husband to domesticate, so that I can save society while he gives up his precious sexual liberty, the poor man. This is just such a weird idea, I can't believe it ever caught on. And I actually do believe that biology plays a crucial part in social functions. But this is just way over the top, and insulting to all humans. Gilder takes biological fact and twists it into some strange conception of society that sounds more like Orwellian science fiction than real life. Blaming the problems of society on the rise of feminism is a pretty weak argument. His claim that men "drop out [of the workforce] virtually in proportion to women" is actually quite interesting, as there has been a rise of female employment. However, in the current economic downturn, it is women who have been hit the hardest, because the large majority of women are employed in the public sector, which is the first sector to have jobs cut. I hope that Gilder had many daughters who rebelled against him and went on to become very professionally successful in life.

Gendered understanding of Conflict

I am so glad that I read this assignment, because it really spoke to me. I think that I may actually try to focus my research for the class on this topic. The gendered repercussions of conflict are obviously overlooked by the countries of the "North" as they rush to provide assistance. I think this is a huge problem in many areas, especially development. I have thought a lot about the negative affects of conflict intervention and aid on the communities they are intended to help. After visiting the Gambia, I realized that many organizations give whatever aid they think necessary, which may offer a quick fix but may have side affects that are even more detrimental to the situation. This could be strengthening already present gender inequalities, denying women access to resources and/or power, and continuing situations of poverty. It is essential to look into all aspects of a society before implementing such projects. Jeff Helsing's speech also addressed this issue. I was impressed that the USIP makes a huge effort to work with local communities and research the issues at stake an possible repercussions of intervention before beginning any sort of post-conflict work. I am curious now as to whether or not they consider the gendered aspects of such intervention. Post-conflict aid is generally necessary in under-developed countries where women are already quite undermined in society. There is an argument to be made that, in order for societies to fully develop, gender equality must be addressed, because women are important actors in their communities. I am very interested in the topic and I hope to explore it further throughout the semester.

What is Violence?

The last class was sort of confusing for me, because it actually is very difficult for me to come to a definition of "violence." Something that is so serious also seems very subjective. Is it defined by the person committing the violence, or the person who is on the receiving end? If our conceptions of the world change across culture, how can we create ultimate definitions of violence? When an act of violence is committed it seems so clear. But when it comes down to creating an all-encompassing definition, it is not so easy. I hope through the course of this class I will better learn to identify what is violence and to distinguish different forms of violence.

The Campus Hook-Up Culture, Good or Bad?

I recently read the article "Boys on the Side" by Hanna Rosin in The Atlantic. In this fascinating article, Hanna argues that the hook up culture prominent on college campuses does not demean or endanger women, but actually empowers them. Hooking up, or engaging in less serious, physical relationships, allows women to focus on their careers. It does not objectify them as some may be lead to think. In fact, women as a whole have more control over themselves, their bodies, and their lives. We do not simply have to settle down, marry, have kids, as soon as we graduate. Women are no longer leaving college with a MRS degree. We want to focus on our careers first, which puts relationships on the back burner. Hanna is arguing that sex is the great equalizer. Basically, women can now pursue sex just as casually as men can, without the stigma.

This article kind of reminds me of the movie Down With Love (one of my favorites). It takes place in the 60's just as women are finding a place in the culture of the workplace, and having to deal with men who thing of them as secondary. The main character argues that a woman must abstain from love and learn to have meaningless sex, like a man does, in order to move ahead in the work place. What is obviously tongue-in-cheek commentary on 60's work culture has actually come true in a sense. It doesn't mean that people aren't falling in love and getting married - most women, and men, in college admit that they do want to marry eventually. Just not yet. Gone are the days of chivalrous quarterbacks holding the doors for cheerleaders for whom they buy sodas. The new dating culture has modernized along with the women who partake.

Women's Rights are Human's Rights

This article was encouraging for me to read. As an international studies POE, I know that creating international law is difficult and often discouraging, and that it is very difficult to challenge the norms that guide a society. I am glad to see that women and women's groups have been making progress across the globe to end violence toward women and all people. They have been successful in challenging the structures that promote, or at least tolerate, such violence. It is also encouraging that governments are now held accountable for the actions of their citizens. This means that a country's government must invest in women's rights policies or face the disapproval of other countries and possible discipline on the international level. Battery, sexual abuse, and repression of women is often protected or ignored because of a claim that such things are kept "within the family." The fact that government's are now held responsible means that it is much harder to dismiss such violence as personal or private. It is no longer trivial.

The right to a life free of all forms of violence is a powerful and strong claim, one that needs to be made. Though such policies don't necessarily ensure that women will be safe from violence, they at least provide the legal framework to prosecute perpetrators of violent crimes against women and set an international standard against violence. The policies make it clear that the world at large is moving towards a more protective, supporting, and accepting atmosphere for all global citizens.