There was a really heart wrenching, quickly mentioned topic in Enloe. I am referring to the induction of girls into the Sierre Leone army. This really broke my heart. Children male or female should not be fighting in a war. I am also upset that I'm just now hearing about this. I'm sure this was publicized, but I think happenings such as this is something that everyone should be aware of.
Secondly, I hardly ever question patriarchy. By this I mean I don't really think about how patriarchy plays into something that happens in my life. Since taking this class, I have been more aware of sexism and patriarchy. Still, I think I do need to question more what happens in the world around me and how patriarchy plays into it.
Enloe briefly discusses the WNBA. I realized that there are hardly no women coaches if any in the NBA. Is that not allowed or something? It's weird to me that this is something that I have never noticed. I know that the NBA is for men, but why would the teams not be able to be coached by a woman? I do think that if a woman were to be a coach of a team in the NBA she would have problems with sexism. I can see many male basketball players having a problem listening to a woman, so maybe this plays into the lack of female coaches in the NBA.
Anyway, these are my musings from the readings. Enjoy!
Thursday, April 30, 2020
Events Review: Reproductive Health Activism Brown Bag
On Tuesday March 4th, 2020, Beth Legere, a representative from Planned Parenthood Mohawk Hudson, delivered a brown bag in the Women’s Studies Center about reproductive health activism.
The brown bag focused on making Colgate students aware of the services available to them at the Planned Parenthood, as well as informing them of the state of affairs surrounding reproductive rights and activism. She discussed her experiences with lobbying for reproductive rights, and the ways in which politicians respond both positively and negatively to her work. It was extremely informative to receive the perspective of someone who truly is on the forefront of the battle for reproductive rights, yet consequently frightening to hear about the real danger that reproductive rights face in this country. We are always one piece of legislation away from losing them, and it is up to people like Beth Legere to ensure that such legislation cannot come into existence.
Another central focus of her presentation was her experiences working at the Planned Parenthood center. She talked about different types of services that the center has been able to provide throughout her time working there, as well as her experience with protestors that stand outside of the center on a daily basis. Luckily, the center underwent a renovation in which an entrance was placed in the back, allowing patients to evade the protestors and their heckling. It made the experiences of women who visit the center much more real, and highlighted the value of having such centers available.
I very much enjoyed this presentation, because I was definitely not aware of all the services that are available to us as students. It was also very refreshing to know that activist work is happening every single day, and that there are people working as hard as possible to protect the reproductive rights of women all over the country. This kind of informative presentation deserves to be an annual occurrence at Colgate and at colleges everywhere.
The brown bag focused on making Colgate students aware of the services available to them at the Planned Parenthood, as well as informing them of the state of affairs surrounding reproductive rights and activism. She discussed her experiences with lobbying for reproductive rights, and the ways in which politicians respond both positively and negatively to her work. It was extremely informative to receive the perspective of someone who truly is on the forefront of the battle for reproductive rights, yet consequently frightening to hear about the real danger that reproductive rights face in this country. We are always one piece of legislation away from losing them, and it is up to people like Beth Legere to ensure that such legislation cannot come into existence.
Another central focus of her presentation was her experiences working at the Planned Parenthood center. She talked about different types of services that the center has been able to provide throughout her time working there, as well as her experience with protestors that stand outside of the center on a daily basis. Luckily, the center underwent a renovation in which an entrance was placed in the back, allowing patients to evade the protestors and their heckling. It made the experiences of women who visit the center much more real, and highlighted the value of having such centers available.
I very much enjoyed this presentation, because I was definitely not aware of all the services that are available to us as students. It was also very refreshing to know that activist work is happening every single day, and that there are people working as hard as possible to protect the reproductive rights of women all over the country. This kind of informative presentation deserves to be an annual occurrence at Colgate and at colleges everywhere.
Events Review: NY6 Spectrum LGBTQ Conference
On the weekend of February 22nd, 2020, students from six colleges in the New York area convened at Hamilton College for the NY6 Spectrum Conference. Though many of the students in attendance fell within the LGBTQ spectrum, there were indeed students of all sexualities and genders, which created an extremely inclusive and thought provoking amalgam of identities.
The goals of the conference were many. It began with creative icebreakers, which allowed students to find other people who identified in very similar ways to themselves. This was an excellent way to begin the conference, as it fostered a sense of unity that set the stage for examination of identity, privilege, and intersectionality.
The next activity seemed very simple, but ended up being extremely powerful. It asked students to put colored dots on different posters, meant to depict sources of both oppression and privilege in their lives. The result was a very visual representation of who exactly was in the room, and how they viewed different parts of their identities. Examples of sources of privilege/oppression included race, gender, language, and religion.
Next, students broke off into small groups, and were asked to discuss the different institutions in place at their schools that either protect or exclude LGBTQ students. They left this activity with new ideas to bring back to their own schools, as well as a better understanding of what their schools had to offer.
Following this, Laverne Cox, from the hit TV show Orange is the New Black, gave a very eloquent keynote speech on transgenderism, as well as intersectionality. She explained the oppression she faced throughout her life, and continues to face today, stemming from both her gender identity and her race.
After a short break, students convened for a dance, which fostered an extremely inclusive and fun environment. Following this, students returned to their hotels for the night.
The next day, there was a panel of students that talked about different LGBTQ perspectives, such as the perspective of an international LGBTQ student, and what it was like to be a member of the LGBTQ community both in his home country and in a foreign one. This was a fantastic conclusion to a fantastic weekend, and all students in attendance would be more than happy for this conference to become an annual event.
That's right, I stood next to her, be jealous
Is Bill O'Reilly real?
When 2 Women On Fox News Are Faced With Bill O’Reilly's Sexism, Stephen Colbert Strikes Comedy Gold
This video pretty much speaks for itself. It disgusts me that people like Bill O'Reilly are even allowed on TV, let alone that they have the kind of mass support that they do.
This video pretty much speaks for itself. It disgusts me that people like Bill O'Reilly are even allowed on TV, let alone that they have the kind of mass support that they do.
National Organization for Women's Direct ties to Marxism and their Anti-Family Agenda.
This particular article was written by pioneering feminist man-hater Mallory Millet and in it she comes clean about how her sister Kate Millet stated that her and the largest feminist group, The National Organization for Women were hell-bent on destroying the family. Quote from Front Page Magazine :
"It was 1969. Kate invited me to join her for a gathering at the home of her friend, Lila Karp. They called the assemblage a "consciousness-raising-group," a typical communist exercise, something practiced in Maoist China.
We gathered at a large table as the chairperson opened the meeting with a back-and-forth recitation, like a Litany, a type of prayer done in Catholic Church. But now it was Marxism, the Church of the Left, mimicking religious practice:
They proceeded with a long discussion on how to advance these goals by establishing The National Organization of Women...
“And how do we make Cultural Revolution?" she demanded.
"By destroying the American family!" they answered.
"How do we destroy the family?" she came back.
"By destroying the American Patriarch," they cried exuberantly...
Katie said, "Come to New York. We're making revolution! Some of us are starting the National Organization of Women and you can be part of it...
The only way to do this was "to invade every American institution. Every one must be permeated with ‘The Revolution’": The media, the educational system, universities, high schools, K-12, school boards, etc.; then, the judiciary, the legislatures, the executive branches and even the library system."
Event Review: Brown Bag "Working Class Women's Theatre in a Time of War"
The Center for Women's Studies brown bag lunch series has been an eye opening experience. I have been exposed to so many different points of views and issues that I usually do not even think about. One brown bag that really caught my attention is the brown bag about theatre as a form of activism. In this brown bag, Professor Rahasingham discussed the harsh treatment of Sri Lankan women factory workers. Women factory workers in Sri Lanka are expected to be disciplined to the point of controlling their bodily functions. The workers have so many of their freedoms taken away from them in the work place. They cannot go to the bathroom outside of designated times or even take breaks. I could not imagine having to work long hours without at least being able to go to the bathroom. When controlling their bodies becomes too much and the workers do break the rules, they are reprimanded for it.
I am glad I went to this brown bag because it opened my eyes to the fact that women everywhere are struggling for rights, not just American women. For me, it is easy to forget that the women's movement should not be local. It should be global. Women in Sri Lanka have to deal with issues that I do not, and here I am focused on myself and what I have to go through as an American woman. Although Sri Lanka is a long way from home, I truly care about the plight of Sri Lankan women after attending the brown bag. I believe that there needs to be a global sense of sisterhood. I feel this sense of sisterhood more strongly than I did before attending the brown bag. Women in America and everywhere should want equal rights for women around the globe not just for the women in their home country.
I am glad I went to this brown bag because it opened my eyes to the fact that women everywhere are struggling for rights, not just American women. For me, it is easy to forget that the women's movement should not be local. It should be global. Women in Sri Lanka have to deal with issues that I do not, and here I am focused on myself and what I have to go through as an American woman. Although Sri Lanka is a long way from home, I truly care about the plight of Sri Lankan women after attending the brown bag. I believe that there needs to be a global sense of sisterhood. I feel this sense of sisterhood more strongly than I did before attending the brown bag. Women in America and everywhere should want equal rights for women around the globe not just for the women in their home country.
"17 Lies We Need to Stop Teaching Girls about Sex"
Clearly I've been spending too much time on the internet today....
but here is another cool link to look at. It's an article entitled, "17 Lies We Need to Stop Teaching Girls about Sex" and I thought that it was really interesting. While I personally knew that all of these were lies, a lot of women, young women, and girls don't. It shows perhaps the problems we have in our sex ed education as well as the misinformation many people hear from magazines, religion, parents, and just plain gossip.
http://www.policymic.com/articles/88029/17-lies-we-need-to-stop-teaching-girls-about-sex
The Element of Surprise
For the Enloe reading, I was at first a bit disappointed. In reference to chapter one she initially discussed her hatred of predicting the future, and then in response to some people asking her to discuss the future of feminism in the 21st century, she simply said "surprise". I was disappointed because at first I almost thought she was being lazy. She had just said she didn't like predictions and so of course she got the predictions out of the way by saying that we should just prepare for an element of surprise. I thought that it was just an easy answer in response to question she wasn't too keen about.
However, as the chapter progressed I began to understand what she meant by the element of surprise. While on the one hand it means the obvious. A don't try to predict the future, events that you would never expect to happen do happen sort of surprise. This was demonstrated by various events that Enloe did not think would happen such as the rise of the Kosovo Liberation Army or the Columbine high school massacre. However what Enloe also wanted surprise to mean was that all feminists must be aware that the surprise events that do happen may not fit into their ideologies or thoughts about the current world in a feminist mindset. I found this to be particularly interesting. She says that while you could probably interpret every event that happens into your own views on patriarchy, gender roles or any aspect of feminism, maybe you shouldn't. Feminists should be open to the idea that as time progresses and more events occur, they might need to change the way they think and interpret things. They need to take the courage to stop and say, maybe that doesn't fit into what I had thought about this topic, and maybe I should think and adjust myself so that how I interpret feminism fits to the time and present age I am in.
I really think that this would be a good idea because then we will hopefully not be faced with as many outdated feminists and feminists pieces which try to relate new current issues into historical molds. It reminded me too of the Gaga Feminism chapters we had to read for Tuesday. Halberstam at the start of her book was discussing how there was an annoying outdated feminist, Faludi, at the conference who was interpreting current issues into old models. Because she was using these out-of-date definitions and ideas, she left out a lot of women who were essential to the current issue at hand, for example all races except for white.
However, as the chapter progressed I began to understand what she meant by the element of surprise. While on the one hand it means the obvious. A don't try to predict the future, events that you would never expect to happen do happen sort of surprise. This was demonstrated by various events that Enloe did not think would happen such as the rise of the Kosovo Liberation Army or the Columbine high school massacre. However what Enloe also wanted surprise to mean was that all feminists must be aware that the surprise events that do happen may not fit into their ideologies or thoughts about the current world in a feminist mindset. I found this to be particularly interesting. She says that while you could probably interpret every event that happens into your own views on patriarchy, gender roles or any aspect of feminism, maybe you shouldn't. Feminists should be open to the idea that as time progresses and more events occur, they might need to change the way they think and interpret things. They need to take the courage to stop and say, maybe that doesn't fit into what I had thought about this topic, and maybe I should think and adjust myself so that how I interpret feminism fits to the time and present age I am in.
I really think that this would be a good idea because then we will hopefully not be faced with as many outdated feminists and feminists pieces which try to relate new current issues into historical molds. It reminded me too of the Gaga Feminism chapters we had to read for Tuesday. Halberstam at the start of her book was discussing how there was an annoying outdated feminist, Faludi, at the conference who was interpreting current issues into old models. Because she was using these out-of-date definitions and ideas, she left out a lot of women who were essential to the current issue at hand, for example all races except for white.
A New PSA
Unfortunately it doesn't mention once about male victims of sexual assault, but like I said, a good start. Hopefully we'll be hearing a lot more about this.
Полегнала е Тодора - Check This Out - Мистерията на българските гласове
I love this music, but I'm not sure how my Grandmother Sophie wound up looking like everyone in The Bulgarian State Female Vocal Choir...
Off My Back: Pink & Green & Rose'
A unique pink & green
Maybe too unique
Not so great pattern matching
Best to hide it
Shetland Label
Shirt Label
My favorite labelThe sister plaid to the Winter acorn. Again, made by Individualized Shirts and a fabric Wright & Simon owner, Len Simon claimed no one had ordered in donkey years. Picking shirt fabric from small swatches is a tricky (and expensive) business. It helps to select from bolts but we're not all hanging out on the second floor at Charvet.
I like the shirt but it reminds the Golf Foxtrot of something Eddie in National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation would wear. "Clark, that's the gift that keeps on giving." Once again, Individualized came up short on the pattern matching. The front placket is off although not by much. Still, I'm hard pressed to find this problem with 'Made in China' shirts. I'm not talking sleeve to yoke matching. This is the front placket for Pete's sake.
Anyway, I hid it. Pretty darned well I think. These last few brisk days shuffled with occasional balmy afternoons require a wool sweater or two be left in the Spring closet. This pink Andover Shetland takes that plaid down a notch or two from Eddie's closet in the R.V. and puts the look square in Clark Griswold's realm. I always thought Sparky was a pretty good dresser.
There's been some grumbling about the MIA status of hooch around here on Fridays. To that end, here's a vintage Rose' from a wine maker who knows hand made from schmatta. The 1998 Vina Tondonia Rose' hails from a Spanish vineyard where wine is still made like it was in 1877. No chemicals, pesticides or machines. Harvesting? By hand. Racking? By hand. Barrel Making? By hand. I think $25 is a more than fair price for all that.
There's a fruit forward punch to this Rose' that'll knock you off your keister if you drink it too warm. This really needs to be chilled and kept that way so make your pours small. Nice with some almonds and olives on a Saturday afternoon. Even better with a marinated flank steak and red skin potatoes roasted with garlic and rosemary. Hell, who cares about pattern matching - - just get me to the weekend.
Blue
shirt: massimo dutti
belt: pull&bear
hat: bershka
sunglasses: ray ban
bracelets: mayanas
bag: pull&bear
ph. Masa
My second look from Elle Serbia birthday issue is here! I picked oversized shirt instead of a dress and paired it with embellished belt and suede boots. I added a bag with fringes, round sunglasses and friendship bracelets just to accent that boho vibe.
Wednesday, April 29, 2020
American Women's Femininity has Dramatically Decreased Since the 70's
Feminist psychologists proudly bragged about the fact that American women's femininity has decreased since the beginning of the height of the feminist movement's power during the 70's.
They carried out a study where they measured male and female typical gender attitudes and levels of androgyny, and found that men have pretty much remained in the same roles while women have become more androgynous and masculine.
The study already starts by feminists patting each other on the back and describing their findings:
They carried out a study where they measured male and female typical gender attitudes and levels of androgyny, and found that men have pretty much remained in the same roles while women have become more androgynous and masculine.
The study already starts by feminists patting each other on the back and describing their findings:
Despite admitting that women in the U.S have become less and less feminine, these feminists are still contradicting themselves by saying that just because women are becoming more masculine, that doesn't mean they are abandoning femininity but
are "re-defining" what it means to be feminine by using a term called "bodily property" that is based on "willpower, discipline and social standing", which ironically are traditional male attitudes.
Source: Masculine and Feminine Traits on the Bem Sex-Role Inventory, 1993–2012: a Cross-Temporal Meta-Analysis
Yet when we look at more objective and empirical evidences based on hard science, traditional femininity is rooted in evolutionary sexual selection and parenting styles that creates an optimal environment for the propagation of the human race:
"Psychological evidence suggests that sex differences in morphology have been modified by sexual selection so as to attract mates (intersexual selection) or intimidate rivals (intrasexual selection).Source: The evolutionary psychology of physical attractiveness: Sexual selection and human morphology
Women compete with each other for high quality husbands by advertising reproductive value in terms of the distribution of fat reserves and by exaggerating morphological indicators of youthfulness such as a small nose and small feet and pale, hairless skin.
Men's physical appearance tends to communicate social dominance, which has the combined effects of intimidating reproductive rivals and attracting mates. In addition to their attractiveness and intimidatory effects, human secondary sexual characters also provide cues to hormonal status and phenotypic quality consistent with the good genes model of sexual selection (which includes parasite resistance).
Low waist-hip ratio is sexually attractive in women and indicates a high estrogen/testosterone ratio (which favors reproductive function). Facial attractiveness provides honest cues to health and mate value. The permanently enlarged female breast appears to have evolved under the influence of both the good genes and the runaway selection mechanisms."
Source: The functional neuroanatomy of maternal love: mother's response to infant's attachment behaviors
Women's Fashion Clothing Collection
Women's Fashion Clothing Collection white jeans, leopard belt, printed top, colorful blazer
Gaga
I think Lady Gaga is a very interesting person. And she is by definition, a radical. Therefore, Gaga Feminism rejects the norm to almost every degree. I have always admired Lady Gaga and what she stands for, so I really liked this type of feminism and found it admirable as well. Halbertstam uses Lady Gaga and other celebrities like Ke$ha to describe the complex relationship between a woman flaunting her body and expressing her sexuality, while also using it to empower her femininity. We have covered this topic in class when we discussed Beyonce and the interesting dynamic she portrays for the media. She is an example of another strong woman who expresses her sexuality but is typically critiqued for it. Lady Gaga has faced many critics throughout her fame, but does not seem to let it affect her. Which makes her a true role model and a great person for Halberstam to use to develop a new theory of feminism.
When I think of Lady Gaga, the first thing I think of is her meat outfit. And for those who do not recall, it was in 2010 and she appeared at what I believe was an awards show wearing a dress that was covered in and made of meat. I remember not realizing what was going on and thinking “Wow, how weird”. But now I see it as a demonstration of self-expression for a woman who just wants to be herself and make a point. Gaga later explained that the dress was meant to make a statement that one should stand up for what they believe in and do what they feel is right. There is no meaning in particular, but that everyone should stand up for something. Something they feel passionate about, no matter what it is. And I think this is the best “meaning” she could have come up with.
Women's Summer Clothing Collections
Women's Summer Clothing Collections Coral printed American Eagle Dress, olive moto vest, summer, spring break look.
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