Final Essays

Essay 1:
Women can never be taken seriously because they are constantly forced to live up to a superficial, non existent look that has been created by the media and society of today. Some men are guilty of only placing value on a woman’s beauty not her brains which further hinders women from gaining headway in politics, society, and the workplace. By sexualizing women, they become mere objects and are not taken seriously.
I felt like the play Eternal Feminine by Catellanos really portrayed this idea of beauty standards women have to maintain. Women during that time period were forced to try and sustain their youth by constantly worrying about their appearance through multiple trips to the salon. Women “are not supposed” to think because thinking causes them to question their place in society. The only way to continue to make sure women do not climb up the latter in society and gain true equality; they are bombarded with the idea that they need to obsess over their beauty. The owner of the store even says that the number of times a week a customer comes depends on her social status, “the sloppy ones, once; the run-of-the-mill, twice. The pampered ones, daily”(Castellanos 1. 275). This is a ridiculous amount of time spent on simply trying to enhance ones appearance, and for what. . .to please men?
Women were supposed to be seen and not heard. A great example of this in the play was when a salesman came into the beauty parlor in the first scene and tried to sell the owner hairdryers that “wards off the danger”. In this specific case, the danger was women thinking. The makers of this hairdryer were not concerned when they thought women were just bored or sleeping; however, as soon as they realized women may be thinking they came to the conclusion that it was bad to allow them the chance to question their assigned gender roles. When the owner asked what the danger of women sitting under a hairdryer for an hour was, the salesman responded, “that women, without realizing it, might think. The proverb says it: think the worst and you’ll be right. Thinking, itself, is bad. It must be avoided”(Castellanos 1. 276).
In chapter six of Feminism is For Everybody by Bell Hooks, she discusses the issue of beauty in our culture. She explains the different generations and how beauty has changed within them to get us to the point we are at now which includes an obsession with the exterior. This obsession has caused women to continue to be seen as unequal in our society because “our nation’s obsession with judging females of all ages on the basis of how we look was never completely eliminated. It continues to grip our cultural imagination”(Hooks 33). Females who are assertive or show powerful are often times referred to as radical.
Hooks said that “until feminist go back to the beauty industry, go back to the fashion, and create an ongoing, sustained revolution, we will not be free. We will not know how to love our bodies again”(Hooks 36).
In chapter four of The F-Word, Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner analyzes the various social issues that plague women at universities in the United States. Self-identity ranked number three on a list of the top ten social issues women are concerned with on college campuses. She examined a study conducted in 2003 by Duke university that came up with the conclusion that even in an academic environment which is suppose to encourage thinking and attaining knowledge, young women are pressured to look good and somewhat dumb themselves down in order to get a man. Women feel that they must conform to this unattainable beauty ideal through intense dieting and dressing fashionably. The 1950’s mentally is still very much present because women think that if they don’t buy into the media and society’s creation of what is means to be beautiful then they will not be successful with men.
As a female college sophomore, I feel these pressures all the time. This section really spoke to me because I understand what girls go through. Yes we are at college to get an education; however, in the back of our minds, there is still a desire to catch a mans gaze. Being smart and educated are not enough in this world and guys don’t just want a girl with personality (or so the media tells us). This pushes girls to develop eating disorders and body image issues because they become plagued with the thought that they aren’t good enough. All even admit that I find myself buying into the makeup commercials ads and various advertisements that claim you will “look” better if you only buy their product.
The author directly links this strive to be perfect with the lack of electoral involvement and announced that she believes body-image issues steer women away from staying involved with social issues and what is going on in politics. She says that “as long as young women are spending time worrying about externally defined standards of beauty, their mental energy, and time, are being taken away from creating political change, and electoral action, and to break the external, mainly unattainable, standards that confine”(Rowe-Finkbeiner 71).
It is evident that the media has a dedication with picking apart female politicians looks. Newspapers and newscasts devote all of their programs the focus on female politicians’ appearances which only furthers the stereotype that women should not be taken seriously. If you look at the last election, Sarah Palin and Hillary Clinton were picked apart and criticized for what they wore during their campaigns by the media. They were more interested in her appearance tan what she actually has to say. This can be extremely discouraging for women trying to start a political career because they realize they may never be taken seriously.
In her He’s a Stud, She’s a Slut article, Valenti also makes the argument that women have a tough time in the political arena. The double standard number eleven, “He’s a Politician, She’s a Fashion Plate”, Valenti describes the “extra baggage” that women carry because they are relentlessly being judged on their looks. There is no right outfit that women can wear. Suits are too manly; yet, if a woman wears a low cut shirt her cleavage is talked about and she cannot be taken seriously. There is no winning scenario, so what is a woman to do?
Women are also treated unfairly by the media and receive less media attention. Apparently “the newspaper coverage of Elizabeth Dole’s campaign compared with that of George W. Bush, John McCain, and Steven Forbes received less coverage overall, especially on the issues, but when it comes to “personal” coverage—talking about her personality, clothing and looks—she received significantly more coverage. Shocking”(Valenti 54).
Valenti is good about including activism and letting the author know can be done to help the situation. For this specific problem it is important to write letters and speak out against the unfair attention women get.
The Beauty Myth by Naomi Wolf, she furthers the argument that a woman’s fixation with her appearance almost always hinders her ability to gain power within politics and the business world because “there a secret “underlife” poisoning our freedom; infused with the notions of beauty, it is a dark vein of self hatred, physical obsessions, terror of aging, and dread of lost control”(Wolf 10). Images of the “perfect” women deters women from advancing because “women can be better weakened physiologically”(Wolf 16). Since women have gained access to voting and somewhat of a voice in the government through a limited amount of representation, men had to come up with another way to stop the advancement of women; therefore, media and advertisements began to target the flaws of women to make them less powerful. These images of the “perfect” woman were “summoned out of political fear on the part of male-dominated institutions threatened by women’s freedom”(Wolf 16).
I will personally be affected by this judgment that women face when I enter law school. I will have to work harder than men to be taken seriously and learn to manipulate how I dress and my appearance so that I can climb up the ladder. Until society halts this need for physical perfection among women, females will never truly be equal to men because they will be forever consumed with the idea that the only way to get places in life is to look good.

Essay 2:
Feminism has dramatically changed over the last century and has become now, what I believe, a more personal definition than in the past. My definition of a feminist is anyone who thinks that women should be treated with dignity and respect and should have the same opportunities to succeed as men. Feminism seeks to combat stereotypical gender roles and advocate for women around the world to be celebrated and valued!
The first wave of feminism took place in the late nineteenth, early twentieth century and primarily focused on large inequalities that swept across the nation such as women’s suffrage. When most people think about the early waves they are familiar with women fighting for a right to vote. In class, when we watched Iron Jawed Angels, I didn’t realize the things these women went through and the horrible treatment they endured while protesting for women to have a say in the government.
The second wave was about resolving inequalities in the workplace, addressing healthcare issues, and helping women be equal in marriages. It began in the 1960’s and some would say lasted through the 1980’s. Betty Freidan published the Feminine Mystique which helped people at that time realize the troubles that housewives go through and exposed the issues. The second wave led to acts that promoted equal pay in the workplace and Title 9 which created equal sports program funding for girls. Women were finally allowed to join the military and Roe V Wade was implemented.
We are currently in the third wave feminism which “focuses more on female empowerment than male oppression, and it’s a more sexually and radically diverse movement than its predecessors. Its not surprising, then that there is no “party line” feminism for this age group-you can be a corporate executive, a soccer mom, a transgendered person, an ultrafeminine woman, or even a full-time mother-and still be a feminist”(Rowe-Finkbeiner 90). I think this statement is so accurate and really portrayals what a feminist is today. A feminist does not have a clear characterization anymore and have become more of a personal definition. There is no longer the stereotypical type of feminist because a feminist can look like anyone. The is something empowering about a woman who cares about her appearance and wears makeup but stands up for the rights of women. I think that if the movement became more mainstream and people realized you don’t have to be a “lesbian” or “dyke” then more people would call themselves feminism.
Feminism is also very culturally relative and the definition changes across the oceans. One of the articles I found interesting was Arab Feminism because it portrayed a different point of view from another culture about what feminism was to them. Some organizations in Muslim dominated countries include “the Alliance of Arab Women; the Association for the Development and Advancement of Women; Together; Progressive Women’s Union”(Darraj). As westerners we do not think that the Middle East harbors women’s organizations; however, they in fact have many that promote equal treatment for women. Many of these women discussed in the article wear veils by choice but still call themselves feminists.
The culture today values beauty and the exterior, so one of the major struggles feminism seeks to combat is the beauty myth. I admit I wear makeup, fix my hair, and enjoy getting dressed up because I feel confident; however, this class has been wonderful because I have grown to question the real reason for why I do it. The fantastic thing about the third wave though is that I have the freedom to look however I chose; yet, I am aware of the influence the media has on consumers. Wolf talked about the improvements that the first two waves have made in society as far as comfortable style and women having healthy appearances but that now “after just twenty years of the great push forward, during which time women sough to define those things for ourselves, the marketplace, more influential than any solitary artist, has seized the definition of our desire”(Wolfe 277).
I completely disagreed with some of the topics that Bell Hooks discussed in Feminism is For Everybody and found her book to be hypocritical because she defined what feminism is for herself and disregarded anyone who may have a different opinion. As a religious person I feel that you can be a feminist and somewhat pro-life; however, in her book she says flat out that “one cannot be anti-choice and a feminist”(Hooks 6). Why does she get to dictate who is and who is not a feminist? Again I believe the third wave has created friction because people such as Bell Hooks are trying to create a definition that does not include people who may have other valid opinions and she contradicts the title of her own book. To say that somebody cannot be a feminist if they believe something other than her is not fair to do. Her entire book is what she believes the definition of feminism is; therefore creating tension among people because according to her, if you do not agree with everything she says, you are not a feminist. I agreed with most of the topics she discussed and she has good arguments; yet, there were some comments that left a bad taste in my mouth such as when she said that “conservatives seek to undo the changes created by struggles for gender justice”(Hooks 23). That is a blanket statement that can offend many people. She claims multiple times throughout her book that women need to learn about issues from a non-biased perspective; but, her entire book seems to be biased towards liberal views and she continuously jabs religious and conservative ideals.
I am a feminist and I am a Christian. The thought that you cannot be a feminist and have religious morals is absurd and invalid. In fact, if you look at the roots of Christianity and Jesus’s true teachings you will find that he lead the example for feminism and he was the first person to truly advocate for the equal and fair treatment of women. Scriptures depict Jesus as a man who violated traditional Jewish taboos which included initiating conversations with women. He struck down old traditions of treating women unfairly by refusing to condemn adulteresses, he ate with women, and he had compassion for Mary Magdalene and even appeared first to her, a former prostitute. He preached love for everyone no matter the sex. It angers me when people make the assumption that Christianity oppresses women because that could not be farther from the truth.
Women’s studies goes hand in hand with feminism because women’s studies is an interdisciplinary major that focuses on women’s issues. Most of the curriculum revolves around changing social attitudes about how women should be treated. The major promotes activism for women’s rights.
I think that everyone should be treated with dignity and respect. I also think that people deserve to be happy; however, I do not think that I am any less of a feminist because I do not advocate gay marriage. Nobody is saying that those types of couples cannot live together and date and they are not allowed to be harassed. I just don’t see it as a feminist issue. Some may think gay marriage is a feminist issue; however, I think the main issues that need to be addressed are ones that oppress women. I believe women shouldn’t have to make the choice to get an abortion because they should have better access to birth control and family planning facilities. More measures need to be taken to educate the youth about safe sex so that women won’t have to sit down and face that tough decision.
In my heart I know that women need to be treated fairly. There is a number that countries hold back their women and place them in an inferior status. Of course there are problems in this country as far as women’s issues go but we are fortunate to live within a government that allows for change and favors people who lobby for change. In fact I plan on devoting my life to women’s issues by becoming a lawyer and working abroad for the United Nations or a nongovernmental organization that fights injustices against women. I am really interested in combating human trafficking cases in Spanish speaking countries. Feminism to me is about focusing on issues that hurt women both physically and emotionally; such as, domestic violence, human trafficking, rape as war crimes, and the lack of education available to women abroad.
I am feminist, by my standards of what a feminist is. Do I conform to the stereotype? No. Do I wear makeup? Yes. Do I believe in gay marriage? No. Am I religious? Yes. Does that mean I cannot be a feminist? Definitely not!


Sources:
Castellanos, Rosario. The Eternal Feminine. 1988. Austin: Volf T Press.
Darraj, Susan Muaddi. Understanding the Other Sister: The Case of Arab Feminism. 2002.
Hooks, Bell. Feminism is for Everbody: Passionate Politics. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2000. Print.
Rowe-Finkbeiner, Kristin. The F-Word. Emeryville, CA: Seal Press, 2004. Print.
Valenti, Jessica. He's a Stud, She's a Slut And 49 Other Double Standards Every Woman Should Know. Berkley, CA: Seal Press, 2008. Print.
Wolf, Naomi. The Beauty Myth: How Images of Beauty Are Used Against Women. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print.

blog 10

I am very passionate about stopping puppy mills. Many pet stores buy dogs from puppy mills and sell them to the customers by tricking them into thinking the dogs are from real breeders. The problem is that puppy mills in and of themselves are not illegal. I became active about 2 months ago with a group out of dallas that goes to all the the Petland Stores (a puppy store franchise) and protests every saturday. I have participated in a couple protests myself. The owners of these stores knowingly buy sick puppies from one of the largest puppy mill providers in the country, Hunte Corporation. The Humane Society has has Petland underinvestigation for violating laws on breeding animals. The majority of the dogs they sell are cramped in small cages, stacked upon eachother, with feces and multiple dogs surrounding them. These dogs are malnurished and have often times never been out of the cage to learn how to walk. The conditions are horrible. Tbe poor dogs have had no human contact and do not know how to interact with humans. Petland is also being taken to court for decieving their customers by making them believe they are buying healthy dogs from AKC registered breeders.

To find out more information about puppy mills and how to stop them there is a wesite called www.stoppuppymills.org

Here is the link to a youtube video of one of the protests I was in.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F0CNtxK4YXI



The readings I thought were sort of interesting. In FIFE chapter 18, Hooks probes her thoughts about spirituality and religions. According to her opinion, she believes the majority of religions are male-dominated; yet, many feminists find themselves searching for other ways to find peace within themselves away from the west. I personally think that feminists have no right to attack Christain-Judeo religions because religion is a very personal experience and as a Christian I disagree with the putting down those people who believe in Christ and worship within a patriarchal society. I understand that some denominations, like Catholic for example, are looked down upon by some feminists because men are the leaders in churches and only men can be priests and popes; however, you have to give those religions credit because these men practice abstinence and devote there lives to moral purposes and helping others. You can be a feminist and a Christian. I am living proof of that.
In chapter 19, Hooks talks about what a visionary feminist is. Visionary feminists look to the future were mass-based feminism is taught in schools and people need to be provided with more sources such as books and websites that give insight to the movement.
In chapter 9 of F-Word, the author takes about the lack of enthusiasm young women have in politics today and how women need to become more involved with the legislative process. The research says that the young generation is not interested in the political process and don’t want to be labeled as part of a party. In chapter 10, she continued on to talk about how there are not as many good candidates anymore. Much of the youth wants politicians to gear there campaign towards issues they care about. Young women have the impression that their one individual vote cannot make a difference and therefore what is the point in voting. In chapter 11 the author continues on by saying that we are part of a democracy and the beauty of this government is our ability to be active and not sit around watching the government make decisions for us.

The Eternal Feminine

In the play The Eternal Feminine, gender is represented by women taking traditional roles in the home, specifically within the Hispanic culture of Mexico City. The main character Lupita is bound to a gender role which forces her to be trapped in the confines of her home as a housewife. She is required once married to give up everything and is obligated to tend to her husbands every need. In the case of this play, marriage restricts women and makes women become bound to a mundane life without thought or purpose. With society being extremely patriarchal, husbands have all the control in the institution of marriage and it is vital that women please their husbands by being good mothers and continuing to preserve their beauty. In the F-Word, the author states that “the importance of being married or in a committed relationship varies across racial and ethnic groups. This facet of a woman’s self-identity is most important to Hispanic women, two-thirds of whom say being married or in a committed relationship is very important to their sense of self” (Rowe-Finkbeiner 133).
The first dream which Lupita has while in the beauty salon was of her honeymoon. Clearly the author was trying to show the importance of women getting married and that Lupita must validate her womanhood through marriage. Marriage in the play seems to be a negative thing and the author made it quite clear that Lupita gave up a part of herself to her husband. Marriage can be a wonderful thing; however, in the context of this play marriage enforces the rules of a patriarchal society in which men have complete control over women. Lupita became the property of Juan once she made that vow to be his wife. Even Juan says to Lupita, when she says that she will refuse to have sex with him, that “you vowed to obey me before the alter” (Castellanos 279). Therefore, in the play a woman has no say over her body because it is owned by her husband and he has the freedom to do as he pleases.
After a wedding, it is highly predictable that a woman will become a mother and her entire being will become focused on raising a child. Lupita got pregnant in the play and her mother told her of the importance of being a good mother. Lupita’s mother says that “no happiness can compare to being a mother” (Castellanos 284). However, Lupita struggles with this idea of happiness through motherhood because it is evident she is unhappy staying at home with the children. She complains of the life she gives up because according to her “the one who must sacrifice herself is the mother. For the children. And also for the house” (Castellanos 285). The problem that Lupita had in the play was that she seemed to struggle with the strict gender roles she had to adapt to. Why is it that women must give up their identity in order to take care of household chores and raise children?
Lupita asks the question “what better way to keep a husband then a woman who is always smartly dressed, always slender, nice looking?” (Castellanos 285). Many women feel they are not valued by their intelligence or personality, but their worth is measure by how they look because of the enormous emphasis society puts on the exterior. Even when married, women feel they must spend ample amounts of time on making sure they are beautiful. In society, many women feel their worth is correlated to how pretty they look. According to Bell Hooks, even in these contemporary times “our nation’s obsession with judging females off all ages on the basis of how we look was never completely eliminated” (Hooks 33). Fashion and appearance are the driving forces behind women having less equality as men because women are being fed ideas that they cannot be taken seriously unless they look a certain way. This need to look a certain way in order to get and keep a man tends to “emulate sexist representations of female beauty” (Hooks 34). In The Eternal Feminine, women in Mexico City visit the beauty salon a couple times a week, if the can afford it, to maintain the cultural beauty standards. Sexism has caused women to think that they must fit a very narrow mold of what defines beauty.
Even within the institution of marriage, women are held back in order to achieve an unattainable beauty standard. In the case of the play, women in reality had little say in society and politics because they were inside the home without a voice. Each week women went to the salon to enhance their features and maintain their splendor. By being concerned about their appearance and taking care of their families, women had little time to think and question their place in society.
Do women really have to surrender a part of who they are when they get married? Not necessarily. In healthy marriages there is give and take. Women are equal when compared to their spouse and should be treated as so. Marriage is about supporting each other by dividing the work and loving a person beyond their outward appearance. The Eternal Feminine portrayed the negative consequences of having a spouse who conforms to the sexist ideals of society which results in a bad marriage.


Hooks, Bell. Feminism is for Everybody: Passionate Politics. Cambridge, MA: South End Press, 2000. Print.
Rowe-Finkbiener, Kristin. The F Word. Emeryville, CA: Seal Press, 2004. Print.

The Coalition Against Trafficking in Women (CATW) is an NGO that strives to educate people about the issue of women in the sex trade. It was founded in 1988 to stop the sexual exploitation of women and girls around the world. This is a gender issue because the majority of people kidnapped or lured into sex work abroad are young females. Women are typically seen in this position because they have little power in many developing countries and are illiterate and uneducated. Families often times sells their daughters into prostitution or women are tricked into believing they are going to work elsewhere. This is a growing trend around the world and needs to be addressed. Forced prositution is a large human rights issue because it subjects women to a life of vulnerability and slavery with little chance of ever escaping that life. CATW takes donations which go back to funding programs that train “teachers, professionals, police, governmental authorities and the public about the harm of sexual exploitation and ways to resist and combat it." and "“testifies before national congresses, parliaments, law reform commissions, regional and UN committees and commissions, and holds Category II Consultative Status with the United Nations Economic and Social Council” to bring justice to the victims of this form of slavery.
http://www.catwinternational.org/


Globalization can be looked at in both a positive and negative light because it harms and helps people at the same time. Typically what happens is the worker get exploited in developing countries and CEO's and high up business people get the majority of the wealth. I think in regards to Encloe's article, the author makes it very clear that globalization is caused by governments not taking responsibility. Globalizations, according to Encloe, causes exploitation of lower class workers and hinders there ability to be in a fair working environment. Women in Russia were written about as an example of gloabalization. They recieved very low wages.
I never really thought about how global this world is and where all of my clothes and everyday items come from. Now I kinda of feel bad for having things that people had to work in harsh conditions to make; however, I cannot control that situation. I think it is not the CEO's faults for workers not being paid enough and working in bad condititions because that is ultimately the countries government's responsibility to step in and protect its citizens. Take the United States for example, there is minimum wage which ensures that by law companies must pay workers at least a certain amount. Companies wouldnt go to other underdeveloped countries if they also followed and gave their workers rights.

ethnography paper

Research Design:
After reading the article “Opt Out”, I began thinking about what is means to stay at home and started to question how stay at home moms are perceived. This issue is complicated because everyone has different perspectives on how women with children should raise their children and what role they should have in the home. Some people have objections against Belkin’s article because they believe not all women have the choice to opt out especially minority women and women who are of lower class. Class status is a big factor that affects a women’s decision to continue working after she has children. There seems to be this constant battle between working mothers and stay at home mothers who make a career out of raising children. I don’t think there is a right or wrong choice; it just needs to be a choice that every woman should have the option to have. It doesn’t make it fair for poor women to have to continue working when higher class rich women can make the choice to be a housewife. Is the government doing all they can to help women with children? Is the workplace accommodating to women? What changes could be made in order to provide women with more options? How do men feel about women staying at home, do they prefer it? What are the stereotypes for both types of women, having a career outside the home or staying at home? What did Belkin mean when she said, “its not just that the workplace has failed women. It is also that women are rejecting the workplace”? When I read parts of the Feminine Mystique, I wondered why those women seemed to not be able to handle staying at home. I think that the author didn’t fairly include mothers who do enjoy their household chores. Not all women are dissatisfied with the path they have chosen.

Methodology:
I chose to interview my mother about her experience with staying at home. She is the perfect example of the type of women Belkin discusses in her article. My mother went to Washington State University and became a high school coach, but after she met my father and got married and had kids she decided to stop working and stay at home with my sister and me.

Brief Overview of the Interview Questions:
1. Why did you choose to stay at home?
I wanted to have children and raise my children. I figured a daycare wouldn’t be able to teach my children how to be good people and since I chose to have children, it’s my responsibility to take care of them and teach them right from wrong. Why have children if someone else is going to raise them?

2. Do you think many women have the option to stay at home?
No, I think I was lucky financially to have the choice.

3. What is your opinion on working mothers?
Some women can’t afford to stay home and I understand it. I think if you do have the option though and can afford to stay home until they get into school (k-12) then if you want to go back to work that fine. Why not be with them the first 5 years of there life because after that they are at school 8 hours of the day. The best time to be there is the primary years. I just think if you can, you should be there for the first years of there life. Its important to be active in your children’s life such as being in PTA, picking up children for school, and being there for activities and I couldn’t do that if I was employed because I wouldn’t have the time.

4. Do you ever feel like people look down on you because you don’t bring in money?
I think some people think mentally you are below them because you aren’t keeping your mind sharp. A business woman for example might think you are stimulating your mind by staying at home. It depends on high up a job is. I think higher paid women in the workforce are less envious of the stay at home mom then say a women who is blue collar or works at McDonalds.

5. Why do you think the status quo say that paid work means it is real work?
A childcare or babysitter gets paid but a mom does not. It is real work. Society thinks since you aren’t using and education then it isn’t “real” work. I think a child would rather see their mom at home then away from them.

6. Do you ever feel put down by women who have professions?
No. I think some other stay at home moms do.

7. What pressures do you feel as a stay at home mom?
You have to make sure you do the majority of the chores because its “my job” so that my husband doesn’t have added stress. I think some women give stay at home moms a bad rep because all they care about is themselves and arent good moms because their lives are just consumed with shopping and spending their husbands money. I look for discounts on clothes and don't feel like that "stereotype" that applies to housewives is really true. It is hard work to maintain a house and make sure everyone is healthy and happy.

8. Is dad supportive of your decision?
Yes. He believes as well as I do that if you can afford to have one parent at home you should have someone at home with the kids.

9. Now that we are out of the house, would you consider going back to work?
Of course. Will I do it...I don’t know. I have always been very involved and am an avid tennis player ( I play almost 6 times a week) and that keeps me busy. I also am involved with some non profit organizations and the church.

10. Overall, how do you think women can be effective mothers?
I think women need to do what is best for them. Some people cannot handle staying at home and need that mental stimulation a career gives you. Those women would actually be better mothers if they worked because they would have that outlet and would have more quality time with their children. Just look at Andrea Yates, I don’t think she could handle staying at home with her children and ultimately went crazy. But, again, if a family can afford to have someone stay home and whoever stays home can handle those responsibilities, then they should.

Overall:
I have come to the conclusion that women need to do what is right for them. Many women are happy and content with their job as a stay at home mom. I don’t think women opt out because society makes it hard for them, I think some women genuinely think it is more important to be there for their family. It all comes down to what works for the family and how to be the best parent possible. There are improvements that need to take place in the workplace and that cannot be ignored to help accomodate all women. For women who don't get to make the choice to stay at home, they need to recieve better childcare and more paid leave time. I think some feminist writings are ignoring the fact that some women find it a blessing to stay in the home and don't feel like they were forced into it at all. More research needs to go into the real reason women decide not to work and the joy that some women feel staying at home.

blog 8

There has been a bunch of dialogue created in response to Belkin's essay "Opt Out". Some agree with her stance while others disagree. I came across a website when I searched called mothersmovement.org, and one lady said she was happy that finally people were discussing the issue. Much of the controversy lies in the the fact that she never represented minority women or women living in the middle to lower class. Those women surely have no choice in the matter of wether or not they can "opt out". The question is, do woman actually want to become stay at home mothers or are they forced to by the society that we live in (the institution)?
Personally, I think that she was simply presenting the facts about what affluent, upperclass white women who attend good colleges face when making the choice between having a career or becoming a mother. I do not think it is anybodys place to judge someones decision whether they are a working mother or not. It is a personal decision. I do however, think that women need to be given the option to take more time off and have access to better quality childcare. I would like to know who decided that women must give up their careers and not men? Now I struggle with this situation of what to do when I become older because I want a family but I also would like to work. However, my mother is a firm believer that somebody needs to stay at home and take on the responsibility of raising children so I have become accustomed to that idea. According to some women, you cannot be the best mother you can and you cannot give your children all of the attention they deserve unless you devote your time to being around them. That doesn't necessarily sit well with me. I do agree when you choose to have children you need to dedicate time to raising them;however, how do you do that when you have a full time career. Is is being selfish to want to work? Or, are is it wrong for society to mandate you stay at home an raise your children?

In F-Word chapter, the author discussed how motherhood seems to be tied into politics. It is sad that there are so many obstacles working mothers have to face when trying to provide for their families. Feminism is still prevelant today because women are still limited in the realm of careers. Why are women still earning less than men when they are educated? I think it is wonderful that all these women are now seeking college educations. In chapter 9 of FIFE, Hooks talked about how some women feel a little bit angry at the women's liberation movement because they don't have flexible hours that cause them to have long hours. It made me upset to read about all of the poverty that women have been facing because according to her the "white supremacist capitalist patriarchal" society has been trying to "dismantle the welfare system in our society" and "will deprieve poor and indigent women of access to even the most basic necessities of life"(Hooks 51). People do need to have equal access to welfare; however, I also do believe there needs to be some sense of personal responsibility. The government's jobs is not to help everyone forever.

blog 7

The last movie I saw was Revolutionary Road, starring Kate Winslet and Leonardo DiCaprio. The plot of the movie realistically showed how gender roles were seen in the late 1950’s. Women were supposed to stay at home while men worked. Kate Winslets character struggled to live in a mundane life. She was expected to stay at home to take care of the children, as well as clean and cook. This was hard for her because she so desperately wanted to travel and explore the world but was forced by society to push that idea out of her head. Leo also has issues with his gender role. As a man in the late 1950’s he was expected to be the provider for the family and work. It was funny to me to watch him on his way to work because every man had the same suit and tie with a hat and briefcase on the way to work. He was tired of having to work at a boring job and cheated on his wife because their marriage lost its passion. The movie trailers advertised their marriage as starting out well then turning into a bad relationship. Here is the youtube link for the trailer.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8z6kDo1OFzE

In the F-word chapter 7, relationships are discussed and I found it interesting as she wrote about the housewife syndrome when housewives start to think, "is this all". I enjoyed reading about women who were okay with being single. Just because you are single doesn't mean you are lonely. The woman who realized you dont have to wait for a man to buy you the things you want, you should get it yourself really struck me. I think that is so true! I found it interesting that people are getting married later now and less people are choosing to get married. It is important to look at the divorce rate and make sure you make the right decision. Waiting until you are older is actually a good thing in my opinion because you are able to make sure you find the right guy. I do believe that marriage is sacred and should be between a man and a woman. In chapter 8 she talked about motherhood. I didn't know that studies show that after a couple has children, gender inequality is likely to occur. There is a large imbalance between careers and rasing children.
In the chapters we read in FIFE, Hooks discussed parenting, marriage and partnership, lesbianism, and love. Hooks seems to be a little to liberal for me and puts down Christain ideals in my opinion. She has good points when she speaks against abuse in parenting and for both parents taking responsibility in raising the children. It is important for children to have both parents involved because it allows them to learn from both sexes and creates cultural awareness. I do think that the some women in the femenist movement are crazy for thinking by marrying you are buying into the patriarchal society. Marriage is a wonderful thing and by getting married to the right guy, you won't see sexism in the marriage. Believe it or not there are good guys out there. Maybe I am biased because I have been blessed with two loving parents in a good relationship that supports eachother and divides the work. My father is a wonderful man and treats my mom well. She CHOOSES to stay home and raise us...whats so wrong with that? In chapter 15, I disagree with women having "sexual freedom", like that of the 60's-70's. By being promiscuous, you are telling the world you dont care about your body and you dont respect yourself. I think the total opposite of women who think "its my body so I am going to go out and sleep around". You are not respecting your body. I also disagree with the radical lesbians who encouraged women to not be heterosexual because that continued the patricarchal society. That idea is absurd. I find Hooks writing style to be highly offensive because she calls Christain fundalmentalism "narrowminded". Not everyone reading her material agrees with her and with sexuality being such a hot topic today, I feel readers would respond better without all of the attacks and namecalling.