A previous post got me thinking about this.
So many college men have posters of half naked women hanging on their walls. And when asked why they have them I find the general excuse to be "I like the magazine" (thats usually titled at the top), or "Because thats a really nice looking car in the picture". But we all know that a poster of that same magazine or a poster featuring that same car can be found without a half naked girl posing along with it. And its usually not even that the girl is posing 'along side' the car, the car is posing 'along side' her. The girl is generally the main focus and all attention is put on her, not the car.
Now, the thing that gets me most about these posters isnt the fact that the women are the main focus. It's how I see guys who have these posters being extremely critical of girls who look like ladies in these posters. If they see a girl wearing a ton of makeup and half clothed, they are so quick to judge her as a 'slut' or 'whore' for making themselves look that way. Yet it is ok for them to have pictures of women looking exactly like this hanging on their walls?! It's extremely hypocritical! In my opinion girls dress this way to mimic how the women in these posters look because they think thats what guys like. Personally, I don't understand how some guys can have these posters hanging on their walls, yet be so critical of women who dress like these women and wear heavy makeup like them.
Saturday, April 13, 2013
Thursday, April 11, 2013
Sarah Baartman
I found this picture on Facebook a couple weeks ago by a really good friend of mine who posted this and I did further research on this woman and i was completely disgusted by the inhume treatment she received by European men. See was completely objectified because of her foreign yet "exotic" physical appearance to europeans.
The modern-day pictures show that there is a perpetuation of this accessibility and objectification to the bodies of colored women.
What do you all think?
Wednesday, April 10, 2013
Dream on Dreamer
I couldn't help but do some reflecting tonight after our conversation in class today about what can be done, and if what we do will even really matter outside of our own self-gratification. The concepts of separatism, knowledge, enculturation are all ideas that I think that build upon one another. Starting with enculturation... we are raised up in our societies to believe in the values and norms that are directly around us, both on the micro and the macro levels. We experience gender reinforcement day after day, year after year in this system of enculturation. Only some of us "fall through the cracks" so to speak in terms of being exposed to the knowledge about gender constructs, gender identities, theories, ideas, ways of being... but then what do we do with that knowledge? Do we just let it sit in the back of our minds collecting dust for the rest of our lives? Do we take that knowledge, and individually apply it to our own lives, our own ways of being, and be done with it? Or do we take that knowledge, apply it to our own lives and the way we understand ourselves, and then bring that attention, introduce that 'way of knowing' to the lives of others? We have to start somewhere if we expect to change anything. Starting with ourselves is good, but communication is key.
It's sad to hear them say
let it be, things will never change-
that individually we can't do anything.
But I beg to differ.
Because I know that
one and one makes two.
And if we keep multiplying
the message, then one day
that message will come true.
Just some short hand on my own personal thoughts. "Some say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. Some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one." Yes, I just pulled that card. haha
It's sad to hear them say
let it be, things will never change-
that individually we can't do anything.
But I beg to differ.
Because I know that
one and one makes two.
And if we keep multiplying
the message, then one day
that message will come true.
Just some short hand on my own personal thoughts. "Some say I'm a dreamer, but I'm not the only one. Some day you'll join us, and the world will live as one." Yes, I just pulled that card. haha
Settle Down
Here is the lyrics for a song called "Settle Down" by Kimbra, that my friend showed to me when I was telling him about our blog.
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Won't you settle down with me?
Settle down
We can settle at a table..
A table for two
Won't you wine and dine with me?
Settle down
I wanna raise a child
I wanna raise a child
Won't you raise a child with me...
Raise a child
We'll call her Nebraska
Nebraska Jones
She'll have your nose
Just so you know
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Won't you settle down with me?
Settle down
Run from Angela Vickers
I saw her with you
Monday morning small talking on the avenue
She's got a fancy car
She wants to take you far
From the city lights and sounds deep into the dark
Star so light and star so bright
First star i see tonight!
Star so light and star so bright
Keep him by side!
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Baby there's no need to run
I'll love you well
I wanna settle down
It's time to bring you down
On just one knee for now
Lets make our vows
I think that this song is interesting because, I feel, that it shows how a lot of women in our society feel about marriage. They want to find a man--compelled maybe...???--and settle down; get married and have children. Some women are even consumed by this idea. As the song suggests, most women do not like other women getting near their men. I'm not sure why, but I see it happen all of the time. Women seem to be overprotective of their man, especially when other women are around. This reminds me of Compulsory Heterosexuality: women are compelled to be with men, and I guess in a sense "taught" to want to keep a man once they get one. I have seen girls utterly heartbroken and devastated when they have been broken up with. I have been in that situation too, and I understand that it is hard to like someone a lot--maybe even love them--and have them walk away from you, but is there something else being played out in this situation?
Do you think that when women are broken up they are not only sad because they liked the guy but also subconsciously are sad because they "lost the man" that they were compelled to be with by society? Do you think that women feel like failures when they are broken up with because they can't measure up to keeping a man, like they have been compelled to do?
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Won't you settle down with me?
Settle down
We can settle at a table..
A table for two
Won't you wine and dine with me?
Settle down
I wanna raise a child
I wanna raise a child
Won't you raise a child with me...
Raise a child
We'll call her Nebraska
Nebraska Jones
She'll have your nose
Just so you know
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Won't you settle down with me?
Settle down
Run from Angela Vickers
I saw her with you
Monday morning small talking on the avenue
She's got a fancy car
She wants to take you far
From the city lights and sounds deep into the dark
Star so light and star so bright
First star i see tonight!
Star so light and star so bright
Keep him by side!
I wanna settle down
I wanna settle down
Baby there's no need to run
I'll love you well
I wanna settle down
It's time to bring you down
On just one knee for now
Lets make our vows
I think that this song is interesting because, I feel, that it shows how a lot of women in our society feel about marriage. They want to find a man--compelled maybe...???--and settle down; get married and have children. Some women are even consumed by this idea. As the song suggests, most women do not like other women getting near their men. I'm not sure why, but I see it happen all of the time. Women seem to be overprotective of their man, especially when other women are around. This reminds me of Compulsory Heterosexuality: women are compelled to be with men, and I guess in a sense "taught" to want to keep a man once they get one. I have seen girls utterly heartbroken and devastated when they have been broken up with. I have been in that situation too, and I understand that it is hard to like someone a lot--maybe even love them--and have them walk away from you, but is there something else being played out in this situation?
Do you think that when women are broken up they are not only sad because they liked the guy but also subconsciously are sad because they "lost the man" that they were compelled to be with by society? Do you think that women feel like failures when they are broken up with because they can't measure up to keeping a man, like they have been compelled to do?
Covered in Style
Today in class there was a comment on middle eastern fashion while still covering the body. I follow a couple muslim fashion bloggers (and their Instagrams) and have admire their keen eye for fashion and their interpretation of it without having to compromise their cultural and religious traditions/customs.
My roommate is muslim so often times I'll have her explain the meanings and significance of islamic tradition/middle eastern culture, particularly dealing with wearing hijab. My understanding (my roommates explaination) -I state I am not a scholar on this subject nor do intend to be so if someone knows otherwise correct me- is that the purpose for this act is to cover the body from the sight of man and the public as a form of modesty, especially to avoid objectification and sexualization of women. Hair, arms, hips and legs are the main body parts covered in my observations.
There are two particular bloggers that I avidly follow and while doing so I have encountered and read criticism of their ensembles by their followers: one blogger for choosing to stop wearing hijab and another one for not wearing it "right" and being a bad example to their female muslim audience.
Fashion is a form of expression and personal interpretation to trends, and while they do not reveal as much of their body as is conventionally seen in western culture, they still wear make-up, sky-high heels, and other "feminine" accessories.
So my question is: are they still submitting to the male gaze, but in a minimized manner?
Check out this blog to see examples
Hybrid in a Headpiece
My roommate is muslim so often times I'll have her explain the meanings and significance of islamic tradition/middle eastern culture, particularly dealing with wearing hijab. My understanding (my roommates explaination) -I state I am not a scholar on this subject nor do intend to be so if someone knows otherwise correct me- is that the purpose for this act is to cover the body from the sight of man and the public as a form of modesty, especially to avoid objectification and sexualization of women. Hair, arms, hips and legs are the main body parts covered in my observations.
There are two particular bloggers that I avidly follow and while doing so I have encountered and read criticism of their ensembles by their followers: one blogger for choosing to stop wearing hijab and another one for not wearing it "right" and being a bad example to their female muslim audience.
Fashion is a form of expression and personal interpretation to trends, and while they do not reveal as much of their body as is conventionally seen in western culture, they still wear make-up, sky-high heels, and other "feminine" accessories.
So my question is: are they still submitting to the male gaze, but in a minimized manner?
Check out this blog to see examples
Hybrid in a Headpiece
Tuesday, April 9, 2013
Kabul
I was watching a documentary today on HBO Go called "Love Crimes in Kabul." The makers of the doc interviewed a lot of women in this women's prison in Kabul, Afghanistan. Over half of the women were locked up for "love crimes" meaning that they either had sex before marriage, committed adultery, or ran away with a man. I noticed that almost all of the women interviewed in the doc were young (in the 18-23 range). The woman who is head over the prison stated that the prison is very full at this time with women who have committed "love crimes", but that it used to not be that way. She said that she feels that women nowadays think that they have too much freedom. That they can do whatever they want, and that they can have sex before marriage (obviously this woman was older and believed that "love crimes" were actual crimes and that these young women should be locked up for what they did).
I was very saddened to see these women get put into prison for regular things that American women do on the weekends (example: premarital sex). It got me thinking about the differences in our society, and actually, they are not so different. Aren't women in American judged for having a lot of premarital sex? I feel that our society is okay with women having sex with 1 or 2 partners before marriage, but that it is looked down upon to be a woman who sleeps around. Also, our society looks down upon cheating and adultery--so we have the same views about this as Afghanistan (we just don't put people in prison for it!). And, just like in Afghanistan, we are not keen on women running away with a man. I think that our society finds it understandable in some cases, but that generally it is seen as something that teenagers who are young and immature do.
What I am getting at is that even though in America we do not put women in prison for things like premarital sex, we still look down upon women having the same sexual freedom that men do. We let men do whatever they want (like in Afghanistan), but we do NOT want to let women have that same right (also like in Afghanistan). Even though women here have more freedoms than in Kabul, we are still "punished" for similar "love crimes."
I was very saddened to see these women get put into prison for regular things that American women do on the weekends (example: premarital sex). It got me thinking about the differences in our society, and actually, they are not so different. Aren't women in American judged for having a lot of premarital sex? I feel that our society is okay with women having sex with 1 or 2 partners before marriage, but that it is looked down upon to be a woman who sleeps around. Also, our society looks down upon cheating and adultery--so we have the same views about this as Afghanistan (we just don't put people in prison for it!). And, just like in Afghanistan, we are not keen on women running away with a man. I think that our society finds it understandable in some cases, but that generally it is seen as something that teenagers who are young and immature do.
What I am getting at is that even though in America we do not put women in prison for things like premarital sex, we still look down upon women having the same sexual freedom that men do. We let men do whatever they want (like in Afghanistan), but we do NOT want to let women have that same right (also like in Afghanistan). Even though women here have more freedoms than in Kabul, we are still "punished" for similar "love crimes."
Monday, April 8, 2013
Hawkeye Initiative!
If you haven't heard of it, here's the link:
http://thehawkeyeinitiative.com/
Obviously it's a great idea to highlight how sexist the superhero/comic book community is, and I think this is a really clever way to show it. Sometimes you'll see a superheroine in an outfit that is more conservative, but it just looks off or weird, like it doesn't fit (maybe I'm just brainwashed from years of comics). I think that to show men behaving in a feminine way better exemplifies the problem.Showing a woman in a functional costume? Duh, women want to be like men and save the day. But to show a guy posed and with clothing like the girls are posed and are wearing? The clothes suddenly look ridiculous and the poses are now uncomfortable. What do you guys think?
http://thehawkeyeinitiative.com/
Obviously it's a great idea to highlight how sexist the superhero/comic book community is, and I think this is a really clever way to show it. Sometimes you'll see a superheroine in an outfit that is more conservative, but it just looks off or weird, like it doesn't fit (maybe I'm just brainwashed from years of comics). I think that to show men behaving in a feminine way better exemplifies the problem.Showing a woman in a functional costume? Duh, women want to be like men and save the day. But to show a guy posed and with clothing like the girls are posed and are wearing? The clothes suddenly look ridiculous and the poses are now uncomfortable. What do you guys think?
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