Campus Engagement #1

         For my first campus engagement event I attended a lecture given by Gloria Steinem. I had heard of Gloria Steinem before, and I was really excited to hear her speak. She is so iconic and I can’t believe that I had the privilege of hearing her in such an intimate setting. After the even I told my parents who I had heard speak and they were even more excited than I had been. As this is an election year, and the election is only a few weeks away Ms. Steinem began her lecture by discussing her role as a political activist for women’s rights. She explained that “women did not leave the Republican Party, the Republican Party left them.” This was an interesting remark that she made, as most people do not associate women’s right with a conservative movement. However, she explained that over time as the Republican Party moved farther right so did their opinions on women’s rights. She went on to discuss the importance of voting, and the importance of activism in general.

Ms. Steinman also gave the analogy that this country is like a bird. Men and women represent the wings of the bird; and without one or the other, the bird cannot fly. She spoke beautifully about her experience as a feminist and her journey through the world of women studies. Ms. Steinem also briefly mentioned sexually violence, and harassment. She said that the most violent countries are those that are most violet towards women. I was glad she discussed violence against women as it is one of the most important topics.

She spoke about her childhood and how at a young age she was fascinated with sex and gender. She began a question and answer period where people in the audience stood and asked her questions. Everyone was so excited to be in the same room as Gloria Steinem, you could tell by the smiles and the energy in the room. Audience members asked questions that were all over the place. Ranging from how to change the stigma of feminism, and how to be a campus activist.  

Gloria Steinem is a true legend. She has done more for women’s rights and gender activism than almost anyone else. She is a celebrity in her own right, and she represents intelligence, grace, and acceptance. Hearing Gloria Steinem speak on my own college campus is something I will always remember.

BODY IMAGE MEME

    

             I chose a picture of John Mayer to use as a feminist meme. The original image had no text; it was simply an image of the singer. John Mayer is a sexy rock star that many men and women are attracted to. He has been known to womanize, have incredibly gorgeous girlfriends, and has even admitted to be a shallow guy. Beauty Ideals are the physical characteristics that John Mayer looks for in a woman. Features like being thin, tall, white, and attractive are physical characteristics that Mayer would consider to be beautiful.

            Obviously, John Mayer would never date anyone who does not possess these physical qualities, but in this meme he offers a different message.  Here, John Mayer critiques the incredibly unrealistic beauty ideals, and lets his fans know that he doesn’t require or believe in these qualities. He wants women to believe that they are unconditionally beautiful, and that the media forces these beauty ideal upon woman. He also addresses the affect that the mass media has on the consumption of the beauty ideal. This is the belief that it is mostly the media that forces these beauty ideals upon young, impressionable teenage girls.

            I wanted the image to be very easy to understand; targeting an audience of woman who can only dream of being beautiful enough to be with a rock star. I also added three of his song titles into the meme in order to further target his fan base. John Mayer is the perfect example of someone who strictly abides by these beauty ideals, and his revolving door of super model girlfriends proves this. Even though beauty ideals are ridiculous and probably cause more harm than good, they are unfortunately the contemporary definition of beauty.

Works cited

. "John Mayer ." Oh No They Didn't. N.p., 15 2012. Web. 16 Oct 2012.

Service Learning Post #1

Service Learning Week 1

Activism: On Thursday night I participated in the Vote No on 6-phone bank. This event was sponsored by Planned Parenthood and the Vote No on 6 Campaign. Along with several other volunteers we were shown how to actively and positively call registered voters and advise them on the dangers of Amendment 6. This amendment has to do with political intrusion between a women, her doctor, and her family. Before I began calling I was nervous and anxious, but I was surprised to immediately feel comfortable with what I was doing. I must have called 60 homes in one night, and by the end I felt incredibly accomplished. Some people refused the call and were rude; but surprisingly most of the people I called responded positively to the information they were receiving. I was also surprised to hear men who were interested in the amendment for the sake of the women that they cared about. Next time I phone bank for Amendment 6, I think I will add to my dialogue that this campaign is non-partisan. I think that is an important piece of information that should be communicated to callers so they are not automatically turned off by my call.

Reflection: This weeks service learning activity was directly associated to women’s reproductive health and health in general.  This weeks reading discusses the fight for women’s liberation, which has been associated with control over reproductive rights. Reproductive Justice was introduced in the reading which discusses a broader analysis for reproductive rights. Amendment 6 attempts to place politicians in the examining room with the female patient. Based on economic, social, and institutional status politicians can influence which women are suitable to reproduce. “Reproduction is not just a matter of individual choice. Reproductive health policy affects the status of entire groups. It reflects which people are valued in our society, who is deemed worthy to bear children, and capable of making decisions for themselves. Reproductive decisions are made within a social context, including inequalities of wealth and power.”  This amendment is a dangerous form of sexism, which could limit the reproductive health possibilities for women who are in a lower socioeconomic class. Reproduction should have nothing to do with status, wealth, or race.

Reciprocity: On Thursday night I was really excited about the work I was doing with Amendment 6. I feel as though I can have a direct impact on voters and Amendment 6. However, I also received a lot in return. I gained an education about Amendment 6, the voting process, and met many other volunteers who are great activists. Through the education that I received about Amendment 6 I became more knowledgeable about the topic, and in turn educated voters who needed some more information. It was personally a beneficial experience, as well as hopefully being beneficial for other voters.

VOTE NO ON 6!

Works Cited

http://www.votenoon6.com/. In BY VOTE NO ON 6 COMMITTEE.

Reproductive justice: Vision, analysis, and action for a stronger movement. In (2005). Women's Lives Multicultural Perspective. McGraw Hill.

Alternative Assignment

     The beauty ideal as described in "Beauty Ideals Can Make You Sick" (208) is an idea that all women should be thin, lean, tall, young, white and heterosexual with flawless skin and perfect hair. As far as women of color they should be light skinned and have the same body type as previously mentioned. TV, the media, and the beauty industry all promote these beauty ideals that in term promotes a distorted image of what beauty truly is. This cycle perpetuates the body and beauty image issues that women are concern with. Therefore, and because of this nasty cycle consumerism runs rampant, enabling these companies to portray such images. These ideals for many are completely ludicrous and unattainable. 

     Unfortunately, eating healthy is on average more expensive than the unhealthy option. To fulfill the beauty ideal it is important to eat healthy nutritious foods. In low-income communities it is much easier to and economically safer to choose the unhealthier option. Women who work who would also make dinner for her family do not have extra time on their hands to prepare the healthiest option for their families. These same women are sometimes also not only caretakers for their own children, but in many cases care for other family members. They will prioritize their outward appearance and become the consumer of makeup, clothing, and hair products; instead of taking time to exercise. This motivates such industries to continue to popularize the beauty ideal standards.

         At the culmination of this viscous cycle is overeating. Because these women live busy, and stressful lives they lean to food for a source of comfort. Drugs and alcohol are an inappropriate source of comfort and eating seems to be the most acceptable way to deal with life.

    Beauty ideal standards are so difficult for women to achieve and are not a healthy representation of what women should be most proud of. These standards add more pressure to the adolescent stage of girlhood and continue through womanhood. It is important to remember that true beauty ideals are not cosmetic; they come from the inside.

References:

Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4th ed. New York: Women’s Bodies, Women’s Health. McGraw-Hill, 2007.