I was browsing random videos on youtube and typed in feminism and the Bible and came across this video.Dr. Ravi Zacharias is a very adamant and profound speaker.
I hope you all enjoy this video =)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIr_KgaIjMs
a blog created by and for UCF (University of Central Florida) Theories of Masculinity students to share experiences, resources/links, articles/reviews, to rouse discussion and incite action, and engage issues related to masculinity. you should participate, too. email moderator for permission at Leandra@ucf.edu.
Friday, November 30, 2012
Disturbing Abuse Stories
Male Masculinity has opened my eyes to so many new ideas and topics out there in this world. For my service project I volunteered at a Women's Abuse Shelter and it definitely was a life changing experience.
The link on this post is to a website that has true, un-edited stories about women who have gone through it all. Reading through these will make you either cringe, upset, cry or a combination of all three.
I hope this will help you help someone who is going through a tough time.
http://www.womensselfesteem.com/abuseandsurvival.html
The link on this post is to a website that has true, un-edited stories about women who have gone through it all. Reading through these will make you either cringe, upset, cry or a combination of all three.
I hope this will help you help someone who is going through a tough time.
http://www.womensselfesteem.com/abuseandsurvival.html
More Google Searches
Today I typed the word 'sexy' into Google Images. It brought up approximately 200 images on the first page, with about 10 photos of men. The other 190 were women in almost no clothing and sitting in suggestive poses. The few men that are featured in the images are Brad Pitt, Jay-Z, and Channing Tatum. A few thoughts entered my mind while looking at these images.
First, all the girls look just barely nourished enough. I know very few women who actually look like this. So, what does that say about society's thoughts on sexiness. If sexy is requires eating very little, is that a healthy attitude? Also, do men actually view this as sexy? I imagine they do, but I think they probably also find the women they encounter in their every day lives to be sexy.
The other frustration I felt when looking at the images is that they were nearly all women. Men are sexy as well, but society only emphasizes the sex appeal of women. It creates unrealistic standards for women and takes away the importance of being intellectual, funny, charismatic, etc.
What do you think? Does society put too much pressure on women to be sexy? Do men find these images to be what is sexy, or is their view of sexy more broad?
First, all the girls look just barely nourished enough. I know very few women who actually look like this. So, what does that say about society's thoughts on sexiness. If sexy is requires eating very little, is that a healthy attitude? Also, do men actually view this as sexy? I imagine they do, but I think they probably also find the women they encounter in their every day lives to be sexy.
The other frustration I felt when looking at the images is that they were nearly all women. Men are sexy as well, but society only emphasizes the sex appeal of women. It creates unrealistic standards for women and takes away the importance of being intellectual, funny, charismatic, etc.
What do you think? Does society put too much pressure on women to be sexy? Do men find these images to be what is sexy, or is their view of sexy more broad?
Gender Stereotypes Over History
Today I am posting yet another Cracked.com article (I promise to post about something else next time!)
This article deals with gender stereotypes through history. Throughout this class we have tried to get a sense for what masculinity is and have looked at the topic from a wide variety of angles. I think this article humorously highlights just how hard it is to define gender and how easily our schemas could go the exact opposite way. While most of its content is shocking, I think that the most shocking part for me was when I read that pink used to considered a manly color while blue used to be considered a feminine color and the roles were only recently reversed. It's interesting to see how many things we take for granted while they truly do not have to be the case.
http://www.cracked.com/article_19780_5-gender-stereotypes-that-used-to-be-exact-opposite.html
Thursday, November 29, 2012
Sexism Ads
In doing research for topics for this blog, I entered the word 'sexism' into Google. Up came an article showing an old ad for Chase and Sanborn coffee. In the ad, a husband is bending his wife over his lap and spanking her for purchasing the wrong coffee. There's so much wrong with the ad, I'm not even sure where to start. First of all, the man is in the power position and 'punishing' his wife with a spanking as some do with children. Secondly, the wife is, of course, the one responsible for doing to grocery shopping. It applies stereotypes to the roles of both the woman and the man. The woman is serving her family, while the husband is in control.
I believe ads like these are still made, just in a less obvious way. Everywhere we look, we are sent messages about what we should be doing in the role of man/woman. So, the sexist message is less blatant, but still exists.
Here is the image:
I believe ads like these are still made, just in a less obvious way. Everywhere we look, we are sent messages about what we should be doing in the role of man/woman. So, the sexist message is less blatant, but still exists.
Here is the image:
misogyny & casal
(click link above to listen)
photo: news.wisc.edu |
Mixed with the Beach Boy's back beat for "Good Vibrations", Rafael Casal speaks honestly- as he seems to typically do- in his song "Misogyny". Truthful, heartbreaking, and to me frustrating- this song shows how elements of self-image, self-preservation, and misunderstanding collide with socially constructed ideas of gender that only serve to divide- not unify- us as whole. Casal's willingness to grapple with these issues and speak openly about them in a song is great. I just find it interesting (and frustrating) that it takes a bit to hunt things down like this that question and challenge the hip hop norm of misogyny.....and if you look for the opposite- you will find actual misogyny so easily! grrrrrr......
Wednesday, November 28, 2012
When I became a Man
A video that connected Manhood it elaborates the Bible’s presentation of masculine v.s Gender today describing the the interaction between the Creator
and the Creation with in attempting to shed light on Biblical Manhood ...Enjoy http://youtu.be/QRISRapn4zI
Men Growing Up to be Boys
Meat & Masculnity
Researchers are finding a link with meat and masculinity they are finding that men who eat steak are more macho vs. men who eat veggie are lame and even correlates with health .
http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/health/2012/05/18/men-meat-and-masculinity-linked/
back off -masculinity-patrol
Decades after women were not allowed to wear pants and play sports;
The article discuss the dominant discourse on women and gender roles and expectation .Today the the culture is finally expanding its definition of masculinity. http://prospect.org/article/back-masculinity-patrol
A Husband Accused: Holding His Wife Hostage
Watch Dr. Phil as he interviews Valerie
who is a victim of domestic violence who says that for nearly four
years, her husband, Chris, kept her trapped like a prisoner. In
this video we see the relationship power in terms of both perceptions of
absolute power and satisfaction with current relationship power. She
suffers after her years of abused. http://drphil.com/shows/show/1888/
The minimalist guy
Thinking about my own experiences with domestic violence growing up, I can’t help but remember not only witnessing my mother being brutally attacked, but my father as well. We must not only encourage the schooling about woman victims of domestic violence, but also men. Here’s my story:
Studying late one night in my room circa 1997, I could hear the arguments of my stepmother and father saturating the air with the intimidating voices calling out to each other. Once again, I try to ignore. Tonight was different. I heard a scream, a male voice calling out for help. I know that the only male in the house is my father. “Call 911”, “Help, she’s attacking me!” my father cried out. I felt numb, helpless, scared. I was a teenager, but already exposed to violence, except in reverse. I couldn’t understand why my father wouldn’t defend himself; I saw it happen before with other couples. My father would not budge; he let her put his hands on him. Strong men do not hit woman, no matter if she is the attacker. My father stayed strong. He finally was able to get to a phone and dialed 911, luckily he did, and I remember something being said about her possibly having a knife. As I looked out the window that dark stormy evening, I saw the blue flashing lights. I saw my stepmother taken away in handcuffs, as she glared back towards the house. The police did right by my father that night. My father stayed strong. He showed that he was a strong and masculine that night, he did not fight back.
http://www.batteredmen.com/bathelpnatl.htm
Tuesday, November 27, 2012
Meat-eating make Men feel Manly
Stockbyte / Getty Images
Man cutting turkey
By Maggie Fox
NBC News
updated 11/21/2012 3:09:00 PM ET
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As red-blooded Americans dig into their Thanksgiving meals this week, it’s safe to say most are eating turkey. It’s also likely there will be some manly activities – watching football, maybe even playing some football.
The two aren’t unrelated, says Hank Rothgerber of Bellarmine University in Louisville, Ky. In fact, some research he’s done suggests that eating meat is deeply intertwined with American perceptions of masculinity.
“There is a group of manly men who swear off what they call chick food, and they seek a double whopper to declare their manhood,” Rothgerber told NBCNews.
“It makes them feel like real men,” he writes in a study published in Psychology of Men & Masculinity, a journal of the American Psychological Association.
“Meat consumption is a symbol of patriarchy resulting from its long-held alliance with manhood, power, and virility.”
For more of the news story, click on the link below
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/49920136/ns/health/t/why-real-men-eat-meat-it-makes-them-feel-manly/
The sick results of the 'man's world' false paradigm
This is the horror of Southern backwards thinking brought to its logical (err, illogical) conclusion. And THAT'S my problem with the South. We spend so much time patting ourselves on the back for our hubris-laden ignorance, we won't even ad
mit just how twisted and sick are the very cultural foundations of our region.
In contrast—and in an attempt to transcend the Southern folk tradition of the braggart—I won't say anything about the aggressor here; I am certain he will receive his due justice. I only hope that Southerners can take a step back and look at the culture of violence and willful ignorance and just for a moment imagine that young Mallory Owen was your daughter...because she is. She is all of our daughters and we have let her down—BIG TIME.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/mallory-owens-alabama-lesbian-thanksgiving-anti-gay-attack_n_2194044.html
In contrast—and in an attempt to transcend the Southern folk tradition of the braggart—I won't say anything about the aggressor here; I am certain he will receive his due justice. I only hope that Southerners can take a step back and look at the culture of violence and willful ignorance and just for a moment imagine that young Mallory Owen was your daughter...because she is. She is all of our daughters and we have let her down—BIG TIME.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/11/26/mallory-owens-alabama-lesbian-thanksgiving-anti-gay-attack_n_2194044.html
Men: Feminists or Pro-Femenists?
Today, many male activists are considered to be either feminists or or pro-feminists. For many women however, this is disrespectful and unacceptable as they consider it as a disservice to the movement and progression of feminism. The burning question is why? Are women really being mocked by male supporters even though their contributions seem to be helping advance women's rights and equality?The websites below offer their opinions on the matter; by giving a better insight to people's feelings regarding this ongoing debatable issue.
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/08/can-men-be-feminists
http://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/gavin-thomson/can-men-be-feminists
Whitney Scott
http://www.newstatesman.com/blogs/lifestyle/2012/08/can-men-be-feminists
http://www.opendemocracy.net/5050/gavin-thomson/can-men-be-feminists
Whitney Scott
Are Muslims allowed to beat their wives?
Men should never hit their wives, girlfriends or partners. That is a universal rule every man should follow. A girl attacking a guy physically is not as scary as a guy attacking a girl. I know we are playing a double standard rule but it is true.
What if a religion tells you, you could go ahead and hit your wife? What if your wife is your property rather than your other half?
The video link provides you with complete understanding of the Muslim religion allowing and encouraging their men to beat their women.
I found this video to be very interesting and gives you an insight inside the Muslim religion. Unfortunately, the video is lengthy but totally worth the 23 minutes. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eI85xl4CCR8
Monday, November 26, 2012
Can a gender-neutral pronoun eliminate the concept of gender?
That's what Sweden has proposed. Sweden is the most gender-equal country in the world, according to the World Economic Fund. Boosting the highest proportion of woman working in the world. In the country's quest to become even more gender-neutral, Sweden has introduced a new genderless pronoun "hen". Instead of referring to people as he (han) or she (hon) people can use the term "hen".
Will this word catch on or will it just lead to more confusion? I guess time will tell. I suppose that the use of the world can help alleviate gender biases when referring to people. For people that have preconceived notions of the sexes, like "women are not as smart as men", perhaps using a genderless word to identify people in texts or dialogue will help prevent people from dismissing certain people simply because of their gender.
This article is almost 8 months old, so I do not know the current status of this issue or if the word has been fully implemented into the Swedish vernacular.
You can read the article here: http://slate.me/IBa37M
Will this word catch on or will it just lead to more confusion? I guess time will tell. I suppose that the use of the world can help alleviate gender biases when referring to people. For people that have preconceived notions of the sexes, like "women are not as smart as men", perhaps using a genderless word to identify people in texts or dialogue will help prevent people from dismissing certain people simply because of their gender.
This article is almost 8 months old, so I do not know the current status of this issue or if the word has been fully implemented into the Swedish vernacular.
You can read the article here: http://slate.me/IBa37M
'Manliest' Way People Hunt for Food
I am really embarrassed to say that I had completely forgotten about this blog until today when I was double checking the syllabus for the class and had a horrible moment in which I realized that I hadn't kept up with this. Its been a hard semester... but I guess partial credit is better than no credit, right?
Well today I contribute to this blog an article from one of my favorite websites: Cracked.com which outlines some of the 'manliest' ways in which people hunt for food around the world. I found it particularly interesting because despite the fact that the article is meant to showcase manliness, at one specific point (the part about castrating reindeer) they specifically talk about a woman who does the job. I found it interesting that in this case the notion of manliness transcends actual sex/gender but rather stands for things such as risky, tough, bold and other things that I suppose society has taken for granted as being paired with masculinity.
Bit of a warning if you want to click on this link, the article is about hunting animals and does include details that are graphic and uses some foul humor at times. If you are easily offended, I would recommend that you skip the actual article.
http://www.cracked.com/article_20121_the-6-manliest-ways-people-still-hunt-food.html
Well today I contribute to this blog an article from one of my favorite websites: Cracked.com which outlines some of the 'manliest' ways in which people hunt for food around the world. I found it particularly interesting because despite the fact that the article is meant to showcase manliness, at one specific point (the part about castrating reindeer) they specifically talk about a woman who does the job. I found it interesting that in this case the notion of manliness transcends actual sex/gender but rather stands for things such as risky, tough, bold and other things that I suppose society has taken for granted as being paired with masculinity.
Bit of a warning if you want to click on this link, the article is about hunting animals and does include details that are graphic and uses some foul humor at times. If you are easily offended, I would recommend that you skip the actual article.
http://www.cracked.com/article_20121_the-6-manliest-ways-people-still-hunt-food.html
Sunday, November 25, 2012
A better way to talk about rape
I thought this editorial was refreshing. I get so tired of America's collective past time: judging other people.
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/donald-dhaene/rape-women-fight_b_2151490.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=95276,b=facebook
http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/donald-dhaene/rape-women-fight_b_2151490.html?utm_hp_ref=fb&src=sp&comm_ref=false#sb=95276,b=facebook
Images
Today I went to Google Images and typed in a few different words to see what would pop up. First, I put in the word 'masculine'. I saw pictures of extremely in-shape and muscular men posing without their shirts and flexing their huge biceps. When I enter the word 'feminine,' pictures of women show up, mostly with pink in the background, and in small bikinis that show off their figures, which of course are thin with big breasts. So, my question is, is being feminine or masculine solely defined by sex appeal and outer appearance? For me, my feminine identity includes fashion, jewelry, and make-up, but even more so it has to do being intelligent, a good mother, level-headed and strong. I enjoy being a woman, I like things that are seen as 'girly,' but I also don't want to be boxed-in or expected to be a certain way. I find strong, female athletes to be very feminine and sexy. How do you define your masculinity/femininity or both?
Saturday, November 24, 2012
Friday, November 23, 2012
Chameleon
Rudy Fransisco is a spoken word artist who covers a variety of topics. In this particular piece he touches on our societies twisted views of masculinity and points out the harm that can come from it.
Wednesday, November 21, 2012
Domestic Violence- thoughts and survey
My Service Learning project for class this semester has revolved around domestic violence. As a wrap up to my project, I created an online survey to analyze others' views and experiences with this issue. It would be great if anyone would quickly fill it out, and it is 100% anonymous! http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/GVPZSR3
Seeing male victims of domestic abuse in the media and online seems to be far less common than seeing female victims of domestic abuse. I'd like to share a Tumblr post a male victim of domestic violence wrote, which has currently received over 48,000 notes and comments on Tumblr. Warning: some of the images attached are graphic. http://an0m0ly.tumblr.com/post/8309236833
Seeing male victims of domestic abuse in the media and online seems to be far less common than seeing female victims of domestic abuse. I'd like to share a Tumblr post a male victim of domestic violence wrote, which has currently received over 48,000 notes and comments on Tumblr. Warning: some of the images attached are graphic. http://an0m0ly.tumblr.com/post/8309236833
Tuesday, November 20, 2012
Police Families and DV
Police Family Violence Fact Sheet
Two studies have found that at least 40% of police officer families experience domestic violence,in contrast to 10% of families in the general population. A third study of older and more experienced officers found a rate of 24%, indicating that domestic violence is 2-4 times more common among police families than American families in general. A police department that has domestic violence offenders among its ranks will not effectively serve and protect victims in the community. Moreover, when officers know of domestic violence committed by their colleagues and seek to protect them by covering it up, they expose the department to civil liability.
Domestic violence is always a terrible crime, but victims of a police officer are particularly vulnerable because the officer who is abusing them:
has a gun,
knows the location of battered women's shelters, and
knows how to manipulate the system to avoid penalty and/or shift blame to the victim.
Victims often fear calling the police, because they know the case will be handled by officers who are colleagues and/or friends of their abuser. Victims of police family violence typically fear that the responding officers will side with their abuser and fail to properly investigate or document the crime.
This fact sheet is from the National Center for Women & Policing.For more info their website is:
http://www.womenandpolicing.org/violenceFS.asp
I feel it is important for these families to get help. There needs to be more counseling available for law enforcement families and perhaps more vigorous training to the officer who abuses. Although there is no excuse for domestic violence, but perhaps we can encourage officers to get adequate help for their issues and also more support for the families affected without fear of repercussion or loss of income. This will serve the public as well, as it may reduce the possibility of police brutality.
Sunday, November 18, 2012
Masculinity is not just about gender, according to study
I read an article in "The Times of India" about a study conducted at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar (IITGN). The study, which comprised of 50 students, showed overwhelming that the majority of students think "masculinity" has more to do with your social influences and behavior. I agree with this. Unlike the previous post I made about the documentary "Mansome" which focuses more on physical characteristics of masculinity, I feel that being a "masculine" person has more to do with how you carry yourself and how you interact with other people. Common stereotypes of masculinity do deal with being a leader of men and a positive role model, but I think the physical attributes associated with masculinity are commonly over emphasized.
You can read the article here: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-17/ahmedabad/35171341_1_masculinity-iit-gandhinagar-technology-gandhinagar
You can read the article here: http://articles.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/2012-11-17/ahmedabad/35171341_1_masculinity-iit-gandhinagar-technology-gandhinagar
What's In A Name?
What's in a Name and do males name make them more or less masculine for that matter? Many believe that choosing the right name ultimately determines a males masculinity and the type of person they will be. A brief history of some popular male names is also given to explain the background and importance of each name given. The websites below give a better insight and examples to this topic overall.
http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/whats-in-a-name.cfm
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/old-fashioned-names-100510
Whitney Scott
http://www.kabalarians.com/cfm/whats-in-a-name.cfm
http://www.esquire.com/the-side/feature/old-fashioned-names-100510
Whitney Scott
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Everybody meet David:
David is another friend of mine that had the "courage" to put on a dress. I know this might seem a tad redundant seeing as my last picture was also a man in women's clothing, but I think I have a progressive idea going. The last individual (his name is Andrew) I blogged about [see October posting] is a heterosexual man, and I attempted to analyze/listen to his attitude regarding wearing female articles of clothing--all of which was very illuminating. However, David is not a "straight" male. Instead, he identifies as "gay", and is living quite contently with his sexuality. I was interested in how David would react to wearing a dress compared to the reaction of a heterosexual guy. I'm aware that not all homosexual males enjoy wearing blouses, skirts, dresses etc...and that there are many strata which construct sexuality and its physiological expression, however, this was a little experiment on my part to understand why one guy would feel more comfortable/less-comfortable than the other. David's reaction being in the dress was, to say the least, nonchalant (if not just plain giddy) and he was visibly more at ease than my initial victim. There was no nervous gait or slightly furrowed brow; only a placid sense of well-being. I suppose it may have coincided with the style of dress selected for each party; Andrew's was shorter and showed more surface area, and David's was long, exposing less skin. But David urged that it's not the "style" (he exclaimed that he would wear a shorter one) but he liked the way the dress felt; the softness of the material.
More to come...
Masculinity
The following is a video I found a Youtube. I found it to be funny and somewhat offensive at the same time. The man in the video believes all men (with the exception of gay men) are sexist by nature and will always look at a woman's breasts before her face. What do you think? Are men born as sexists?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLAlQKFvdIE
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lLAlQKFvdIE
Tuesday, November 13, 2012
"It"
This is one of my personal favorite spoken word performances. While it touches on many different issues it also easily shows how the lines between masculinity and femininity are blurred. It shows that masculinity is not necessarily a trait only of men, but that women can and do possess it too. It also shows the struggles of those who do not feel they fit into this either/or cookie-cutter shape of masculine or feminine.
Monday, November 12, 2012
"Mansome"
I found a trailer for a documentary about male masculinity. I have not yet seen the film, but it seems to be about men and trying to look as physically attractive as they can. I know that there are some men that take grooming a little too seriously. I guess it all comes down to culture and how society says you should appear. A lot of guys I know, don't care too much about what they wear or how they look, at least not to the extreme that some men and a lot of woman do. If I can wipe 90% of your beauty off with a tissue, there's got to be an emotional reasoning behind it, it sure can't be based in reason.
Here is the trailer:
Saturday, November 10, 2012
The Influence of Masculinity in the Presidential Election
Now that the Presidential Election has ended, I am interested on hearing people's views on masculinity regarding our President Barack Obama and fellow candidate Mitt Romney. During this election, I believe many people took their political stance not only off of their religious beliefs and etc., but of who they thought was a better leader and exuded masculinity more overall. As a result, I have to question what contribution the media and people's beliefs on masculinity played in this election.
abcnewsradioonline.com specfriggintacular.wordpres... Whitney Scott
abcnewsradioonline.com specfriggintacular.wordpres... Whitney Scott
Friday, November 9, 2012
Do we still tend to engender violence and abuse?
(click above links to view)
****BOTH ARE GRAPHIC****
A bus driver is harassed by a passenger and then punches her in the face. He also throws her off the bus- she gets back on and he grabs her by the hair to get her off. As I am watching the argument between them escalate I cannot help but wonder why he did not just stop the bus and tell her to get off. Supposedly, the argument began over non-payment or delayed payment of her fair. I would imagine that there is procedural ways of handling an irate / non-paying rider. However, this was not the case. The two exchanged words as the other passengers videoed, laughed, and commented on what they observed. Finally another woman went to the front in an attempt to disengage the escalating circumstances; but to no avail she returned to her seat. As insults are hurled back and forth, the woman eventually places her hands on him in some capacity. He reacts by hitting her so hard she falls down.
I have heard all the arguments for and against the male driver hitting a female passenger. But the angle I wish to take here is more about the fact that what socially constructed masculinity and femininity were at work here as the argument escalated? You can hear derogatory comments from both parties. You can hear laughter of the passengers as they passively watch (with the exception of the one woman who tries to intervene). I wonder who the man in the orange work vest is that he would be standing right next to the driver. Was he a bus aid? A friend of the driver? A passenger?
In any case, the driver felt he needed to show power and authority when he chose to treat the woman as he would have treated another man (by his own admission). His choice in displaying his masculinity was still grounded in verbal and physical assault as much as he rationalizes his actions by claiming that if she wanted to act like a man she would be treated like a man.
Was the passenger acting like a MAN though?
She was arguing just as much as he was; calling him derogatory names just as much as he was her; and she sought to escalate the conflict with physical violence as he did. The difference being is that perhaps she did not physically cause pain, but verbally and emotionally she did by taunting him instead of sitting down to ride the bus.
I do not condone violence nor do I subscribe to the idea that 'she deserved it' (as I have seen and heard a lot of people- male and female- claim). Neither one of them deserved to be the recipient of violence. But violence is not just physical- it is verbal, emotional, and spiritual at times.
Was the driver coming from a place of masculinity that dictated he must keep control of his environment with whatever means necessary? Did he feel emasculated by her physical assault? Did he feel the other passengers were viewing him as less than a man because he could not verbally control a woman and her actions? Did he not follow any proper procedural means to remove her because he would have delayed his passengers and they would have complained and /or thought less of him as man and /or a driver?
Was the passenger coming from a place of femininity that dictated she must also control the situation to her benefit by any means necessary? Did she feel the need to prove herself as a woman in front of passengers that were laughing and passively condoning her and the drivers actions? Or did she feel she had to "act like a man" (stereo-typically) and fight with the driver in order to heard or seen?
Do they both have a personal history of dealing with anger and conflict with violence and abuse? People who choose to deal with conflict or anger with violence are not just men- they are women too. I think that if either one acted out of socially constructed norms surrounding masculinity and femininity as they pertain to strength, control, and power- then they they'd likely rationalize that they did what they both saw fit in an attempt to control the other. I think what additionally speaks volumes is the other passengers apathy insomuch as many were willing to video, comment, and laugh about the violence and none were willing to call the police and report it.
Further reading
(which inspired me to look up the details of this conflict):
A website called colorlines.com has a piece in which Akiba Solomon talks about
gendered violence and about the "camera phone savagery" that turns "viral".
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Maryland and Maine voters say Yes to same-sex marriage
Voters in Maine and Maryland approved a measure that will allow same-sex couples to marry and be recognized as such under state law. I think that this shows that at least in American culture, the concept of masculinity is changing. Although it was a close vote, the majority of voters in each state approve of same-sex marriage. Either people are becoming more open and accepting of gay and lesbian couples or with all the hype about the issue in the media that past few years, people are coming "out of the closet" with their acceptance of it, given it's been mostly a taboo issue for such a long time.
But the more I think about it it, the more I wonder. At least when it comes to male couples, does this mean the concept of what masculinity is is changing or do most people still think gay men are less masculine and just don't care about what they choose to do? Biologically it makes no sense, but at least socially it is becoming increasing more acceptable by the mainstream.
You can read an article about this by CNN here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/07/politics/pol-same-sex-marriage/index.html
But the more I think about it it, the more I wonder. At least when it comes to male couples, does this mean the concept of what masculinity is is changing or do most people still think gay men are less masculine and just don't care about what they choose to do? Biologically it makes no sense, but at least socially it is becoming increasing more acceptable by the mainstream.
You can read an article about this by CNN here: http://www.cnn.com/2012/11/07/politics/pol-same-sex-marriage/index.html
Movemeber
I found this video interesting. It is a video for Movember, a month where men grow mustaches to raise awareness for male cancer. The actor Nick Offerman suggests "manly" things that men can do to help grow their mustache, like hammering a nail and eating a raw onion. He also pokes fun at men that cannot grow a mustache, as they are not "manly" enough to do so.
I realize that this video was made in fun and made to support a good cause. I just wanted to point out that even humorous videos support ideas of maleness that are unrealistic. Nick Offerman's role on Parks and Recs, RonSwanson, promotes the same idea of this stoic, meat-eating, unfeeling man.
Wednesday, November 7, 2012
Election News
Once again we find that it is the fast-rising population of voting minorities, young adults and women voters that are deciding the sway of elections. The first openly gay female senator was elected in Wisconsin and there are more women in Congress that before. I think it is no surprise to men that women who are better educated and living more independently than in previous generations are demanding issues that affect them be brought to light. I heard on NPR different views people had about the election results and one reporter mentioned how the Republican party is having difficulty reaching women and minority voters. Not choosing to start a political debate or party blame, but I have to think that such news cannot be a shock. Women have made amazing strides in the political arena with the support of men who had the courage to think alternatively. Women have proven that their issues are issues for everyone and about everyone. As Gloria Steinem said in her UCF campus visit last month, even something like giving women equal pay for equal work is an economic issue as well as a woman's issue. And with so many single parents out there, isn't it time that those women working 2 or 3 jobs just to make ends meet could have the equal respect they deserve by enforcing an equal pay? I am very grateful for the strides we, as a country, have made in exercising our voice as women voters who know the rules as well as what to do about them. Politicians cannot hide their true feelings about what issues are important to them and if all this sisterhood can be channeled to political action, then men, step aside for there is some work to be done!
Friday, November 2, 2012
Central Florida 33 arrested: operation strongarm
After doing module 4 homework, This video came to mind and I thought the was almost similar to what the assignment consisted of. Right in your own city, These young black men may not be well known around the world but inspired upcoming artist in gangs. They live they everyday lives preforming gang related acts and eluded acts, also known as rackateering just two weeks ago.
http://youtu.be/zbH31t23ZJc
http://youtu.be/zbH31t23ZJc
Thursday, November 1, 2012
Where Does Domestic Violence Come From?
Violence against women is becoming more prevelant in society today due to the repressed emotions of men, as well as the media's and others influenced definition of masculinity. The article below focuses on domestic violence in relation to a study found regarding why this abuse occurs.