short post 12/2

In “Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving,” author Lila Abu-Lughod examines the lack of ability to accept differences of women of different cultures. The events of 9/11 has permanently changed our country and they way we view those of Middle Eastern descent. The veil that Muslim women where is part of their culture and a deep seeded tradition. While we may see it as oppressive it is simply a part of there culture. My Aunt is Muslim and where’s a hijab, or head covering. You can use a lot of words to describe her but oppressed is not one of them she is very independent but insists on wearing the hijab whatever the social repercussions may be. Abu-Lughod talks about how different experiences social, political and historical shape who we are and how we assimilate into society. Basically this means that people are product of their environment. Just because someone has different beliefs than we do we must learn to respect other religions and cultures and not condemn people for being different. In our effort to help others a lot of the time we actually do more harm then good.

Response 11/30

The one line that stood out to me the most in all of our reading was in Cynthia Enloe's "Spoils of War" chapter: "I think it was absolutely stupid, as I've said several times. For the price they paid to rent the car, they could have had a girl" (119). This was the response of the U.S. Pacific Command commander in chief, Admiral Richard Macke, after three U.S. Marines had been accused of assaulting and raping a twelve-year-old girl on a Japanese island. Enloe goes on to say that these words provide a "glimpse of the patriarchal assumptions that encourage U.S. men in uniform to see women as warriors' beauty" (119). However, I think we need to recognize that patriarchal assumptions like these about women can be seen in many men, not just military men. In our society, it seems like many men feel entitled to women--they feel like they deserve and can get any woman they want, and if they for some crazy reason are turned down, they feel like there is something terribly wrong. I feel like many guys here at Colgate are like this. However, it is just not the men, who should be blamed; girls play just as much into this sense of entitlement by giving themselves over too easy to guys. As we've discussed previously in class, we all feed into the patriarchal society that still exists to this day.

Response 11/29

The New York Times articles by Steven Lee Myers I felt were really enlightening. We often forget that just like in America, there is a chance for abuse, pregnancy and even marriage. Firstly, in “A Peril in War Zones”, the sexual abuse that goes on between soldiers is discussed. I find it interesting and even sad that the author describes that there are ‘conditions for abuse’ that exist in combat. There should not be any excuse for abuse, regardless of “remote locations, tension and even boredom”. When women and men serve side by side, these issues, while I understand are newer than ever, there should be a code of conduct that is enforced and the punishments imposed and taken seriously. It is disappointing to learn that there is an extremely low rate of rape and abuse cases reported, because supposedly “acceptance and respect for women in uniform is now more common”. As the other article “Living and Fighting Alongside Men, and Fitting In” states, women in uniform have had a “transformative” effect on the army. There are condoms, birth control and gynecological services available to women soldiers, and it is clear in many other ways, such as separate living quarters and bathrooms, that army bases have been “reshaped”. It is encouraging that people feel that both the contributions of women and men have been needed and that the military has begun to accommodate women’s needs, however many females are advised to travel in pairs, and are often the aim of slights and derogatory remarks. Furthermore, I think it is sad that women have found acceptance “not by emphasizing their sex but rather by displaying their toughness, their willingness to adjust to conditions that are les than ideal” rather than by embracing the fact that they are inherently different but that’s what makes it even better to have women and men working alongside each other for a common goal.

http://ovandony.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/2010/08/songsforsoldiers1.jpg

post 11/23

Steinem's article dealt with stereotypes that I am familiar with. Many comedians often joke about serial killers linking them with “crazy white men”. They would tell jokes like When black people have a problem with someone they shoot that person when white people have a problem they shoot the whole school. A couple years ago when the DC sniper was going around shooting people I would have bet my last dollar that he would have been a white male. I was shocked to find out he was black as I’m sure most of the country was. The scary the scary thing is that a vast majority of these crimes are done for no apparent economic or rational gain and are classified as senseless acts of violence. So in theory everyone is susceptible to these violent acts. Steinem talk’s about how society correlates these murders by their age and not by their race or gender because they are considered the norm. If a majority of these crimes were committed by men of color that would be the first thing mentioned by those who talked about it but since these crimes are committed by white non poor males the main thing focused on is their age.

Response 11/22

I found Enloe's chapter, "Who Do You Take Seriously" very interesting. One thing that stuck out to me was when she said that since the start of the industrial revolution, male factory owners have tried to "presuade parents and local notables that a woman--especially a young, unmarried woman, working in a factory--would be able to retain her respectability so that she would neither bring dishonor to her family nor jeopardize her chances for future marriage" (Enloe 77). On reading this statement I immediately thought of the reading we did on the sneaker industry, its foreign sweat shops, and how young, unmarried women were encouraged and essentially brainwashed into viewing themselves as patriots, migrating "from their small towns to cities in order to participate in the industrialization of their nation" (60), as well as to view themselves as "daughters" and "potential fiancees," needing the money to send home to their families and win over men with large dowries. In this way, as Enloe claims, industrialists ultilized "young single women for their own institutional purposes" (Enloe 77).

Response 11/17

I thought that Emilie Morgan’s story, “Don’t Call Me a Survivor” in Listen Up was really powerful and upsetting. The most chilling part, in my opinion, was when she wrote, “maybe the word no wasn’t enough”. To me, every person should have the ability to say no and have their voice heard, especially women. For men, sex is not as big of a deal, if you can say that, because biologically they are incapable of getting impregnated. The consequences for women, therefore, can be life-long.

http://takebackthenight.org/images/logos/tbtn_logo_new_006.jpg

I decided to research the “Take Back the Night” march as a result of this story. As a national foundation, they began holding marches and rallies with the “mission of ending sexual violence” in states across the country in 2001. Their slogan is “shatter the silence, stop the violence” and at the bottom of the site says “welcome to take back the night. A place free from sexual assault and abuse. We invite you to become part of the solution, part of the end of sexual violence. Here is a place to take a stand, a place to break the silence. Here we can Take back the night!” This website has resources, from a number for counseling to paraphernalia to a forum to share stories. Furthermore, they have an area to help plan events and even sponsored tshirts. There is even a link for donations. I feel that this as an amazingly powerful way to bring people together who have been effected and/or know someone who has been sexually assaulted. It seems that Morgan was helped by the march, as it seems like a very supportive and successful charity, in that many women's lives have been bettered (or helped to be on the right path) by their work.

short post 11/18

The chapter from Susan Brownmiller’s book about rape was very eye opening. Rape is a topic that is not really talked about it makes those who are not involved uncomfortable and those are embarrassed. Rape is one of the worst things you can do to someone Brownmiller talks about how rape is more than just sex but it is about power. I know a lot of girls that have been raped or at least claim to have been raped. I would never blatantly accuse a girl of lying but this subject hits close to home for me. I knew a girl in high school who told everyone she was raped but later it came out that she was lying and only wanted attention. I also feel like sometimes-promiscuous girls who may have had a night that they would like to forget may also call rape. Rape is such a masculine thing that I think that some woman take advantage of their position. Having said that I know that a vast majority of these women claiming to be raped are telling the truth but I don’t think people should be naïve to think that sometimes women do lie about this for one reason or another.