Boys Girls and Toys

The marketing of toys in today's society is highly gendered and enforces stereotypical gender roles. If you ever walk into Toys R Us, you will see the differences in types of toys and packaging for young boys and girls. When I was younger, the toys I always played with were Hot Wheels, Legos, Lincoln logs, footballs, etc. Those are generally the stereotypical toys for boys at a young age. Cars, engineering, sports, are all the common themes when it comes to young boy development. The toys young girls are commonly playing with are Barbies, baby dolls, easy bake ovens,  play houses, etc. The common themes for these toys are motherhood, cooking, housekeeping, and dressing up/ makeup. These common themes for both boys toys and girls toys are stressing the gender roles for them at early ages. Men should be engineers, athletes, mechanics/car-enthusiasts, astronauts while women should be mothers, trophy wives, and always looking lady-like. The packaging of these toys in the stores further continues with the gender enforcement. All girls toys are wrapped in pink and purple packaging, covered in rainbows and flowers and colorful print. Boys toys are usually wrapped in blue and black packaging with flames, superheroes, helicopters, etc. The commercials for these toys stress which gender should be playing with them. For Hot Wheels, Legos, and action figure commercials the viewers usually only see young boys playing with the products, and likewise for the girls toys. Many toy companies direct their advertising to one gender: if a boy were to see a girl playing with a Hot Wheel in the Hot wheels commercial he may find it less intriguing. The toy industry is one of the biggest culprits of gender roles enforcement.



https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Mz7M222fgT8

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lreImESlrG0

Fighting Fire with Fabulous Summary

The article Fighting Fire With Fabulous describes the plans of the Dambacher brothers to create a movement against intolerance. The show will take place in the nation's center for intolerance, Topeka, Kansas. Topeka, Kansas in the center for the Westboro Baptist Church started by Fred Phelps back in 1955. This church group is a group that protests against the LGBT community, people of color, fallen soldiers, and many more groups of people. The Dambacher brothers plan to film a TV show in the heart of this hateful community. This TV show will be about someone who fits the stereotype of the people of the WBC community, This person will be outed by the WBC and become involved with a "freaka" group of people, or people who the WBC community protest against. The goal of this TV show is to maybe bring light to the people of the WBC, but more importantly to help fight their movement. The Dambacher brothers want to "fight the fire" and help these people understand how absurd intolerance is, and that the views of intolerance are views of the past. Overall, I believe the motives of the Dambacher brothers are good. Intolerance is unacceptable in today's community and anyway to help the WBC community to understand that can be considered a good thing. I dont know if it is ethical though. The parody of the TV show and the almost "rubbing it in their face" attitude is somewhat stooping down to their level. The movement may even spark a flame in the WBC community and make their hatefulness increase tenfold. Hopefully, near into the future, the WBC community will be eliminated completely.

Sound and Fury Summary

The article Sound and Fury: Fred Phelps and Life Inside Westboro is an article/timeline telling the story of Fred Phelps and his family. He was a lawyer and the founder of the Westboro Baptist Church in Kansas. The Westboro Baptist Church was a "church" and organization which have spoken out strongly and viciously against government officials, gay and lesbians, AIDs sufferers, fallen soldiers, African Americans, and many others. They are a hateful community which have spend large amounts of money to protest against groups of people. Fred Phelps had a large family consisting of 13 children, all suffering from their fathers actions as well. Phelps was a dictator and an abusive father, leaving his children with violent injuries from beatings he gave them. Phelps would beat his kids for any reason: bad grades, unjustifiable assumptions, not meeting their quota in candy selling, having a girlfriend/boyfriend, trying to find other jobs, etc. Countless times, a child of Fred Phelps attempted to run away from home to find a different life. Some were successful, others were brought home by their siblings or came home realizing they could not support themselves. Either way, escape from the life inside Westboro was difficult for the children of Phelps. Anytime an outside source attempted to bring justice to the way Phelps's treated his children, his children would cover for their father as a result of the fear he instilled in them. Out of fear and loyalty to their father, the Phelps's children pursued law degrees and practiced law just like their father. In 1994-1998, the life inside Westboro baptist church and the Phelps's family hit national spotlight on CNN. Two Phelps's boys, Nate and Mark, provided newspapers with information on the abuses inside the Phelps's family. Overall, hearing the crimes of Fred Phelps and the lives of the Phelps's children were both disgusting and sad, respectively. The actions of this community seem to be in the wrong time period and unjustified.

Her Story

Her story was a very moving mini-series which depicts the daily lives of transgender people and their dating lives. The story mostly focuses on Allie a professional writer who is supposedly “really good” and her attempts to find out more about a transgender man named Violet and his daily life. Throughout their one-on-one interviews, they begin to develop feelings toward one another. The story continues to follow their story and the story of their friends around them. There were several scenes in the mini-series that stuck out in my mind. Many which revealed common misconceptions of transgendered people. In their first one-on-one, Allie asks if Violet is gay. Violet finds that slightly offensive and stereotypical of people to assume. He mentions how everyone who does not truly understand the transgender community believes that if you are transgender you are gay. This assumption could not be farther from the truth. Violet further explains how just because you are transgender, does not mean you like the same sex, it just means you are more comfortable in a different identity. I thought this was very important to inform viewers of common mistakes. Before I took this class, I thought that if you were transgender you were gay, as you are posing as the opposite sex. This assumption is a result of heteronormativity and the negative portrayal of homosexuality and transgender in the media.

Violet also reveals another common misconception in the first one-on-one with Allie. Allie explains how Violet is the only transgender person she has ever met. Violet corrects her and reveals that she knows for a fact Allie has met at least two, the other being her friend in the café. When hearing this, Allie is shocked. Violet explains how not all transgender people can easily be identified. I believe this conversation helped bring light to the common assumptions made by the uninformed.  Many people believe those that are transgender cannot be beautiful, or stick out like a sore thumb. In reality, transgender people can be beautiful. Violet supports this by saying she has two transgender friends, one an actress and one a model. Just because a man or a women corresponds to the opposite gender, does not mean they will look out of place. Some transgender people look more like and man or a woman than those that were born biologically as one.

I believe the biggest issue Her Story brings attention to is the overall negative connotations and stereotypes of transgender people. The idea that transgender people are all homosexual, that transgender people are ugly, or that dating a transgender person is wrong. In one of the scenes in the second episode, Allie is hanging out with her friends when one poses the question “would you ever date a transgender?”. One of Allie’s friends responds with an outstanding no, as another responds saying transgender people are destroying everything feminism work for. Later in the second episode, Paige explains how she reveals that she is transgender on the first date and that always scares people off. Violet’s boyfriend in an earlier scene also rips up Allie’s business card once Violet tells him she wanted to interview Violet for her transsexuality. Violet’s boyfriend clearly prefers Violet to not draw attention to it, as opposed to being proud of it. There are also countless other scenes such as these throughout the mini-series which stress this fundamental issue. It is a shame that the transgender community pinned to these negative ideas. Transgender people can be heterosexual, they can be beautiful, and dating a transgender is perfectly acceptable. Nothing about a transgender person’s appearance or personality or attributes one likes about them changes when they reveal they are transgender, the only thing that changes are the opinions of other person. And why does this one word have such a large impact on people’s opinions? 

Girl Rising

Girl Rising was an inspiring movie that told the tales of nine different girls from different countries and their experiences:

Sokha from Cambodia was the first girl we met in the story. Sokha was porn into extreme poverty and did not have the same opportunities as other children. She grew up in the slums of Cambodia and was forced to scavenge through trash for survival. Throughout her scenes, she is walking barefoot through mounds of garbage. She always wanted to go to school and that remained her dream until she found her way into school. Once in school, Sokha flourished.

Wadley from Haiti story started with her in school, eager to learn and enjoy her peers company. Once the devastating Haiti earthquake occurred, her home and school were destroyed which forced her family to move elsewhere. Her family then moved to a scraped together village made of mostly tented homes. Everyday, Wadley walked by the temporary school in her village, where children's families had to pay for them to enroll. One day, Wadley attempted to sneak into the classroom, jst because thats all she wanted and she could not fight her intense desire to learn. The teacher forced her to leave because her mother did not pay for her to be there. The next day, Wadley went back to sneak in again but this time refused to leave. The teacher, in good heart, let her stay because of Wadley's determination.

Suma from Nepal was born into a very poor family and was forced to take a path she did not want. Suma was a bonded laborer and worked for her master. Suma continued to live a depressed life, expressing her emotions through songs and music. What made matters worse was that Suma's brothers were allowed to go to school, which is all she wanted. At age 11, Suma served three masters and eventually convinced one to allow her to go to school. This event eventually led to her freedom, as Suma's teacher challenged her master to let her go as it was illegal. She eventually was brought back home to her family.

Yasmin from Egypt had a more gut-wrenching story then most. She was attacked and sexually assaulted by a man who originally offered her a ride. Instead of giving her a ride, he brought her to his house and committed these horrible acts. Yasmin was somehow able to escape, saying she used her "superhero" powers. Yasmin and her family never found justice for her attacker, as Egyptian police claimed they would not be able develop a case. Instead of grieving from her violent past, Yasmin uses her imagination to make the pain more tolerable.

Asmera from Ethiopia lost part of her family, her sister and father, at a very young age. Being so, her mother attempts to marry her off in order to give her opportunity and another life. Asmera refuses and tries everything she can to not fall into another life. Through love for her sister, Asmera's brother offered to sacrifice his education to give to his sister so she can become educated and avoid being married off to an older man.

Ruskana of India grows up in poverty living in a street community. Ruskana's family lives in tent huts in the middle of the street. Ruskana doodles in school to let her imagination run wild, in her head her drawings come to life. When her father finds out about her doodling in class, he buys Ruskana a drawing pad and colored pencils and makes her promise she will study hard and draw outside of class, as her father is sacrificing everything for her to go to school. The dangers of her family's community are eminent in a later scene where her father has to chase down older boys from bullying his daughter. Ruskana continues to find hope and happiness in her artwork.

Senna of Peru grew up in a mining town where her father worked. Senna's father insisted she go to school and avoid the life of prostitution. Senna had troubles in school. Her father began suffering of illness caused by the life of a miner. Senna found her passion and happiness in poetry, where she used it to express her emotions and empower herself.

Mariama of Sierre Leone was the first in her family to obtain an education. She began hosting a radio show an helped others through their problems in life and within themselves. Her step father attempted to stop her from hosting the show since she was not abiding by his requests at home. Through convincing her step father, Mariama was able to continue with her radio show and help girls and women around the world.

Amina of Afghanistan is an inspiring story about a girl who attempts to stray from the cultural norm. Amina is slaved to men at a very early age and eventually is given away by her family to marry an older man. Her family uses the money they received from marrying off Amina to buy a new car for her brother. Amina wants a different lifestyle and feels it is unfair that women in her culture are oppressed and not allowed to expose themselves or gain an education. Amina continues to do everything she can to find an education and break free of the customs of her culture.

For the US "girl rising" experience, I believe it is a lot different than what these girls from other countries faced. I believe girls in america have far more opportunity. The social norm in the US is for young girls to go to school, just like young boys, and obtain an education. Girls in the US are allowed to join the workforce and succeed just like men. I believe the Girl Rising experience in the steps women have taken to have better opportunities and lives. Women in the US hold powerful political positions and are large pop culture icons. Women continue to strive for better education and continue to pursue jobs and roles that were formerly always held by men. For example, Hilary Clinton might become the first women president in 2016. The privilege of US women is taken for granted. especially when one hears the struggles of women in other countries.

Gender and the Military

I have several family members and friends that have served in the military either presently, or in the past. My grandfather went to Kings Point and served for the merchant marines as did his father. Several friends I've had throughout high school and college also went to serve in the army and navy. Because of this, I am a huge supporter of the military and all who serve our country, no matter the gender. Gender has played its part in the military, as men are often used for more labor intensive tasks. Men are also more commonly used in high intensity combat units and combat situations. Many feel that women are discriminated against in these situations, and that the idea that men are stronger than women is demonstrated. Gender is also portrayed in military wives versus military husbands, and in the media. Military wives are often praised in society, the women in taking care of the children and supporting her husband as she fights for her country. Military husbands are often not praised in the same way. In some situations, military husbands are seen as weak, that their wife is abroad serving her country while he is home taking care of the household. Military husbands masculinity is often challenged. In the media, when the military is advertised or portrayed in movies, men are most commonly shown. These military men portrayed in the media often perform brave acts of courage in time of war. Most women in military movies play the role of nurses as well. Gender inequalities are definitely eminent in the military, however, it has improved in recent decades. I often see military commercials now with women soldiers incorporated. However, one question I pose is this: if women expect complete equality in the military, shouldn't they be subjected to being drafted into the military as well? What if a man is a better soldier than the women? Is it still considered gender inequality if the man is chosen over the women for an important combat mission?

Supersexualize Me! Summary

In Rosalind Gill's article, Supersexualize Me! she explains the technique of midriff advertising and shares her opinion on how it effects young women and society. Midriff advertising is the advertising of the midriff, or the "part of the body between the top of the pubis bone and the bottom of the rid cage". In the article, Gill describes how many feminist activists believe midriff advertising is sexualized objectification and frowned upon. She further explains how midriff advertising can be considered subjectification not objectification, and that it provides a sense of self empowerment to women. In recent decades, the "value" and "capital" of women has changed drastically. In history, women were considered to be evaluated by men based on their ability to cook, clean, take care of the children, and other domestic activities. With the cultural shift, women are now evaluated by men based on their bodies, and overall sexual appeal. Midriff advertising was argued to give women power over men and leave them to bend to their will. Advertisers also direct their midriff advertising to emphasizing that women should by their lingerie and clothing in order to please themselves, not men. The one quote that really tried to drive this idea home was, "while you don't necessarily have to dress for men, it doesn't hurt, on occasion, to see one drool like the pathetic dog he is". The one argument against this idea of midriff advertising was the fact that it is subjective to women of thin, fit, young body types. Women who do not possess a thin, ideal body are left out of this source of advertising. This concept develops the power of sexual attractiveness. Overall, the article was very fascinating on looking at multiple view points of midriff advertising and its effects on women.

Intelligence vs. Icon

I believe that Marilyn Monroe 'hid' her intellect in order to better her career. Monroe often played the roles of dumb bimbo blondes and those roles are what made her successful. People created this image for her and what they expected her to be like in real life, and this image is what everyone loved. For Monroe to reveal her intelligence, she could have jeopardized her ability to still get the roles she was used to and lost her credibility to play those parts. It is similar to situations of some actors and actresses today. Will Farrell plays solely comedy roles in movies; if he were to begin playing horror film roles or action/thriller roles, people would have a hard time taking him seriously. I believe there are celebrities today that share the same situation as Monroe. A modern day celebrity that actually hid part of their intellect was Nolan Gould. Nolan Gould plays Luke on the popular TV show Modern Family. Luke is the youngest child and only son of the Dunphy family and is known to be very dim-witted and immature. In the show, Luke's stupidity is often the punchline to successful jokes. In real life, Gould is a genius. He is a member of Mensa society of people with incredibly high IQ's. Nolan Gould's IQ is estimated to be approaching 150, and he also graduated high school at 13 years old. Overall, I believe Gould has to hide his incredible intellect in order to play the part of Luke Dunphy. If he had not hid his intellect, Gould may never have gotten the role in Modern Family that has made him such a successful actor.