lead post for 4/28

Cynthia Enloe “Being Curious about out Lack of Curiosity”

Thinking in terms of natural, tradition and always keeps people from expending the mental energy to question those absolute things.  She gives the example of “cheap labor.”  When used this way the phrase is static and does not generate more inquiry.  She changes it to “labor made cheap” which encourages further questions.  

She argues that some of our language is de-gendered which hides gender issues from scrutiny.  Though I agree with this point, many of those terms do not have a gender attached to them because that is also deemed incorrect practice.  It marginalizes the few people of the minority gender that are a part.  She gives the example of “military spouse.”  Though yes, most of these individuals are women, which is not indicated by the term; some of them are men.  To say military wives would silence these husbands.

Enloe goes on to explain Patriarchy as a system similar to the Johnson article.  She encourages curiosity as a battle against patriarchy in its new forms.

“The Surprised Feminist”

Enloe was challenged to predict the future focus of feminists.  In this chapter she postulates an answer while also arguing against this challenge.  She answers that feminists and all people need to learn to be surprised.  This includes admitting when one is wrong in light of new evidence.  This allows for better engagement with the new complicating information.  Enloe then gives examples of various contemporary events that she did not predict.  One of which involved female basketball victory.  She makes an off-hand comment about their male coaches. 

This made me question what the coach-team gender dynamics are in the NBA vs the WNBA.  In the NBA for the 2010-2011 season all of the listed coaches for both the Eastern and Western Conferences are male.  This is not shocking or necessarily problematic since all their players are male.  This gives both player and coach equal access to gendered spaces such as their locker rooms.  However in the women’s league, of the 11 teams whose coaches were listed, 5 are women while 6 are men.  Though I’m sure there are issues with finding qualified female coaches, this inequality not shared by the men shows that it is perfectly acceptable to negate gender homogeneity if men are coaching women but that it is less acceptable if women want to coach men.   I am not implying that I think women need to coach men.  I understand and am okay with the locker room and cohesive team arguments if all the players are of one gender.  However, this argument does not extend to the women.  This indicates the real reasons have to do with prizing masculinity over femininity when it comes to leadership roles.

The two links below provide the numbers I mentioned.  

http://www.nba.com/news/transactions/coaches/index.html

http://www.wnba.com/coaches/

follow up post for 4/26

These articles are all linked by questions of identity and how one’s identity affects one’s activist work.  For Jessica Greenstone, feeling discrimination first hand as a child led to her be sympathetic for all who are oppressed.

Allison Attenello struggles through how important a common identity is in working towards a common goal.  This article was particularly helpful for me because she provided a definition of identity politics.  I hear this phrase a lot but was never able to understand what it means.  I enjoyed her conclusion that identity can be broadened and redefined.  You can be a part of a group and work towards its goals even if you are not a part by some outward markers. It is important to acknowledge ignorance as Attenello does and defer to more knowledgeable members of the community when applicable.  I understand her wanting to disaffiliate with the group because they did not focus on her passion: defending women against violence; however, I think she could have still been an active member of the group though she was not Mexican etc.  This is the whole idea of allies.  Male feminists add an important strength and solidarity to the group.  This is the same for straight allies of queer groups.  I think Attenello’s point that identity can be redefined to include passion and not simply societal markers allows for these instances of allegiance to occur.

Shira Lynn Pruce discusses how her identity as a Jewish American greatly influenced her involvement in activism.  I appreciated how she entertained both a Zionist and feminist identity.  Some might think these points would conflict, however she does not shy from this tension but entertains it.  She is influential in running a march for queer pride in Jerusalem despite working towards Right Wing politics simultaneously.

The beginning of her article echoed events that have recently played out on our campus.  Though not seeming quite so serious as her instance, recently there has been an opinion article in the maroon news which some interpreted as anti-Semitism.  It was self-declaredly anti-Zionist.  This created a stir particularly in the Jewish community but beyond it as well.  Whatever your position on the issues, it is encouraging to see students take initiative in responding and generating a dialogue. 

newsflash 3

Jason Kleinman

Professor Simonson

Introduction to Women’s Studies

April 22, 2011

Women in the Military

For a long time, the military was an institution made up almost entirely of male soldiers. As such, men in the military could exhibit their naturally aggressive, sometimes violent behavior amongst themselves. Recently, however, women have changed the face of the military. About eleven percent of the United States forces serving in Iraq and Afghanistan are women. Women’s induction into the military has been quite successful and effective, but has also come with some disturbing and unacceptable problems. The aggressive behavior by some male soldiers has manifested itself in many sexual assaults against their female counterparts. Since women in the military are generally treated as second-class citizens, rape allegations get swept under the rug and military women live in constant fear of sexual assault. War is hard enough without having to fear those who are supposed to be fighting by your side. All of the progress that women have made in society over the last century, including the right to be in the military, is ignored.

Wars are extremely difficult and trying to those who fight in them. In addition to combat, soldiers have to deal with tough situations such as seeing dead bodies, handling remains, and losing close friends who have been killed in the line of duty. On top of all of this, women must cope with the arduous task of being a woman in the armed forces. One of the major issues that military women encounter is experiencing sexual trauma. This includes harassment, assault, rape, and other violent acts. While civilian women must deal with these issues as well, women in the military experience them much more frequently. National surveys suggest that thirteen to thirty percent of women veterans have experienced rape during their time in the force. It’s bad enough that rapes are committed, but the most absurd aspect of this widespread sexual assault issue in the military is that male soldiers are getting away with it.

In the military, males are considered the alpha and women are seen as second-class citizens. Therefore, when it comes to rape charges against male soldiers, “victims are blamed. Assailants are promoted. Unit commanders - whose promotions are dependent on the conduct and performance of the soldiers they supervise - have an incentive to see that allegations are few and convictions are fewer. As a result, the overwhelming majority of cases get swept under the rug” (Speier). This outrageous reality in the military has made it nearly impossible for women to feel safe in their barracks. In 2009 Technical Sgt. Mary Gallagher was allegedly sexually assaulted by one of her fellow sergeants. He forcefully pulled down her pants and massaged her private region while rubbing his penis against her vagina. When she reported the assault, command simply reassigned the perpetrator and lectured Sergeant Gallagher about how 96 percent of rape occurs when drinking is involved. Drinking, however, was not involved in this case. This is just one example of countless reported assaults that go unpunished every year in the military. While these ignored allegations are egregious, this problem has another negative effect on women in the military, the fear of coming forward and being further ostracized.

Steven Lee Myers, in his article “A Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.’s” recounts the story of Captain Margaret H. White. She was sexually assaulted and then stalked by a fellow G.I. This stalking went on for months to the point where she, “felt safer outside the wire”. Nevertheless, she was reluctant to come forward. She is not alone in this fear as the Pentagon estimates that as few as ten percent of sexual assaults in the military are reported. This fear of coming forward is not unjustified. There is such a poor percentage of male soldiers who are successfully prosecuted for their acts of sexual assault that women have the right to be nervous about reporting their incidents. Another reason that women may not come forward is that they do not want to feel as though they are disrupting the larger mission at hand. Finally, women do not want to further alienate themselves within a profession that is already so heavily dominated and controlled by men.

The military has recognized that sexual assault is an issue that has gotten out of hand. The military says they have radically changed the way that sexual assault is handled. Apparently, access to treatment has increased and the rules on prosecution have tightened. While this remains to be seen, it does not appear to matter as women refuse to come forward about their cases of sexual assault. How can the military be the well-oiled machine that people expect, when eleven percent of its members live in constant fear of sexual assault?

It is hard from an outsider’s perspective to pinpoint a resolution to this widespread problem. However, it seems that, like many other women’s issues that have been exposed and improved in the past, women need to band together and publicize this matter and make it a ‘women’s issue’ as opposed to countless isolated incidents.

http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/volume_16_number_6/womeninmilitary.aspx

http://www.samhsa.gov/samhsanewsletter/volume_16_number_6/womeninmilitary.aspx

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/28/us/28women.html?ref=womenatarms

follow up post for 4/21

Lila Abu-Lughod's argues in "Do Muslim Women Really Need Saving?" that often the supposed plight of muslim women in places like Iraq and Afghanistan is supported simply to achieve other political goals.  She is extremely suspicious of this.  She argues that covering itself and the reasons behind comes in a variety of forms.  Western, particularly Right Wing persons overgeneralize by positioning all Muslim women in need liberation.  Abu-Lughod's comparison to our unspoken societal rules concerning dress helped to ground the issue for me.  Though I can see her point, that often covering is simply the acceptable way to dress, I would like to know more.  It seems logical to me that covering could still perpetuate harmful ideas about female modesty.  If some of the reason behind covering is to prevent male lust, this places the burden on women not men.  this is some of the same rhetoric circulating among conservative Christian groups.  It perpetuates the idea that men are uncontrollable sex fiends and women must help them all they can.
 Charlotte Bunch's "Who's Security?" and Arwa Ibrahim's "Living while Muslim..." both share themes of cosmopolitanism.  They argue against nationalistic tendencies and instead support the idea of a common humanity.  They assert that feelings of national identity should not trump human rights of all.  Ibrahim's story about being personally detained for 6 hours with out food, water, or access to cell phones made the issue real for me.  Though in some ways we have moved beyond immediately post-9/11 policies and fears anti-Muslim propaganda still permeates our society.   This can be seen by the recent laws in France that prohibits people from wearing full face veils in public.  Though this law does not directly mention Muslims it is clearly intended to target them.  In America there is currently a movement to make Sharia law illegal to practice.  This is preposterous.  Elements of Sharia law that could possibly be an issue would already be outlawed.  Any others simply do not harm others - and are therefore not an issue - or help others - even less of an issue. It can be nothing more than blatant discrimination against a people/religious group.

Bailey News Flash # 3

The Gender Conversation Still Relevant 

In her book Sexing the Body, Anne Fausto-Sterling focuses on ways that sex is a socially constructed continuum by examining the fascinating minority of intersex individuals.  Her approach bounces off of the existing argument that gender is a social construct and begins with the premise that this is old news given to us by second wave feminists (Fausto-Sterling, 4).  Though in a feminist world, this may be the case, recent outrage surrounding a J. Crew ad with gender-bending implications shows how our society may need to revisit the gender issue.  An example of such outcry can be found in the Fox News article “J. Crew Plants the Seeds for Gender Identity” which reverts to referring to gender performance and biological sex interchangeably.  This article indicates that Fausto-Sterling’s argument rests on an unstable foundation. Though it has huge negative implications for transgendered individuals, the heart of the problem in this article affects all gendered individuals.  By misunderstanding race, supporting ethnocentrism and championing violent masculinity, the article brings us back to a mindset that does not distinguish gender from the physical markings of sex and unnecessarily confines identity.

This is the ad in question.
[http://www.alllacqueredup.com/wp-content/
uploads/2011/04/jcrew-pink-nail-poilsh-
controversial-ad-essie-neon-pink.jpg]

            Dr. Keith Ablow’s article for Fox News represents one of many responding to the recent J. Crew ad.  This ad features a J. Crew designer, Jenna Lyons, playing with her young son.  It shows the boy wearing J. Crew apparel and humanizes this professional woman as a mother; this targets J. Crew customers who also balance their professional lives with their private.  One of the images pictures Lyons painting her son’s toenails pink.  The caption reads “Lucky for me, I ended up with a boy whose favorite color is pink. Toenail painting is way more fun in neon” (Ablow, 1).  Ablow responds to this ad by complaining that Lyons’s encouragement of non-traditional gender activities for her son will lead to his gender confusion and psychological demise.  He thinks that this represents a bigger issue in our culture: choice in gender roles and identity.  Ablow’s take would be less of a problem if it represented his opinion alone.  However, it can be found in the Body and Mind section of the paper; this along with the “Dr.” label gives it potential validity to readers. 

[here's the link to Dr. Ablow's article -> http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/11/j-crew-plants-seeds-gender-identity/#content]

A disturbing example of a past role thought
to be inherentof a particular race.
 [http://www.crestock.com/uploads
/blog/2009/controversial/02-1947-genuwine.jpg]

            The article pushes members of all sexes back into strict gender roles.  Contrary to Fausto-Sterling who acknowledges the fluidity of gender as a social product, Ablow refers to gender as if it were an inherent part of congenital biology by saying that children receive gender identity, which results in corresponding action such as nail painting, “at birth” (Ablow, 1).  He compares gender to race but makes the same mistake.  Outward trappings that confine one to a particular racial category or sex category are somewhat fixed.  As Ablow contends, the shape of a nose or the location of the genitalia requires surgery to change.  However, the roles associated with each sex along with those associated with each race can, do, and need to change.  Yes to “bleach the skin of others so they can playact as Caucasians” is disturbing to consider.  However, in this quote Ablow implicitly says that the color of one’s skin determines how one can act.  In fact, what needs to change is not outward appearance but the societal pressures that make acting a certain way Caucasian.   If roles associated with physical appearance did not change we would still be living in a society where black individuals were thought to be inherently suited for servitude.  Thankfully, we have moved past that.  Ablow’s misconstrues both race and gender in his comparison, but a parallel does exist.  Like race, roles associated with sex are not fixed and can change to encompass a perspective where painting a boy’s toenails is not seen as aberrant or damaging.

A depiction of ancient Greek gender roles for wealthy men.
[http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_Bxu2kHSW6aw/THU6a4m7zYI/
AAAAAAAAFRc/OSkgvzrGL2E/
s1600/Alexander+and+His+Beloved.jpg]

            Ablow also argues that current gender divisions necessitate the success of our species by saying that current, American “gender distinctions [including nail painting]… are part of the magnificent synergy that creates and sustains the human race.”  This ethnocentric argument ignores that in current non-Western groups as well as in our own Western past very different gender divisions exist(ed) without causing extinction.  The Huli, a group in Papua New Guinea, prize male beauty more then female.  The males undergo beauty treatments for their skin and hair to accentuate their beauty.  Their equivalent of a boy wearing decorative paint is seen as natural and right.  Furthermore, it has not resulted in societal collapse (Wardlow).  Fausto-Sterling explores how societies that led to our own understood gender distinctions in very different ways.  In the 18^th century European/American world, effeminate men existed and were called sodomites.  Though they did receive some political persecution, in places sodomites became an accepted third gender in a worldview of only two sexes.  Like with the Huli, this performance of contemporary feminine preference and behavior did not result in societal collapse.   In Ancient Greece, men performed masculinity through naked wrestling, initiatory penetration, and love for other men that overshadowed love for women.  This differs sharply from current understandings of ideal masculinity (Fausto-Sterling 11).  All of these instances show that gender constructions change.  Their mutability does not disrupt any kind of mystic balance and does not result in species death.

An example of Ablow's
suggested role for young boys.
[http://www.featurepics.com/
FI/Thumb/20100508/
Boy-Playing-Sheriff-1532344.jpg]

            Another disturbing element of Ablow’s article is the particular breed of masculinity he offers in lieu of nail painting.  He suggests that this boy integrate violence into his identity as a man by proposing that he “celebrate his masculinity with a little playacting as a cowboy, with a gun” (Ablow 1).  Ablow further confirms this and says that war is masculine by arguing that gender blending as displayed in pink nail polish threatens us by rendering neither gender “motivated to protect the nation by marching into combat against other men [emphasis added]” (Ablow 1).  Here he argues that femininity cannot fight and that masculinity can and should.  In light of Cynthia Enloe’s chapter about men in militaries this is particularly troubling.  She examines the role of militarized masculinity in compelling men to commit atrocities in war.  Borislav Herak, a breed of this masculinity, took part in the systematic rape of thousands of women.  Though in this extreme example many other elements contributed to Herak’s actions, gender constructions do make war possible (Enloe 106).  Ablow promotes glorifying outlaw violence as an acceptable identity for young boys (Ablow 1).  This perpetuates violence by making it an integral part of male identity. Instead, allowing a boy to paint his nails pink moves us away from that brand of masculinity and then allows children to articulate their own gender performance rather than forcing them into one.  I fail to see the horror Ablow does in this.

            Far from being horrified, when I first saw the J. Crew article while innocently flipping through the magazine in the Coop, I remember thinking how wonderful it was that popular media was beginning to blur our strict gendered behaviors in a non-political, non-charged medium.  Though Dr. Ablow’s article momentarily punctured a hole in my ballooning happiness, the comments to his article helped to patch the damage.  All that I read argued against a conflation of gender and congenital sex (“Search”).  Gender roles have their place in easing social interaction and establishing order.  However, these roles should never operate to constrict individual identity.  Since gender performance is not linked strictly to biology, this gives all the more reason to allow the blurring of behavior and expected action until each individual operates uniquely.  If in the future Lyons’s son does need psychotherapy, as Ablow suggests he will, it will not be because of his nail painting but because of the mindset that labels him a deviant for doing so (Ablow 1).  Continued rigidness in understanding gender not nail painting is the real issue.  Therefore, as a solution, we should not reaffirm this rigidness but rather expand our views so that this boy does not have to live in a society determined to uphold nonsensical conventions.  This will positively impact transgenders, males, females, and everyone in between. 

Works Cited

Ablow, Dr. Keith. "J. Crew Plants the Seeds for Gender Identity - FoxNews.com."

FoxNews.com - Breaking News | Latest News | Current News. Fox News, 11 Apr. 2011. Web. 18 Apr. 2011. <http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/11/j-crew-plants-seeds-gender-identity/>.

Enloe, Cynthia H. "All the Men Are in the Militias, All the Women Are Victims." The

Curious Feminist: Searching for Women in a New Age of Empire. Berkeley: University of California, 2006. 99-118. Print.

Fausto-Sterling, Anne. Sexing the Body: Gender Politics and the Construction of

Sexuality. New York, NY: Basic, 2000. Print.

"Search." Twitter. Web. 19 Apr. 2011.

<http://twitter.com/search?q=http://www.foxnews.com/health/2011/04/11/j-crew-plants-seeds-gender-identity/>.

Wardlow, Holly. Wayward Women: Sexuality and Agency in a New Guinea Society.

Berkeley: University of California, 2006. Print.

lead post for 4/19

        Myers’s article “Living and Fighting Alongside Men, and Fitting In” explains the role women increasingly have in active combat.   Though male combatants still comprise the vast majority, females are beginning to be more fully integrated into the system.  The military has had to change slightly to accommodate these additions.  Women have separate sleeping quarters and need more privacy.  This article argues that the benefit of females in active duty outweighs these costs. 

Some more costs include hesitation by the native populations who are not used to interacting professionally with women in the military.  Also, women continue to face increased sexual assault and harassment.  Women can also get pregnant.  In one of the videos that were coupled with this article, a female combatant said that sometimes women get pregnant intentionally because it means they will go home.  However, this combatant’s answer to problems such as these was not to exclude women from the military; instead, she suggested that “discipline, maturity and professionalism” (2) were sufficient solutions.

       Myers highlights that increased female participation in active units means that now women, as well as men, are trained to fight effectively.  This empowers women in new ways.

       Myers’s article, “A Peril in War Zones: Sexual Abuse by Fellow G.I.’s” focuses on the issue of sexual abuse in the military.  Some experts think that this incidence of abuse is no higher than in the civilian population.  The way the military is set up complicates reporting of abuse even more.  When this article was written, the military had just undergone a revision in their policies towards sexual abuse.  These enabled women and men to get counseling without pressing charges.  It also made rape kits available to military medical units and provided a way for victims to report outside of the normal chain of command.  This helps to alleviate some concerns about commanders ignoring the victim to preserve unity in their troops or to focus on other problems.  This article describes the case of Captain White who was stalked and assaulted by a fellow combatant and former boyfriend. She did not report the attacks because of some of the issues mentioned above.  It came out when the military investigated her assailant for other similar crimes.

      What I found interesting about this article was the fact that adultery is considered a crime.  I am curious about how they define adultery and what their reasoning is.

I found this website which speaks to this issue.

http://usmilitary.about.com/od/justicelawlegislation/a/adultery.htm

      Here it outlines that in certain cases adultery is punishable when it negatively impacts the image or cohesion of the unit. You can be charged as either the married or unmarried individual but usually half of the married couple affected must also be serving. 

     Enloe’s chapter “Men in Militias, Women as Victims” examines the role of politicized masculinity in compelling men to commit atrocities in war.  She uses the example of Borislav Herak who took part in the systematic and widespread rape of Muslim Bosnian women.  Enloe argues that a feminist examination is necessary when looking at such crimes.  Gender constructions make war possible.  When the type of war is so heinous it is necessary to look at the type of masculinity and femininity that makes that possible.  One possible problem with this article is Enloe’s focus on Herak’s pornography use.  If this truly was a pathological addiction there may be more cause for it to be included.  Otherwise, it implies that porn use itself is unhealthy; though I’m not a fan of porn many people do use it without some kind of pathos.  This also connects Herak’s rape crimes to some kind of sexual frustration, which based on the interview she provides does not seem to be the case.

      Enloe’s second chapter “Spoils of War” is very short but packed with interesting ideas. She contends that sexual crimes even when connected to politics must be treated as crimes against women not crimes against a country or a people.  Though the later approach is also useful it can trivialize women’s experiences with oppression to a sterile non-gendered metaphor for oppression.  This translates a woman’s issue into a political, aka male, one.  Enloe also asserts that prostitution in other countries enjoyed by male soldiers may be not that different from rape since there is a huge power imbalance. 

follow up post for 4/14

Cynthia Enloe's piece explains how women are silenced particularly in cases of sexual abuse or harassment.  Her chapter spoke nicely to our discussions about labor.  She described an organization called CAW that worked to connect women from different countries in and around Asia.  Though in this instance they worked to increase organization surrounding issues of sexual abuse, it could have positive implications for wage labor and other working conditions as well  We discussed how the companies often pit their potential subcontractors against one another to maintain control over a current factory. CAW could increases communication between those subcontractors so this doesn't happen.
Enloe's argument also relates to my last newsflash where I discussed a Libyan women who had been raped.  Her rape became a rallying point for other rebels.  Though for her this constitutes support, Enloe brought up some important problems with this use of a rape as a symbol of a political movement.  Here, her rape is protested because it coincides with the agenda of the rebels to do so.  If she had been raped by a fellow rebel and not members of the oppressive regime, her countrymen might have responded differently.

Gloria Steinem's article is interesting.  I enjoyed her addressing masculinity.  I know this is a Women's Studies class so I get why we study women, but I enjoy thinking about masculine gender construction as well. It was interesting to note that white, upperclass males commit most of "senseless" violent crimes.  Her argument, however, ignored a key aspect of this issue.  The fact that we refer to these criminals simply as non-gendered "young teens" shows our lexicon's use of the neutral to signify white men and white men to signify the neutral.  Pictures of a human typically are of a male, or a male and a female but rarely of just a female.  This goes back to our discussion of body and how the male body is normal while the female is aberrant. I do not think that male aggression is society's blind spot.  As Steinem notes, testosterone has always been linked with males and violence.  The problem is that we structure masculinity to encourage and support this violent, dominating image.  I am not trying to say that Halo makes murderers, but it does encourage a violent masculinity.  That being said, as Steinem also hints at. There are other serious issues going on in the cases she mentioned.  The Son of Sam thought his dog was telling him to murder people.  I think its safe to say he did not had a normal, functioning cognitive system at that point, issues of masculinity aside.

follow up post for 4/12

Brownmiller’s article establishes the idea that rape has an embedded history in the development of our current world. It is not simply an act of one man against another but an entire system.  Though I personally have never suffered from physical assault sexual or otherwise, I still feel the effects of this system.  Beyond its effect on people close to me, the way I move through space in this world must always be filtered caution to ward off violence.  I tend to operate in this fear much less then some of my peers, perhaps due to my more rural upbringing.  Even though statistically I am more likely to be attacked by an acquaintance, the pervasive man hiding in the bush image is still a powerful cultural icon that serves to monitor behavior.  Brownmiller’s article does have some troublesome implications.  As discussed earlier in the year, if taken to an extreme it implies that the phallus itself attacks regardless of how it’s being used.  I think this an overarching conclusion that vilifies men.  Another troublesome conclusion stems off of her quote that rape is “A conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear.”  I discussed this in my media project, though rape is perhaps a system whereby all men, unintentionally and intentionally, subjugate women, I do not think this collective process is conscious.  It can be. Crenshaw’s discussion of movements in communities of color where men are encouraged to subjugate women to assert their own standing as a black community collectivizes violence towards women.  Though this movement did not overtly support rape, I agree with Crenshaw’s assessment that the implications of this thinking does. 

Rape culture continues whenever rape is silenced or when it morphs into a positive thing.  For this reason I have a hard time being fully supportive of BDSM and rape fantasies.  I acknowledge one’s rights to engage in these behaviors in a safe environment when both or all parties consent fully.  But I still question the influence perpetuating rape fantasy has on rape culture.  I know that in these instances it is simulated.  Nevertheless, this simulation eroticizes loss of agency. 

Lead post for 4/7

“Acting on a Grander Scale” by Carol Mendez

Mendez begins by explaining some of her history.  She was raised by her grandmother and moved to the States when she was ten.  A nieces’ illness made it necessary for Mendez to act as interpreter between the English speaking doctors and her Spanish speaking family.  This interested her in the medical profession early on.  Mendez attended high school and eventually college.  This was difficult because as an illegal resident she could not receive state funding.  This encouraged her to become active in politics in an attempt to change the legislation. 

Always interested in social justice and activism, feminism gave Mendez an academic and historic system of thought to channel these interests through.  Though college gave her feminism, it also inhibited her participation in the previous activist groups she was a part of.  Mendez discusses how she found the balance between feeling the need to volunteer and maintaining other responsibilities (like school).  Though she had to sacrifice some volunteering to attend college and med school, she explains how this gave her power to impact even more people positively.  She sees issues in the way the Hispanic community interacts with the medical community.  As a member of both, she can work to join the two.

“Finding the Face in Public Health Policy” by Courtney S. Turner

Turner also starts her essay by giving us her background.  She was raised by black parents personally aquainted with racism and violence.  This shaped the way she viewed the world. 
Later, she became involved with health care concerns particularly those having to do with needle exchange programs.  She advocated for the legalization and implementation of such programs and worked at one for years.  This is a women’s issue because for years only gay men were thought to contract HIV/AIDS.  Heterosexual women particularly were not considered to be at risk.

Turner emphasizes the importance of having power but also real life experience.  This connects to Mendez’s article.  Both women gained power through education to positively impact the groups they saw being in desperate need.  Real experience focused their efforts and connected them to what people actually need.  Mendez gained this experience through working with drug users before her graduate work and then on a regular basis as a professional.

“Choosing Nursing: A Feminist Odysse” by Jan Oosting Kaminsky

Kaminsky discusses how she came to be a nurse because of a desire to do meaningful work.   This profession has had an interesting and varied relationship with both feminists and the larger community.  Historically, it was devalued work or as Nightengale put it an extension of women’s homemaker responsibilities.  As a result, it is a field still dominated by women. Though many second wavers looked down upon nursing they still influenced it by raising its status.  Now, nurses are seen as one part of the health care team.  Kaminsky argues that this puts the female-dominated field in the exciting place for women to have power.

She brings up the point that nurses enjoy a typically more flexible schedule.  She explains how this helps her raise her children.  I wonder if this flexibility arose due to the field being controlled and designed by women.  As we discuss in class, many jobs today are difficult for mothers to navigate. Some of this could be because the jobs are designed for unencumbered bread winning males. Nursing was always designed for and by females and mothers.  I wonder if this impacts its accessibility to mothers. 

Follow up post for 4/5

“Abortion is a Motherhood Issue” Judith Arcana

Arcarna’s language made me at first think that she was going to argue against abortion.  She used baby repeatedly to refer to the fetus which is usually not a tactic used by pro-choicers.  She highlighted the issue of motherhood, which usually pro-lifers focus on. Though this approach was novel for a pro-choicer, I found it ineffective.  The huge question of the abortion debate is when life – life as a separate entity – begins for the baby/fetus.  If it begins very early on, it is a baby (which indicates a separate being from the mother) and its right to life is fought for.  Arcarna took this stance on the fetus/baby but then argued that regardless it is still the mother’s choice.  She says, “Abortion is a matter of life and death…we all knew that” and then still supports the choice for death.  I cannot accept this.  She brought up examples from other cultures and times where women sometimes kill newborns and make “the decision to end a just-begun life.”  She compares this to abortion but then justifies both by saying that “Matters of life and death belong[] in the hands of the mothers.”  Though an interesting take, it is one I cannot agree with.  I believe that no one, even a mother, has the right to take another individuals’ life.  I can accept the logic of the pro-choice argument if it begins with the premise that the fetus is not a separate entity and is still reliant on the mother and therefore part of her.  I still think that life begins earlier, but I can see the logic.  In Arcana’s argument, I can also see the logic, but it deeply unsettles me. 

“How it All Began: I Have Had an Abortion”

What surprised me most was the tenor of the time conveyed by this piece.  For most of my life, I have grown up knowing that abortion was legal.  This was not the world these women inhabited.  The sheer amount of support surprised me; 4,000 women protested in Paris.  

“Roe v. Wade”

This court ruling established that the fetus is not a person under constitutional law.  This seems somewhat arbitrary to me.  Though I am sure scientific support was used in the proceedings, I would like to see more given in the reasoning.  Even still, the issue of when life begins is a somewhat indefinite one, which leads to the main controversy over abortion.  This sentence of the Rationale struck me as being ambiguous, “The state can regulate the woman’s actions in cases where the law serves as ‘compelling state interest’”  The dissenting opinion brought up the point that this could move the courts to being simply another form of legislation.  I can see how this could happen and am curious about what a “compelling state interest” example would be. 

Breaking Through Stereotypes

Jason Kleinman

Professor Simonson

Introduction to Women’s Studies

April 1, 2011

Breaking Through Stereotypes

This person is smart, funny, powerful, married, classy, well-spoken, career oriented, successful, and driven. This person has broken through countless stereotypes that have been cast in modern society. This person could be a part of innumerable societal norms associated with this person’s race and gender but has risen above all of them. This person is Michelle Obama. The aforementioned adjectives that can be used to describe Michelle Obama normally would not be used to describe a black woman in modern society. Black women are discriminated against for two reasons; because they are women and because they are black. This duel set of vulnerabilities has made it very difficult for black women to break through stereotypes. Statistics show that black women are inferior to black men, white women, and white men in many walks of life. Additionally, they are considered suitable for certain jobs that imply that they are second-rate citizens. A woman who completely breaks through this duel discrimination is rare. These stereotypes, amongst others, contribute to modern media’s portrayal of black women. They are seen not only as sex objects, but animalistic sex objects. Slavery has been over for over a hundred years and yet black women are still portrayed as though they are animalistic commodities. Michelle Obama is a refreshing exception to the generally accepted stereotypes about African American women. She is also someone who is very visible in the media, and has therefore broken media consistencies as well. Michelle Obama’s story and sophisticated image seen through the media, is revolutionary for African American women.

Forty percent of black women do not get married before they are fifty-four. Black women, for the same hours worked, earn eighty-five cents for every dollar earned by white women, eighty-seven cents for every dollar earned by black men, and sixty-three cents for every dollar earned by white men. Over thirteen percent of black female workers are poor as opposed to five percent of white female workers, 7.7 percent of black male workers, and 4.4 percent of white male workers. All of these statistics solidify the idea that black women have gender and racial inequalities to overcome. Additionally, black women are considered suitable for certain jobs that imply their inferiority to men and to white people. A prime example of said profession is paid household work. Barbara Ehrenreich in “Maid to Order” talks about how after second wave feminism, women wanted men to contribute to household work. Men were not particularly happy with this request, which caused tension in many marriages. Instead of working through these problems, people began to hire maids. These maids were and still are predominantly female and are mostly African American (or of other minority decent). White middle class men are often responsible for hiring these African American women to work in their homes. This further perpetuates the sexual and racial divide that has become common in modern society. This is one of many examples where black women are stereotyped as inferior in contemporary culture.

Michelle Obama is a clear exception to all of these stereotypes. She is the First Lady of the United States, she graduated Princeton University as an undergraduate and Harvard Law School. She also had a flourishing career as a corporate lawyer and was an executive at the University of Chicago Medical Center. Michelle Obama trumps any stereotypes or societal norms associated with black women. The feats that she has achieved are predominantly thought of, in society, as only attainable by white males. Nevertheless, she has not only broken through the sexist barriers that plague modern society, but she has broken through racist barriers as well. While Mrs. Obama’s accomplishments are impressive, the most intriguing part of her achievements is her sophisticated and tasteful presence in the media and the fact that her success story is so widely publicized.

Generally, black women have been portrayed in the media as animalistic and uncivilized. This is a tactic that is used across many mediums and although it has come to be widely accepted, it is extremely demeaning to African American women. The way that Destiny’s Child is represented in the media is a great example of this belittling media tactic. They have been pictured on album covers, promotional advertisements, etc, in animalistic clothing. They have even been depicted in cages in some cases. Black women have overcome many obstacles since the time of slavery. However, modern media tactics have sent African American women back hundreds of years and perpetuated stereotypes that black women experience every day. Michelle Obama represents an exception in this media ploy. Michelle Obama’s success and elegant character is highly publicized because of her status as the First Lady of the United States. She does commercials, gives televised speeches, and goes on televised talk shows. Throughout all of her public appearances she upholds a classy, well spoken, and sophisticated character

(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=N2bq_H5vJnI). She is arguably the most visible black woman in the United States and has revolutionized the way that black women are represented in the media.

Michelle Obama is a rare but phenomenal success story. As an African American woman she had both racial and gender biases to get passed. She had to overcome statistical evidence showing that African American women aren’t meant to make as much money as men as well as professional stereotypes that place African American women as maids for middle class white families. She not only succeeded in overcoming these obstacles, but anyone with a television or radio knows about her story. She constantly trumps all of the media sources that portray African American women in a demeaning way, as she is elegant and professional in all of her public endeavors. Michelle Obama revolutionized the way that African American women are seen in the media and she did so intentionally. From the very beginning of Barack Obama’s campaign, Michelle said, “If all I do is show that we’re not all from welfare families or [all] athletes, but we’re ordinary professionals in functional families, that will be enough” (Conrad). Although Michelle Obama has not changed the way that the media depicts African American women, she is well publicized proof that African American women can and do succeed in modern society. Her story represents a step in the right direction for African American women.

http://www.america.gov/st/business-english/2009/July/20090126163119BErehelleK0.5277063.html

http://prospect.org/cs/articles?article=black_women_the_unfinished_agenda

April's Newsflash#2

 Rape as Political Oppression

           In March, Libyan rebels mirrored the activities of many countries in that region and rebelled against their suppressive government.  This government, controlled by Colonol Mummar el-Quaddafi for 42 years, retaliated swiftly and harshly.  American and European forces have since joined in to aide the rebels as the country continues to exist in turmoil and violence (“Libya-Protests and Revolts”).  Splashed across this backdrop is the story of one Libyan woman.  Eman al Obaidi captured the interest of American journalists by forcing her way into the hotel where they were staying screaming that she had been raped by Quaddafi’s men (“Mother of Libyan Woman”). This event elicited a surprising amount of support from her countrymen (Sayah).  Echoing the arguments made by Susan Browmiller in Against Our Wills, her rape has become more than the violation of one woman by a group of males.  It is one of the many rapes that contribute to rape as a culture (Freedman).  This culture of sexual violation walks hand in hand with a culture of political violation – this is why Obaidi’s actions have become a rallying point for her fellow political rebels; we must examine the way culture normalizes both political and sexual oppression in order to move towards overcoming them both.
http://www.cnn.com/2011/WORLD/africa/03/28/libya.beaten.woman/index.html

            Brownmiller argues that individual cases of rape such as this one affect not only the specific victims and specific attackers; rape translates into a wider system of terrorization that affects all women.  This is what she means by her famous quote that rape is “A conscious process of intimidation by which all men keep all women in a state of fear” (Freedman, 312).  Though I disagree with Brownmiller on one point, I do not think that rapists consciously collectivize, I do think that this way of viewing rape is useful.  Its prevalence demands us to examine it as a system not a culmination of individual instances. Brownmiller explains that historically, societies respond to rape victims by silencing them.  The second wave feminist movement began to fight back for all women by breaking this silence.

            Initially government officials scrambled to impose this same silence onto Obaidi.  She entered the hotel seemingly with the intent of gaining aide from the foreign reporters by shouting in English that she had been held for days and repeatedly beaten and raped by 15 men – members of Quaddafi’s regime.  Government officials, security and hotel staff fought to subdue her, forced her into an unmarked vehicle and removed her from the hotel.  CNN cameras containing footage were deliberately smashed.  Officials later reportedly contacted Obaidi’s mother and said that they would release Obaidi if she changed her story (“Mother of Libyan Woman”).  This attempt to silence Obaidi further stabilizes the practice, which feminists battled to unhinge.  Silencing becomes a reality for all women – victims of either the actuality or the fear of rape.   Obaidi took steps to undermine this pressure to be silent by contacting the media.  As her story spreads, she defies her attackers. 

Another common theme of many rape crimes shifts the identity of the victim from accuser to accused (Freedman).  In Obaidi’s case, the four men identified as her alleged attackers have filed a suit against her for slander.  They argue that Obaidi denied them proper rights by going first to the publicity of reporters rather than the police with her allegations.  This is complicated by Islamic law, which prizes and protects the good name of an individual and the family they associate with.  Obaidi’s actions negatively affect not only her attackers but also their families (Feller).  Though this may be the case, these alleged attackers’ actions represent common themes in rape cases where female victims are vilified and seen to be “asking for” or in some way guilty for their own assault (Freedman).  The woman is painted as a malicious individual who either lies about her attack, deserves it, or secretly wants it.

These same characteristics of Obaidai’s and many victims’ rapes echo in the political realm.  For her, political and sexual exploitation intermix.  She describes her attackers not simply as men but as Quaddafi’s men.  This positions her both as a woman and a rebel attacked by men and by Quaddafi respectively.  When officials subdued her in the hotel, one of the hotel staff reportedly yelled “Traitor!” (“Mother of Libyan Woman”).  This language connects Obaidi’s action to the political movement and implies that her actions threaten her country.  She spoke her truth, and since this staff perceived her truth as a threat to Quaddafi’s state, this individual condemned her for it.  Her use of vocal agency had far-reaching political impacts.  It spoke for all women but also for all rebels.

            This can be seen in her countryman’s response.  Following this incident, hundreds of fellow rebels banned together and marched on the city’s courthouse to express their protest of her treatment and to extend support to Obaidi (Sayah).  Though this demonstrates great solidarity for her; it is more than that.  Protesters expressed that this incident shows what they have experienced under Quaddafi’s rule for decades.  This way of interpreting the event positions her experience as an example of exploitation that applies to politics as well.  This connects to an overall theme of feminism throughout the waves.  Often coming out of civil rights movements, one example of freedom inspires women to fight for another.  Feminism seeks freedom from oppression for all – genders, classes, races, sexual orientations, etc.  In this way, rape – a violation of freedom – connects metaphorically with the rape of a country.  Obaidi’s story resonates with the rebels because her experience of oppression mirrors their own.

Every great historical state of oppression – including Quaddafi’s – is characterized by censorship, elimination of critics, distortion of facts through propaganda and scaring citizens into silent submission.  This sounds a lot like the tactics rape culture uses to ensure rapists protection and domination.  Even including propaganda, the array of juicy paperback literature targeted towards women details instances of female rape where the woman secretly wants to be coerced into sexual intercourse.  This creates a world where rape becomes fantasy and rapists fulfill this fantasy rather then violate female autonomy. These are marketed as arousing literature for women.  Similarly, high-end fashion companies depict and glamorize rape scenes under the guise of pushing boundaries.  These boundaries are pushed but not in a way that reveals the true nature of rape.  Instead, similar to political propaganda, these ads and literature distort an issue and create a culture of oppression

An older man pins a woman to the ground while a group of younger men look on.
(http://www.adrants.com/images/dg_girl_down.jpg)

Here a man lies exposed with eyes closed while other clothed men look on.  (http://blog.lib.umn.edu/raim0007/gwss1001/D%26Gadman.jpg)

Rape’s highly symbolic overtones create a way of thinking where oppression – even political oppression – is a crime.  In many ways, this is encouraging.  The Libyan people’s response to Obaidi’s rape shows how people identify with her in the fight against oppression, both sexual and political.  The way this case was handled, however, is discouraging.  The reoccurrence of many classical responses to rape shows how far we still have to go to reach the goal of fighting back (Brownmiller).  Part of the way we can fight back is to end oppression for all.  On a practical level, this means exposing and refusing to accept propaganda that supports any kind of oppression whether it be sexual, political, or otherwise. 

Works Cited

Feller, Ben. "'Gang-raped' Libyan Woman Charged | Herald Sun." Herald Sun | Latest Melbourne & Victoria News | HeraldSun. Herald Sun, 30 Mar. 2011. Web. 31Mar. 2011. <http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/world/gaddafi-hometown-hit-by-air-raids-as-libya-crisis-continues/story-e6frf7lf-1226030423548>.

Freedoman, Estelle B. The Essential Feminist Reader. The Modern Library: New York.

2007.

"Libya - Protests and Revolts (2011)." World. The New York Times. Web. 28 Mar. 2011.

<http://topics.nytimes.com/top/news/international/countriesandterritories/libya/index.html>.

"Mother of Libyan Woman Who Alleged Rape Says Daughter Still in Custody –

CNN.com." CNN.com - Breaking News, U.S., World, Weather, Entertainment & Video News. CNN, 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://www.cnn.com/ 2011/ WORLD/africa/03/28/libya.beaten.woman/index.html>.

Sayah, Reza. "Rally to Support Raped Libyan Women - World News - IBNLive." CNN-

IBN, Live India News, Breaking News, World, Business, Tech, Sports & Entertainment News. CNN, 28 Mar. 2011. Web. 31 Mar. 2011. <http://ibnlive.in.com/news/rally-to-support-raped-libyan-women/147316-2.html>.

Follow up post for 3/31

Eang's discussion of her upbringing shocked me in many ways.  For one thing, her discussion of poverty and harsh immigrant labor centered around Pennsylvania and New Jersey.  I've spent a lot of time in both those states; this made these labor issues even more realistic for me.  She discussed working as a child in blueberry fields.  Though this was not sanctioned by the employer - her parents snuck her and her siblings in - this brought the issue of child labor into a stark reality for me.  I too grew up picking blueberries.  But for me this represents cherished family time and fun excursions not labor.

Mink's article helped me to further understand the tension between classes within feminism - something I still have trouble understanding why it exists.  Mink outlined very clearly that for upper class women working is often the desired privilege while for lower class women not-working, mothering, is the privilege.  This creates a lack of solidarity within the community as welfare issues are not supported the elite women.  Mink argues that mothering should be accommodated for legally and financially.  Though I agree on many levels I do not like Mink's prioritization of women as caregivers.  Though I understand that this often is the case, men can - and I believe should - participate equally in this role.  Mink allows for this by noting that "Men can mother, too" (p. 63).  At first I thought, or father.  But then I realized that mothering and fathering has different implications about roles and level of involvement beyond simply the gender of the actor.  I can understand why Mink would not use father in this instance because it has different implications.  However, I think this is one of the problems, that the work that men and women do in the home is seen as vastly different.  For this reason, I think we should focus analysis on care-giving, not on mothering, and thereby more broadly extend this label to both/all genders and encourage males to participate.

Lead post for 3/27

“Stories from the Sidelines: Career Versus Family” by  Megan Pinand

Pinand discusses her experience as a professional woman who also wanted to maintain a family.  At one point, one of her bosses – a single father – cautioned her that she would not be able to do both.  Pinand pulled against this advice, being frustrated by the fact that men are never asked to choose and working class women are expected to handle both.  This connects to the ways feminism means different things to different classes.  The Betty Friedans were coming more from Pinand’s perspective.  Pinand’s insight here helped me to make sense of the conflict between the classes in second wave feminism.  The middle-to-upper class educated female is under a distinct and different set of pressures when it comes to the family/career choice when compared to her working class counterparts.

Pinand goes on to explain her experience at a new company that was decidedly not female friendly.  There, mothers experienced implicit pressure to not take full advantage of maternity leaves in order to maintain positions and gain promotions.  Though not yet a mother, Pinand plans to be.  She challenges us that larger social change needs to occur.  A necessary shift I see is one that does not simply focus on women as having to make this choice.  If a marriage is a partnership, and the couple has decided earning finances should be as well (ie they both work full-time), raising children should also be a partnership.  Unfortunately, women are still expected to pull much more of the weight when it comes to child-rearing regardless of the extent of their work commitments.

“A General Strike” by Marirosa Dalla Costa

Using strong Marxian rhetoric, Costa argues that the unifying feature of all women is that they do housework.  She argues that this universal quality itself allows housework to be discredited.  She then urges women to strike and demand wages for their work.  I appreciate what she is doing.  I think equally satisfying solutions would be either for husbands to equally share housework or for housework to be completed by whichever member was unemployed as long as the general hour commitments of each partner remained roughly equal.

“The Mommy Tax” by Ann Critenden

Critenden explains that the Mommy Tax is whatever money the mother sacrifices, particularly in terms of wages, with the decision to have a child. She provides a look at the way the French treat mothers; all receive government money and healthcare.  Critenden goes on to compare what women make in comparison to men.  She explains the normal way this statistic is calculated – it considers full-time workers only – and argues that since women overwhelmingly work more part-time positions then men part-time work should be included.  When this is considered, women make 60 cents to the man’s dollar.  This article argues that it is not discrimination in the work place that accounts for this but cultural pressures on women to parent.  Therefore, it is not a women’s issue so much as a mother’s issue.

She later goes on to acknowledge that there is also a daddy tax.  However, she explains this away by saying that it indicates continued sexist discrimination not a move towards equal parenting relations.  Critenden argues that these wage gaps are not due to the time commitment of parenting as much as to unsympathetic employers.  Though assuredly it is both, based on her own calculation of her “tax,” not working was a huge factor.  Not working certainly decreases the amount you would make otherwise regardless for the reason for being unemployed.

I understand some of her argument but key points seem preposterous to me.  Though I can see her argument connecting to Costa’s she does make this explicit.  If we lived in a truly socialist society, perhaps then the government could pay for housework and mothering.  However, as it is, we live in a primarily capitalist society.  I think it unfair to harangue the companies for wanting to pay workers less when workers ask to work less or demonstrate being less committed by working less.  Perhaps push the government to acknowledge mothering as societal work – harping on the companies seems like a poor strategy.

Also, what exactly does she mean by “educated black women face an additional problem- an acute shortage of eligible black men” (page 108)?  Is she implying that black women are not having children because they cannot find eligible husbands who must also be black? Could I possibly be reading that right?  If so, that seems problematic to me – she assumes black women only choose to procreate with black men.

“Maid to Order” by Barbara Ehrenreich

Ehrenreich provides a comprehensive look at paid household work in America.  In many ways, this is exactly what the previous articles are arguing for.  Here however, it carries heavy baggage of ethnic discrimination.  After second wave femnism, many women wanted their husbands to take up some of the housework.  Subsequent malre refusal caused tensions in the marriages.  Rather then addressing this issue, society moved towards the bandaide of hiring a maid.  This creates troublesome relationships between classes and races, relationships of superior and inferior.  Some of this has been combated by the rising use of maid agencies.  This creates a relationship between the customer and the agency and helps to deal with some of these issues that arise from personal maid/mistress interactions. However, these agencies often focus on the cosmetic aspects of cleaning rather on their sterilizing benefits. 

Ehrenreich ends with the lament that this culture creates children who do not know how to clean even for themselves.  In this way, though housework is quantified, it is also made invisible to members of the upper to middle class who employ a maid.  This does little to alleviate the gender, class, and race issues surrounding housework. 

Midterm Paper

Jason Kleinman

Professor Simonson

Introduction to Women’s Studies

March 24, 2011

Perceptions Versus Reality

Sex and the City has done a tremendous injustice to its viewers by making them think that the way that the women are portrayed on the show is the way that all women act and are treated in the real world. The way the four main characters carry themselves, talk, treat men, and conduct their sexual lives is not on par with societal norms. While I’m sure that there are women who fit the exaggerated stereotypes created by Sex and the City, average women do not act and are not treated the way Carrie, Miranda, Samantha, and Charlotte are treated. Additionally, the women in Sex and the City say and do things that may shape viewers opinions about women and life in general. The dialogue in Sex and the City is so fluid and convincing, everything said on the show is taken as part of the societal norm. However, a lot of the things that these characters say are unusual to the real world and need to be looked at with a skeptical eye. Sex and the City was revolutionary for it’s time. It created a world that looked and felt like New York City but was really a fantasy world, one where women ruled supreme and societal norms were ignored.

Sex and the city is the epitome of enlightened sexism. Susan Douglass discusses how some women in our generation believe that feminism is finally unnecessary because women have achieved equality with men. Instead of fighting for equal rights, women can now focus on themselves. The women in Sex and the City do exactly this. They are obsessed with the way they look, their sex life, and the ultimate goal of finding a man to settle down with. Many people who watch this show are completely unaware that these ideals are exactly what some feminists had been fighting against for years. During this time of enlightened, sexism Sex and the City truly made it seem like women had completely overcome sexism and were treated equal to men in all respects. Each woman in the show represented a different way in which women were powerful and equal in society. Carrie is a very successful journalist (sex journalist no less) who has exclusive access to high end clubs and lounges, a sex life that she is mostly in control of, and is an independent woman living in New York City. Miranda is a successful lawyer who is extremely tough, driven, and completely in control of her life and her future. She represented women who are just as successful as men in the workplace. Samantha is the wild and crazy woman of the group. She single handedly made it acceptable, in the eyes of the viewer, for women to talk about sex, masturbation, and to have as many sexual partners as they wanted. Charlotte is the ‘prude’ in the group and prides herself on having monogamous relationships in her search for her one true love. Although this character is unlike the aforementioned tough, independent women, Charlotte represents the women who are empowered by being housewives. Her character compliments the other three women nicely in that she is showing viewers that you can still be equal to men and work in the home. Each of the four characters is the most extreme and generally unattainable version of the women they represent. Growing up with a very successful mother, successful older sisters, and watching Sex and the City, I, amongst millions of other viewers, believed that the four characters in Sex in the City were how all girls in society wanted to act and were treated.

As I grew older I began to realize that the way that Sex and the City characterized women was not completely accurate and was different than the way that most women acted and functioned in society. While I understood that women were completely capable of embodying the personalities and achievements of the four women in the show, I also realized that these were four extreme examples and that the fight for equality for women is nowhere near over. Miranda, for example, would most likely not be making as much money as her male colleagues unless she was an exception to the societal norm. She might be treated differently in the office because she is a woman and she might even have to go out of her way in hopes to avoid stereotypes that women face in the workplace. Carrie would most likely be ridiculed and even persecuted for her sex column instead of being celebrated for it. Men would disapprove of it because it is unladylike and graphic while some women would be offended by it because it is enlightened sexism in its purist form. In the show, none of these observations are made. Charlotte, the ultimate housewife, would definitely be seen by some as a ‘gold-digger’ or a failure. People would say she is dependent and unable to fend for herself without a man. Finally, Samantha is an extreme example of a woman who is open about her sexuality. If the show accurately represented societal norms, many men would see her as a slut. Her open discussions about masturbation and sex would be seen as inappropriate and unladylike.

Additionally, the way that these women interact and carry themselves would definitely be met with much more disapproval in the real world than it is in the fantasy city created on the show. Not to say that any of the societal incongruities are acceptable, but they certainly exist. Seeing all of the discrepancies between the way that the characters are portrayed on the show and the way that women are actually treated in the real world indicates that women really might not have come as far as the media portrays. This media portrayal creates misconceptions about sexism and feminism. Sex and the city does more than create fallacies about women and their position in society. Specific scenes and quotes embedded within the show can shape viewers into thinking that something that is inappropriate and frowned upon by modern culture is societally acceptable, when it is not.

In our society, especially for women, monogamy is considered the more socially acceptable way to engage in sexual relations. However, Samantha says things like, “I think I have monogamy. I caught it from you” or “There isn't enough wall space in New York City to hang all of my exes. Let me tell you, a lot of them were hung”. This completely goes against a societal norm and is considered acceptable in the show. It is also considered less acceptable for women to talk about masturbation. While this might be an unfair double standard, it is a fact in our society. This does not stop any of the four women from talking about masturbation and other scandalous things in public. Finally, any kind of sexual scandal within a business or an office is not typically tolerated. However, in Sex and the City, Samantha can get away with saying, “The bad news is you’re fired, the good news is now I can fuck you”, to her male intern. All of these quotes and examples are inserted into the show so nonchalantly and normally that the viewer is tricked into believing that the world created in the show represents reality.

Sex and the City revolutionized television and the way that women are viewed in society. Unfortunately, the perception created by this show is not at all accurate to how women actually act and are treated in society. Sex and the City is essentially a dream world, set in an existing city, where women are the alpha and anything they say and do is considered acceptable in society. While this is a tactic that was widely used when Sex and the City aired, called enlightened sexism, it was and is incongruent with the way that society actually works. It starts with the personalities, actions, and situations that the four main women find themselves in and is further perpetuated with the conversations that these women have so casually in every episode. While this show revolutionized television and transformed many peoples perception of the empowerment of women, it is completely misleading and inconsistent with societal norms.