Jason said...
When I first read this I thought of my friend who works at a womens shelter and tells me the only stories of these women who have been battered and have no place to go and still want to go back. Even when they refuse to go back their husband come looking for them and threatening them. I always wondered for starters what makes a man do that...actually a punk do that because he's not a man. Second my heart goes out to those women cause you can sit there and say its easy to walk away but sometimes its not even close to easy. There are so many factors that come into play like money, education, and etc. I am just glad that this battered woman was able to find the strength to leave and not look back. When you think about it this ties in to our gender expectations. We expect a man to be respectful, caring, and loving. We expect a woman to be loving, nurturing, and faithful. My question is where does it turn south? Is it society that says stop being that type of person and become reckless? Or is it the way the person was brought up? Perhaps some men and women grow up with no expectations from their parents. They are forced to become who they want to be with no expectations, no values and morals. Just be who ever you want to be or whatever you see on TV thats who you become. In the end sometimes we become and do what we see on TV and what we hear through music.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
Week 4: Where are my female athletes
I recently read an article written by a man that asked the question; where are the female athletes? I found this interesting since we talked about Brandi in our blackboard discussions. In the article he was listing all the female athletes of the past that made such a huge impact on women sports in the 90's. When it comes to now there is no one a young female athlete can look up too. In the 90's we had Mia Hamm for soccer, Gabrielle Reece for volleyball, Jackie Joyner Kersee for track and field, Katrina Witt for figure skating. I can go on and on with a list of strong female athletes but now we live in an age where girls cry for that role model. We can look at our female athletes now, most of them are retiring like the Williams sisters, Lisa Leslie from the WNBA, and so on. Girls can say we have Danica Patrick and Maria Sharapova but they are not dominating their sport like the woman in the past have and they are more seen as sex symbols. These two girls are in the top 10 of hottest female athletes. They are not even in the top 10 for influential and dominating. The question I have is has out society taken the few woman we have as role models and turned them into sex symbols? Better yet do the women athletes of today see being a sex symbol first as a meal ticket to success and once they get into the sport they will try and perform to the best of their talent? When they asked students in North Jersey schools whos their favorite female athlete, most girls did not have one. They had Derek Jeter on their top list. Women athletes need to say to heck with being on the cover of Maxim, or Playboy and say I want to be on the cover of ESPN the Magazine. I want to see again little girls having Mia Hamm posters on their walls. Like I said before, men are bored at seeing other men. Where are the women with fire, passion, and drive for the love of the game. In an era where steriods and drugs affect male sports, females need to show some of the guys what it takes to win. Help them remember why they loved the sport in the first place. Not for the money but for the love and passion of the game. That is what Brandi represented when she took off her shirt on that field. We need another moment like that in sports today.
Reply to Glenn's post week 4
Jason said...
Glenn you make an interesting observation. I think everyone went through that growing up in middle school and high school up to college. Men had the sports they played in and women had theirs. You can look at the sports that have crossed paths. Basketball is played by both men and woman, soccer, and baseball but woman play with a softball. In basketball not too long ago the WNBA played against the NBA men. It was an interesting game but the women were over matched. I feel there is a same sport understanding between the genders but its not across the board. You don't see girls playing football but then again would a girl want to put on the physical muscle to compete in football.You look at bodybuilding and how woman work out just as hard as men do in that sport. In different situations men and women have an understanding and a respect for one another because they both see what it takes to compete and want to win in that sport. I know my children that I teach enjoy playing sports and I teach them that both girls and boys can play against each other and even on the same team. At first my boys were reluctant even saying I dont want her on my team but after sometime now, the boys have enjoyed having the girls on the team. They actualyl have made comments that they have improved. My girls play football and baseball right there with the boys which I'm very proud of because like you said there has to be an understanding at an early age.There are sports like basketball and soccer that have the respect level between both men and women. Both genders know that they can compete and be on the same side. Then there are sports or issues that men just want the girl on the team to stare at their body and see them run. The question is how do you place that system in our schools? In our schools its where it starts or does it start first at the home? Do parents have more of an impact? I know I teach my kids to play together in both my jobs but that is just a fraction of what can be done. There is alot more but all it takes is a small start that can grow into something big.
Glenn you make an interesting observation. I think everyone went through that growing up in middle school and high school up to college. Men had the sports they played in and women had theirs. You can look at the sports that have crossed paths. Basketball is played by both men and woman, soccer, and baseball but woman play with a softball. In basketball not too long ago the WNBA played against the NBA men. It was an interesting game but the women were over matched. I feel there is a same sport understanding between the genders but its not across the board. You don't see girls playing football but then again would a girl want to put on the physical muscle to compete in football.You look at bodybuilding and how woman work out just as hard as men do in that sport. In different situations men and women have an understanding and a respect for one another because they both see what it takes to compete and want to win in that sport. I know my children that I teach enjoy playing sports and I teach them that both girls and boys can play against each other and even on the same team. At first my boys were reluctant even saying I dont want her on my team but after sometime now, the boys have enjoyed having the girls on the team. They actualyl have made comments that they have improved. My girls play football and baseball right there with the boys which I'm very proud of because like you said there has to be an understanding at an early age.There are sports like basketball and soccer that have the respect level between both men and women. Both genders know that they can compete and be on the same side. Then there are sports or issues that men just want the girl on the team to stare at their body and see them run. The question is how do you place that system in our schools? In our schools its where it starts or does it start first at the home? Do parents have more of an impact? I know I teach my kids to play together in both my jobs but that is just a fraction of what can be done. There is alot more but all it takes is a small start that can grow into something big.
Friday, May 30, 2008
Reply to Dorit's week 3
Jason said...
Woman are working more than ever. Woman have gone to work and put that first and being the homemaker who takes care of the house and kids a distant second. Woman are becoming more like men every day. They are not focused on when am I having a child. They are more focused on when am I getting that promotion. That job should be mine. Each field has its discrimination. Education is all woman from top to bottom. I work in a field with both my jobs that is nothing but woman. My Supervisor have all been woman. But you go to a corporate business and see more men in higher roles and even though their are woman who hold strong positions, its not an equal level. I wouldn't say its discrimination, back then yes. Now it is to the point where it truly is every man or woman for themselves with a few exception. There are still jobs that will higher a man over a woman and a woman over a man. In the end expectations of woman are changing quickly than people think and Education is a dominant field for woman.
Woman are working more than ever. Woman have gone to work and put that first and being the homemaker who takes care of the house and kids a distant second. Woman are becoming more like men every day. They are not focused on when am I having a child. They are more focused on when am I getting that promotion. That job should be mine. Each field has its discrimination. Education is all woman from top to bottom. I work in a field with both my jobs that is nothing but woman. My Supervisor have all been woman. But you go to a corporate business and see more men in higher roles and even though their are woman who hold strong positions, its not an equal level. I wouldn't say its discrimination, back then yes. Now it is to the point where it truly is every man or woman for themselves with a few exception. There are still jobs that will higher a man over a woman and a woman over a man. In the end expectations of woman are changing quickly than people think and Education is a dominant field for woman.
Reply to Tiffany Week 3
Jason said...
Skinny bitch is an offensive way to title a book that is suppose to help woman feel good about losing weight and eating healthy. Then again it seems all we do as a society is down play each other. Men we refer to each other in different words that are offensive. The book could have been titled Skinny in the Kitchen and get rid of the word bitch. Then again why does every girl have to be skinny. Ladies meat is good no need to be skinny with no curves. Remember like Shakira said in her song..Hips Dont Lie. But overall we need to find better ways to communicate with each other instead of putting us down even if the word Bitch is being used as describing someone's positive attitude.
Skinny bitch is an offensive way to title a book that is suppose to help woman feel good about losing weight and eating healthy. Then again it seems all we do as a society is down play each other. Men we refer to each other in different words that are offensive. The book could have been titled Skinny in the Kitchen and get rid of the word bitch. Then again why does every girl have to be skinny. Ladies meat is good no need to be skinny with no curves. Remember like Shakira said in her song..Hips Dont Lie. But overall we need to find better ways to communicate with each other instead of putting us down even if the word Bitch is being used as describing someone's positive attitude.
Week 3: Expectations with Change!!!
I have to admit that I am looking forward to seeing the Sex and the City movie when it comes out. I think Cary should have ended with Edan and not BIG. I feel BIG and Cary probably may not end up getting married. I can’t believe that Steve is cheating on Miranda but there is probably more to it then what the preview is showing. The previews show a mix how both gender can make mistakes and either violate the norm or live up to what we label as stereotype. For example, each lady had a role they portrayed, Cary was the woman looking for love in all the wrong places, Charlotte wanted to be the perfect wife, Miranda was work focus, and Samantha was well if you saw the show you saw what Samantha was but the point here is that they all at some point went away from their norm and changed. We saw Charlotte cheat on her husband, Samantha finally giving in to a man, Miranda pausing her career to be with Steve and the kids in Brooklyn, and Cary battling her emotions and going from love, to in love, to being in love, to doubting love. Saying its ok to be confused about what you want because sometimes in life you do not always get it.
They took on gender patterns that are woman but in our society could be seen as men. Men are looked at as sluts, please excuse any slang I may use. We have that stereotype that we go from one girl to another. We are seen as we communicate with woman through music, body language, and etc. as possibly wanting one thing. You look at Sex in the City and certain characters show that men are not the only ones that act that way, woman are just as guilty. I feel personally our society is breaking away from the traditional roles through music, everyday life, etc. Woman are working more and being home less, Men are actually becoming more in tune with a woman’s feelings and believe or not want a family just as much as a woman does but you are seeing woman just not ready as we did in the past. Music and movies are changing the way we communicate are roles. I have to laugh when I see a girl rapping a 50 cent song and dancing like a guy. Whatever happened dancing and singing like a woman to a simple dance song. My expectations went from being engaged or married by now with a woman that would be honest and faithful. I’m 25 and I have yet to meet a woman like that and when I do, they happen to be my best friends. I’m not even thinking of engagement in fact it scares me because I see more and more divorce and people cheating on each other which makes me fear it all. Can a marriage honestly last in our society today with all the expectations we put on ourselves and on our genders? Funny how our best guy and girl friends are the most honest and loyal people we know but we would never date them. Why is that?
They took on gender patterns that are woman but in our society could be seen as men. Men are looked at as sluts, please excuse any slang I may use. We have that stereotype that we go from one girl to another. We are seen as we communicate with woman through music, body language, and etc. as possibly wanting one thing. You look at Sex in the City and certain characters show that men are not the only ones that act that way, woman are just as guilty. I feel personally our society is breaking away from the traditional roles through music, everyday life, etc. Woman are working more and being home less, Men are actually becoming more in tune with a woman’s feelings and believe or not want a family just as much as a woman does but you are seeing woman just not ready as we did in the past. Music and movies are changing the way we communicate are roles. I have to laugh when I see a girl rapping a 50 cent song and dancing like a guy. Whatever happened dancing and singing like a woman to a simple dance song. My expectations went from being engaged or married by now with a woman that would be honest and faithful. I’m 25 and I have yet to meet a woman like that and when I do, they happen to be my best friends. I’m not even thinking of engagement in fact it scares me because I see more and more divorce and people cheating on each other which makes me fear it all. Can a marriage honestly last in our society today with all the expectations we put on ourselves and on our genders? Funny how our best guy and girl friends are the most honest and loyal people we know but we would never date them. Why is that?
Wednesday, May 28, 2008
Thank you guys
Just wanted to say thanks to everyone for their encouraging words that hey its ok for a guy to have a femine side to them. We try so hard to have that tough guy shell that we sometimes forget to have a soft side and may come across as prick or something worse. So thanks for the words of encouragement.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)