Saturday, December 18, 2010

Monday, December 13, 2010

my final paper

this is my paper!

Ashley's Final Victory


Click Image to go to my blog.

Tracy's Final Paper, Final Version

Click to see my finalized paper:

Paper Finalized

Here is my final, finalized, final paper.

My Final Paper -- Patricia McGown

Marriage: The Gay Agenda

My Final Paper


Here is my final paper!

Images! Wow!

     As I was searching for images for my final paper, I came across these interesting pictures. I though that you guys might enjoy looking at them. I was observing them and they just really made me ponder on the emotions these images portray. There is a mixture of anti and pro images but they all have a deep emotional meaning. I had heard a lot of these comments before, like the image below that states "Homosexuals are possessed by demons," but actually seeing the signs being held by these people just proves how the anti-gay community is driven by hatred. They don't realize that this is inhuman, discriminatory and sickening. On the other hand, the gay community does not disrespect heterosexuals in any way. They just want to be given their rights and equality for all citizens. I hope you get something important out of these images.














WOW! Look at their facial expressions. How could they 
be smiling while holding up these signs?!




Iranian Executions
(Homosexuals in Iran are being executed) 
For the full article click here.

This is it! Final Paper! :)

My Final Paper!


Ze Final Paper

This would be my final CSP 19 Paper!

Final Paper!




Click below to view my final paper!

Derrick's Final Essay

Here is my final essay!

Versi Final Paper


Rebecca Patch-- Final Post and Final Paper!!


Well, it's been grand.
Here we go!
Click!

Amy's Final Paper Link

You can find my paper here!

my final paper!!

YAY!! MY FINAL PAPER!!

Final Draft-End of the Semester!!!-Yesi

Here ya' Go! :)

Friday, December 10, 2010

Gay Youth

http://www.bidstrup.com/parents.htm

I've been thinking a lot about the gay teens and children of our generation, who are coming up into such a judgmental society. I've found many websites that have resources for gay teens, places to talk and blog, and to get help. But with so many progressions in law and society, I really hope the gay youth of our generation will eventually see true freedom. Primarily in their right to marry, because too many people have been discriminated against thus far. It's time to see a generation of people who are embraced for their diversity and self expression.

Check out some of the gay youth websites to see where we're at currently with supporting our peers. There is no time like the present to show our peers of any gender, race, or sexuality that we are truly accepting and supportive of each other. We all need support and love. I want nothing more than to live in a country and society that agrees.

The Future of Gay Rights

Click here for Article!

Our class isn't the only group of people predicting the future for gay rights!

This is a prediction focused on gay marriage. This particular group has guessed which states will legalize gay marriage in what year, but they are all in the near future. Based on legal cases, societal views, and the progression we've seen so far, it's safe to say that gay marriage is on its way to freedom.

This is a positive outlook on the future, and I'm sure many people have opposing views, but I agree that we are in for many changes in the next few years.

It's time to live in a truly free country!

Anti-gay Music

Click here for article!

This article is about Beenie Man, a Jamaican rapper who incorporates hateful gay statements into his music.   "Well I'm think of a new Jamaica, me come to execute all the gays." His defense against these lyrics is that being gay is much different in Jamaica, and he was referring to rape. This either demonstrates a need to cover up what he truly means, or a misunderstanding for homosexuality as an act of rape. If there aren't many openly gay men in Jamaica, he may only see it as an act of male rape.

This reminds me that a lot of society that is anti-gay, is often misinformed. They only see homosexuality as a negative, based on their upbringing, lack of knowledge, or closed minded-ness.

By placing anti-gay lyrics in one's music, they are putting those negative ideologies in the hands of the public, and will further allow people to think gay discrimination is acceptable in our nation. We need more artists to come out with music that demonstrates their acceptance for our entire society, not just the majority!

Paperzzzzz

Here's the somewhat more finalized version

Wednesday, December 8, 2010

Nature or Nurture?


According to familydoctor.org, "A common misperception is that troubled family relationships cause people to be homosexual, but no scientifically sound research supports this myth."

the same site holds that there is no conclusive evidence to suggest what makes a person homosexual.
Thoughts?

Sex Appeal in Music Videos

Of all the pop culture/media facets we have, the music industry seems (at least to me) to be the most sexually forward. There is so much sex in music videos like

Britney Spears' Circus  64,254,589 views
Sunblock's Baby Baby1,576,282 views
N.E.R.D.'s Lapdance 2,086,127 views
Lady Gaga's Alejandro 107,710,824 views!!!!!

I think that a discourse about sexuality is really valuable because it creates discourse about all kinds of sexual preferences. Sex in the media, especially the candid kind of sexuality in Gaga's videos, makes it shameless to be a sexual being. And we are all sexual beings. I think the shamelessness is a good thing. To me, it is an amazing thing that the media has the power to eliminate taboos. During the Motion Picture Production Code (1930-68) discourse about anything explicit was banned. Sex was not talked about and a lot of sex was taboo - especially gay sex.

I like when girls kiss girls

Like it when girls kiss girls? (see also the bar-sexual blog down a little bit for a similar theme to the one this video celebrates.) BECAUSE YOUTUBE DOES

Pittsburgh Slim has got himself 4,047,545 views on Girls Kiss Girls. And regardless of how you feel about the theme in the video, you gotta admit that a viewing of this size is pretty phenomenal.
heres the vid
Thoughts???

Comedic Relief?


Thai Rivera is a gay comedian and his work has very interesting implications. In light of the recent stress of over-blogging,  I thought I might brighten up some people's day by posting a comedic act on gay rights. His gay jokes are somewhat harmless but the idea of having a homosexual make fun of homosexuals is a very interesting topic in it of itself. Do you think that the minority group should have the "right" and "liberty" to make fun and joke about themselves? If a heterosexual makes fun of homosexuals it is considered demeaning, rude, and oppressive, but if homosexuals make fun of homosexuals it is socially acceptable. What do you guys think?

Names and Gender

I always wondered why there are some names that are more "boy names" and others are "girl names". Never really understood the whole thing. And then to throw my mind through another loop, we have gender neutral names! There are some names in existence that are perfectly acceptable for both males and females. Thought I would share this chart of the 80 most common gender neutral names. But even then, there are some names that are obviously leaning more to the left, while there are others that obviously lean to the right. Thoughts? 

Logo TV

This summer, my unhealthy fascination with the amazing Joss Whedon show Buffy the Vampire Slayer hit an all time high. I was watching it as often as I could and because of this, Logo (which was/is always airing Buffy marathons) became one of my favorite channels. For those of you who do not know, Logo TV is an MTV network that is, according to their Wikipedia page, "geared towards the gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) community." After having taken this course, I can truly appreciate what having an LGBT oriented channel means. If only it could get more exposure. 

Bromance?

You've seen it MANY times. Facebook relationships and marriages between two guys or two girls that are JUST friends.  No homosexual intentions or scrutiny. Perfectly accepted in our day and age as a generation.  I know of at least 4 'bromances' that are listed on Facebook as two guys being married or in a relationship with one another.  Do you have a bromance or know of some on social networks like Facebook? What are your thoughts/ reactions to these bromances and false relationships?

Is it okay to have a gay crush?

You may be completely straight, in a long term relationship with your (wo)man, but still have a 'girl crush'/ 'man crush' on a celebrity.  I mean really? I personally have NO problems saying that Angelina Jolie is absolutely gorgeous as well as Victoria's Secret Angel Alessandra Ambrosio.  They have everything going on for them and I will admit that Alessandra Ambrosio may be my 'girl crush.' That is not saying that I have any hidden volitions or any homosexual thoughts about my 'girl crush' but it is just me acknowledging her gorgeousness. So I ask you...who is your 'girl crush' or 'man crush?'

Gay Straight Guys

This is another funny video that deals with the LGBT community. In this video two gay guys are in denial about their sexual preferences. They make-out several times and but still insist that they are straight. At some point they come close to admitting their homosexuality but then they right back into denial. The video is pretty funny, check it out for yourself here.

Bar-Sexuals

What do you think about Bar-Sexuals?
Well first, let me tell you what/ who they are.  Bar-Sexuals are women who are predominantly heterosexual and go to bars and to gain attention from men, after having a few drinks, they will experiment with each other and do things such as make out or play with each other's breasts to impress and visually stimulate guys at the bar.  There was a whole segment on the Tyra Banks show about these self-proclaimed 'Bar-Sexuals'.

More Cartoons!

I've previously posted some cartoons about gender-roles, and came across some really great ones on LGBT rights. I love the messages cartoons can covey and found an interesting article explaining the political power cartoons have.

   
[Cartoonist Pat Opilant, 73,] delights in controversy and told me that he draws only about what annoys him or "gets my blood boiling. That's the point in cartooning -- to draw attention to situations you don't agree with. It's kept me alive," he said from his home in Santa Fe, N.M. He's a political liberal, as are many, though not all, of the better-known political cartoonists. "Cartooning should challenge the status quo," Oliphant said. "Whoever is in power draws the antagonism of editorial cartoonists." 

 Another article states:

"Political cartoons have their own particular style of humor however, and this
style is based on a certain blending of serious topics and humor.  The origin of
political cartoons is believed to date back to the 16th century, and from that
time on, political satire has been used as an effective means of criticizing the
establishment. "



Check out the articles, and enjoy these cartoons!








Fighting Ignorance with Humor

Sometimes we just have to take a step back and have a good laugh about our misfortunes. This is what this video makes us do in regards to the LGBT community. This is funny clip about gay protest signs. Even if not everything’s going as well as planned we can still have a good laugh about what is being done. Also like the clip’s description reads we can be “Fighting ignorance with humor”.

Provincetown, Mass





The happiest place on earth to some, to others, a tourist spot. It is honestly an experience to remember!  As you can see in the photos above, people are free to express themselves as the wish without any concern about public scrutiny.  In Provincetown, being a member of the LGBT community is the norm.  Walking down the streets, shopping, sight seeing and eating out, you can see a multitude of people just being their happy selves.  I have not seen more muscular guys with great tans and tattoos walking hand in hand with little pomeranians or shitzus ever before in my life.  The rainbow LGBT flag is hung and displayed ALL over town and it is a known spot for LGBT community members.  There are parades every Thursday and people who dress in very ornate costumes.  This town is on the beach and is also a town that offers whale watches on the water.  All the pictures above are from my two trips to P-town with my boyfriend and his parents over the summer on the Cape.  Dame Edna was by far the funniest comedian we saw there!

LGBT Churches


Before I took this course I had no idea that there was such a thing as gay churches. In my mind religion and homosexuality were as far apart as they could be. However, once I did learn about them I was very interested and I wanted to find out more. I did some research and found out that gay churches are very much like regular churches. There is not a large difference at all. To see what I mean see this site.

The New Woman

Throughout the years the typical role of a woman has been to be a stay at home mother. However, more recently, this norm has been challenged and we’ve been seeing more and more women leaving the house to join the workforce. This is a great thing because it means more and more women are become independent and not having to rely on their husbands to support them. And while it’s a great thing that women are becoming this independent it can also be hard for them to learn how to balance work and family life. I searched online to see if there were any sites that offered any help to women who were having trouble balancing their job and family. Right away I found a very informative site.

Workingmother.com is a site especially designed for women who are working and have families. This site is meant to help women balance their family life and their work. If you know any working women with families I recommend you inform them about this site, it’s very helpful. Check it out for yourself here.

Beautiful No Matter What They Say...

There couldn’t be a video that exemplifies more the term of acceptance than this. This is Christina Aguilera’s Beautiful and it depicts how all individuals are beautiful regardless of what others think. Whether society accepts them or not doesn’t matter, like Christina says, “'Cause you are beautiful no matter what they say/Words can't bring you down, oh no/You are beautiful in every single way/Yes, words can't bring you down, oh no/So don't you bring me down today”. Check the video out!

FCKH8!!


I came across this video on Facebook a while back and thought that is was definitely an important one to share. Not solely in regards to the campaign against prop 8 that it’s supporting, but more so just to see some empowering images of LGBTQ people. Given the incredibly high number of gay related suicides of this past year, I think that it crucial to have a video upon which LGBTQ members are taking a stand instead of being portrayed solely as victims. 

Martin Luther King Jr. & Harvey Milk


I happened to be thinking about Martin Luther King Jr. and the way the contributed so much to the African American civil rights movement when I asked myself: who is the Martin Luther King Jr. of the gay civil rights movement? The first name that immediately popped into my mind was that of Harvey Milk. I decided to do some research on the two and see how many similarities the shared. I came upon a very interesting blog. To check it out click here.

"Acting White"

One phase that has always bothered me has been "acting white." It is usually used on African American mostly, but also on Hispanics and Latins, when someone has done gone beyond the expectations of their race (usually in the context of education).
        I remember in elementary school this was a particularly popular phrase to make fun of any minority who had done well on a test or homework assignment. What I find most interesting though, is the fact this term most often said and directed at minorities. Why is it that we degrade ourselves when we do well?
I think that the term in general just reinforces the idea that whites are somehow smarter and more apt to do work, which is just not true. Blacks, Whites, Latins, and every other race all have the same aptness for achievement and it is possible for all of us to study hard.
According to this article in the NY Times which contained a study about this topic:

"The one school where the researchers did find anxiety about ''acting white'' was the one in which black students were drastically underrepresented in the gifted-and-talented classes. And significantly, at this particular school, the notion of the burden of ''acting white'' was most pervasive not among the black students interviewed by the researchers, but among their teachers and administrators, who told researchers that blacks are ''averse to success'' and ''don't place a high value on education.''

I am not really sure why it is seen as negative when we achieve and why we sometimes make fun of our own people's success, so I am curious to hear your comments.
What do you think? 

Suicidal Thoughts...


Sexuality has become a rather daunting aspect of life for LGBTQ youth. Many young people struggling with gaining social acceptance have contemplated, if not attempted, suicide. LGBTQ students are four times more likely to attempt suicide than their heterosexual counterparts. "Gay and lesbian youth represent 30% of all completed teen suicide: extrapolation shows this means a successful suicide attempt by a gay teen every 5 hours and 48 minute." On top of that 30% of all gay and bisexual males have attempted suicide. The fact that one's sexuality has been driving so many people to suicide, it says a lot about the society that we live in. If 2010 has taught us anything its that society needs to be a lot more sensitive and accepting of gay youth. Prior to the media coverage of the LGBTQ suicides, the statistics were probably just numbers that we tried to conceptualized mentally, but there's no need for that now because we have actually been seeing this happen of the past year. Its about time the people, specially faculty, administration, and students within schools, become more inclusive in order to eliminate suicides that are occurring because of people's sexual orientation.

Abolish the "N" word

Throughout the semester we have been discussing the wrongful use of the word gay to mean bad or something similar. However, a similar word that we haven’t talked about is the “N” word. To this day the “N” word is still tossed around like nothing regardless of the historical significance it has. Since we hadn’t talked about it much in class I decided to do some research on it and I found a great site with plenty of information. This is the site of an organization whose mission is to abolish the “N” word. When you first open the site you’ll see a great introduction with really strong images and phrases. It really makes you think about why we still use the “N” word. Then you go on to the main page where you can find out more about the organization, its mission, and its history. You can also join its mailing list and learn more about it. Click here to check it out.

Cooking, cleaning. And Vaginas.

This is video of a song that I casually heard the other day, and while I found it hilarious because it was so ridiculous it also shows some underlying feelings of male supremacy. This can even be seen in the highest rated comments. One of these comments is “Cooking, cleaning. And Vaginas.” This is referring to a portion of the lyrics that reads “Women are only good for three things: cooking, cleaning, and vaginas.” See it for yourself.

Being Gay at School



Schools are becoming increasingly more dangerous and difficult spaces for young gay, lesbian, and bisexual students. Within one day, the average teen will here homophobic slurs about 26 times a day. Such events are not conducive to producing an accepting society. Students can’t find support within their peers or the administration because the administration, in most school systems, is just as clue and ignorant as the kids that attend their institutions. 78% of school administrators say they know of no lesbian, gay, or bisexual students in their schools, yet 94% of them claim they feel their schools are safe places for these young people. A survey conducted showed that 77% of prospective teachers would not encourage a class discussion on homosexuality and that 85% of them were opposed integrating gay/lesbian themes into their existing curriculum. Its sad  to think that students can’t even look to their teachers for support while at school. The school systems need to step up there game drastically in make students from all backgrounds feel welcomed.

Dream Act: Dissected

Unless you are directly interested in politics it can be confusing keeping up with all bills going through congress. I know this for a fact because I’m always at a loss when I’m watching the news or reading the newspaper and see something dealing with the Dream Act. The Dream Act is the single most important piece of legislation to me. The Dream Act is an act that gives illegal students who meet certain requirements an opportunity to enlist in the military or go to college and in this process be set on a path to citizenship. I strongly support this act simply because I feel that if it isn’t passed a great deal more talent that our country can benefit from than has yet to be wasted, will be wasted.

However, as passionate as I am about this act I sometimes find it difficult to keep up with its journey through congress. And if I’m this disoriented about the Dream Act I can only imagine how confusing it could be to other individuals. Because of this I decided to do some research and found a very helpful site that broke down exactly what the Dream Act is. This site discusses what the purpose of this act is, what it takes to qualify for it, and what would happen if the act were passed. If you want to learn more about the Dream Act you should definitely check out this site.

Family Support


It's amazing how far family support can take a person. Within the LGBTQ community, teens who reported that they received parental support in their households ended up being overall happier people. Many teens who come out to their parent end up not only receiving no emotional support, they are often subject to physical abuse for doing so. In fact, 19% of gay men and 25% of lesbians report suffering physical violence at the hands of family members as a result of their sexual orientation. If more parents were able to accept their kids, that would positively impact the self-esteem of many LGBT teens, which would subsequently, lead to better self expression which could potentially lead to more understanding. More parents should try and embrace their children regardless sexuality similar to what Platas forced himself to do for his son. 

How Women are Portrayed

Something that has always bothered me is the way women in the music industry have to portray themselves in order to be successful. They basically have to wear diminutive outfits, showing large amounts of skin, and depicting themselves as pieces of meat in order to sell albums. This does not only lower the credibility of said artist but also degrades what it is to be a woman. By wearing this type of attire the artist is basically telling their public that their talent isn’t sufficient enough to be successful so that they must use the help of their body. Also, by using this dress, these artists are further objectifying women more that they usually are. And if that weren’t enough, artists that wear this attire are also influencing young girls into doing dressing this way. If you haven’t seen what I’m talking about here’s a Ninel Conde video, a latin artist that exemplifies the way women in the music industry portray themselves.

Obama on Gay Civil Rights

Throughout this whole semester I had been hearing a lot about the promises our current president, Barack Obama, made to the LGBT community before he was elected. I wasn’t sure of all that he had promised so I decided to do some research. Something that I found was this very interesting clip. In it Obama speaks for gay rights and about what he plans to do for the LGBT community. I recommend you take a look at it.

Eating Disorders and the Media

Did you know that 1 in 5 women have and eating disorder. How about that 90% of those who have eating disorders are women between the ages of 12 and 25.
(these statistics come from this site)
This could possibly be because of the unattainable standards of beauty portrayed to us by the media. Many women feel the pressure to be thinner because they think it will make them more beautiful. This is an idea that has been present in our society for sometime now and can be seen in the following old ads.

And the idea can still be seen today even in the foods we eat...

The pressure to be paper thin is another reinforcement of gendering because, while there is pressure to be thin on both sexes, it is much greater on women.

La Mujer de mi Hermano

This weekend I saw a great movie, La Mujer de mi Hermano (My Brother's Wife). This movie is about a woman, Zoe, who cheats on her husband, Ignacio, with her husband’s brother, Gonzalo. Ignacio neglects her, always keeping himself busy with work and designating Saturday as the only day out of the week when they have sex. Because of this Zoe turns to his brother, who gives her sex and temporary comfort. At first Zoe is lost as to why her husband neglects so much. She believes it might have to do with the existence of another woman. However, at the end of the movie she learns that the reason of her husband’s neglect isn’t the result of the existence of another woman, but instead of another man. This is a great movie with many surprising twists and turns. I strongly recommend everyone to watch it. If you want to learn more about it, here’s the trailer.

Homophobia vs Ignorance

Can all ignorant people be classified as homophobic? Today I discussed whether there was a difference between homophobia and ignorance. My friend stated that all people who aren't knowledgeable about LGBTQ issues and that lack the ability to know how to respond to LGBTQ people are homophobic, but I believe that not all people who are ignorant are necessarily. My friend stated there is a spectrum of homophobia: one side being innocently ignorant and the other side being woefully homophobic. I disagreed, and thought that ignorance could be completely disassociated with homophobia. Homophobia is defined as the aversion of gay people for no reason while ignorance is simply the state of not knowing. We eventually concluded that ignorance and homophobia could be opposite ends of a spectrum, just not the spectrum of homophobia. Instead of there being a homophobia spectrum, we concluded that spectrum would be one of awareness. The spectrum would go something liked this  (in order from least to worst levels): oblivious, ignorant, prejudice, homophobic. What do you think? Is ignorance the first notch of the spectrum of homophobia? Or is ignorance and homophobia disassociated from one another, but the same spectrum of level of awareness?

Sexialization of Women


The video that I posted above focuses on the sexualization of women in the media. Addresses how women are overtly sexualized in almost every field of media that is offered to the general public (ie film, television, music, even the dolls that young children play with).

While I agree that women are overly sexualized, however I also think that the problem is the one-dimensional portrayal that women are given in the media. One of the main issues is that in many teen dramas and music videos women are sexual and that's it. While it is true that humans are sexual creatures, there is definitely more to the female identity than sex, and is what needs to be seen in the media more.

According to this article, when a group of girls were asked to give responses to overtly sexual ads many said it was no big deal. This suggests a normalization and tolerance for this depiction of women, that needs to change.

Marriage v Civil Unions

Before I took this course I didn’t understand the difference between marriage and civil unions. I always wondered why the LGBT community was so persistent about legalizing same-sex marriage when it could just opt for civil unions. However, after taking this course I have learned that there IS a difference between marriage and civil unions.

To begin with, marriages are recognized across countries, cultures, and religions; civil unions are not. Civil unions are not recognized in all states. This means that if a couple gets a civil union in state and moves to another state, that state might not recognize the civil union. This depends on the state’s policy. Also, in a marriage a citizen can sponsor his or her spouse for immigration into the U.S. Citizens with a civil union can’t do this. Lastly, the federal government doesn’t recognize civil unions. This means that couples that get civil unions aren’t able to file joint-tax returns. They have to file individual tax returns. They’re also not are eligible for tax breaks or protections that the government provides married couples with.

These are the reasons why the LGBT community will not conform to civil unions. If you want to see a more extensive explanation on the differences between marriages and civil unions see this helpful article.

Kyle Allums

Kye Allums a basketball player for George Washington University is now the first openly trans player in the NCAA.


Considering that homophobia is still a very prevalent problem the plagues major sports, it is quite brave that Kye came out to his teammates and to the press. According to this article, when Kye came out to his team he explained that "sex is how you're born and gender is how you identify yourself"
His bravery opens the door for more trans people in the future.

FACEBOOK attempts to stop anti-gay bullying

In responce to recent suicides from teens who expereince lgbt harrasment, facebook has created a new campaign called "Network of Support" as apart of the Facebook Safety sector. The networking site has teamed up with the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD) and MTV to attempt to stop cyberbullying. It also works to provide LGBT teens and thier parents with information on how to get information and resources to help.

In addition to that they have inlisted celebrities like Vinny from Jersey shore to help spread the message.


even with this progress do you really think it will help? is thier a way to really get to the root of the problem ?

Gay Education



I found this video called "Gay Education" which attempts to refute common misconceptions about homosexuality. I really liked the video because I felt that it addressed a lot of these misconceptions but in an academic and eloquent way. For instance toward the end of the video, it points out the several scientific institutions that have proven and claimed that homosexuality is not a choice and that others shouldn't attempt to fix it.

However, a few things that made me uncomfortable about this video.  For instance, I really didn't like how it didn't even try to address the issues of female sexuality. I don't believe that there isn't enough research to at least present these issues and talk about it. Second, I really didn't like how it tried to claim that the more male babies a woman has, the more her body will try to feminized the male fetus. So feminizing a boy makes him gay? What does that even mean? It seems like this video reinforced male gender roles, in the sense that masculinity means you are straight but if you are "feminized" that makes you gay. Thats how it seemed like to me, what are your thoughts?

Women and Educational Attainment


Studies show that if college admissions were based solely on credentials, women would outnumber men 2 to 1. Recent trends illustrate that there has be increase in the amount of women applicants and a decline in the amount of men pursuing education. Many things can be attributed to the recent trends such as the number of men who opt to go to the military instead of college. Whatever the case may be, the increase in the amount of women attaining education is at an all time high. The feminist movement is currently more prevalent than it has ever been which could, in part be link to high number of women receiving college education. This article covers more in depth trend regarding the increasing number of women going to college.

Sexism in Music Videos

Hip Hop and Rap videos are known for the degrading ways in which women are portrayed in both the song and the music videos. Women are often referred to as "bitches, hoes and gold-diggers" and in the music videos "video vixens" are often scantily clad with exaggerated bodies.
This is really nothing new when it comes to the hip hop, and music in general, industry. However I was extremely surprised when I saw the following music video by popular artist Chris Brown.


Firstly, I will start by noting that the song is called "No Bullshit." The lyrics basically implies that if a woman does not leave the club or whatever she is doing, to promptly have sex with a man then that is "bullshit." It reinforces the idea that women are vessels of male desire and not independent, respect-deserving individuals.

However, what really disturbs me most about this video is that the woman is not only virtually clothesless, but she is also faceless. Chris, the male in the video, has on much more clothing and his face is shown continually. The face is extremely personal, in many ways it is what makes all human being unique. In fact, the only parts of her body that are really seen are her breasts and her buttocks (which is being licked). By not showing her face the video reduces women to the most sexually pleasing parts of their bodies.

How can women be seen as equals if they are faceless....?

Who Taught You To Hate Yourself



Here is a clip of a speech by Malcolm X called, "Who Taught You To Hate Yourself".

Its really like this clip and when I thought of it, it really reminded me of the movie we watched a while ago, Ethnic Notions. We saw how the media has been involved in perpetuating derogatory racial notions but we never discussed how damaging these notions can be to that community. I think this speech demonstrates how these notions really affect the community.  When you are surrounded by media that constantly mocks you or imply that because of who you are you are ugly and inferior it has a terrible affect on your psyche. You internalize these notions and start to see yourself this way.

Hate Crimes Against Sikhs in The Bay

San Francisco, which boasts a significant Sikh community is currently dealing with an alarming amount of hate crimes that target the Sikhs.


According to the Sikh Coalition 1 out of every 10 Sikhs have been harassed or victimized. Apparently, two-thirds of the 1,370 people who were surveyed claim to have been physically attacked. This is very surprising given that San Francisco, as well as the Bay Area in general, prides itself on being an open-minded and accepting place. This article highlights the grievances of the Sikh community. Hate crimes directed at any individual or group are completely unacceptable, however they seem to be more prevalent than one would imagine.

I wonder why these stories have not been covered more in the media...any thoughts? 


Protests Against Transgendered Character on Degrassi

Currently on popular teenage drama Degrassi: The Next Generation, writers have created an interesting storyline about a transgender boy named Adam Torres.  Here are some quick facts about the character, courtesy of this website

Some trivia on Nickelodeon’s Degrassi Character Adam:
  • Adam is the first transgender character to be featured on Degrassi.
  • Adam is the first scripted transgender teen character in television history (not including documentaries or one-time guest roles).
  • Adam is an FTM (Female to Male) transgender.
  • Adam’s birth name is Grace “Gracie” Torres.The original birth name was planned to be Chelsea.
  • Adam is one of three characters who caused self-harm to themselves. Others include Ellie Nash and Darcy Edwards, who both cut themselves.
  • Adam’s grandmother doesn’t know that he’s transgender.


The portrayal of a young transgender teenager significantly increases trans awareness, due to the amount of youth that watch this show in both the United States and Canada. Unfortunately, groups like the Florida Family Association (FFA) are attempting to end this and other gay story lines on the show. This deeply saddens me because Degrassi is currently the only show portraying trans-teens on television.  It should also be noted that the show recognizes Adams gender preference, yet still treats him as a regular character with both faults and assets. I can only hope that the FFA is unsuccessful in its attempts and that the youth who watch this show take something away from the character.

John McCain at it Again

Once again John McCain backs up his stance on the policy, "Don't Ask, Don't Tell", even when majority of the Senate, House, and the military say that the ban is unconstitutional and unAmerican. John Steward made another episode bashing McCain for his beliefs. In the episode John Steward shows three Senators who are in approval of removing the policy while McCain strongly holds his position to keep the policy. So when will McCain give in?? Will he ever give in?

Gay Right Statistics

All of the work by LGBT movements have led them to the point we are today, which is an increase of openly gays throughout the states. The graphs on this website show where they have increased and by how much. What was interesting but not surprising about the graphs was that in states that already had a good number of openly gays were more likely to get more openly gays because of how commonly accepted it is getting in those states. This is not the case though for states with a low population of openly gays because they increase only a little, which is probably due many anti-gay feelings in those areas. Just thought it was interesting. Thoughts?

Sexual Violence Against Women in Fashion Ads

 
It's not surprise or shock to me that our media (especially fashion ads) consistently portray sexual violence against women in order to sell their product.  I thought these two first fashion ads were great example.  Both ads have only one woman, who of which is being pinned down to the floor by the several other men in the background. And while being pinned down the other men in these ads are either just standing around watching or aggressively taking her clothes off (especially in the second ad).  Basically both ads (to me at least) imply sexual violence against women  or even gang rape. Apparently the second ad was so offensive to some that it had to be taken off bill board ads: 

“The Board considered that whilst the act depicted could be consensual, the overall impact and most likely impression is that the scene is suggestive of violence and rape,” he said. “The Board considered that the image was demeaning to women by suggesting that she is a plaything of these men. It also demeans men by implying sexualised violence against women.”


After reading about these ads on this sociology blog site I started to think about how many fashions I see and barely even realize the implications behind it. I think its scary that we have become so desensitized to these images.

Gay Rights Info

This information is off the website titled speakout.

    Gay Rights

    Family and Relationships
  • Adoption: 19 states allow gay and lesbian couples to adopt children in a complex and expensive two-step process, in which one parent first adopts and then the second can petition for joint rights.
  • Ceremonial Marriages: Same Sex Marriages may be officiated by church officials, or anyone else, but ceremonial marriages in and of themselves involve no civil laws and carry no legal benefits or responsibilities.
  • Domestic Partnership Registration: is a means by which some cities allow opposite- and same-sex couples to go on public record as a non-married couple. The major benefit is used to establish legal responsibility for debts after a relationship ends.
  • Domestic Partnership Affidavit: Many private employers and municipalities offer domestic partner benefits to their workers, based on signing a legal affidavit that defines an economic relationship.

    Civil Unions
  • In Dec. 1999, the Hawaii Supreme Court reversed a 1996 ruling, and defined marriage as between different sex couples.
  • In April 2000, the Vermont House of Representatives gave final approval to same-sex marriages. Gays and lesbians may join in "civil unions," which are no expected to be recognized by other states and will not entitle the partners to federal benefits. The Vermont Supreme Court had ruled in December that gay and lesbian couples denied the right to marry were suffering from unconstitutional discrimination.
  • In June 2000, the Supreme Court let stand a New Jersey ruling that allowed the Boy Scouts to ban gay scoutmasters.
  • In July 2000, Vermont began offering a separate form of marriage, conferring about 300 spousal rights to same sex couples.
  • The Civil Union license is obtained from town clerks. There is a $20 fee. The Unions are "certified" either by justices of the peace, judge, or willing member of the clergy. Civil Union couples also have the right to dissolve their unions through a "dissolution" process in Family Court.

    Civil Unions Benefits
  • Definitions: Use of State laws that confer benefits or rights to people based on their marital or family status, such as family landowner rights to hunt and fish, or definitions of family farmers.
  • Adoption: Entitled to all the protections and benefits available when adopting. Same-sex couples already are allowed to adopt, but laws would reflect that those couples would now be treated as spouses.
  • Compensation: Use of victims' compensation and workers' compensation related to spouses.
  • Discrimination: Use of laws prohibiting discrimination based on marital status.
  • Health Care: Able to make medical decisions for incapacitated partner. Able to visit hospitals visitation and be notified of a partner's condition.
  • Insurance: State employees are treated as spouses for insurance or continuing care contracts.
  • Lawsuits: Able to sue for wrongful death, the emotional distress caused by a partner's death or injury, and loss of consortium caused by death or injury.
  • Property: Entitled to joint title, transfer from one to the other on death, and property transfer tax benefits.
  • Probate: Use probate law and procedures.
  • State Tax: Treated as an economic unit.
  • Testimony: Not be compelled to testify against one another.

    Federal rights NOT Covered by Civil Unions
  • Immigration Rights: Cannot have a non-U.S. spouse become a full citizen.
  • Social Security: Cannot collect benefits upon death of a spouse.
  • Federal Taxes: Cannot file jointly as a married couple 
Here is a basic overview of some of the benefits that same-sex couples get and don't get. While civil unions do give couples some benefits, there some rights, listed above, that the couples do not get. So if civil unions do not offer the same rights as marriage how can you refer to it as on the same level as actual marriage?

Do We Intervene?



Okay recently I wrote about "What Would You Do" a television show that test people's moral consciousness and pushes them to "do the right thing" and intervene when they see something wrong. This is an ad about domestic violence. The supposed "experiment" serves to point out that many women are murdered in their own homes meanwhile their neighbors may have heard it and never did anything about it. It's a stark contrast to the fact that neighbors are quick to complain about music noise, but not when they hear a woman getting brutally beaten.

I guess my point is that, would would you do if you were the neighborhood and heard this next door? We live in a society where violence against women is very common and I believe it's because we live in a society that does not respect women's bodies. So although I may be playing devils advocate (because this is the opposite perspective of my other post), do you think this is a situation of which we need to be active and stand up against or passively ignore it?