SL Blog #2

          This week we had the presidential election-taking place, and in preparation for it I participated in both phone banking and in helping the VOX group inform voters about Amendment 6 during Election Day. By participating in both events I feel as if we were successful overall in achieving our goal, which was getting majority of the votes for No on 6. Therefore this week overall has been very exciting and rewarding in terms of accomplishing what we set out to do.

  

           The activism done this week relates to the chapter readings in terms of a powerful system and placing women as second-class citizens.  So how do Amendment 6 and Violence Against Women correlate with one another? Our society is constructed on this system of power where it may be seen almost anywhere and everywhere. In terms of Amendment 6 we see how politicians want to have control over women's health, while our health care system is controlled by the government the ultimate decisions should not be made by these politicians. In "Violence Against Women" Gwyn Kirk and Margo Okazawa-Rey writes, "Women are still a minority in elected office in the United States, especially at the congressional level. Violence against women is often not taken seriously by policy makers or legislators" (267). Therefore the simple fact that those in office are predominantly male should raise a flag as to why they would be making our decisions. VAW and Amendment 6 tie into one another when it comes to the issue of power. An example of this power would be if a woman is raped by a stranger and gets pregnant she would likely want to get an abortion. By Amendment 6 limiting health funds and politicians making these decisions for us it prohibits women in this scenario to get the care that they need. The quote stated I feel is also proof as to how there is an imbalance in the system of power. By the government having the control over our bodies it enables them to put our safety at risk. Case in point, men who are convicted for crimes such as rape face light repercussions for their actions. The system fails to see how their actions affect us all women and put us at a risk on a day-to-day basis. As our country continues to move forward it is in our hands to make a difference and stand up for what we believe in. Even though our society is built the way it currently is, it does not mean that there isn't room for change.

            Working with VOX and learning new things in this Women's Studies course has helped me look at various issues in different ways. As a young woman in this society there are many issues that have to be tackled in order to achieve that ultimate goal of equality, I feel that it is never too late to start on any project as long as the things being done are handled in a proper manner and we see progressive results. At the end of the day these issues will not be solved immediately and will take time, the important aspect of it is to start soon and get involved. Ways in which to get involved include staying educated about issues and participate in activism.

 

Works Cited

Kirk, Gwyn , and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 267. Print.

Campus Engagement 2

On November 6th, 2012 Barack Obama was reelected President of the United States. On that day I helped the VOX group to encourage voters to vote No on 6. Working with VOX in preparation for the 2012 Presidential Election was such an amazing and unforgettable experience. As a first time voter and actually getting involved it made me feel as if I made a huge difference by contributing in numerous ways, one of the most important ways was by actually going out to vote and making it count. Another way was by encouraging some of my friends and roommates to go do early voting with me. The group and I were located at the UCF arena where many voters went out to vote, there we handed out fliers that educated people about amendment 6 and spoke to students that wanted to know more about the amendment. We tried to make this a fun event for everyone, especially for voters waiting in line for hours upon hours by putting on a show thanks to the DJ. While putting on the show we were still promoting Voting No on 6 by holding signs and showing voters that we all care and want to make a difference. As mentioned before this is an unforgettable experience and I also feel that this is only the beginning for me in playing a role as an activist. Working with great people to help educate individuals to create a better place for all of us made me realize that every little bit counts. It also showed me how to be more involved and continue to stay involved as a beginning activist. Ever since I can remember I've always been a shy person, working with VOX on election day helped me break out of my shell a little bit more and made me think that if I believe in something I need to get out and speak out in order to be heard. I will try from here on out to have that attitude so that I do not get run over and speak for what I believe in.  

Activism Blog #1

         This week a few individuals and I from the VOX group met with Alexa Nelen to do planning for the group itself. I am excited to have gone to this meeting and personally talking to Alexa because it has given me a better idea of the group’s goals and what our aim should be. We successfully spoke about the main focus for VOX right now, which is to bring awareness about Amendment 6 and trying to get voters to vote No on 6. With the election right around the corner there are many things to do on behalf of VOX and so little time. With that in mind, we need to stay aware of the time limit that is left and try to get as much done as possible by doing phone-banking, getting voters to sign pledge cards, and simply speaking to other individuals about the amendment to help raise more awareness.

            The activism I've done this week relates to the chapter we are reading, by demonstrating women inequality in numerous ways and by the government, economy, etc. trying to make decisions for a woman regarding her body. Amendment 6 simply wants to allow politicians to make medical decisions regarding a woman's body. By working with VOX and urging voters to vote NO on Amendment 6 we are working together as a community to stop this dominance over women's bodies. If we win the vote on No on Amendment 6 it does not automatically mean that we will attain an egalitarian society immediately but it is a step towards getting there, which will take time to reach. I am having a hard time understanding why is it that individuals other than women themselves are concerned and determined in making decisions for women when we are perfectly capable of doing that ourselves. In the chapter "Making a Home, Making a Living" writers reflect on how choosing to have a family decreases the amount of money a woman will make over a certain time period (Kirk and Okazawa-Rey 309).  Case in point as it is described in the text when a woman decides to create a family or in the case of a woman whom is impoverished and doesn't have access to the proper health care when it comes to contraceptives or abortion she is automatically striped from receiving fair pay and is sometimes forced to do extra work. The decision on whether or not a woman should have a family and when she should have a family should not be based on fear of losing a job or diminishing a woman's role within that field. In the article "The Mommy Tax" Ann Crittenden writes, "Increasingly in today's driven workplace, whether she is blue or white-collar, a woman who goes home when she is supposed to is going to endanger her economic well-being." Our economic well-being shouldn't be determined by the workplace. Although we are provided healthcare through our jobs, these workplaces shouldn't tell us women how to handle our reproductive system in terms of delaying motherhood. There is a difference between delaying motherhood on our own because we want to do other things before getting there and the decision already being made for us.

            I am excited for my involvement with VOX, but as the semester is quickly approaching an end I feel as if I have gained a tremendous amount of knowledge about women inequality and how it plays an important role in our daily lives. With the information I am learning in VOX and the Women's Studies Course I feel that it has helped me be more aware of things going on, but more importantly it has helped me become a better activist. I catch myself most times educating my peers and family about issues I had no clue were a big concern such as Amendment 6. I will continue to deliver activism by doing those simple tasks that Seely writes about in "Fight Like a Girl."

Works Cited

Crittenden, Ann. "The Mommy Tax." Women's Lives. 5th ed. Eds. Kirk Gwyn and Margo Okazawa-Rey. New York:McGraw Hill. 2010. 341. Print.

Kirk, Gwyn , and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives. 5th ed. New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 309. Print.

Pueblos Hermanos/Brother Towns

            For my first campus engagement I attended the screening of  "Pueblos Hermanos/Brother Towns" on October 25th. Before attending the event I wasn't sure on what to expect, but I am happy that I attended because the documentary did not sugar coat the actual things that are taking place when it comes to immigration. While growing up in the United States, we as Americans take a lot of things for granted things such as work, education, and family.  This documentary shows the struggles third world countries face and how hard it is to simply get by on a day-to-day basis. The poverty that we have here in the United States is nowhere near the poverty that takes place in these third world countries.

            Since it is hard for families to live a decent life in Guatemala and in other third world countries, many people choose to immigrate to the United States to better their chances of doing something with their lives. The Guatemaltecos that choose to come to this country come with good intentions but the process that they go through to get here and then stay isn't easy or fair for these immigrants. The film demonstrates how in the town of Jupiter, FL there is a place called "El Sol" that helps immigrants find jobs and keep busy. This is where many conflicts arise because not everyone is for immigrants staying here and neither do they want to see the contributions that immigrants are providing us such as doing work that others aren't willing to do. The way the immigrants are treated is unfair because they are here to help and contribute to society in many ways other than just work. This documentary hits close to home for me because as a young Hispanic woman I am discriminated against on a daily basis it may not always be direct discrimination but it is there and it is something I've dealt with since I became more aware of the issue regarding Hispanics and Immigration. With that in mind this film and the Women's Studies class itself has motivated me now more than ever to finish what I came here to do at UCF and that is to graduate with my Bachelors degree in Biomedical Science and pursue the goal of becoming a Doctor. Even though I am one of many we all have to start somewhere and I feel that by setting the example in my family I will make a difference and show others what I am capable of and what the Hispanic community in general is capable of. This isn't something that is going to be solved right away but I am hopeful that we will reach a point where the majority of individuals will realize these issues and make a change for the greater good of the whole.

 Us at the Screening :)

Meme

           The image I chose to represent the medicalization aspect of reproductive life is of Angelina Jolie. The reason why I chose this particular image is because in the picture above she seems happy, obviously pregnant and proud of it because of where her hand is placed. She also has on the color green, which to me represents natural, Angelina Jolie isn't one of those celebrities that likes to be flashy and this image seems to demonstrate that because of her simplicity in makeup, dress, and hair. With the way that Angelina Jolie carries herself and the contributions she has made to different places and people would imply that she is all about being natural, giving back, and doing things the right way. Angelina Jolie is known for having multiple children some whom were adopted and others whom she gave birth to. A surprising fact to me is that the children she gave birth to were actually born via cesarean sections and this is where society follows suit when it comes to following celebrities footsteps.

            Before cesareans became popular midwives were used to help aid in natural birthing which was the most common method used before the 1950's (Kirk and Okawaza-Rey, 215.)  The medicalization process however seems to dominate our current society and is where Doctor's choose to basically give women only one option. That option is usually having a C-section and the reason why they choose it is because it is extremely convenient for the doctor's and hospitals. This is where celebrities do as the doctors tell them and are unaware of the potential risks they are taking. Because celebrities choose to have their babies via C-sections before a certain date or because it is convenient for them to give birth and instantly have a tummy tuck are the wrong reasons to do so. Women today need to be aware of what options they have when it comes to giving birth, the power of their body, and the benefits of natural birthing.

Kirk, Gwyn , and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives. 5th ed. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 215-216. Print.

"Angelina Jolie: Pregnant?" Photograph. Webshots. The Films, 27 March, 2012. Web. 16 Oct. 2012. <http://the-films.com/angelina-jolie-pregnant.html>.

Beauty Ideal

         When the words beauty ideal is mentioned, an individual's first thought might be to think of someone who is tall, slender, flawless, and nonetheless gorgeous. But what is the definition of "gorgeous" or "beautiful" and who has the authority to say that there is only one way to define these terms? Fortunately we have the advantage of shaping these images but choose to follow what media already represents to be the beauty ideal. Case in point women are usually trying to achieve a slender image to look like their celebrity idol that is photo shopped on the front cover of people magazine. It is mentioned in the text that with the definition of beauty ideal "the aim is to promote insecurity, self-hatred, and distorted perceptions of size appetite, and attractiveness... ." This I believe is entirely true because having the image that I have of myself and comparing it to what the media says it should be, leaves me judging myself as a person, and usually brings me through these phases that take a toll on me both physically and emotionally. Not only does this happen to me but it plays a major role on most women in today's society, specifically on the upcoming generation of young girls whom are trying to stay up to date on the latest fashion, and making sure that they aren't over 120lbs. The effects however are not only limited to the younger generation but impact those who are young, older, and everything in between.

            What many of us fail to realize is that these images are highly distorted. What I mean by this is that the media chooses to represent people such as Kim Kardashian, Jennifer Lopez, Beyoncé, and many other celebrities, and typically "edit" these images, which usually leads to a false interpretation of these celebrities. What I mean by editing these images is that when it comes to photo shoots they do a number of things to get the pictures to look as well as they can by photo shopping it or doing other things with the photos on a computer. With the advancement in today's technology it is amazing the things one can do to enhance images. It is the same when one is watching television or a video online, the celebrities that come out on it are sometimes airbrushed and have pounds of make up on their face/body. Reality is not everyone does this on a day-to-day basis and not everyone should want to do this daily. People should not only stick to one definition when it comes to beauty ideal because everyone is entitled to their own opinion and has a different way of viewing things. So what one might find beautiful another person might find to be just ok. Therefore women and men should not cave into this "toxic cultural environment" that Jean Kilbourne describes as the reason behind undermining girls' self confidence and sense of agency. (208)

Kirk, Gwyn , and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women's Lives. 5th ed. New York, New York: McGraw Hill, 2010. 207-210. Print.

SL Proposal

Serving Learning Proposal For VOX (Voices for Planned Parenthood)

By: Devorah W., Ashannie C., Chelsea D., Joel K., Zach P., Trinidy M.
September 27, 2012
Meredith Tweed
WST 3015

Community Partner Profile:

Community Partner: VOX, Voices For Planned Parenthood UCF
Contact: Megan Pabian - Leader of communications for Health Services and Anna V. Eskamani - Development Coordinator for Planned Parenthood of Greater Orlando.

Community Partner Mission Statement: “VOX is the Latin word for "voice" and VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood is a nationwide program to energize and mobilize the new generation of pro-choice Americans. VOX aims to educate and inspire a new generation of young adults to advocate reproductive freedom.”

Political and/or Social Basis for Organization:
VOX: Voices for Planned Parenthood is a sexual health and reproductive rights group. The UCF chapter focuses on education, access and community.  The mission of VOX UCF is to educate the university community about reproductive health and rights, to translate increased awareness into pro-choice activism on campus, and to serve as a coalition partner to state, national, and international reproductive rights efforts.
Community Partner Needs: VOX needs students to help organize public events, to help educate those who are unaware and give more knowledge to those who are already informed. Along with the needs that VOX already imposes we will be working closely with them to petition for free screening twice a month at the UCF campus, which will in turn help VOX reach out to individuals.

 The Proposal:

According to the American Social Health Association more than half of the population will have a Sexually Transmitted Disease/Sexually Transmitted Infection by the age of 25.  Presently it is estimated that 65 million of the American population has a viral STD/STI and every year, there are at least "19 million new cases which some are curable."

HIV testing is readily available on the UCF campus weekly at a low cost although, tests for the other sexually transmitted diseases are offered free once or twice a year. If the screenings were offered more frequently, and information made more available on the prevention and cures of the STD/STI’s, unnecessary spreading would subside. 

Untreated STI’s in women can lead to infertility or cervical cancer such as the Human Papilloma Virus and Chlamydia, which often show no symptoms.  Other STI’s that cannot be “cured” such as Herpes can be managed if detected.  It is estimated that 90 percent of those infected with herpes do not know that they have it.  The CDC recommends that sexually active females 25 and under should be screened at least once a year for Chlamydia, even if no symptoms are present.

Because many young adults are sometimes embarrassed to ask questions and are unaware of STI's there is poor knowledge about the issue and should therefore be implemented any way possible. The reason why the term "young adult" was used is because we are working to create awareness and get these STI screenings on campus, which would be very convenient for individuals. However, STI screenings should not be limited to only young adults it should be conveniently accessible to individuals of all ages.

Plan Proposal:

 As we have identified above the problem is unawareness. Our plan to fix the issue of STI’s on campus is to start with awareness. We will begin by educating UCF of how dangerous STI’s can be when untreated, as well as how UCF only offers two free screenings a semester for a select 150 students. This means that in a campus where we have over 60,000 students less than 1% of students are getting tested at the health clinic for free. As a student we are offered many services for the benefit of our heath, we are offered psychological counseling, certain medical treatments, and many other important benefits, STI screenings should be one of them.  In our proposal we plan to start a petition where we get UCF students and faculty members to sign off on a petition requesting free STI testing once a month at the UCF health clinic. By spreading awareness of this issue and getting signatures we will not only be spreading our mission of free STI testing but also spreading awareness of the importance of STI testing in general, thus more people on campus will be tested. The ultimate goal of our project is to not only raise awareness of how important testing is on our own campus, but how important it is that everyone get tested.

Rationale:

By fighting for having the choice pertaining to our bodies for both males and females, voices for Planned Parenthood's mission is connected to Women's Studies in a way that may be overlooked. To be more specific in VOX we believe in reproductive rights and easier access to health. In Gwyn Kirk and Margo Kazawa Rey's book there is a chapter titled "Women's Bodies, Women's Health" that chapter discusses reproductive health and how much women and men want to have control over their bodies specifically writing about fertility within the section. Within controlling fertility there are numerous ways in which one can go about the situation such as using contraceptives to delay pregnancy and to protect against STI's.

Voices for Planned Parenthood wants to raise awareness for all levels beginning on micro and ending with macro levels. The issues being addressed within voices for Planned Parenthood may seem to affect these mostly on a micro level but in reality it pertains to all levels including the community and global levels. (Kirk and Okawaza-Rey 15). Which is why it is important to have access to these get these STI screenings at least once a month.

 Action:

 Presenting a petition demonstrating the need for comprehensive STI testing- testing that includes chlamydia, gonorrhea, syphilis, herpes types 1 and 2, HPV, and HIV- on campus at least once a month propels our plan into action. While it is true that the Health Center offers free STI testing twice a semester and Planned Parenthood offers testing at their health centers for an incredibly discounted rate, the reality is however, there are students who live on campus that do not have access to transportation; the reality is, there are students who have never heard of Planned Parenthood. When UCF offers testing only a few times a year, the reality is, students are not being given equal access to the comprehensive healthcare they so deserve. In order to complete our project, we will need pens, petitions, and passion. The individual group members responsibilies/tasks will be to reach a quota per week in the number of signatures in order to successfully manage our project.

We will start by creating the petition. After writing the petition we will go into highly populated areas around campus (the gym, student union, memorial mall, outside of classes, etc) and try and grab people’s attention so that we can get as many signatures as possible. After getting signatures we will present the petition to the administration. Even if our petition is unsuccessful it will raise awareness to the issue of STI testing on campus and the students will start to understand just how important it is that we have free testing available on campus. 

Timeline:

October – December: The month of October is GYT: Get Yourself Tested month and in honor of this we will begin collecting petitions in order to reach the goal of getting free STI testing on campus twice a month. This is in partnership with MTV, the Kaiser Family Foundation, the CDC and Planned Parenthood Federation of America (PPFA) and other national partners.

Word Count: 1255

Works Cited

American Social Health Association. (1998). Sexually transmitted diseases in America: How many cases and at what cost? Research Triangle Park, NC: American Social Health Association.

"It's Your Sex Life." About GYT. MTV Channel, n.d. Web. 27 Sept. 2012.

Kirk, Gwyn, and Margo Okazawa-Rey. Women’s Lives: Multicultural Perspectives 4th             ed.New York:Women’s Bodies, Women’s Health. McGraw-Hill, 2007.

Patriarchy and Gender

         Gender and patriarchy, two words that have different meanings and that are often confused or misinterpreted. Gender is not to be confused with one's "sex category" that is ascribed from birth. Gender refers to the socially constructed roles and behaviors that society for the most part agrees on as appropriate for male and female.  What society views as appropriate does not necessarily mean it is set in stone that those are the only roles one needs to follow. For example, gender is done from the time we are born because we are assigned male or female from our parents, the way they do that is by putting colors on us such as blue or pink to distinguish between boy or girl. Gender is done on a daily basis and is something that is done unconsciously for the most part. For instance things I do on a day to day basis consists of putting on jewelry, make up, choosing to wear leggings and skirts which are simple tasks that emphasize doing gender. Not only is one choosing gender by the things that they do on a daily basis but also we assume gender, Judith Lorber's reading "The Social Construction of Gender" explains how this occurs. In Lorber's article she writes about how gender is done when one instantly determines whether an infant or newborn is male or female due to the colors he/she is wearing or due to the type of clothing.

            Patriarchy, according to Allan G. Johnson's article "Patriarchy, the System" is a term that can be defined as "an arrangement of shared understandings and relationships that connect people to one another and something larger than themselves." I like the way Johnson defines Patriarchy because patriarchy isn't only male dominance, which many including myself automatically think when they hear Patriarchy. With patriarchy there is a problem and that problem is that we all participate in it unknowingly and therefore the issue of male dominance arises. An example of how we participate in patriarchy is simply allowing men to do what "men should do" such as pay for your meal when you go out on a date, allow men to do the macho work when it comes to lifting heavy things in a workplace, and allowing them to get away with not helping make dinner or be in charge of the kids in the morning. Patriarchy isn't something that should have different levels but instead should allow for men and women to work on the same level when it comes to many things so that there isn't a hierarchy. The terms patriarchy and gender are both often misunderstood as previously stated and in order to make changes we have to have a clear understanding of what the words actually mean to better society vs. trying to completely change things around.

Introduction Letter

Hello Everyone!

My name is Ashannie Cabrera. I am a transfer student from Palm Beach State College where I received my AA degree; I am currently considered a junior here at UCF. I am a Biomedical Science major with the intentions of going to medical school to become a Pediatrician. Throughout my life I’ve been surrounded by young kids and have always had a passion for helping them in any way possible. Medicine also fascinates me and so I’ve decided why not put the two together and do something that really interests me in life.

 The reason why I am honestly taking this Intro to Women's Studies course is because it was one of the electives that I could choose from for my major. However, I am interested in taking this course to learn more about “Feminism” and have a better understanding of what it really means to be a woman in today’s society. Before I was introduced to this course I wasn’t really sure what I would be getting out of it, but a few days into the course I seem to have a clearer understanding of what I will be learning. I hope to gain more knowledge of the history from this course that has brought us to where we are today. Also, I would like to learn about how far we have actually come from when feminism was first introduced and what people are actively doing to continue the movement. Most importantly, I would like to learn how I can become a part of this community and incorporate it into my own culture of Hispanic descent. I’ve failed to realize up until two years ago how male dominated my culture is. What I mean by male dominated is simply the way both men and women believe they should be towards one another, case in point from experience and what I have been surrounded by men believe that women should always be 100% submissive to them and that women should not have any say in what goes. As far as women are concerned, I feel as if we feel that we do not have the right to stand up for what we believe in and therefore are treated the way we are. The reason why I say we is because since I was raised around this environment, I feel as if I fall under that category but I have hope that things will continue to change as time goes on and as I am exposed to more things in life. This is why I feel that as a young lady of the current generation, especially within the Hispanic community, it is important to understand and practice what we believe in, in order to pass on to the next generation what should be equality throughout the world.

Feminism and Women’s studies I believe have the same meaning to a certain extent. They both involve politics, social, economic equality, and history understanding. The way I believe they differ is that Women’s Studies can be viewed as the study of Feminism such as the course we are currently in. Feminism, however, is geared more towards advocacy and actually being able carrying out one’s beliefs on feminism and being a part of the movement. This is the general understanding I have about Feminism and Women’s Studies and as previously stated I do hope to gain more knowledge about both terms and other things associated with the two. Therefore, I look forward to a successful semester in learning about everyone’s different approach to Women’s Studies.