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.