Part I
1. In the late 1960s and early 1970 various events contributes to the start of feminists’ revival. Due some drastic political changes there was a social change emerging. Women were a big part of this change, often called women’s liberation. There were important political figures whose lives and deaths affected women, both white and black. The Civil Rights movement helped women to peruse their freedom. Moreover, the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. made more black women to participate in feminists’ revival. Robert Kennedy’s assassination also triggered many women to come out of their homes and be part of the social changes. Finally, the war in Vietnam also gave place for many women. Many started protests against the war.
2. The protest at Miss America pageant in 1968 was a protest against social expectations. The idea of women was being, once again, portrayed through the men’s eyes. Female beauty was being defined based on what attracted men. Because women had to compete with each other to be “the most beautiful” for many women it was hard to imagine how women could be judged based on standards and criteria. Many women tried to change the idea of women. The began to burn their bras. Additionally, other items that were specially for women, such as make up, were also thrown away. These were some of the protests that portray women’s liberation.
3. The war over the sexes is not over. For any war to be over there has to be a unanimous decision. While there have been great changes in women’s and men’s lives, there is still something even greater to change, the idea. The idea of women (and men) in the society is still the same. While in America over the years the idea of women hasn’t change much, women’s role have been greatly expanded. Today the society expects much more from a women than just her old fashion duties, such as education, goals, and self-esteem. In some other parts of the world women are still treated as animals, who don’t have the right to even think. Therefore, if there is a war of sexes, it is not over, and in some places it hasn’t even began.
Part II
4. Mary Tyler as “liberation” shows a woman who is very much goal oriented. This woman prefers her career, journalism, over a boyfriend. On the other hand, Sex and The City also has single women who are not very much career oriented, even though they don’t have any serous relationship in her lives either. Orenstein compares these two shows because they both have single women. Additionally, she shows their differences by highlighting their values. While Mary Tyler shows a woman who takes advantage of her single life and tries to accomplish her goals, women in Sex and The City are very much different. They desperately need men in their lives to fulfill their emptiness because they don’t see themselves as individuals.
5. I don’t think Walker would agree with Orenstein. While they both may agree in that single women should explore life, they have a different view of women and sexuality. Orenstein’s idea of a woman is more conservative. While she celebrates the female independence, Orenstein doesn’t believe that a single woman should dedicate her life in exploring men. She doesn’t look at sex as an act of freedom. On the other hand, Walker is more inclined towards sexual desires. The exploration of all sexual desires and their fulfillment is very important for a single woman. Furthermore, Walker believes that sexual desires cannot and should not be repressed. Instead they should be a priority for any woman.
6. I can only base my opinion on what I know and see in my reality. While there may be an age where sexual desires and needs are a secret to be unveiled, there comes a time when women need the security of a stable life, regardless of it being with or without a men. In Sex and The City all these women seem sexually frustrated. Every age comes with it’s priorities. These women probably didn’t have an exciting youth. Therefore, they are still trying to explore their sexuality, while the other part of theirs, the age, is looking for something stable. There may be women in the real life just like these women in Sex and The City. However, I didn’t have the chance to personally know them.
Tuesday, May 27, 2008
Monday, May 19, 2008
Blo #13
1. The Cold War had a great impact on American women. When the country was going through difficult times, women were expected to go back to their domestic duties. The society was, once again, returning to its old traditions, where the woman was a housewife and the man, the provider. Women who worked outside of their homes made their men look weak in the eyes of the society. While during the World War II the country tried to take women out of their homes to substitute men’s jobs, it was very different during the Cold War. There was a big propaganda going on in the media and television to turn women back to their homes and make them the “old fashion” housewives.
2. What Betty Friedan wrote made the historians analyze it twice. While Friedan talked about housewives and how they served their husbands. However, what really made the historians re-analyze her writings was that Friedan only talked about one class of women, upper class white. Historians found that Betty Friedan didn’t mention black women and their lives. In her writings Friedan didn’t even describe the middle class white women. Another thing that caught the historians attention was that she only mentioned women who didn’t work outside of their homes. She never mentioned the working women.
3. The working class women, predominantly white, who went further in the labor force were the activist women of the 1950s. To start, all women faced many difficulties, such as discrimination and education problems when it came to getting a job. Latinas and African American were most of the time, discriminated. Additionally, women who didn’t have education couldn’t get jobs either. Women who had education were mostly white middle class. Therefore, they became the activists.
4. During the civil rights movement the idea and role of a leader was not precisely a woman. While female civil rights activists worked as hard as male did, their work was represented by men. At times women, just like during the World War II, were only substitutes for men for a short period of time. For instance, Ella Baker was only an executive director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference because there was no male candidate found. She was temporarily appointed, until a male candidate could be found. The society at the time, (and even today) wouldn’t choose a female leader to follow regardless of women’s contributions to the civil rights movement.
2. What Betty Friedan wrote made the historians analyze it twice. While Friedan talked about housewives and how they served their husbands. However, what really made the historians re-analyze her writings was that Friedan only talked about one class of women, upper class white. Historians found that Betty Friedan didn’t mention black women and their lives. In her writings Friedan didn’t even describe the middle class white women. Another thing that caught the historians attention was that she only mentioned women who didn’t work outside of their homes. She never mentioned the working women.
3. The working class women, predominantly white, who went further in the labor force were the activist women of the 1950s. To start, all women faced many difficulties, such as discrimination and education problems when it came to getting a job. Latinas and African American were most of the time, discriminated. Additionally, women who didn’t have education couldn’t get jobs either. Women who had education were mostly white middle class. Therefore, they became the activists.
4. During the civil rights movement the idea and role of a leader was not precisely a woman. While female civil rights activists worked as hard as male did, their work was represented by men. At times women, just like during the World War II, were only substitutes for men for a short period of time. For instance, Ella Baker was only an executive director for the Southern Christian Leadership Conference because there was no male candidate found. She was temporarily appointed, until a male candidate could be found. The society at the time, (and even today) wouldn’t choose a female leader to follow regardless of women’s contributions to the civil rights movement.
Monday, May 12, 2008
Blog #12
Textbook
1. World War II gave women a new identity. During these times women were ready to help the country in any and every way they could. To begin, they started working at jobs that before only men worked. Some women worked at jobs such as mechanics and welding. Many others also joined the army by joining Women’s Army and Air force. Nevertheless, women who had joined the army weren’t allowed to fight in war. While many women still performed jobs typical for women such as, telephone operators, clerical workers, and nurses, women who performed jobs that were more suitable for men, weren’t permanent workers. Because men were absent, women had become substitutes of men’s jobs.
2. World War II brought many changes for women, changes that marked an important time period for women. One of the most long lasting effects of World War II was probably women and education. After the war many women started to continue their education. Next, while during the war many women worked at certain jobs because men were absent, after the war these women were still highly classified workers because of their experience. Finally, many women also moved to the cities where there were more opportunities to grow more independent.
Source Interpretation
1. According to the article gender isn’t an issue for women to find jobs. Because men are at war, women have the opportunity to substitute them at work. Additionally, while women receive the same salary as men, they are also treated like men. On the other hand, the article also, in some way, portrays gendered division. Men do the important parts of the work. Whereas, some women, add the final touches.
2. The audience of this article is probably mostly women because it is published in “The Ladies Home” journal. However, if the male soldiers, who are so far from home, have the chance to have this article in their hands, they will probably read it too.
3. It is hard to imagine anyone, a man or woman, who would enjoy such conditions of work. However, women maintain a somewhat positive attitude. Women who work so many hours, under so much pressure, and so hard, are satisfied because they get paid more than they used to. On the other hand, some women want to go back to their old jobs.
4. The article suggests that women who work as hard as men, still maintain their femininity. First, after work women go home and still perform their housework. They clean, wash, and cook. Additionally, they also show their femininity at work. Even though their work is hard and they don’t have much of free time, women still find time to do their nails.
5. After the was many different things may happen to women. Some women would probably lose their jobs because men would come back from war. Some others would get married and start a family. Many others would have to go back to their old jobs, where the money isn’t vary good.
1. World War II gave women a new identity. During these times women were ready to help the country in any and every way they could. To begin, they started working at jobs that before only men worked. Some women worked at jobs such as mechanics and welding. Many others also joined the army by joining Women’s Army and Air force. Nevertheless, women who had joined the army weren’t allowed to fight in war. While many women still performed jobs typical for women such as, telephone operators, clerical workers, and nurses, women who performed jobs that were more suitable for men, weren’t permanent workers. Because men were absent, women had become substitutes of men’s jobs.
2. World War II brought many changes for women, changes that marked an important time period for women. One of the most long lasting effects of World War II was probably women and education. After the war many women started to continue their education. Next, while during the war many women worked at certain jobs because men were absent, after the war these women were still highly classified workers because of their experience. Finally, many women also moved to the cities where there were more opportunities to grow more independent.
Source Interpretation
1. According to the article gender isn’t an issue for women to find jobs. Because men are at war, women have the opportunity to substitute them at work. Additionally, while women receive the same salary as men, they are also treated like men. On the other hand, the article also, in some way, portrays gendered division. Men do the important parts of the work. Whereas, some women, add the final touches.
2. The audience of this article is probably mostly women because it is published in “The Ladies Home” journal. However, if the male soldiers, who are so far from home, have the chance to have this article in their hands, they will probably read it too.
3. It is hard to imagine anyone, a man or woman, who would enjoy such conditions of work. However, women maintain a somewhat positive attitude. Women who work so many hours, under so much pressure, and so hard, are satisfied because they get paid more than they used to. On the other hand, some women want to go back to their old jobs.
4. The article suggests that women who work as hard as men, still maintain their femininity. First, after work women go home and still perform their housework. They clean, wash, and cook. Additionally, they also show their femininity at work. Even though their work is hard and they don’t have much of free time, women still find time to do their nails.
5. After the was many different things may happen to women. Some women would probably lose their jobs because men would come back from war. Some others would get married and start a family. Many others would have to go back to their old jobs, where the money isn’t vary good.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Blog # 11
1. In 1920’s it was appropriate to speak about a “New Woman” for many reasons. To begin, in this time period women had become more independent from men. Additionally, they were more involved in many aspects of life that before, only men were allowed, such as politics. Women were finally allowed to vote. Moreover, women also started forming social and political organizations. Finally, flapper marked the beginning of the new fashion women. They started to were shorter close and hair. However, women didn’t only change their conservative image, they also changed their social lives. They started to drink and dance in public places.
2. In 1920’s women who were active in politics encounter difficulties in accomplishing their agenda because they had an undefined authority. Women had conflicts among themselves when making decisions about their duties and positions at work. While before they were united because their goal was to gain voting rights, now they started to have differences in many aspects. For example, African American women had conflicts with white women because white women didn’t care about African American women and their rights. African American women didn’t get a chance to publicly expose their concerns. Women had different ideals and beliefs. Therefore, their goals were becoming different.
3. The “Migrant Mother” is an image that represents women during the Great Depression. The expressions of the image clearly illustrate poverty and stress. The clothes that they are wearing are old and worn. The expression of the women’s face transmit’s the great pain that she feels inside. This may be because she is concerned for her children. She is, most probably worried for their lives. Additionally, during these times women went back to their traditional roles. They, once again, became housewives and mothers. This was because the man of the family was the main provider, and he was outside, trying to find a job. By her children being very close to her, it show how they find security in their mother.
4. Even though the Great Depression affected both men and women, its effects were stronger on men. Both men and women started to lose their jobs. However, because men were the main providers of the household, the effects of the Great Depression were direct on them. They felt that they were losing their manhood. Moreover, many men even left their wives because they felt inferior. On the other hand, the society didn’t like women who still had their jobs and whose husbands also worked. It gave ways to conflicts. Finally, during the Great Depression, jobs that were only for women had a fast come back. Whereas, men still didn’t find employment.
2. In 1920’s women who were active in politics encounter difficulties in accomplishing their agenda because they had an undefined authority. Women had conflicts among themselves when making decisions about their duties and positions at work. While before they were united because their goal was to gain voting rights, now they started to have differences in many aspects. For example, African American women had conflicts with white women because white women didn’t care about African American women and their rights. African American women didn’t get a chance to publicly expose their concerns. Women had different ideals and beliefs. Therefore, their goals were becoming different.
3. The “Migrant Mother” is an image that represents women during the Great Depression. The expressions of the image clearly illustrate poverty and stress. The clothes that they are wearing are old and worn. The expression of the women’s face transmit’s the great pain that she feels inside. This may be because she is concerned for her children. She is, most probably worried for their lives. Additionally, during these times women went back to their traditional roles. They, once again, became housewives and mothers. This was because the man of the family was the main provider, and he was outside, trying to find a job. By her children being very close to her, it show how they find security in their mother.
4. Even though the Great Depression affected both men and women, its effects were stronger on men. Both men and women started to lose their jobs. However, because men were the main providers of the household, the effects of the Great Depression were direct on them. They felt that they were losing their manhood. Moreover, many men even left their wives because they felt inferior. On the other hand, the society didn’t like women who still had their jobs and whose husbands also worked. It gave ways to conflicts. Finally, during the Great Depression, jobs that were only for women had a fast come back. Whereas, men still didn’t find employment.
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