Oppression by marilyn Frye

Oppression by Marilyn Frye is a fierce article the pushed a lot of buttons for me. Like the title submits this is about maltreatment, the abuse of women that is the normal in our societies. Frye points to how we live in a hypocrite society, where women are abused for most any decision they make and then abused again if they do the opposite. If a women is open about her sexuality she is labeled and shamed, if she is closed about her sexuality she is pressured and humiliated. I agree that this is a wide spread wrongdoing. Listening to a lot of urban music will easily highlight this, or even looking at women politicians dressed. This is unhealthy, abusive, irresponsible, wounding, hurtful, and cowardly. Society has been like this for as long as time, women have walked over for thousands of years.
    While Frye also shares that both men and women contribute to the problem, she does not offer a great reason as to why this has happened in the first place. Her assigning the responsibility (or blame) on men who are phony for opening doors for women but not standing up for women's rights is not pointing to the bigger issue. She mentions that people look at the bigger picture (the micro) and not the smaller details (the macro), but she ends up missing some of the picture too. Both genders have
incredible problems, from men's history of war and emotional trauma to women's history isolating themselves and shaming each other and everything in between. We are dealing with some very screwed up people within both genders in society. We are all wounded, dazed and confused, it is no wonder most people do not act in more loving and respectful ways. Frye holds men (and to a lesser extent women) to some degree responsible for their behaviors. I agree that it is appropriate to hold others accountable accordingly.What I don't agree with is when dealing with the sick (of mind, emotion, and spirit), poisoning them with unfair shaming, that is being part of the micro and macro problem. Tough love is not necessarily harsh love, and justice is not punishment. We need to continue to gain more clarity as we move forward.

Here is a vid of Jed Bush saying women should be shamed to control them:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UOkV60edVZE

Fear of Feminish

Why young women get willis, By Lisa Maria Hogeland

The article "Fear of feminism" is a powerful one for me. Hogeland presents the notion that women have a lot to fear with openly expressing and defending feminist principles and joining the movement. I believe most of the things she says are true. We live in a society that is oppressive to those that want change the status quo. Hogeland interprets society as being anti-intellectual, and hierarchical. Again I agree, we have many especial interests in society, from capitalists like Hogeland sites to racists, traditionalists and simply members of society that don't want to make life more complicated. Neutralist as Hogeland describes. She encourages us to take on the consequences of our actions or inaction. This is powerful for me because I see everyone around me go about their business everyday with little mention to unfairness in the world and working on doing something about it. The whole world seems to want to stay in a safe world without consequences, and has resisted the need for change when presented by it everyday all over the world, from poverty to women's rights. Like Hogeland I agree that making a difference requires a sense of purpose, and I think the more neutral I stay the more disconnected I make myself from my purpose.

I want to ask my class what has real purpose for them and what do they need to do to integrate actions that bring them more inline with that purpose!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ztOo-VK7-4

The F-Word Feminism in jeapordy!

By Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner

Rowe argues that the women's feminist movement has become a lot less effective and active and is in danger of losing its purpose. The incredible history of women's rights is one of a lot of struggle and fight, what most men and women see now as common sense. The author describes the first wave of feminist movement that was fought to win the right to vote and be counted as equal to men. The second wave continued the movement by challenging more of what society thought was OK and not in what women can do. Working anywhere and in any professional position deemed wrong my men. The is obvious not the case now. Still Rowe reminds us now that we better not take what was gained granted. Women still get thrown into gender roles that pushed on them by society. Women Engineers and politicians are still in the minority. The author explains that she understands things are very complicated and different women have different ideas about what they would like to see change or what is appropriate. Unfortunately if we don't work together and exercise our rights to vote and help each other by uniting to challenge society we have very little chance for success. Kristin Rowe is a second wave feminist with strong ties to the first wave, and she has now joined the third wave. She argues if (we men and) women don't start working and working together we won't get much of the work of equality done!

Just what is the truth? How bad are things for women?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1oqyrflOQFc

First Blog Ever

First time blogging and I am working on creating an interesting blog! Thanks everyone for reading my blog! I am learning to understand what gender really is, I am taking this class because it is an interesting lecture/part of life. This summer I took a basic computer summer class. I work full time as an computer system administrator and I go to school full time, as I work to earn my Computer Information Systems degree. I have also been working on some projects get build a DIY speaker system, make sure my car is running well, and learn the GTD (Get Things Done) program so I can get a lot done in my life! I hope I can share what I learn well enough to teach you all something worthwhile and precious.
    Oh, I also visited Ecuador with my fiance! We did a lot of stuff, whale watching, swimming,
hike, ride horses through the jungle, climbed some volcanoes, etc. etc. It was the best vacation adventure I have ever had!