Female Immigrants: Slipping Through the Cracks

Proper protection of female immigrants against abuse in this nation is certainly not being witnessed. Similarly to how there are gaps in healthcare coverage for certain demographics of women, there are also groups of women that are not afforded the same protection against battering and abuse as their counterparts. These women are literally slipping through the cracks under a flawed set of laws that forces silence upon them. What fosters this silence is often the failure to provide the proper information to these women about how and why they can utilize the law for their protection. Crenshaw highlights this issue in her text, and points to how there is a long history of immigrant women suffering in silence. Originally this began with a law that for all intents and purposes forced immigrant women to stay in a marriage with a U.S. citizen for two years if they wanted to achieve citizenship. What this unfortunately led to was many immigrant women that were “reluctant to leave even the most abusive of partners for fear of being deported” (Crenshaw 4). While this particular issue was rectified under the Immigration Act of 1990 the situation for immigrant women still remained where they were unable to voice their troubles and seek help. One interesting circumstance that Crenshaw points to in order to highlight why these women were unable to seek help is the language barrier. The language barrier was an issue both because many immigrant women were unable to properly locate the services that would protect them and also because even if they did locate the proper clinics or shelters they were turned away because the shelters lacked “bilingual personnel and resources.” This clearly illustrates how services are at times limited to only those who are English speakers, which immediately nullifies the rights to prevent abuse and to achieve help to end these circumstances of many of the inhabitants of this nation. Regardless of how one stands on immigration laws and the presence of illegal immigrants in this nation it is unacceptable to allow the persistence of violence against anyone, particularly those who are stuck within the lifestyle of battering and violence. One important point that Crenshaw highlights is that in order for effective change to be witnessed the root of issues must be addressed. While certain provisions can provide immediate alleviation of a problem it is often the case that these changes only alter one aspect of why and how a woman is being battered and not taking steps to prevent the issue altogether. One example of this is the Violence Against Women Act of 2000. Changes need to take place from the grass roots and work their way up because it is often the case that the marginalized women that are being abused are unfamiliar with congressional measures that in effect will minimally benefit them. A widespread education program, perhaps in the form of an ad campaign, may be one effective measure to present this issue to the entire public and shed light on this forgotten demographic. Presenting this as an issue is the first step to solving the issue and this is something that has not yet occurred. Simply presenting services does not ensure that all women will be able to access them, and just how we have seen that healthcare access was unequal but has undergone helpful changes, a fundamental restructuring and the provision of information and aid will be necessary if this problem is ever to be fixed.

Sex, Sexuality, and Silence

Ariel Levy's chapter "Pigs in Training" from her book Female Chauvinist Pigs has both strengths and weaknesses. As we discussed in class, Levy presents a very white, upper class, euro-centric, feminist view that can be frustrating and difficult to negotiate. Despite the inherent bias in Levy's arguments, I think it is important not to cast aside all of her views as irrelevant. Although it is sometimes unclear, the underlying message of this chapter addresses two very important issues: binary constructions and silencing. According to Levy, our culture perpetuates contradicting messages about sex: there is a discrepancy between what teenagers see and experience in their everyday lives and what they are taught in school. In our culture, sex is everywhere - TV shows, magazines, and movies to name a few. But in school, many teens are taught to "just say no," or in some cases, they aren't taught about sex at all.

In class, we have talked a lot about how our society has a tendency to see things as either right or wrong, black or white, normal or abnormal. Often, we fail to recognize, or talk about, anything in between. I think that Levy provides a strong example of this in her discussion of the (relatively) current political approach to sexual education. From Levy's standpoint, many conservatives promote abstinence-only programs, while many liberals promote a relaxed approach with little to no boundaries or limits. As Levy points out, "both of these approaches can ultimately have the same result: a silence about the complexities of desire, feminine desire in particular" (167). This notion of "silencing" has larger implications - when issues are silenced, people are silenced. If we don't talk about sex and sexuality open and honestly, we run the risk of perpetuating oppressive ideas and behavior.

News Flash: Women in the Navy

In her article, “Hormonal Hurricanes: Menstruation, Menopause, and Female Behavior,” author Anne Fausto-Sterling presents a history of the regulation of women’s activities. Today, the idea that women are rendered incapable – both mentally and physically – of performing certain tasks or participating in certain activities because of their hormonal psychology or reproductive systems may seem antiquated. When we read about past examples of women being excluded from activities or positions because their hormones make them too emotional or their reproductive systems make them too vulnerable seem silly and obsolete. Unfortunately, they still exist. A prime example of this is the United States Navy’s ban on female submarine crew members. This example supports the notion that despite how far we’ve come in our thinking about women’s physical and mental capacities and capabilities, on some level we still deem women incapable.

The Navy’s submarine policy has been debated for decades. Just last month, an ABC News exclusive announced that the Navy decided to begin the process of lifting the ban on women serving on submarines (Kerley 2010). According to the article, spokesmen for the civilian Secretary of the Navy, Ray Mabus, the Chief of Naval Operations, Adm. Gary Roughead, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Adm. Mike Mullen all indicated that their clients support lifting the ban. As a result, on February 19th Secretary of Defense Robert Gates signed a letter notifying Congress of the Navy’s policy change. The only possible problem would arise if Congress decided to pass legislation “specifically barring the policy change,” a decision that would have to be made during the thirty-day window that began when Gates signed the letter.

Currently, the Navy has more than 50,000 women in the 330,500-strong service (MacAskill 2010). Still, the first time women were allowed to serve aboard naval warships was in 1993. According to ABC, the Navy said has said that women have been banned from submarines “partly because of the close quarters and limited sleeping areas” (Kerley 2010). Although submarines are one of the last places in the military that women are excluded from, they will still be barred from entering the Seals, the Navy’s special operations combat team (MacAskill 2010). A Defense Department official told ABC News that the hope is for 12 to 18 ROTC or Naval Academy graduates will enter submarine training. Hopefully by then, that group will include a few women.

Overall, the result seems promising. Women are a big step closer to serving on U.S. submarines. However, even if Congress also supports lifting the ban, women won’t be able to physically serve on a U.S. submarine for almost two years. This is because the Navy has to alter several submarines before they can accommodate female members. Since officers are already separated from the other enlisted personnel on submarines, female officers will likely be the first women to be accommodated into the program. In addition, women will not be allowed to serve alone – the policy will require at least two women to be on board. Other ideas include having junior female officers bunk with more experienced female officers, to create a sort of mentor system. There will also be restrictions for pregnant women – a policy that is also implemented on surface vessels (Kerley 2010).

When asked about the policy, Naval and government leaders have said that the time has come to “broaden opportunities for women” (Kerley 2010). Although I applaud the Navy’s actions to include women on submarines, I find it troubling to think that 2010 is “that time.” What took so long? When will it be time for women to be Navy seals? When will it be time for women to fight on the front lines? My point is this: women are still being restricted from positions of leadership and power. Fausto-Sterling explains that throughout history, certain messages have been clear: “women, by nature emotionally erratic, cannot be trusted in positions of responsibility. Their dangerous, unpredictable furies warrant control by the medical profession, while ironically the same “dangerous” females also need protection because their reproductive systems, so necessary for the procreation of the race, are vulnerable to stress and hard work” (1997:91-92). Perhaps some of these messages no longer seem relevant. But in the context of this example, I think it is important to realize that these myths about women’s bodies and minds still exist. Maybe they manifest in different ways, but the underlying belief is the same: women are incapable.

These issues are not just present in the military. In fact, it is possible use this example of the Navy’s submarine policy to explore examples of this exclusion present in other institutions, especially, as Fausto-Sterling points out, in the medical profession. True, we are in the process of lifting the ban on women on submarines – but in other areas women’s positive capabilities are still not accepted or recognized.

Kerley, David, and Luis Martinez. "Exclusive: Navy to Lift Ban on Women Serving Aboard Submarines." ABC News. ABC News Internet Ventures, 23 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 Mar. 2010. .

MacAskill, Ewen. "US Navy Moves to Lift Ban on Women Serving in Submarines." The Guardian. Guardian News and Media Limited, 24 Feb. 2010. Web. 7 Mar. 2010. .

Childbirth

I found Atul Gawande’s article “The Score” very difficult to read at times. The author uses graphic and explicit language to describe the birthing process in a brief historical overview. As someone who still needs to lie down after having my finger pricked at the doctor’s office, I especially had trouble making it through the evolution of methods used to deliver “stuck” babies. In addition to being turned off by Gawande’s casual rhetoric, I found Goer’s falsification of many of the statistics within “The Score” to be particularly interesting. While reading Gawande’s article, I couldn’t help but question some of the statements the author offered throughout his piece. The author suggests “those of us in other fields of medicine don’t use these measures anywhere near as reliably and as safely as obstetricians use theirs” (7), when referring to obstetrics being perceived as having little scientific justification of their actions. Since already skeptical of Gawande’s appreciation of accurate information, I was not entirely surprised when Goer discounted several of the author’s numbers within her response piece.

Although I believe Gawande’s article contains many deep flaws within its arguments, I am not in complete support of Goer’s deconstruction either. While Henri Goer does an effective job of identifying the paradox and seeming lack of attention to the individual woman within Gawande’s piece, she too seems to be on the far extreme at the opposite end of the spectrum. Goer seems to go over-the-top in comparing excess newborn harms to those in vaginal birth when she suggests “cuts,” “mother’s negative early reaction to mother” and “failure of breastfeeding” as differentiating problems between the two types of births. I would be curious to see how small the percentage is of these instances in c-section babies and then consider whether or not the trade-off would be worth the risk.

Noticing this potential exaggeration is not intended to imly c-sections should be the go-to solution. I was surprised and impressed by the statistics provided on the success rate of normal vaginal births however think it is important to recognize each author comes from a very opinionated and (possibly) extreme stance. Goer’s recommendations are simply not accessible to all women. Hiring a “doubla” most likely comes at no small cost and it seems unrealistic to suggest Rourke may have prevented her birth complications had she had a doubla present.

The Woman's Right to Support, Regardless of Choice

Inga Muscio’s essay, “Abortion, Vacuum Cleaners and the Power Within,” struck me as an interesting piece of writing but as one with a questionable message. From the very first paragraph in her text it seems that Muscio will be sharing pro-life sentiment as she proclaims she is “adamantly against clinical abortions” (LU 112). As the story goes on though and Muscio familiarizes the reader with the gritty details of clinical abortions and her personal experiences with three separate abortions it comes to light that Muscio is not necessarily pro-life but anti-external-dependence. Muscio criticizes ‘western medicine’ and the reliance upon doctors to perform abortions when there are other options available; options that she herself has successfully implemented. Muscio’s bolstering of herbal methods of abortion that can be accomplished without the use of doctors or invasive medical procedures is where I disagree with her stance regarding abortion. One of the most beneficial aspects of clinical abortions is that those individuals searching for help have the services of skilled professionals to aid them through the difficult process. These are not only medical professionals but mental health and counseling professionals who can help women and their partners decide the best available options and if they so choose to follow through with the abortion these professionals can provide much needed support. My happiness for Muscio regarding her personal success is tempered by my incredulousness regarding her repeated, three times to be exact, unwanted and unfulfilled pregnancies. While Muscio supports a system of choice where women can control their pregnancies on their own, without clinical measures, I personally think Muscio is a model of questionable decision making. Muscio’s own use of “he was fun to romp with and blah dee blah blah blah” to explain how she got pregnant in one instance underscores her own inability to explain why she got pregnant as well as her level of immaturity during the decision making process to have sex in the first place (LU 116). However, from a realistic standpoint I understand that education about contraception to prevent unwanted pregnancies will still leave margin for those people who become pregnant even still. In this regard my stance on abortion parallels Allison Crews’ from her essay, “And So I Chose.” Crews’ last paragraph beginning, “being pro-woman, being pro-choice, means being supportive of any reproductive choice a woman makes for herself” most closely resembles what I feel to be the best method to help woman deal with this difficult issue (LU 148). Crews’ main focus on being supportive of the decision a woman makes is an aspect I feel is missing from Muscio’s method of avoiding clinical abortion. While clinical abortion may leave a woman with more physical pain in the immediate wake of abortive procedures, I feel the support systems and counseling staff at clinics can help soothe, or avoid all together, the deep emotional wounds that can result from terminating a pregnancy and that can last for many years. There is truly no one correct way of guiding this issue, however I feel Muscio’s stance is misdirected and Crews’ focus on support systems and the importance of personal choices aided through support from positive individuals presents a favorable model that can easily be followed.

News Flash: Maternal Healthcare Faliures in the U.S. Today

The healthcare debate in the U.S. is one that everyone has become all too familiar with. One would be hard pressed to go through a day without hearing or reading about the development of healthcare reform in the nation. However, while people have become focused on this issue as an outlet for jabs from pundits and a continual presence in the news, there are serious issues at hand regarding equal health coverage in the United States today. Amnesty International has recently completed a study focused on this very issue, specifically the maternal healthcare crisis, and how too many women are dying in the U.S. while having babies. The effective care of women having birth in the U.S. has declined in recent times and this lack of care underscores other, greater issues surrounding the equal treatment of women both in the U.S. and around the world today.
Jennifer Block, in her article from Time magazine, highlights the main points from the Amnesty International report, titled “Deadly Delivery”, and provides insight on how a woman dying during childbirth is a “systemic violation of women’s rights.”[1] With her article Block proves how the economic disparity among women as compared to men and between white and non-white females is one of the greatest contributors to death during childbirth. These economic disparities are the result of societal trends that maintain the inferior status of women in society and thus by the rigid structuring of gender roles provided by ‘the system’ women have less capability to avoid these childbirth complications. The ability to avoid the causes of death from childbirth is clearly a possibility because the Amnesty International report illustrates how most women are dying not from random complications but because they “are not getting the comprehensive services that they need.”[2] On the same note, while black women in the U.S. are “four times as likely as white women to die from pregnancy-related causes” it is not due to complications like hemorrhage and “they are no more likely to experience certain complications.”[3] These are the most apparent issues surrounding maternal healthcare today and while they only scratch the surface of this large issue the do provide insight on greater problems surrounding the role of women and class difference in society today.
Block’s article and the Amnesty International report provide statistics highlighting the disparate healthcare coverage of women and minority women, but what this perspective of maternal healthcare coverage really proves is the greater failures of equality in society today. The clearest issue linked to maternal healthcare coverage is gender inequality in the workplace. Many Americans today do not have ample healthcare coverage simply because they do not have jobs. Women suffer under the patriarchal system that discriminates against females and where “women lack access to job security and the benefits of social protection.”[4] Women are also faced with the issue of choosing to have children which threatens job security in the first place and can result in greater health risks for women, as the increasing rates of birth-related deaths have shown, potentially from loss of their job and its associated health benefits. It is no surprise to see that many of these trends apparent in the U.S. are paralleled in other nations today. But while other nations are taking proactive steps to alleviate the risks faced by women before, during, and after childbirth the measures taken in the U.S. have lagged behind. For instance, the organization ‘Chile Crece Contigo’ in Chile promotes access to health services and also includes goals aimed at “stimulating women’s employment.”[5] It is this lack of focus on the issues facing women’s health in the U.S. that has placed American women “at greater risk of dying from pregnancy-related causes than in 40 other countries.”[6] The first step to solving this problem is acknowledging that it exists, and more importantly tackling the roots of the issue, such as unequal representation in the workplace.
The examination of different rates of birth-related deaths between white women and black women in the U.S. parallels Peggy McIntosh’s explanation of white privilege. Similarly to how McIntosh explains meritocracy as a myth, I feel people envisage equality under health care in the U.S. too ideally and that this sense of equality is a myth. I do not intend to say that the American public thinks that every single person is provided the same exact health care benefits, but rather that programs like Medicare and Medicaid give people a false sense of comfort with the healthcare status quo. The glaring differences between whites and non-whites under the nation’s health care system are perpetuated by what McIntosh refers to as the “colossal unseen dimensions” of social systems that may be acknowledge as problems but are rarely altered.[7] One cannot even conclude that the current attempts at healthcare reform will change these issues because economic inequalities are maintained by a host of other social systems that may remain virtually unchanged by reforms in healthcare. The median wealth for white, black, and Latino women is a clear indicator of the economic inequalities between women. While white women have a median wealth of $41,000, black and Latino women have $100 and $120, respectively.[8] This unequal access to healthcare between white and non-white women is a direct consequence of racist and sexist aspects within the societal structure today, as well as many aspects of white and male privilege that accentuate the discriminatory racist and sexist practices. McIntosh’s discourse on white privilege aids in understanding the issues surrounding differential healthcare coverage among women and how economic inequality fuels these differences.
Block also highlights that all women will continually be faced with greater risk from childbirth even under conditions where equal access is provided. This is important to point out because it highlights how women are truly in a bind where many of the common practices, like unnecessary C-sections, have become ubiquitous in maternal healthcare and produce great risk for even those mothers that have the best healthcare coverage. This particular point focuses on the issue of healthcare equality on the whole rather than the specific problem of economic influences on maternal healthcare risks. It is important to view this issue through a broader perspective because it aids in highlighting how this is specifically a female issue and also aids in drawing links to this issue on the global scale. Maternal healthcare and sexism in healthcare systems is a worldwide issue that needs to be addressed. While each nation will need to take different approaches to issues of maternal healthcare, as McIntosh comments on the notion of change, the alteration of issues in maternal healthcare will require fundamental restructuring of systems that perpetuate inequalities in the first place.
Many of the points that Block presents in her article are shocking to see to for the United States. It seems unacceptable that as a global leader the U.S. still stands behind 40 other nations in the world today in its ability to prevent death from pregnancy-related causes. The rate of deaths per 100,000 births that doubled from 1987 to 2006 should not continue to rise and many changes will be necessary to turn this around.[9] The diminishment of affects on health from economic disparity in society will be only one among many integral measures needed to implement effective change in both maternal healthcare and the national healthcare system as a whole.

[1] Jennifer Block, “Too Many Women Dying in U.S. While Having Babies,” Time, March 12, 2010, (http://www.time.com/time/health/article/0,8599,1971633,00.html).
[2] Jennifer Block, “Too Many Women Dying in U.S. While Having Babies.”
[3] Jennifer Block, “Too Many Women Dying in U.S. While Having Babies.”
[4] M.J. Stephey, “Why Sexism Kills,” Time, November 11, 2009, (http://www.time.com/time/world/article/0,8599,1937336,00.html).
[5] M.J. Stephey, “Why Sexism Kills.”
[6] Jennifer Block, “Too Many Women Dying in U.S. While Having Babies.”
[7] Peggy McIntosh, “White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack,” 1988.
[8] Class Notes 3/11/10
[9] Jennifer Block, “Too Many Women Dying in U.S. While Having Babies.”

A Search for Recognition

The readings for this week have to do with many different issues that marginalized women face in American society today. "Black Sexual Politics" addresses the contemporary popular culture's stigmas attached to Black and Latina women and men. Popular culture has done nothing but exploit these values through JLo's booty and Destiny's Child's messages of female power in their music. These societal recognitions originate in the past, with prominent figures like Josephine Baker. African Americans in general have been attached to a stigma of "wild" sexuality since colonial times - which transferred across the Atlantic to the United States. Collins makes a valid point that the biological racism has turned into more of an economically successful versus impoverished debate, with African Americans usually comprising the majority of the impoverished population - perpetuating the social hierarchy that has taken over today. Popular culture has only pushed these values through intense marketing and use of improved technology. Beyonce and JLo do not appear are the "repressed" and marginalized segments of society, so their sexual freedom seems appealing. But, the women that these superstars appear to emulate them. Sexuality has a fine line in American culture, and we have yet to reconcile and acknowledge the boundary between a healthy sexuality and censoring what is in the media. The talk-show examples are something that I can truly relate to. When nothing is on during the long summer days, Jerry Springer turns into a viable option on TV, purely for its entertainment value. However, when one takes a step back from boredom and passivity, the values that the Jerry Springer show make visible to a large population are absolutely preposterous. Family drama is something that everyone can relate to - but it is turned into a spectacle with the heightened presence of race and sexuality - something that most viewers do not relate to in their everyday lives. These shows highlight the challenges that our society must overcome in relation to establishing a healthy dialogue about sexuality.

With that healthy dialogue would hopefully come a more openness into the world of lesbians. The most striking distinction Rich made that I, and many others, are guilty of, is grouping lesbians in with homosexuals. They are very different and warrant their own cultures. However, especially heterosexual males, have been forced to face homosexuality, but have managed to repress the lesbian identity, with the exception of the "Female Chauvinist Pigs" who participate in lesbianism simply to appeal to men's fantasies and desires. But that is not what the real lesbian culture is today. Historically, men have been oppressive to women in a number of ways - regarding their own sexuality and worth as a human being. The feminist movement has come to a point where the lesbian identity must be identified and integrated into the popular culture. Every female has a different experience, and men cannot continue to discredit that today. Within these differences is finding a personal sexuality. Women should not feel "psychologically trapped" to fit into some mold that society has created. Just as in the "Listen Up" excerpts, the Indian-American identity, or the pre-adolescent sexual exploration, must be discovered on a case-by-case basis. The feminine experience is relative to each and every individual woman.

I think that ultimately, women desire recognition on the continuum of identities. There exist numerous ways of being today, and a certain identity must not be discredited because it has not been historically "normal" in society up to present day. We are at a turning point, and we must create a dialogue in order to establish an open sexuality where it is free and comfortable, but through knowledge and healthy practices.

The Constriction of the Woman in Society

“People told me that I resembled a concentration camp prisoner, a chemotherapy patient, a famine victim or a fashion model” (Chernik, 105). I thought this quote from Abra Fortune Chernik’s personal recount of her experience with anorexia is incredibly helpful in illustrating the burdens placed upon women and their body image in society today. This jab that Chernik takes at society’s interpretation of beauty and ‘normality’ is easy to overlook at first glance, I know I did. However, there just isn’t something right about this statement and I was drawn back to it after realizing my blunder in accepting the statement as ordinary. By placing the fashion model next to others who have suffered from tragedy Chernik highlights how much of what we consider normal today has serious problems at its roots. Chernik argues rather persuasively that just like the suffering that was forced upon these other people, whether it be by disease or evildoers, is just like the pains that society forces woman to go through by striving for unrealistic and truthfully unnatural body images. While I do not necessarily want to go as far as saying that society of today has the malicious intent or destructive power akin to Hitler or cancer I do think that Chernik proves there are serious issues that need to be addressed. I think much of what Levy examines in her text dealing with the different outlets for women of all types to express themselves and be who they want to be, i.e. as bois or at cake parties, refutes Chernik’s all encompassing description of society as a destructive arena.
Similar to Chernik’s description of how women are guided in society to literally constrict their figures Laurel Gilbert highlights the constrictions placed upon the feminine role. Gilbert provides a unique perspective as a lesbian/bisexual and single mother through which she reveals how her life has been continually considered far from normal and laden with ‘handicaps.’ In her writing I think Gilbert’s most persuasive commentary is her description of the contrary responses her drama teacher and her art teacher gave her. Upon getting pregnant Gilbert was faced with progressive people like her drama teacher that pushed her towards a future they told her “future’s changed, but it’s not over” (Gilbert 81). However, Gilbert seemed to more commonly encounter those like her guidance counselor who were telling her to resign to a lifestyle as a housewife and to go out looking for a husband. The image of a single mother trying to continue her education while raising a child was considered a deviation from society’s view of normality and is indicative of the narrow path society finds comfort is guiding women along.

I think both Gilbert and Chernik provide valuable firsthand descriptions of how they encountered struggles in their lives due to a narrow held definition of the female in society. It is because of this peg holing that many women consider themselves ‘different’ or ‘weird’ and the task of changing this definition, while it may be difficult, is definitely possible.

THIS WEEK: Some Relevant Media

Jennifer Lopez ~ 2001

Destiny's Child Survivor Album insert ~ 2000

Josephine Baker ~ 1925

Sarah Bartmann ~ 1816

Women's Health

Within the assigned chapter of reading in Anne Fausto-Sterling’s book, the author explores several fundamental issues concerning women’s health. Sterling analyzes the way in which society uses biological theories to perpetuate social inequalities. Frequently we may not even recognize this phenomenon is taking place, however when direct examples are identified it seems shockingly obvious. Although Sterling offers multiple persuasive arguments regarding these health issues, I think it is imperative to keep in mind her book was published in 1992. While eighteen years may not seem like a large amount of time in the context of women’s oppression, there have been significant scientific developments made during this time that may be accidentally overlooked if one is not aware of the book’s copyright date.

Despite the fact the scientific research Sterling evaluates is semi-outdated, several of the points raised continue to strike close to home. Sterling suggests biological differences between men and women have been socially conditioned to imply specific and inferior traits about the female sex. The author claims that society has historically perceived women as “by nature emotionally erratic [and not to be] trusted in positions of responsibility” (Sterling, 91). As I continued to read, I could not help but think of one specific incident that occurred a mere several years ago. While making a speech, the former president of Harvard University made several comments implying women to be biologically inferior to men in the field of science. Although when called under question the administrative bigwig claimed his statements were supported by scientific research, the general message had been clear: women are biologically inferior to men – at least in regard to science. One of the aspects I find most intriguing about this situation, and also in general, is that someone is such a high position of academic stature would be willing to publicly orate such a fact without a significant amount of evidence behind it.

I think this point is emphasized throughout the course of Sterling’s text. Although society possesses a general understanding of PMS and menopause, along with a variety of other women’s health concerns, Sterling points out there is not a wealth of scientific evidence to support these claims. It seems as though our cultural understanding of women’s health is more the result of historical interpretation than an educated analysis. As Sterling evolves her argument, she calls for reliable scientific research and provides examples of several feminist scientists who have begun to do just that. Parlee, for example, distinguished four different types of scientific studies – correlation, retrospective questionnaires, daily self-reports, and thematic analysis – and deconstructs the problems within each one.

It is easy for an individual to become overwhelmed in the face of such a large-scale problem. Sexton’s poem offers an example of one means of approach the issue at hand. “In Celebration of my Uterus” appreciates the physical woman and uses a unifying tone throughout the prose. This encouraging-toned rhetoric is what women need to value their worth and understand themselves without the bias of a male-dominated society. In addition, Valdes raises an interesting statistic within her brief article on being an aerobics instructor. “Studies show that seventy-five percent of adult women in this country think we are too fat, though only twenty-five percent of us actually weigh more than the standards set forth by Metropolitan Life’s weight tables” (Valdes, 26). I think this is an interesting point because it implies how women come to see themselves within our cultural context, and the outlook tends to be grim. In order to break free from these social barriers, we must come to an appreciation and acceptance of ourselves before more steps can be taken.

BRAZIERES

The feminist movement has closely mirrored social history, especially during the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. As Brumberg discusses, as one of a host of authors in this day in age, the female body has become a primary focus for American girls and women. The ideas of a few designers in the early 1900s changed the lives of females for all of time. In our society, it is not "PC" to go bra-less. Bustier girls appear more desirable in many settings. The activities of designers on a different continent have shaped feminist ideals in a sense. The story of Yvonne Blue should capture the attention of every American girl. The obsession with weight is at a severe peak today. The social realities faced in the 1920s and 30s for adolescent girls has not evolved very much. Brumberg's point about increased "mobility and autonomy" brings up the change in familial values and the technological age. Weight and overall body image still reflects the lives of young women, determining their success and value in the world. In reality, the "Victorian values" Brumberg speaks of brings to attention a time that was much different regarding body image and social relations. Every time period has flaws, but this is something new because of the "internalized" nature of the female body image. Objectifying the female body proves worth.

With the emergence of the bra in the 1950s, doctors tried to justify the use of these devices in medical terms. This is not unlike Fausto-Sterling's discussion of the evolvement of the homosexual status. Women, for thousands of years, got by without use of the bra. However, with their introduction, medical reasoning seemed to legitimize the cultural phenomenon. This is a lot like normalizing homosexuality. Family and doctors made this phenomenon normal for adult females.

The body has become a business. Advertising and magazines play a central role in popular culture. Each and everyday, we are unconsciously exposed to thousands of advertisements. The efforts made by Ms. magazine to incorporate ads that aimed at a general audience, rather than a specific gender, has clearly faced many obstacles and hurdles because of what TRADITION has established. I think this is a critical word Steinem uses in her article in regard to "controlling the content of women's magazines." She provides numerous examples of stereotypical content for women's magazines. Granted, women and men do have different interests and aiming certain publications towards one gender or the other is not wrong. But when a magazine runs into that many hurdles because some companies only market their products to a male audience, the sirens go off. One example that particularly struck me was the beer and liquor ad quest. The beer industry still to this day clearly advertises to men. However, liquor does have more of a general market. However, as seen in my media culture project with Jim Beam, men are the primary targets of these ads. However, one must admire Michel Roux of Carillon Importers for having an open mind to the new market that Ms. magazine presents. The "institutional smile" of women's magazines needs to be overcome, integrated into the realm of other publications, and taken seriously as such.

On another note, again touching on Brumberg, eating disorders still run rampant in our society. I do not know if I completely agree with Brumberg in that girls today are going to the gym and looking to tone their bodies in order to lose weight. Cutting calories and skipping meals is certainly not something of the past, and a harsh reality that an astounding amount of girls still face today. However, when looking at advertisements in female magazines - this is the accepted societal norm. I can completely relate with the notion of visiting a department store dressing room for hours at a time with numerous pairs of jeans examining just the right fit in the right places. Even without a psychological disorder, girls constantly need to look good - and that "good" is not a personal definition, but rather, a societal one. Just because a girl doesn't have the boobs to back up her femininity, she should not be excluded from what is considered "sexy" and "beautiful."