final blog

After completing our final group project, I decided to do my final blog on a family sitcom…The Cosby show….something I can relate to, a show that I watched and loved. It was a groundbreaking American television show of the 1980's, both the mother and father worked, Dr. Huxtable had the job of an obstetrician his wife Clair was a legal aid attorney. They had five children, Sondra, Denise, Theo, Vanessa and Rudy. The family held values and were proud to show their ethnic and social backgrounds. Bill Cosby’s character on the Cosby show gave new meaning to the traditional father character by him representing an African-American man that was well educated, responsible and employed. The show portrayed positive images of an African-American household, and it focused constantly on a black family thriving on loving interactions between parents and kids and the love of family in general. There was a positive approach to family life, values and standards. The Cosby show represented the professional side of African-Americans in America at that time. Not only did they make an effort to eliminate the stereotypes people saw of African-Americans, but the show created positive roles of them. The Cosby Show changed the stereotypical view of the African-American family on television. Since the Cosby show aired, African Americans were portrayed in a way which was never shown before.

Week 6 response to Brittany

Brittany, I agree with you...I also have learned and been enlightened on new perspectives of the issues women face. It tough...hopefully many others after us will read that epilogue and walk away from the course feeling the same way...every little contribution helps to try and even things out.
June 20, 2008 2:55 PM

Week 6 response to Johanna

Johanna, when I was growing up I was taught that the whole "gay" situation was immoral, and just not thr route to go. I think as we all grow up and develop our own ways of thinking we will choose to do whatever we want to do. Just because I was taught that growing ip doesn't mean that I will judge people who are in same sex relationships now...I personally don't get down like that, but i'm not going to hate you either if you go that route....if that is what makes someone happy, then so be it.
June 20, 2008 2:51 PM

week 6 business post

Throughout this course, we've been discussing various issues with gender. I know it was mentioned before that individuals are timid about their gender status because they fear the outcome. Well, at my place of employment, my ex-boss is a lesbian. I've been working there for 7 years, but she hasn't come flat out and said she was a lesbian, ok, well she was drunk one night at a compnay function and slipped and referred to "Chris" her partner as a she, and not a he. And it was confirmed that "Chris" is a she...Now I have nothing against people dating the same sex, thats their business...but she just won't come flat out and admit that she goes that route. If thats the liftstyle she chooses to live then thats her...? I guess she fears the remarks that will be made from others...I'll never know

week 5 response to Tricia

Tricia: I understand what you are saying with the last names...today us women are not anyones property...and from what you said, I've also gathered that your husband made a point of possibly penalizing you because you were a feminist. I definitely believe in many aspects of feminism, but doesnt mean that when I get married I don't want a rock for a ring (lol). I mean in my case, I wouldn't mind taking another last name, but, if I chose not too, and got penalized for it, there would be some issues...(lol).

week 5 response to jenai

jenai: Feminism has been an issue for quite some time now. I think that the whole concept is about having freedom, and allowing an individual to make decisions. As we’ve seen already, sports have freed women, and they will continue to free women, from behaviors, laws and customs and from the belief that women can't or shouldn't achieve or compete or win. It seems that the future for women in sports is starting to improve but there are still some flaws. I think some women are empowered by their sporting talent. Another feminist issue long sought after by women has been the right to become educated. Women have made huge strides toward receiving an equal education, but there is still much work to be done. It seems that despite the progress women have made towards equal opportunities in education, the bias in favor of men has not been erased, and even today, women must continue to fight to receive the education they deserve.

shonte

week 5 business post

I was thinking recently, many women today are facing choices that their mothers never had to face. One of these choices is whether or not to go back to work after having a child. This was practically unheard of in the 1950's. In the 1990's it is not whether the mother will or will not go back to work rather a question of when. When did the choice become set in stone? Why do the mothers of today have to work outside the home versus working in the home, much like their mothers did? When one thinks of the subject of working mothers, many differing opinions come to mind. What will happen to the child, will the mother have sufficient time to bond with the baby, and how will household chores be divided, and so on.

I think the thing is that many women today want and desire careers and a place in this world. They want to stand on their own two feet, to become a self-sustaining individual, free of dependence on another individual. However, when the mother considers the idea of working and raising a family, many things need to be considered. The responsibilities need to be divided evenly if there is a significant other living in the same house to alleviate the stress that will evolve due to all the changes. It seems that for the working mothers, understanding is first and foremost needed in order for the psychological well being to be maintained. They need to feel that their work is important, and necessary, and that they are not sacrificing their child's well being in order to benefit themselves. The danger involved is that the mothers could feel so guilty in working that they feel that they are abandoning their child to the caregivers that they are in contact with daily. I think the working mothers need a support system in order to survive the roller coaster involved when they go back to work. And I wonder, if all these factors are taken into consideration will the transition to working mom will be that much easier for the entire family? And will the child suffer?

week 4 response to johanna

Johanna: I definitely know what you are talking about when you say men have too much pride to discuss their feelings. I have had experiences where I just wanted to talk to my boyfriend about certain things and all his answers were so short ended. As women, we tend to express our feelings more and we tend to get closer to one another my communicating...not men. Then I notice that when I do want to discuss serious things with my boyfriend, he thinks I'm arguing or starting something...MEN...can't llive with them, and can't live without them.

shonte

week 4 reply to jenai

Jenai: I think there is no doubt that we live in society were women are devalued and constantly looked toward as sex objects instead of being viewed as equals. Through the years, we still see the same theme being applied, woman are seen as less important to men. In many movies we see women unimpressive in their roles, therefore enforcing the theme of degrading women. In movies where there are male hero's, we see that the women characters are less important and are only used in roles such as manipulators, sex objects, or just helpless victims. All of these things encourage people to think that women can be treated like this and reinforce stereotyping women as sex objects and thus devaluing their humanity. And not only are we devalued, we are discriminated against in the workplace with work functions….some seem to think women are not as capable as men. It’s sad that we deal with these things as woman….do you think it will ever get any better?

shonte

week 4 business post

As Wood mentions throughout chapters 8, 9, and 10, women are at a disadvantage in many ways. Overall, I believe the privileges and ranking of women have improved a great deal in the last century, but, gender equality has continued to be threatened. After all the beliefs about women’s roles, I really feel that media should be responsible for the understanding that a lot of us have developed. Some sexist laws are slowly being eliminated, while the public perceptions of women’s roles continue to stand still. For example, a television drama might present women only as housewives and mothers and depict men doing exciting work outside the home, thereby implying that men have no involvement in their homes and families and that women have no interest in the outside world. That whole concept irks me because in today’s society it’s just about the complete opposite, you either have the father home, or the mother works, or both parents work and the child is in daycare.

I have spoke with a few females on this subject matter about their feelings and if they felt they lived in a sexist world. One female felt that sexism put her at a disadvantage of doing what she had wanted with her life, while another spent a lot of time worrying about her capability as a woman, because she was not as skilled in a few things.

All of the sexist things that occur…the unfair portions of duties at home that occur within families when the mother stays home, she is looked upon to be the homemaker, wife, mother…etc. not to mention the fact that it’s really multiple duties for those that choose to take on a job outside the home rather than be a homemaker. Outside of the home, sexist acts occur too…at work. From things with hiring and delegating jobs to underpaying females when they perform the same job that a man does, and overall how women are treated on a day to day basis. Wood mentions on page 245 the concept of “the glass ceiling”…an invisible barrier that limits the advancement of women and minorities, and she mentions “glass walls”…which refers to sex segregation on the job.

Something funny that happened to me at work while I was on the phone with a member and I thought it was very funny. I called a clients home to see if they had flood insurance for their refinance of their mortgage, and the husband answered, and his response was…”I don’t know anything about this, my wife is handling this process…” From the perception of a few men I know and from some individuals in society today, the male would be the ones doing that kind of business, not the wife, because they feel that it’s the man’s job to take care of it.

Even my own experiences, I feel that I have to prove myself because when I am dealing with most men on a day to day basis at work, they tend to classify me and many other women at work in a certain way, and once they see that I’m not as dumb as they originally thought, and they see that I am smart and have some type of brains, and that I can think for myself…after that is accomplished, their whole perception changes. One thing Wood mentions on page 254 is that if we recognize and challenge the inequities and stereotypes, we have the opportunity to contribute to the changes that improve the conditions in which we all live and work.