Women, Art, and Culture: WMST250 Section 0101

Assignment 4

2008-05-13T14:12:00.000-07:00

Ellen Seay
WMST250
Sect. 0101
5/13/08
Learning Analysis

This course, Women, Art and Culture, has been an integral part of my semester, as it has allowed me to complete a CORE course. However, the course turned into more than just a requirement; I learned a lot about different forms of art, and how women have come to participate in the art world. I have also learned about how people can be feminist activists through art, and how this has changed society’s view of women and their place in it. The types of readings that came with this course were also very intriguing and were a useful supplement to the topics that we discussed in section and in lecture. Overall, I enjoyed most aspects of this course, and would recommend it to students who need to complete their CORE requirements, or to students who need more course hours to graduate.
The syllabus was the first handout that we received in the class. It told us all about what the class was about, and all of the different assignments and readings that we were to complete over the course of the semester. The syllabus also said that we were going to explore how artists and activists have asked an assortment of questions about “power, gender and sexuality, racialization, nations and languages, abilities and disabilities, religion and meaning and more”. It described how we would analyze assumptions we make about women, art, culture and feminism, and look at how art can rework potential events and actual events for many different people. The course also focused on analytic writing, communication, collaborative learning. To better understand this, we participated in weekly discussions that included nine other students and TA’s. In these discussion groups, we talked about the readings and how they apply to the topics that were introduced in lecture. We also discussed different things in politics and society today, and how things for women and feminists have changed over time. These groups were formed so that each student would be able to voice their opinions about the subjects at hand, and so that we could get individual attention concerning our written assignments and other tasks that we were asked to complete. The class also utilized a blog so that everyone could connect easily to discuss any topics of interest, and to look at our classmate’s work to learn things about them and to see the types of things they think. Another topic the syllabus covered was that of assumptions we make that we don’t think about.
One of the first things we did in this course was to examine our assumptions about feminism and art, and how they connect. Our first assignment directed us to four different museums to see various types of art, by both men and women. Before we did so though, we were asked to think about what our assumptions were about feminism. The main conjecture that people stated was that they thought that feminists were extremists who think that men are inferior to women. Throughout the course, I have learned that feminists have nothing against men; they actually just want to create equality amongst the two genders. The assignment took me to the National Museum of Women in the Arts first. I had assumed that there would not be very many women artists from the sixteenth, seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, but there was in fact a very large portion of artists from this era who were represented. I suppose I had assumed that women in this time period were supposed to take care of the household and the children, and did not have time for hobbies like creating art. In actuality, information at the museum taught me that women from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries painted many still life and genre paintings. Learning about these artists gave me a lot of insight that I used during lectures when we discussed various artists from different time periods. This was a good assignment to include and to put at the beginning of the course because it is a good jump off point to learning about feminism and art as a combined topic. It is also beneficial to correct any misunderstandings that exist concerning the topics of the course so that nothing is perceived with bias.
The second assignment that was required was a formation of a feminist event and creating a poster and/or flyer to advertise the event. This assignment was a great team-building type assignment because it involved our entire discussion group. It was a little bit difficult to have everyone contribute the same amount because there wasn’t a huge amount of work to do, but we all contributed our ideas while creating the event. We tried to use lots of speakers and musical performances to get people interested in our event. This assignment was helpful in learning about how different activists organize and hold informational events that are aimed at teaching people about feminism. This assignment, and the readings that went along with it, really got me thinking that organizing an event to share your views is possible, and can attract a very large number of people. If the course did not include this assignment, students would be missing an essential piece of learning about how activism works.
Our third assignment dealt with the intricate topic that is intersectionality. We were to analyze the situations that have occurred in our life that show how we are personally oppressed and privileged due to our matrix of domination. This means that we analyzed our class, race, gender, religion, sexual orientation, and age. In lecture, we talked a lot about the book Kindred and how the main characters, Dana and Kevin, are oppressed and privileged in the different time periods that they travel through. These discussions were helpful because they gave us a lot of examples so that we would be able to complete the assignment using our own life. When writing this assignment, I learned a lot about myself and about things in my life. This assignment was also a collaborative assignment, so we had to come up with a creative project to show how each partner pair understood each other. This assignment was included in the course because it is a good way to learn about someone else, in depth, and also so that we could further develop more cooperative skills, because we will have to work with people in real life, like in our careers.
Another central part of the course was the reading that was assigned, along with the webbing exercises, which allowed us to explore a multitude of different topics. One of the books that we read was called Fight Like a Girl; How to be a Fearless Feminist by Megan Seely. This book was all about activism and how it is easy to become an activist, no matter who you are. Seely includes a plethora of resources and ideas that ordinary people can use to become involved in the feminist movement today. Page 116 begins a long list of online feminist websites. She says that they can be used to learn about past and current feminist events and movements, and that you can take aspects of other events and put them into your own. Since activism was such an important part of the class, this book was a very appropriate choice for reading. It was an interesting read and I enjoyed learning about the different things that activists do.
Another book that was assigned that I enjoyed was Bell Hook’s Feminism is for Everybody. The second chapter of this book is about consciousness-raising, which is essentially spreading the thoughts and values of feminism to teach other people about the movement. An interesting way that she writes, she relates a lot of her points back to the concept of intersectionality. She writes, “One does not become an advocate of feminist politics simply by having the privilege of having been born female” (7). The concept of consciousness-raising was something that we talked about one day in lecture. We learned about how there were groups that raised awareness about feminist movements in the 1970’s. These groups were one of the activist development groups where understandings of feminism have come to play into past and today’s society. This reading connects to the class because it really tells about how feminist theory came to be. Knowing the history of a movement really gives participants of the movement a lot more reason to be part of it. If someone was asked, “How did the feminist movement begin?” and they were not able to answer, that person may not be seen as dedicated to the cause.
The last reading that I enjoyed was the Chicana Art book, which was written by Laura E. Perez. The day in lecture that we had to decide as groups which pieces of art we liked, I really gave the book a deeper look. I read more of the descriptions of the art, and I was able to learn about the artists and why they created the art they did. I feel that this is a very important piece of the course because I didn’t read the book because I had to, I read it because I was genuinely interested. This reading connects to the story of the class because it allowed us to directly examine art done by women, and we could see how other students in our lecture reacted to the art as well. I enjoyed this book the most, I think, because of the specificity of the artists included. They were only Chicana artists, which means they are Mexican-American female artists. It was interesting to see how location and culture affects what the art portrays.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time in this course. Coming into it, I didn’t think that I would actually be interested in any of it, but I was surprised to see that my assumption of the course was in fact incorrect. The lectures taught me a lot about how feminism works and how it stays a prominent issue in society today. The types of assignments that we had to complete were very effective at communicating our understanding of the concepts we learned in class, but they also allowed us to develop other skills, like cooperation and organization. The required readings were a great supplement to the lectures because they further reinforced the feminist concepts that were taught. All of these elements bring the class together as a successful whole, that enjoyable for me this semester.

Assignment #4: Learning Analysis

2008-05-13T11:23:00.000-07:00

Learning Analysis

Deciding to take woman studies was not my personal choice, but rather it was to fulfill a core requirement. I came into the class with no feminist, women art or culture knowledge. After this semester, I have a better understanding on women, feminism and art. Before taking this woman studies course, I never thought about my assumptions or even paid attention to them. Likewise, before taking this course I also did not paid much attention to where the power lied in my everyday life. It was not until I took this course and was told to write a paper analyzing the different power structures in my everyday life. The assignment allowed me to realize how much power and oppressions that is present in my life.

Based on the assignment that analyzes our assumptions on the museums, I learned that anything can count as art and art can be in many forms. There were many shocking artworks that I encounter during my experience at the art museums. For example, artistes using their own bodies as art to convey a message to the public were quite shocking because I thought they were too extreme. Therefore, it does no matter what it is, whether an object, a living thing or even one’s own physical self, they all count as art. The perception of art depends on how the individual looks at it because each individual has his or her own thoughts. Another fact that I noticed about my assumptions was that prior to attending the art museums, I knew that many forms of art involved the human body. My assumption was that I already accepted this fact in which there will be some pornography in art. However, to my surprise when I went to the museums when I saw some of the artworks that involved the body parts, many were the female body, I felt disturbed and uncomfortable. First time paying attention the ‘before and after’ effects of my own assumptions were quite interesting and surprising. There is a connection between my uncomfortable feeling when I saw the female body part to the idea of respecting the sexes. Throughout my life, I have always assumed that presenting or showing the female private body parts were wrong. Hence, when I saw such graphic images of the female body I felt disturbed and somewhat embarrassed. The embarrassment comes from the fact that I am a female and I see an image of the female body of my own sex embarrasses me. Whereas, when I came across sculptures of the male body, I was less embarrassed or disturbed.

Moreover, the assignment in which we were told to analyze our privileges and oppressions allowed me to have a better understanding of all the positives and negatives in my daily life. In our daily lives, there are many things we do every day, however because we do them so often, we do not acknowledge that they could be a privilege or an oppression in our life. This assignment assisted me to learn of my privileges and to cherish my advantages. Also, I think the most important part of this assignment was that I realized that while a privilege may not seem much of a privilege, but there are many people out there that may be oppressed by that privilege. For example, the rigorous academic program I am may seem more like a lack of privilege, however, in some ways this lack of privilege, can actually be an oppression to other people. In addition, I learned that sometimes my oppressions are someone else’s privileges and vice versa; they overlap. This is how our daily lives are interconnected and balance out because each individual has their own oppressions and privileges.

I feel that “But is it art?” by Cynthia Freeland was one of the readings that I found interesting and that I learned from. The book provides detailed explanations on the different types of art and how one can approach thinking about art. Art can be as extreme as using blood, urine or plastic surgery to convey subjects such as war and violence. Other forms of art could be completely on the other side of the spectrum as some artistes use gardens and flowers to depict something. This book was meaningful to me because it allowed me to have a better understanding of the different point of views of art and why people uses certain methods to message to their audience of the artistes ideas. I feel more fascinated by the fact that there are individuals out there who would sacrifice their own flesh just for a piece of artwork. This definitely changed my views on what art can really do to an individual. That is, causing them to have the mentality to sacrifice their own flesh, such as blood for art. It connects to my life because in the future, I will know how to analyze art in a more intelligent way.

The next book that caught my attention was “Feminism is for Everybody” by bell hooks. Because I had no knowledge of what feminism actually is before taking this class, I found this book to be helpful. The only knowledge I had on feminism was that it was a movement which involved fighting for woman rights and equality. However, after entering this course of study, I learned that feminism is not just about those two topics, but is much broader. Hooks effectively explains her point of views on the feminist theory. She discusses about the issues that revolve around men and women equality. Even though women are the leaders in many households, but whether men are part of the leaders in the household or not, they are still overriding the domination of women. Hooks also talks about how feminist education should be expanded and because they failed on expanding academic wise, hooks feels that feminist should raise the awareness outside of the academics. Because some feminist were so radical on how they view men, society adapted to thinking that feminism is about anti-male. Instead hooks suggest that feminism should incorporate masculinity to drive society away from thinking that the feminist movement and theory is anti-male. Moving on, hooks discusses the early theories of feminism and how they separated themselves from men. Not only did early feminist theorist disliked men because they felt that men were “cruel, unkind, violent [and] unfaithful” (hooks, 12). Early feminist wanted to fight for their equality and reach beyond men, as men always seem to be above women. Another issue that hooks brings up is the views on who has the right to decide what females should do with their bodies. She refers to one of the largest controversy for her argument, abortion. Hooks argue that women should have the right to choose what to do with their bodies. Not because it is illegal to abort a child or because many feel that the female is murdering a human being, but simply because having the right to choose is one of the only freedoms women can have.

Overall, I learned much from “Feminism is for Everybody” about the different aspects of feminism. As I read through some of the chapters, it was interesting how bell hooks thought of the topic. For example, the section about Our Bodies, Ourselves she talks about how the decision of abortion should be placed on the woman, because it is a reproductive freedom that no one other male has. When I read this part, I felt that we, females are the only ones who have this type of reproductive freedom, the abortion will happen in our bodies physically. This feeling is a quite special as it is one unique aspect of the woman body that males do not possess. Some of the ideas that hooks brings up are the same thoughts I originally had on feminism. I, like the rest of the society thought that feminists were anti-males and that were generally lesbians. However, the section where hooks speaks about Feminism Masculinity, I agree that feminist should be approaching feminist theory while incorporating masculinity in it. The approach will help gain a positive impression on feminism to society.

The final book that was appealing to me was “Kindred” by Octavia Butler. The novel was captivating because of the theme, time traveling. It was interesting to read about how a woman from the future could travel back in time to experience the life of her ancestors. The topic of book revolved much on slavery, race, and the power struggle of race and gender. Dana, the main character from the novel is an African-American female who is married to a White male. When she suddenly travels back in time into the world of her ancestors, it is discovered that her ancestors were originally White also.

I thought this book was meaningful because there is an opportunity for Dana to personally experience the struggles the past faced. Not only the hardships of her ancestors, but also her race in general. Another reason why it is meaningful was because the time travel story allowed Dana to be part of her own history. She along with the readers are taken back into the past to learn the lifestyles of Whites and Blacks. In addition to the novel being meaningful, the topic is also very important. It is necessary for readers to acknowledge that slavery and issues with race and gender in the past more or less shaped society today. The novel did not necessary change my feelings about the course because before reading this novel, I already knew some facts about the subject. It is just that the novel brought a live experience to me.
In conclusion, during the course of this class I have contributed to the class mainly by being part of the group discussions and occasionally giving my opinion on certain topics. The small group meetings helps me be included in the story simply because I am personally experiencing the course along with the rest of the group. I have missed a few lectures, but never discussion. Missing lectures, of course is at my disadvantage as I am missing the material and this causes this story to be halted. The effect of missing lecture is that I am unable to contribute into the story as I do not have the knowledge. I believe in the beginning when the story first started there was less contribution because I was not as comfortable, but as we move through the course, things change. Now at the end of the story, I try to contribute more into the story.

Synthetic Evaluation

2008-05-13T11:19:00.000-07:00

Synthetic Evaluation

Even though this semester has seemed almost tediously long, there have been many stories that I have gleaned through my classes. I have gleaned the story of Don Quixote in its entirety, the story of Abraham through the eyes of Kierkegaard, and the story of Spanish grammar... whatever that story happens to be of. But one of the more interesting stories (aside from Don Quixote which, I must add, is a fascinating read) is the story that I have learned through this class. I have learned many factual things throughout this semester, but Women, Art and Culture has taught me a different perspective on life; that's something I can't learn through reading a book. Above all, I believe the story of this class is questioning perception and definition of art and feminism.

From the first day of classes, Katie King stressed that this class was not going to be like every other class. It wouldn't necessarily teach you things, so much as guide you into thinking openly and questioning the world around you. Even the first assignment showed the class how to redefine their perceptions. And stereotypes are never a good thing. That's one of the huge lessons I've learned from the class - stereotypes are usually wrong. Feminism is not about man-hating. Feminism is not about anger. Feminism is not about revenge. That is shown a lot in Kindred. While Dana's presuppositions were challenged and modified by all the people in Maryland, their notions of her and the way she should be changed as well. Many of the slaves saw her as an "Uncle Tom"-like person, seeing as she spoke "white" and could read, but as they got to know her, the other slaves started changing their opinions and seeing Dana as another person, akin to them. They realized that her dreams and aspirations were not too far off of their own. Dana held her own in a time where a black woman doing so was not heard of often. And the same goes for feminism itself. Dana knew of a time of equality between genders and (to an extent) races. And feminism has those exact same goals. The novel Kindred really helped me put feminism into a realist light. It became something I could do, something I could accomplish. I could change the stereotypes of others and help them re-define feminism.

But the course was not just about feminism. It was also about art. But a lot of the questions were the same. Just what is art? What counts as art? And, just like the term feminism, art comes in all shapes and sizes. For example, In Pérez's Chicana Art, she dedicates a whole chapter to altars as an art form. When most people think about art, they think of sculptures and paintings, not altars. But most are intricately designed for one specific use: to be used in holy, religious ceremonies. In some churches, they are inlaid with gold and other valuable metals in order to please God. I completely agree with Pérez when she says, on page 96, "altar and related art forms bring into view the important questions of how our religious beliefs shape and impact our social lives, and the role that art plays in the process." This question is also brought up in chapter one of Freeland's But is it art? Both chapters share some insight about religion and art. Freeland states a lot about the use of blood and other bodily fluids in art (especially modern art), and how some people want those only to be used in very traditional religious ways. I, however, tend not to judge artwork. I am not a textile artist, and do not feel it is my place. I do think, however, that almost anything can be considered art, you just have to change your perspective about it. That is one thing that I have learned from the story of this class. If I have learned anything, it is that abstract terms such as "art" and "feminism" do not have set definitions. In fact, their definitions change all the time. For the second assignment, almost every group had a different working definition of "feminism," but not a single one of them was wrong. They were all just from different perspectives. That is what I have applied not only to feminism, but art as well. I honestly have changed my perception of art, and now think that just about anything can be conceived of as an art form, given the right point of view. Some art may be offensive, but the fact that it's offensive doesn't take away the essence of it being art. I would rather prefer something such as traditional stained glass paintings to Piss Christ, but I am not going to say that it is not art, because I feel that it is art. Actually, my uncle, who is an artist, does some art that a little on the ... controversial side, shall we say. He has made spoofs of many "classic" Renaissance paintings, like The Last Supper and Venus. And while these were not made to sell at all (but rather to promote upcoming picnics and parties he was having), I have always still considered them art. They definitely have very artistic qualities to them, but their main goal is entertainment purposes. Criticizing life all the time and getting no humor out of the situation leads to a dull life, even for an artist.

These readings have been very closely tied in with the message that this class has been trying to give. Many people have preconceived notions about art and feminism, and define them in a certain way. This class, and the readings, try to show us that art and feminism are not always packaged the same way each time. Art can be in the form of billboards, movies, sculptures, music, and many other forms. And feminism can even come in art. Before this class, I would have never thought that. But now, I can look around my world and see feminism almost everywhere, working its hardest for equality. I have even taken to telling some of my friends about feminism and how it works, and they have been astonished at how diverse it really is. I have also encountered sexist thinking and dispelled it using examples and such from the class itself. The class has taught me that I am a feminist and that I am proud of it. Yes, my place in this class is to learn, but I have also brought the learning out of the classroom and into real life.

That was one of the things I enjoyed most about my favorite reading, Kindred. It displayed feminism in an unfamiliar time, but had the heroine apply what she knew into the new time period. It feels like I am doing the same thing, just in my own time and not in the 1800's. The application is the kicker. Dana asserts herself so that she is not helpless, and manages to change a few minds in the process. That is part of what I think this class was all about, the story of the class. To take feminism (and art) and make it your own. Make it work for you.

The readings have also helped me generally understand the class and how feminism really can be for everyone. And not just for women, but men, too. Everyone. Kindred especially shows how feminism can transcend all ages, races, genders and time periods. It is essentially timeless. But it wasn't only the readings that involved me in the class, it was the assignments, too. Having the small discussions really let me voice my opinion if I needed to, and also helped with my presentations. I feel comfortable presenting in front of a small group, but larger groups tend to scare me. All of us were really able to have an input in our learning, especially with Assignment 2. And while Maren and Maria helped us with the assignment, we definitely took it and made it our own. I was one of the "leaders" in the group, helping flesh out and organize ideas, which was one of the most important things in that assignment. Without that, we really wouldn't have had anything. But the small groups have helped me see other individuals and what they think as opposed to what I think. This opposition in thinking has really made me question my stereotypes and preconceived notions throughout the whole semester. We were able to hone in and redefine definitions that each of us had, rather than just fleshing out each person's definitions, which might have happened if the section size was larger.
All in all, I learned a lot about myself from this course. I learned that I was looking at some aspects of the world in a way that was not conducive to the truth. I learned that I am a feminist and that I think almost everything is art, given the right perspective. This class has taught me to read text efficiently and to plan ahead when doing assignments. It has helped me work better with others, which has always been something I have been pretty bad at. It didn't teach me much in the way of academic knowledge, but this class has taught me plenty about being a critically thinking person, which has plenty of value in the real world.

Assignment 3b

2008-05-13T11:12:00.000-07:00

Comparing Matrices of Domination

Everyone has different notions of power, and power can come from many different aspects in life. While some aspects of power, for some people, can be a privilege, for others can be an oppression. The experiences that each person faces throughout his or her life are different from person to person - they are never exactly the same. Even if some people have the same marked and unmarked categories, the same matrixes of domination, their experiences can define how they look at life and where they find power. My partner Candace and I are not always in the same categories, and our experiences have shaped our lives in very different ways.

For one, we are of different races. I am Caucasian, while Candace is Asian. While this has presented different influences and privileges for both of us, it has also constrained both of us in different ways. While I am in an unmarked category of race (at least in this country), the pros and cons of being white are pretty much balanced out. Let's take the example of college. Even though affirmative action is in place, it is still very easy to get into college as a white student, as long as that student achieves good grades and test scores and has extra-curricular activities. The pressures of teachers and parents tends to be (but isn't always in every case) more on white students in terms of success than, say, black students. Because of this racial difference, one of the privileges of being white is getting into college.

But there are negative aspects to being white, as well. Keeping with the example of college, we shall explore the expenses of college, which usually are staggeringly high. There are many sources of financial aid out there, most in the form of scholarships. But to many white students, this money is untouchable. If we stick to an example of a middle-class white student, the majority of this scholarship money is out-of-bounds. The scholarships tend to fall into two categories: for those with financial need and for minorities. Middle-class doesn't cut it for financial need, and being Caucasian is not a minority. So with the privileges of being white come the limits of being white.

Candace has slightly different privileges and oppressions than I would, because she is Asian. She feels a cultural bond to other Asians, specifically the Chinese. She speaks both Cantonese and English, which help the bond even more, as she is also linguistically tied to her race. Along with this cultural bond, which is a privilege to her, are negative associations with Asians. For one, other unmarked races tend to have stereotypes about Asians; they believe that all Asians are incredibly book smart, play Dance Dance Revolution incessantly and practice many forms of martial arts. So when Asians such as Candace hear this and don't always fulfill every aspect of the stereotype, they feel misunderstood. Another negative aspect concerning race is name-calling, especially with minorities such as Asians and Native Americans. Candace, for example, has been made fun of because of her race and her slanted eyes. There were also times where people would tease her by "trying" to speak Chinese, but not really trying. Her strong bond to the Chinese was also put to the test this past summer, when many different brands of children's toys made in China were discovered to have lead in them. Because of her Chinese ancestry, she expected more of the workers and companies, and because of her US citizenship, she felt aligned to America.

Another point that we both draw power from is the fact that we are females. Even though this is a marked category, the knowledge and power of feminism is slowly but surely taking the mark away. But the mark is still present. I, for one, have been told by some boys that I am not as smart as they are, not as talented in the things I do, not as physically able as they are. Most of those things were told to me when I was very young, by boys who did not know any better. But our society taught them that. They were taught that as boys they were "better" than girls, and to look down on girls. And that has been how our society has mainly run for the last several hundred years: men work and bring home money while women take care of the children. Since society has been basically run by men, it hasn't changed until very recently. Even since I was a child, there have been changes about the perception of women. They are getting closer and closer to being men's equal. While the teasing in my youth was an example of the oppressions of being female, the growth in awareness and practicing of feminism is an influence in some of my choices and experiences. Without this growth, I probably would not have had the opportunity to do some of the things I wanted, like going to college and having a job during the summer.

Along the lines of feminism comes the topic of sexual orientation. While I am heterosexual, I wasn’t always unmarked. In high school, I didn’t date anyone and some people thought that I was gay, making me a marked person. I was hurt to think that people would just spread rumors about me that were untrue, but I didn’t get offended by their presumptions. I always said to them, “Even though I am indeed straight, what’s wrong with being gay?” To me, being gay is not wrong, it is an unmarked category in my book, but in society’s eye, it is a marked category. Most everyone starts off assuming that the others they meet are straight. So the privilege of being assumed straight, for those who actually are straight, is that they don’t have to worry about people perceiving them wrong or believing a lie about them. And that exact thing is one of the major oppressions for the LGBT community. Instead of having people understand them, they are constantly misrepresented and misunderstood, and they have to clean up the mess of someone else’s ignorance by explaining that they are gay.

One place that the issue of homosexuality comes up in is religion. Now, I support gays; I think that people who do not for religious reasons have seriously misunderstood what they have “read” in the Bible (or whatever other holy book they have read). In this country, there are actually many different religions that can all be unmarked. Any form of Christianity (except perhaps Catholicism, because of the priest scandals), agnosticism, and atheism are all acceptable and unmarked. But any eastern religion is marked, which is what Candace is, as a Buddhist. Mainly, this “oddity” in religion leads to misunderstanding, especially in regards to Islam. As a practicer of non-western religion, people in this group are seen as “not Americans” or even terrorists, even when that is not the case. The “freedom” to practice one’s own religion in the United States is only a privilege to western religions, and to eastern religions it is a burden and oppression. While I, as a generic, non-denominational Christian, am not looked down upon by the general populous for my beliefs, there are some constraints to my unmarked category. There is the pressure to think as all Christians do, to react the same to different situations, to follow the words of religious powers to the “T.” Even though I do not succumb to all that pressure, it shows that even in unmarked, “safe” categories there are still limits.

I did not pick up Christianity on my own, though. I was brought up Christian by my mother, who in turn was brought up Christian by her father, who was a minister. For my whole life, I have lived in a very stable two-parent house. An unmarked situation, if you look at it in the traditional sense. In a more modern sense it might actually be marked, as more than half of all marriages end in divorce. That would put us in the minority. But we are not looked down upon for keeping a stable family, so I would categorize my family as unmarked. They have provided me with inner strength and encouragement my entire life, and the fact that my family has always been whole has affected me very much in that way. Seeing my family a lot has also shaped my experiences: I take the opinions and considerations of my family to heart more than any other people. Candace also came from a whole family. Her family immigrated to the United States before she was born, though, so her family dynamic is slightly different from mine, but her family is still there, still together. Her parents are tri-lingual, speaking Cantonese, Mandarin and English, while she speaks Cantonese and English. That aspect of the family dynamic might be considered marked, but in general, her family is unmarked.But society does tend to frown upon those from broken homes. The children are looked upon as “not whole” and possibly even “damaged” because they had to split their weekends between their parents, all of which is a terrible oppression for them, seeing as they had no say in the matter at all.

Another family factor that society has looked down upon (but has been changing its mind about for the past several decades) is the idea of women in the workplace. Some ultra-traditionalists believe that women belong in the home, taking care of the house and family. To them, working women are marked, especially working women who have families. They think it is a privilege to have one parent at home and one in the office. But on the flip side, many progressionalists do not enjoy the idea of housewives. To them keeping full-time care of the kids and house is an oppression, and working in the workforce is a privilege. To society in general, though, the choice for a woman (or a man) to either work or stay at home is a privilege, and the choice of that person is his or her own business. My mom, for example, works full-time, as does my dad. While my brother and I were younger, though, our mom worked part-time at her office, which amounted to nearly ten years. To her, it was a privilege to work and a privilege to raise a family, so she tried for the best of both worlds, and that is what she got. In Candace’s situation, her father works full time while her mom stays at home, helping to raise Candace’s nieces and nephews. Both situations can be seen as privileges or oppressions, depending on which way it is seen.

One way that the family dynamic is greatly influenced is through class. Someone’s class can determine what they wear, where they go to school (if at all), and many other things. I am in the upper-middle class, which is, for economics’ sake, unmarked. My parents were both raised in lower-middle class families, though, so moving up the economic ladder was a big achievement for them. Their pockets were not empty, especially when I was a child, so I was told “no” plenty of times. Being told that, I learned to make my own frugal decisions, which has helped me maintain my finances now, which is a strong point for me. Being in control of my money makes me feel in control of my life, and that give me power. But there are times when being from the upper-middle class is a very marked category. Take, for example, college. Getting in to college was no problem for me, but looking for scholarships was one of the hardest things to do. We are still in the middle class, and even though my parents can afford to pay for college, it would have helped them if I could find a scholarship. But a lot of the scholarships offered around where I live were need-based or race-based. I am not a minority and not in need, so I was counted out for about 90% of the scholarships I read about. Candace, on the other hand, is from the working class. Her childhood saw her in lower-class schools, eating reduced-pay lunches. She was able to transfer to a better high school so that her schooling would be up to par, though. In her college search, she had to make sure that she took the financial aspect under consideration, but her financial situation landed her several scholarships to help her family pay for college. In that way, being from a lower class can be a privilege as well as an oppression. Even though both of us are from different classes, our homes are run almost the same way. We don’t buy artwork to hang on the walls: Candace’s parents have Chinese scroll art in the wall, while my parents have works done by family members up on our wall. Each family has artwork representative of their history instead of reflecting their class. Also, both families have the same mentality about furniture. Both families wear out the couches, carpet, and appliances before replacing them. “If it’s not broke, don’t fix it.” For example, my parents paid off their mortgage before they had to replace their dishwasher. And Candace’s parents do the same. One difference is that when my family’s household items need to be replaced, my parents pick out very nice replacements. Not top-of-the-line, but very close. Candace’s parents tend to choose more thriftily.

Another thing I get from my parents is my view in politics. As a young adult interested in politics, some people view me as a marked individual, seeing as most young adults are apathetic about the United States government. But I am registered to vote and plan on doing so in the November election. Then again, if I am just seen as an adult, my views are unmarked. I am very liberal, with a tendency toward libertarianism. Right now, liberals are viewed as unmarked, considering the presidency we’ve been dealing with for the past eight years. Candace is also a liberal, and therefore flies under the radar. I was raised in a liberal, democratic home, and my parents were very open to new ideas. They let me choose what I wanted to do, but fully encouraged me in my decisions, which is a big part of the reason why I am who I am today.

Who I am, in a broader sense, can be seen in my heritage. I am mainly a mix of western European heritages, including Irish (which is the most prevalent at 25%), Swiss, Scotch-Irish, French, English and Welsh. Also in there is a little bit of Native American. In America, this is a privilege because my heritage leads to my race, which is the majority and unmarked. Having western European roots is also the majority, and therefore unmarked. Candace, on the other hand, is 100% Chinese. That makes her very marked, as a lot of the population is not pure anything, and having a pure Asian descent, especially from a country that is at odds with America now, makes her even more marked. But, she gets a very deep cultural sense of pride by being Chinese, which I cannot really get, being all different kinds of European. Even though we are both American citizens, and therefore unmarked, our heritages separate us.

Along with heritage comes immigration. Candace is a first-generation American, as her parents immigrated here. That can make her marked because of her parents. She gets the privilege to “lead a better life,” but it does have it’s pitfalls. She has only seen her mother’s side of the family once, because they live on the other side of the world. I, on the other hand, am at least a third-generation. The closest I get to immigration is my great-grandparents. Because of this, my family is rooted in America, and they are all here. Some of them might live half the country away, but it would be easier to see them than it would for Candace to see her family.

Our majors in college are also very different. I am a Spanish translation and Philosophy double major, while Candace is an accounting major with a focus in pre-Pharm. I am in liberal arts, and she is in business and science. Even now, liberal arts is a marked category, even though that idea is slowly changing. The businesses and sciences are unmarked. They are thought of as money-making careers, which is actually why Candace wanted to have those majors. As she was raised in the working class, she wanted to make a freer financial life for herself. I, on the other hand, wanted to major in something I enjoyed, even if it meant that I would not have the financial freedom in the future to do everything I wanted. The financial aspect is a limit for me and a privilege for Candace. I feel as though the reasoning behind the choices is a privilege for me and a necessity for Candace, a lot of other people would think it the opposite way.

In college, there is more to just school, there are also extra-curricular activities. Candace, on one hand, does not partake in any extra-curricular activities, making her a marked person. I, on the other hand, am almost too involved. I have marching band, pep band, arts scholars, university band, the Gamer Symphony Orchestra, and I even play Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, I know I am nerdy. These types of activities, though, can be marked. Too much band (or any band at all, to some people) can be considered soft, even though marching band is actually very grueling in the fall semesters. I was actually made fun of in high school for doing marching band. No one respected our work and people would leave the stands before our performances. It was definitely an oppression on us, even though we felt and believed that it was a privilege to us. In college, it is less of a mark, but it is still a mark, especially since I do not partake in the “normal” after-school activities, like Greek life and SGA. So even though, to me, my activities are unmarked and very much a reason of who I am today, to others it is seen as a mark.

Marked and unmarked categories, oppressions and privileges, are very much a part of everyone’s life. There can even be categories in which someone is marked and unmarked at the same time. These groupings can give one a sense of self and power in his or her life. While it might seem, from the outside, that Candace may be a more marked person than I am, once we analyzed it, we saw that both of us had a lot of privileges and also a lot of oppressions.

Final Paper

2008-05-13T10:49:00.001-07:00

Lolita Jadotte
May 13, 2008
WMST Sec #0101

Analysis and Learning Paper

Throughout the course of this semester, I have learned a new outlook on the life of women and the meaning behind feminism. I came into this class expecting to learn certain things about women and their culture. This class was not at all what I expected. I expected to learn about influential women from the past and influential women today. I also expected to learn about how women have been portrayed in the media and about their sexuality. But, instead I learned how to relate feminism to all types of art. This class also taught me how to look at situations in a different light and not to think in the conventional way. The assignments we had to do along with the readings helped to expand the way we think about women and art. These assignments were fun, which helped to add to the positive learning experience. These assignments were interactive and also gave us a chance to see how other classmate interpreted certain topics. This class was based a lot on the interaction among classmates, which also helped to expand my learning and different ways of thinking.
The first assignment we had to do was to go to four different museums and look at the different exhibits, which displays the different art works done by women. These art pieces were not just paintings, but sculptures, clothing, and written pieces as well. Before going to the museum we had to write down a list of assumptions about what we expected the museums to be like. I expected for the art to have a lot of the stereotypes associated with being a girl, such as incorporating the color pink and having flowers. Instead, there were paintings displayed the oppression of women. My favorite museum was the American Indian Museum. This was my favorite museum because; I liked the identity by design exhibit. This portion showed the culture of American Indians women and their roles in their society. Their art were displayed by their clothing. I liked this because it was different the traditional paintings to express themselves, and because these clothing told their story. The clothing tells a story through the different patterns and colors of the outfit. A young woman was not considered a woman until around the age of 13 and has completed making their first dress.
The second assignment we had to work as a group and create a flyer/leaflet describing an event we had to make up. Our event was t o raise awareness about feminism within the community. A lot of young people such as myself are either not familiar with or do not fully understand the concept of feminism. Our definition that we came up with was feminism is a fight, through art, speeches, and many other methods to raise consciousness to society about the oppression that women go through. The movement of feminism has progressed over the years but far from being accomplished. It was important to us to send the message out to the young people to our event we had celebrities that the young people are more familiar with are more likely to listen to. This assignment really allowed me to realize the amount of inequality still today between women and men. I knew inequality still exist but not at the level at which it does. It was shocking for me to find out that until this day women are not getting paid the same as men in the workforce. This is a prime reason why the issue of feminism and equality that is great need of being promoted and dealt with.
The third assignment we had was to work with a partner and explore and explain the different matrix of domination. I really liked this assignment because there was many we could have approached it. It was nice to get a chance to listen to other group’s presentation of their project because it made you think in ways you might not have thought about. This assignment helped me to think about things in different aspects. My partner and looked at our lives separately and saw which powers we were able exercise and the reasons why we are able to exercise these right. Then we looked at aspects in our lives in which we were not able to exercise certain powers and the reasons why we were not able to exercise certain powers. Then finally we look at our lives together and compared the ways in which we were either similar or different. I was able to really think about situations in my life that I never though about in that way before. The presentations were an important to help us learn about how my classmate interpreted the project and the extent to which they took it.
Along with these assignments, discussions also helped to further my understanding of this course. The most helpful thing to me was the free writes during class. The free writes gave me a chance to just write non-stop, which allowed me to write down I how I really feel about without and judgment or things like that. The way this class was structured was to help bring out not only the creative side but also the intellectual side of the students. The course was designed to not only think on the surface but beyond and deeper than the surface. The reading and the free write help to develop our intellectual and creative thinking. Being also to post information on the blog and continue with previous conversation was also and helped us to express our thought. The blog also gave us feed back on our comments because other students would comment on things that were said. Being able to have other student comment on ideas posted blog helped to expand are understanding of various topics.
Throughout the course we were required to read certain books all pertaining to feminism and art. Among those books, I had three favorites, Kindred, Feminism is for everyone, and Fight like a girl. The book, Kindred, by Octavia Butler had many examples of inequality. This book was bout a black women who is married to a white men. The women whose name is Dana periodical gets sent back to the past. She keeps randomly traveling back to the 1800s in a place in Maryland. During those time racism and inequality was a major issue with which she was faced to deal with on many occasions. There were issues of violence on women in the act of rape. Dana being black women of that time had a lot of hate and racism being thrown in her direction. It was sort of ironic how she was married to a white male in the present but in the past he would been her oppressor.
I enjoyed the book Feminism is for everybody by bell hooks because it addressed the issues surrounding feminism. There are many women who do not considered themselves a feminist because of the misinterpretation of the word. The word feminism associates women with words like lesbian, bitch or man bashing. This book mentions feminism in many different aspects such as race, gender, workplace, class and violence. Bell Hooks emphasizes that feminism is not all about being a woman but much more than that. It is a movement, which involves all different types of people not depending on race or gender. I was already familiar with the author, bell hooks because we learned about her in my English class. I was familiar with the way she thought about feminism in general, so interesting to get a chance to read more of her books.
The book Fight like a Girl by Megan Seely was attractive to me because of the title. My first thought was how do you fight like a girl? I liked this book it was all about issues both women and girls have to deal with, and the way in which they deal with them. This book was all about ways for women to empower and strive for equality economically, politically and socially. This book is a form of resources or answers in what to do and how to overcome, despite inequalities. This book was very empowering and taught me a lot. It taught me how to go about being a female in certain situation, like how to succeed in the workforce, education and all the different that helps you become successful in life.
This class has really helped me to understand more, not just about women but for all inequality, whether it is within race or gender. This has helped further develop the way issues are thought about. The various books promoted women being strong and striving for equality, but in different ways. The learning experience in this class has been fun. This class taught me the different ways in which females are portrayed. I also learned how ideas are not only expressed by words, but by paintings and other art form. Women expressed themselves in all sorts of ways to try to get their point across. They showed the world through their art the oppressions in which they were forced to deal with.

Final Assignment

2008-05-13T05:58:00.001-07:00

Brittany Taylor

WNST250

Section 0101

May 13, 2008

FINAL ASSIGNMENT

What is feminism? Wikipedia defines feminism as the comprises a number of movements, theories and philosophies that are concerned with issues of gender difference, that advocate equality for women, and that campaign for women's rights and interests. When I first started taking this Women’s Studies course, I didn’t think that is what feminism meant. I had many mixed emotions on the subject of feminism. I thought it had to deal with lesbians and things of a very radical manner. When I pictured feminists in my mind I thought of bra burners and crazy women who not only wanted to be equal to men but better. I felt that the women’s movement began to put women above men. When women wanted to be “equal” they lost many privileges like chivalry. To feminists this was demeaning to women, but it also ruined it for the rest of us who would love to have car doors held open for us.

This women’s studies course has taught me to look at things with a different perspective. There were many assignments through out the semester that made me think and evaluate how I felt on certain issues. The first assignment asked us to make assumptions about what we thought feminism meant and explore those assumptions at the art museums in our nation’s capital. When I first began to collect my assumptions, I realized that they all are based on stereotypes of feminism. I assumed that the paintings that were considered feminist would contain only women, that they would be gentle and delicate looking (not manly), that a lot of the paintings would have lesbians in them or references to homosexuals, that the art would show radical women, and that I wouldn’t find the art every interesting. Almost all of these assumptions were incorrect. The paintings all could have been painted by a man or a woman. They showed men, women, radical images, and normal likeable images. Some paintings did portray women with manly features but most did not. I actually found most of the paintings to be very enjoyable. I went to these museums with two of my closest guys friends and I feel that we all got a little out of our adventures that day. I learned that art can be anything from a painting to an inkless tattoo to a sculpture made out of metal clothes hangers. The first assignment helped to open up my feelings towards feminism.

I enjoyed coming to lecture. Women’s studies lectures were not like any other lecture I have had in college. It has more of a liberal arts feeling to it. On most days we would open up with music, a video or a poem. These extra aspects helped to link our readings and assignments to what is going on with the feminist movement in the world today. We learned about many forms of activism, such as drawings on the sidewalks, to seminars, to revolutionary authors, and feminist events. Besides lecture we had to attend our discussion. Discussion was very informative, but I didn’t quite feel that it was one hundred percent connected to lecture. I felt that discussion was about random things that in some way sometimes related to what we were talking about in lecture. I wish that discussion would have gone off of lecture entirely so that it would have made the connection between the two clearer. I did enjoy discussion as well as my two TAs. They are well informed in the area of women’s studies and activism.

During the course of the semester we were asked to read many books related to feminism. Three of these books were Fight Like a Girl by Megan Seely, Feminism is for Everybody by Bell Hooks, and Kindred by Octavia Butler. The first book Fight Like a Girl, serves as a blueprint on how to become a feminist. This book gives readers many ideas on how to actively get involved with the women’s movement. To me the most intriguing part of this book was that it was geared towards my generation. It was almost like it was coming from my point of view. The resources and ways of getting involved in the book are awesome because they car tangible. There is a quote that explains how I feel about politics, women’s rights, and rights in general and it says, “I never saw politics relevant in my life until I started to see that the rights that I have taken for granted for my entire life can be taken away just as quickly as a vote can be taken in Congress. I am registered to vote and I use my vote willingly” (Seely, 96). The book makes you realize that things can be done when it comes to obtaining rights but once you have those rights they can be taken for granted. I am registered to vote, but I don’t really see it as a privilege. To me, it’s more of a duty that I have to take care of because I am a citizen. I guess it will mean more to me once I am older and the issues in America have a greater impact on my life. These issues are a part of my future and some activism is required in order to make change. Megan Seely gives young women many brilliant ideas in her book, Fight Like a Girl and everyone should read it if they are given the opportunity.

Next we were asked to read Feminism is For Everybody by Bell Hooks. This book was a great read because it basically introduced me into what feminism is. It helped to clarify some of the misconceptions I had about feminism. It was interesting to read, because coming into this course I basically knew nothing about feminism, and what I did know was based off of popular stereotypes our culture has bestowed on feminism. Before reading this book, I only considered the white upper-class side of feminism. This book shows how the intersectionality of race, gender, class, and sexuality all play a role in our day-to-day lives. Changing one part of the matrix of domination can change everything in a person’s life. It’s not about being white; it’s about being a middle-class white woman that lives in Bowie, Maryland. If one aspect of my life were different, I would be a different person. I also really loved Hooks’ definition of feminism; a movement to end sexism, sexual exploitation, and oppression. This makes feminism seem more personal than just being able to have equal rights as men. Hooks brings everything to the table in this book. She shows feminism in all its aspects. This book really helped me to understand how I felt able feminism and what I could do to be a part of the feminist movement.

One of the last books we had to read was Kindred, by Octavia Butler. Kindred is about a girl named Dana who goes back and forth into the past. This book deals with things such as slavery, rape, and how to get through the tough parts in life. This science fiction novel explores abuses of power, issues with gender roles, and racial conflicts. I like how this book has a modern outlook on slavery, since the author herself was not a slave. This book was an easy read, and it was very interesting. It was a great way to link other issues to feminism. It was not a book about feminism alone, but the racial abuses, and gender abuses, help define feminism in a whole new way. It made me realize how grateful I am to live in a time where slavery doesn’t exist as much as it did two hundred years ago. This novel helped to bring the other books to life by telling a story that incorporated all of the aspects of the matrix of domination.

Women’s Studies has taught me a lot this semester. One of the main things it has taught me is that nothing is what it seems until you get to know all of its aspects. Once you examine all of its parts then you can make a judgment, but until then any judgment is selfish. Feminism is not about crazy women who want to be considered better than men, but it is a movement that wants to ensure that women are not degraded because of our sex. Even today, after the women’s movement began one hundred and sixty years ago, women are treated poorly solely based on the fact that we are women. Women are degraded because men feel that they can use their sexuality to get ahead. This class has taught me that there are still women’s rights issues going on today. It has also taught me that if you want something done, you have to get a group together and put effort into it. By doing those things anything can be achieved. I learned a lot about myself from this class; it definitely opened me up to a lot of new things. Women’s Studies opened some new doors in my future.

Activism Toward Structures of Oppression

2008-05-06T08:05:00.000-07:00

I believe that one of the first "acts" in activism relating towards the structure of oppression is acknowledging the fact that there are those who are being priveleged and those who are being oppressed. I think in terms of religion, especially in this country where christianity and its various forms seem to be the dominant religion, should acknowlegde and respect the presence of other religions. By this I mean as individuals of a particular faith, we should not be judgemental or biased by what religion a person is or is not. In assignment #3, we also talked about class, which I believe is the keystone to branching into other ideas of wealth and who has economic, social, and racial power. I think that one of the ideas that we hold up as Americans is that the ideal American is equal and fair to her/his fellow American. Nevertheless, it seems that in our capitalist country, your voice and the presence of oneself in American society is driven by how much money you have. When Donald Trump goes on tv, we recognize for being a monetarily rich real estate agent. However, that real estate "rise to fame" now gives him the opportunity to talk about other issues, such as the huge debacle he has with Rosie O'donnel. In this situation, he is not talking at all about real estate, but because we recognize him from tv for his money and his power, we listen to him. We might not agree with him at all, but we listen. Therefore, I guess that much of our activism could start against the media, or rather with the media; Using tv and internet to change the images that we see to not just include the classical role of role of rich, white, middle to upper class men as being powerful. If we cannot destroy power to destroy oppression, we must somehow take part in social activism in relating back to the individual; Getting the word out that each individual is unique and important in society. NOT the message of if you are one sex, one race, or in one class, you are will be ULTIMATELY disadvantaged, oppressed and will not be able to succeed.

A Day of Action for Immigrant Rights in DC

2008-04-30T12:03:00.000-07:00

May Day 2008

A Day of Action for Immigrant Rights

Thursday, May 1st

Pickets at the RNC and DNC offices on Capitol Hill: 12:30 pm

Mass Rally in Malcolm X Park: 4pm

16th and Euclid Sts. NW Washington D.C.

Metro: Columbia Heights

Our Demands:

Immigration Reform with Justice and Dignity for All
Stop the Raids, Deportations, and Use of No-Match Letters
Rescind the Anti-Immigrant Resolution in Prince William County
Declare the District of Columbia a Sanctuary City for Immigrants
Establish and Support Workers Centers in D.C., Maryland, and Virginia

Organizing Meetings are 7 pm on Tuesdays at St. Stephen's Church: 16th and Newton Sts. Metro: Columbia Heights. All are Welcome!

To Endorse or Receive More Information, email may1dc2008@gmail.com or call 202-640-5315

Ass. #3 Analysis of Art and Everday Life

2008-04-22T08:25:00.000-07:00

Lolita Jadotte
WMST250
April 22, 2008
Sect# 0101

Analysis of Art and Everyday Life

In our society there are various aspects in which people are categorized. These categories depend on different circumstances, such as race, gender, religion, ethnicity, and class. These different aspects can determine your power in society. Like what we have been learning in class and readings in our assigned books, everyday life can be put into two different categories, marked and unmarked categories. Marked category is defined as the people in life who have the subordinate power and are not able to exercise certain privileges because they do not have the right to do so. In contrast to marked categories, unmarked categories are people who are dominate to the subordinate power. These people are able to exercise certain privileges because they have the right to do so. Everyday life is a perfect way to exemplify the matrix of domination and the type of people who experience either more or less power.
There are different kinds of powers people can exercise in society. There is the power, which is used in order to enforce and promote regulation. There is also the type of power, which is used in order to promote inequality and cause oppression. The unmarked people are the ones who decide how power is to be used and interpreted. Parents and teachers obtain power when their child is first born, or when the child first enters the classroom. They used there power in order to enforce and promote regulation. Leaders are supposed to enforce and promote regulation, but there have been cases where leaders have used their powers to humiliate and dehumanize people subordinate to them. This is the types of power that people of dominant position use for their on personal objectives.
Being the person that I am I am places me in either the marked or unmarked categories. I am an African American female. I was born here in the United States. I have lived majority of my life in Montgomery County, Maryland. Growing up, I attended a Catholic private school until I reach high school, where I then started attending a public school. I have one other sibling, which is twin brother. I am nineteen years old, and currently in college at the University of Maryland. I plan on receiving a good education so that I could become a Physical Therapist. I am a heterosexual female, and plans on one day having a husband and kids.
I am African American. African Americans have not always had the amount of power that they have today. They have had to suffer and endure a lot of pain in order to be in the position that they are in today. Although African Americans have come a long way and are now able to exercise more rights then before, the are still placed in the marked category. African Americans are categorized as being in the marked category compared to Caucasians, who are in the unmarked category. Caucasians have always had the upper hand over African Americans. Being an African American I have had to not only learn but also fully understand what influential African Americans have done in order for me to live the life that I live today. Influential people such as Martin Luther King Jr. and Rosa Parks have helped to pave the life of freedom that African Americans now live, including myself. This aspect of my life puts me in the marked category. I have never really directly felt the way it feels to be discriminated against, or judge based on the color of my skin. I understand that the past will never be forgotten and certain situation may arise. African Americans are also stereotyped as not being smart and not being able to receive a good education and compete in the real world. Being stereotyped put us, African Americans, at a disadvantage because the first thing a person think about when the see you are the misconception the color of your skin may portray, instead of first looking at you for who you really are.
I am a female. Females have also had to endure quite a lot in order to be in the position that we are in today. Women have had to fight for all the rights that they have today. The rights that we have are all thanks to major influential women such as Jane Addams, Rosa Parks and all women who never gave up until their voice was finally heard. Thanks to them I have the right to work, get a good education, and one of the major ones the right to vote, which allows my voice and opinion to be heard and taken into consideration. Now that I am 19 years old, I have the right to vote, and for the first time be able to voice my opinion. I have had the right to vote since birth being an American citizen, but I was restricted from voting because I was not of age. Being a young adult at the age of 19 puts me at an advantage because now I am able to let my voice be heard by voting compared to when I was under the age of 18 and could not vote. This aspect of my life places me in the unmarked category because young adults have the most advantages in society. Being female places me in the marked category because in society (white) males have had the most power and never had to fight for their rights the way that women have had to fight for theirs. Women were not put on this earth to just serve males. Women are capable of just waiting on males hand and foot.
I am heterosexual. Being heterosexual places me in the unmarked category. Society does not frown upon people who are heterosexual because that is the majority and is accepted. How society is determined has a lot to do with weather or not someone is placed in the marked or unmarked. What society sees as normal and most commonly used is what is acceptable and what is then categorized as unmarked. What society sees as different or in contrast to the norm, is what is considered as not acceptable, and the categorized as marked. Being that I am heterosexual, as opposed to homosexual, I don’t have any laws put before me. Homosexuals have laws put before them, such as the major one, which is banning their marriage rights. Homosexuals are place in the marked category because they are at a disadvantage. Laws and protest go on just to prevent homosexual relationships to take place.
I am middle class. Society puts people in social classes based on their socio-economic status. I have the advantage of living and growing up in the suburbs of Montgomery County. I am able to go to a good school and receive a good education, where I do not have to worry too much about violence. Violence is unfortunately a part of our society, which we can not directly prevent but through certain lifestyles and values instilled in kids when young can indirectly prevent crime. Being able to grow up in such environment like the one I did allows me to have more opportunity for a chance at a better life, as opposed to people, especially kids who are at a disadvantage because they live in bad neighborhoods. Kids who grow up in area like the ghetto are at a disadvantage because they are faced to force difficult situation, such as having to drop out of school to get a job, and help pay bills, and being in an environment that promotes violence as a life style. They have to work twice as hard to provide success in their lives. They have to work harder to get the proper training and education to compete in the real world because of lack of resources. Growing up where I live provides me with plenty of resources to receive a good education and provide myself with economic stability. Kids growing up in bad neighborhoods are not able to provide themselves with such things as easily.
In American there are three different levels of hierarchy which people are placed into. These categories are based on a person’s income. The three different levels are the lower class, the middle class, and the upper class. The lower classes are people who do not make a sufficient amount of money and are living from paycheck-to-paycheck. These people are place in the marked category because are at a disadvantage. The middle classes are people are the most common class because they make the sufficient amount for a stable and comfortable life. These people are place in the unmarked category because they are at an advantage of not haven to live paycheck-to-paycheck, and still having extra money to take part in a little luxurious spending. Being part of the middle class places me in the unmarked category. My family does not necessarily have to worry about living paycheck-to-paycheck.
I was born in the United States, which makes me a U.S Citizen. I get to exercise and experience the benefits of living in a country, which promotes freedom and equality. Being an American citizen and knowing the language, and the culture of our country, which is English, puts me at an advantage over people who were not born in American and have to learn the language and even have an accent. People who immigrated to the United States are unfortunately placed in the marked category because of the fact that they are not U.S citizens and can’t exercise fully the right of living in America. They also have to learn the language and the new culture. When immigrants first come to America they can immediately be picked out in a crowd because they are not accustomed to what the culture of America is, whether it be they way they talk, dresses or react to certain situation.
I am Catholic. Although there is no one set dominant religion, it can still put you at a disadvantaged or advantage. With religion in your life you can not only have the support of your family but also have the support of your religious community. Having that extra support can put you at an advantage. People look as certain religion as being weird and different, which outs them at a disadvantage because they either don’t have a lot of friends who they can relate to on the religious level. Since I have been young I have had the catholic religion in my life. I went to a Catholic school so I have had the church from a young age. It was easy for me to connect with friends at my school on a religious level because we all practiced and followed the same religion of Catholic. Although the dominant religion is Protestant, which would place me in the marked category because I am not Protestant; I feel like I still have an advantage because I have a religious community to turn to.
I am 19 years old. Age can cause barriers to certain thing that you can and can not do. Depending on your age restriction may forced upon you. When growing, me along with most kids have parents telling them what to wear, how to act and so on. Parent have the dominate power over their child. My parents enforce their power on me, in order to make sure I make right decisions. My parents held the power because they held the responsibility of taking care of me, because as a baby I am not able to take care if myself. While I was under the age18 there was a lot of things I had little or no control. I was not able to watch TV on school until my homework was done. I had curfew. My age determined how late my curfew was. As I got older less restriction were put on me by my parents. They became more lenient because they realized I was growing up and needed to obtain more responsibility of taking care of myself. Being older gives you more responsibility and allows you to hold more power over life. When I turned 16 years old, I received my driver’s license and was able to drive myself wherever I needed to go as opposed to having to ask my parents. Having to ask my parents to take me places put me on their time. Having the ability to drive myself place put me on my time. I was able to come and go as I pleased. Although, I was 16 years old and had a driver’s license, I still had certain restriction put before me because of my age. I still had to home by certain time or not being allowed to go anywhere until my chores were done.
I am a student. Being a student I have to listen and follow the rules put before me by teachers and school officials. Teacher set rules which have to be followed in order to ensure success in their class. As you move up in your educational journey less and less rules are put before, because age is supposed to mean that you are more responsible. I have experienced the difference between the regulation in elementary school, middle school and college. In middle school I had to ask to get out of my seat or ask to go to the bathroom. In high school and college teachers and professors have fewer rules because they realize now that you are old enough to make your own decisions.
These are some of the major factors that contribute to role and power in society. There are also everyday factors that we tend to overlook that determines are power. Your place in the family, school, your community also shows you where power stands within your everyday life. I have one other sibling, which is my twin brother. Although we both are the same age we get treated a lot different. In school, I always had the better grades, which put me at an advantage because I would get rewarded for my good grades. Although my brother is a male and I am a female, in this situation I had the dominant power over the male, because my grades were better. My family treats my brother and me different when it comes to us going out. They would allow my brother to have my freeway, while they were stricter on me just because I was a female and he was a male. This aspect put me at a disadvantage. Although we are both the same age we were treated differently based of sex and portrayals of both men and women. Men are thought of as being tough, muscular, and intelligent. Women were known as being not tough enough to defend themselves and in some instance not being able to go out in public with out have a male companion.
The definition and right to certain powers could also be portrayed through art. Art is a person representation of how the artist sees the world around them. Art comes in many different forms such as music, paintings, and dance. Art connects with everyday life because art is a representation of how everyday life is interpreted. Feminism artist base their arts on various things, which allows them to expresses how they feel about life and how life feels about them. Life sees women as second in comparison to men, who are the dominant figure in society. Feminist artist such as Judy Chicago and Miriam Shapiro have been influential feminist artist. They were not afraid to express the oppression women have had to endure through their painting. African American also uses art to display their feelings of oppression.
All of these different aspects of my life add to the person who I am today. They also allow me to put myself in perspective about the certain powers I am allowed to exercise. There are many areas in our everyday life were power is demonstrated, and we do not even realize it. These powers could be very noticeable divisions such as male and females, or African American and Caucasians. We often don’t look at or tend not to even recognize the smaller matrix of domination, such as the restriction being a certain age puts on us. Matrix of domination come in all types of different forms as you can clearly tell from my everyday.

2008-04-22T07:29:00.000-07:00

I thought that the movie about the latino woman was funny. It was making light of a rough situation. Sometimes joking about something serious can open up avenues for talking about it in a serious manner. It is not something to make fun of really unless you have gone through it or have a personal connection to the situation. If you haven't then sometimes people might just feel that you are going off of stereotypes.

How Do I Define My Gender?
Everyday when I wake up I take a shower. It is here where I uses pantene pro v shampoo and dove soap. These tend to be used more by women rather then men who use their axe body wash. Then I go and put on a little bit of makeup. This is something that men do not do, so this sets me apart from being male. The clothes I wear also define what gender I am in. I then go to school. At school if I need to go to the bathroom, I don't just pick which ever one is closer, I use the women's room. This draws a line between men and women. It makes it hard for someone if they are sure of their gender but not their sexuality. There are so many aspects of my day that make me who I am. I don't really feel that they influence my gender or sexuality, but that my gender and sexuality have influenced how I carry out my day to day routine.

assignment 3 paper

2008-04-22T07:28:00.000-07:00

Brittany Taylor

WMST250

Section 0101

April 22, 2008

The Matrix of My Life

What makes me who I am? What parts of my life have influenced the person I am today?? There are many aspects of my life that play a role in me being me. This matrix takes every aspect in to account and the role they play in ones life. These aspects of the matrix are race, gender/sexuality, women, religion, disabilities, and class. Changing one part of the matrix can change everything in a person’s life. Analyzing these aspects of the matrix can show the power struggles we see in our everyday lives.

The main tangible places that I find power in my day to day routine starts with my parents. Coming from a strong Catholic family, things have always seemed to be a little different for me. Still at 19 I have to check in, tell my parents where I’m going, and make sure they know every little detail. This is the main source of a power struggle in my life, especially when I’m not allowed to do something or I don’t like a decision they make. As well as my two parents, I also have an 8 year old brother. One might think that there couldn’t ever be a struggle between an 8 year old and a 19 year old. Let me tell you, it’s tough. He is in the stage of asking 500 questions about everything. I am the oldest and his only other sibling and we fight a lot, mostly over stupid things but we do have arguments all the time. A lot of the time when he wines about something it just makes me very angry. I really should just let most of it roll off as if it were nothing. I really do feel bad that I am mean to him at times because I don’t want him to think that I don’t like him or something. Sometimes the struggles that I have seem to all happen at the same time. Recently I started a new job that requires 8 days of training. I have already been a server before so I didn’t feel that it was necessary to have that many days of training. I learned a lot during my training and it was clearly evident that I did need that many days of training. I have a problem when someone is judging me (like in my training). I know they had to watch me to make sure I was doing the correct things, but I still ended up freaking myself out which in turn made me mess up even more. Personally I don’t work well when I have a lot of authority over reining me. I like to do my own thing and make my own mistakes.

There are also many power struggles that are as tangible. These things really aren’t able to be changed in most cases. These power struggles make us who we are. What race you are plays a role in your life because with race comes culture. Depending on your background and race people may treat you differently, not because they dislike you, but because of stereotypes. Stereotypes play a major role in the way we as Americans view things, especially when it comes to race. This was made evident about 6 years ago right after 9/11. Everyone became “afraid” of people from the Middle East or Muslims. Even Muslims that have lived their entire lives in the United States became part of the stereotype. We as Americans figured that they were “part of the Al-qeuda” or we considered them a “terrorist.” This stereotype is still prominent in our country, though it may have died down; it is still a popular topic to joke about. Another similar stereotype is seen in regards to African Americans. 100 years ago our county was going through its dark days of slavery. Our country had just received independence from Britain 100 years prior. Right after fighting for independence from what can be considered a lesser form of slavery, we turn right back around and enslave the African Americans. After fighting for our rights, we go and take those of a lesser nation (or so what they thought back then). Today I don’t feel like blacks are treated unfairly because of their skin color. I do feel that it does depend on where you are in American and what the situation is. Obviously in the South, you are still going to find strong at heart Confederates that don’t care for anyone that is black. Personally I believe that we are all equal and we should all be judged on our character and not how we look, but unfortunately a lot of America does not feel that way. I also believe that many people don’t dislike blacks, but it has become a distinguished stereotype that people actually do believe that they dislike blacks. I do not feel that since I am Caucasian that I am any better than someone who is black. Considering the fact that Caucasian is the stereotypical “superior race,” I do feel that at times it has given me an advantage in life, but at the same time not making myself feel superior over anyone.

The next most important facet of the matrix is gender as well as your sexuality. You are born either a male or a female and that is your gender. Your sexuality is something that you create on your own. Your sexuality it was you make of it. You can be a woman with regards to your sexual organs, but maybe you feel that you should be a part of the opposite gender. Starting off with the gender aspect, men are seen as the dominant sex. This dates back to the beginning of time when God made Man. He made woman later on because it was evident that the animals would not be suitable for companionship. Even today, men use their “authority” to place themselves over women. I see this happen lot, especially in the work place. My last two jobs have been in the restaurant business. All of my managers have been men and a lot of the time the favor the girls over the guys. Not that anything wrong or illegal took place, but it was still evident that they liked the girl servers. This was made more evident when I started my new job about a week ago. I stared my training to become a server and only 3 days into my training was I in a sense promoted. The manager pulled me aside and asked me if I wanted to be a lounge server. The lounge is where Happy Hour and half price appetizers are. Basically I was asked to be a cocktail waitress solely based on the fact that I am a girl. I took the offer knowing that it is better money than working in the dining room that is very slow and does not get as much business. This leads into sexuality. People use their sexuality to get ahead all the time. I happened to be watching Home Improvement the other day and the episode was based on this very fact. The father Tim opened the door to a woman who was selling a “miracle cleaner.” Of course she was drop-dead gorgeous, so Tim, knowing nothing about the product bought the whole box. His wife Jill became angry because the woman used her sexuality to get Tim to buy the cleaner that turned out to be lemon water. The same thing later happened to Jill when she got pulled over by a state trooper. She unknowingly was very kind to the officer in hopes to get out of a ticket. Later on she realized that she flirted with the cop and got out of the ticket. She became angry with herself because she had just yelled at her husband for doing the same thing. Sometimes we don’t even realize that we are using are sexuality to get a head. It is something in our nature about being attracted to the opposite sex. Being a man is not what men want to be, they have to be a manly or macho man. Most men look down on other men that have emotional qualities. Every man is emotional, but in most cases it is not okay to show that side to anyone. Most men have a stigma against homosexual men. Men tend to think that anything remotely “queer” is weird or not allowed. Our sexuality plays an important role in our lives as well as our future. I know by being heterosexual I want to get married and have children. It might not be as easy for a homosexual to achieve those same goals because there are many states that have outlawed gay marriages. Being gay, it might also be harder to have children because it can’t be done between the two partners and adoption agencies would rather have the children grow up with a mother and a father instead of two moms or two dads. That is a sexist was of looking at it, but sadly in most cases it is true. Being homosexual does make it harder to have a family.

According to stereotypes, being a woman doesn’t seem so appealing. I can’t tell you how many times I have ever been made fun of by a guy for being a woman. Yes it may be harmless joking around, but it is still offensive to be made fun of just because of your gender. I am a 19 year old girl and I have blonde hair and blue eyes. I fit into the stereotype of a “Blonde.” Blonde in this sense is not just referring to my hair color. Everyone has those moments where they don’t get a joke, or they do something stupid, but for me it’s a little different. Whenever I do something wrong at work or with my friends their response is, “Oh it’s because you’re blonde.” As well as being made fun off for being “dumb” because I have blonde hair, I have many a time heard the expression, “Well you’re only a girl.” Men love to toss that joke around because they feel that we are inferior beings. Yes we are emotional, yes we like pink, and yeah we wear dresses. Everyone is different, like the cliché, “Opposites attract.” Would men rather us be like them, all manly and dirty? No. When it comes to things that involve thinking, men think that they dominate women and that women are helpless. There are a few jokes that I have heard with regards to women; “Wanna hear a joke? Women’s rights!” or “Why can’t women ski? Because there is no snow between the bedroom and the kitchen!” Obviously these jokes are not true, but the fact that men joke around about these types of things really bothers me. Sometimes I understand that it’s just out of humor, but it still hurts someone’s feelings when they are being made fun of. I find it a struggle to be a woman at times. We have to deal with a lot more then men do. We get emotional, we have menstrual cycles, we get moody, we get cramps, and we have babies. In addition to all those things we some how end up making dinner, cleaning the house, and taking the kids to practice (as stereotypical as that sounds, its true).

Most people are brought up with some sense of morals. Anywhere from being taught to say “Please and Thank you” or “Sir and Madame.” Depending on what part of the country you live in, your morals and ethics can be affected in different ways. What influences morals the most is religion. Every religion has different beliefs that the other one. Everyone thinks that their religion is the right one to follow. Personally I believe that as long as you believe in God and follow your church’s teachings then you will go to Heaven. Sadly this is not how everyone feels. Religious discrimination has been prominent since the beginning of our country. Why did we want to escape the powers of Britain? To have religious freedom. Then our country broke into many religions, each believing they are better than the other. They might not come out and say that they are better, but it is evident when churches go out and try to recruit new members. The main example of religious persecution is the Holocaust. A very evil man (and a Christian man) decided he wanted a superior race and religion. Hitler killed an estimated 6 million Jews in the early 1900s. 6 million innocent people were killed solely on the basis of their religion. I have been raised Catholic. I believe in God and there are many things that only my church believes in such as, confession and the bread and wine turning into the body and blood of Jesus Christ (not just as a metaphor). I also went to a catholic high school. There have been times where when I told someone I went to a catholic high school that it was looked down upon or smirked at. I see religion as a power in my everyday life. My religion has a moral code that I am to follow. This is known as the 10 Commandments. These are a set of rules one must follow in order to get to Heaven. My ultimate goal in life is to go to Heaven, so if I don’t obey my mother and father or if I steal something then it will be harder for me to reach my goal. I live by these rules and if I break a commandment I must go to confession in order to be forgiven for my sins. This is a struggle because I know that God knows everything I do which makes me feel guilty when I sin. I also go to church every Sunday. I really don’t consider this a struggle because I have grown up going to church every week so it is part or my routine. Praying to God is something I should be doing every day. I was not born a Catholic so I wasn’t taught to pray every day. This upsets me because I have not been able to make prayer a constant part of my daily routine. Since I struggle with this, I put a visor clip in my car that has a prayer on it. Now every time I get in my car and see it, it reminds me to pray.

Luckily I was fortunate to have been born without any disabilities. A lot of people are less fortunate and are born with or form some type of disability. This can be anything from ADD to a sleep disorder, to an eating disorder to having mental retardation. Even though I do not struggle with these illnesses on my day to day basis, I see people who have to deal with the pain and suffering all around me. There is an awesome show on television called Extreme Home Makeover. This is where the crew gives a deserving family a totally new furnished house and sometimes money to pay off their mortgage. This is one of my favorite shows because most reality shows now are about self gain or exploiting yourself to get ahead to win the money. It makes me realize how blessed and privileged I am. I have two good friends who suffer from depression. It kills me all the time when they tell me how they have thought about killing themselves in the past. Whenever they tell me these things, I try and make them see the good in things and that they will see the end at the light of the tunnel very soon. I recently told my one friend who has been depressed since I met him, that you never know when things are going to turn around for you. I told him that he doesn’t know when it is, so he shouldn’t go and do something irrational when for all he knows that day could be tomorrow. I feel that everyone should try to see the good in every situation. Most everything has something good come from it. When someone dies, it’s best to think that they are in a better place. Yes it’s okay to be upset, but it is also selfish to wish that they were still here, because they are in a much better place. I am just thankful that God blessed me with many talents and I pray for those who are less fortunate then myself.

Another part of the matrix is where class plays a role. There are three main categories that someone can fall into. They are poor, middle class and rich. America is one of the wealthiest countries in the world. It is sad though that the poorest in our country are considered somewhat wealthy compared to countries like Africa. Our country is very corrupt when it comes to money. The wealthiest in our country are movie stars and athletes. I am not saying that they don’t work hard for their money, but it is ridiculous how much money they make just for being themselves and being popular. Then you have the middle working class who has to work hard to earn their money. Some families make just enough to live comfortably or to just get by. I consider myself to be a part of the middle class. I am fortunate enough to go to a great university, have a nice job, and have a nice car in my own name. I feel that some things I can take advantage of. A lot of people in America do not own a car, especially college kids. I know a lot of people that do not have cars. Being in the middle class of America I am privileged enough to be able to go out and get a job on my own. The poorer part of our country does not have this same opportunity. I take advantage the fact that I have a roof over my head with pluming and running water. I feel that being in the middle class gives me advantages over someone who is poor. It also doesn’t mean that everyone will listen to what I have to say. Being in the middle class, you don’t get noticed by record companies or talent agencies. A lot of the time you have to have connections with someone in a higher place in order to be noticed. This makes anyone in the middle class seem inferior on someone that is wealthy. The middle working class of America is the hardest working class in our country. Not only do we work 9-5, but we come home and cook and clean. Some of us manage to go back to school or even take up a second job so that their spouses can stay home with the new baby. We are so privileged in America that at times we take for granted how lucky we really are. Then on the other hand we can not escape that power over us. We will always have a boss or someone telling us what to do, but that’s okay because it keeps our lives in check.

The one thing in live that we can not escape is power. There will always be some type of power over us at some point; anything from God, to our parents, to teachers or to our bosses. They will always be there. We will also have power struggles when it comes to race, religion, gender, and class. These things will always play a role in our lives. Without a sense of power in our lives, everything would be chaotic. There would be no order, no organization and people would go crazy. Even though we may struggle with power and the aspects of the matrix, they make us who we are. We wouldn’t be unique if it weren’t for all of the aspects of the matrix.

WHAT AM I? Analyst paper of myself

2008-04-22T06:28:00.000-07:00

Tonica Vickerie
Ellen
April 22, 2007
WMST250-0101

Analyst Paper

Different people experience different reactions to the same powers that society provides. These powers affect the daily routine of individuals with oppression or privilege. What might be effective for one could be dangerous for another. An unmarked person is known to be a white male in middle class representing privilege. A marked person is a minority female of lower class representing oppression since they deviate from the norm. Due to these distinctions of marked and unmarked people, assumptions have concluded what is accepted and what isn’t. This essay will observe the life of two individuals living through the same powers. These powers include religious beliefs, location, nationality, and upbringing. These individuals are both female and middle class, yet their race is what will determine the life they live. The experiences they encounter might fulfill privileges and oppressions at different settings as they analyze the events within those days. The purpose of this experiment would investigate how unrecognized powers such as these could affect certain people. There is more to a marked person then just their gender and race; it is the heritage and social standards that makes that person into that category. Therefore, this experiment will record the reactions of these two individuals handling the situations that they occur in their surroundings within these powers. Then they will conclude the experiment with a legitimate proposal of the results they accumulated. These results will create assertions of how power influences life for two similar individuals. This will characterize and categorize each power into a matrix domination that is compared to the preferences of the world. In the end, this essay will also develop a ladder in which the individuals determine which power will mostly affect a marked or unmarked person.
Christianity

My religious beliefs are from a Pentecostal Christian Church. I believe there are three trinities but only one God. I attend a Church of God where we are open to certain ideas that might not be accepted in other churches. The church is very small and only holds about hundred people. The dress code is open as people come in with jeans and t-shirts. Sleeveless shirts are acceptable as long as to much skin is no being shown. The music is more upbeat and lively. We change the words of secular music with inspiration of Godly words. We are open to any kind of music that tells the world about God. We use instruments such drums, pianos, and guitars at every service. There is service three times out the week, one which is directly for the youth. We travel to concerts and have civilized coed sleepovers within the church. On special occasions, we let the youth or the children preach to the congregation. We are known for step teams and the dance ministry as they travel to other churches. We have a Youth Council Board that comes with fundraisers and events for the church. Also, they are advisors for the youth and children when they have trials. We are not stringent on time because sometimes people need to hear the word and all that God has to say. One of our good traits is the ability to not condemn. There are many gays in our church, but we don’t curse them. It is our duty to change the lives of this people through reasoning and wholeheartedness.
Having this religious view sometimes has its advantages. Because the church has no set rules, members are more likely to express their problems knowing that we don’t criticize. More people feel welcome and comfortable because we are willing to listen and learn. Our church is lively because of the instruments we play and the energy we receive. People enjoy the music because we use beats that are common with different words. Adults and children have the privilege to preach and sing among the congregation, which is not known in many Catholic churches. Most churches are very strict about what you wear and things should be run. Some churches don’t allow anyone to preach but the bishop himself. We are privileged because the church gives us many opportunities by being different. We have concerts and dinners inside and outside of church. Other denominations just use Sunday for service, but we use three days out the week. Other churches use traditions hymns with an opera beat. The lyrics are mostly biblical verses that were changed into modern terms and added to music. Our church is very thankful that we are able to accommodate religious morals with our own. However, having this privilege does bring consequences at times.
Sometimes it is better for a church to be strict. Laying that foundation allows others to realize the seriousness a certain sin is. Our oppression lies in the fact that we allow certain things to happen even though we know it’s wrong. Other churches then badger us because we prohibit these acts such as gays in the church, or that we don’t have a specific dress code. This oppression can also be viewed globally because of the diverse cultures and practices that come with it. Other denominations look at us as being to wholehearted. There are so many interpretations to what the bible can mean that people seem to take it out of proportion at times. There are times when churches disagree with the way we run our service or the events we partake in. Because we allow coed sleepovers, other churches believe we are denying the law of abstinence. They believe that those type of events increase sexual conduct and misbehaviors. Also, churches take the seriousness of dress code believing that there is proper clothing that should be worn so there wouldn’t be any distracting. These giving reasons suggest that being open and wholehearted has its disadvantages. We are oppressed because we have an open mind that others don’t seem to agree with. Therefore, they question our religious views.

Nationality

My ancestry starts in Georgetown, Guyana located in South America. Most of family lived there for all their adolescent years. There weren’t many schools there and it just so happened that my mom and dad attended the same school. They met in high school at the GOC and started dating. Soon enough they had my oldest brother and gotten married when he was about four. My dad worked for the government and my mom was a nurse. On special holidays, my dad would come and visit my uncle who lived in the United States. When he came down here, he was astounded by the Department of Defense. My dad decided that he wanted to join the U.S. military when he was visiting the U.S for the first time. He left my mom back in Guyana in pursuit of his dream. Later on, he moved my mom and brother down when citizenship was an easy process. My parents created two more children in the new lifestyle we had. More of my family members started immigrating to grasp the American dream. We took advantage of every possibility by moving into different areas. We first started in the “ghetto” in Silver Spring. We gradually then improved as we settled in a small house in New Carrolton. We took any opportunities in jobs as my dad enlisted in the military and my mom became part of Human Resources. We adapted to the American culture, but we never forgot our culture.
Moving into the U.S. culture provided us with higher opportunities and better living. We found a three bedroom house that accommodated everyone. Our income increased frequently as my dad worked for the post office and my mom became one of the heads in the Human Resource Department. We were able to have substantial living after some years of adapting to the food and transportation. In Guyana, it was known to the driver side was on the right. My mother and father continued their education with the varieties of college that was reachable. My dad continued at University of District of Columbia. My brothers and I were able to have a legitimate education and enter into the work world. Gaining citizenship wasn’t that hard because my dad and my brother enlisted into the military. We took advantage of the department stores and shops that were available that wasn’t available in Guyana. Most importantly, we stayed true to our culture and incorporated the U.S. culture also.
The voyage here had its benefits; however, those benefits started to change after illegal immigrants became the issue of society. The land that was once open for free opportunity takes years to process “outsiders” papers for citizenship. My cousin can’t move up here unless he marries someone from America or goes through the process. He has to provide specific papers and go through numerous background checks to ensure that he is not a threat. September 11 has also contributed to the immigrants’ oppression because companies take critical concern of non-citizens believing they could pose as a hazard to the company. Immigrants have a hard time surviving in the United States much less getting a visa. Since the legal process takes years to consider, most immigrants just comes here illegal because it’s easier. Everyone desires to have the American dream myth of freedom. The reality is that the American dream is specified for a limited amount of individuals. There is the belief that opportunities are open to everyone and that we are the nation of democracy. However, some immigrants are not entitled to those opportunities or the rights that are linked. Education for immigrants is much harder since most immigrants are poor. Therefore, the students attend schools that lack all the credentials of a successful learning environment. Being part of a different country discriminates the potential of an individual. We are known to do the work that no one wants, yet we are criticized when we slack off. Health care becomes a big issue because we can’t afford enough for full coverage of injuries or life and death situations. Nationality can be an effective power because it deprives immigrants from doing their potential, or making the economy better because of the severe laws.
Upbringing

I was raised with the notion that women should keep their household neat and tidy. We are to do all chores inside the house while the men work outside. I had to clean every inch of the house while my mom cooked the meal for the day. My dad and brothers mostly worked on the lawn or fixing things that seemed to be broken. As I grew up, my workload increased to the point where I felt like I was the only one doing work. I vacuumed every carpet, cleaned all the bathrooms and washed every dirty dish. My mother still believes that women should do all the work because that’s our duty. Constantly, we argue that times have change since then. My parents grew up where that tradition is continued. Women have low salary jobs that end early enough for them to go back and prepare the family meals. I was raised to learn how to provide for my family because a man wants a woman who can cook and look good. Sports were a male trait because women were like jewels that shouldn’t be harm. Activities that involved sweating and strength were a male trait.
It is difficult to find the privileges of having women treated under this manner. However, this tradition called for a revolution by women and for women. Feminist movements gained women rights in sports, government, etc. I am now able to vote for a worthy president in the next election because of Women’s Suffrage. I am able to participate in any sport that interests me because of Title X. I am able to become a lawyer with a few more years in college because the discrimination was outlawed. The tradition allowed for a rebellion that would change the minds of people such as my mothers. This acknowledged women as more than just housewives, but as employees. There’s the ability for women to have the same job as a male and live in an independent household without men. This tradition released a movement that seemed impossible to accumulate due to the lack of respect women had.
Though the privilege was a great gain to the women society, the oppression still lies within the male dominant society. Men are more likely to gain those high professional jobs because their employers believe that they are less of a burden. Women have too many burdens such as pregnancy or surgery that affects the company in their performance because they have to take such a long leave. A long leave could deter the company from gaining any profits or closing a deal if women are placed in those high positions. Thus, the qualification usually requires male employees because they are more dependent. There are only a few women who hold corporate jobs with a high salary. Most women jobs are known to be talk show host, teachers, or nurses. The salaries of women’s job are not nearly equal to the salaries of men. Since my goal in life is to be a corporate lawyer, I’m going have to work extra hard to just to be considered for a law firm. Not only are jobs oppression, but sports are one to. Women sports have little support or no support when it comes to publicity or audience attendance. The majority of the audience attention still focuses on men sports and men entertainment. There is something about violence that promotes a male populated sport then a female one. The girls’ track team never received that much recognition because it was all about the men’s basketball team in high school. This kind of oppression gives doubt to why women should have equal power when the world is still male dominated. It takes forty-two presidents before a woman has a near chance of winning. Even now many people, including women, believe that Hillary Clinton wouldn’t be a good president and they wouldn’t vote for her. If thoughts like this are still going on, then what women have fought for was done for nothing. The years of rebellion were a waste of energy if people including my own mother still have their mind set that the women should stick with tradition. Mankind has the literal term that male majority rules with no female minority rights. Male have dominated with their perceptions of capitalist that doesn’t include females.

Location

I live in the urban suburbs in Bowie, Maryland. I call it the “urban suburbs” because it is a mixture of the city and the family life. The area I live in has six hundred thousand dollar homes surrounded by trees. My house has two acres of land on top of a small hill. People like to call it the house on the prairie because it looks just like the houses in that movie. The area is filled with African American neighbors and there is an amusement park down the street. It’s a really quiet area with a few kids playing outside. I had a choice of what school I could attend during my high school years. One school is what I call the “urban school” and another is what I call the “suburb school”. The urban school, Largo High School, acted as it was a school in the city. It was over populated with a mixture of low class and middle class black students. A fight broke out once every other day that centered on hoods and gangs. Rap and Go-Go genres was the popular thing to play on the radio. The dress code was ridiculous before uniforms were enforced. Girls wore short skirts with see through tops and hooker hill while boys were white beaters and pants down to their knees. The suburban school, Bowie High School, was an elite high and middle class school with a mixture of white and black students. They wore no uniforms and fights never happened that much. Going there was like being in an old fashioned movie where the cheerleaders and the football team were the king and queen of the school. These schools were so different, yet they were located in the same area.
Living in this location has its privilege because it is a quiet area. The neighborhood is highly respected by the residents. There is no loud music played by cars rolling by or kids outside after dark. The neighbors greet one another as they do their daily exercise. My house is spacious with lots of land surrounding it. Because we live on a two acre lot, other houses are as far away as possible. The backyard is big enough for kids to play in without having to worry about them getting into the streets. Inside my house, there are enough rooms for everyone so it is not crowded. We have enough room to place everything that could not fit in our old house into our new house. Most people are not able to afford homes like the one I have because of the cost. Living here is a privilege because my parents have the financial status for the monthly payments. Most people are astonished by the house because of the vacancy and capacity that the house holds. However, the area that my house is in causes oppression.
The situation was ironic because I originally thought the schools were productive. The school that I attended was the “urban school” which had a large black population. The school had kids that came from every part of the region that were not supposed to be there. Fights happened often that interfered with the learning process. When I came to college, I lacked the credentials that an average high school student should have learned. I was put into a program that aided me in gaining the information from those curriculums that my high school failed to cover. Learning at that school was hard due to the illegitimate teachers that worked there. Some of them were up to par, but others were only teaching to gain a paycheck. The books were falling apart and out of date. Some teachers had to print the updated versions and split them among the class. If someone was to ask me what I learned from each of those classes since my freshman year, I probably would not be able to provide a good answer. Living in the suburbs seems like a nice thing, but the area still has some underdeveloped sections. I would have thought that the taxes my family paid would have given us better textbooks; however, they were used to build new schools. The government tried to avoid dealing with the problems in the schools that we have now by making new schools; instead, they should just repair the old schools that we have now.
In conclusion, these four aspects of life have generated into four powers that affects my everyday life. My religion has more of an open mind about certain situations that other churches condemn with strict force. Nationality and Location plays a vital role in the American society because where you come from impacts the class in which you will be placed. Lastly, my upbringing decides how I react to life’s obstacles. These are my personal perceptions of my life being a black young woman whose parents are immigrants. Due to these demographics, my life is held with certain boundaries that the government poses. For instance, my location portrays that I am part of a middle class society; however, I attend a school that upholds low class qualifications. My matrix of domination has a double negative because I am not the white male; however, we will encounter a life that is a white female and see how her perceptions of life compare to mine. She will observe the same powers that I have, and record her findings about life. Then she will interpret her findings and come with a final conclusion.

Assignement #3: THe Analysis of Everyday Life

2008-04-22T06:20:00.000-07:00

Candace Lee
4/19/08
WMST250
Section 0101

Assignment #3: The Analysis of Everyday Life

Where is the power in our everyday life? In terms of Feminism, power is divided into two forms. It could be “power over” which means the power to influence others, oppression and the other form is “power to” meaning to be able to take action on something, a privilege. In society, what powers is one oppressed and privileged? The matrix of domination in my life that affects my privileges and oppression are race, social status, gender and generation of immigrant.
I am a female American Born Chinese (ABC), born in Orlando Florida. My parents were both born and raised in Malaysia, but we are not Malaysians. My ancestors originated from China and through the generations, my grandparents happened to migrate to Malaysia in hope to pursue a better living and there is where my parents were born. Again in hope for a better living, my parents immigrated to the United States where I grew up following the Chinese traditions, while also learning about how life was like in Malaysia. In addition, my parents often share what they knew about their hometown, such as the foods, customs as well as the different religions and races that exists in Malaysia. At a young age the first language I learned was Cantonese Chinese and I spoke Cantonese with my family members until I started going to school. Once school started, I learned to speak English and from then on I became bilingual. Today I am fluent in both languages with English technically as my second language.
I feel that being a different race in the United States other than White is oppression. Although everyone is treated equally, having the same freedom and rights, but there is still discrimination going on within the society. It is an unmarked discrimination, where it is not the law that discriminates certain races or gender, but the people themselves. In our world today, for example, there are still women getting paid less than men, there are other races getting paid less than another race as well as there are discriminations against individuals who have disabilities. The law says we are all equal individuals, so should we also be treated equally amongst ourselves? An example from my personal experience is that my uncle is the founder of a fairly large corporation in Malaysia, but he is required to appoint an actual Malaysian to be the Chief Executive Officer and the highest rank my uncle can get is what they call the Managing Director (MD). Behind the scenes, it is my uncle who does all the work; the appointed CEO just takes the title and in some cases the credit. Although this is not oppression to me personally, but it still feels quite uncomfortable of how the world is like and how my relative is being treated. Similarly, sometimes I have this same feeling that what happened to my uncle is happening in the United States as well. The only differences is instead of Malaysians dominating the highest level position in a company, it is the White Americans who are in power. Not just that, I’ve notice there usually are very few woman who are in the higher level positions and this is not just the U.S. Other countries around the world may be even worse, where there are no woman leaders in the government or even in corporations. This thought may just maybe my own ‘theory’ and that it probably does not hold true in all situations, but this is how it seems like society works. This part from the matrix of domination is where I feel that I am more oppressed rather than privileged.
However, though in the United States there are still some unmarked discrimination happening but the government tries its best to change and improve America. For example, in the recent politics and more specifically the 2008 Presidential elections support my claim. The 2008 Elections is the first time in history where both a female and a Black American (another race other than Whites) are running for presidency. This is a new turning point for the U.S. because never in history has either a female or Black American participated in the presidential elections. In the past, people would oppose of this fact because Americans felt that they were not ready for a new change of what type of person leads our country. In addition, most people were probably still conservative and did not trust that a woman leader or a leader of a different race would be effective. But these are all just people being biased and still have the mind of a traditionalist. Of course it is not right to have that mentality that only a certain type of race or gender is able to do the job, when anyone can. It is an improvement that in this year’s presidential elections that things fall out of the tradition and that America is accepting something new. It is an honor for my generation to be at the right age where we are allowed to get involved in politics and vote. To other individuals who are younger than us or who are currently not American citizens, this may be one of their oppressions, while it is our generation’s privilege over them. Because the younger generation and the people who are not citizens are unable to experience one of the biggest changes in American History, this is where they are empowered by my generation.
Similarly, the same kind of concept holds true when it comes to education for women and other races. In history, women were unable to pursue an education because society did not accept that a woman could be educated and that their only role is in the household. To be born, grow up and to live in the society today is a great advantage to the newer generation children, especially for a female. Nowadays since females have the opportunity for education, more and more females are graduating and becoming as successful, if not surpassing as men. They are arguing that their role in society is not just in the household and they do not need to be completely focused on the home, but can also pursue a real career, in addition to taking care of the home and family. Women who are able to do work and also maintain order in the household are the ones who are powerful. This means, that I too have the possibility of becoming a very successful individual in the future, if I put the effort into it. The topic of women’s opportunity for education also leads into my privilege that I have the right to go to school in general as opposed to the more disadvantaged young adults in other countries whom does not have the chance. Furthermore, the fact that I am part of a low income family is both an oppression and privilege to me because I am oppressed that life is not like how life would be if my family were on the wealthy or middle class side. But also privilege because the U.S. government offers financial aid to me that other upper class students do not necessary have as an option. In many cases, the college expenses and tuitions can exceed the amount that most upper class families can afford, thus creating a dilemma for them. Provided with financial aid allows me to get the financial burdens off my back and can whole hearty focus on my college career. Because of this I begin to empower some other individuals who do not get financial issues solved. In a director’s meeting I had for my academic program, the presenter mentioned that some students who failed to apply for their Federal Government’s Financial Aid application on time, where subject to pay a few ten thousands of dollars. As a result, if the student is unable to afford this amount of money, they will have no choice but to drop out from the University. So, if that student found other alternative aids, such as borrowing loans to pay off his or her tuitions, he or she would still be at a disadvantage because my aids are grants and do not need to b paid back. My personal view of this scenario is because I have the privilege for the aid, I am empowering many people who are in a disadvantage. On a more personal note sometimes I feel that the requirement of having to go to school is an oppression to me. The only reason is because I do not believe I am a school and studying person, but in order to have a better future education must be completed.
Like mentioned earlier, I am come from the working class family. My father also was from a very poor and large family, to a point where my father did not get an opportunity to continue his education because of the financial difficulties. Many of my uncles and aunts were interrupted from their education at a young age because they had to start working in order to help out the family. My mother in contrast, came from a fairly wealthy family where everyone was able to complete their education or at least get a reasonably better education than other families. Despite my mother coming from a middle-upper class family, I did not get this privilege of spending a life with wealth as my grandfather did not pass down his business to my mom. Instead, my parents and their two daughters (my sister and I) lived a life where the monthly budget was just right and sometimes the expenses exceed the income. Due to my marked category of being part of the working class family, I grew up to learn how to be independent and efficient on saving money. Personally, I feel that this characteristic is more of a privilege rather than an oppression. Generally speaking a child born into a working class family will learn more valuable life lessons than that of a child who was born into the upper class. Although the child from the upper class may be living in the “American Dream”, where they are have high quality living environment, education and personal items, but are they privileged to grow up and learning what it takes to be a responsible and independent individual? Will they understand the importance of money and savings? I do not believe so, because they never personally experienced the difficulties of life and how important money can be in our daily lives. It might be an oppression that I am not as wealthy as them, but for personality character traits I am oppressing them. From personal point of view, I it is not very likely to me that young adult and some adults from the upper class would understand the hardship the working class experiences in their daily lives, therefore because of this fact we see that those upper class young adults are more spoiled. My college roommates are good examples, sometimes I see my roommates buying items without checking the prices and if they do check the price, they would feel that it is inexpensive when I would consider it as an expensive item. It is due to our different life styles and life experiences when growing up that we view what is considered inexpensive and what is expensive. It also involves parents and how they convey how one should live their life. The power in terms of social class works both ways, the rich can overpower us working class with their wealthy and status, while we working class can empower them with our personal qualities of being a more reliable person.
Currently, I am a nineteen year old teenage female living in the 21^st century and part of the unmarked category in terms of age. Over the years, Black Americans had fought for their rights and freedom; women had fought for their independence and rights as well. But has there been a time in history where young adults fought for their rights? Do they have any rights specifically for their age group in society? In my knowledge of history, I do not recall teenagers or young adults ever trying to fight for themselves, not necessary freedom or rights because these are all included in their race and gender. Instead we young adults should fight for respect from the older generation. It is common that if an eighteen year old made a point about something verse an older person who made a similar point, who would people most likely believe, the teenager or the adult? Most would probably trust the adult more because apparently they have more experience in life and therefore know more than teenagers. Of course this is true in many aspects, but sometimes it might be helpful to hear what an eighteen year old might have to say because they may very well know what they are talking about. As most people do not trust what teenagers say about certain things and by this I think that it is somewhat along the longs of lacking respect for this particular age group. There are obviously exceptions, such as in terms of a discipline, a professional adult would be more creditable in what they are saying than a young adult who is just a student.
Moreover, oppressions can change to privileges when one hits a certain age and it can also go the other way, privileges changing into oppressions. By state law in most of the U.S, when someone turns sixteen years of age, they have the right to choose whether or not to stay in school without parents’ consent. If the child is under sixteen years old, it can be considered as oppression that they need parent’s consent to be in school, they do not have their own choice. However, once they are sixteen and over the oppression are changed to a privilege where they have a right to make their own decision on staying in school or dropping out. Similarly, a teenager turning eighteen years old will have many factors that were previously oppressing them lifted off and those oppressions will become privileges instead. They are now able to vote, get a full drivers license, watch R-rated movies, be able to call and order things online and the biggest change is being treated as an adult. I remember last year when I turned eighteen years old, I felt that I suddenly became more powerful, having more power to be able to control my life without my parents consent and having the power to be more independent and responsible. Then the next stage in our lifetime is turning twenty one, where we are now a full adult, able to drink, smoke or become a full grown adult where all the previous laws oppressing you of being underage is now lifted off, it has become a privilege for you to drink or whatever you want to do. Thinking to the future, more specifically in the next two years when I turn twenty one myself, what kind of oppressions will I have when it comes to age? Certainly, I will be oppressed of having all the responsibilities an adult has that a younger individual may not need to worry about.
In today’s society the majority of the people’s religion is Christianity, at least the people I know are all Christians, except for me. Truthfully speaking, I do not really have a religion nor do I personally believe in any of beliefs Christians believe or beliefs that my parents’ religion believes in. The traditions my parents follow are along the lines of Buddhism, but do not follow closely to the customs of the religion. Technically, my immediate family is not religious people, my parents may follow some of the customs that of Buddhist, but my sister seems to be an atheist. I may consider myself as an atheist myself, however, according to the Chinese customs and the youth must respect the elders. I, as the daughter of my parents should respect what they believe in, although I may not necessary agree. Perhaps, this can be one of the religious oppressions in my life, that I should follow my family traditions and customs. In a boarder sense, it seems that my family religion is oppressed by the Christians as Christian churches dominate the neighborhoods, cities or communities. If something or someone dominates over others, naturally there is a feeling of power that comes from the dominator over the other groups that do not dominate. But since the U.S and as many other countries has the right of freedom for its people, it is also a privilege that we are able to choose our religions.
As an ABC, I am considered as an American and the blood I let out is also the American blood. It is a great privilege and advantage to be an American citizen. We seem to have more benefits for being a citizen in the U.S than other countries, say China. Hence, it is one of the factors for the United State’s high levels of immigration. No matter if its Asians or Hispanics, everyone from around the world always dreamed of settling in the U.S and this has in fact been going on many years in our history. With the high levels of immigration, gradually this will pose immigration problems for our country, therefore not everyone are so lucky to be able to live in the U.S and receive citizens’ benefits. Being part of the unmarked portion in nationality really is an advantage as children born in the United States have it far more easy than those who are immigrants and want the same type of rights. I know in the previous generations, when my parents wanted to set foot on the North American borders, it required going through many obstacles and hardships to be able to live here legally. My mother giving birth to me here in the U.S have taken the oppression off of me that I may have to go through if my parents were to decide to stay in their hometown. Everyone knows life is hard and unfair, but as a citizen in the United States, it just makes it a tad better for when it is time for education or when we want to become permanent residents. If you apply to universities or colleges, the application process is more efficient if you were an American citizen in contrast to an International Student or a student who’s an alien.
With a disadvantaged background as my parents were not well educated and therefore cannot really assist me in school work, I am oppressed by other students who have parents that are better educated and are able provide the academic assistances as needed. By this oppression I was unable to be admitted into the university as a regular student because I did not meet the academic requirements by the school. Because I am living in the United States and not in other countries such as Canada or England where the school systems seem to be a lot stricter, it was more advantageous for me. I was given the opportunity to be considered for admissions into the University of Maryland through the special program designed for students like me who need some academic assistance, called the Academic Achievement Program (AAP). As part of this program I was required to go through a rigorous curriculum over the summer and into the first two years of my college career. The summer school was the preparation for the fall semester in the upcoming year and it also determines if I am admitted into the school or not. After completing through the intense six week summer transitional program, I successfully passed the ‘test’ and was officially accepted into the UMCP as an AAP student. I consider this experience as a huge privilege in my life and have also become a privilege not just a part of my life, but in my everyday life. Since I am part of the AAP, it is a great benefit for me during my first two years in college because I get the help I need to get through some tough college classes. I used to think that this program was my oppression as I am not as accelerated as the rest of the students in the university, but now I have come to realize that in some cases I am the one who is oppressing them because I get the extra treatment and care from the school that others do not. On the contrary, although I get more care and looked after by the school the downside of it is that I have more work to do and more classes to attend that the rest of the university does not have to deal with. The AAP is considered a marked category in the education portion of my matrix of domination because I am part of one of the smallest and different groups of students in college.
Today language is an important skill to have in our everyday lives because many employers hope to seek candidates with more than one language talents. Again because I am bilingual there is a privilege that I hold against the unmarked category of White individuals and yet there are others in my marked category that is oppressing me. For example, during a job search I have a slight advantaged in the particular career that requires knowing more languages than others who only are fluent in English. In contrast, there are so many individuals out there who are oppressing me who are not only bilingual, but trilingual and some maybe their “lingo” prefixes represents a higher number of languages they know. In fact, even people within my race are oppressing when they know how to read and write Chinese in addition to speaking it. This ability I currently do not process.
After analyzing my everyday life in depth, I have come to believe that I hold the most power in the social class section my matrix of domination. It is because I am in the working class that shaped me of who I am today. Looking on the positive side of being in the working class rather than the more oppressing side, I learned to become a young female who cherish her processions and what really need to be valued in life. Additionally, I would not have gotten the opportunity to be part of in the university that I attend today, nor would I have had the smallest opportunity to be part of AAP, a program that truly looks after their students. My social class has brought advantages to my educational life as well as my personal life. Based on my personal view, this is the greatest power that I hold in this society and that others in a higher social class do not necessary have. Social class is the greatest domination of power in my everyday life.

Structures of Gender

2008-04-22T06:18:00.000-07:00

Barber shops and Salons are structures that are gender based. Barber shops are commonly for males to get thier hair trimmed, cut, or braided. Usually male employees are the setting of the barber shop, but there are some female employees as well. This female employees are only known for braiding hair. Salons are known for females to get thier hair nicely styled. These are usually female employees with an exception of some males. Males working in a salon are generally stereotyped as being gay. It is different for a female to work in a barber shop because someone has to braid hair, but for a male to work in a salon is no excuse. These hair salons and barber shops structure the sex category of male and female.

Structures Establish Gender

2008-04-21T20:43:00.000-07:00

I feel that one of the most exposed structures which help to establish gender is the American experience we know collectively as shopping. Particularly, the structure of shopping for clothing. Walk into any average mall in America and what do you find? Stores which promote the dress and style of one gender and stores which promote the dress and style of another gender. The store Structure, is a men's clothing store where there albino manikins dressed in the rather affluent type clothing of polo shirts and slacks. In the same way, a store such as Victoria's Secret in some way supposed to be an influence on what consumers distinguish what is sexy, based off the fact if whether people by their products. There is no doubt that the influence of media and celebrities weighs in on what people see as cool or attractive. Not to say that the individual preferences of each person do not hold domain in the end, stores such as the forementioned tremendously help establish what each gender should look like and the image that they should portray.

Assignment #3: Power and Everyday Life

2008-04-21T20:32:00.000-07:00

Chris Davis

4/6/08

WMST250

Power; a Day in the Life

“Mommy, I want an ice cream cone just like he has,” said little Billy while walking with his mother through the mall on a Saturday afternoon. “Now Billy, what did I tell you? You didn’t do your chores during the week, so no ice cream,” Billy’s mother said emphatically.” “But I want ice-cream. I bet that kid doesn’t have to do chores” said Billy sobbingly. “Well I’m not that child’s mother and you have responsibilities young man. Now let’s go.” Do you remember when you were a child and you saw something you wanted, badly. You hadn’t planned for it, had you mind on it to get it, but when you saw it, you knew you had to have it just like Billy had to have that ice-cream. In fact, as adults, we still might have those same types of tendencies. So, what is it that stops us? What is it that keeps us from getting the things that we want and desire? In Billy’s case, it was a failure to conform to the task-reward system of doing his chores. In other cases, it might be different strangleholds such as availability, processes which might keep us from attaining our goals. Nevertheless, through my experience, I have seen that power structures play a tremendous role on my life through race, class, sex, women, and family.

When I think about Billy’s situation, as a child, who doesn’t remember wanting something and their parents saying that they could not have it? I certainly remember situations like that. However, in our society, we believe that children are not yet matured and developed to the point where they can take care of themselves and make smart decisions. In other words, it is the parents who have power over the children, to an extent. ~~As infants, we nurtured by our parents and as we grow up, we mature, become~~ ~~more~~ ~~independent from our parents, and~~ we ~~gain power over ourselves to make our own decisions.~~ This parent-child relationship is only one of countless relationships which are governed by those who have and do not have power. In our everyday lives, power is a consistent regulating tool to attain order rather than chaos. Such relationships might be made between government and citizens, managers and employees, and teachers and students. Nevertheless, power can be used in various relationships, and more importantly, in various ways.

When I think about power in my everyday life, some of the major elements come from race, class status, the dominant presence of women, age, and sexuality. These elements combine to make a conceptual map of power within my everyday life. Like the human anatomy, this conceptual map has interrelated parts which associate and tie together to make the conceptual map possible. For example, race is an issue which acts as a subtle, but strongly influential tool in how power exists within our society. Unfortunately, race, tied into class and gender, can often fabricate the image of the ideal, successful person which has historically been, if you are white and male, you most likely will be successful.

Without opposition, one might be able to validate the ideal of the successful person by simply looking back at the history of America. In the creation of the United States, it was mainly the Anglo-American men and their families who were economically prosperous and considered at the top of society while native people, the American Indians, were treated less than human as they were pushed off of their native lands to make way for Anglo-American colonies. In addition, there were the African slaves who were not even considered human beings but property. With these same social conditions having been established for over 100 years, is it surprising that some of those principles of that beginning social system still ring true? With the addition of such ideas of the “White Man’s Burden,” the ideal of the successful person was able resonate throughout America’s history. The “White Man’s Burden” was an idea which accepted the fact that Whites were the dominant race and it was the jobs of whites to civilize the non-white races to be more like whites.

When I first began to think about my everyday life and where power is located in my life, I assumed that when I should think about power, I should think about the abuse or misuse of power in my life, in situations where I am powerful over others and others have power over me. Webster’s dictionary defines power as, “the possession of control or command over others.” I had not really thought about situations where power could be influential or good for others. Relating back to Billy’s situation, the rationale of Billy’s mom not to give him the ice-cream was an intended lesson, for Billy, on responsibility. Nevertheless, this is not to say that situations do not occur where Billy might have done all of his chores for this week, but his mother still might have denied him the ice-cream for no foreseeable reason; just saying “no.” Relationships of power can be beneficial such as when a teacher is there in the classroom to prevent children from drawing pictures with crayons on the wall. However, history has also proven that power can be a terribly oppressive and inhumane tool of control such as in America’s legalization of slave labor and Hitler’s attempted extermination of a human race. In general, power affects our lives whether it be in positive, influential ways or negative and oppressive manners.

“Ding Ding,” goes the alarm clock. It’s seven o’clock and already it is time to wake up. Having had to stay up the night before, studying for an exam, I wipe my eyes and proceed to get the day started off on a good note. I walk to the bathroom, turn on the light, and in that one instant, I immediately know it’s not going to be a good start. Groaning to myself at the stark and sudden changes in luminosity, I proceed to turn off the light, and contemplate the fact that, “Yes, I’m actually awake after four hours of sleep and I wake up now.” I go back and turn on the light, and proceed with my day.

One might assume that power, in some form or fashion, is an influential power in life through various structures. For me, power is established right from the moment I awake through the time and the role which time plays as a power structure in all of our lives. However, I view time as an influential power because it is an ordering principle for my everyday life. Having times to eat, sleep, go to class, meet, socialize, and complete various other activities makes it possible to create a universal system when things of the same purpose can happen for everyone, such as watching American Idol. Therefore, I think that this power structure of time is influential to me and society because it helps order our lives to a degree.

Time can also cause oppression onto society. American’s have adjusted to the now typical eight-hour workday. From my experience, these long hour work days can have a serious effect on a person. Having worked at Giant, a local grocery store chain, for the last few years, there are certain occupations which employees undertake there are rigorous, stressful, and can get tiresome day after day and year after year. Although I do not work eight-hour days throughout the year, I have seen how this idea of power thorough the use of time on the job can create oppression. For example, my mother has worked for Giant for almost 25 years. Along the way she has seen experienced such things as lack of time at home with family, time loss to run errands, and time loss for relaxation. The average workday consumes most of our day, with relatively little to do before or after the workday. In addition, we cannot abandon our jobs because they open up avenues for our sustainability through monetary benefits. I usually go to school and then work in the evenings. Theis restriction of time ion certain areas is conflicting to things that I might want to do. However, there are certain goals that I have established that I would not~~n’t~~ be able to be fulfilled, such as graduating, if I don’t commit to these certain activities such as school and work. For most Americans, including me, the combination of long hour workdays and the need for monetary gains restricts workers, creating a system of oppression.

There is also an interesting way in which the idea of marked and unmarked categories weaves its way into time. For those apart of the unmarked category, such as those who often assume dominant socially or economically as white males, they might have time for leisure activities on the weekend, such as playing golf or other activities. However, those apart of the marked categories such as those apart of the minority population, find time much more limited because they have to work on the weekends to keep meet their financial duties such as the cost of living. Therefore, time does not only act as power structure but has reciprocal effects of those associated in dominant socio-economic groups compared with those not apart of these dominant groups.

After getting ready for the day, I leave the house and proceed on to school. I get into the car, start the ignition, and immediately see that the fuel meter reads empty. Without hesitating, I immediately drive to the local gas station to fill up. As I put the pump into the fuel receiver and proceed to pump the gas, I lean against the car and look up at the station’s display. The sign reads three-dollars and twenty-three cents. I hear fellow drivers filling up, conversing with each other. “Man, gas just keeps going up. I hear it’s supposed to be something like four-dollars by summer.” Just filling up one’s gas tank is a system of power that many people find oppressive.

With not much competition among major oil producers, major producers of gasoline such as Shell and Exxon, dominate the fueling industry. Add in factors such as a falling economy and you have many people struggling to keep gas in their vehicles. I find this system of power oppressive, because it supports a so-called, “who’s who” system where many of wealthy of Americans do not feel the “pinch at the pump” because they have a greater reserve of money. However, for most middle and lower-class Americans, they have consistent monetary needs for such things as food, housing, utilities, insurance, etc. If the value of gasoline rises, consumers, including myself, begin to feel pressure to meet these needs because as the value of the needs increase, their income is lower than the wealthy and their income does not increase to deal with these price increases. Therefore, I feel that there is a system of oppression where corporations, such as gasoline companies, gain economic dominance while many Americans are struggling to keep a stable economic status themselves.

This matrix of domination deals directly with class oppression. On one hand, you have corporations and companies who dominate consumers. However, within the consumers, you have the middle and lower classes being dominated by the upper, wealthy class. In this situation, it is the high class not being affected by gas prices as are the middle and lower classes.

After taking a deep breath, realizing that my wallet was figuratively lighter, it was time to get to school. I remember my first day starting at the University of Maryland. There were so many new people everywhere, all trying to acquire knowledge. One distinguishing factor that stood out was how different every person was from the next. There were people from all different racial, ethnic, social, and religious backgrounds roaming the campus. However, I did see occurrences where there were more of a certain racial or ethnic groups than there were of others. This observation was more heavily distinguished in the classroom than just walking around the campus.

In several of my classes during the first semester, I saw many white students but fewer black students. For example, one day I actually counted how racially diverse my communication class was. There were 28 white students, one Asian student, two Hispanic students, and three black students. As I realized that the class compilation was of students that chose to take this class, not forced, still the number in different races represented in the class was stark.

While it was interesting to think about the diversity within the university, it made think more about the broader picture of race in America and in how being a certain race still seems to have power over other races. To begin with, I remember as a small child, my mother telling me how she moved out of the, “heavily crime-prevalent streets,” of Washington D.C to the suburban community of Columbia, Maryland in an effort to create a better opportunity for her and her children. When I asked her what she meant about, “creating a better opportunity”, she explained that the conditions within the southern part of the District of Columbia were a place where many kids dropped out of school, were heavily influenced by drug dealers, and it was a rarity to find many who were going to college if they graduated from high-school. The big issue that stuck out was that my mother was relating specifically to African-Americans and we as African-Americans were the heavily dominant group in these areas where crime was normal and constant and most living conditions were poor and easily susceptible to degradation.

While I continue to be in awe of what my mother did in acknowledging the difficulty and courage it took to pack up and leave a place that she was familiar with in the sake of living a better, successful life for her and her family, I really continue to think about the dynamics of her situation and how many more people might be from these downtrodden and oppressed areas throughout America who find it almost impossible to provide a better life of themselves and, as my mother said, “get out of the ghetto.” To relate, in Architecture, we relate to the famous architect Bruno Zevi who expressed idea that the beauty and meaning of architecture can only be known by having experience within a space or a certain place. Presently, in the democratic battle for president, we have seen how both candidates Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton have used their experience in politics to gain credibility on various issues.

This notion of having experience and power in certain situations gives us particular influence on problems within those situations. In this case, when I still visit the many family members that I have in Washington D.C and I still see some of the concurrent characteristics that my mother told me about those many years ago; how it is hard for African-Americans to escape these areas. The fact that there is this large population of African-Americans in urban cities made me think about the history of African-Americans and our opportunity for advancement. From my experience and knowledge of the country’s history to this point, there was the emancipation of African-Americans, increased segregation laws immediately following such as the black codes, Jim-Crow laws which essentially held back the advancement, socially and economically, for blacks mostly in the southern parts of America. While the civil rights movements of the 1960’s really brought African-Americans into the mainstream to have equal civil rights in the right to vote and not to be segregated or discriminated against, I still wonder, “how much of America’s experience with race relations between whites and blacks influence today’s Americana culture economically and culturally?” A piece of me refers back to those neighborhoods in D.C to concur that today is much like yesterday.

After the long, nearly eight-hour day school day, it’s back home to enjoy the nostalgic feeling of the family and togetherness. “Chris can you help me with my homework,” my five-year-old little brother says apprehensively. I’m not sure about that natural feeling of sympathy that we have to help our younger siblings, regardless of what they want, but I end up being a sucker for it every time. Nevertheless, there is a dynamic power structure that lies within a family. Particularly, the relationship between older and younger members within the family poses as a power structure. From my experience, I was told as the oldest child that I was to be the example for my younger siblings. They were going to be looking up to me to learn what was good and what was bad. A system of privilege is created here because the younger siblings don’t face the mistakes that the older siblings have made. Similarly, guidance from the older siblings helps the younger siblings with new experiences. However, if the older sibling does not promote a positive mentorship-like attitude, but rather an attitude of non-concern, it could lead to a situation of oppression of power where the younger sibling has his own power to make his/her own decision without experience or a source of guidance.

The inclusion of rivalry between siblings also can be oppressive where, in my position, the older and younger siblings get more attention than the middle siblings. Famously satired on the show The Brady Bunch, I have often seen my parents give me attention because I was the first child to be born. My youngest brother often gets attention because he was the last to be born; our “little one.” So where is the attention for my middle sibling? Due to the attention which my little brother and I get, it creates a system of power oppression.

A major power structure within my life has been the presence of women in my life and what type of role which they have on my life. I have always found the relationship which a boy has with his mother and the relationship which a girl has with her father parallel. For me, I was raised by a single parent (my mother) for the first several years of my life. Having no dominant male figured at the beginning of my life perhaps challenged the traditional power roles for parents within the household. Nevertheless, my mother attempted to use the situation to free me from the oppression which can come with the relationship of father and son. Specifically, she used the situation for me to explore who I should be a male and not having a male figure as model of what counts as being male and what doesn’t.

In terms of women being a power structure in my life, there has been no greater source of influence in my life than that by women in my family. Dominating the family demographics nearly two to one, it was from an early age that I saw the importance in a woman’s influence. It was not to the point that I was given a heavily feminine view on how to think about things. Rather, I was given the freedom to think about things for myself, with their expertise and experience thrown in. I later saw when my mother married and my stepfather and I formed a relationship, it was more of me trying to be like him. While this relationship was not exactly oppressive, there was psychological pressure ,that I had to be as good or better than my stepfather. Contrastingly, the relationships with the women in my family were not as strict, but more open. I felt at ease to talking with them because they seemed to actually listen to what I was saying more than offering advice and saying, “here, this is what you should do.” Therefore, the power which women have had in my life lies in the influence that they have presented in being open and not judgmental on me and my actions.

“What are you looking at the car manual for? I’m surprised you even still have that thing. You know they mean for you to throw those things out after you buy the thing. You don’t need it. They just sit in the glove compartment collecting dust,” said my friend. “I looking to see how you’re supposed to check the oil on the car,” I said frustratingly flipping through the yellow-tattered pages. “What? You don’t know how to change you oil, man? Ok, I know you haven’t been driving that long, but come on. What guy does not know how to change his oil?” said my friend questionably. “Me” I said simply. “Forget it. It’s not in here” I said. “Hey Mom, do you pull this dipstick out again?” I yelled. “What? Oh come on man, what are you asking her for?” my friend said angrily. “Hey, I’ve seen her do it before.” My friend paused, sighed, and then said, “I can’t believe this is really happening.”

Speaking from experience, I have never memorized a car manual, and I never plan to. Nevertheless, why did my friend expect me to be able to know how to change my oil on my car? More interestingly, why did he expect my mother not to know how to change the oil? As a male, I have observed that the power structure of being male can certainly be considered the most powerful power structure, just because of the history of male and female roles since the beginning of time. Society has seen the male take the role as the household leader, while the woman has been taken subordinate the subordinate role. Even in my own household, with me being an 18-year old sibling in a single-parent family, it seems at times that my brothers look up to me more than my mother. Nevertheless, my mother is the person in the home who has had more experience in life than any of us siblings. In this case, I am not directly pressured to be a dominant male figure, but this marked category of being a male is strongly presented to where even children can understand that a male is the dominant figure in the family. This type of psyche creates a power system of oppression directly on females where they are not respected or even acknowledged as an equal parenting figure in comparison to males.

Power is an undeniable factor of how we live our lives. From the major functional structures of our society to the small minute things that help to keep our lives organized and non-chaotic, power surely exists. Nevertheless, it is in the implementation of power society that people must always be willing to stand critical against and ask the tough question, “Is power of a certain structure creating situations of privilege or oppression toward me or anyone else.” From this assignment, I have realized that it is the veiled issues such as power which creates system of oppression and privilege. Moreover, I realize now that it is the tackling of such issues as power; topics which we might want to talk about, or deny, that lies at the heart in the discussion for social justice within society. The issues of race, sex, class, and women have been areas where power has affected my life dynamically in both positive and negative ways. I believe, each individual analysis of these veiled, but important issues of power constructs a way in which justice and equality can be recognized for all.

Reflection on The Video

2008-04-08T14:52:00.001-07:00

I thought the Mambo Mouf clip was very weird at first. I didn't understand what he was trying to convey in his skit. However after thinking about it alittle, I feel that he used comedy as a pathway to convey discrimination against women. Also, I feel that the characters he exhibited were so developed that it enhanced his skit as it not only was funny but also expressed significant stereotypes. I think the few times that the audience wasn't laughing was very significiant. Although the whole skit was supposed to be funny the silent moments form the audience showed that they understood the seriousness of the issues discussed in the skit.

Comments about the video clip

2008-04-08T09:15:00.000-07:00

I enjoyed the clip that we viewed in class becuase they put the issue of violnce against women which is somewhat covered up, out in the fore front and used comedy as a relief. This allows women to her aere afraid to say anything a chance to talk about how they feel on the issue and what they have experienced.

Mambo Mouth Performance

2008-04-07T19:03:00.000-07:00

I thought that the Mambo Mouth performance was a great way to show how power is used within human relationships and the impact in which power can have over people. The skit portrays a Hispanic woman who basically gives a monologue on her experience with rape. While it is interesting how comedy can seem to lighten a seemingly devastating and horrific situation portrayed in this skit, one thing that really stuck out for me was the motion of revenge. In the relationship portrayed in the skit between the man and woman, it is the man who is exerting his power over the woman through rape, not once, but multiple times. Over time it seems that the woman's attitude changes from being hurt to feeling anger, pain, and devastation. This message really hit home as to what we have been talking about in lecture and discussion in terms of the human experience and the role that power has over it. Power, seemingly if not balanced, creates the possibility of oppression of the powerless and corruption of the powerful. Overall, the skit "strips the sheets" off of what is rape and exposes the experience of rape. It truly was interesting and powerful and I really enjoyed it.

Video and Violence

2008-04-07T18:31:00.000-07:00

I really enjoyed the video that we watched in class because it puts the issues of rape into a different perspective. Instead of looking only at how the victim reacts to rape, the video also addresses the actions of the rapist, but in a funny way. Videos like this can really help people who have been victims of rape because it lets them see that they can tell people about the things that have happened to them, like the character in the video we saw. One of the types of violence that is addressed in the video is cultural violence, where a person's cultural background influences their susceptibility to violence. The video features a hispanic woman who discusses how she gets raped by her boyfriend, and won't do anything about it. The video shows that hispanic women are stereotypically weak and won't tell anyone about it if they get raped. I also thought that this discussion was a good supplement to our reading of Kindred.

Violence/Video Reflection

2008-04-07T15:42:00.001-07:00

I generally understood and appreciated the various aspects of the video we saw in class last week. The fact that it was a comedic commentary on rape made it unique and interesting. How can a topic so serious be conveyed so well in such a light-hearted form? Often, when put in serious terms and serious formats, ideas of breaking the power struggle of rape becomes lost in the gravity of the situation. If a person is reading about rape in such a somber format, they're more likely to become more depressed, and feel weaker and therefore less motivated to break free especially because in most written analyses or mentions of rape, the focus is always on the victim. However, when presented as a comedy, victims of rape are more likely to see their situation objectively - and therefore gain confidence and motivation to break free.

Apart from the advantages of using a comedic medium, this video also presented ideas of political platforms presented in non-traditional ways. By including ideas of race, class, and gender the video succeeded in conveying the comedian's perspective of a very specific demographic of society. It would have been more accurate if it had included many more demographics as its not alwasys hispanic women that get raped. There have been many reported cases of rape against men, and rape of people of different race.

Overall - I thought this video contributed well to our discussion of violence and Kindred.

Violence

2008-04-07T14:21:00.000-07:00

The violence that I chose that stood out was epistemic violence. The reason I chose this violence because it deals with violence that is scientific and can harm individuals such as experiments.

Matrix of Domination

2008-04-03T09:13:00.000-07:00

Hi all,In case you haven't heard of or don't have access to Patricia Hill Scott's text, Black Feminist Thought (whichI would encourage you all to take a look at), here is a website that has excerpts from her text particularly about the Matrix of Domination. Please take a look at sections of this reading before our next class on Tuesday, April 8.

Black Feminist Thought in the Matrix of Domination

2008-03-25T08:32:00.000-07:00

I'll be your partner Tonica... but I don't know what we are doing

AN answer please

2008-03-24T10:10:00.001-07:00

If anyone doesn't have a partner could you please email me at tvickeri@umd.edu

Partner

2008-03-13T11:41:00.000-07:00

Who wants to be my partner please

Presentation Description of Event

2008-03-04T21:03:00.001-08:00

The Feminist Event of the Year

We believe that feminism is the consciousness and activism against multiple inequalities in women's rights to facilitate awareness of oppression and create empowerment and change. We came to a consensus that feminism is a fight, through art, speeches, and many other methods to raise consciousness to society about the oppression that women go through. Women not only face this oppression in the political perspective, but also the personal perspective. Feminism is not only the fight to change the oppression that women face, but also to change minds and actions of people in society along with those of institutions everywhere. Our event, therefore, is based on this definition and is geared toward getting the spirit of feminism to the young adult/student demographic in order to facilitate a shift in attitude for our future societies rather than mold today’s society. The leaflets will be handed out on our campus as well as large universities in the DC Metropolitan area. We plan on hosting the national event at the Verizon Center with many key speakers and artists such as Oprah, Mavis Staples, Kathy Griffin, Bill Clinton, Sarah Silverman, and Mary J Blige. We believe that these particular artists, comedians, and powerful speakers would reach out and express what feminism should actually portray. We thought that Kathy Griffin and Sarah Silverman would capture the young adults’ attention, and start the show with comedy acts expressing the negative stereotypes that are commonly said about feminism. These acts would then be followed by inspiring speeches by Oprah and Bill Clinton, to state the positive aspects of feminism and what feminism encounters. Finally, the event would be culminating in performances by leading music artists Mary J Blige and Mavis Staples.

We believe that our event really represents our definition of feminism because by taking on such a challenging task as a national event for a wonderful cause, we are internalizing and applying many of the principles in Fight like a Girl and feminism. Instead of focusing on our frustration at the negative stereotypes of feminism, we are emphasizing and celebrating the positive and fantastic aspects of feminism. Our event is also going to be about bringing several knowledge worlds, each represented by a key speaker or artist, together to discuss the subtleties of feminist philosophy. Finally, we hope to create an environment where people can think free of their insecurities or social biases and truly form their own conclusions of feminism.

P.S. everyone please post up te other stuff that Katie King asked for in th presentation requirements wksht so we can get credit.

we did good

2008-03-04T12:33:00.001-08:00

Just wanted to say that I think we did really good

Poster

2008-03-04T07:40:00.000-08:00

Just in case anyone was wondering the poster is done and I'll be bringing it to discussion :)

nevermind

2008-03-04T07:08:00.001-08:00

ignore that

The flyer

2008-03-04T06:30:00.000-08:00

Lolita...the flyer wouldn't come up on my computer because it saved under something I don't have so what I would have to do is copy the pictures and put it on a word document

Again for Maren

2008-03-04T05:46:00.001-08:00

List of Assumptions:

A feminist art museum would use different materials to construct the building to show that the museum was different than all the other Smithsonian museums in the surrounding area.

Feminism tries to break down and demolish stereotypes about women, especially concerning the color pink as the quintessential feminine color.

Women have had some artistic tendencies, there were not very many female painters and artists before the late 1800’s

Portraits were mostly painted by men.

Museums were generally constructed using straight lines.

Art of a certain type is usually the same.

There is a line where modern art stops being art.

For Maren

2008-03-04T05:38:00.000-08:00

Subject in History:

I have a tendency to define myself through music. A huge tendency. But I hate popular music today. It makes me want to rip my eardrums out. Now the music I love comes from a different era - from the height of rock and roll, the 1960's and 1970's. Basically I tend to prefer rock, but there is absolutely nothing wrong with a good funk song. Really. I really enjoy songs by Sly and the Family Stone, Earth Wind & Fire, Tower of Power, and Kool & the Gang. I even really enjoy playing them myself on my saxophone. But I will always be a rock fan through and through. I absolutely love the Beatles. Their originality and their innovation has probably not been matched since their breakup. (Except maybe for the ingenuity of Jimi Hendrix's guitar playing.) The only thing is that I wish that I could have been there to witness this music history myself, instead of listening to these fantastic songs a whole generation later. I mean, I wasn't even alive when John Lennon died! But be that as it may, I am a strong advocate for music. I honestly feel as though every child in America (and, indeed, across the world) should learn to play at least one instrument. It doesn't have to be great, but they should at least have the opportunity to learn.
When I got to college, I decided that my cheap-o beginner alto saxophone would not be of use to me anymore. I needed a new saxophone. So I bought one, purely for Marching Band and Pep Band. So I had a decent saxophone and a cheapy one at my disposal. I have no need for two saxophones, so I decided to donate my old saxophone. My previous high school band director had recently switched to elementary school, so I asked him if I could donate my old saxophone to one of his students. He asked around, and there happened to be one little boy who wanted to play the saxophone but his parents couldn't afford it. So I happily gave up mine. I hear that he is still playing, and is very happy with his saxophone. Every time I think of this story, it brings a smile to my face.

2008-03-03T15:42:00.000-08:00

Tonica... I emailed you the flyer so that you could make any adjusment
Lia... We have to turn in a hard copy and post it on the blog.

Email

2008-03-03T12:22:00.001-08:00

lolita could you send it to me in a email. my email is tvickeri@umd.edu

Feminism Project

2008-03-03T11:59:00.000-08:00

I like the design for the flyer so far, but I have one suggestion. It's just to add a little more color, to be more eye-catching since that is the goal of a flyer. Also, since everyone has to help present our project, and I was not able to make it to the discussion of the poster, I am willing to talk about more than one thing, but I guess we can discuss that in section.

See you all tomorrow!

2008-03-03T08:25:00.000-08:00

This is what I have so far... Tonica u could add anything elese... or if anyone has ideas

Everyone speaks

2008-03-03T07:44:00.001-08:00

If you didn't look on ms. katie's blog then she poseted that everyone has to speak. She gave the order of how our presentation should go, so we could decide in class who could say what. I would like to do the last one, but we can talk about it in discussion.

speakers

2008-03-02T18:10:00.001-08:00

Hey,

the speakers that I have down are--
oprah, mavis staples, kathy griffin, bill clinton, sarah silverman, and mary j blige. Thanks for the definition.

Apoorva

The Info

2008-03-02T12:59:00.000-08:00

Could someone post all the info that we came up with in class!!! Thanks.

Feminist Defintion

2008-03-02T11:13:00.000-08:00

Hey,

Sindhu and I need the feminism defintion that we came up with at our meeting for the description. I think Lia wrote the whole thing down. So, Lia if you could post it that would be great.. or if anyone else has our final definition that would be awesome tohave before tomorrow so we can show you guys everything

Thanks!
Apoorva

What is Feminism and Art?

2008-03-01T17:33:00.002-08:00

This post for is for Maren.

When I first heard about feminism, I had an idea of what it was but I never really thought about it. It turned out that feminism is the equality of men to women in the political, social, and economical rights. Women such as Oprah Winfrey and Hilary Clinton fluttered in my mind because they elevated the standards of women equality with men through their achievements. Conversely, my assumptions of feminism and art were nonexistent due to the lack of artistic women activists I knew of. My mind quickly changed after visiting the National Museum of Women and Art and the National Museum of American Indian which opened my eyes to a new category that I like to call feminist art.
The National Museum of Women and Art express feminism and art as its main priority. It is clear that this art venue is feminist because it is the only museum in the world that is dedicated exclusively to recognizing the contributions of women artists. As you walk through the museum, you are enthralled by the beauty those women activists call art. Paintings and portraits are erected from the stereotype of quilts and knitting. Women are now prone to building sculptures and abstract art, something that was absurd in early years. Throughout the museum, you saw, read, and heard about the interpretations of the artifacts posted. Key artists that were mentioned were Frida Khalo, Paula Rego, and Barbara Hammer. Frida Khalo’s self-portrait symbolized Mexican love giving to a refugee running from the reigns of Stalin during 1929 to Leon Trotsky. The painting interpreted heritage and love with the features of pain and life sorrow. Frida started her artistic values after a tragic accident thus making beautiful art. Paula Rego is another aspiring artist who uses anger, pain, sarcasm, and humor with sketches. Her sketches are sometimes inspired through other books and cartoons with her own twist. She uses dark colors to perpetuate the emotions of suffering and light colors for happiness. I believe that her art differed from most men artists because you can feel more of the pain and emotion; however, men do have the trait in expressing the beauty of women in the features that exhilarates their true beauty. Still, Paula Rego’s painting of Snow White and the Poisoned Apple appealed to long suffering and deceit as you see her grasp for her throat. This type of art has analyzed different perspectives in the masculine and feminine view. Lastly, Barbara Hammer did an exhibit called WACK. This exhibit had millions of feminist activist paintings, portraits, sculptures, and so much more. WACK was the Art and Feminist Revolution that started in 1960-1980. Early time artists included Chantal Akerman, and Eleanor Antim who changed women history. Barbara was a lesbian who performed abstract and reality lesbian identities of homosexuality. She geared her artistic views talking about the female body with her lover. This exhibit was the most profound and vital in the feminist movement because you encountered art that was explicit and previously unheard of. Thus, the National Museum of Women and Art substantiated its value of feminist activism that changed my viewpoint on feminist art and its meaning.
Another museum that contained feminism was The National Museum of American Indian. As I first walked in, my assumption was that you couldn’t link feminism to art because there wasn’t anything feminist about it. However, as I went through the place, the small things the museum displayed actually established some type of feminist art. Chief Anne Richardson was the first woman positioned as a chief in over 300 years. Her legacy was posted on the second level expressing her achievements. The Changing Exhibitions of Gallery was the main exhibit depicting the feminist side. This exhibit described with women defined as their art: designer dresses. This art was taken from the 19th, 20th, and 21st century of the Native women from different regions. What they comprehended as art was the aesthetic expression of cultural identity. This exhibit articulates the gifted women artistry combined with the loyalty that benefited the entire community. Each dress conveys a different story of women experiences. They are accompanied with beads and other exported materials from various parts of the world. Each generation gets passed down with the tradition of designing dresses to uphold the culture. I believe this museum does portray some form of feminist art because in the Our Lives exhibit one wall descriptively talks about the equality of men and women. Also, the Changing of Gallery exhibit is a more concrete feminist art that ties together its creativity and tradition. Every exhibit focuses on the Native people and how they survive in America. Most importantly it establishes the roles of women thus making it feminist.
In spite of these artistic institutions, some other institutions required a deeper analysis of whether feminism actually existed. At a first glance, The National Museum of African Art didn’t appeal to the question of feminism at all. Primarily, the focus was on the cultural artifacts that were to impact people on the continent instead of how feminism has evolved through the years. The artists were in groups such as the Mali’s instead of individuals. Nevertheless, the pottery exhibition was what made the feminist quality stick out. The Continents master potters are women with their decorative form of art. Vessels such as water jugs and bowls were the fine art that families and neighbors cherished. Decorated to suit their tradition and beliefs, it was a creative mastery of their art. On the other hand, certain artifacts that were art showed the equality that women and men had. If feminism is the equality of women to men, then some of the masks and female figures attributed to this theory. The Oshugbo and the Ogboni society is a sculpture of the prominence king and queen which serve equal duties. Also, both men and women confided in the creation of spiritual beings such as the medicine staff. All in all, feminist art can be discovered even in the depths of cultural history.
The National Hirshhorn Museum wasn’t all that feminist to me. The exhibits were more prone to show the beauty in women such as in the Peacock Room. This room was designed to fit a wealthy ship owner and the art in it showed a beautiful portrait called The Princess from the Land of Porcelain hanged in the center of the wall with a gold and blue theme. This objectified women because they are shown only as the subject of the painting and not the creator. Other galleries rarely focus on women except for the tributes Anne Ellegood presented. She found multiple artifacts, including paintings by Miranda Lichtenstein and Nikki Lee, and posted them in her exhibit. This is a feminist move that portrays weird and outspoken art. This “Hip hop project and Quiet Room” symbolizes a black culture of creation. I believe this displays the only feminist role this museum could play because Anne Ellegood, being a women artist and having her own exhibit, selects collections that justifies women creativity and achievements.
In conclusion, feminism has defined itself separate from the norms and broadened the horizons to high-art. These museums have impacted women to change the stereotype that women have no artistic backgrounds. Feminism now means more to me through art because of what the women artists felt, and strived for in order to convey that feeling to others.

description so far

2008-03-01T11:21:00.000-08:00

hello, heres the description - tell me if im missing anything or should take stuff out:

The Feminist Event of the Year

We believe that feminism is ___________ . Our event is based on getting the spirit of feminism to the young adult/student demographic in order to facilitate a shift in attitude for our future societies rather than mold today’s society. The leaflets will be handed out on our campus as well as large universities in the DC Metropolitan area. We plan on hosting the national event at the Kennedy Center with many key speakers and artists such as _________________.

We believe that our event really represents our definition of feminism because by taking on such a challenging task as a national event for a wonderful cause, we are internalizing and applying many of the principles in Fight like a Girl and therefore feminism. Instead of focusing on our frustration at the negative stereotypes of feminism, we are emphasizing and celebrating the positive and fantastic aspects of feminism. Our event is also going to be about bringing several knowledge worlds, each represented by a key speaker or artist, together to discuss the subtleties of feminist philosophy. Finally, we hope to create an environment where people can think free of their insecurities or social biases and truly form their own conclusions of feminism.

~Sindhu

Definition?

2008-03-01T11:01:00.000-08:00

Hi guys,

I'm writing up the description with apoorva and we were wondering what exactly we wrote down for our definition! Pleeeeeease post your respective parts on the blog asap so we can get a first draft of the description done for you guys to look at before monday! Thanks!!

~Sindhu

PS - also i would like to read the definition for our class presentation but only if everyones ok with it...:) have a good weekend!

Changes

2008-03-01T10:56:00.000-08:00

If yall don't mind I decided to do a flyer instead of a leaflet. If anyone does mind I could still do the leaflet.
Tonica... ill do part of it then i could email it to you n you do the rest n print it out.

leaflet

2008-02-29T11:09:00.000-08:00

Lolita.. Just post a blog to say what you need help with on the leaflet

Info for Individual Paper

2008-02-29T07:57:00.000-08:00

The Work Breakdown

Poster: Brittany, Candice, Lia
Paper Description: Apoorva, Sindhu
Leaflet: Lolita, Tonica
Presentation: Laura, Ellen and Chris

Class and the project

2008-02-28T05:02:00.000-08:00

Guys, I'm really sorry but I've got some bug or something that's going around, so I can't make it to our meeting or to class today, but I'd be happy to help present on Tuesday.

-Laura

Feminism Definition

2008-02-26T08:16:00.000-08:00

Lia's Definition: "Feminism is more about gaining political rights for women."

I agree with this definition of feminism because along with the push for social equality of women, political stands of what women have believed in and their values have been undermined, in my opinion since the passage of women's suffrage in the United States in the early 20th-century. Therefore, I agree that Feminism has a main stake in political equality and having the concerns of women addressed in mainstream political arena.

Defining Feminism

2008-02-26T05:20:00.000-08:00

Chris said: "Feminism is the will of women to be distinct as individuals from the conformist ideals of men in the past."

I think this is very thought-provoking, considering that many males actually still believe in some of those 'conformist ideals' to this day. I do think this is true, trying to break down stereotypes and celebrating being individuals. As men consider themselves individual and independent, so should women, they should not have to be stereotyped the way they were in the past (even though some people still stereotype women - especially women in powerful positions). But remember that this goes the same way for men - they were also stereotyped back in the day, and they shouldn't be subjected to ridicule. If a man wants to be a stay-at-home dad, go for it.

2008-02-25T18:00:00.000-08:00

Laura said, "Some stereotypes try to have "man-bashing" but feminism is, at its core, about equality of the sexes, not about man-bashing or "proving" that women are better than men.

I like her response because there were some previous responses debating the topic of "man-bashing." I think that the subject of bashing men is considered one of the main stereotypes of feminism, but it shouldn't be that at all. So I strongly agree with Laura.

Definition of Feminism

2008-02-25T16:27:00.000-08:00

Brittany's definition:
"Feminism should be something we shouldn't have to fight for. Feminism (for woman) is who we are."

Brittany's definition really caught my attention and I like her definition a lot. I agree with her because feminism should be the celebration of woman's success and achievements in history, we should not have to fight for the rights to celebrate or to get acknowledge that woman needs to be celebrated. This should be common sense, just like how anyone no matter male or female achieved something, they will be celebrated and honored.

Definition of Feminism

2008-02-25T14:46:00.000-08:00

The definition of feminism that I most agree with is Chris's definition. Chris states that "fminism is the belief in equality in all aspects of life for women. Moreover it is the celebration of women, their characteristc and their abilities". I agree with this definition becuase first Chris being a male looking into feminism he did not see it as a bunch of women who are trying to show superity to males or bash males for having rights that women used to not have. Instead Chris used the word equality which is in my view the main strive of feminism. He also used the word celebration which I liked because feminism celebrates all te women in history who have made an impact on feminism and stood up for their right not as a women but as a human being.

What is Feminism?

2008-02-25T12:15:00.000-08:00

"Feminism is a movement that is meant to empower women, rather than hinder them or bring them down in any way, and agree that anyone can be a part of this movement." I agree with this definition the most because I believe that this is what feminism truly is. Feminism is suppose to help build women status instead of hindering it or degrading the negatives that portray what should be.

Defining Feminism

2008-02-25T10:27:00.000-08:00

One of the aspects of feminism that was discussed on my paper was different points of view between men and women and how they can be applied to things in life. One student said that it was important to encorporate both male and female ways of thinking into everything we, as people, do. This person also said that by using these alternate viewpoints, we will get a better understanding of one another. Personally, I agree with this statement and believe that it is definitely a part of what feminism is, and what feminists strive for. Feminists want equality and understanding among all people, but the discussion on my paper did not stray from this one aspect. Feminism isn't just about seeing men and women in the same light. It is about celebrating accomplishments of women throughout history and in today's world. Someone else said that feminism is the belief that women are not defined to a purpose. I thought this was interesting because it was not something that I had addressed before. In history, women were seen as just serving a purpose, like bearing children and cooking food. Today, feminists want to disembody this way of thinking, looking at women and men as people together, not as seperate entities.

Event Announcement!

2008-02-24T07:55:00.000-08:00

Hey everyone! They're showing Amandla!, a really amazing film on the role of music in the anti-apartheid movement in South Africa. It's a really beautiful film with a really stirring soundtrack. If you have time, check it out. :)

Subject: Beyond the Classroom presents the film "Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony"

Subject : Beyond the Classroom presents the film "Amandla! A Revolution in Four-Part Harmony"
When : Monday, February 25, 2008 7:00 PM - 9:00 PM
Where : 1102 South Campus Commons, Building 1
Event Type(s) : Movie/Film/Video

How do you inspire, mobilize and sustain a people power movement for justice over 40 years? This inspiring documentary tells the story of Black South African freedom music and the central role it played against the Apartheid regime. Winner of the 2002 Sundance Film Festival (Documentary Audience Award and Freedom of Expression Award), Amandla! is the first film to specifically consider the music that sustained and galvanized black South Africans for more than 40 years. Under the Apartheid regime, singing, possession, or recording of music was banned by the South African Government. Amandla!'s focus is on the struggle's spiritual dimension as articulated and embodied in song. Named for the Xhosa word for "power," Amandla! lives up to its title, telling an uplifting story of human courage, resolve and triumph in the face of adversity.

Website: www.BeyondTheClassroom.umd.edu

defining feminism

2008-02-23T19:28:00.000-08:00

Out of the definitions shared in class, the one that most sticks out to me is the following :

"Feminism is a movement greatly based on the history of women in societies throughout the world, and it focuses on bettering the future of women's history through change and activism"

The reason why I agree with this definition the most is that it captures the global aspect of feminism. After having explored many museums for assignment one, I have realized that the feminist cause is truly global and surfaces in different ways in each culture. Katie King's refrences to 'knowledge worlds' clearly supports the idea of the cultural diversity of the feminist cause.

The second part of the definition also captures the feminist philosophy of improving global perspectives and histories of women. This is also connected to Katie King's idea of being subjects in history. By participating in the feminist cause, we become the improved history of the female sex.

The only aspect of feminism which I thought was lacking in this definition was the celebration of feminist potential aspect. It shouldn't be a struggle but a memorable, enjoyable and rewarding experience.

Response to Definition of Feminism

2008-02-23T19:26:00.000-08:00

Chris stated that he thought feminism was a "continuous activist movement to define what women are capable of." Although I agree with this, I believe that feminism is also a celebration of past accomplishments of women and of future accomplishments to come. I think that women also aggressively try to gain more power ( through protests, strikes, etc.). Women try to gain more power whether is be more power compared to men or just as much power as men. However, i think it is often thought that feminists are women who favor women over men. Therefore, I think that feminism is more than what Chris thinks but I do agree with him.

Art, Feminism and Assumptions

2008-02-16T16:00:00.001-08:00

I have always considered myself to be a very artsy person, even though my art, which is music, differs greatly than the art that is displayed prominently in museums across the country. Even though I do not always understand the impact and quality of tangible art (such as high art and crafts), I do appreciate the skill level, talent, dedication and inspiration of such artists. The same levels of these qualities can be found in most artists, no matter what their interests are and where their strengths lie. I know and appreciate the similarities and differences between our arts, and the differences in the tastes that appear from person to person. My definition of art is not very set, since there are so many varieties to choose from and so many ways of interpretation. My definition of feminism, likewise, is not very specific, as feminism comes in many shapes, forms and sizes, and I do not want to try to make a definition of something that I am not qualified to define. Even so, I have formed some opinions about art, feminism and feminist art that were challenged by the pieces I saw in the four museums.
The National Museum of Women and the Arts mainly challenged my assumptions about feminism, even though there were assumptions about art that were rattled around a bit, feminist art in particular. One of the first things I noticed about the museum, even though it has been mentioned before, was the use of marble in the walls and railings, especially pink marble. Now, most normal, non-feminist art museums use marble for just about everything: the walls, the floor, the railings. I assumed that, as a feminist art museum, there would be a different material used to construct the building, to show that the museum was different than all the other Smithsonian museums in the surrounding area. I also assumed that feminism tried to break down and demolish stereotypes about women, especially concerning the color pink as the quintessential feminine color. I am not sure if this was just added for emphasis of the marble, as pink was used more as a “highlight color” against the white marble, if it was to actually play off of the pink stereotype, or if the designers believed that pink is a color of strength for women, even though it is in a stereotype.
After that, the paintings and artworks themselves made me think about some general assumptions I had about art and feminism. I have always assumed that while women have had some artistic tendencies, there were not very many female painters and artists before, say, the late 1800’s. In fact, this assumption was basically thrown away when I saw the first painting in the National Museum of Women and the Arts. Mary Beale’s Portrait of a Woman with a Black Hood was actually painted circa 1660. That is about 240 years before my assumption. Also, in that particular museum, there were many portraits, which caught me off guard. I had assumed that portraits were mostly painted by men, just because that had been the representation I had seen in other museums (such as the National Gallery of Art). This museum seemed very feminist because every last piece of art was created by women. Many of the subjects of the paintings and sculptures also happened to be women, which would further the idea of feminist art: art by women and about women (for the most part).
The National Museum of the American Indian also broke some assumptions I had about feminist art, and art in general. Most of the art museums I have seen (which are mainly Smithsonian museums) have had basic architecture. There were a lot of right angles and straight lines with regards to the structure of the building, and because of this, I assumed that all art museums were designed this way. The National Museum of the American Indian, however, was constructed of anything but straight lines. The building itself was very curved, similar to the architecture of Gaudí, which caught me off guard. In this respect, though, I believe that the building evokes more of an artistic feel than most art buildings. Just looking at the building is thought-provoking, just like the pieces of art found inside. The art inside the museum itself was also thought-provoking. There were many pieces of art based on religious or tribal beliefs, such as the creation story and the story of “How the Raven Stole the Sun.” The creation story, in particular, sparked my interest. Most of the art in the museum was more in the “craft” section, but the art about the creation story was a painting. The crafts in the museum, made primarily of glass beads, were very very precise, so I assumed that the Indian art was always so precise. But in the painting of the creation story, it seemed as though it was finger-painted. The idea seemed to be centered around not being precise, not having straight lines, since nature in itself flows very naturally, and straight lines are not natural. The only time straight lines were incorporated into the museum were in the “Our Universe” exhibit, in which there were photographs of modern-day Indians. The museum, while not overly-feminist, had a feminist feel to some of it, as most of the crafts were probably created by the women. That was probably their job, as the men of the tribes were the ones to go out on the hunts. The women stayed home to gather and forage for food, (which was compatible with child-bearing in a way hunting was not) and when the foraging was done, they could use the available artifacts to create these crafts.
The Hirshorn Museum was the most complicated for me to understand. I am not a huge fan of modern art, and it seemed as though modern art was the focus of the museum. Willem de Kooning’s Woman series actually raised issues about feminism and about art in itself. Chronologically, his series seemed to go backwards: the first few were nice portraits of women, not very stereotypical, but as time went on and his series became larger, the artwork seemed to become more “modern”: the shapes became less defined, and there is more emphasis on color and “feeling” the artwork. Since this is a progressive series, there really isn’t a point in which anyone could definitively say “this is where art stops.” The first few were classified under my conception of art. But I did not think the last few were initially classified under my definition of art. This series shook up my assumptions, as I could not specifically define the “line” where art stopped.
This museum seemed to have some feminist paintings in it: there was one where a woman was driving a car and the man was riding as a passenger, as well as a painting of a woman moaning, with a picture of a woman painted on the bedstand. These paintings seem to give women “power,” which is one of the things that feminism values.
The National Gallery of Art was most disappointing. While about 30 or 40% of the subjects painted were women, there weren’t really any paintings that I could find that could either be defined as “feminist” or were even painted by women. One thing that bothered me was that many of the sculptures found in the museum were of nude women, sculpted by men. I could not find a single sculpture of a clothed woman, even though there were busts and clothed sculptures of men. This does not seem feminist, because it seems to depict women as only objects of art, instead of inspiration for art.
In conclusion, there were many assumptions about art, feminism and feminist art that were contested by looking at these four museums.

Assignment #1: Assumptions About Feminism and Art

2008-02-15T12:44:00.000-08:00

Chris Davis

2/12/07

WMST250

Through Wonder, Lies Knowledge

There, in that open-spaced, incandescently lit room with pallid walls laid the words that introduced me to feminism: “The Personal is Political,” coined from the Redstocking feminist group in 1969. Through the reading of this one sentence, it was the summation to an extraordinary day in which I experienced art like never before. Having been to Washington DC so many times and visiting so many museums in that area, I assumed that this would be just another trip down to see museums which consisted of art that seems too overly abstract for me to even understand. Therefore, I counted on a boring day lugging around Washington. Nevertheless, I, most surprisingly, enjoyed my recent experience to the nation’s capital because I had a different perspective to look at exhibits which I had seen before; I was now not just a subjective spectator, but I was an intellectual analyzing the art and how it was feminist.

As I exited the Subway station and crossed 3^rd street, there stood the National Museum of the American Indian; a large sandstone like structure with uncanny curvature as its exterior. As an Architecture major, I assumed that the building would somehow not only serve a purpose to hold exhibits, but reflect its purpose. Clearly, I interpreted the sandstone-like facade and curvature as representing a piece of the earth and the way in which American Indians value the relationship between themselves and nature. The entrance and foyer of the museum had contradicted my assumption of painted and mural walls which reflect the somewhat stereotypical view I have of Indians with painted faces. However, the actual art in the exhibits immediately confirmed the many assumptions that I had. I thought that in terms of women and feminism, the Indian by Design exhibition was quite startling. I assumed that by making clothing, such as tribal dresses, was a custom of many American Indian women. However, I did not know the dresses themselves, “carry a woman’s emotions and enhance a dance’s meaning” according to curator Ogala Lakota. So, not only do the dresses serve a ritualistic purpose, but they are also signs of expression, passed on from generation to generation.

What I have understood as feminism is equality and diversity of women and in my opinion, the American Indian museum did not translate those ideas. In the changing exhibitions, it very much focused on the roles of men, women, and children and how those roles as whole ensure the well being of all the people collectively. It did not show the distinctiveness of women from the rest of the population. Therefore, since the interpretation of this Museum toward the American Indian seems to promote togetherness, collectivity, and unification, not distinctness, individualism, and diversity, the question of whether or not the National Museum of the American Indian is not meaningful at this location but yet, expressing the American Indian culture as whole is the true purpose of this location.

After a lengthy hike down Independence Avenue, a rod-iron fence revealed a garden with three distinct, gray-toned buildings, one being the National Museum of African Art. Immediately, I assumed that the museum itself would be much like the other Smithsonian museums with white-granite marble walls. However, inside, there were very warm colors such as orange, green, and brown which immediately welcomed you and gave you the feeling that you were part of an African ritual or experience. In addition, from my little background experience with African art, I assumed that many of the pieces on the display would be sculptures. In addition, having just experienced the American Indian museum, I hurriedly assumed that this museum would not show a distinction between men and women but focus on the African people collectively, not knowing much about the African culture myself.

I assumed that women would be caregivers to children and be morally faith based. Overall, I found this assumption to hold true. For example, in one of the pieces, a woman was shown holding her breasts as a sign of a nurturer and a water-bowl on top of her head as a sign of dedication. In addition, I assumed that in terms of feminism, women as wives would be focused in a submissive role, supporting the husbands. For example, in one of the exhibits, there was a sculpture of four heads, one which was a male and the other three which were his wives. Furthermore, by examining the exhibits, it seemed that men were the hunters and women were the nurturers and caregivers. On those grounds, I would have to say that the National Museum of African Art was not feminist because it showed two distinctive roles between men and women and more importantly, it seemed to disprove the fact that women were and are equal to men in every aspect. Since equality and freedom are leading characteristics of feminism, this museum is not feminist.

Having been surprised that many of the museums lacked feminism, I was quite apprehensive about what I would find at the National Gallery of Art. Certainly from the beginning, the massive size and use of pink marble on the exterior and interior of this museum made me assume that for sure that what I would was about to be exposed to would be considered “high art.” Having visited this art museum twice before, I assumed from those experiences that there was no chance that this museum was going to be feminist. It did not house pretty pink rooms where women sat, had tea, and talked about art all day. However, again I was taking a different perspective to these museums. In terms of looking at the museum and it being feminist, I actually saw feminism in different forms. For example, I was fascinated by the work of Georgia O’Keefe’s painting Jack-in-the pulpit. The ironic spectacle about the piece was that it was in a room with other painting by men and women and the piece was of the same proportion to others in the room. Specifically, Georgia O’Keefe had several of her own works in one room alone as did many other female artists in other rooms. Therefore, the National Gallery of Art is feminist because it upholds feminist ideals such women’s equality and diversity. Equality is it promoted between male and female artists and diversity is established with women artists and all different types of art including abstract and sculptures.

Catching my breath as I stumbled into the National Museum of Women and the Arts, what took me over next was pure fascination. Starting off, I prematurely assumed that there would be pink banners hanging from the ceilings with famous quotes reaffirming the ability and unique qualities of the human female. While there were not the pink banners, I was just fascinated by the grandeur and elegance of the entire museum from the white marbled stair-case, to the beautifully mastered portraits on the second floor, and finally, the magnificent pieces residing in the permanent collection. I assumed that this museum would not be multi-cultural. However, there were several pieces representing different cultures and backgrounds and it seems to me now that the museum would not be a women’s museum if it did not express equality, even multi-culturally. Feminism does not only express equality and diversity, but one of feminism’s vehicles toward expressing equality and diversity is through art such as the strength and individualism shown in Frida Kahlo’s self portrait or Lois Mailou Jones’ Ode to Kinshasa. Therefore, the National Museum of Women and the Arts is feminist because it does not only convey classic features of feminism like individualism and strength of women, but it clearly delivers these concepts through the figures and abstract pieces of the museum.

While I admit that I am not totally familiar with feminism, analyzing different forms of art made it conceptually easier to understand the aspects of feminism. Most importantly, I learned that theme a theme of feminism in art was the sole celebration of women, their abilities, and their natural distinctiveness which make them the beautiful and unique people that they truly are. Furthermore, this experience revealed the strength and power which women hold in the ability to say “we count, and our voice will be heard.” In this case, the “voice” was through women’s work in art. In conclusion, in this learning experience, I ultimately acknowledged that through wonder, lies knowledge.

Assignment #1: Assumptions of Art & Feminism

2008-02-14T14:43:00.000-08:00

Candace Lee
2/13/08
WMST250

Feminism and Art Assumptions

Feminism, to me, is defined as a movement in which woman stand up for themselves and proves to everyone that they are just as capable as anyone else. I always thought of Art as paintings, draws or sculptures, but this thought was proven wrong. I had some various assumptions of art and feminism before stepping into these museums. After leaving them, I was shocked by some of the images I saw, that they referred as artwork. In addition, I saw many feminist artworks that I did not think would be displayed in public.

Before entering The National Museum of the American Indian, I assumed that the museum contained mostly Indian related artworks and paintings. I also assumed that there would be very unique artworks created by Native Americans. These might include, hand craved weapons that men used in the ancient times or maybe a quilt, Native American style. However, my assumptions of the “American Indian” museum were challenged once I entered the building. I went through the exhibits on each floor; the area was big and contains a lot more history related showcases rather than art. Although the museum may not have contain much artwork, but there were many historical facts that related to the woman. This leads us to discuss if the museum is feminist or not. I think the museum can be considered as feminist to a certain extent because the term feminist can be referred to as woman’s power or woman’s roles in society. In the exhibit of Our Lives, there was a lot of emphasis on the women roles in the tribe of Kahnawake. Some parts of it told of how the woman’s primary job in the community is to take care of house work and raise children at home. This indeed is the standard of most roles of woman in most culture. More importantly, the exhibit does not exclude telling viewers how woman has been a leader in the Kahnawake community. Women have played a major role in education for the Kahnawake children. They were the ones who took action on what was decided and to do things their way, otherwise, Kahnawake schools would not exist today. In addition, I came across a display that showed “weroausau which means, a female chief. Her name was Cockacoeske, the queen of Pamunkey and she received a silver plate award as a token of appreciation from the English Crown for signing a treaty with them. Clearly, we see that the exhibit did have some emphasis on the woman’s empowerment in the American Indian tribes. This again challenged my assumptions as I assumed woman did not have the power to have such high status back in the 18^th Century. In the early days, woman were discriminated against and men believe that they were incapable of doing what they could do, but Cockacoeske has proven to everyone that a female is just as capable as the man. Another exhibit I visited was called Identify by Design which included exhibits of the American Indian dress in the past. I assumed that they would focus more on the man’s clothing and roles in the exhibit because again in the past, males were considered as a superior to the female. The exhibit to my surprised included many female related clothing and materials they used. I also assumed that the clothing that women wore were on the conservative side. In fact, my assumption did hold true because most of the dresses that were on display did seem to would cover most of the skin if wore.

The next museum I went to visit was “The National Gallery of Art”. I assumed that the building and place would be grand and beautiful because it is the National Galley for artworks. I also assumed the art that was shown there were all going to be paintings and that the artists would be a mixture of males and females. Because I assumed that the artists were not just dominated by one gender, it led to the assumption that this museum probably won’t be too much of a feminist museum. Walking into the Gallery of Art building, I felt like it was quite glamorous. The structure was designed similar to the European styles. I walked into the first level and to my surprise the area was filled with sculptures. The majority of course focused on the human body and some on the women body. I noticed an artist named Auguste Rodin, it seems like his works involved women such as The Sirens. Although I do not know the actual meaning of The Sirens, but I saw that the sculpture had depicted the woman body. I think that has something to do with feminism and I had an assumption, perhaps this artist may be a feminist? Other arts that surprised me were in the East building of the Gallery. There was a piece of art called Henri Matisse Cutout. His art really startled me as I had to question what exactly is considered art. From my point of view, his work was basically just a few pieces of cut out construction paper pasted onto a white background. I know any type of art should be appreciated, however I did not see why this would be considered as art.

The third museum I visited was the Hirshhorn. Based on the name, I somehow assumed this museum was related to clay art and sculptures made out of clay. Little did I know, the first floor was full of what I refer as “junky” art. That is, most of the artworks displayed were made out of random pieces of junk, such as, screws, springs, car parts and many other random things. These materials appear to be crumpled up in a blob of mess. Again, I have doubts as to why this so –called artwork would be considered as art? I assumed art would have more meaning to and also grander looking, like the art in most other museums. Heading downstairs to the Current Acquisitions section, I was assumed it was going to follow the same kind of theme as what I have seen in the upper level. However, this section focused a lot more on modern art. This section of the museum is very feminist simply because the art are by females. In addition, this group of modern artists seems to be quite dedicated to their works because some sacrifice their bodies for the work itself. For example, in Mary Coble’s “Note to Self” she uses her own body and tattooed the names of lesbians, bisexual and transsexual hate crime victims onto her body. Each and every name was written onto her body without any ink, this means that the content was made possible with her own blood. This is considered feminist because she supports her own gender and is dedicated to create something that is memorable for those who were discriminated for being different from individuals who are heterosexual. I assumed that, although art does include nudity but it should not be depicted as it was pornography. In the exhibit, I came across a series of photos composed by Carolee Schneeman, which really startled me as I did not except to see such disturbing images of a nude woman. I believe there is a relationship here between art and feminism because Schneeman’s work actually shows that women are willing to give themselves up for the purposes of art. They are representing bravery by coming out completely nude to be of her artwork constructions.

The last museum I visited was “The National Museum of Woman and The Arts”. Before actually attending this museum, I assumed that this museum would be dominated by woman both employed at the museum as well as the artwork that is being displayed. When I got there, I was not surprised to see that my assumptions were correct. My explanation to why this is the case that woman dominate the building is because women are interested in their own gender, they are proud of what other women has succeeded in. Just as Carolee Schneeman mentioned earlier, this museum also contained much nudity often depicting the female body. There is a relationship between feminism and art here, as the female body is often included in artwork because the female body is respected. However, paintings of naked women and that has strong indication of it being pornographic is considered to be degrading women, in some people’s point of view. I agree that for a painting or artwork to be meaningful, it should not contain too much nudity to a point where it becomes pornographic. This is not benefiting society nor should it be consider art because simply because pornography is not emotional healthy for some individuals. Another artwork that caught my attention was the “An Adventure at Sea” by Dottie Attie, which spoke of a mother and son. This art depicted a mother and son’s close relationship, so close that they seem to have become a couple. The painting shows the nude son hugging her nude mother, touching his mother’s nipple and kissing his mother’s lips. For the most part, I found this painting to be quite odd, but also feminist because it shows and tries to message that mothers (a female) can have be considered extremely important to their child. In this case, the son seems to regard his mother has the most important figure in his life. It is feminist simply because the author did not choose the child’s father to be the important person, but the mother.

Overall, my experiences at each of the museums did startled and surprised me with some of the work being called art, when I did not think it was. Also, I did not except to see how women were so dedicated into their works of art that they would sacrifice their own bodies to be in the art itself. Some sacrifice their own bodies just to get a message across that woman should be treated equally and same sex love should not be discriminated. In addition, I learned a lot from the American Indian museum of women’s roles in the community. After visiting the four museums, I realized that there are many different types of art and almost any kind of creation or performance can be argued as being art.

Feminism and Art

2008-02-14T14:16:00.000-08:00

Ellen Seay
WMST 250
Sect. 0101
Feminism and Art

The first museum that I decided to visit was the National Museum of Women in the Arts. I picked this one first because it seemed like a good jump off point to start my exploration of learning about feminism and art, in general. When first walking in, a grand staircase and lots of showy marble is easily noticeable. The appearance of this museum surprised me because I would have thought that the creators of the museum would want the colors and materials to be subtle so that the art could just speak for itself, but that is not the case in this museum.
As I walked around the Permanent Collection, I learned a lot about art, and women artists, which I have not ever studied before. I did not think that there were any really prominent artists from the sixteenth, seventeenth, or eighteenth centuries, but there was a fairly large section of art pieces from this time period. I suppose I had assumed that women in this time period were supposed to take care of the household and the children, and did not have time for hobbies like creating art. In actuality, information at the museum taught me that women from the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries painted many still life and genre paintings. Still life painting became so well-known, that some artists made a living by specializing in one smaller area, painting lots of the same things. In the eighteenth century, women became highly regarded for a while, and people listened to what they had to say and they were allowed to do things that they hadn’t been able to do before, like participate in political discussion and create art. Soon though, they lost their power and were only allowed to paint portraits because they were in a higher demand.
The nineteenth century was turning point in the lives of women. The printing of books became easier, so more women were reading and learning about art. They predominantly depicted women’s lives as young girls, mothers and older women, which showed that domesticity was a proper subject for art. I had never really known that during these specific time periods, there were acceptable and unacceptable types of art that women could create; I just thought that they painted whatever they wanted to paint. I enjoyed the more modern sections of the Permanent Collection because it had a lot more variety. There were paintings, sculptures, and abstract pieces, all of which had lots of character and were pretty interesting. In seeing some of the abstract art, I learned that I had previously assumed that a lot of abstract art didn’t really count as art, when apparently, it does. This museum could be seen as both feminist and not feminist, depending on how you look at it. If you look at the whole art world, the museum is feminist. This is because the museum was created to produce equality in art displays among men and women. However, looking at the museum by itself, it is not feminist. It does not give equal representation to both men and women, which is the definition of feminism.
The National Museum of the American Indian also had many interesting art pieces, although a lot of the things displayed in this museum are recreations of earlier time period pieces. I had assumed that a good number of the things in this museum would be extremely old artifacts, especially clothes, but in actuality, this was not the case. The clothes section was my favorite part, but I was very surprised to see that the clothes were not very old, even though they seemed like the clothes that would have been worn a long time ago. The overall message of this museum, it seemed, was to tell people that the American Indians are still around and that they are still an active part of American culture today. A lot of the clothing was made by women, so I feel like this is the exhibit where women’s art is most prominent. The women were the people in the culture who made the clothes, and the different embellishments that the clothes had represented things like age, social status, and marital status. The museum is fairly feminist because there is art by both men and women, like clothes, pottery, weapons, and jewelry.
The National Gallery of Art was another museum that I visited. It had a wide variety of art pieces that I found to be interesting, and a lot of others that I did not particularly like. The building itself is its own art piece. It has amazing and unique architecture and beautiful gardens. This museum is definitely feminist because I felt like for every piece of art that I saw by a man, there was one done by a woman. In going into this museum, I had assumed that art was supposed to be aesthetically pleasing, but I found that there is a lot of art that just is not pretty. Some paintings, mainly ones that are abstract, are not particularly fun for me to look at. There are also many sculptures where I just don’t understand what the artist was thinking, so I do not find them aesthetically pleasing.
The last place that I went to was the Textile Museum. Before I entered this museum, I had never really considered textiles to be art, but someone has to come up with the designs for the textiles, and they have to make sure that people are going to like what they’ve made, otherwise they will not be successful. The museum also has many rugs and tapestries from countries all over the world and different time periods, so I learned a lot about what styles were in these places and time periods. I’m not completely sure if this museum is feminine because a lot of the textiles did not have names associated with the pieces, however some pieces seem more masculine and others seemed more feminine, so that makes the museum slightly more equal among men and women contributors.
Through this assignment, and experiencing the different things that so many museums have to offer, I have learned that a lot of my assumptions about women, and art have no reason behind them. It is interesting to go into these places and look at the art and displays with a different viewpoint because you discover things that you hadn’t thought of before. Overall I thought this was an interesting assignment and it allowed me to learn things about art and about myself as well.

Assumptions -
I assumed that feminists are extreme.

I assumed that artists are poor.

I assumed that abstract art doesn’t count as art.

I assumed that art is aesthetically pleasing.

I assumed that there are not very many famous female artists.

I assumed that women are only portrayed in art as beautiful and pure.

I assumed that feminists think men are inferior to women.

I assumed that art is mainly painting, drawing, and sculpture.

Assignment #1- Assumptions about Feminism and Art

2008-02-14T13:50:00.000-08:00

Lia Melikian
2/14/08
Section 0101

For this assignment, we were asked to travel to Washington D.C. and visit four different museums and critically analyze and discuss what we saw and how it does or does not relate to feminism. I went and saw the National Museum of Women and the Arts, the National Museum of the American Indian, the National Gallery of Art, as well as the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. All of these museums were unique in their own way and it was interesting to see them all and have this chance to compare and contrast them.

The first museum that I attended was the National Museum of the Women and the Arts and I soon realized that I had many preconceived notions about what it was going to be like. To be frank, I definitely assumed that I was going to dread the visit and that I would be severely disinterested in anything the museum had to offer me. However, upon arrival I recalled what Professor King had said about being surprised about the amount of pink in the building and as I looked around I noticed very beautiful chandeliers and I was kind of surprised that something so elegant was in a museum. I also noticed the floors were made of marble and the architecture of the building was very classic and beautiful. I realized that the underlying assumption was that I did not expect to see elegance and such sophisticated design in a women’s museum. I expected it to be more plain and simple rather than intricate and detailed. When I was arriving they were also setting up tables with eloquent table clothes for some sort of event that was going to occur there. I also assumed that not very many people would be interested enough in a women’s museum to go there let alone have an event there. At first, when I looked at the paintings around me, they seemed kind of uninteresting which led me to believe that the rest of the museum was going to be dull. When I moved on to the temporary exhibit by Paul Rego I began to change my mind. I was actually shocked to see some of her paintings, and how gloomy and perverse the images that she was portraying were. This kind of art was very unexpected because I had assumed that women would make a certain kind of art, one that was more happy and attractive. Since emotion-filled and dark art is the kind of art I enjoy the most, I found myself becoming very interested in the exhibit. There were a lot of strange images with figures sitting in chairs and with other figures around them. One room in particular struck me because it was filled with images of women giving themselves abortions. In the description it said that she drew them as schoolchildren to emphasize their vulnerability and that she was trying to hit on the issue of legalizing abortion because poor women had to go through the awful process at home because they could not afford to travel to other areas to have the procedure done. In one of the paintings, the anguish in the women’s face was so evident it really imprinted itself into my mind and truly made me think about the politics behind the issue. I think this part of the exhibit was very feminist because it hit on an issue that is very central to women no matter what race or ethnicity they happen to be. I feel that what makes something truly feminist is if it touches on political or social issues that are prominent in the everyday lives of women everywhere. I was very fond of the temporary exhibit but I did not find the permanent one quite as interesting. I think this was because none of the art was as shocking as that of the temporary exhibit. As a whole the museum was not feminist because not all of the art work made some sort of statement, but a fair amount of the pieces did.

At the National Museum of the American Indian and when I was approaching the building I was very amazed by the exterior design and the actual size. I assumed that the museum would be much smaller and under funded. When I got inside, I thought it was interesting that there was a performance area and that the building was so open. While walking around I noticed the unique design of the whole building. Everything seemed so authentic, even the drawings on and inside the elevators. While walking through the different exhibits I noticed that they weren’t specifically catered to women, but there was mention of women as prominent members of the tribe. The Identity by Design exhibit, however, was more catered toward women and was a showing of the Native women’s dresses which were very beautiful and filled with color. The Identity by Design exhibit could be considered feminist because it was a showing of women’s attire and how that attire was an expression of their culture. On the other hand, I do not think that it touch upon any specific issues that women deal with all over the world. While both arguments can be made, I feel as though the exhibit was somewhere in the middle because it was partially feminist but not entirely.

The next museum I visited was the National Gallery of Art which was also surprisingly large consisting of two separate buildings. There were many different kinds of exhibits which was very appealing. The more modern art was really interesting because I found myself questioning a lot of the pieces and wondering if it was, in actuality, considered art. A lot of the pieces were very intriguing and I found myself very interested in the paintings more so than anything else. While I had a great appreciation for the modern exhibit, when we moved on to the Renaissance and older pieces that’s when I found a lot of work that I honestly love, such as Rembrandt. What was thought-provoking about the Renaissance paintings was that they portrayed women in a very positive light, and almost every painting was of a woman or a baby as an angel. I consider this part of the exhibition to be feminist because I feel as though it draws people’s attention to a time period in which women were far more appreciated than they are now. This can help draw attention to the social issue of women being unequal in today’s society and show how times have changed.

The final museum I went to was the U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum. My initial thoughts were that this visit would be depressing and tedious. When we arrived and went to the permanent exhibit I was surprised at how well set up the entire showing was. There was a short clip on the elevator and once you left the elevator it was a bunch of different displays with different categories. Some of the historical objects that they had were extremely striking because it really made you realize just how many people were killed. For instance, there was a blown up picture of a pile of hair and the statistics stated that they had some thousand pounds of hair from the victims. I did not notice anything particularly feminine about this museum or the display but the atrocities occurred to a wide array of people so women were clearly affected by this.

At first I was unhappy with this assignment because it seemed rather time consuming. Even though it was, I was glad that it forced me to take the time out of my busy life to actually go to a museum and appreciate what it has to offer me. I think this was an overall positive experience because it really made me look within myself and realize what stereotypes I had engrained into my brain and how I came about having them. The museums had various feminine aspects to it and some of the exhibits were clearly feminist while some had subtle undertones of feminism incorporated within them. Before these visits, I thought that feminists were just an extremist group who thought that women should have equal rights to men. I soon came to the realization that feminism wasn’t just about equality to men, but it is also about women’s rights on social and political issues such as abortion. It showed me how assumptions and stereotypes usually stem from being uneducated on an issue or a group of people, and the importance of actually becoming educated in order to fully comprehend the topic at hand. Overall, I am very thankful for this assignment because it gave me a new understanding of the meaning of feminism and it opened my eyes to the fact that it can make a remarkable statement about the issues that are important not only my own life, but the lives of women all around the world.

List of Assumptions

I assumed that the Nationals Museum of Women and the Arts would have art that consisted of happy and girly things such as flowers
I assumed that a women’s museum would be dull and stereotypical
I assumed that the decorations of the building would be very plain and conservative
I assumed that not a lot of people would be there, especially males
I assumed that the National Museum of the American Indian would be much smaller and far more under funded
I assumed that there wouldn’t be any emphasis on feminism of women in the American Indian Museum
I assumed that the American Indian exhibits were going to be strictly historical
I assumed that the National Gallery of Art was only going to contain paintings and sculptures that were more mainstream rather than modern art
I assumed that I wouldn’t question whether or not any of the art work in the National Art Gallery was in fact art
I assumed that the Holocaust Museum was going to be very depressing and that it was just going to be historical occurrences written down and on display

Feminine Art

2008-02-14T10:20:00.000-08:00

Brittany Taylor

WMST250

Section 0101

February 14, 2008

Assumptions

I assumed that the National Museum of Women and the Arts would have mainly women in the paintings.
I assumed that the works of art at the NMWA would all be gentle and delicate looking.
I assumed that feminine art would be mostly about lesbians
I assumed that the art would show women fighting for their rights (i.e. women in the work place)
I assumed that the art wouldn’t be that interesting.

Feminism is defined as the doctrine advocating for social, political, and all other rights of women equal to those of men. When I think about the feminist movement, I think about women who have the desire to be independent. I think of women in the work place in suits and sitting behind desks. How ever this isn’t quite the ‘real’ definition of what feminism is. Feminism is merely the desire of equality. With this desire comes the decline of chivalry. I think I fall somewhere between feminist and its counterpart. I believe that there needs to be a balance of chivalry as well as equality. Yes men and women should receive the same pay for the same occupation.

These assumptions about feminism caused myself to make inferences about the museums I was about to visit. I went to the National Museum of Women and the Arts, the National Museum of the American Indian, Hirshhorn, and the National Museum of African Art. I assumed that the art would only contain women, if it were “feminine” art. I think my prior knowledge of feminism led me to believe that the art work at the NMWA would be radical and political. In fact, it was nothing more than elegant. A lot of the art at the NMWA featured women. I personally didn’t feel that the museum was “feminine” or not, but I felt that it is a dedication to women. Ever since the cohabitation of men and women, women have been seen as inferior to men. I believe that this museum is a way of honoring the talents of women as to provide equality in the world of higher art. This museum does have more feminine qualities than the other ones that I visited. It says something, when this is the only museum in the world completely dedicated to women and the contributions that they have made to art. The one exhibit that stood out to me was the Paula Rego exhibit. Being in the National Museum of Women in the Arts, one would expect the paintings to be delicate and covered with flowers and ‘pretty things.’ Rather every painting seemed to show the complete opposite meaning. The women in the paintings had manly characteristics. At first I honestly believed that the people in the ballerina outfits were men. It was a strange exhibit. It does show the stress of equality, but with equality, one shouldn’t lose their own beliefs and personalities.

I also visited the National Museum of the American Indian. There was an exhibition called Identity by Design. It was a celebration of the impact that women had and still have in our culture. Native American women played a huge role in their culture. There was a sacred ritual called the ‘Dance of Life.’ It was the women’s job to prepare themselves as well as their entire family for this event. The dresses that the women wore were a way to express themselves as well as an inspirational piece of art. This museum was not a feminist based museum. It had many other exhibits that featured men and everything about Native American culture. The dresses were very detailed as well as beautiful. The thing that surprised me about them was that they were of a modest fashion. Whenever I think of Native Americans I tend to think of them not wearing a whole lot of clothing. Maybe this was just a wrong assumption on my part.

Next I visited the Hirshhorn Museum. This museum had nothing particularly feminine about it. But there was a piece of art that really stuck out to me. It was a woman that had hundreds of names tattooed on her body. They were tattooed with out any ink. Someone once told me it was called a blood stamp, but I’m not really sure. But the name sure fits. The names were of gay and lesbian people that have been murdered because of the fact they were homosexual. Then when each name was completed a piece of paper was placed over the name, creating a stamp like effect. On the wall next to her photo hung all the index cards of all the names tattooed on her body. I would have never thought that anything close to that would ever be considered art in the sense of being in an art museum. I do see it as a radical way of getting ones point across.

Finally I visited the National Museum of African Art. This museum did not have any feminist qualities about it. A lot of the pieces seemed more like ‘crafts’ or things that anyone could make. But what was interesting about them all was that they all seemed to be made from things from nature. For example, all of their tools were made out of wood, or stone. I just normally wouldn’t consider these things to be ‘art.’

Before I visited these museums, I never really would have considered most of these things to be art. I always figured that art was something that not just anyone could do. Feminism and art are two completely different subjects, but when they are incorporated together, they possess a whole new meaning. Feminine art is a way of expressing feminine views, be they radical or not. It has no boundaries. Feminine art influences our cultural, political, and tendencies that reflect our everyday lives. After seeing feminine art for what it truly is, I have a new found understanding of what feminism means.

Assingment #1

2008-02-14T09:58:00.000-08:00

Lolita Jadotte
Katie King/WMST250
Sec#0101
2/14/08

Assumption of Women’s Art

What is feminism? When I first hear the word feminism I think of women who wants to be able to do whatever it is that men can do, but feminism is more than that. Feminism is a women’s right to express themselves in all different ways. Women express themselves because of the simple fact that they were not able to do so before. They rebel against what was once denied to them in the past. One of the ways that women express themselves is through art, like the saying a picture says a thousands word, and for women it can tell a story. The museums that I visited had various ways of promoting feminism. Some of the museums were more feminist than others. The museum I went to besides the two required ones were The National Gallery of Art Museum and Hirshhorn Museum.
During my visits to these various, I observed many things in contrast and related to feminism. The National American Indian Museum in my eyes was both feminist and, in a way not feminist. When I first walked into the museum I saw a lot of hand made jewelry. Jewelry to me does not seem very feminist because it’s girlie. You would expect women to like and want jewelry. If the jewelry were less fancy and more symbolic of a hardship that woman went through it would be more feminist. The section to me that was the most feminist out of the entire museum was the Identity by Design portion. This section included handmade designs made by the different Native American women who belong to different tribes. These dresses were theses women art. They told their stories through their design of the dress. While I was there I was able to talk to an American Indian woman who was actually making one of the dresses the women in her country wear. She told me that the women were only allowed to wear clothes that they made themselves and it took about four months to make an entire outfit. Mothers had to teach their daughters how to make an entire outfit by the age of twelve. A Native American woman by the name of Juanita states “My mom taught me that a lot of the dresses were reflection of what the people saw and what they had going on in their lives at the time. (Juanita, Growing Thunder Fogarty; Assihiboine/Sioux/2005)” This was a tradition between mother and daughters. A young girl’s completion of their first dress is what fully made them a woman. During the Ghost Dance Movement, women made Ghost Dance dresses, which was a way for women to speak out against the change that was being brought against them.
The National Women of Art Museum was a feminist museum. There was a series of pictures that showed a woman in pain and a woman with her legs spread open. At first I did not understand the picture, but after reading the caption, I understood that a woman was going through the process of abortion. Abortion was an act that women were not allowed to do according to the law. Most doctors would not perform this action. If a woman wanted an abortion she would have to do it herself or paid someone to do it secretly. The painting showing the process of abortion is very feminist because this is a stand for woman to speak out against what they feel is best for them to do. The morality of abortion is not the issue rather the right for a woman to make her own choice.
When I first heard about the Hirshhorn Museum I thought it would be a non-feminist museum. When I walked in to the museum, I was mistaken, and surprised to see that there was feminist art there. The first piece of art that helped to change my mind was the “Transformation Action” by Carolee Scheecham. This piece of art was a series of pictures, which displayed a naked woman with snakes and different creatures crawling all over her body. There was also a video at the museum titled “Blood and Feathers” This video showed a naked woman standing by a body of water pouring blood all over her body and then covering herself with feathers. These two pieces of art are feminist because they show women using their body as an art canvas, something they were not allowed to do. Although the images may be disturbing, the women displayed in these arts are expresses their strong feelings about an issue.
The National Gallery of Art Museum was not a feminist museum to me as a whole. Majority of the museum was not feminist in my point of view because there was no portion or art pieces that struck me as being feminist. The museum seemed to me to be a neutral. The art work that was there was for pleasure not really for expressing your feeling or giving the viewers a sense of identity about themselves. The only thing at this museum that made me realize feminist ways was the fact the majority of the time that you did see a woman painting or any art figure they were naked. These women being naked are feminist because in the earlier days woman were not allowed to show of their body; they always had to be covered up. These arts allowed women to express themselves through their body. They could finally be free to expose their body for the art that it is. The other thing that I noticed was the fact that when I did see a painting of a woman, it would be a women’s face with a man’s body. This symbolizes the equality that woman think of between a man and a woman. Women were not always considered equal to male; even now society sometimes still put males on a higher stool than females. Those art showed that woman can do what it is a man can do. It is not all about the physical appearance but instead what is on the inside and how much you know.
In conclusion I learned more and also reinforced my understanding of women’s art and feminism. Majority of my assumption were correct, not to say that I know everything about feminism and their art, because there is still a lot to learn. I learned a lot about feminism and its presence at the various museums. Most of the art work expressed the feeling about an issue whether or not the topic is controversial.

My List of Assumption

1) I assumed I would pictures of woman from the “1960s”, like hippies
2) I assumed to see art that would address lesbians.
3) I assumed that the feminist art would show art that represents the hardships of woman.
4) I assumed that the art will not simple pretty paintings, such as a vase of flowers.
5) I assumed that I would see art that would be exposing women’s body. 6) I assumed that I would see pictures of bashing men.

Experience Reflection

2008-02-14T08:06:00.000-08:00

Sindhu Raghunandan

As a student of liberal education, I find that it is crucial to study and define concepts such as art and feminism to better understand my immediate world. After having explored the National Museum of Women and the Arts, the National Museum of the American Indians, The National Museum of African Art, and the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden, I have, in many ways, pigeonholed many of my assumptions of art and feminism as well as found many new connections between them. By considering each separately, the relationship between art and feminism become clear.

One of the common assumptions which drive public opinion of any form of art is the idea that it can’t be functional. Before perusing the Women and Art museum, American Indian museum, African Art museum and Hirshhorn Museum, I shared this assumption. The National Museum of Women and the Arts incorporated many pieces which conveyed several strong ideas of Women’s roles and experiences. The artist that I spent the most time analyzing was Paula Rego, who was born in Portugal and inspired by surrealism. The museum booklet explores the idea that Paula Rego’s, “suggestive forms and titles alludes to her distress over political tensions in her native Portugal and her general distaste for bourgeois culture (pg 10)” which captures the idea of the link between the personal and political. In this connection lies the functionality of women’s art or feminist art; it allows for the unrestricted expression of personal reflection and reaction to the political climate.

Similarly, the National Museum of the American Indians provided a window into the art of dress making in the Identity by Design exhibit. The dresses were surprisingly well decorated with many different materials. All were, as expected, conservative to match the passive Native American culture. More importantly, even though the dresses are now cherished as ancient art, they were actually worn. Furthermore the dresses conveyed anything from class to maturity to the relations with the colonists. I found it amazing that no matter how oppressed they were by the colonists, the Native women still incorporated the American flag into dresses further highlighting the passive and accepting nature of the Natives. The dresses therefore allowed women to get involved in many aspect of their society such as taking care of the family, honoring elite warriors, and keeping an ancient and rich culture alive.

The Museum of African Art was one where the idea of functionality was truly obvious. The displays were based on many aspects of society and were presented in an organized manner. There were several pieces such as the door carvings, the ivory armlet, and statues representing the Guan organization which clearly were not intended to be art work. While it is possible that the African people really do cherish each of those pieces as art today, it seems more likely that the curator of the exhibit intended more to open a window into their daily culture of various regions in Africa. The museum guide provided further explanation to many of the sculptures; I thought the ivri statue, which is used in Niger to help people control their temper, was most interesting. In this case, the pieces which I analyzed were functional before they were considered art. However, I do still believe them to be art as they involve some technical skill and convey a message about the various cultures of Africa.

Finally, the Hirshhorn Museum and Sculpture Garden provided a more direct look at art. While the recommended exhibit was closed, I did get to see a few pieces contrasting a few basic colors. The piece, ‘Red, Yellow, Blue V” was a rectangular canvas divided into three sections each covered in an opaque layer of each of the three aforementioned colors. This particular piece initially looked like nothing but on further contemplation, I understood that sometimes beauty is in the most basic form of a medium. For example in music, the most basic song is still artistically significant and so a painting of the most basic color pallet is still art. Modern art is often unclear and therefore underappreciated; however, its function is fifty percent expression of ideology and fifty percent technical skill. As long as the viewer can relate to the art work in some way, it succeeds at being art.

Now, I turn my attention to defining and exploring feminism. The two museums which lent themselves to this subject were the National Museum of Women and the Arts as well as the Museum of the American Indian. My main assumption from which my other assumptions stemmed was that anything related to feminism would follow the general stereotypes of women. I was pleased to find pieces that agreed and surprised to find pieces that disagreed with my assumption.

While I was convinced that the Museum of Women and the Arts would channel the elegance of women and their animosity towards men, I saw many pieces that proved quiet the opposite. As far as elegance, there were pieces that celebrated the elegance and poise of the female sex; these pieces included beautiful settings, attention to detail and a sense of perfection or an ideal. There were also, however, several pieces by Paula Rego which portrayed women exemplifying very masculine features conveying a sense of women empowerment or the false interpretation of feminism. Finally the animosity towards men was very present in animalistic degradation of the male sex. In some exhibits however, the lack of male figures in the artwork conveyed a true sense of feminism where the focus is not on over powering male dominance but to celebrate the female potential. While stereotypes have and will always guide public opinion of feminism, it is absolutely essential to avoid seeing only the stereotypes in every piece.

The Museum of American Indians and the Identity by Design exhibit reflected and challenged many stereotypes of (native) women which dictate their subservience and limited roles/creativity. Immediately after entering the exhibit I found that native women are actually organized into many classes based on wealth and social roles indicated by the style of dress they wore. As mentioned in the art portion of my reflection, dress making gave native women a medium through which they could to get involved and be empowered to act independently and creatively. Examples of this independence are the War Bonnet Society and War Mothers Society, through which native women reclaimed the right to dance. As I walked through the exhibit I realized that the beautifully crafted dresses indicate political, religious, spiritual, familial, and marital involvement of Native women in their communities. By looking beyond the stereotypes of native women, I have found that even in their passivity, Native American women embody a pure and strong sense of feminism where feminism is the celebration of female role.

After having considered art and feminism separately, it is important to consider the link between the two. In many ways feminism is an art form and a style of expressing ideas. In other ways art is a platform for feminist philosophy. It is important to recognize that feminism, like art, transcends all cultural, national, and ideological boundaries. The true link between art and feminism is found in the functionality of feminist art where the political is personal and all stereotypes dissolve to reveal beautifully crafted ideas of women empowerment, the female role, and a celebration of women everywhere.

Feminism and Art Essay ( Assign.1)

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Apoorva Ananth
Feminism and Art

Webster’s Dictionary formally defines art as “the quality, production, expression, or realm, according to aesthetic principles, of what is beautiful, appealing, or of more than ordinary significance.” I believe that art exists in a dichotomy of the artist’s personal significance along with the broader social interpretation of the piece. Although art is easily defined as something beautiful or appealing, it is very subjective. Often times, the artist and the viewer have varying opinions about artwork because, the viewer beings his or her own personality and experiences into the piece. This personal attachment to a piece of artwork may or may not agree with what the artist was trying to convey. On the other hand, feminism is an idea that is not as subjective as art. However, it can be expressed many different ways; from speeches and protests, to feminism in paintings and sculptures. When I went to the museums in Washington D.C., I experienced feminism in art first-hand. Before visiting the museums, my assumptions about feminism were confirmed and rejected.

When our group went to our first museum; The National Museum of American Indians, I saw many exhibits that pertained to women in American Indian culture. We saw the “Identity by Design,” exhibit. I had assumed that American Indian women and feminist women were conservative. This assumption was confirmed when I saw the kinds of dresses that ladies wore. The dresses covered the chest, shoulders, and most of the legs. Although I knew that the style would be conservative, I thought the dresses were also supposed to be simple and not as fashionable. I thought this because; I assumed that women that follow feminism were not into fashion trends. I was proved wrong when American Indian women’s “dress styles evolved within the tribes.” As I saw the decoration increase in dresses as time moved forward, the exhibits showed that women expressed themselves and did not dress as simple as I had thought they would. Also, I assumed that women were also very submissive to men in American Indian culture. Although at times women were submissive to men, women also expressed their inner inhibitions by making “ghost dance dresses.” These dresses were reminders of memories (tragic memories or happy memories) and were a collective effort for Native American women to speak out against the rapid cultural changes that were forced upon them. My assumption of submissive women was nullified when I saw these beautiful ghost dresses. Before I visited this museum, I thought that art only consisted of paintings and sculptures. I had never thought that dresses could be a form of art. Through the obvious art of making dresses, women in American Indian culture expressed themselves and their thoughts in an artistic manner.

Our next museum was the National Museum of Women and the Arts. The first exhibit we saw was the Paula Rego exhibit. I knew that this museum was going to display the kind of art that I was used to: paintings. In this exhibit, I was surprised to see that women were not portrayed as beautiful. Since it was an art museum about women, I assumed and expected that women were going to portray feminism, but they would portray it looking beautiful and fragile. However, in this specific exhibit, women were portrayed as doing feminine things. However, they looked very masculine. Each woman had muscles, and a body frame built like a man’s. Two particular paired paintings made me realize that my assumption that feminism was more about women dominating in everything, rather than equality of the sexes. The two paintings called “The Red Monkey Beats his Wife, 1951,” and the “Wife cuts off Red Monkey’s Tail, 1951,” showed that feminist women think of men as animals and think that they should dominate instead of the men or the “red monkeys.” This main assumption was also proven wrong when I noticed that there were many paintings that showed women with animals. Women were portrayed as having sex with a dog, or just walking on a street with an animal. These paintings further proved that feminist women think that men are animals and that women should dominate rather than be equal with men.

The two other museums we went to, Hirschorn and The National Museum of African Art didn’t show much about feminism to me. However, my assumptions about art were confirmed and rejected. In particular, at the Hirschorn museum, the painting “RedYellowBlue,” looked like art that a small child could do. I assumed that modern art was abstract and difficult to understand at first glance, and I was correct. Although this painting looked like a child painted it, when I looked at it closer I could see why it was called art. Although this painting was just blocks of red, yellow, and blue I thought it showed the basic principles of art. The painter used primary colors and showed in such a simple way, the colors that make the colors of the world. When you mix the three colors that the painter chose, you can get any color of the rainbow. This proved my assumption wrong and showed me that abstract art can also have a deeper meaning, rather than just colors on a canvas. Furthermore, The National Museum of African Art showed me that my assumption that art has to have color and look beautiful to be appeal was incorrect. Every art sculpture that we saw in this museum was made out of wood, iron, or stone. Before I saw these art displays, I would have never thought that it was art. However, I saw the deeper meaning behind each sculpture after close examination. My assumptions about art were mostly nullified from these museums, but I learned a lot about art as well.

Through the experiences and exhibits at the four museums that my group and I visited, many of my assumptions were rejected while some of them were correct. I believe these museums, especially the National Museum of Woman and Art, and The National Museum of Native Americans expressed the true meaning of “the personal is political.” The paintings at the Women and Art museum showed that many feminine activities (such as abortions) and issues becomes a part of politics. This idea was also displayed at the Native American museum when politics were displayed in the dresses that women wore. Also, my assumption that art is only paintings and color was nullified as I learned that there are many different forms of art. I have a new view on feminism of art from this experience.

Assignment 1: Drawing Up Assumptions

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Please be sure to reread the Instructions before you turn in the assignment, this way you can be sure that all of the required components of the assignment have been done. And remember, you are not your assumptions. The goal of the exercise is to shake up your assumptions- to look at them with honest and critical eyes.

Welcome

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Peace Y’all. Welcome to our class blog.

Section Focus:

This section is unique – not only because each one of us brings our own intellectual, technological, and creative strengths, but also because it will be team taught by Maren Cummings and Maria Valazquez. So, there is double the fun, and double the creative activities J We are both interested in dance and embodiment- meaning the study of the way particular bodies are understood in and by societies. Thus, a main aspect and focus of the section will be movement activities (so please come to section prepared to move), and activities that ask you to stretch your definitions of knowledge past the page. We encourage everyone to move according to their own ability, but to be open to trying new activities.

We are all coming into this section with knowledge to share and something to learn, and it is up to all of us to make this section a safe space for growing together. While we as TAs have particular roots for our knowledge, so do you. As noted in the Subject in History activity, we have all been formed as subjects in history because of the particular experiences we have had at a particular time, in a particular space, and in a particular body. So, please value your contributions as much as we do.

Here are some basic guidelines for our discussions:

- Knowledge is created by people working together in constructive dialogue, so, when you don’t attend class or come to class not having done the readings, it is not only detrimental to your own knowledge production, but to all of ours.

- Audre Lorde says, “Your silence will not protect you.” In the context of this course, this statement means that we should all feel enabled to vocalize our frustrations, confusion, and dissent, as well as our concrete knowledge.

- “The personal is political”- so living and learning are inseparable. The ideas that we discuss in class have direct bearing on our personal philosophies and our daily lives. And reciprocally, current events inform and update our in –class discussions. So bring in any material you find relevant to the course or the blog, and use the analytical skills you develop in this class wherever you go.

- Don’t be afraid to re-evaluate your values, or express them.

- Notice who is in the course and who is not. What voices are missing from this course, whether in person, text, or performance?

Disembodied Learning: What is the point of the blog?

So, if a main aspect of this section is going to focus on how bodies are read, created, and constructed by society, what does it mean that part of our learning process take place in a space where bodies can’t be seen? Well, it is as important to understand how bodies are understood when they are seen as when they are not seen. The personas you enact on the blog may not necessarily be how you act in the class- a shy person may feel more comfortable contributing on the blog than in section, a person with more internet savy may post videos, pictures, and links. The blog space should complement and add to our discussions. After each class I would like to spend the last few minutes brainstorming “Questions to Go”- meaning concepts that are still unclear to you, a comment that did not get addressed, or a quote from a text/ picture that you would like to explore in the next class. We will choose one and post it on the blog for people to begin answering before the next section. In this sense, we will come into each discussion section with an entry point to build off of.

It is imperative that we all check the blog regularly, because:

YOU MUST POST YOUR PAPERS AND ASSIGNMENTS ON THE BLOG. This means that you shouldn’t put anything in your paper that you consider too personal to be made public. Your assignment will not be graded until it has been posted.
Knowing how to incorporate technology into learning and learning into technology is a must.
It is a space for us to keep our discussions going and post announcements.

CONTACT:
Please feel free to contact Maren at mabcummings@gmail.com or Maria at maria.i.velazquez@gmail.com. We are not holding set office hours, so please contact us to schedule meeting times. One or both of us will be available between the discussion section and the class lecture (between 1:30-1:50pm) as well.

Announcements:

If you didn’t get enough of the museum madness this past week, keep going! There is an amazing exhibit on Hip Hop at the National Portrait Gallery. Entitled, “Recognize” this exhibit on Hip Hop and contemporary portraiture archives some of the The exhibit runs until October 26, 2008. FREE!
Our very own David C. Driskell Center for the Study of the Visual Arts and Culture of African Americans (located in the Cole Student Activities Building) is hosting a conference on African American Art history. March 7 & 8, 2008. For more information click here.