In the Spring of 2010, I rounded out my Psychology minor with the course, Psychology of Women. I recently came across old notes from the class and couldn't get myself to throw them away because some of the discussion points that came up were so intriguing. By documenting the concepts we discussed, I hope to continue developing new ideas regarding the relationship of woman within the world we knew, know, and will come to know.
-"Gender Doing": how we express and perceive our gender to and in others. Ex. A male with long hair is encouraged to cut his hair to meet his male stereotype.
-"Feminism": the belief system that values the experiences of women and argues for social, economical, and politically equality of men and women.
*Radical Feminists are often the image that comes to mind when feminism comes up, however by definition, anyone who believes men and women should be treated equally is a feminist. Feminism does not support women becoming superior to men.
*Two types of feminism are 'liberal' and 'cultural'. Liberal feminism focuses on equality for women, while cultural feminism emphasizes the unique qualities of women and the importance of these traits in society. Cultural feminism says that you're silly not to acknowledge the difference between men and women however neither sex should be viewed as inferior.
-August 26, 1920 the US Constitution was changed, granting women the right to vote.
-Men are more willing/eager in choosing a sexual partner while women are more selective of who they wish to procreate with. Biologists attribute this to men wanting to pass on their genes to continue their linage by have as many offspring as possible, however women (recognizing the limitations of the number of children they will bare) are focused on finding superior genetics, not just any guy. Taking this idea into consideration, do women not hold more authority than men due to our ability/power to select what genes will be passed on? Men need to impress to be one of the chosen ones. :)
-Stereotypes of women in the media: commercials about household cleaners are targeted towards women to help them clean up the mess made by their husbands and kids, models/actresses are pressured to be thin which sends messages to women viewers.
-"Our stereotypes are deeply ingrained in our thinking and are passed from generation to generation. It will take introspection and conscious effort for us to change these stereotypes. Only by analyzing our own beliefs, ideas and culture will our society be able to understand our inequalities. It is difficult to question what we know, but it is ultimately valuable." (Coryat, 2006)
-Media portrays the "ideal woman" as one who is young, thin, sexual, subservient. Women use this portrayal to judge what they should look like, while men use this to judge what to look for. The ideal image shown of both men and women are unrealistic expectations for one's self as well as for one's spouse to maintain. Society is shown that physical appearance directly reflects a person's social status.
-Catch 22: Women see that skinny is what is valued. Some struggle to meet the stereotype (lose unhealthy amount of weight, never satisfied with realistic weight, poor self-esteem) while other struggle to resist the stereotype (keep weight on, binge eating, hopelessness/avoidance). Both ways often has negative consequences.
-Is it discriminating/prejudice to hold women to the same physical standard in jobs that require a certain level of fitness? Ex. Should female firefighters have to be able to carry the same amount of weight as her male coworkers to serve?
*Men physically have more muscle mass and generally more body strength biologically, so that shouldn't be held against women. Yet could a woman not being held to the same physical standard compromise the safety and effectiveness of the job at hand?
-Women are objectivity in our society which makes it dangerous for women to maintain open, active body extension. Basically, women live with the threat of invasion to her body space so women enclose the space by rolling their shoulders, lowering their chest, averting eye contact, etc. Women who do not close their personal space are seen as promiscuous and at fault should she be sexually violated. There is a strong assumption made about a person's personality based off of the way they carry themself and physical appearance.
-Why do you need to know the sex of a child before they are born?
*To prepare for the gender of child that you will be welcoming....picking out a name, decorating the room, buying clothes
*Pressure from others to find out.
-Raising a child in a "non-traditional" home that attempts to avoid gender stereotyping can set the child up for future issues of being unable to relate to viewpoint of peers, bullying, etc. There is value in our society for a "communal expereince" where we are excepted for sticking with the group rather than for going against the grain. However raising a child with gender stereotypes can cause long-term problems (ex. daughter is less independent than she otherwise could have been, or a man has high blood pressure because he was taught not to handle emotion.)
-Children gender type other children in 4 ways:
*They reject children who do not follow gender stereotypes
*They encourage gender segregation (kids are sensitive to sharing bathrooms, playing with the opposite sex, etc.
*They treat boys and girls differently (ex. boys don't hit girls....)
*They are prejudice against other gendered children.
-Despite parental attempts to limit gender typing, children are flooded with ideas of what makes you a boy/girl from family, friends, toys, television, internet, stores, etc. Look around the house.
-Sex is definitive based off of a individual's reproductive organs (men=penis, women=uterus) while gender is subjective.
-Get excited to expereince an average of 450 menstrual cycles in your lifetime if you're a woman....
-PMS: physical symptoms associated prior to menstruation, including bloating, breast tenderness, acne, etc. Emotional symptoms generally associated such as irritability, can not be systematically be measured. They can just be the reaction the the physical symptoms rather than being symptoms themselves.
*Legitimate feelings of frustration/disappointment/anger during a situation when expressed to another person (particularly men) are often blamed in the physical process of menstruation. Feelings are not validated because they are blamed on a condition rather than honest feelings.
-Physical development in children produces a bell curve; some are early and some are late. People hope to be in the middle of the pack to avoid ridicule for not being like the norm.
-Only 5% of women have a 28-day, regular cycle yet it is considered the norm/standard.
-Higher fat intake is associated with earlier menstruation, explaining why American girls begin their periods early than girls in other nations and continue to start at earlier and earlier ages.
-There are still arguments made that men have larger, denser brains that contribute to them being smarter and more superior. Problem with this belief is that larger woman would match if not exceed the intelligence of a smaller man, and how do you explain the current ratios of men to women in universities?
-Studies have shown that women are better with memory tasks and writing capability, have a larger vocabulary, and greater intrinsic motivation (desire to work for personal satisfaction rather than for reward or praise). Men have been shown to have greater internal processing, seek less comfort in others, and have increased spacial abilities, generally attributed to being given blocks, video games, etc as children. The debate remains whether cognitive abilities are related to biological differences or social differences.
*Girls/women are encouraged to talk more, be openly emotional, and nurturing. Boys/men are often told to hold back emotions and avoid being "girlie."
*Research shows that while boys get better math scores on standardize tests (SAT), girls get better grades in math class. Do girls freeze under pressure and lack confidence in math abilities?
*Girls and boys are encouraged to watch/learn their gender role from the parent that matches their sex. However, what about children raised with only a single parent influence? Is gender roles learned from other components in society or are they innate? Mirror Neurons are neurons that enable us to watch someone complete a task and then commit the action into our memory without us even knowing it.
*Women's accomplishes are commonly associated with effort rather than ability (ex- she's good at math because she studied a lot rather than she's mathematically inclined) while men's accomplishments are more often attributed to natural ability.
*Men tend to report more self-confidence than women. One theory is that men are less disciplined for their impulsivity as children because society expects boys to be more wild and girls to be more proper/reserved. The difference in discipline leads to men being more impulsive in the workplace and exude more outward confidence, helping them move up to leadership positions sooner than women.
-"Decoding Ability": ability to look at another person's nonverbal communication and accurately label their emotion. Women tend to be better decoders. Analysis suggests that decoding ability is a trait of those of lower status because they pay closer attention to assess and recognize the need of the superiors quickly. However, is this ability not a skill and strengthen?
-Studies show that people (both men and women) say they would rather work for a man rather than a woman. People tend to not respond as well to power-oriented female leaders or women who claim expertise in traditionally masculine topics. Perhaps this phenomenon exists because men feel inferior/emasculated with a female boss, and women feel more comfortable with traditional social order, such as a male leader?
-Men put more of an emphasis on physical appearance when considering their future spouse, while women focus on personality and intelligence. Studies suggest that, biologically, men are focused on finding a mate that can bear their children therefore a young, healthy, attractive woman is most appealing. Women are looking for a mate that can care for her and her children therefore financial stability, physical strength, and commitment are the primary concern.
-When a marriage between a man and woman fails, public opinion is generally harder on the female partner despite the circumstances surrounding the divorce. There's still an underlying idea that the woman did not do what the marriage needed to save it. (Ex: a husband cheats and the opinion is that his wife probably drove him away with her nagging.)
-In scientific fields, men are shown to be more aggressive, self-promoting and achieve higher visibility while women are more broad-minded, cautious, apt to create their own area of research, and pay more attention to detail.
-US women earn $.76 for every dollar that US men earn (National Committee on Equity).
*Don't forget the powerpoint and outline you have on this topis!
-Although women are joining the US work force more and more each year the number of men leaving the workplace to stay at home is far from meeting that number. Women have more opportunities for a career however the primary responsibility of childcare and managing the household has been shown to still primarily rest of the woman's shoulders (70-30). Women can have a career but they need to maintain the tasks they had to do before being given that privilege, while men continue to take on less than half of household tasks. Can women handle it all? Or are/will there be long term effects, such as increased heart disease related to chronic stress and fatigue?
-Studies show that a majority of women do not have anger/resentment towards their spouses
who do not equally contribute to housework. However, women that have equal help indicated that they are happier.
-A research study in our psych book suggested that men have more sexual desire and think about sex more frequently because their genital is stimulated more often due to their penis being an appendage rather than an orifice....
-Virginity in men and eventually older woman is often given a negative response. Peers pressure each other into sex and the benefits of virginity are often viewed as minimally important. Benefits of virgins in society include less transmission of disease, greater population control, lower rates of state and federal social needs (higher marriage success rates, etc.
-When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the egg is actually much more active in the selection process than it is often given credit for. The egg has been shown to reach out and put a sperm inward, leading to fertilization. Men are often proud of their sperm and agency is given to men in achieving fertilization.
-Consider the difference between these two close, but very different, phrases...."I got her pregnant" vs "we got pregnant." The first suggests that something was done to the female while the second recognizes both partners as collaborating factors.
-Talking about sex and parenthood does not result in sex and pregnancy.
-Most swear words hold alternative definitions related to women/are female in origin. We call people bitch, douchebag, etc which is indirectly supporting a lower standard for females. Calling someone a condom isn't an insult...
-Menstruation is given alot of crap however it has been shown to lower cholesterol and maybe one of the reasons that women live longer. After menopause, cholesterol goes up which supports research that indicated women that hit menopause early are at a greater risk for heart disease.
-Men that donate blood have shown lower cholesterol levels.
-Married men have been shown to live longer than single men. One theory is that men with wives are encouraged to go to the doctor more frequently and maintain a healthier lifestyle thanks to their wife!
-Male and Female Circumcision:
*If a boy received the equivalent to female circumcision, his entire penis would be removed and parts of his scrotum rather than just the foreskin.
*Cultures that have female circumcision tend to support and even encourage the practice. It is seen as a ritual that joins you with the community and brings you into womanhood. This idea is very similar to cultures that practice late-age male circumcision.
*The argument that justifies male circumcision is that without the foreskin, rates of infection are decreased. However, is this medical procedure done to preemptively? Why don't we remove the foreskin after a child has repeated infections rather than before hand? The argument to have surgery and remove part of the body to prevent a possible medical condition in another situation would be rejected (ex-remove a breasts as a teenager because of the risk of developing breast cancer in the future.) Is the reason our society accepts male circumcision really societal and cultural driven? And if the answer is yes, is the procedure acceptable with these influences?
-Rates of depression are higher in women, but why? Are women simply diagnosed more and no real difference exists? Is there a biological association with two X chromosomes and depression? Studies suggest that perhaps menstration is a cause since rates of depression lower after menopause. Do social factors contribute, such as general discrimination, violence and abuse, work and household conflicts, etc. which are generally issues that effect women more than men?
*Joining the job force has been shown to decrease depression in women, however as women struggling to maintain both a career and household, are women now increasing in depression due to the amount of pressure placed on them? Are we heading in that direction? Perhaps it's anxiety and/or panic disorders that are on the rise rather than depression.
-Weight discrimination is often overlooked and a form of discrimination that is still not represented in public laws and work agreements. Judging a person who is overweight is often seen as okay because the person did it to themselves, similar to an alcohol. It's a difficult to gain public acceptance and see the underlying issues that cause people to over eat.
-Should there be gender restrictions on professor's that teach gender studies? Ex. Should a woman teach psychology of women?
-Age discrimination is increasing in the United States. Relatives live further away from each and families are having children later, reducing childrens' interactions with their grandparents.
-20s-30s are considered a woman's "golden years" for appearance, while men tend to become more distinguished as they age. Gray hair in men is a sign of power while woman it's a flaw that must be covered.
-When a man leaves from a younger woman, it reinforces the stereotype that age is negative. Woman blames herself for not maintaining her beauty and the man is supported by media, society, etc. that his decision was only natural.
-When a woman goes for a younger man, she is considered a "cougar" and receives much more criticism than men who date younger women.
-Women who have lived through the Women's Rights Movement have seen a huge shift. What they grew up knowing (a woman is to be a mother and wife, not a student, worker, voter, etc) has now been voiced as immoral and oppressive. Older women encourage younger women to take advantage of the new opportunities avaliable however maintain the traditional role of a woman for themselves. If they acknowledge modern feminism fully, how could they not become resentful at their husbands and those who oppressed them before the Movement? It's hard to see your spouse as a bad guy and justify that men were going with the pressures of society, however when it comes down to it many freedoms where taken from women and still are.
-Just girls have a landmark event that defines when they become a woman (first period), menopause is another landmark that defines when a woman is entering her senior years. We go so fast through life and rarely reflect, however menopause is an event that stops us for even just a second to think about our past. How do men in our cultural determine when they jump stages?
-Women statistical live longer than men and have a higher likelihood of outliving their spouse. It's essential that women have a strong personal identify and can support themselves emotionally, financially, socially, etc. because one day the person they are dependent on is not going to be there.
-When a crime is committed against someone, there is a sense of control and safety that is taken from the individual. In attempts to regain sense of control, the individual(s) put blame on themselves and obsess over their feelings because that's often all that they can control.
-When looking that the world's population of men, only a small percentage abuse women however often women have a fear of all unknown men. Do men get frustrated that they are often accused of being a bad guy, and are they frustrated when they have to "protect" their female friends by walking this somewhere, etc? All men might not partake in perversion, but do they go out of their way to help prevent it from continuing? Is it seen as a woman's problem and do guys hold each other accountable? Men often encourage one another to "get it in" and brag about their sexual experiences. Is this a form of sexual abuse?
-It's estimated that 20-30%of women in the US have experienced sexual abuse by the age of 18.
-Can a woman be "asking to be sexually assaulted" through her behavior? A woman has the right to be sexy and say no to sex. There is no causation between the two. Being sexy does not have to lead to sex, just as being angry doesn't have to lead to a fight.You're entitled to feeling and behaviors, separate from your actions and response.
-When rape is viewed as a crime of passion rather than a crime of violence (ex. the man lost control and just couldn't stop himself) it takes away accountability from the abuser and pushes it on to the abused. If a man knows that he has low self-control than he is responsible for avoiding situations that are temptations. It's not the woman's fault.
-When women commit a crime against their abuser (ex. A woman kills her husband after years of domestic abuse) should she be held to the same standard as a person that kills for other reasons, such as anger, etc?
-Women have many more precautions that you have to take to follow in order to maintain personal safety from perpetrators (you have to walk in groups, not dress to sexy, etc...). Men do not have to worry about personal safety nearly as much and can't fully understand the fear women have become accustom to. Women are often considered over cautious and chickens, yet if a woman chooses not to follow the precautions she is often blamed for any actions taken against her.
Further Questions:
1. How does a child's birth rank and number of siblings impact their gender stereotyping? Does a younger child have strong stereotypes because they have a sibling to observe and learn from?
2. Is there a higher ratio of women in college than men because women hold a greater appreciation for the learning opportunities that they were once denied? Do men take for granted a privilege they have held longer than women? Do more women vote than men? Do more African Americans vote that their White counterparts?
3. Do women in traditionally female professions feel less accomplished for choosing a gender stereotyped career, such as nursing, teaching, clerical, and service jobs? Women who choose to stay at home, are they supporting gender discrimination?
-"Gender Doing": how we express and perceive our gender to and in others. Ex. A male with long hair is encouraged to cut his hair to meet his male stereotype.
-"Feminism": the belief system that values the experiences of women and argues for social, economical, and politically equality of men and women.
*Radical Feminists are often the image that comes to mind when feminism comes up, however by definition, anyone who believes men and women should be treated equally is a feminist. Feminism does not support women becoming superior to men.
*Two types of feminism are 'liberal' and 'cultural'. Liberal feminism focuses on equality for women, while cultural feminism emphasizes the unique qualities of women and the importance of these traits in society. Cultural feminism says that you're silly not to acknowledge the difference between men and women however neither sex should be viewed as inferior.
-August 26, 1920 the US Constitution was changed, granting women the right to vote.
-Men are more willing/eager in choosing a sexual partner while women are more selective of who they wish to procreate with. Biologists attribute this to men wanting to pass on their genes to continue their linage by have as many offspring as possible, however women (recognizing the limitations of the number of children they will bare) are focused on finding superior genetics, not just any guy. Taking this idea into consideration, do women not hold more authority than men due to our ability/power to select what genes will be passed on? Men need to impress to be one of the chosen ones. :)
-Stereotypes of women in the media: commercials about household cleaners are targeted towards women to help them clean up the mess made by their husbands and kids, models/actresses are pressured to be thin which sends messages to women viewers.
-"Our stereotypes are deeply ingrained in our thinking and are passed from generation to generation. It will take introspection and conscious effort for us to change these stereotypes. Only by analyzing our own beliefs, ideas and culture will our society be able to understand our inequalities. It is difficult to question what we know, but it is ultimately valuable." (Coryat, 2006)
-Media portrays the "ideal woman" as one who is young, thin, sexual, subservient. Women use this portrayal to judge what they should look like, while men use this to judge what to look for. The ideal image shown of both men and women are unrealistic expectations for one's self as well as for one's spouse to maintain. Society is shown that physical appearance directly reflects a person's social status.
-Catch 22: Women see that skinny is what is valued. Some struggle to meet the stereotype (lose unhealthy amount of weight, never satisfied with realistic weight, poor self-esteem) while other struggle to resist the stereotype (keep weight on, binge eating, hopelessness/avoidance). Both ways often has negative consequences.
-Is it discriminating/prejudice to hold women to the same physical standard in jobs that require a certain level of fitness? Ex. Should female firefighters have to be able to carry the same amount of weight as her male coworkers to serve?
*Men physically have more muscle mass and generally more body strength biologically, so that shouldn't be held against women. Yet could a woman not being held to the same physical standard compromise the safety and effectiveness of the job at hand?
-Women are objectivity in our society which makes it dangerous for women to maintain open, active body extension. Basically, women live with the threat of invasion to her body space so women enclose the space by rolling their shoulders, lowering their chest, averting eye contact, etc. Women who do not close their personal space are seen as promiscuous and at fault should she be sexually violated. There is a strong assumption made about a person's personality based off of the way they carry themself and physical appearance.
-Why do you need to know the sex of a child before they are born?
*To prepare for the gender of child that you will be welcoming....picking out a name, decorating the room, buying clothes
*Pressure from others to find out.
-Raising a child in a "non-traditional" home that attempts to avoid gender stereotyping can set the child up for future issues of being unable to relate to viewpoint of peers, bullying, etc. There is value in our society for a "communal expereince" where we are excepted for sticking with the group rather than for going against the grain. However raising a child with gender stereotypes can cause long-term problems (ex. daughter is less independent than she otherwise could have been, or a man has high blood pressure because he was taught not to handle emotion.)
-Children gender type other children in 4 ways:
*They reject children who do not follow gender stereotypes
*They encourage gender segregation (kids are sensitive to sharing bathrooms, playing with the opposite sex, etc.
*They treat boys and girls differently (ex. boys don't hit girls....)
*They are prejudice against other gendered children.
-Despite parental attempts to limit gender typing, children are flooded with ideas of what makes you a boy/girl from family, friends, toys, television, internet, stores, etc. Look around the house.
-Sex is definitive based off of a individual's reproductive organs (men=penis, women=uterus) while gender is subjective.
-Get excited to expereince an average of 450 menstrual cycles in your lifetime if you're a woman....
-PMS: physical symptoms associated prior to menstruation, including bloating, breast tenderness, acne, etc. Emotional symptoms generally associated such as irritability, can not be systematically be measured. They can just be the reaction the the physical symptoms rather than being symptoms themselves.
*Legitimate feelings of frustration/disappointment/anger during a situation when expressed to another person (particularly men) are often blamed in the physical process of menstruation. Feelings are not validated because they are blamed on a condition rather than honest feelings.
-Physical development in children produces a bell curve; some are early and some are late. People hope to be in the middle of the pack to avoid ridicule for not being like the norm.
-Only 5% of women have a 28-day, regular cycle yet it is considered the norm/standard.
-Higher fat intake is associated with earlier menstruation, explaining why American girls begin their periods early than girls in other nations and continue to start at earlier and earlier ages.
-There are still arguments made that men have larger, denser brains that contribute to them being smarter and more superior. Problem with this belief is that larger woman would match if not exceed the intelligence of a smaller man, and how do you explain the current ratios of men to women in universities?
-Studies have shown that women are better with memory tasks and writing capability, have a larger vocabulary, and greater intrinsic motivation (desire to work for personal satisfaction rather than for reward or praise). Men have been shown to have greater internal processing, seek less comfort in others, and have increased spacial abilities, generally attributed to being given blocks, video games, etc as children. The debate remains whether cognitive abilities are related to biological differences or social differences.
*Girls/women are encouraged to talk more, be openly emotional, and nurturing. Boys/men are often told to hold back emotions and avoid being "girlie."
*Research shows that while boys get better math scores on standardize tests (SAT), girls get better grades in math class. Do girls freeze under pressure and lack confidence in math abilities?
*Girls and boys are encouraged to watch/learn their gender role from the parent that matches their sex. However, what about children raised with only a single parent influence? Is gender roles learned from other components in society or are they innate? Mirror Neurons are neurons that enable us to watch someone complete a task and then commit the action into our memory without us even knowing it.
*Women's accomplishes are commonly associated with effort rather than ability (ex- she's good at math because she studied a lot rather than she's mathematically inclined) while men's accomplishments are more often attributed to natural ability.
*Men tend to report more self-confidence than women. One theory is that men are less disciplined for their impulsivity as children because society expects boys to be more wild and girls to be more proper/reserved. The difference in discipline leads to men being more impulsive in the workplace and exude more outward confidence, helping them move up to leadership positions sooner than women.
-"Decoding Ability": ability to look at another person's nonverbal communication and accurately label their emotion. Women tend to be better decoders. Analysis suggests that decoding ability is a trait of those of lower status because they pay closer attention to assess and recognize the need of the superiors quickly. However, is this ability not a skill and strengthen?
-Studies show that people (both men and women) say they would rather work for a man rather than a woman. People tend to not respond as well to power-oriented female leaders or women who claim expertise in traditionally masculine topics. Perhaps this phenomenon exists because men feel inferior/emasculated with a female boss, and women feel more comfortable with traditional social order, such as a male leader?
-Men put more of an emphasis on physical appearance when considering their future spouse, while women focus on personality and intelligence. Studies suggest that, biologically, men are focused on finding a mate that can bear their children therefore a young, healthy, attractive woman is most appealing. Women are looking for a mate that can care for her and her children therefore financial stability, physical strength, and commitment are the primary concern.
-When a marriage between a man and woman fails, public opinion is generally harder on the female partner despite the circumstances surrounding the divorce. There's still an underlying idea that the woman did not do what the marriage needed to save it. (Ex: a husband cheats and the opinion is that his wife probably drove him away with her nagging.)
-In scientific fields, men are shown to be more aggressive, self-promoting and achieve higher visibility while women are more broad-minded, cautious, apt to create their own area of research, and pay more attention to detail.
-US women earn $.76 for every dollar that US men earn (National Committee on Equity).
*Don't forget the powerpoint and outline you have on this topis!
-Although women are joining the US work force more and more each year the number of men leaving the workplace to stay at home is far from meeting that number. Women have more opportunities for a career however the primary responsibility of childcare and managing the household has been shown to still primarily rest of the woman's shoulders (70-30). Women can have a career but they need to maintain the tasks they had to do before being given that privilege, while men continue to take on less than half of household tasks. Can women handle it all? Or are/will there be long term effects, such as increased heart disease related to chronic stress and fatigue?
-Studies show that a majority of women do not have anger/resentment towards their spouses
who do not equally contribute to housework. However, women that have equal help indicated that they are happier.
-A research study in our psych book suggested that men have more sexual desire and think about sex more frequently because their genital is stimulated more often due to their penis being an appendage rather than an orifice....
-Virginity in men and eventually older woman is often given a negative response. Peers pressure each other into sex and the benefits of virginity are often viewed as minimally important. Benefits of virgins in society include less transmission of disease, greater population control, lower rates of state and federal social needs (higher marriage success rates, etc.
-When a sperm fertilizes an egg, the egg is actually much more active in the selection process than it is often given credit for. The egg has been shown to reach out and put a sperm inward, leading to fertilization. Men are often proud of their sperm and agency is given to men in achieving fertilization.
-Consider the difference between these two close, but very different, phrases...."I got her pregnant" vs "we got pregnant." The first suggests that something was done to the female while the second recognizes both partners as collaborating factors.
-Talking about sex and parenthood does not result in sex and pregnancy.
-Most swear words hold alternative definitions related to women/are female in origin. We call people bitch, douchebag, etc which is indirectly supporting a lower standard for females. Calling someone a condom isn't an insult...
-Menstruation is given alot of crap however it has been shown to lower cholesterol and maybe one of the reasons that women live longer. After menopause, cholesterol goes up which supports research that indicated women that hit menopause early are at a greater risk for heart disease.
-Men that donate blood have shown lower cholesterol levels.
-Married men have been shown to live longer than single men. One theory is that men with wives are encouraged to go to the doctor more frequently and maintain a healthier lifestyle thanks to their wife!
-Male and Female Circumcision:
*If a boy received the equivalent to female circumcision, his entire penis would be removed and parts of his scrotum rather than just the foreskin.
*Cultures that have female circumcision tend to support and even encourage the practice. It is seen as a ritual that joins you with the community and brings you into womanhood. This idea is very similar to cultures that practice late-age male circumcision.
*The argument that justifies male circumcision is that without the foreskin, rates of infection are decreased. However, is this medical procedure done to preemptively? Why don't we remove the foreskin after a child has repeated infections rather than before hand? The argument to have surgery and remove part of the body to prevent a possible medical condition in another situation would be rejected (ex-remove a breasts as a teenager because of the risk of developing breast cancer in the future.) Is the reason our society accepts male circumcision really societal and cultural driven? And if the answer is yes, is the procedure acceptable with these influences?
-Rates of depression are higher in women, but why? Are women simply diagnosed more and no real difference exists? Is there a biological association with two X chromosomes and depression? Studies suggest that perhaps menstration is a cause since rates of depression lower after menopause. Do social factors contribute, such as general discrimination, violence and abuse, work and household conflicts, etc. which are generally issues that effect women more than men?
*Joining the job force has been shown to decrease depression in women, however as women struggling to maintain both a career and household, are women now increasing in depression due to the amount of pressure placed on them? Are we heading in that direction? Perhaps it's anxiety and/or panic disorders that are on the rise rather than depression.
-Weight discrimination is often overlooked and a form of discrimination that is still not represented in public laws and work agreements. Judging a person who is overweight is often seen as okay because the person did it to themselves, similar to an alcohol. It's a difficult to gain public acceptance and see the underlying issues that cause people to over eat.
-Should there be gender restrictions on professor's that teach gender studies? Ex. Should a woman teach psychology of women?
-Age discrimination is increasing in the United States. Relatives live further away from each and families are having children later, reducing childrens' interactions with their grandparents.
-20s-30s are considered a woman's "golden years" for appearance, while men tend to become more distinguished as they age. Gray hair in men is a sign of power while woman it's a flaw that must be covered.
-When a man leaves from a younger woman, it reinforces the stereotype that age is negative. Woman blames herself for not maintaining her beauty and the man is supported by media, society, etc. that his decision was only natural.
-When a woman goes for a younger man, she is considered a "cougar" and receives much more criticism than men who date younger women.
-Women who have lived through the Women's Rights Movement have seen a huge shift. What they grew up knowing (a woman is to be a mother and wife, not a student, worker, voter, etc) has now been voiced as immoral and oppressive. Older women encourage younger women to take advantage of the new opportunities avaliable however maintain the traditional role of a woman for themselves. If they acknowledge modern feminism fully, how could they not become resentful at their husbands and those who oppressed them before the Movement? It's hard to see your spouse as a bad guy and justify that men were going with the pressures of society, however when it comes down to it many freedoms where taken from women and still are.
-Just girls have a landmark event that defines when they become a woman (first period), menopause is another landmark that defines when a woman is entering her senior years. We go so fast through life and rarely reflect, however menopause is an event that stops us for even just a second to think about our past. How do men in our cultural determine when they jump stages?
-Women statistical live longer than men and have a higher likelihood of outliving their spouse. It's essential that women have a strong personal identify and can support themselves emotionally, financially, socially, etc. because one day the person they are dependent on is not going to be there.
-When a crime is committed against someone, there is a sense of control and safety that is taken from the individual. In attempts to regain sense of control, the individual(s) put blame on themselves and obsess over their feelings because that's often all that they can control.
-When looking that the world's population of men, only a small percentage abuse women however often women have a fear of all unknown men. Do men get frustrated that they are often accused of being a bad guy, and are they frustrated when they have to "protect" their female friends by walking this somewhere, etc? All men might not partake in perversion, but do they go out of their way to help prevent it from continuing? Is it seen as a woman's problem and do guys hold each other accountable? Men often encourage one another to "get it in" and brag about their sexual experiences. Is this a form of sexual abuse?
-It's estimated that 20-30%of women in the US have experienced sexual abuse by the age of 18.
-Can a woman be "asking to be sexually assaulted" through her behavior? A woman has the right to be sexy and say no to sex. There is no causation between the two. Being sexy does not have to lead to sex, just as being angry doesn't have to lead to a fight.You're entitled to feeling and behaviors, separate from your actions and response.
-When rape is viewed as a crime of passion rather than a crime of violence (ex. the man lost control and just couldn't stop himself) it takes away accountability from the abuser and pushes it on to the abused. If a man knows that he has low self-control than he is responsible for avoiding situations that are temptations. It's not the woman's fault.
-When women commit a crime against their abuser (ex. A woman kills her husband after years of domestic abuse) should she be held to the same standard as a person that kills for other reasons, such as anger, etc?
-Women have many more precautions that you have to take to follow in order to maintain personal safety from perpetrators (you have to walk in groups, not dress to sexy, etc...). Men do not have to worry about personal safety nearly as much and can't fully understand the fear women have become accustom to. Women are often considered over cautious and chickens, yet if a woman chooses not to follow the precautions she is often blamed for any actions taken against her.
Further Questions:
1. How does a child's birth rank and number of siblings impact their gender stereotyping? Does a younger child have strong stereotypes because they have a sibling to observe and learn from?
2. Is there a higher ratio of women in college than men because women hold a greater appreciation for the learning opportunities that they were once denied? Do men take for granted a privilege they have held longer than women? Do more women vote than men? Do more African Americans vote that their White counterparts?
3. Do women in traditionally female professions feel less accomplished for choosing a gender stereotyped career, such as nursing, teaching, clerical, and service jobs? Women who choose to stay at home, are they supporting gender discrimination?
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