carlygwsblogger-blog

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THE LAST BLOG! (week 16)

For my vey last blog, I am going to focus on happiness. I feel as though my last couple posts have been a little dark.

In honor of finishing Powell’s novel this week, I’m going to focus on the very last few pages of his book. Overall, I really enjoyed his story. As we know, Powell has gone through many adversities in his life. What I loved about the last few pages though was that he focused on how his negatives made him who he is today. This can related to Shameless in many ways. We know that the Ghallager’s are far from perfect, but that’s okay. Sometimes, we need things in our lives to happen so that we can learn from them. For example, when Fiona almost killed her own brother, Liam, with cocaine, she learned from it. Though she had to deal with some really hard times with the situation, she learned. And that is really what matters. We begin to notice that Fiona stopped acting crazy with the drugs and grew up a little bit, which improved her overall happiness. Similar to Powell, he mentions at the end of the book how he is now completely alcohol free. This made me really happy for him when I read that. He would seek alcohol when his life was going downhill, but this did not make matters any better. Alcohol actually ruined him completely, so to hear that he finally got past his addiction made me proud of him.

I’m sure all of us can relate to Powell and Fiona, too. Though maybe our lives have or haven’t been as traumatic as some parts in their lives, I’m sure most of us can share and relate to similar stories. So I just want to remind everybody that yes, life gets very very hard, trust me. I’m sure you all already know that. But, we sometimes need negatives in life to help find ourselves. Powell mentioned how he's completely changed from what he was just a year or two ago. So has Fiona. We all need times that may not be so pleasant to us so that we can grow, mature, and learn from them. So next time you're in a really bad or sticky situation, remember that it’s TRULY only going to make you stronger once you get past it. You all can do this. Believe in yourselves. :) 

(Thanks everyone whose been reading all my blogs! Signing off now!) 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I love this. You made a great comparison between Powell’s novel and Grey’s Anatomy. Like you said, suicide is a huge, devastating, problem. We all need to be more supportive of one another, so that we can be supportive of ourselves. I have yet to watch the episode of Grey’s, but that sounds completely devastating. That the two would rather be dead because of the lack of support they got from their own parents. It’s the little things that add up and eventually lead to depression, and like you said, suicide. When Powell mentioned multiple times in the novel that he was unhappy with his life and wanted it to end, it crushed me. No one should have to feel that way. Especially, no on should have to end their life because of how they feel. 

           In this week’s reading of Kevin Powell’s memoir, “A Boy’s Journey into Manhood”, Powell describes a time in his life when he had thoughts of suicide. Suicide is one of the leading causes of death for people ages 15 to 64 in the United States. A lot of people do not understand it. It can happen because of multiple reasons that no one outside of the person who is feeling suicidal even knows about. In Grey’s Anatomy’s season 12 premiere, the show emphasizes how suicide is possible for people at a young age. This episode shows the aftermath of two teenage girls, who love each other, who jumped in front of a moving train. The girls explain that they jumped because they were being constantly bullied and their parents threatened to transfer them to a Christian reform school. One of the girl’s mothers was going to force her daughter to go to a camp in order to “wipe out her lesbian ways.” The mother would rather have her child be miserable and the way that she wants her, than for her daughter to be happy and to be herself. They could not imagine not being together. The girls would have rather been dead than never see each other again. The bullies and their parents did not realize that what they were saying was having such a major effect on the girls. This allows the viewers to understand that anything they say to someone can affect them in a way they do not understand. Society needs to learn that suicide is very prevalent and that someone may be going through a hard time that you might know nothing about. Everyone should be treated with kindness. Being in love and happy with who you are is the most important. No one should be ridiculed for that.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I really like your analysis of this episode. I have already watched OITNB, and it’s one of my favorite series on Netflix. It addresses problems that we all need to witness. Though the show can be terrible at times, I think the directors purpose of incorporating all this hate in prison is to get viewers to be aware of what actually goes on in prison cells. Like you said, sexism, racism, police brutality, and hate crimes are all prevalent in prison cells. It’s a shame to have to see it, even though it’s just a show, it does happen, and it is hard to watch. This just calls for a change in the way humans are treated in cells. 

OITNB Season 4, Episode 11

I wasn’t ready for this episode. This episode contained scenes of racism, sexism, the perpetuation of gender roles, racist name calling, mental health awareness, police brutality, and you name it. It was packed full of scenes that left the viewer uncomfortable to say in the least.

Firstly, racism has obviously run rampant throughout the show in general. In this particular episode, the correctional officers have pitted the whites against the blacks in some ways. One guard has encouraged a fight for his own entertainment. The term “monkey bitch” was thrown at a woman of color too many times to count. The phrase “black retard” was used as well. This was especially hard for me to watch because I have taken a vow to not use the r word as I plan to work with special needs children.

Sexism and gender roles were addressed when Suzanne makes the comment that she “likes trucks” and a little boy says “but you’re a girl!” Suzanne replied with “girls can like trucks too!” It was interesting that this topic was addressed in such a short, but meaningful scene.

Police brutality is present in every episode so it came as no surprise when a guard pulled a chair out from under a sleeping inmate for no reason. The guards in this show are particularly cruel. I have hope that some decent guards exist in real prison systems.

Finally, mental health. Lolly was sent to the psych ward. From the short slip, I could tell it was an awful place. It was heartbreaking to see humans be treated like animals just because the rest of us don’t understand mental health disorders.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

This is actually really funny, because I literally just wrote my week 15 on how awesome Lip was for going to college after the adversities he's faced his entire life. But looking at it at a different approach, Lip totally is in guy land. I know that, you know that, we all know that. Ya, good for him for being smart and everything but it is really disappointing how he really doesn't care and doesn't take his intelligence for advantage. He kinda just fucks around and does stupid things, gets by in life, so exactly, your typical guy in “guyland.”Lip is great and all but I really want them to make a season where we see him get out of this and start to finally mature. I hope this happens soon! But awesome job, you brought up a great point! 

Gallagher in Guyland

Well, this week in class we started talking about what is known as “Guyland.” Guyland is basically when boys have to grow up, but they do not want to take on the responsibilities of a full adult because they see the next four years of college as the last to have the most amount of fun there is. This often includes a lot of drinking, not knowing what is next, hazing, pretty much anything avoiding adult responsibilities. 

So, this week I want to talk about a Gallagher in Guyland, Lip. As many of you may know Lip had his head on his shoulders to start. He is extremely smart, starting college on a scholarship, had an internship, and was a TA. Then it was like he lost his sense, did not know where he wanted to go, or what he truly wanted to do with his life. He put his college life on the line and began binge drinking. I mean he had always drank, but this was being taken to a whole other level. His family and friends had started comparing him to Frank! Now you know it has to be bad. 

Anyway here Lip is in Guyland, putting off responsibilities and actually getting kicked out of school. How could you just throw away a great opportunity like that. He just wanted to have fun without being a true adult. This actually happens to a lot of young males that attend college. As sad as it may sound, every family friend I know that has gone to college, had to drop out because of their never ending drinking, which led to bad grades. They did not realize that they had to actually do the work. Never-the-less, people will continue on saying, “Guys will be guys,” but let’s be real, they need to face their responsibilities just like everyone else. 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Love that you brought up a Kendrick song, considering he is LITERALLY one of my favorite artists and his new album DAMN. is incredible. Anyways, you brought up really great points here. A lot of rappers talk about dumb stuff, even though I love rap, objectifying women gets reallllly old. I love that Kendrick goes at a different approach. By writing about this song, you highlighted exactly this “different approach” that Kendrick aims to bring to his fans. This song is special and one of my favorites. Great point!

Alright by Kendrick Lamar

Kendrick has always been an activist with his music and has a huge amount of black pride. He has marched and protested with his brothers when times were rough in the community. His song alright and its key line from chorus “We gon’ be alright” have become an anthem when times are rough for many who struggle.

Lyric #1:

Wouldn’t you know We been hurt, been down before Nigga, when our pride was low Lookin’ at the world like, “Where do we go?”

Meaning:

Kendrick points out that the black community has faced trying times before and has its pride trampled on before. This is just another cause and we also have to get back uo from this. And in those times we didn’t know what was next and our future was a little shaky.

Lyric #2:

Nigga, and we hate po-po Wanna kill us dead in the street fo sho’ Nigga, I’m at the preacher’s door My knees gettin’ weak, and my gun might blow But we gon’ be alright

Meaning:

Kendrick and a lot of people because of all the violence and discrimination towards black people, do not like the police or po-po. He also calls out all the officers who have killed innocent people or who seem like they are driven for blood. He goes to the preacher to ask God for help in these troubling times. But at the end he has faith that we will endure.

Lyric # 3

What you want you: a house or a car? 40 acres and a mule? A piano, a guitar?

Meaning:

He recalls false promises in this verse. With mention of 40 acres and a mule he calls to mind the government’s promise to the slaves for when they were freed. In this song he points out all the evils around him and false promises are incentives for deeper motives.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Week 15- The (sexy) Lip Gallagher & Kevin P

We have been still reading a lot of Powell lately, and I wanted to really relate Powell’s journey in life to your very own, the one and only, Lip G.

Lip is hot, we all know that. Let’s move past it. So, Lip’s a pretty crazy and bad kid as we all know, but we also know that Lip is an absolute genius and can totally get somewhere with his crazy, intense, wild life. Remember how this past chapter in “The Education of Powell” we talked about how Powell has gone through some crazy shit? Like being homeless from being evicted from his apartment TWICE- to now living (currently in the book) in his dream place, New York City, basically as a writer. The place we left off in the book, he’s starting to become a little more known, as he begins to meet famous people. To relate this to Shameless, I thought Lip would be the most appropriate figure. Lip is at an amazing college, MIT, a very strategic college that most people do not get into. He’s obviously a kid that doesn't really care, gets by in life by sneaking around and getting away with things, and now look where he’s at. Just like that, MIT. 

I think Lip’s story in Shameless is definitely not as heart warming as Powell’s, since Shameless is a TV show anyhow and Powell’s story is real, but it’s still kind of cool to view and relate the two to one another. We all feel really low at one point of time in our lives, and go through things that we don't necessarily want to go through, but things that make us stronger in the end. With both of these young men, we see how tragic their lives have been leading up to the points they have made it to, and that’s an important message to send to it’s readers/viewers. That because we face adversities in our lives, that does not mean we just simply give up. I really love the novel by Powell and cannot wait to continue reading. It’s truly an inspiring story. As for Shameless, I’m excited to see season 7 since I have yet to do so and thrilled to see what Lip get’s himself into (I’m praying he finally starts to grow up and realizes his potential) (fingers crossed). But, anyhow, I just thought this would be an important and appropriate point to make for week 15. 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Week 14- Wuuuurkkk

In class, we've been focusing a lot on Kevin Powell’s novel. Out of everything we had read and watched, I can honestly say that Kevin Powell’s novel has been my favorite. It really sort of relates to the topic of choice that I've been exploring this semester, obviously being the tv series “Shameless.”

In this past chapter we read, pages 66-84, Powell talks a lot about how his mother and Aunt Cathy worked their asses off and could only always barely afford food and the rent for their crappy apartments. This honestly reminded me of shameless. Fiona is working all the damn time and can barely afford to support her family. What was even more ironic is when Kevin brought up himself working at an early age of like 8 or something. All of the Ghallager’s work: Ian, Debbie, Lip, and Carl (mostly illegal work) but... still. Like Powell, the kids help Fiona pay bills for rent, food, any pitch in any money they can for help. 

It’s a hard thing to have to read and watch to be honest. There are so many families who are literally living paycheck to paycheck because that is truly all they can do. It makes me sad, honestly. 

But, on the bright side, now Kevin Powell has written his own novel because he went to school and his mother pushed him to be the best he can be. And look at Lip, he's a fricken genius. Although he really didn't want to, he went to college to receive a degree that will further his education. I think education is also important, we need to keep kids in school and provide families better programs who are unable to send their kids to college because of the expense. Thats a growing issue in America because college tuition keeps going up and up every year. Sorry.. getting off topic now. Just needed to rant about college tuition for a second. 

But the point of this blog was just to kind of bring to awareness that people struggle with money every single day. Not being able to put your kid through good education because of expenses can effect your life forever, as we see with Kevin’s mom and Fiona. Something needs to change.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I love this! Such a great analysis. Beyonce is such a respected artist I think because of this. She sends such positive messages and that’s probably why everybody loves her. Now a days, we constantly hear the opposite, women only marrying for money and women being objectified through rap music especially and etc. It’s really nice to hear Beyonce’s music because she is such a powerful artist and has a strong voice that millions love and listen to. We honestly need more artists like her. I’m really glad you brought this point up. 

Beyoncé’s “Single Ladies,” is one of those songs that I remember first listening to in Jr. High School. Not only did it give us some of the most iconic dance moves of all time, but it also sort of became an anthem for women and men who decided that they were not going to settle for someone who wasn’t going to give them their all.  The repeating, and main line of the song is, “If you like it then you should’ve put a ring on it.” and it’s not just about someone wanting to be engaged.  It’s about the idea that you should never settle for someone who isn’t willing to give you everything they can.  Even more than that, I think it’s about being with someone who respects you and gives you what you deserve.  “Don’t treat me to these things of the world. I’m not that kind of girl. Your love is what I prefer, what I deserve. Here’s a man that makes me then takes me and delivers me to a destiny, to infinity and beyond” This is delivering a message that people shouldn’t just let the other person in the in relationship treat them as objects or trophies.  At least that’s not what Beyoncé wants for herself and that’s not what she stands for. She doesn’t simply want to be showered in gifts and luxuries and treated like a trophy wife.  She wants the person she is with the push her to be her best in life, and I also think that’s an important aspect of any relationship. Being with someone who respects you and who also believes and pushes you to be successful in what you want is an important part of a healthy relation and even developing self-confidence/happiness. Of course, the other message of the song is that we don’t need anyone to be able to be happy and successful. Being able to identify the healthy aspects of both situations is an important part of being able to have a healthy, happy self-image.  Being able to stand happily by yourself is just as important as being able to stand happily with others.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Andie, you make some damn good points. When this song came out, it was such a hit. I listened to it all the time with my friends and blasted it in the car 24/7. Now that you brought forth this idea, this song is very degrading. Seems like a lot of rap music in this time period are, though rap is my favorite genre ironically. Pretty messed up. I wonder when rappers are going to get out of this idea that its “cool” to degrade women and rap about “beating their pussies” and other absurd things like that. 

Broccoli- D.R.A.M., ft. Lil Yachty https://genius.com/Dram-broccoli-lyrics

Since arriving at The University of Kentucky, I’ve heard this song upwards of 200 times, most often in a frat party basement…and yet every single time I find myself dancing and enjoying it immensely. The catchy piano at the beginning of the song followed by that line everyone belts out: “Ain’t. No. Tellin. What. I’m. Doing.” It gets me every time, but after looking at the lyrics as a whole, I don’t think I’ll ever be able to enjoy it the same way from this point on.

“Hey lil’ mama would you like to be my sunshine? Nigga touch my gang we gon’ turn this shit to Columbine.”

           Sure, I’d like to be your sunshine. That sounds slightly endearing and somewhat flattering UNTIL Lil Yachty decides to rap about the tragic shootings of Columbine High School.

“50 shades of grey, beat that pussy like Hulk Hogan.”

           First of all, 50 Shades of Grey in general did a great job of making a female lead seem powerless and needy for the attention of a successful hyper-masculine male character.

*Note: if you’re into BDSM, more power to you but the movie in general is slightly demoralizing to women. The lyric is further perpetuating sexual violence. Hulk Hogan was a professional wrestler and the idea of “beating” a women’s vagina is beyond expressing ideas of sexual exploration.

And it continues:

“Put that dick up in her pussy bet she feel it in her toes.”

“In the middle of the party bitch get off me In the cut I’m rolling up my broccoli Ya I know your baby mama fond of me All she want to do is smoke that broccoli Whispered in my ear she trying to leave with me Said that I can get that pussy easily Said that I can hit that shit so greasily I’m a dirty dog I did it sleazily.”

“I got companies and Pesos I got people on my payroll She don’t do it ‘less I say so.”

Is it too much to ask for the decency to not refer to women (human beings with intellectual thought) as something simplified to a sexual organ, which as now been further degraded by the term “p*ssy?”

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Week 13- Shameless & Poverty

I wanted to bring up this whole idea of Poverty again. Because in class we recently just switched over to Kevin Powells book, “The education of Kevin Powell” it made me thing directly back to Shameless. Thats why for week 13, I’m going to be writing about these specific lifestyles. 

I often here my friends complaining that they didn't get these really pretty “Steve Madden” golden shoes that they wanted for the prom because they ran out of stock. Or that they're parents wouldnt buy them a brand new Tesla for their 16th birthdays. Because I live in a nicer area back home and attended a very nice high school filled with wealthy kids, I sort of got used to this all. It sort of rubbed off on me, and my family is no where near “rich” but rather just middle class. I would complain to my parents that they made me work and pay for everything, including gas and my own food and clothes and what not. But that’s just me being stupid and spoiled. I actually love working and financially supporting myself-- it makes me feel good. Anyways, when I watch shows like Shameless and read books like Powell’s, it really opens my eyes. There are so many kids living off of FOOD STAMPS and in gross, crappy apartments. Kids that don't get proper clothing and cold water for showers. They would kill for what I have. And here me and my friends are complaining that we didn't get a beautiful pair of Steve Madden shoes that we’ve been wanting. 

I think what I love about the show Shameless is of course that its set in Chicago, my favorite city in the world considering I live there, but that they still live life to the fullest. The kids go through rough times and live in a pretty shitty and “ghetto” environment, yea, but that doesn't stop them from enjoying life. Hell, people who live in my area complain a lot more then them considering they have a LOT more than they do. Though this is just a show, I think there are a ton of families out there exactly like the Ghallagher’s. People that understand they're poor and theres nothing they can do about it, but live life to the fullest and don't complain. 

On a side note, it’s important to watch what you say around people because you have no idea what their financial status is like and if someone heard you complain about things they could NEVER have, it may leave them feeling pretty shitty. Just a suggestion:) 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Yea, I like this Andie. You bring up a really good point that is no-doubt an issue in the rap music industry. Many rappers rap about women and deliberately call them names, often objectifying them. It’s not cool, and whats even more not cool is the fact that society is so used to it that there (as of right now) is really no stopping these things from happening. It’s terrible, it’s an issue that a lot of people see, but again, how do we stop it? I choose to just not listen to the words honestly because it is pretty bothering. I hope one day that yea, male rappers will get out of this stupid phase and rap about topics that are 100% more generous and meaningful. 

Outer Space- Danny Brown

http://www.lyrics.com/lyric/24398272

Danny Brown is a man of many words…most of them being ridiculously misogynistic and vulgar. With each week, I think I’ve unearthed the worst of the worst when it comes to degrading songs in the rap industry, but once again I’m left with no surprise when I come across yet another prime example. In the third verse of his song Outer Space, Brown raps, “Fucking on your mother with two rubbers, I do fuck her.” He seems like a lyrical genius. I saw Danny Brown last summer at a music Festival in Louisville, Kentucky. I can only say I enjoyed his performance because of the atmosphere it took place in, but by no mean his musical talents. He is just one of the multitude of artists that use women, drugs, and controversy to the advantage of making “trap” music and therefore a profit. Later in the song he raps, “Love a feminist bitch, oh, it get my dick hard so no apologies for all the misogyny.” Brown is essentially saying that because a woman is a feminist it is just more reason to use her as an object for sex.

He explicitly states that he “loves a feminist bitch.” Not only is he using feminism as a platform for humor, but also referring to her as a “bitch,” which goes against the feminist principles specifically. I don’t see this as a way to express yourself artistically in an educated manor but rather a series of attempts at writing lyrics worthy of public attention.  Further in the song he continues to rap, “Extorted her for the cash.” It is assumed that he’s referencing something sexual. Brown thrives off of this form of misogyny and blatant disrespect. Maybe one day, male rappers will find better outlets to write about topics not relating to the degradation of women.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I really like this. It is so so ridiculous to me that men get to do this shit soooo easily, if women made a song that objectified men, she would get SO MUCH CRAP FOR IT BY THE MEDIA!! Again, I know as well as you know that men have this unfair power and advantage, and its “okay” for them to do it, even though its really obviously not. As women, we have WAY too many expectations to live up to, and a lot of those are body expectations. We always want to be perfect for men and have these sexy small figures... but I really don't know why. I’m so over it. 

Blog 10

https://youtu.be/kY84MRnxVzo

This blog post is in reference to the song “Baby Got Back” by Sir Mix-A-Lot. This song is pretty popular if you haven’t heard of it.  I don’t want to judge what Sir Mix-A-Lot prefers or likes in women, but, the objectification in this song is wild. In a way, this song could be sexually empowering for women with larger butts, but at the same time, it’s purely for sexual attention. “You get sprung, want to pull up tough ‘Cause you notice that butt was stuffed Deep in the jeans she’s wearing I’m hooked and I can’t stop staring”. The start of this lyric is a euphemism for an erection due to seeing ass. That’s how much Sir Mix-A-Lot likes ass… Plus in the music video he is around large fake butts on set. What bothers me personally is how these women with larger butts are just seen as sex symbols to please him or other men. Or, are women outside this appearance not sexually attractive? Sir Mix-A-Lot says that in the lyrics that he is “tired” of women who are skinny or have flatter behinds. Not everyone can fit into this appearance and instead of embracing all looks and forms; women are turned into sexual objects for pleasure in this song. I love this song though. I won’t lie; it’s hilarious and fun to dance to, but pop culture just overlooks it. These objectifying undertones or even obvious tones get accepted and incorporated into music, but we don’t necessarily think of how they can affect people. It’s one thing for women to celebrate their differences and promote each other, but to have male rappers pick apart women for their own satisfaction is not only inappropriate but uncalled for. You don’t see many female rappers out there picking apart men and objectifying them. I’m sure those songs exist, but I have a feeling they’re the minority.   

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Shameless & Guyland

For this weeks tumblr journal, I want to bring up this whole idea of “Guyland” and how it relates to Shameless. We have been talking a lot about Guyland this past week of class so I thought this would be an appropriate topic. 

In case any of you forget, Guyland, as defined in the Kimmels piece, are dudes ranged from ages 16-26. “It’s drinking, sex, and video games. It’s watching sports, reading about sports, listening to sports on the radio. It’s television—cartoons, reality shows, music videos, shoot-em-up movies, sports, and porn—pizza, and beer. It’s all the behavior that makes the real grownups in their lives roll their eyes and wonder, “When will he grow up?!” (Kimmel, pg. 11). In a way, I see Lip falling directly under the entire stigma of a typical guy thats going through “Guyland.” Though Lip may use sex, and drugs, and being naughty as a way to coop with his screwed up family problems, I also think he's really just experiencing Guyland. 

Lip is around 20/21 in the show, goes to college, drinks basically every day, smokes cigs and weed 24/7 and has sex probably 3 times a day with countless different women. He even gets with his professor in college, which is kind of a crazy and funny story. But anyways, the bigger point in this is the points that we were talking about in class. Why do guys feel the need to prove themselves and their masculinity? I believe that guys in Guyland are in the transition period where they think they have the right to have male entitlement and they’re trying to prove their masculinity to others when in reality, there is no need to conform to masculine labels or tendencies. 

I personally think pride fits into Guyland as well. When guys finally get to leave their parents at home and go to college, they're thrilled to start drinking and having sex with a bunch of random girls so they can pass up their “frat brothers.” They boast about how blacked out they got the night before and think the girls will love them if they compete in drinking competitions to see how much they can outdrink their “bros.” Because that’s what makes a guy cool right? Totally. 

Though Lip is not really your average “frat” boy, he really is. I think he's just been experiencing guyland for his entire live in the show, to be honest. Will he ever get out of it? Who knows. 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I really like your last two posts about sex and STI’s. Good for you for being so open about your story, because you can really inspire others by telling them how you've cooped with it. I don't know anyone personally with an STI, or maybe I do and they're just too embarrassed to say it, but i think for the ones that are embarrassed, they shouldn't have to be. This is important that you're bringing about this issue and can speak from personal experience. I didn't even know you were engaged by the way! Awesome! Glad you two figured everything out though and he's totally okay with it, truly all that matters. :) 

S.E.X After S.T.I

The first time I had sex after my diagnosis I was terrified. Although my partner knew about my STI, I was still afraid of giving him the virus that is truly a life-sentence in that it will never go away. I envy those who have contracted an STI that is curable with antibiotics, only because some are much more recepitable to women who have had an STI, as long as it is gone far far away. 

But anyway, Ella Dawson writes about her first time after being diagnosed with HSV, and the post is very inspiring. She talks of how she thought her partner must feel for her after her body has been “ ruined and foreign, invaded and repulsive.” But in the end, the sex was nothing to be concerned about, and I relate to that.

The end of the discussion is, just be honest with your partner, and in eradicating stigma of STI/STDs from the world, we need to be more accepting and take the necessary precautions to reduce the risk of spreading to your partner. But still, sex is sex, and as long as your responsible, it can be wonderful. The best thing we can do as activists for reducing STI stigma is smacking people in the face with “YOULL BE ALRIGHT IN BED”. 

https://ellacydawson.wordpress.com/2017/03/15/the-first-time-i-had-sex-after-getting-herpes/#more-4537

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

I absolutely love this topic of choice. I think this is a really big issue that all Americans simply just oversee. We are so used to society putting labels on everything, from humans gender and sexuality all the way to products being sexualized and gendered. So unnecessary, completely ridiculous. I think that labels are stupid to begin with and now THIS? I can't even believe it. I don't really pay attention much when I'm grocery shopping for school supplies but next time I do, I'm definitely going to look out for pens labeled “for her” or “for him.” Overall just stupid, insane, and ridiculous. 

My theme for my activist blog is to advocate against sexist advertisements. This week I am going to change it up and discuss a different way that products are advertised. Some packaging of products can in ways be sexist. I have seen so many unnecessarily gendered items in grocery stores and online. In the picture above, this are a pack of pens that are specifically “for her”. These pens came out in 2012. Even though it was five years ago, I still don’t think that justifies the sexism of the product. I find this to be completely uncalled for. What makes this pen “for her”? Just because of the colors? The new sleek design and look of the pen? Were all of the previous pens that were made only for men? Why was there not pens for him? After I saw this I began to look at more examples of unnecessarily gendered items. I was surprised at what I found. I saw pictures of other stationary supplies, Kleenex, and various food products. Food? I don’t see how a food can be gendered. What makes these products gendered is the fact that they are in a packaging that I pink, purple, or another stereotypical gendered color. Society feels the need to label everything. I just think that sometimes the labels are completely unnecessary.

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

Reproductive Rights and Shameless

I really wanted to focus this weeks Shameless blog on reproductive rights since we have been talking about this issue in class for a while now. (SPOIL ALERT FOR THOSE WHO HAVE NOT GOTTEN THIS FAR) but... Debbie is pregnant !!! Surpriseeee ! 

Anyways, I wanted to bring up the fact that Debbie is really really young to be having a child, and not everybody is okay with that, especially not Fiona. While I was watching this part in the show, I thought Debbie wanted a baby for all the wrong reasons and agreed with Fiona that hey, maybe she should be having an abortion. She's young, she’s lost, and she's at an age in her life where she thinks “true love” happens at the age of 13. She threw herself at boys because she wanted to “grow up” and “be treated as an adult” and “be loved.” So ya, I agreed that maybeeeee she should consider Fionas idea, especially because she got pregnant with a boy who literally moved across the country and never spoke to her again after she told him the news. So thats upsetting. 

But, after we talked about reproductive rights in class, I’m the one that’s actually reconsidering. Although Debbie is young, she proved to her family how much she wanted this baby, and how well of a mother she was going to be. She literally fought Fiona on it throughout multiple episodes. In the end, I think that Debbie has the right to do what she wants with HER body and nobody should be telling her to abort the baby. Of course, it is Fiona’s job to act as a mother to her and be concerned, since the family doesn't have a lot of money anyways and supporting another child would be difficult. But, in the long run, its Debbies decision and her own opinion is the only one that should matter. I think talking about all of this in class really made me open my eyes. Im pro-choice, and think that it shouldn't affect you if someone else chooses whether they abort, or keep their baby. So, though a lot think Debbie is crazy for doing this, I think if this is what she's confident with and if this is what she really wants, then I’m on Debbie’s side. 

[carlygwsblogger-blog]

So so so well said. I agree, I'm pro-choice but that doesn't necessarily mean I’m pro-abortion. Abortion is a really controversial topic and a really touchy subject. Though many think it is “wrong” I 100% do not think it is. Like you said, everyone is entitled to their own opinion but for an opinion to go as far as making abortion illegal again is ridiculous. Its not THEIR bodies that its affecting, so I don't know why people care so much if others get an abortion. Thats their own choice and their own body. Rape victims and women with unwanted pregnancies should have the right to abort their babies, if that is going to be the better option in the long run. Its messed up, it really is. And I feel bad for every women who has to deal abortion that and get a ton of shit for doing it. 

Pro-Choice

Just because someone claims to be “pro-choice” does not automatically mean they are “pro-abortion”. If a women seeks an abortion, she should be able to receive the adequate medical care she needs. Personally, I do not think I could ever go through with an abortion, just because I don’t think I cold handle the emotional distress. However, my personal opinion should not influence another woman’s desires. I think being pro-choice gives women the option to receive an abortion if they want one, and not getting one if they don’t want to have the procedure. So many people claim to be “pro-life”, but once that precious baby is born, they don’t care what happens to them. That is not pro-life, that is pro-BIRTH. Two completely different things. Forcing a woman to give birth to a child she may not want, and then not even giving her the financial/emotional support she needs is not right. Considering the majority of our Congress is made up of old, wrinkly, men, they should not have a say in this issue. As Rachel Green from Friends once said, “No uterus, no opinion!” Let women have the option to get an abortion. Because if the procedure is ever made illegal throughout the whole country, people are still going to try to have abortions. They will not be safe, and those women risk getting infections or even death. To the people who think abortion is wrong: that’s fine, everyone is entitled to their own opinions. If you don’t agree with abortion, DON’T GET ONE. Simple as that. Don’t force your beliefs on other women to prevent them from getting a medical procedure. I still don’t understand why this is still an issue. Since 1973, it has been legal to receive abortions. We can’t go back to the past when they were illegal. So let’s just respect each woman’s right to have the option.