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[feminista-fan]

Article Review of: “Gender Play; Marketing to Girls”

Sharon Lamb, Lyn Mikel Brown and Peggy Orenstein, all familiar in the topic of young girls' and the social construct they are placed within, put together a collection of facts, information and data to identify to what extent this socialization occur when selling thing aimed at little girls.  

Fun facts:  

In 2007, we spent a whopping $11.5 billion on clothing for seven- to fourteen-year-olds, up from $10.5 billion in 2004 (Orenstein, 2011).

Close to half of six- to nine-year old girls regularly use lipstick or gloss, presumably with parental approval; the percentage of eight-to twelve-year-olds who regularly use mascara and eyeliner doubled between 2008 and 2010, to 18 and 15 percent, respectively (Orenstein, 2011)

“Tween” girls now spend more than $40 million a month on beauty products. No wonder Nair, the depilatory maker, in 2007 released Nair Pretty, a fruit-scented line designed to make ten-year-olds conscious of their “unwanted” body hair (Orenstein, 2011).

They argue that little girls and boys are so different, and one reason is because of the way that toys are sold to these two groups individually. Boys' and girls' toys are distinctively separated by placing them in different spots in the store, using different colours and by using different themes. Most importantly, we must realize that by separating boy toys and girl toys by theme, we send these messages that girls work in the kitchen, clean the house, wash the clothes.etc and boys must be rough and tough, get dirty and be handy with tools. Even science-based stores involve the separation of things girls might like and the things boy might like, the girl's things always being less scientifically involved.  

I think it is important for the new generations to start realizing how this gender-based thinking will affect the way in which your child develops. It is easier said than done I'm sure but trying harder at creating a more gender-neutral environment for the children of the era will create a more gender-neutral environment all around. People, especially kids shouldn’t be associated with what girls are supposed to do versus what boys are supposed to but more importantly what they as individual wants to do.  

[feminista-fan]

Article Review of: “Power Struggles over the Sexualities of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities”

In an article entitled “Power struggles over the Sexualities of Individuals with Intellectual Disabilities” by Alan Santinele Martino, the topic of individuals with intellectual disabilities comes into play while reviewing the ways in which their sexuality is seen in reflection to their disability. Martino emphasizes on the power struggles held by both people with ID and also, for the care workers who care for people with ID.  

People with ID are missing strength over their own life while also trying to fight agaisnt the control that guardians have over them. Legal guardians and families just want to protect the person with ID from harm, but they don’t realize what are healthy forms of sexuality and to what degree people with ID are entitled to them. People with ID are also discouraged from sexual actions and sexual relations, because they are seen to not be able to have kids; Guardians try to avoid this situation without understanding the wants of the person with ID.  

Direct care workers of people with ID also struggle with power. The workers are thorn between policy and rules instilled by the institution they work for and vowing for the need of their patience to legal guardians. They also have trouble excepting sexual desires of people with ID or finding ways to take action furthermore. Thet are pulled in so many directions, they don’t feel they should have control over what the patient desire are, but they must follow the demands from the legal guardians.  

The author finishes by explaining that silencing the needs of people because we want to protect them just makes them seem more vulnerable to everything around them.  

I thought this article was very eye opening for me, underlining how lucky I am to be able to do everyday things without having people watch me or insist on helping me. The article really brought to my attention the detailed process that people with ID experience when it comes to having control over their life. I think that institutions like “assisted living” is such a great program and is one-way people with ID get to live a normal life and have control over the most things possible.  It is not fair that people with intellectual disabilities have to be seen a different or unable to control their own bodies. 

[feminista-fan]

Article Review of: “Freaks and Queers”

“Freaks and Queers” by Eli Clare speaks of the history of freaks shows and how this state of mind has developed. Freak shows started way in the past and involved the idea of the abnormal versus the normal, making these people that were known as “weird” to perform and signaling to everyone what was apparently considered “others”. Four oppressed groups we’re involved in creating the show. First disabled people, both white and of colour, second, non-disabled people of colour, third, nondisabled people of color from the united states became natives from the exotic wilds or fourth, nondisabled people with visible differences.  But the spectators didn’t divide these people into these oppressed groups as they watched, they just thought of them all as “freaks”.

Eli Clare argues that the people who performed in the shows weren't these so called “freaks”, it’s the shows that made them into the idea of a “freak”. Beyond this, there was a question of exploitation. Most of the people who performed in these shows controlled everything on their own and did well for themselves. They did have managers, but we’re only a benefit to them as their managers would acknowledge the best ways in which they could make the most money. The author also argues that even though these managers might not have included the racism and ableism in their state of mind, they still used this to their benefit to make money.  

For disabled people, sometimes freak shows were the best option in creating a life for themselves. Once disability became a medical term, doctors became obsessed with studying these people and doctors seemed to exploit them more than showmen did. Even though freak shows sometimes involved oppression it still allowed the “freaks” to embrace who they were.  

I think that because of this history of freaks shows, our society has adopted this idea of us versus other, especially surrounding people of colour or disabled people. As a society of 2019 we need to lose the idea of “other”, we are all the same, we all have flaws, we are all beautiful. Having pride in ourselves means being able to create your own self-identity and being proud of it. Without pride you can’t fully embrace your true self.  

[feminista-fan]

It is always a challenge for me to overcome my low self-esteem every day, and I am sure that so many other women/girls can relate to this. I have people in my life that always find time to remind me how important I am to them and to this world. Everyone should have people like that in their life to remind them how important they are, but if not here’s a little something to brighten your day. You are capable of so much; you are beautiful, and you matter. Be supportive of all your fellow people, it makes our world a better place <3 

https://instagram.com/emilylynndesign?igshid=1jcxmw270qmux

[feminista-fan]

Article Review of: “Transfeminist Terms and Concepts”

While working as director of the LGBTQ Studies Certificate Program at the university of Wisconsin and a professor of both history and women and gender studies A. Finn Enke is able to capture a range of concept in which he his familiar with. In his article about “Transfeminist Terms and Concepts”, A. Finn Enke selects some, out of a multitude, of transgender concepts and terms in which are known to be correct. He states that you should be cautious in which the way the terms can be used, in different cultures or different times in history. It is important for everyone to know the importance of gender inclusive language, in which hasn’t always been as widespread today and has gone from accepting women inclusive language, to excepting all gender language. The author does agree that the English language is very challenging to work against when trying to open a wider range or gender-inclusive nouns and it definitely isn't easy to let go of bits and pieces of a language that some have been instilled with since they we’re born. But in the end, it is important for everyone in our world to be more open-minded and to learn concepts that will include everyone around us; Transliteracy surrounds this idea exactly. Lastly, A. Finn Enke writes that we should not rid of all gender-imposed language but to create a wider range.  

Here are some of the terms that A. Finn Enke describes in the article:  

Gender Inclusive Pronouns: Gender-inclusive pronouns are not associated with a specific gender thereby do not ascribe gender (A.Finn Enke, 2012).  

Trans and Trans People: currently, “trans” is an inclusive and respectful term available for use by people outside trans communities as well as by those who identify with or as trans; as a general term (A. Finn Enke, 2012).

Gender Expression: How people express, wear, enact, and perform gender trough behavior, mannerism, clothing, speech, physicality, and selective body modification (A. Finn Enke, 2012).

Transsexual: Medical and popular term describing persons with significant cross-gender identity. Due to varying life circumstances, transsexuals may or may not live in their gender identity some of or all the time (A. Finn Enke, 2012).

Cisgender, Cissexual: From the Latin prefix “cis”, meaning on the same side or staying with the same orientation, “cisgender” and “cissexual” name the characteristics of staying with or being perceived to stay with the gender and/or sex one was assigned at birth (A. Finn Enke, 2012).

Cis-privilege: The privilege and power accorded to people who are perceived to follow the norms associated with the sex they are perceived to be and assumed to have been assigned at birth (A. Finn Enke, 2012)

On a personal note, after a presentation about a variety of gender terms and concepts in my Gender of Psychology class at university last week, I was appreciative to have learned so much about the ways I should speak and use some of these terms. I think it is always important to be aware of our surroundings by receiving knowledge on things that would include everyone around us. We should also take more initiative in selecting the ways in which we use gender-imposed terms.  

[feminista-fan]

It is important for us to embrace feminism from every point of view and from every angle. When looking at this beautiful art piece I can understand why we should be thankful to be able to express ourselves in every way we want; in every way we feel comfortable. Being you in your own body is what counts in this lifetime, be who you are, embrace feminism. I’m glad this colourful picture caught my eye and I was able to embrace it myself.  

💖

Illustration for Nike Airmax, Bijou Karman

bijoukarman.com

[feminista-fan]

Article Review of: “Women’s Brains”

In an article titled “Women’s Brains”, the author Stephen Gould, emphasizes on how scientific research has been used to diminish woman’s bodies and mental state since the 17th century. The article mostly focuses on Paul Broca, a professor of clinical surgery that worked for the Faculty of Medicine in Paris,  and his research on human brains. Broca concluded that the size of a person’s brain was what told us how intelligent this person was, and that men’s brains were bigger than women’s, then stating that men were smarter than women. Broca admitted that his research would most likely bring more oppression to women at the time but that his discoveries were the truth.

With the data that Broca had collected from this new discovery, a colleague named Gustave Le Bon published literature that was extremely oppressing to women including the notion that women “were closer to children or savages, then adults”, which really only put a higher level of prejudice against women.  

After continuing his research with skulls from a cave time period, him and his coworkers realized that women’s brain in this time period were way closer to men’s brain size but, they decided to push off this data concluding that it was only because of a difference in evolution. Stephen Gould argues that Broca’s research shouldn’t be dismissed because of a prejudice made against women, which was a normal way of thinking for this time period. Stephen believes that Broca’s numbers and data collection was actually accurate, he didn’t have enough data really to support his conclusion, for example Broca had only done data collection with 13 cave skulls and when collecting data about brain size, he only mostly used elderly women to compare to, instead of all age women.

 I think that if everyone made an effort to closely analyze their everyday sub conscious prejudice, there would be a lot less hurt people in our world : )