I was fascinated to study about women`s health when I found out that this unit was listed under public health as an elective. I was eager to study this unit not because I am a woman; but it was because I wanted to study deeply what women`s health was all about, what were the health issues associated by women from different demographic levels (teenager, adult, and older women) and what was distinguished between sex and gender. After attending the lecture and tutorial, I was able to answer some questions that I addressed in my second sentences.
Being born as a girl, I think that this is a precious gift from God. As women, we have wonderful elements of bodies such as vagina, uterus, breast, womb, and brain. Therefore, we as women should understand how our bodies are working not only from the outside but also on the inside. This unit also increases my understanding that we as women also need to keep our bodies always clean and healthy so that we are free from various of women diseases.
In the communities around the world, women or girls are considered as the weaker gender in the family when compared to boy or male. Girls or women often do not have much right to obtain an education, suffer from malnutrition, forced to marry early and have a risk to die soon when delivering a baby as well as not having the right to express their ideas in the families. These problems are often faced by disadvantaged girls or women. As shown in the video Because I am a girl...during the lecture in the week two, it mentioned the above problems that are faced by girls and women in developing or poor countries, particularly women in rural and/or remote areas. These problems are happening because of the families that prefer to have a boy in the families. By studying this unit, I hope in the future, I will be able to contribute to improving women`s health especially for those women who live in rural area.
be able to contribute to improving women health especially for those women who live in rural area.
WEEK 3: women in popular culture, advertising, and the media.
This week, I found lecture materials very interesting as it discussed of advertising and women in social media. Nowadays, in magazine newspaper, bus stop advertising, television, women are seen to be portrayed and appeared more often in advertising. When I looked at the variety of advertisement that attached to the wall, many questions came from my mind. Are women really having big influences in this advertisement? Which part of the advertisement that makes people attracted to it? Women or the product? Well, I understand that media plays a very important role in today`s world. It affects society in so many ways. And the presence of women modelling in the advertisement influences the liking of a particular product. However, for some reason, people think that the presence of women in the advertisement is seen to be portrayed as negative thinking.
Another slide in this lecture note that quite attracted my attention is slide number 5 and 6 mentioned that “Concerned that man was alone and lonely in the garden, God decided to make a "helper fit for him" and brought before him "every beast of the field and every bird of the air." None of these seemed any good as a mate for Adam, so he set about creating Eve.It is only after Adam fails to find a suitable companion among them that God thought of creating a woman. This he accomplished, as you know, by causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep and by forming a woman out of one of his ribs. She was created specifically to serve as Adam's helper, a subordinate position that God makes clear is to be her lot in life.” And “Eve represents everything about a woman a man should guard against. In both form and symbol, Eve is woman, and because of her, the prevalent belief in the West has been that all women are by nature disobedient, guileless, weak-willed, prone to temptation and evil, disloyal, untrustworthy, deceitful, seductive, and motivated in their thoughts and behaviour purely by self-interest”. I think this does not apply to modern society now. In the modern era, women are seen to be superwomen and not as weak women as people thought. Women are playing important roles in the family and society such as the head of family, women carrier and so on. Moreover, I think that Eve was created not as a helper for Adam but to accompany him to go through sadness and happiness that happens in their life. Lastly, Eve was created from Adam’s side rib to be equal to him, not from skull bone or foot bone. this is reminding me about gender equality which women are having the same rights and opportunity as man has.
WEEK 4: The " Right Time" to have a child: Changing trends in childbearing and rearing.
This week, we discussed several topics including abortion, the risk of having illegal abortion, childbirth, pregnancy risk, the right time to have a child and fertility rate.
Firstly, Abortion.
Abortion is a hot topic around the world. In Australia, abortion is now considered as legal except for Queensland it is still considered as illegal. From my perspective, Abortion is considered as an illegal issue? Why? When a woman wants to do abortion, I personally considered this as murder. As a human being and adult, we are very conscious when an adult or teenager has sex. We are all knowing that the consequence of having sex will be pregnancy (unless we as humans only wanted sex for enjoyment). But if you do not want to have a baby and just wanted to have sex for pleasure, there is an extensive way to prevent yourself from pregnancy, such as using condom (for the man), pill and contraceptives. those things are now easily accessible and affordable anywhere. If you are forgetting to use condoms, pills or contraception’s to prevent pregnancy, I think that is the person`s fault and not the fetus’ fault. I found this video on YouTube and I hope this video will open our hearts to not do abortion.
When I heard many opinions that women have a right to have the abortion if they do not want a baby because it is her body and her choice and her own business. But can you think that is it false of the fetus, therefore, you do not want it? We as human, do not have a right to kill it, even though just a fetus”. I do believe that having a child is a precious gift from God. It is very interesting when the fetus goes through the different stage of development in the women womb.
Secondly, The risk of having an illegal abortion, childbirth and pregnancy risk.
Illegal abortion has extensive risks to women`s health. According to Viagnatta (2008) claims that abortion has the effect of long-term mental health outcomes. Abortion also carries high-risk complications such as bleeding, rupturing of the uterus and abdominal trauma to the intestines and bladder. In addition to abortion, I think that childbirth and pregnancy also carry several risks to women`s health.
The major complications during and following pregnancy and childbirth are:
severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth)
infections (usually after childbirth)
high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)
complications from delivery
Unsafe abortion.
I found this link with a video is very interested to watch as it shows about Africa still the most dangerous place in the world for mothers and babies, whereas women are faced between life and death.
Thirdly, the right time to have a baby.
During a discussion, I found that two of my fellow classmates do not want to have child now for several reasons, such as they wish to complete their study before having a baby, financial stability, housing, obtain a good job, and they want to travel around the world. Beyond this reason, one of the fellow classmates, raise an issue about to having the right partner. I think that this is very good issue to raise, as before man and woman decide to build further relationship and having a baby. If women do not have a right partner and if later on they will divorce or separate, women will feel more depression and stress in many aspects. Therefore, I think that before having a baby and building a relationship, a couple should learn and know their partner more deeply.
Lastly, fertility rate Back to lecture content, it is very interesting to know about Australian fertility rates from 1979 to 2009. Total fertility rate (TFR) in simple terms refers to a total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime if she were subject to the prevailing rate of age-specific fertility in the population. I was born in the 19 centuries. I think that when it was in the 19 centuries, fertility rate was very high due to cost of living is not really expensive. However, when I looked to data statisticnow , it shows that fertility rate has been declined as people intend to hold or postpone for not to have baby for several reasons.
Week 5: Gender and Work.
This week we discussed gender roles in the families. The topic covers on the paid work, housework, and child raising.
Traditionally, family composes of father as head of the family or working father, mother as a household wife and the children working within families has been set between gender lines, whereas man plays a role as “primary breadwinner” and woman roles as “primary carer of house”. However, in the families, woman are more likely to do extensive roles, including cleaning, laundry, childcare, cooking, managing financial.
I think that the labour has been changed in the society. However, these gender roles have been dramatically changed in the modern decades, whereas man might does the household tasks even though only a few responsibilities.
Nowadays, the majority of women have been participated in the work task force and have holding the same profession as man does, for example engineering, pilot and etc . Furthermore, women’s large-scale participation in higher school grades and tertiary education.Although woman does the same job as the man; however, women are still so behind men in relation to pay. During the lecture, Julie explains that women in Australia earn 17% less than men in 2011. Furthermore, she adds that over a lifetime, this is a loss of 1 million dollars each.
For many couples, raising child is not an easy task, especially when you as women are living far away from your family and relatives. When I was working with United Nations World Food Programme, one of my male co-workers took paternity leave for 5 weeks. It quite surprises me as in my home country, particularly government side, it does not have paternity leave for man only exist maternity leave. Since I am curious to know what is paternity leave, I asked our Human Resource Officer to explain. Paternity leave means male co-workers can take a leave to take care of their children for the certain period. After listening to HR explanations, I do understand that man and woman have an equal opportunity to share the household task and do the same task.
Week 6: Domestic Violence
In the week 6, the lecture presents about topic Domestic Violence. This topic is quite horrifying myself as domestic violence is full of torture, physical, verbal abuse and emotional. Domestic violence is still a major problem in today`s community, particularly in the public health issue.
Julie presents a definition of domestic violence can be better understood as ‘a chronic syndrome characterized not only by episodes of physical violence but also by the emotional and psychological abuse that perpetrators use to maintain control over their partners’. She added, domestic violence is not only coming from partners abuse, it can be also referred to abuse that occurs in the family such as abuse of children, elders or siblings.
I think it is essential for people to know about all various forms of domestic violence. Hegarty (2000) outlines examples of abusive behaviour that relating to domestic violence such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, economic abuse and social abuse. It is estimated that of all women who were the victims of homicide globally in 2012, almost half were killed by intimate partners or family members, compared to less than six percent of men killed in the same year. Here is a link of statistic for domestic violence around the world.
There are many ways of measuring domestic violence in the clinical setting include:
if they are less than 40 years of age
have a past history of child abuse or have a child who is currently being abused
have undergone recent separation or divorce
are socially isolated
have an accompanying partner who is over attentive
present frequently
delay in seeking treatment or are non-compliant
Domestic violence has a negative impact on the victim such as adverse impact in serious injury or death, chronic health problem, and mental health iusses. Moreover, domestic violence frequently results in isolation which causes damage to family and friends surrounding the victim. Lastly, domestic violence can affect the ability of the victim to retain employment.
Therefore, As suggested by Leslie, the victim of domestic violence do not be silent about it and the victims should speak out about the violence.
Week 7: Lesbian Health
In the week 7, we discuss the issue about lesbian health. From my understanding, lesbian is homosexual women or one woman love to other women. I recalled that once upon the time, my mother and I were attending family gathering, suddenly one of my relatives invited her friend to attend the gathering. Her friend came with her girlfriend (actually they are in a relationship). My mother was very shocked when she saw two women in a relationship. She told me, why they don't go and search for the man, there are many men out there? She said, it is very disgusting and shaming. I understand, my mother is very traditional and religious obedience. But this is a life. Every human being is free to express their self and decide to choose whatever their think is right for them. I never realized that lesbian health could be so poor in some respects after listening to this lecture. I do understand that it is very hard for society to accept this behaviour, therefore, many of lesbian often encounter stigma and discrimination not only from society but also their own family.
Back to the lecture content, Julie divides this topic into several parts. Firstly, Lesbian history, secondary legislation and lastly lesbian health.
The word of lesbian is obtained from the name of the Greek island of Lesbos, home to the 6th century BCE poet Sappho. Moreover, lesbian is referred to any aspect of Lesbos, including a type of wine.
In some countries around the world has legalized lesbian as legal aspect. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights in Australia have gradually progressed since the late 20th century to the point where LGBT people have most of the same rights and protections as other residents, with the notable exception of marriage. They create a law to protect LGBT rights. here is a link to LGBT foundations as an organization that looks to equalities for LGBT.
It is alarming to see how women in the same-sex relationship suffer regarding their health. The fact that women are discriminated against or are judged based on their sexual orientation when seeking health care is what is contributing to their poor health. This is a link relating to LGBT is still experience discrimination, harassment, and hostility in many parts of everyday life; in public, at work and study, accessing health and other services and securing proper recognition of their sex in official documents.
Lesbian also can encounter endometrial cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, a disease associated with obesity, depression and anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse and STIs.
Week 8:mental health and substance abuse in women across the ages
In the week 8, we discussed an interesting topic on mental health and substance abuse in women across the ages. At the beginning of slides, Julie presents about women`s reproductive organ and menstruation. Some countries are still isolated women when they had periods or menstruation. For me, it is interesting to know that why menstruation was considered as poison to this day. In the slide 8 shows a correlation between women`s reproductive organ, women`s brain and their thinking. These connections were believed to make women incapable of pursuing intellectual thought, weak-willed, and prone to madness or hysteria.
Mental health issue has been a major issue across the ages; however, this issue is most prevalent in the young group. Mental health has a significant impact on women daily life and can become detrimental to an individual health. Moreover, Mental health can provoke the individual to use negative things, including the use of drug, alcohol and smoking. Mental health also can aggravate individual to do a suicide when an individual experiencing extensive depression. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report found that suicide is now the leading cause of death in young people between the ages of 15 to 24. The video on the blackboard about gender differences in depression is interesting, women experiencing more depression than men. looking at the statistics of the mental health of women today makes me realise how far we still have to come. With women experiencing 22% of mental disorders compared to men, it shows that there is still that inequality which women in history experienced. I never heard of Drunkorexia word before and the word itself can explain its meaning, self-imposed to starvation that combined with alcohol abuse.
When I read Virgina`s stories on her suicide. It is a sad story when the person who we love is leaving us because of extensive depression. When I read suicide note from Virgina to her husband states that “Dearest, I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can’t go through another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices, and I can’t concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do”. In my mind, I was thinking, why she has to do suicide? She has family that loves her so much; she can share her depression to her husband or her sister. In my mind, just one word “why, why and why”.
In this video, Alicia Raimundo shared her experience serious bouts of suicidal ideation as the result of her depression and anxiety and currently has been served as a mental health advocate.
Week 9: The fashion industry and body image: Impact on women`s health.
This week lecture is focusing on the topic how women are portrayed in the fashion industry and body image. Fashion industry can be defined as the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, retailing, advertising, and promotion of all types of apparel (men’s, women’s, and children’s) from the most rarefied and expensive haute couture (literally, “high sewing”) and designer fashions to ordinary everyday clothing—from couture ball gowns to Juicy Couture-brand sweatpants. Every day we are affected by fashion. I think the fashion industry is good as it makes life become more attracting, colourful when people design a style of clothes and share with us. For models or fashion models, being slim is perfect for them to keep their job, therefore, it requires them to be slim. Moreover, being always slim and thin will make easier for them to generate income in the fashion industry, However, as we might know that fashion industry is all about making money for their designs, seeking popularity through their brand and to be the best in the industry field.
Despite the advantages of the fashion industry, there has been a lot of issues associated with the fashion industry. These issues are including sizes of women`s bodies in fashion and appearance of women`s bodies in fashion. I personally felt that fashionable can be offered advantages and disadvantages to women health. I think size, type of design and fashion clothes is concerned that raised attention from individual and community. Fashion industry often produces small and thin clothes that can fit with small people bodies size. However, the fashion industry does not think the impact for other bodies size like fat bodies size. It is seemly that they force people to fit clothes size, although that is not their bodies size.
Modern fashion and advertising can be blamed for many of society’s issues with weight and eating disorders. There are many people in the world who do not have the “ideal” body type and aggressive advertising campaigns (portray beautiful, skinny models and muscle men, creating the illusion that this is the perfect body type that everyone should strive to look like. These fashions have the extensive impact on young people and what they see as beauty.
Another issue is the intense body forms numerous of the models are portraying. Many of the runway models are dangerously skinny and health experts trust that they suffer from malnourishment. Youth, especially young girls are trying to become like these catwalk models and many are starting to develop eating disorders.
Another problem is the issue of sweatshops and child workforce behind scenes. The search is for cheap, exploitable labour in many of these international fashion companies making lesser developed countries in the world make their products. They hire young children to work long hard hours at very low wages. These children are so desperate that they will do any job at any wage even though these gigantic fashion companies make a lot of profit off their high-end luxury clothing.
Week 10: No Lecture due to a Public holiday. Week11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women’s Health
In the week 11, we had a guest speaker by Dr Claire with the topic about the Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women’s Health. For me, this topic was a little bit challenging as it covers post-feminism, liberalism, neoliberalism and discourses. however, this topic is becoming more interesting when we discuss discourses between man and woman, for example, having sex with different people in the same right.
From the lecture slide, postfeminist is a desire for control over one`s destiny. It is the hope that someday, no one will call you any names or discriminate against you based on your sex. when I listening to the presentation, one question was appear from my mind, does post-feminism is empowerment or sexism?. The postfeminist of today is deeply rooted in neoliberal atomization. A single female’s experiences are just as valid as any other female’s experience. A wealthy white woman who “makes the choice” to become a prostitute – her choice is equally valid as the poor woman of colour who “makes the choice” to become a prostitute. Postfeminism promises the liberation of individual women, but not females.
As I mentioned above, discourse is more interesting to learn and provokes our thought on it. The slide presentation provides an example of “having sex with different people in the same right”. The table below shows differentiate between men and man on the type of discourse.
Another discourse example also provides about the sexual assault from different perspectives provokes thought. I think that it depends on how man and women will be interpreted with their own perception. If man has been raped by a woman, I might not believe it because it seems not impossible to me. In contrary, if woman says, she has been raped by a man, I would believe it because man has the courage to do so. Week 12:Interactive Workshop
In Somaliland, a woman had huge chance to die when delivery a child. This story about an amazing woman name Edna Adan that handling a hospital to keep women life and fight for women genital mutilation. The woman has been trained midwife and helped child delivering as well as has been acting as role mother for younger girls in Somaliland. In Somaliland, women often face health problem during pregnancy such as eclampsia, obstructive labour, anaemia. Average, Somalia`s women had 8 to 10 children. The more children they had, the more risk for women to have health complications. Generally, Somalia`s women who are died during pregnancy or child delivery often uneducated, poor, not accessing health services or hospitals, not access for pre-natal care, delivery assisting by grandmother or neighbour, women who delivery very young by people who do not understand hygiene and does not have health equipment’s. In Somaliland, pregnant women usually obtain assisting from a TBA (TBA is a traditional birth attendant) instead of accessing health services or hospital when delivering a baby. Somalia`s women believe that strong women are delivery at home not in the hospital as they think that women who delivered in the hospital are considered as weaker. This mindset, mentality, attitude, fear and tradition has been planted for many years ago in the Somalia`s community, especially for Somalia`s women.
Edna develops a program called public health midwife. This program objective is to train basic midwife students and how to deal with child delivery and focusing on preventable complication and dealing with pregnancy. Edna recruits Somalia young women from district to hospital and trains them for 8 months. Edna believes that through midwife education and training would be able to reduce maternal mortality rates in Somalia land.
I was fascinated to study about women`s health when I found out that this unit was listed under public health as an elective. I was eager to study this unit not because I am a woman; but it was because I wanted to study deeply what women`s health was all about, what were the health issues associated by women from different demographic levels (teenager, adult, and older women) and what was distinguished between sex and gender. After attending the lecture and tutorial, I was able to answer some questions that I addressed in my second sentences.
Being born as a girl, I think that this is a precious gift from God. As women, we have wonderful elements of bodies such as vagina, uterus, breast, womb, and brain. Therefore, we as women should understand how our bodies are working not only from the outside but also on the inside. This unit also increases my understanding that we as women also need to keep our bodies always clean and healthy so that we are free from various of women diseases.
In the communities around the world, women or girls are considered as the weaker gender in the family when compared to boy or male. Girls or women often do not have much right to obtain an education, suffer from malnutrition, forced to marry early and have a risk to die soon when delivering a baby as well as not having the right to express their ideas in the families. These problems are often faced by disadvantaged girls or women. As shown in the video Because I am a girl...during the lecture in the week two, it mentioned the above problems that are faced by girls and women in developing or poor countries, particularly women in rural and/or remote areas. These problems are happening because of the families that prefer to have a boy in the families. By studying this unit, I hope in the future, I will be able to contribute to improving women`s health especially for those women who live in rural area.
be able to contribute to improving women health especially for those women who live in rural area.
WEEK 3: women in popular culture, advertising, and the media.
This week, I found lecture materials very interesting as it discussed of advertising and women in social media. Nowadays, in magazine newspaper, bus stop advertising, television, women are seen to be portrayed and appeared more often in advertising. When I looked at the variety of advertisement that attached to the wall, many questions came from my mind. Are women really having big influences in this advertisement? Which part of the advertisement that makes people attracted to it? Women or the product? Well, I understand that media plays a very important role in today`s world. It affects society in so many ways. And the presence of women modelling in the advertisement influences the liking of a particular product. However, for some reason, people think that the presence of women in the advertisement is seen to be portrayed as negative thinking.
Another slide in this lecture note that quite attracted my attention is slide number 5 and 6 mentioned that “Concerned that man was alone and lonely in the garden, God decided to make a "helper fit for him" and brought before him "every beast of the field and every bird of the air." None of these seemed any good as a mate for Adam, so he set about creating Eve.It is only after Adam fails to find a suitable companion among them that God thought of creating a woman. This he accomplished, as you know, by causing Adam to fall into a deep sleep and by forming a woman out of one of his ribs. She was created specifically to serve as Adam's helper, a subordinate position that God makes clear is to be her lot in life.” And “Eve represents everything about a woman a man should guard against. In both form and symbol, Eve is woman, and because of her, the prevalent belief in the West has been that all women are by nature disobedient, guileless, weak-willed, prone to temptation and evil, disloyal, untrustworthy, deceitful, seductive, and motivated in their thoughts and behaviour purely by self-interest”.
I think this does not apply to modern society now. In the modern era, women are seen to be superwomen and not as weak women as people thought. Women are playing important roles in the family and society such as the head of family, women carrier and so on. Moreover, I think that Eve was created not as a helper for Adam but to accompany him to go through sadness and happiness that happens in their life. Lastly, Eve was created from Adam’s side rib to be equal to him, not from skull bone or foot bone. this is reminding me about gender equality which women are having the same rights and opportunity as man has.
WEEK 4: The " Right Time" to have a child: Changing trends in childbearing and rearing.
This week, we discussed several topics including abortion, the risk of having illegal abortion, childbirth, pregnancy risk, the right time to have a child and fertility rate.
Firstly, Abortion.
Abortion is a hot topic around the world. In Australia, abortion is now considered as legal except for Queensland it is still considered as illegal. From my perspective, Abortion is considered as an illegal issue? Why? When a woman wants to do abortion, I personally considered this as murder. As a human being and adult, we are very conscious when an adult or teenager has sex. We are all knowing that the consequence of having sex will be pregnancy (unless we as humans only wanted sex for enjoyment). But if you do not want to have a baby and just wanted to have sex for pleasure, there is an extensive way to prevent yourself from pregnancy, such as using condom (for the man), pill and contraceptives. those things are now easily accessible and affordable anywhere. If you are forgetting to use condoms, pills or contraception’s to prevent pregnancy, I think that is the person`s fault and not the fetus’ fault. I found this video on YouTube and I hope this video will open our hearts to not do abortion.
When I heard many opinions that women have a right to have the abortion if they do not want a baby because it is her body and her choice and her own business. But can you think that is it false of the fetus, therefore, you do not want it? We as human, do not have a right to kill it, even though just a fetus”. I do believe that having a child is a precious gift from God. It is very interesting when the fetus goes through the different stage of development in the women womb.
Secondly, The risk of having an illegal abortion, childbirth and pregnancy risk.
Illegal abortion has extensive risks to women`s health. According to Viagnatta (2008) claims that abortion has the effect of long-term mental health outcomes. Abortion also carries high-risk complications such as bleeding, rupturing of the uterus and abdominal trauma to the intestines and bladder. In addition to abortion, I think that childbirth and pregnancy also carry several risks to women`s health.
The major complications during and following pregnancy and childbirth are:
- severe bleeding (mostly bleeding after childbirth)
- infections (usually after childbirth)
- high blood pressure during pregnancy (pre-eclampsia and eclampsia)
- complications from delivery
- Unsafe abortion.
I found this link with a video is very interested to watch as it shows about Africa still the most dangerous place in the world for mothers and babies, whereas women are faced between life and death.Thirdly, the right time to have a baby.
During a discussion, I found that two of my fellow classmates do not want to have child now for several reasons, such as they wish to complete their study before having a baby, financial stability, housing, obtain a good job, and they want to travel around the world. Beyond this reason, one of the fellow classmates, raise an issue about to having the right partner. I think that this is very good issue to raise, as before man and woman decide to build further relationship and having a baby. If women do not have a right partner and if later on they will divorce or separate, women will feel more depression and stress in many aspects. Therefore, I think that before having a baby and building a relationship, a couple should learn and know their partner more deeply.
Lastly, fertility rate
Back to lecture content, it is very interesting to know about Australian fertility rates from 1979 to 2009. Total fertility rate (TFR) in simple terms refers to a total number of children born or likely to be born to a woman in her lifetime if she were subject to the prevailing rate of age-specific fertility in the population. I was born in the 19 centuries. I think that when it was in the 19 centuries, fertility rate was very high due to cost of living is not really expensive. However, when I looked to data statisticnow , it shows that fertility rate has been declined as people intend to hold or postpone for not to have baby for several reasons.
Week 5: Gender and Work.
This week we discussed gender roles in the families. The topic covers on the paid work, housework, and child raising.
Traditionally, family composes of father as head of the family or working father, mother as a household wife and the children working within families has been set between gender lines, whereas man plays a role as “primary breadwinner” and woman roles as “primary carer of house”. However, in the families, woman are more likely to do extensive roles, including cleaning, laundry, childcare, cooking, managing financial.
I think that the labour has been changed in the society. However, these gender roles have been dramatically changed in the modern decades, whereas man might does the household tasks even though only a few responsibilities.
Nowadays, the majority of women have been participated in the work task force and have holding the same profession as man does, for example engineering, pilot and etc . Furthermore, women’s large-scale participation in higher school grades and tertiary education.Although woman does the same job as the man; however, women are still so behind men in relation to pay. During the lecture, Julie explains that women in Australia earn 17% less than men in 2011. Furthermore, she adds that over a lifetime, this is a loss of 1 million dollars each.
Here is interesting statistics regarding to gender pay gap that I obtained from the Australia Workplace Gender Equality Agency
For many couples, raising child is not an easy task, especially when you as women are living far away from your family and relatives. When I was working with United Nations World Food Programme, one of my male co-workers took paternity leave for 5 weeks. It quite surprises me as in my home country, particularly government side, it does not have paternity leave for man only exist maternity leave. Since I am curious to know what is paternity leave, I asked our Human Resource Officer to explain. Paternity leave means male co-workers can take a leave to take care of their children for the certain period. After listening to HR explanations, I do understand that man and woman have an equal opportunity to share the household task and do the same task.
Week 6: Domestic Violence
In the week 6, the lecture presents about topic Domestic Violence. This topic is quite horrifying myself as domestic violence is full of torture, physical, verbal abuse and emotional. Domestic violence is still a major problem in today`s community, particularly in the public health issue.
Julie presents a definition of domestic violence can be better understood as ‘a chronic syndrome characterized not only by episodes of physical violence but also by the emotional and psychological abuse that perpetrators use to maintain control over their partners’. She added, domestic violence is not only coming from partners abuse, it can be also referred to abuse that occurs in the family such as abuse of children, elders or siblings.
I think it is essential for people to know about all various forms of domestic violence. Hegarty (2000) outlines examples of abusive behaviour that relating to domestic violence such as physical abuse, verbal abuse, economic abuse and social abuse. It is estimated that of all women who were the victims of homicide globally in 2012, almost half were killed by intimate partners or family members, compared to less than six percent of men killed in the same year. Here is a link of statistic for domestic violence around the world.
There are many ways of measuring domestic violence in the clinical setting include:
if they are less than 40 years of age
have a past history of child abuse or have a child who is currently being abused
have undergone recent separation or divorce
are socially isolated
have an accompanying partner who is over attentive
present frequently
delay in seeking treatment or are non-compliant
Domestic violence has a negative impact on the victim such as adverse impact in serious injury or death, chronic health problem, and mental health iusses. Moreover, domestic violence frequently results in isolation which causes damage to family and friends surrounding the victim. Lastly, domestic violence can affect the ability of the victim to retain employment.
Therefore, As suggested by Leslie, the victim of domestic violence do not be silent about it and the victims should speak out about the violence.
Week 7: Lesbian Health
In the week 7, we discuss the issue about lesbian health. From my understanding, lesbian is homosexual women or one woman love to other women. I recalled that once upon the time, my mother and I were attending family gathering, suddenly one of my relatives invited her friend to attend the gathering. Her friend came with her girlfriend (actually they are in a relationship). My mother was very shocked when she saw two women in a relationship. She told me, why they don't go and search for the man, there are many men out there? She said, it is very disgusting and shaming. I understand, my mother is very traditional and religious obedience. But this is a life. Every human being is free to express their self and decide to choose whatever their think is right for them. I never realized that lesbian health could be so poor in some respects after listening to this lecture. I do understand that it is very hard for society to accept this behaviour, therefore, many of lesbian often encounter stigma and discrimination not only from society but also their own family.
Back to the lecture content, Julie divides this topic into several parts. Firstly, Lesbian history, secondary legislation and lastly lesbian health.
The word of lesbian is obtained from the name of the Greek island of Lesbos, home to the 6th century BCE poet Sappho. Moreover, lesbian is referred to any aspect of Lesbos, including a type of wine.
In some countries around the world has legalized lesbian as legal aspect. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender (LGBT) rights in Australia have gradually progressed since the late 20th century to the point where LGBT people have most of the same rights and protections as other residents, with the notable exception of marriage. They create a law to protect LGBT rights. here is a link to LGBT foundations as an organization that looks to equalities for LGBT.
It is alarming to see how women in the same-sex relationship suffer regarding their health. The fact that women are discriminated against or are judged based on their sexual orientation when seeking health care is what is contributing to their poor health. This is a link relating to LGBT is still experience discrimination, harassment, and hostility in many parts of everyday life; in public, at work and study, accessing health and other services and securing proper recognition of their sex in official documents.
Lesbian also can encounter endometrial cancer, lung cancer, breast cancer, HIV/AIDS, a disease associated with obesity, depression and anxiety, alcohol and drug abuse and STIs.
Week 8: mental health and substance abuse in women across the ages
In the week 8, we discussed an interesting topic on mental health and substance abuse in women across the ages. At the beginning of slides, Julie presents about women`s reproductive organ and menstruation. Some countries are still isolated women when they had periods or menstruation. For me, it is interesting to know that why menstruation was considered as poison to this day. In the slide 8 shows a correlation between women`s reproductive organ, women`s brain and their thinking. These connections were believed to make women incapable of pursuing intellectual thought, weak-willed, and prone to madness or hysteria.
Mental health issue has been a major issue across the ages; however, this issue is most prevalent in the young group. Mental health has a significant impact on women daily life and can become detrimental to an individual health. Moreover, Mental health can provoke the individual to use negative things, including the use of drug, alcohol and smoking. Mental health also can aggravate individual to do a suicide when an individual experiencing extensive depression. According to Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) report found that suicide is now the leading cause of death in young people between the ages of 15 to 24. The video on the blackboard about gender differences in depression is interesting, women experiencing more depression than men. looking at the statistics of the mental health of women today makes me realise how far we still have to come. With women experiencing 22% of mental disorders compared to men, it shows that there is still that inequality which women in history experienced. I never heard of Drunkorexia word before and the word itself can explain its meaning, self-imposed to starvation that combined with alcohol abuse.
When I read Virgina`s stories on her suicide. It is a sad story when the person who we love is leaving us because of extensive depression. When I read suicide note from Virgina to her husband states that “Dearest, I feel certain that I am going mad again. I feel we can’t go through another of those terrible times. And I shan’t recover this time. I begin to hear voices, and I can’t concentrate. So I am doing what seems the best thing to do”. In my mind, I was thinking, why she has to do suicide? She has family that loves her so much; she can share her depression to her husband or her sister. In my mind, just one word “why, why and why”.
In this video, Alicia Raimundo shared her experience serious bouts of suicidal ideation as the result of her depression and anxiety and currently has been served as a mental health advocate.
Week 9: The fashion industry and body image: Impact on women`s health.
This week lecture is focusing on the topic how women are portrayed in the fashion industry and body image. Fashion industry can be defined as the design, manufacturing, distribution, marketing, retailing, advertising, and promotion of all types of apparel (men’s, women’s, and children’s) from the most rarefied and expensive haute couture (literally, “high sewing”) and designer fashions to ordinary everyday clothing—from couture ball gowns to Juicy Couture-brand sweatpants. Every day we are affected by fashion. I think the fashion industry is good as it makes life become more attracting, colourful when people design a style of clothes and share with us. For models or fashion models, being slim is perfect for them to keep their job, therefore, it requires them to be slim. Moreover, being always slim and thin will make easier for them to generate income in the fashion industry, However, as we might know that fashion industry is all about making money for their designs, seeking popularity through their brand and to be the best in the industry field.
Despite the advantages of the fashion industry, there has been a lot of issues associated with the fashion industry. These issues are including sizes of women`s bodies in fashion and appearance of women`s bodies in fashion. I personally felt that fashionable can be offered advantages and disadvantages to women health. I think size, type of design and fashion clothes is concerned that raised attention from individual and community. Fashion industry often produces small and thin clothes that can fit with small people bodies size. However, the fashion industry does not think the impact for other bodies size like fat bodies size. It is seemly that they force people to fit clothes size, although that is not their bodies size.
Modern fashion and advertising can be blamed for many of society’s issues with weight and eating disorders. There are many people in the world who do not have the “ideal” body type and aggressive advertising campaigns (portray beautiful, skinny models and muscle men, creating the illusion that this is the perfect body type that everyone should strive to look like. These fashions have the extensive impact on young people and what they see as beauty.
Another issue is the intense body forms numerous of the models are portraying. Many of the runway models are dangerously skinny and health experts trust that they suffer from malnourishment. Youth, especially young girls are trying to become like these catwalk models and many are starting to develop eating disorders.
Another problem is the issue of sweatshops and child workforce behind scenes. The search is for cheap, exploitable labour in many of these international fashion companies making lesser developed countries in the world make their products. They hire young children to work long hard hours at very low wages. These children are so desperate that they will do any job at any wage even though these gigantic fashion companies make a lot of profit off their high-end luxury clothing.
Week 10: No Lecture due to a Public holiday.
Week 11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women’s Health
In the week 11, we had a guest speaker by Dr Claire with the topic about the Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women’s Health. For me, this topic was a little bit challenging as it covers post-feminism, liberalism, neoliberalism and discourses. however, this topic is becoming more interesting when we discuss discourses between man and woman, for example, having sex with different people in the same right.
From the lecture slide, postfeminist is a desire for control over one`s destiny. It is the hope that someday, no one will call you any names or discriminate against you based on your sex. when I listening to the presentation, one question was appear from my mind, does post-feminism is empowerment or sexism?. The postfeminist of today is deeply rooted in neoliberal atomization. A single female’s experiences are just as valid as any other female’s experience. A wealthy white woman who “makes the choice” to become a prostitute – her choice is equally valid as the poor woman of colour who “makes the choice” to become a prostitute. Postfeminism promises the liberation of individual women, but not females.
As I mentioned above, discourse is more interesting to learn and provokes our thought on it. The slide presentation provides an example of “having sex with different people in the same right”. The table below shows differentiate between men and man on the type of discourse.
Another discourse example also provides about the sexual assault from different perspectives provokes thought. I think that it depends on how man and women will be interpreted with their own perception. If man has been raped by a woman, I might not believe it because it seems not impossible to me. In contrary, if woman says, she has been raped by a man, I would believe it because man has the courage to do so.
Week 12:Interactive Workshop
Due to unforeseen circumstances, a guest lecturer is not being able to deliberately a topic about ageing women health; However, in the week 12, we were watching fives mini-documentaries from the highly acclaimed film Half the Sky. The Mini documentary video including challenges for Young Girls in Vietnam, Maternal Mortality in Somaliland, Gender-Based Violence in Sierra Leone, women's Economic Empowerment in Kenya and intergenerational Prostitution in India. Video about maternal mortality in Somaliland is the most attractive video to watch and attract my attention.
In Somaliland, a woman had huge chance to die when delivery a child. This story about an amazing woman name Edna Adan that handling a hospital to keep women life and fight for women genital mutilation. The woman has been trained midwife and helped child delivering as well as has been acting as role mother for younger girls in Somaliland. In Somaliland, women often face health problem during pregnancy such as eclampsia, obstructive labour, anaemia. Average, Somalia`s women had 8 to 10 children. The more children they had, the more risk for women to have health complications. Generally, Somalia`s women who are died during pregnancy or child delivery often uneducated, poor, not accessing health services or hospitals, not access for pre-natal care, delivery assisting by grandmother or neighbour, women who delivery very young by people who do not understand hygiene and does not have health equipment’s. In Somaliland, pregnant women usually obtain assisting from a TBA (TBA is a traditional birth attendant) instead of accessing health services or hospital when delivering a baby. Somalia`s women believe that strong women are delivery at home not in the hospital as they think that women who delivered in the hospital are considered as weaker. This mindset, mentality, attitude, fear and tradition has been planted for many years ago in the Somalia`s community, especially for Somalia`s women.
Edna develops a program called public health midwife. This program objective is to train basic midwife students and how to deal with child delivery and focusing on preventable complication and dealing with pregnancy. Edna recruits Somalia young women from district to hospital and trains them for 8 months. Edna believes that through midwife education and training would be able to reduce maternal mortality rates in Somalia land.