This week’s content was focusing on women’s amazing bodies, there are many different aspects in relation to women’s bodies sex vs gender, the question of what is lady like? The biology of a female body, body image. Each topic having a large impact on how women are seen and behave in society.
What is a lady? The question of what is a lady? or how to be a lady? was raised it is commonly expected for women to act, dress, speak in a certain way this whole concept of a lady interested me so I decided to google ‘how to be a lady?’ thousands of results became available there was even a definition titled 'part 1 of being a lady' The list included:
1. Make introductions
2. Say please and thank you
3. Know when to say no
4. educate yourself
5. Have good posture
6. Be respectful towards others
7. Be Charming
8. Don't use profanity, over eat or drink excessively
There was one topic that really drew me in. This was body image in young females and the impact todays social media has on the mental and physical health and wellbeing of women in society.
Being a young female myself I found that I could relate to some of the topics brought up this week. Especially in relation to body image and the importance on how we are perceived online. I was even slightly embarrassed when I later began to think in more detail due to the fact that I realised how many of the topics really depicted me as an individual, which really demonstrated to me how society really shapes us into these morphs of what an individual should really be.
Later on in the lecture we discussed the biology and anatomy of a females body, obviously as a female I know the ins and outs of our biology and the functions of most parts. However, it is rare that I would actually think or discuss in detail every aspect of the female body and when this was done it become very clear how incredible the female body really is, the functions and physiology of a females body really is amazing, yet each females body is so unique which is often forgotten when society pressures women to look a certain way. Moreover, even though the female body is extremely powerful it does have its flaws there are numerous, diseases and disorders that young and older women are faced with all over the world, some causing chronic pain and others even life threatening. This puts an extreme pressure on the female body however what amazed me was the resistance and power that many women have in order to fight the conditions and survive. Overall, the female body is truly incredible with endless abilities, however it is clear that society creates so many burdens and psychological impacts on females purely on the way they and others around them see their body. Week 3: Women in popular culture, advertising, and the media
The way women are portrayed in the media is a classic example of the pressure and unrealistic representations that are displayed to females of all ages all over the world.
It is more than a body image problem; the media portrays a number of topics in unrealistic manners:
- Body image
- Subservience
- Cleanliness and/ obsession with hygiene
- Unrealistic portrayals of pregnancy and motherhood
- Being emotional
- Being subject to hormones due to monthly cycles
The list goes on, throughout the lecture this week it became extremely clear how women are portrayed in an extremely unrealistic light.
When women are displayed in the media they are constantly being spread naked over front covers, or their weight or what they are wearing is being judged however, when opinions from women are being shared they are not present in political discussion however if they are its because they weren’t dressed correctly or they were dressed well or they were pictured with a certain male. Media creates social trends and “ideal” images of femininity and beauty by the way women are being portrayed and objectified on TV and entertainment media. Females are used to sell things and aren’t shown as women but used as objects. This video displays a great representation of this.
The way women are portrayed in the media is not some new phenomenon, women have been used as objects or jokes to sell products for many years.
These two image display a classic representation of how women are portrayed through advertisement, to sell a burger why does there need to be a naked female in the advertisement it completely demoralises women a posts them as objects and not beings. The degree to which women are sexualised in magazines, in song lyrics, on television, in video games, on the internet, in advertising, and in music videos today is unparalleled.This week really demonstrated to me how oblivious I actually was to the sexism within advertisement due to how normal it has become for females to be objectified within the media today and since the lecture I have been extremely more observant and even disgusted by pop culture and the portrayal of women in the media. Week 4 The right time to have a child
When is the right time to have a child? This is a question that many females ask themselves at different stages in their life. Having a child can be dangerous and there are always risks and these dangers are multiplied considerably the older a female gets. Maternal mortality is the leading death cause in the world over 800 women die everyday. Therefore, how come so many women in society are choosing to start families so late in life?
Many aspects to this topic were addressed in this week’s lecture, in the past it was the woman’s priority to find a partner settle down marry and have a child however, through the creation of the pill society changed drastically. Women soon started to go to University and stay in the work force delaying the creation of a family.
However still today in Australia, there are strict laws and guidelines in relation to abortion making it extremely difficult for many women to go through the process of abortion. I personally believe that it is extremely wrong I believe it is a female right to be able to choose. I understand everyone has different opinions on the matter however, a female should have a say as it is her body and an extremely important decision that females should be allowed to make. This video below I found this video interesting in relation to abortion as it displays a variety of opinions all from females it shows that even females to this day are disagreeing on the topic and so many people have such strong minded views on the subject.
Another aspect to the lecture that I found very interesting was in regards to fertility rates in Australia being extremely dependent on politics and economics. This displayed to me that women do tend to plan their fertility in regards to many aspects in life and makes sense as to why so many people choose to have children later in life when they have become financially stable.
Lastly, the way in which being a mother is portrayed in the media gives such a false representation to females as to what motherhood is like. In addition, the fact that the media constantly focus on body image and a fit pregnancy as if that is a pivotal factor in pregnancy. Two magazine covers below display extremely unrealistic images of females after a pregnancy creating a wrong image for females to compare themselves against then the third creates a more realistic representation and shows that it is normal to have those extra layers of fat and stretch marks after having a child that is reality.
Overall, beginning a family is a scary step in many people’s life and there are many aspects in the environment that we live in that make the decision even harder to make due to the amount of obstacles that are placed in front of us. Week 5 Changing gender roles in families:
My family fits the gender roles pretty close to the stereotypes of the mum looking after the children and the Dad going out and making the money. My Dad had a successful job when I was younger and often had to work away this caused my Mum to have to work part time so that my sister and myself were not constantly in child care. This is a pretty common pattern within society.
However, it can create a number of set back for females, as it can become really hard for women to get themselves back into the work force and if they do get back into the workforce it is extremely difficult for them to climb up the ranks as they have had less experience compared to men due to their years out of the workforce, or even they may have to work part time to support their children.
We watched ‘growing up gracefully’ which was very entertaining however, it opened my eyes to how being a mother is actually a full time job and how comments like “she’s a non working mum” are extremely degrading.
We also in class discussed how there is a slow change in gender roles in families and how it is becoming more accepted for this to happen and works very well for some families. Stay at home dad's work for some families stay at home mum's work for others it does depend on the family and occupations. it is often just expected for a female to be a stay at home mum not the other way round therefore creating a stereotype for females which I personally believe is wrong.
Week 6: ‘Walking into doors’: The impact of Domestic Violence on Women Locally and Globally.
I find it extremely distressing and shocking that such a wonderful country like Australia has such a major problem with domestic violence it is seen as an extreme public health problem and it affects people from all economic, educational, social, geographic and racial backgrounds.
It always surprises me how few people realise that Domestic violence is not just physical violence and that commonly it is more psychological, manipulative and controlling. I found it interesting in the lecture that most women experiencing partner abuse report that the physical violence is the least damaging, it is the relentless psychological abuse that cripples and isolates the woman.
With The figures of abuse being so bad all over the world it leads me to asking when does it become acceptable? When does a boy’s perception against abuse towards women change because these young boys in the video clearly express that they would never hit a girl. So what is it that changes in a male’s mind and at what point does this happen and it become acceptable to abuse women psychologically and physically.
So why does this happen? This question leads me to the raising of children we live in a world of stereotypes where boys do boyish things and girls do girly things. This segregates males and females and often depresses the significance of women.
For example, young boys in a playground if there was a disagreement would be encouraged to throw a punch to display their dominance and strength, where if it was switched to girls they would be told to talk over their disagreement not allowing them to stand up for themselves. This displays specific roles and ways in which the different genders should behave, which would stay with children as they grow up in all situations. The way in which violence starts with disrespect and that the excuses that are made allow it to grow is clearly displayed in the video below. I believe that this is a strong video displays an uncomfortable however, realistic representation of violence against women.
Lastly, this video really displays the manipulative side of abusive relationships, I believe this clip really depicts the build up of abuse and how it starts as small things and gradually escalates however, the abusive partner still always having an excuse and always expressing how much they love the individual until full control is reached.
Week 7 Women’s Health in Same Sex Relationships:
Prior to this lecture I was slightly oblivious to many aspects of female same sex relationships. Due to the recent gay marriage postal survey same sex relationships in Australia have become a more common subject to be spoken about however, it is more often than not that it’s male relationships that are spoken about rather than female.
During the lecture we discussed health concerns for lesbian women which I found extremely educational and interesting as I personally did not realise that there actually were so many health related issues. However, is the majority of this due to scientific health, or is it due to the fact that it is such a taboo topic that females do not seek the correct help when needed because they are afraid of the judgement that they may have to face?
Overall Lesbians have had to face legal and social discrimination for many years and still to this day. They are not allowed to get married in Australia, Lesbians are not allowed to adopt in Australia. Lesbians have specific health needs that need to be taken into account by health care providers. And lastly even though there is such an up roar around it and many disagree on the matter children of lesbians are not likely to be worse off on any measure of health and well being than children of heterosexual couples.
Overall, I believe that change needs to occur to bring more acceptance into the world in relation to same sex relationships who are we to say who can love who because of what we see as ‘normal’ at the end of the day love is love and at times I feel embarrassed to live in such a judgemental and homophobic nation. Week 8 Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Women Across the Ages.
There are numerous barriers that females face at different stages through their loves and sometimes these obstacles can be too much and can cause serious mental illnesses. These can range from eating disorders, postnatal depression, anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia.
As a female I understand the pressures and expectations that we put on ourselves everyday. I found this weeks lecture interesting in regards to mental health. One mental illness that is extremely common for women is anorexia, personally I have a friend that has suffered from the illness and I have seen how manipulative the illness was and how it really has the potential to destroy an individual. She is one of the lucky ones that has actually managed to recover from the illness which is extremely unusual however, there are numerous women that never recover and some even die from the illness. I personally find this heart breaking and believe that the media has a lot to answer for in relation to mental health and women.
lastly, the section of the lecture in relation to postnatal depression caught my attention I had no idea that so many women suffered from the illness. I can’t imagine how much it would impact a family’s life and the difficulty it would create when trying to express your feelings to others due to the fluffiness that is related to starting a family and the way in which movies and the media picture it as such a happy time in a woman’s life. At the end of the day it is exceptionally difficult starting a family, and some women find it even harder than others.
Week 9 The Fashion Industry and Body Image: Impact on Women’s health The fashion industry is extremely prominent in Australia and has a large influence on many females and their health. The fashion industry creates extremely unrealistic images of women’s bodies especially in relation to the size of their physique. Model’s all over the world meet such specific guidelines and are scrutinised immensely on every physical aspect of themselves. I believe that this then manipulates young girls into feeling bad about the way they look.
One of my close friends is a model and I have seen how the constant negative comments in relation to the way that she looks plays a major effect on her health and wellbeing. The amount of knock backs that she has had to accept which then results her in putting immense pressure on herself to loose weight of look a certain way effects her physically and mentally and I find it extremely difficult to watch. The outcomes of glamourising disorderly bodies as fashionable causes many females to form eating disorders it is estimated that around 4% of Australians have an eating disorder. Shouldn’t these ‘iconic’ women being empowering young females not generating toxic mindsets in relation to body image.
When I think of the fashion industry and unrealistic models the number one event that pops into my head is the Victoria Secrets show that is broadcasted every year. These young women have such tiny and toned statures, they so look stunning but is that because society has shaped us to see that image as beautiful? These figures are extremely unrealistic for many women and it would be extremely detrimental to many female’s health and wellbeing to attempt to have these physiques and can ultimately create lasting damage on women’s self esteem and forcing unhealthy lifestyles.
It is extremely rare for females to appreciate their own individual beauty this video displays this concept well and demonstrates how negative we can all be on ourselves in relation to how we look.
Week 12:This week we covered a number of different topics we watched short documentaries and discussed as a whole group the main topics within. The topics that really interested me were maternal mortality in Somaliland, Gender based violence in Sierra Leone and the work of sex slaves in India. Each topic was extremely different however came back to the same concept of the inequality between men and women.
It was clear in the documentaries that the number one factor in breaking the cycle for these women is simply allowing them to the right of an education.
The documentary that really stuck out to me was maternal mortality in Somaliland, some of the figures around maternal mortality were shocking 1 in 12 women die from childbirth in Somaliland, women die from such common and treatable issues like obstructed labour, anaemia, or eclampsia. This is due to the stoicism within their culture that it is almost seen as weak if you go to a hospital or clinic for assistance in childbirth, women believe they are seen as strong if they give birth in their homes where they can be exposed to extreme conditions.We saw an incredible organisation that is training women basic nursing and maternal skills over a period of 18 months. Then sending them back to their homes to try and make the communities maternal mortality figures decrease, ultimately improving the health and wellbeing of women in Somaliland. Since the organisation began the hospital has managed to reduce maternal mortality by 1 quarter. This is an incredible achievement.
This weeks lecture was really interesting I enjoyed watching the videos and seeing the young womens perspective it made me realise how lucky we are to live where we do and have access to everything that we do. Yes we still have a long way to go in relation to womens right and general health and wellbeing but when it comes to childbirth we have the facilities money and knowledge to support women through.
Week 13 Children by choice, DV Connect, True Relationships and reproductive health I found this week lecture extremely informative, I really enjoyed all three of the presentations and gained an immense insight to all three organisations. Firstly, Anne from Children by choice spoke which is an organisation that respond to the needs of women with un planned pregnancies the organisation has been around for 45 years and has a great success rate. Although some more sensitive topics were touched in relation to abortion I believe it was important to answer the questions as it is an extremely difficult topic to discuss due to the way that society has shaped the argument and it shouldn’t be sugar coasted to seem fluffy and fine because it is one of the hardest decisions a female may have to make in their lives. I really appreciated the detail that Anne went into in relation to the laws around abortion as I had never fully understood this and I am sure that there are many other women that do not understand it making me wonder if the topic should be spoken about more freely so that women know their rights and understand all of their options.
Secondly, Sophie from Domestic and family Violence crisis support Queensland spoke, again I found this section of the lecture extremely interesting and very alarming. The statistics around domestic violence in Australia are shocking. The one aspect I found really thought-provoking was in relation to the media, when there is a public tragedy in the media the calls at DV connect peak. This really demonstrated to me how so many women are terrified to shout out for help and that it takes something so public and devastating for women to realise the abuse that they are living with and that seeing someone else’s story is what makes them accept that they need to take action and get out of the abusive relation before it is too late.
Lastly, the third speaker was from True Relationships and Reproductive health, this section took a focus on education and community services. There was a real emphasis on respectful relationships and the possibility for change through school programs.
This talk really linked the other talks together. One statistic that really stuck out to me was ‘One in three Australian Women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15’ this statement is outrageous and I believe that the Nation needs to understand that violence against women in Australia is prevalent and preventable. A video was showed from a True campaign this video really stuck out to me as it did not hide away from the truth and demonstrated the reality of the issue. It displayed shocking figures but factual figures.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julie-Anne for a great semester I have learnt so much from your passionate teaching and will carry the knowledge with me in the years to come. I have become so much more aware of my rights as a female and how feminism still has such a long way to go to achieve any where close to equality.
This week’s content was focusing on women’s amazing bodies, there are many different aspects in relation to women’s bodies sex vs gender, the question of what is lady like? The biology of a female body, body image. Each topic having a large impact on how women are seen and behave in society.
What is a lady?
The question of what is a lady? or how to be a lady? was raised it is commonly expected for women to act, dress, speak in a certain way this whole concept of a lady interested me so I decided to google ‘how to be a lady?’ thousands of results became available there was even a definition titled 'part 1 of being a lady' The list included:
1. Make introductions
2. Say please and thank you
3. Know when to say no
4. educate yourself
5. Have good posture
6. Be respectful towards others
7. Be Charming
8. Don't use profanity, over eat or drink excessively
There was one topic that really drew me in. This was body image in young females and the impact todays social media has on the mental and physical health and wellbeing of women in society.
Being a young female myself I found that I could relate to some of the topics brought up this week. Especially in relation to body image and the importance on how we are perceived online. I was even slightly embarrassed when I later began to think in more detail due to the fact that I realised how many of the topics really depicted me as an individual, which really demonstrated to me how society really shapes us into these morphs of what an individual should really be.
Later on in the lecture we discussed the biology and anatomy of a females body, obviously as a female I know the ins and outs of our biology and the functions of most parts. However, it is rare that I would actually think or discuss in detail every aspect of the female body and when this was done it become very clear how incredible the female body really is, the functions and physiology of a females body really is amazing, yet each females body is so unique which is often forgotten when society pressures women to look a certain way. Moreover, even though the female body is extremely powerful it does have its flaws there are numerous, diseases and disorders that young and older women are faced with all over the world, some causing chronic pain and others even life threatening. This puts an extreme pressure on the female body however what amazed me was the resistance and power that many women have in order to fight the conditions and survive.
Overall, the female body is truly incredible with endless abilities, however it is clear that society creates so many burdens and psychological impacts on females purely on the way they and others around them see their body.
Week 3: Women in popular culture, advertising, and the media
The way women are portrayed in the media is a classic example of the pressure and unrealistic representations that are displayed to females of all ages all over the world.
It is more than a body image problem; the media portrays a number of topics in unrealistic manners:
- Body image
- Subservience
- Cleanliness and/ obsession with hygiene
- Unrealistic portrayals of pregnancy and motherhood
- Being emotional
- Being subject to hormones due to monthly cycles
The list goes on, throughout the lecture this week it became extremely clear how women are portrayed in an extremely unrealistic light.
When women are displayed in the media they are constantly being spread naked over front covers, or their weight or what they are wearing is being judged however, when opinions from women are being shared they are not present in political discussion however if they are its because they weren’t dressed correctly or they were dressed well or they were pictured with a certain male. Media creates social trends and “ideal” images of femininity and beauty by the way women are being portrayed and objectified on TV and entertainment media. Females are used to sell things and aren’t shown as women but used as objects. This video displays a great representation of this.
The way women are portrayed in the media is not some new phenomenon, women have been used as objects or jokes to sell products for many years.
These two image display a classic representation of how women are portrayed through advertisement, to sell a burger why does there need to be a naked female in the advertisement it completely demoralises women a posts them as objects and not beings.
Week 4 The right time to have a child
When is the right time to have a child? This is a question that many females ask themselves at different stages in their life. Having a child can be dangerous and there are always risks and these dangers are multiplied considerably the older a female gets. Maternal mortality is the leading death cause in the world over 800 women die everyday. Therefore, how come so many women in society are choosing to start families so late in life?
Many aspects to this topic were addressed in this week’s lecture, in the past it was the woman’s priority to find a partner settle down marry and have a child however, through the creation of the pill society changed drastically. Women soon started to go to University and stay in the work force delaying the creation of a family.
However still today in Australia, there are strict laws and guidelines in relation to abortion making it extremely difficult for many women to go through the process of abortion. I personally believe that it is extremely wrong I believe it is a female right to be able to choose. I understand everyone has different opinions on the matter however, a female should have a say as it is her body and an extremely important decision that females should be allowed to make. This video below
I found this video interesting in relation to abortion as it displays a variety of opinions all from females it shows that even females to this day are disagreeing on the topic and so many people have such strong minded views on the subject.
Another aspect to the lecture that I found very interesting was in regards to fertility rates in Australia being extremely dependent on politics and economics. This displayed to me that women do tend to plan their fertility in regards to many aspects in life and makes sense as to why so many people choose to have children later in life when they have become financially stable.
Lastly, the way in which being a mother is portrayed in the media gives such a false representation to females as to what motherhood is like. In addition, the fact that the media constantly focus on body image and a fit pregnancy as if that is a pivotal factor in pregnancy. Two magazine covers below display extremely unrealistic images of females after a pregnancy creating a wrong image for females to compare themselves against then the third creates a more realistic representation and shows that it is normal to have those extra layers of fat and stretch marks after having a child that is reality.
Overall, beginning a family is a scary step in many people’s life and there are many aspects in the environment that we live in that make the decision even harder to make due to the amount of obstacles that are placed in front of us.
Week 5 Changing gender roles in families:
My family fits the gender roles pretty close to the stereotypes of the mum looking after the children and the Dad going out and making the money. My Dad had a successful job when I was younger and often had to work away this caused my Mum to have to work part time so that my sister and myself were not constantly in child care. This is a pretty common pattern within society.
However, it can create a number of set back for females, as it can become really hard for women to get themselves back into the work force and if they do get back into the workforce it is extremely difficult for them to climb up the ranks as they have had less experience compared to men due to their years out of the workforce, or even they may have to work part time to support their children.
We watched ‘growing up gracefully’ which was very entertaining however, it opened my eyes to how being a mother is actually a full time job and how comments like “she’s a non working mum” are extremely degrading.
We also in class discussed how there is a slow change in gender roles in families and how it is becoming more accepted for this to happen and works very well for some families. Stay at home dad's work for some families stay at home mum's work for others it does depend on the family and occupations. it is often just expected for a female to be a stay at home mum not the other way round therefore creating a stereotype for females which I personally believe is wrong.
Week 6: ‘Walking into doors’: The impact of Domestic Violence on Women Locally and Globally.
I find it extremely distressing and shocking that such a wonderful country like Australia has such a major problem with domestic violence it is seen as an extreme public health problem and it affects people from all economic, educational, social, geographic and racial backgrounds.
It always surprises me how few people realise that Domestic violence is not just physical violence and that commonly it is more psychological, manipulative and controlling. I found it interesting in the lecture that most women experiencing partner abuse report that the physical violence is the least damaging, it is the relentless psychological abuse that cripples and isolates the woman.
With The figures of abuse being so bad all over the world it leads me to asking when does it become acceptable? When does a boy’s perception against abuse towards women change because these young boys in the video clearly express that they would never hit a girl. So what is it that changes in a male’s mind and at what point does this happen and it become acceptable to abuse women psychologically and physically.
So why does this happen? This question leads me to the raising of children we live in a world of stereotypes where boys do boyish things and girls do girly things. This segregates males and females and often depresses the significance of women.
For example, young boys in a playground if there was a disagreement would be encouraged to throw a punch to display their dominance and strength, where if it was switched to girls they would be told to talk over their disagreement not allowing them to stand up for themselves. This displays specific roles and ways in which the different genders should behave, which would stay with children as they grow up in all situations. The way in which violence starts with disrespect and that the excuses that are made allow it to grow is clearly displayed in the video below. I believe that this is a strong video displays an uncomfortable however, realistic representation of violence against women.
Lastly, this video really displays the manipulative side of abusive relationships, I believe this clip really depicts the build up of abuse and how it starts as small things and gradually escalates however, the abusive partner still always having an excuse and always expressing how much they love the individual until full control is reached.
Week 7 Women’s Health in Same Sex Relationships:
Prior to this lecture I was slightly oblivious to many aspects of female same sex relationships. Due to the recent gay marriage postal survey same sex relationships in Australia have become a more common subject to be spoken about however, it is more often than not that it’s male relationships that are spoken about rather than female.
During the lecture we discussed health concerns for lesbian women which I found extremely educational and interesting as I personally did not realise that there actually were so many health related issues. However, is the majority of this due to scientific health, or is it due to the fact that it is such a taboo topic that females do not seek the correct help when needed because they are afraid of the judgement that they may have to face?
Overall Lesbians have had to face legal and social discrimination for many years and still to this day. They are not allowed to get married in Australia, Lesbians are not allowed to adopt in Australia. Lesbians have specific health needs that need to be taken into account by health care providers. And lastly even though there is such an up roar around it and many disagree on the matter children of lesbians are not likely to be worse off on any measure of health and well being than children of heterosexual couples.
Overall, I believe that change needs to occur to bring more acceptance into the world in relation to same sex relationships who are we to say who can love who because of what we see as ‘normal’ at the end of the day love is love and at times I feel embarrassed to live in such a judgemental and homophobic nation.
Week 8 Mental Health and Substance Abuse in Women Across the Ages.
There are numerous barriers that females face at different stages through their loves and sometimes these obstacles can be too much and can cause serious mental illnesses. These can range from eating disorders, postnatal depression, anxiety, depression, borderline personality disorder, psychosis, schizophrenia.
As a female I understand the pressures and expectations that we put on ourselves everyday. I found this weeks lecture interesting in regards to mental health. One mental illness that is extremely common for women is anorexia, personally I have a friend that has suffered from the illness and I have seen how manipulative the illness was and how it really has the potential to destroy an individual. She is one of the lucky ones that has actually managed to recover from the illness which is extremely unusual however, there are numerous women that never recover and some even die from the illness. I personally find this heart breaking and believe that the media has a lot to answer for in relation to mental health and women.
lastly, the section of the lecture in relation to postnatal depression caught my attention I had no idea that so many women suffered from the illness. I can’t imagine how much it would impact a family’s life and the difficulty it would create when trying to express your feelings to others due to the fluffiness that is related to starting a family and the way in which movies and the media picture it as such a happy time in a woman’s life. At the end of the day it is exceptionally difficult starting a family, and some women find it even harder than others.
Week 9 The Fashion Industry and Body Image: Impact on Women’s health
The fashion industry is extremely prominent in Australia and has a large influence on many females and their health. The fashion industry creates extremely unrealistic images of women’s bodies especially in relation to the size of their physique. Model’s all over the world meet such specific guidelines and are scrutinised immensely on every physical aspect of themselves. I believe that this then manipulates young girls into feeling bad about the way they look.
One of my close friends is a model and I have seen how the constant negative comments in relation to the way that she looks plays a major effect on her health and wellbeing. The amount of knock backs that she has had to accept which then results her in putting immense pressure on herself to loose weight of look a certain way effects her physically and mentally and I find it extremely difficult to watch. The outcomes of glamourising disorderly bodies as fashionable causes many females to form eating disorders it is estimated that around 4% of Australians have an eating disorder. Shouldn’t these ‘iconic’ women being empowering young females not generating toxic mindsets in relation to body image.
When I think of the fashion industry and unrealistic models the number one event that pops into my head is the Victoria Secrets show that is broadcasted every year. These young women have such tiny and toned statures, they so look stunning but is that because society has shaped us to see that image as beautiful? These figures are extremely unrealistic for many women and it would be extremely detrimental to many female’s health and wellbeing to attempt to have these physiques and can ultimately create lasting damage on women’s self esteem and forcing unhealthy lifestyles.
It is extremely rare for females to appreciate their own individual beauty this video displays this concept well and demonstrates how negative we can all be on ourselves in relation to how we look.
Week 12:This week we covered a number of different topics we watched short documentaries and discussed as a whole group the main topics within. The topics that really interested me were maternal mortality in Somaliland, Gender based violence in Sierra Leone and the work of sex slaves in India. Each topic was extremely different however came back to the same concept of the inequality between men and women.
It was clear in the documentaries that the number one factor in breaking the cycle for these women is simply allowing them to the right of an education.
The documentary that really stuck out to me was maternal mortality in Somaliland, some of the figures around maternal mortality were shocking 1 in 12 women die from childbirth in Somaliland, women die from such common and treatable issues like obstructed labour, anaemia, or eclampsia. This is due to the stoicism within their culture that it is almost seen as weak if you go to a hospital or clinic for assistance in childbirth, women believe they are seen as strong if they give birth in their homes where they can be exposed to extreme conditions.We saw an incredible organisation that is training women basic nursing and maternal skills over a period of 18 months. Then sending them back to their homes to try and make the communities maternal mortality figures decrease, ultimately improving the health and wellbeing of women in Somaliland. Since the organisation began the hospital has managed to reduce maternal mortality by 1 quarter. This is an incredible achievement.
This weeks lecture was really interesting I enjoyed watching the videos and seeing the young womens perspective it made me realise how lucky we are to live where we do and have access to everything that we do. Yes we still have a long way to go in relation to womens right and general health and wellbeing but when it comes to childbirth we have the facilities money and knowledge to support women through.
Week 13 Children by choice, DV Connect, True Relationships and reproductive health
I found this week lecture extremely informative, I really enjoyed all three of the presentations and gained an immense insight to all three organisations.
Firstly, Anne from Children by choice spoke which is an organisation that respond to the needs of women with un planned pregnancies the organisation has been around for 45 years and has a great success rate. Although some more sensitive topics were touched in relation to abortion I believe it was important to answer the questions as it is an extremely difficult topic to discuss due to the way that society has shaped the argument and it shouldn’t be sugar coasted to seem fluffy and fine because it is one of the hardest decisions a female may have to make in their lives.
I really appreciated the detail that Anne went into in relation to the laws around abortion as I had never fully understood this and I am sure that there are many other women that do not understand it making me wonder if the topic should be spoken about more freely so that women know their rights and understand all of their options.
Secondly, Sophie from Domestic and family Violence crisis support Queensland spoke, again I found this section of the lecture extremely interesting and very alarming. The statistics around domestic violence in Australia are shocking. The one aspect I found really thought-provoking was in relation to the media, when there is a public tragedy in the media the calls at DV connect peak. This really demonstrated to me how so many women are terrified to shout out for help and that it takes something so public and devastating for women to realise the abuse that they are living with and that seeing someone else’s story is what makes them accept that they need to take action and get out of the abusive relation before it is too late.
Lastly, the third speaker was from True Relationships and Reproductive health, this section took a focus on education and community services. There was a real emphasis on respectful relationships and the possibility for change through school programs.
This talk really linked the other talks together. One statistic that really stuck out to me was ‘One in three Australian Women have experienced physical violence since the age of 15’ this statement is outrageous and I believe that the Nation needs to understand that violence against women in Australia is prevalent and preventable.
A video was showed from a True campaign this video really stuck out to me as it did not hide away from the truth and demonstrated the reality of the issue. It displayed shocking figures but factual figures.
I would like to take this opportunity to thank Julie-Anne for a great semester I have learnt so much from your passionate teaching and will carry the knowledge with me in the years to come. I have become so much more aware of my rights as a female and how feminism still has such a long way to go to achieve any where close to equality.