The biology of the female body never ceases to amaze me, woman's bodies go through a lot and to think that we are regarded as lesser beings is baffling to me, as well as the existence of gender inequality. But mostly societies thoughts about what they consider to be Woman's "Amazing" bodies. It is obvious that woman is insecure about their bodies when we do not meet certain social standards. Social media is not something that helps to spread body positivity either. When I google imaged "woman's amazing bodies" the top images that came from that search were mostly women with curves, "plump" breasts, little to no fat on their skin, no acne, no stretch marks, nor scars. The things that women must deal with on monthly bases is incredible, our hormones are constantly changing (the natural work of our body, the fluctuating hormones), and it is not something we get to see plastered on social media and magazines, it is not often discussed in public, and when discussed it is considered to be "inappropriate". People tend to overlook the beauty of the biology behind woman's bodies, and it saddens me because when you understand it, you can really appreciate the female species that much more, physical appearance aside! It's amazing how men can be excused for natural behaviour but it is unacceptable for women to practice because people forget to view women as human beings too. in societies eyes, women are always the subjects of judgement and I think we need to change that. As it so clearly has an effect on the way they view themselves and their health. All bodies are beautiful, people overlook the beauty of each individual body. However, with the help of social media and feminists, the world is slowly changing and adapting to see women as humans rather than a species that aspire to be perfect, that do not have natural functions such as men. [[media type=youtube key=QdW6IRsuXaQ width="560" height="315"]]Bodyform Responds :: The Truth [[media type=youtube key=Bpy75q2DDow width="560" height="315"]]Blood Normal [[media type=youtube key=oiQiFyTClbg width="560" height="315"]] Bodyform’s New Advert Depicts ‘Period Blood’ Instead Of Blue Liquid In UK First I found these two clips on facebook. And I adore the "blood normal" advertisement which is the right video that I have attached above. In the past, companies that produce pad and tampons often use blue liquids to demonstrate the durability of the product. However, this is the first ever advertisement that shows crimson red liquid on pads. This is the closest representation of menstruation ever displayed, on commercials and businesses. It's something that everyone needs to see, we have been disregarded for too long, normalising the image of period blood is the next step to seeing women and their amazing bodies as human. Week 3: Portrayal of Women in Popular CultureLately have been noticing on the news especially, when there is an article concerning fitness, business, or finance, the guest speaker tends to be a man. Whereas, articles concerning children, diet, psychological behaviour, the guest speaker tends to be a woman. I feel as though the media subtly supports the ‘traditional’ gender roles and stereotypes. Either that, or it just comes down to credibility or whoever is willing to be interviewed on national television. When I think of women in popular culture, I instantly think of young women wearing clothes that or bear to none. Which could either be due to the ‘breaking traditional standards’ thing, or men in the entertainment industry sexualising women, or the body positive thing? With various social media platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook etc. As well as women on social media platforms with thin bodies, or curvy bodies advocating for body positivity such as the iconic Kim Kardashian or her youngest sister Kylie Jenner. I feel as though the female audience now, more than ever, are experiencing immense pressure to be either thin or curvy because of how much women in popular culture are flaunting their bodies, and how confident those women are.
Not long ago, Fergie released a song titled “M.I.L.F $”. The music video itself I would say very much sexualises women. I suppose women are portrayed this way because it grabs everyone’s attention. It is something that people with traditional standards would highly criticise, while men would very much appeal and admire too. It does, however, create this idea that all, if not most women come in shapes like Kim Kardashian. Which influences negative thoughts within the minds of young girls and women, which affects their self-esteem and leads to depression etc. The entertainment industry portrays women this way in order to remain relevant and appeal to large male audiences. Week 4: The 'Right' Time to have a child This week’s topic lingers in my mind. Growing up I have always been told how I should live my life, how my life should be written. In my parent’s eyes, my relatives, distant relatives, strangers within my community I have always been told that I will be a university student, graduate, find a well-paying job (find a love interest or my soulmate there), get married then move out and all that jazz. And that my life should not have to be any other way.
My cousin whom of which is one month older than me, at the time had a partner, fell pregnant at the age of 18, we’re 19 now. And everyone I know (that isn’t generation Z) thinks she’s an absolute idiot. That she’s screwed her life over, that she is not capable of caring for her child because she herself is still considered a child, and just crap like that. Because she’s a girl because it was simply not the ‘right’ time. And of course, "it ruins our family’s reputation".
But I think that’s all dumb. The expectations, and societies thoughts, opinions and beliefs should not have dictate or label you as something. I do see how having a child as a teenager can limit you from some opportunities but honestly, it isn’t the status of being a mother that is prohibiting. It’s prohibiting you, not allowing yourself to pursue such opportunities. I don’t think there is a ‘right’ time for any event in life. But of course, conceiving a child under the age of 16 is not something I would consider safe. I’m not saying don’t have a child at 16, I just can’t imagine that the body is physically and biologically ready for the stress of childbearing… But bashing and slandering someone because they decided to go forth with the pregnancy and have the child is unnecessary.
Something that also stuck with me was hearing how approximately 800 women EVERY DAY, die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. PREVENTABLE CAUSES. And 99% OF ALL MATERNAL DEATHS OCCUR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. That’s ~800 newborns without mothers. And also, please read the comments and watch the video below...
The Agony of Birth [[media type=youtube key=H441sJqZERM width="560" height="315"]]
WEEK 5: Changing Gender Roles in Families: Paid Work, House Work, and child-raisingI grew up in a somewhat traditional Asian household, where the females were expected to do more than men (in regard to housework). Ever since I could remember, my sleep would be rudely interrupted by either my mother or father who would make me assist whoever was cooking breakfast. All because I am a girl and I had to learn these things, as it would benefit me in future. However, my brothers as you would expect would never be asked to do this task. I liked that we addressed this topic, as I can relate to the topic and it is not something many households like mine wish to change or address.
Pay differences make me anxious. We’re often told that going to university will almost guarantee that we will get a good job with good pay. The fact that there is a pay gap makes me wonder whether studying is even worth it. For myself, I still have yet to find what I am passionate about, and this is why I have jumped through various courses. So that’s added stress because at the end of the day I would still need to pay the same amount for the courses as my male counterparts.
Image result for gender equality in europe
It is concerning to see that Australia does not rank as the top 10 countries that are closer to a gender equality reality. In the lecture, I thought it was interesting to hear that employers do discriminate against mothers but not against fathers and the significance of it. I just thought we would have overcome this by now. Especially with departments like FairWork. What do workplaces expect? That every one of their employees has perfect families because at the end of the day every individual gets tax deducted and women just lose 17% of their yearly income because of gender. And single mothers would have to work more hours to compensate. Because our gender ‘reflects’ our capabilities in the workplace. Yes? WEEK 6: ‘Walking into doors’ Women and Domestic Violence“It is important to understand that ‘abuse’ comes in many forms, and no matter how it is delivered, it leaves it victims afraid, unable to participate in everyday life, unable to be happy, unable to be healthy, unable to work productively, unable to for other properly”. Unicef reports that as many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence at home. I found the clip in this week's lecture/tutorial to be confronting. There were so much aggression and no regard or concern for the woman and children. Seeing that clip made it seem so real. I have never witnessed domestic violence or at least I do not think I have. I think it is interesting to see how domestic violence is viewed in other cultures as well Australia. In some countries the men who are often the perpetrators are not frowned upon for abusing woman, it is not seen as an issue and so the victims feel trapped and there is no mode of support for woman who experiences domestic violence in other cultures because it is something that the woman must come to terms with for being a "bad wife". And yet in Australia, we understand that this is a problem and that domestic violence can come in many forms, however, I feel as though we are not able to indicate whether one's relationship is a domestic violence relationship. This is concerning for woman's health because DV relationships can be emotional, mentally and physically challenging. In most cases, the women's support system will be cut off so that she is dependent on the perpetrator, then he ensures that she does not have any interaction with the outside world. It can severely make or break someone and it needs to stop, but its hard to prohibit when it is behind closed doors.
WEEK 7: Women’s Health in Same-Sex RelationshipsI found this topic to be interesting. Women’s health in same-sex relationships is not something that has ever crossed my mind, and because the focus on homosexuality and health has predominately been on gays (and HIV) rather than lesbians.
It is interesting to see how expressive some lesbians of the early 20th century was, considering how being ladylike was a huge thing. Especially because society then was not very open-minded to homosexuality, and people were told by society and their family members that homosexuality was an illness. And relatively recently did the World Health Organization remove homosexuality from the ICD-10.
In regard to homosexuality and health insurance, it was shocking to hear that many health insurance policies do not cover unmarried partners, as marriage laws have yet to change in Australia to allow same-sex marriage. I find it unbelievable that there are health insurance policies in place that prohibit same-sex couples to have quality health care. And discrimination is such a big factor in same-sex health and wellbeing, its baffling. And to hear that lesbians avoid seeking health care from health care providers is sad. Because this leaves so many lesbian couples with on-going health issues, affecting their mental and physical state.
I hope in the near future; health in same-sex relationships will improve. And that society is able to change their hearts and allow for homosexuals to be comfortable in their own skin. So that homosexuals are able to seek help because every human is entitled to have access to health care. WEEK 9: Body Image and Mental Health Body image and Mental health are important to address especially with the ever-growing use of social media. Especially when you have people like Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Alexis Ren advocating for body positivity. There is a strong correlation between woman and concerns for their body image and mental health, women often feel the need to appear a certain way and this does affect their mental health. The truth is, all women feel the need to improve and this often means changing their physical appearance. As inspiration, many women turn to social media and this results in women believing that they are not good enough, that because people admire their beauty or the way that person appears, that they are not capable of being loved the same way. It is all about self-esteem. There was a study conducted in 2006 I believe, and the authors explored the relationship between adolescents negative body image concerns with depression, anxiety and suicidality (Lifespan, 2006). These findings make a point that central feelings about one's appearance tend to be in the world of teenagers and how these concerns are impairing. Body image is more than just how the body looks, its how we feel about our own physical appearance, it is our thoughts, perceptions, imaginations and emotions. All women struggle with body image and mental health. It is something that is well known, everyone is constantly trying to change their physical appearance whilst admiring someone else's, we are constantly to change ourselves, overlooking the fact that the person whom you admire is doing what you are doing, comparing and admiring someone else's. Body Image affected by Media The video I have attached shows you how easily body image, the way we see our own bodies and compare to other bodies can affect our health, physically and emotionally. Lifespan. (2006, June 6). Negative Body Image Related To Depression, Anxiety And Suicidality. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060606224541.htm
WEEK 11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women's Health
This week we discussed female heterosexuality within the postfeminist and neoliberal culture. It’s interesting to see how we’ve normalised sexual culture over time, and yet discussing things like periods is still considered inappropriate. We are more likely to believe a woman if she tells someone that she was raped, where if the genders were switched we are more likely to find it hard to believe because culturally men who have any sexual contact is applauded for any sexual contact while women who are raped is easier to believe because of the gender stereotypes, where women are considered weaker and vulnerable than women. I thought it was especially interesting to hear how many women in Brisbane alone had labiaplasty, what I thought was surprising was to hear that labiaplasty is covered by Medicare. Even though people are getting labiaplasty purely for cosmetic reasons.
Also, it is crazy how dominant male influence can be. That everything we see in the media or on television happens to please the male population. That it has come to a point where sexualising women in media has become a norm, while discussing the biology of a female is considered to be inappropriate. And how in social situations women are less regarded than men, and how we have somehow socially constructed the idea that it is okay for men to feel entitled and treat women in such a way that can be dehumanising, which makes women disregard their overall health, in order to meet the standards of a man.
The image I have attached is just one of many posts that are often seen on social media. And it is worrying because it is a real-life ordeal. Women will be cat-called on the street, men somehow think it is okay to feast their eyes on women's buttocks and breasts. And a lot of them do not see it as a problem because they have grown up with "boys will be boys", this idea is why men are always excused for their inappropriate behaviour. Whilst it is another case of females, who are often shamed for similar ordeals.
WEEK 13: Three Case Studies: Representatives from Children by Choice and TRUE Relationships
The semester has come to an end, and this unit has left me a feminist. I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be a feminist, and it is not what I had initially thought, I definitely do not hate men as some feminists do. But instead, I understand that being a feminist is about eliminating gender inequality. Gender inequality still a huge part of societies all around the world, and coming out of this unit, I want to now educate people on gender inequality and what it means to be a feminist. It still amazes me how people will practice gender inequality without realising because it has been normalised through thousands and thousands of years of culture through gender norms and roles.
This week, we were visited by DV Connect, TRUE Relationships and Children by Choice. We are very fortunate to have programs such as DV Connect, TRUE Relationships and Children by Choice. these programs in most cases, all interplay. I particularly liked the TRUE relationships guest speech, that we need respectful education. As in most cases, that involves a man and woman, society is always quick to blame the woman saying that the woman is always at fault. And I definitely think that the issue here is that children are brought up being taught to disregard women, if we refer to Pierre Bourdieu's habitus theory which refers to the "physical embodiment of cultural capital, to the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions that we possess due to our life experiences."
I also found the speech by Children b Choice to be interesting. Learning that abortion is apart of several criminal acts in Queensland, and that rape cases must be considered by the Supreme Court, and doctors. I recently found this article Man rapes a 12-year-old girl. As you can see from the title of that article, that girl is now pregnant and the girl has been refused an abortion, while the man has been granted custody of the child that the 12-year-old is now carrying. This girl now has a constant reminder of her rapist, she is carrying his child and he is able to walk free. While the girl must deal with the emotional trauma of being raped. This girls life is now ruined because of the man who CHOSE to see this little girl in a sexual manner and decided to RAPE her. To add to this, the Supreme Court has refused her to have an abortion. I can only imagine that with the way that society thinks, this girl is slandered and blames for his actions, at school she probably gets slut-shamed because she now has a child.
Children by Choice I think is an exceptional program. Because not many people feel that it may be the right time to have a child or in some cases such as the one I mentioned before. Women and girls are able to evaluate situations properly, and throughout the process, they have a support system that will not judge them but accept the decision that is made. And that is very important for woman's health, because the long-term effects of losing a child are often the emotional stress and trauma, and not having that support system.
The biology of the female body never ceases to amaze me, woman's bodies go through a lot and to think that we are regarded as lesser beings is baffling to me, as well as the existence of gender inequality. But mostly societies thoughts about what they consider to be Woman's "Amazing" bodies.
It is obvious that woman is insecure about their bodies when we do not meet certain social standards. Social media is not something that helps to spread body positivity either. When I google imaged "woman's amazing bodies" the top images that came from that search were mostly women with curves, "plump" breasts, little to no fat on their skin, no acne, no stretch marks, nor scars. The things that women must deal with on monthly bases is incredible, our hormones are constantly changing (the natural work of our body, the fluctuating hormones), and it is not something we get to see plastered on social media and magazines, it is not often discussed in public, and when discussed it is considered to be "inappropriate". People tend to overlook the beauty of the biology behind woman's bodies, and it saddens me because when you understand it, you can really appreciate the female species that much more, physical appearance aside!
It's amazing how men can be excused for natural behaviour but it is unacceptable for women to practice because people forget to view women as human beings too. in societies eyes, women are always the subjects of judgement and I think we need to change that. As it so clearly has an effect on the way they view themselves and their health. All bodies are beautiful, people overlook the beauty of each individual body. However, with the help of social media and feminists, the world is slowly changing and adapting to see women as humans rather than a species that aspire to be perfect, that do not have natural functions such as men.
[[media type=youtube key=QdW6IRsuXaQ width="560" height="315"]]Bodyform Responds :: The Truth
[[media type=youtube key=Bpy75q2DDow width="560" height="315"]]Blood Normal
[[media type=youtube key=oiQiFyTClbg width="560" height="315"]]
Bodyform’s New Advert Depicts ‘Period Blood’ Instead Of Blue Liquid In UK First
I found these two clips on facebook. And I adore the "blood normal" advertisement which is the right video that I have attached above. In the past, companies that produce pad and tampons often use blue liquids to demonstrate the durability of the product. However, this is the first ever advertisement that shows crimson red liquid on pads. This is the closest representation of menstruation ever displayed, on commercials and businesses. It's something that everyone needs to see, we have been disregarded for too long, normalising the image of period blood is the next step to seeing women and their amazing bodies as human.
Week 3: Portrayal of Women in Popular CultureLately have been noticing on the news especially, when there is an article concerning fitness, business, or finance, the guest speaker tends to be a man. Whereas, articles concerning children, diet, psychological behaviour, the guest speaker tends to be a woman. I feel as though the media subtly supports the ‘traditional’ gender roles and stereotypes. Either that, or it just comes down to credibility or whoever is willing to be interviewed on national television.
When I think of women in popular culture, I instantly think of young women wearing clothes that or bear to none. Which could either be due to the ‘breaking traditional standards’ thing, or men in the entertainment industry sexualising women, or the body positive thing? With various social media platforms such as Instagram, Tumblr, Facebook etc. As well as women on social media platforms with thin bodies, or curvy bodies advocating for body positivity such as the iconic Kim Kardashian or her youngest sister Kylie Jenner. I feel as though the female audience now, more than ever, are experiencing immense pressure to be either thin or curvy because of how much women in popular culture are flaunting their bodies, and how confident those women are.
Not long ago, Fergie released a song titled “M.I.L.F $”. The music video itself I would say very much sexualises women. I suppose women are portrayed this way because it grabs everyone’s attention. It is something that people with traditional standards would highly criticise, while men would very much appeal and admire too. It does, however, create this idea that all, if not most women come in shapes like Kim Kardashian. Which influences negative thoughts within the minds of young girls and women, which affects their self-esteem and leads to depression etc. The entertainment industry portrays women this way in order to remain relevant and appeal to large male audiences.
Week 4: The 'Right' Time to have a child
This week’s topic lingers in my mind. Growing up I have always been told how I should live my life, how my life should be written. In my parent’s eyes, my relatives, distant relatives, strangers within my community I have always been told that I will be a university student, graduate, find a well-paying job (find a love interest or my soulmate there), get married then move out and all that jazz. And that my life should not have to be any other way.
My cousin whom of which is one month older than me, at the time had a partner, fell pregnant at the age of 18, we’re 19 now. And everyone I know (that isn’t generation Z) thinks she’s an absolute idiot. That she’s screwed her life over, that she is not capable of caring for her child because she herself is still considered a child, and just crap like that. Because she’s a girl because it was simply not the ‘right’ time. And of course, "it ruins our family’s reputation".
But I think that’s all dumb. The expectations, and societies thoughts, opinions and beliefs should not have dictate or label you as something. I do see how having a child as a teenager can limit you from some opportunities but honestly, it isn’t the status of being a mother that is prohibiting. It’s prohibiting you, not allowing yourself to pursue such opportunities. I don’t think there is a ‘right’ time for any event in life. But of course, conceiving a child under the age of 16 is not something I would consider safe. I’m not saying don’t have a child at 16, I just can’t imagine that the body is physically and biologically ready for the stress of childbearing… But bashing and slandering someone because they decided to go forth with the pregnancy and have the child is unnecessary.
Something that also stuck with me was hearing how approximately 800 women EVERY DAY, die from preventable causes related to pregnancy and childbirth. PREVENTABLE CAUSES. And 99% OF ALL MATERNAL DEATHS OCCUR IN DEVELOPING COUNTRIES. That’s ~800 newborns without mothers. And also, please read the comments and watch the video below...
[[media type=youtube key=H441sJqZERM width="560" height="315"]]
WEEK 5: Changing Gender Roles in Families: Paid Work, House Work, and child-raisingI grew up in a somewhat traditional Asian household, where the females were expected to do more than men (in regard to housework). Ever since I could remember, my sleep would be rudely interrupted by either my mother or father who would make me assist whoever was cooking breakfast. All because I am a girl and I had to learn these things, as it would benefit me in future. However, my brothers as you would expect would never be asked to do this task. I liked that we addressed this topic, as I can relate to the topic and it is not something many households like mine wish to change or address.
Pay differences make me anxious. We’re often told that going to university will almost guarantee that we will get a good job with good pay. The fact that there is a pay gap makes me wonder whether studying is even worth it. For myself, I still have yet to find what I am passionate about, and this is why I have jumped through various courses. So that’s added stress because at the end of the day I would still need to pay the same amount for the courses as my male counterparts.
It is concerning to see that Australia does not rank as the top 10 countries that are closer to a gender equality reality. In the lecture, I thought it was interesting to hear that employers do discriminate against mothers but not against fathers and the significance of it. I just thought we would have overcome this by now. Especially with departments like FairWork. What do workplaces expect? That every one of their employees has perfect families because at the end of the day every individual gets tax deducted and women just lose 17% of their yearly income because of gender. And single mothers would have to work more hours to compensate. Because our gender ‘reflects’ our capabilities in the workplace. Yes?
WEEK 6: ‘Walking into doors’ Women and Domestic Violence “It is important to understand that ‘abuse’ comes in many forms, and no matter how it is delivered, it leaves it victims afraid, unable to participate in everyday life, unable to be happy, unable to be healthy, unable to work productively, unable to for other properly”.
Unicef reports that as many as 275 million children worldwide are exposed to violence at home. I found the clip in this week's lecture/tutorial to be confronting. There were so much aggression and no regard or concern for the woman and children. Seeing that clip made it seem so real. I have never witnessed domestic violence or at least I do not think I have. I think it is interesting to see how domestic violence is viewed in other cultures as well Australia. In some countries the men who are often the perpetrators are not frowned upon for abusing woman, it is not seen as an issue and so the victims feel trapped and there is no mode of support for woman who experiences domestic violence in other cultures because it is something that the woman must come to terms with for being a "bad wife". And yet in Australia, we understand that this is a problem and that domestic violence can come in many forms, however, I feel as though we are not able to indicate whether one's relationship is a domestic violence relationship.
This is concerning for woman's health because DV relationships can be emotional, mentally and physically challenging. In most cases, the women's support system will be cut off so that she is dependent on the perpetrator, then he ensures that she does not have any interaction with the outside world. It can severely make or break someone and it needs to stop, but its hard to prohibit when it is behind closed doors.
'What I See' - A Domestic Violence Short Film
WEEK 7: Women’s Health in Same-Sex Relationships I found this topic to be interesting. Women’s health in same-sex relationships is not something that has ever crossed my mind, and because the focus on homosexuality and health has predominately been on gays (and HIV) rather than lesbians.
It is interesting to see how expressive some lesbians of the early 20th century was, considering how being ladylike was a huge thing. Especially because society then was not very open-minded to homosexuality, and people were told by society and their family members that homosexuality was an illness. And relatively recently did the World Health Organization remove homosexuality from the ICD-10.
In regard to homosexuality and health insurance, it was shocking to hear that many health insurance policies do not cover unmarried partners, as marriage laws have yet to change in Australia to allow same-sex marriage. I find it unbelievable that there are health insurance policies in place that prohibit same-sex couples to have quality health care. And discrimination is such a big factor in same-sex health and wellbeing, its baffling. And to hear that lesbians avoid seeking health care from health care providers is sad. Because this leaves so many lesbian couples with on-going health issues, affecting their mental and physical state.
I hope in the near future; health in same-sex relationships will improve. And that society is able to change their hearts and allow for homosexuals to be comfortable in their own skin. So that homosexuals are able to seek help because every human is entitled to have access to health care.
WEEK 9: Body Image and Mental Health
Body image and Mental health are important to address especially with the ever-growing use of social media. Especially when you have people like Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner and Alexis Ren advocating for body positivity. There is a strong correlation between woman and concerns for their body image and mental health, women often feel the need to appear a certain way and this does affect their mental health. The truth is, all women feel the need to improve and this often means changing their physical appearance. As inspiration, many women turn to social media and this results in women believing that they are not good enough, that because people admire their beauty or the way that person appears, that they are not capable of being loved the same way. It is all about self-esteem.
There was a study conducted in 2006 I believe, and the authors explored the relationship between adolescents negative body image concerns with depression, anxiety and suicidality (Lifespan, 2006). These findings make a point that central feelings about one's appearance tend to be in the world of teenagers and how these concerns are impairing. Body image is more than just how the body looks, its how we feel about our own physical appearance, it is our thoughts, perceptions, imaginations and emotions.
All women struggle with body image and mental health. It is something that is well known, everyone is constantly trying to change their physical appearance whilst admiring someone else's, we are constantly to change ourselves, overlooking the fact that the person whom you admire is doing what you are doing, comparing and admiring someone else's.
Body Image affected by Media
The video I have attached shows you how easily body image, the way we see our own bodies and compare to other bodies can affect our health, physically and emotionally.
Lifespan. (2006, June 6). Negative Body Image Related To Depression, Anxiety And Suicidality. ScienceDaily. Retrieved October 27, 2017, from www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2006/06/060606224541.htm
WEEK 11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women's Health
This week we discussed female heterosexuality within the postfeminist and neoliberal culture. It’s interesting to see how we’ve normalised sexual culture over time, and yet discussing things like periods is still considered inappropriate. We are more likely to believe a woman if she tells someone that she was raped, where if the genders were switched we are more likely to find it hard to believe because culturally men who have any sexual contact is applauded for any sexual contact while women who are raped is easier to believe because of the gender stereotypes, where women are considered weaker and vulnerable than women. I thought it was especially interesting to hear how many women in Brisbane alone had labiaplasty, what I thought was surprising was to hear that labiaplasty is covered by Medicare. Even though people are getting labiaplasty purely for cosmetic reasons.
Also, it is crazy how dominant male influence can be. That everything we see in the media or on television happens to please the male population. That it has come to a point where sexualising women in media has become a norm, while discussing the biology of a female is considered to be inappropriate. And how in social situations women are less regarded than men, and how we have somehow socially constructed the idea that it is okay for men to feel entitled and treat women in such a way that can be dehumanising, which makes women disregard their overall health, in order to meet the standards of a man.
The image I have attached is just one of many posts that are often seen on social media. And it is worrying because it is a real-life ordeal. Women will be cat-called on the street, men somehow think it is okay to feast their eyes on women's buttocks and breasts. And a lot of them do not see it as a problem because they have grown up with "boys will be boys", this idea is why men are always excused for their inappropriate behaviour. Whilst it is another case of females, who are often shamed for similar ordeals.
WEEK 13: Three Case Studies: Representatives from Children by Choice and TRUE Relationships
The semester has come to an end, and this unit has left me a feminist. I now have a better understanding of what it is like to be a feminist, and it is not what I had initially thought, I definitely do not hate men as some feminists do. But instead, I understand that being a feminist is about eliminating gender inequality. Gender inequality still a huge part of societies all around the world, and coming out of this unit, I want to now educate people on gender inequality and what it means to be a feminist. It still amazes me how people will practice gender inequality without realising because it has been normalised through thousands and thousands of years of culture through gender norms and roles.
This week, we were visited by DV Connect, TRUE Relationships and Children by Choice. We are very fortunate to have programs such as DV Connect, TRUE Relationships and Children by Choice. these programs in most cases, all interplay. I particularly liked the TRUE relationships guest speech, that we need respectful education. As in most cases, that involves a man and woman, society is always quick to blame the woman saying that the woman is always at fault. And I definitely think that the issue here is that children are brought up being taught to disregard women, if we refer to Pierre Bourdieu's habitus theory which refers to the "physical embodiment of cultural capital, to the deeply ingrained habits, skills, and dispositions that we possess due to our life experiences."
I also found the speech by Children b Choice to be interesting. Learning that abortion is apart of several criminal acts in Queensland, and that rape cases must be considered by the Supreme Court, and doctors. I recently found this article Man rapes a 12-year-old girl. As you can see from the title of that article, that girl is now pregnant and the girl has been refused an abortion, while the man has been granted custody of the child that the 12-year-old is now carrying. This girl now has a constant reminder of her rapist, she is carrying his child and he is able to walk free. While the girl must deal with the emotional trauma of being raped. This girls life is now ruined because of the man who CHOSE to see this little girl in a sexual manner and decided to RAPE her. To add to this, the Supreme Court has refused her to have an abortion. I can only imagine that with the way that society thinks, this girl is slandered and blames for his actions, at school she probably gets slut-shamed because she now has a child.
Children by Choice I think is an exceptional program. Because not many people feel that it may be the right time to have a child or in some cases such as the one I mentioned before. Women and girls are able to evaluate situations properly, and throughout the process, they have a support system that will not judge them but accept the decision that is made. And that is very important for woman's health, because the long-term effects of losing a child are often the emotional stress and trauma, and not having that support system.