After only 2 weeks of exploring the concepts behind Women’s health, it is clear to see that there are far greater impacts than just the physical and biological conditions of health that I assumed this subject would cover. I find it very frustrating to hear of the many women that were “blamed” for not bearing a son and were significantly punished or even killed many centuries ago. It is like the whole process of conceiving a child between the man and women is disregarded, and the physical process of actually carrying and giving birth to the child is where the gender is determined. Although, to learn of the early theories behind the anatomy of a women’s body such as the hollow womb and bleeding nipples leading to a women to be labeled insane, it is obvious that anatomy was not a strong point of this time and it is more due to the notion that men were held in much higher regard than women and couldn’t possibly be thought to be at fault. It is even more alarming to explore this issue and see that these cruel acts towards women who bear a daughter rather than a son still occur in many countries and cultures today and are in fact not at all a thing of the past.
When looking at the topic around body image and breast size and shape, it can be seen that the pressures for women to look, act and function a certain way are endless. From having a perfect looking set of breasts to having a perfect functioning set of breasts, the influences towards making us feel like a true women or not are often heartbreaking. The online “brelfie” movement, formed through the Tree of Life breastfeeding photos below saw women empowered to demonstrate their motherly and natural gift of being able to nourish and sustain their children. I can only imagine the pain and insecurities that would have been triggered for those mothers who are unable to feed this way. Then comes the notion that perhaps the biological function of breastfeeding is put on hold as we glorify the cosmetic, sexualised, and physical appearance of breasts leading to insecurities, judgment, and surgical procedures as we try to live up to certain expectations.
Tree of Life "Brelfie"
To me it raises the questions- how have we normalised the perfect looking pair as much as we have normalised the perfect functioning pair? How can this be related to the rest of our body? And how fine is the line between the effects of the messages that are used to empower women against the damaging effects that these messages can have on as many, if not more women?
A Better Physical Appearance = A Better Life?
Week 3: Women in Popular Culture, Advertising and the Media.
Advertising campaigns, social media, and digital entertainment avenues have a huge potential of how gender roles and expectations of males versus females are influenced and portrayed. The cleaning product advertisement shown in class that showed a father and son in the kitchen making a mess while the mother soon stepped in to clean it up while they watched on was very eye opening to just how obvious a typical women’s role is portrayed through advertising. The roles of cooking, cleaning and caring for children is all displayed as an obvious motherly role in advertisements, and is all something that is done with a great big smile of happiness and accomplishment making motherhood look like a dream.. and a duty.
Strong gender roles are displayed in Panadol medication ads as they show employed males hard at work, as the females are shown in the children’s Panadol ads supporting her child in the home as she nurses them back to health.
These days, the way in which women are portrayed in popular “reality” TV shows is concerning. I feel that The Real Housewives shows are one of the most damaging representations of women that there is on TV. To glorify the lives of these women who appear to gossip about friends while sipping on champagne all day as they are supported by their wealthy husbands, surely can’t be a healthy influence for viewers both male and female alike.
Furthermore to this, TV series such as Entourage glorify young, successful, single males who are seen as idols for the amount of women that they are surrounded by in any given episode. The women that they are attracted to are objectified as half naked easy targets, while any successful female and even the wives of characters are seen as threatening, overbearing and demanding. A clip created by Women of the World displayed 37 ways that women are objectified in a single 1:40 minute trailer for the Entourage movie- from portraying a girlfriend as whining and crazy, showing a group of fully clothed males standing around a pool of near naked females, to young, bikini clad females hanging off of male retirees, women are portrayed as if their main purpose is to be there for the taking and to look good while doing it.
By constantly portraying women in this light through these so-called entertainment avenues creates degrading effects on females that are normalised, accepted and acted upon. Whether intentional or not, boys and men begin to see females as objects that exist simply to satisfy their needs, and females grow up thinking that they need to present themselves and act in a certain way to get attention, affection and success. All of which go against everything that empowering women movements strive to achieve, yet unfortunately reach a much larger and susceptible audience.
Week 4: Reproductive Health for Women.
Is there a right time to have a child? When comparing cultures throughout the world there are vast differences between when the time may be right, when the time may occur, and when the time may be forced. In most developed countries we are almost spoilt for choice, with the timeline from class showing an accurate example of this. When planning for the future for many women, the thought is made to have our life ‘sorted’, to be a certain age, and to be “ready” before we can ideally start a family. But in reality- what does “sorted” mean? From getting the right qualifications or experience in our current job, to finding the right partner, to traveling the world, contraception seems to be widely used until we find our “ready”. Contraception in the form of the pill for example is something that many females in the western world have grown up with. In a sense, many of us have had some degree of planning for a family instilled in us from as early as our teenage years.
Fertility rates in Australia are reported to be falling and indicate that women are having fewer children later in life (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017). There are many things that may lead to delayed fertility, with waiting until we are “sorted” being just one of the effects.
We are all equal until one of us breeds: Something interesting that I came across is the concept of the Motherhood Penalty. It makes the point that “being a female can dramatically restrict our salary and the impact of having children on career advancement can be just as great”. The motherhood penalty is said to be the largest contributor to the gender pay gap and begins as soon as the pregnancy is visible, as if a pregnant women is immediately seen to be less committed to her job.
Gender norms follow women throughout their career, with mothers in particular receiving less promotions and are seen as less authoritative, less dependable, more emotional and more irrational. On the contrary, when looking at fathers in the workplace it is almost a promotion in itself. The notion of a man ‘now having a family to support’ is seen as a bigger responsibility and is met with bigger pay packets and promotions. A sociology study found a negative flexibility bias even occurred towards mothers after requesting flex time or flex place (altering work schedules or working from home), while fathers on the other hand were seen more favourably in light of these requests for a more flexible work-life family balance. The disadvantage, stigma, and set backs that are faced by mothers in the workforce are clear and something that I feel is contributing majorly to the current changes in fertility rates and women's long term health.
Week 5: Gender and Work: How does it work?
Although I have known about the existence of disparities between a man and women’s pay, this week’s lecture really opened my eyes to just how big those disparities are. Women literally work for free for hours, for days, for months! How is it that the exact same education, experience, work hours and passion can look so different for two people?
When searching further into the gender pay gap, the consequences for women at end of the line are even more alarming. When discovering the disadvantages that women face when it comes to their retirement of possessing around half of what men do, I am initially struck with the thought of many females facing either a lifelong dependence on someone else for income and security in the future, or to end up in poverty. A 2009 document from the Australian Human Rights Commission examines the decisions, events and experiences in a women’s lifecycle that are relevant to the gender gap in our retirement savings. It can be seen that there is no single answer to the gender pay gap because there is no single factor that is responsible for its presence. It is decades worth of a “lack of value” attributed to a women’s paid and unpaid work. The resolutions that are stated throughout the document are to:
1. Remove the barriers to women’s participation in the paid workforce and close the gender pay gap 2. Invest in measures to redress women’s disadvantage in the superannuation scheme 3. Specifically recognise and reward unpaid caring work in the retirement income system
Although a step in the right direction, women are still having to juggle their exit and re-entry into the workforce after children, and they are still getting paid less once they do. This supports Annabel Crabbs brilliant article Behind Every Successful Women There’s a Wife; “Why are our discussions about women in the workplace always about the barriers that block women's entry to it, and almost never about the barriers that block men's exit from it, when practically speaking, the latter phenomenon is such a significant cause of the former”?
The topic of toxic masculinity and the impact this has towards domestic violence (DV) is one thing that stood out to me from this weeks lecture.
The below quote stood out to me when delving into this topic.
To me this is saying is that toxic masculinity is much bigger than a man having to suppress his emotions. In no way should the effect that this topic has on a man be suppressed or overlooked, but I think that it is bringing light to the flow on effects of the impact of male masculinity. There is so much evidence to show how these suppressive symptoms lead to domestic abuse towards women in so many instances. What can seem like a father telling his sons to harden up, don’t cry or to act like a man- things that are seen in so many real life and media driven situations these days, is leading to such damaging repercussions down the track.
Toxic masculinity can be described as the depiction of manhood through acts of violence, sex, power and aggression. “Softer” and more “caring” traits are seen as feminine and weak, while “manliness” is expressed through these damaging traits that can often be learned through the actions of a child’s parents and home life. The relationship that is demonstrated to a child between their father and mother is likely to be repeated by children later in life, as either putting up with DV or being the perpetrator of DV is normalised.
This culture that is taught from a young age teaches young boys and men that having dominance over another person is the depiction of being a man. The construction of toxic masculinity for a boy or man has dire consequences towards the health and safety of women both in public settings and most often behind closed doors in their own home. Rape and sexual assault, aggression and abuse are common ways for men to assert their dominance. Misogyny is created as men have been brought up with a negative attitude towards women, further decreasing the respect that men have for women and leading to both physical and emotional harm.
The alarming figures below show the high rates of domestic violence that women face within the home and by a person close to them. It is just as alarming to think of the example is being set for children within the home and the negative impact that toxic masculinity is having towards men, and therefore women in the future generations to come.
Week 7- The Social Treatment of Lesbians and the Consequences for Health.
To learn of the negative health consequences that lesbian and bisexual women face and that they are at higher risk of diseases such as endometrial and breast cancer as well as lung cancer, mental health and obesity is alarming and has me searching into why.
Social exclusion and stigmatisation is believed to be the main contributor to poor health outcomes in lesbian and bisexual women. The World Health Organisation acknowledges that social exlusion results in a continuum of inclusion/exclusion characterised by unequal access to resources, capabilities and rights which leads to health inequalities. All of which appear to be happening to lesbian and bisexual women both currently and throughout history as well.
To be less likely or able to utilise health services due to facing stigma and discrimination is a huge issue for women- who are already at high risk of many physical and emotional conditions. Screening practices play a crucial part in the diagnosis of many of these conditions and it is alarming that so many women are not able to utilise them because of the way they are made to feel.
When looking at the health impacts of inclusion and recognition from the diagram above- it makes me see it in reverse because it is a lack of inclusion and recognition that we are seeing towards lesbian women, and it is for this reason that we are seeing the opposite of each of these impacts- a decreased sense of security, a lack of resilience, higher rates of mental health disorders, lower access to healthcare and little in the way of public health benefits.
I found the Australian LBQ Women’s Health Conference clip below and found it a positive insight into the work that can occur in this space to highlight and improve this prominent and growing issue.
Week 8: Mental Health and substance abuse in women across the ages
I feel that the topic of women's health this week was something very relatable and personal to me. Women are known to put others first and often don’t prioritise their own health over their loved ones. I feel that women have a whole level of internal controllers that can have an effect on their emotions and stresses and how they deal with these factors. The hormonal factors that play a part in how women can handle and react with different situations is a natural part of being a women and it is so disturbing to see the way women were depicted and treated around the time of menstruation in the past. I have struggled with my hormones and I can feel my anxieties increase and my coping mechanisms drop at certain hormonal times. To think that these symptoms were seen as traits of evilness and insanity is so alarming.
Through current research we know that women experience mental health conditions at higher rates than men. Circumstances that women face every day such as caring for others, pregnancy and becoming a mother, menopause and violence or abuse are all factors that contribute to these higher rates of mental health conditions.
I came across this trailer for a Women’s Health series which I will endeavour to track down to watch (a New Zealand production). I feel that it is an amazing representation of what we have learnt about in a number of the lectures throughout this subject. Women are under constant pressure to perform as a mother, as a friend, as a daughter, or as a wife while still presenting themselves in the ‘right’ way for the public, whilst maintaining their job and keeping their home life and family functioning- the expectations are endless and they all have such a negative impact towards the emotional and mental wellbeing of women.
Week 9: The Fashion Industry and Body Image: The Impact on Women's Health
It is interesting to see how the ‘ideal’ body has changed over the decades, with a once curvier figure being replaced now with the idolisation of a much more thinner frame.
Vanity sizing has become something to grace many stores by using smaller numbered sizes on bigger clothing patterns- aiming to flatter customers into buying their brand because they fit a smaller size than they actually may be. All of which emphasises the desire to be thin and feel good because of it.
I feel that the damaging influences towards body image are more powerful than ever in this current time, with the world of Instagram and social media taking it to another level. Major influences such as the fashion industry have a huge avenue of exposure through technology today, with women and young girls being surrounded with unrealistic examples of the way we should look.
When learning about “What is the fashion industry?” from the lecture, I feel that this can be extended to include the current fashion models flooding social media and described as modern ‘influencers’ that can have a major impact on the way women and in particular young girls see themselves. I feel that women of all ages are vulnerable to being influenced by the fashion industry, however I often reflect that growing up as a teenager today would be particularly hard. Young girls often have unlimited and unsupervised access to all types of negative sources of influence towards their body image as comparison and idolisation of the wrong and most often fake representation of a woman can lead to the high rates of eating disorders and mental health issues.
A great clip I found of a high school student's school project on the negative effects of the beauty and fashion industry on self esteem and body image. The activity about the difference in a woman describing themselves and their own features compared to when someone else describes them is an incredible example of the negative self image that most women have of themselves.
Week 11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women's Health
Post feminism: “In particular moving beyond or rejecting some of the ideas of feminism as out of date”
The simple notion that we don’t ‘need’ feminism, coming from generations of females who don’t know what it was like to exist in a world without it- in the sense of actually having rights, having a voice and being heard, being able to choose an education – it seems quite insulting. The fact that they can write their opinions down on paper and be heard is contradictory to what they are even announcing. The misconception of feminism has unfortunately become an increasingly popular (and damaging) movement we see today.
I like the description by Alsion Piepmeier, when discussing postfeminism verses the third wave (source below). “Postfeminism relies on competitive individualism and eschews collective action; it obscures or makes invisible the many ways in which women are often fearful, subjected to rape and other kinds of violence, and politically and economically underprivileged”.
YouTube video: What saying 'I'm not a feminist' really means.
A concept that I have found interesting to hear about during this subject, and something that I feel fits well with this lecture is the notion of wearing make-up, wearing clothing, or taking part in something because “I” want to, when really, it is still part of a constructed “normal”. It has challenged my thoughts on what it really means to feel empowered do something that I feel I want to do. Through the statement by Claire Moran in the lecture “the focus on choice obscures the reality that many women choose the same thing for apparently entirely individual reasons” really stood out to me. I think that the post feminist movement has strayed from being an independent woman through ones own ideals and values, to a generation of people who think that just because they willingly do something means that they have done so out of uniqueness, power and free will. I feel that there is a fine line between feeling empowered to do something, and doing something because we simply have the choice to do so.
Has empowerment lost its meaning?
Week 13: TRUE Relationships, Children by Choice & DVconnect
This weeks speakers were very beneficial and I feel that they really tied in with many underlying causes that are involved with public health, particularly socioeconomic status and inequality.
It was valuable to gain a better understanding into how unplanned pregnancies and domestic violence were related, and to get an insight into the many consequences that occur from abusive relationships. Something that I found interesting (and concerning) was how pregnancy can escalate or de-escalate the violence seen in abusive relationships. Naively my first thought around the violence de-escalating was that the violence ceased completely.. this thought quickly changed to learn of the power and dominance that it gives the man over the woman and the importance in acknowledging the forms of DV other than the physical side of it.
When researching further into the escalation of violence during pregnancy it was alarming to learn that almost 30% of women who suffer DV in their lifetime suffer the first incidence of violence during pregnancy.
It signifies the importance of what was mentioned in an earlier lecture around health checks during pregnancy, with women being taken to a private area such as the toilet to be screened or given the chance to speak about intimate partner violence without their partners being near.
A paper released by Griffith University also outlined several theoretical explanations that have been proposed to account for domestic violence:
Men’s possessiveness and jealousy
Disagreements and expectations concerning domestic work and resources
Men’s sense of the right to punish their women for perceived wrong doing
The importance to men of maintaining or exercising their power and authority in their own homes.
I find that the effects of low socioeconomic status on health is a particular interest of mine, and was interested to learn of the relationship and flow on effects that socioeconomic inequalities have on unplanned pregnancy rates, abortion, and IPV. After becoming aware of the cost of abortion and how this reduces many women’s access to the service relates to the disadvantages that are seen for woman who can get access to money due to disadvantaged systems, and also because of the heavy reliance on their violent partner for financial support, thus linking the circle of DV, unplanned pregnancy, abortion and the negative impacts on women’s health.
Another area that stood out to me is the health impacts of refuge and relocation on woman and how important access to ongoing support would be for these woman. It is an interesting fact that was raised about woman having to be the ones to be removed from their homes rather than the man, and I see how the process of relocation would have a huge impact on a woman’s health and wellbeing. Many woman would have to cut many ties with their loved ones and support networks so that they can not be ‘tracked down’, with many negative effects of isolation and loss of belongings occurring, increasing the risk of mental health issues, poverty and further reliance on others.
I hope that policy commitments can have an effect on the levels and systems that will truly have an effect on domestic violence and the multitude of relating health issues. More certainly needs to be done to change the systems in place and to allow ACCESS to support and safety for those that are affected. The Pattern Changing course run in the UK for woman who have suffered abuse and are still feeling the effects appears to model a powerful and much needed support network for women.
Women's Health Reflective Diary. N9148388
Week 2: Women's Amazing Bodies
After only 2 weeks of exploring the concepts behind Women’s health, it is clear to see that there are far greater impacts than just the physical and biological conditions of health that I assumed this subject would cover. I find it very frustrating to hear of the many women that were “blamed” for not bearing a son and were significantly punished or even killed many centuries ago. It is like the whole process of conceiving a child between the man and women is disregarded, and the physical process of actually carrying and giving birth to the child is where the gender is determined. Although, to learn of the early theories behind the anatomy of a women’s body such as the hollow womb and bleeding nipples leading to a women to be labeled insane, it is obvious that anatomy was not a strong point of this time and it is more due to the notion that men were held in much higher regard than women and couldn’t possibly be thought to be at fault. It is even more alarming to explore this issue and see that these cruel acts towards women who bear a daughter rather than a son still occur in many countries and cultures today and are in fact not at all a thing of the past.
Link to article: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2008/nov/23/india-gender
When looking at the topic around body image and breast size and shape, it can be seen that the pressures for women to look, act and function a certain way are endless. From having a perfect looking set of breasts to having a perfect functioning set of breasts, the influences towards making us feel like a true women or not are often heartbreaking. The online “brelfie” movement, formed through the Tree of Life breastfeeding photos below saw women empowered to demonstrate their motherly and natural gift of being able to nourish and sustain their children. I can only imagine the pain and insecurities that would have been triggered for those mothers who are unable to feed this way.
Then comes the notion that perhaps the biological function of breastfeeding is put on hold as we glorify the cosmetic, sexualised, and physical appearance of breasts leading to insecurities, judgment, and surgical procedures as we try to live up to certain expectations.
To me it raises the questions- how have we normalised the perfect looking pair as much as we have normalised the perfect functioning pair? How can this be related to the rest of our body? And how fine is the line between the effects of the messages that are used to empower women against the damaging effects that these messages can have on as many, if not more women?
Week 3: Women in Popular Culture, Advertising and the Media.
Advertising campaigns, social media, and digital entertainment avenues have a huge potential of how gender roles and expectations of males versus females are influenced and portrayed. The cleaning product advertisement shown in class that showed a father and son in the kitchen making a mess while the mother soon stepped in to clean it up while they watched on was very eye opening to just how obvious a typical women’s role is portrayed through advertising. The roles of cooking, cleaning and caring for children is all displayed as an obvious motherly role in advertisements, and is all something that is done with a great big smile of happiness and accomplishment making motherhood look like a dream.. and a duty.
Strong gender roles are displayed in Panadol medication ads as they show employed males hard at work, as the females are shown in the children’s Panadol ads supporting her child in the home as she nurses them back to health.
These days, the way in which women are portrayed in popular “reality” TV shows is concerning. I feel that The Real Housewives shows are one of the most damaging representations of women that there is on TV. To glorify the lives of these women who appear to gossip about friends while sipping on champagne all day as they are supported by their wealthy husbands, surely can’t be a healthy influence for viewers both male and female alike.
Furthermore to this, TV series such as Entourage glorify young, successful, single males who are seen as idols for the amount of women that they are surrounded by in any given episode. The women that they are attracted to are objectified as half naked easy targets, while any successful female and even the wives of characters are seen as threatening, overbearing and demanding. A clip created by Women of the World displayed 37 ways that women are objectified in a single 1:40 minute trailer for the Entourage movie- from portraying a girlfriend as whining and crazy, showing a group of fully clothed males standing around a pool of near naked females, to young, bikini clad females hanging off of male retirees, women are portrayed as if their main purpose is to be there for the taking and to look good while doing it.
By constantly portraying women in this light through these so-called entertainment avenues creates degrading effects on females that are normalised, accepted and acted upon. Whether intentional or not, boys and men begin to see females as objects that exist simply to satisfy their needs, and females grow up thinking that they need to present themselves and act in a certain way to get attention, affection and success. All of which go against everything that empowering women movements strive to achieve, yet unfortunately reach a much larger and susceptible audience.
Week 4: Reproductive Health for Women.
Is there a right time to have a child? When comparing cultures throughout the world there are vast differences between when the time may be right, when the time may occur, and when the time may be forced.
In most developed countries we are almost spoilt for choice, with the timeline from class showing an accurate example of this. When planning for the future for many women, the thought is made to have our life ‘sorted’, to be a certain age, and to be “ready” before we can ideally start a family. But in reality- what does “sorted” mean? From getting the right qualifications or experience in our current job, to finding the right partner, to traveling the world, contraception seems to be widely used until we find our “ready”. Contraception in the form of the pill for example is something that many females in the western world have grown up with. In a sense, many of us have had some degree of planning for a family instilled in us from as early as our teenage years.
Fertility rates in Australia are reported to be falling and indicate that women are having fewer children later in life (Australian Institute of Family Studies, 2017). There are many things that may lead to delayed fertility, with waiting until we are “sorted” being just one of the effects.
We are all equal until one of us breeds:
Something interesting that I came across is the concept of the Motherhood Penalty. It makes the point that “being a female can dramatically restrict our salary and the impact of having children on career advancement can be just as great”. The motherhood penalty is said to be the largest contributor to the gender pay gap and begins as soon as the pregnancy is visible, as if a pregnant women is immediately seen to be less committed to her job.
Link to article:
http://www.theaustralian.com.au/life/the-motherhood-penalty/news-story/9a070a691f320a1182c1887fee3c397e
American Journal of Sociology research study results: Getting a Job: Is there a Motherhood Penalty?http://gap.hks.harvard.edu/getting-job-there-motherhood-penalty#method
Gender norms follow women throughout their career, with mothers in particular receiving less promotions and are seen as less authoritative, less dependable, more emotional and more irrational. On the contrary, when looking at fathers in the workplace it is almost a promotion in itself. The notion of a man ‘now having a family to support’ is seen as a bigger responsibility and is met with bigger pay packets and promotions. A sociology study found a negative flexibility bias even occurred towards mothers after requesting flex time or flex place (altering work schedules or working from home), while fathers on the other hand were seen more favourably in light of these requests for a more flexible work-life family balance. The disadvantage, stigma, and set backs that are faced by mothers in the workforce are clear and something that I feel is contributing majorly to the current changes in fertility rates and women's long term health.
Week 5: Gender and Work: How does it work?
Although I have known about the existence of disparities between a man and women’s pay, this week’s lecture really opened my eyes to just how big those disparities are. Women literally work for free for hours, for days, for months! How is it that the exact same education, experience, work hours and passion can look so different for two people?
When searching further into the gender pay gap, the consequences for women at end of the line are even more alarming. When discovering the disadvantages that women face when it comes to their retirement of possessing around half of what men do, I am initially struck with the thought of many females facing either a lifelong dependence on someone else for income and security in the future, or to end up in poverty. A 2009 document from the Australian Human Rights Commission examines the decisions, events and experiences in a women’s lifecycle that are relevant to the gender gap in our retirement savings. It can be seen that there is no single answer to the gender pay gap because there is no single factor that is responsible for its presence. It is decades worth of a “lack of value” attributed to a women’s paid and unpaid work. The resolutions that are stated throughout the document are to:
1. Remove the barriers to women’s participation in the paid workforce and close the gender pay gap
2. Invest in measures to redress women’s disadvantage in the superannuation scheme
3. Specifically recognise and reward unpaid caring work in the retirement income system
http://www.humanrights.gov.au/sites/default/files/document/publication/accumulating_poverty.pdf
Although a step in the right direction, women are still having to juggle their exit and re-entry into the workforce after children, and they are still getting paid less once they do. This supports Annabel Crabbs brilliant article Behind Every Successful Women There’s a Wife; “Why are our discussions about women in the workplace always about the barriers that block women's entry to it, and almost never about the barriers that block men's exit from it, when practically speaking, the latter phenomenon is such a significant cause of the former”?
Annabel Crabb article: Behind every successful women there is a wife.
http://www.abc.net.au/news/2011-03-08/behind-every-successful-woman-theres-a-wife/2664866
Week 6: Domestic Violence
The topic of toxic masculinity and the impact this has towards domestic violence (DV) is one thing that stood out to me from this weeks lecture.
The below quote stood out to me when delving into this topic.
To me this is saying is that toxic masculinity is much bigger than a man having to suppress his emotions. In no way should the effect that this topic has on a man be suppressed or overlooked, but I think that it is bringing light to the flow on effects of the impact of male masculinity. There is so much evidence to show how these suppressive symptoms lead to domestic abuse towards women in so many instances. What can seem like a father telling his sons to harden up, don’t cry or to act like a man- things that are seen in so many real life and media driven situations these days, is leading to such damaging repercussions down the track.
Toxic masculinity can be described as the depiction of manhood through acts of violence, sex, power and aggression. “Softer” and more “caring” traits are seen as feminine and weak, while “manliness” is expressed through these damaging traits that can often be learned through the actions of a child’s parents and home life. The relationship that is demonstrated to a child between their father and mother is likely to be repeated by children later in life, as either putting up with DV or being the perpetrator of DV is normalised.
This culture that is taught from a young age teaches young boys and men that having dominance over another person is the depiction of being a man. The construction of toxic masculinity for a boy or man has dire consequences towards the health and safety of women both in public settings and most often behind closed doors in their own home. Rape and sexual assault, aggression and abuse are common ways for men to assert their dominance. Misogyny is created as men have been brought up with a negative attitude towards women, further decreasing the respect that men have for women and leading to both physical and emotional harm.
The alarming figures below show the high rates of domestic violence that women face within the home and by a person close to them. It is just as alarming to think of the example is being set for children within the home and the negative impact that toxic masculinity is having towards men, and therefore women in the future generations to come.
Week 7- The Social Treatment of Lesbians and the Consequences for Health.
To learn of the negative health consequences that lesbian and bisexual women face and that they are at higher risk of diseases such as endometrial and breast cancer as well as lung cancer, mental health and obesity is alarming and has me searching into why.
Social exclusion and stigmatisation is believed to be the main contributor to poor health outcomes in lesbian and bisexual women. The World Health Organisation acknowledges that social exlusion results in a continuum of inclusion/exclusion characterised by unequal access to resources, capabilities and rights which leads to health inequalities. All of which appear to be happening to lesbian and bisexual women both currently and throughout history as well.
WHO Social ExclusionTo be less likely or able to utilise health services due to facing stigma and discrimination is a huge issue for women- who are already at high risk of many physical and emotional conditions. Screening practices play a crucial part in the diagnosis of many of these conditions and it is alarming that so many women are not able to utilise them because of the way they are made to feel.
When looking at the health impacts of inclusion and recognition from the diagram above- it makes me see it in reverse because it is a lack of inclusion and recognition that we are seeing towards lesbian women, and it is for this reason that we are seeing the opposite of each of these impacts- a decreased sense of security, a lack of resilience, higher rates of mental health disorders, lower access to healthcare and little in the way of public health benefits.
I found the Australian LBQ Women’s Health Conference clip below and found it a positive insight into the work that can occur in this space to highlight and improve this prominent and growing issue.
Week 8: Mental Health and substance abuse in women across the ages
I feel that the topic of women's health this week was something very relatable and personal to me. Women are known to put others first and often don’t prioritise their own health over their loved ones. I feel that women have a whole level of internal controllers that can have an effect on their emotions and stresses and how they deal with these factors. The hormonal factors that play a part in how women can handle and react with different situations is a natural part of being a women and it is so disturbing to see the way women were depicted and treated around the time of menstruation in the past. I have struggled with my hormones and I can feel my anxieties increase and my coping mechanisms drop at certain hormonal times. To think that these symptoms were seen as traits of evilness and insanity is so alarming.
Through current research we know that women experience mental health conditions at higher rates than men. Circumstances that women face every day such as caring for others, pregnancy and becoming a mother, menopause and violence or abuse are all factors that contribute to these higher rates of mental health conditions.
Beyond Blue- Women's Health
I came across this trailer for a Women’s Health series which I will endeavour to track down to watch (a New Zealand production). I feel that it is an amazing representation of what we have learnt about in a number of the lectures throughout this subject. Women are under constant pressure to perform as a mother, as a friend, as a daughter, or as a wife while still presenting themselves in the ‘right’ way for the public, whilst maintaining their job and keeping their home life and family functioning- the expectations are endless and they all have such a negative impact towards the emotional and mental wellbeing of women.
Week 9: The Fashion Industry and Body Image: The Impact on Women's Health
It is interesting to see how the ‘ideal’ body has changed over the decades, with a once curvier figure being replaced now with the idolisation of a much more thinner frame.
Vanity sizing has become something to grace many stores by using smaller numbered sizes on bigger clothing patterns- aiming to flatter customers into buying their brand because they fit a smaller size than they actually may be. All of which emphasises the desire to be thin and feel good because of it.
I feel that the damaging influences towards body image are more powerful than ever in this current time, with the world of Instagram and social media taking it to another level. Major influences such as the fashion industry have a huge avenue of exposure through technology today, with women and young girls being surrounded with unrealistic examples of the way we should look.
When learning about “What is the fashion industry?” from the lecture, I feel that this can be extended to include the current fashion models flooding social media and described as modern ‘influencers’ that can have a major impact on the way women and in particular young girls see themselves. I feel that women of all ages are vulnerable to being influenced by the fashion industry, however I often reflect that growing up as a teenager today would be particularly hard. Young girls often have unlimited and unsupervised access to all types of negative sources of influence towards their body image as comparison and idolisation of the wrong and most often fake representation of a woman can lead to the high rates of eating disorders and mental health issues.
A great clip I found of a high school student's school project on the negative effects of the beauty and fashion industry on self esteem and body image. The activity about the difference in a woman describing themselves and their own features compared to when someone else describes them is an incredible example of the negative self image that most women have of themselves.
Week 11: The Social Construction of Sexual Relationships: Impact on Women's Health
Post feminism: “In particular moving beyond or rejecting some of the ideas of feminism as out of date”
The simple notion that we don’t ‘need’ feminism, coming from generations of females who don’t know what it was like to exist in a world without it- in the sense of actually having rights, having a voice and being heard, being able to choose an education – it seems quite insulting. The fact that they can write their opinions down on paper and be heard is contradictory to what they are even announcing. The misconception of feminism has unfortunately become an increasingly popular (and damaging) movement we see today.
I like the description by Alsion Piepmeier, when discussing postfeminism verses the third wave (source below). “Postfeminism relies on competitive individualism and eschews collective action; it obscures or makes invisible the many ways in which women are often fearful, subjected to rape and other kinds of violence, and politically and economically underprivileged”.
Post Feminism Vs The Third Wave
YouTube video: What saying 'I'm not a feminist' really means.
A concept that I have found interesting to hear about during this subject, and something that I feel fits well with this lecture is the notion of wearing make-up, wearing clothing, or taking part in something because “I” want to, when really, it is still part of a constructed “normal”. It has challenged my thoughts on what it really means to feel empowered do something that I feel I want to do. Through the statement by Claire Moran in the lecture “the focus on choice obscures the reality that many women choose the same thing for apparently entirely individual reasons” really stood out to me. I think that the post feminist movement has strayed from being an independent woman through ones own ideals and values, to a generation of people who think that just because they willingly do something means that they have done so out of uniqueness, power and free will. I feel that there is a fine line between feeling empowered to do something, and doing something because we simply have the choice to do so.
Week 13: TRUE Relationships, Children by Choice & DVconnect
This weeks speakers were very beneficial and I feel that they really tied in with many underlying causes that are involved with public health, particularly socioeconomic status and inequality.
It was valuable to gain a better understanding into how unplanned pregnancies and domestic violence were related, and to get an insight into the many consequences that occur from abusive relationships. Something that I found interesting (and concerning) was how pregnancy can escalate or de-escalate the violence seen in abusive relationships. Naively my first thought around the violence de-escalating was that the violence ceased completely.. this thought quickly changed to learn of the power and dominance that it gives the man over the woman and the importance in acknowledging the forms of DV other than the physical side of it.
When researching further into the escalation of violence during pregnancy it was alarming to learn that almost 30% of women who suffer DV in their lifetime suffer the first incidence of violence during pregnancy.
It signifies the importance of what was mentioned in an earlier lecture around health checks during pregnancy, with women being taken to a private area such as the toilet to be screened or given the chance to speak about intimate partner violence without their partners being near.
A paper released by Griffith University also outlined several theoretical explanations that have been proposed to account for domestic violence:
- Men’s possessiveness and jealousy
- Disagreements and expectations concerning domestic work and resources
- Men’s sense of the right to punish their women for perceived wrong doing
- The importance to men of maintaining or exercising their power and authority in their own homes.
Source: https://research-repository.griffith.edu.au/bitstream/handle/10072/69329/96839_1.pdf?sequence=1I find that the effects of low socioeconomic status on health is a particular interest of mine, and was interested to learn of the relationship and flow on effects that socioeconomic inequalities have on unplanned pregnancy rates, abortion, and IPV. After becoming aware of the cost of abortion and how this reduces many women’s access to the service relates to the disadvantages that are seen for woman who can get access to money due to disadvantaged systems, and also because of the heavy reliance on their violent partner for financial support, thus linking the circle of DV, unplanned pregnancy, abortion and the negative impacts on women’s health.
Another area that stood out to me is the health impacts of refuge and relocation on woman and how important access to ongoing support would be for these woman. It is an interesting fact that was raised about woman having to be the ones to be removed from their homes rather than the man, and I see how the process of relocation would have a huge impact on a woman’s health and wellbeing. Many woman would have to cut many ties with their loved ones and support networks so that they can not be ‘tracked down’, with many negative effects of isolation and loss of belongings occurring, increasing the risk of mental health issues, poverty and further reliance on others.
I hope that policy commitments can have an effect on the levels and systems that will truly have an effect on domestic violence and the multitude of relating health issues. More certainly needs to be done to change the systems in place and to allow ACCESS to support and safety for those that are affected. The Pattern Changing course run in the UK for woman who have suffered abuse and are still feeling the effects appears to model a powerful and much needed support network for women.
Link to The Pattern Changing course: https://www.home-startcentralbeds.org.uk/effects-of-domestic-abuse/