http://www.ksl.com/?sid=27801877&nid=148&title=discrimination-against-women-in-the-workplace-can-be-subtle-study-says&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-7

Activism to me is to take the opportunity to act on the changes that you want to see take place in your own community and in the world today. If no one acts, then nothing gets done, and therefore things stay the same and it proves the theory that activism and action have to start with one person and then can have a ripple effect that involves many people. Standing up for your beliefs, signing a petition, going to a rally, walking for cancer awareness, attending a conference, voting, volunteering, are all ways to be an activist. It doesn't have to be something major, it can be the little things we do each day that show that we are striving to make our communities and our world a better place to live in for ourselves and for future generations. Hilary Clinton is a women's activist that has been an example to all of us as someone who fights for women's rights and all human rights. She leads by example and shows us that women can be powerful and in control of their lives and be successful as a wife, mother, politician, and activist. Before this class I thought of the 60's as the era of activism and reform and thought of it in an extreme way, I now feel as though it's the little things we do each day and the small acts of activism that can make our communities and our world a better, safer, more peaceful, more equal place to be.

http://redemptionpictures.com/2013/11/20/how-i-became-a-jesus-feminist/

 God Says Yes to Me

Kaylin Haught (1995)

I asked God if it was okay to be melodramatic

and she say yes

I asked her if it was okay to be short

and she said it sure is

I asked her if I could wear nail polish

and she said honey

she calls me that sometimes

she said you can do just exactly

what you want to

Thanks God I said

And is it even okay if I don’t paragraph

my letters

Sweetcakes God said

who knows were she picked that up

what I’m telling you is

Yes Yes Yes

*This poem feels like it was written by a younger child as if asking her God questions and in this case "She" is answering them. It feels like she is emphasizing feminine power and this is her form of authority. It shows how our everyday actions and smaller things in life impact us and her God is affirming what she believes and is supporting and loving her. This God accepts her for who she is and who she wants to be and is a God that she can relate to in everyday life. Also, accepting her human imperfections and loving her and accepting her anyways. It implies feminine power and superiority as she is speaking to a female God but at the same time a humble God who knows each person individually and tries to take care of their needs and know them as one their own daughters that they have a personal relationship with.

Blog Post-Week 11

Blog Post: Week 11

            Donald, Donald, Donald, I sometimes feel he just wants attention, other than for his hairpiece and Celebrity Apprentice for firing people. He is quick to make judgments and rash in what he says. It is a very naïve response to a bigger issue that needs to be brought to the fore front of the military and nonmilitary alike. Quit treating women poorly that are willing to sacrifice as much, or more, for their countries than men do.

Women that want to serve should not be punished for it and they definitely should not expect to be sexually assaulted or raped or harassed while doing so. This is a 1950’s attitude that men are superior to women and can control them and not take any responsibility for their actions, but justify their actions by making women feel guilty and like they deserve this type of treatment. The expectation in putting men and women together should be one of camaraderie and the common goal of serving their country and fighting to protect our liberties and freedoms, which is all in the constitution.

In the article, “Sexual Violence,” it resonates that we need to all readjust our lens of life and begin to see ourselves as capable human beings that work to reconstruct our violent society.” The military needs to take a long hard look at this and start treating women the way they deserve to be treated.

Barbara's

Week 10 Blog Post:

            Barbara story differs from other African American women because it’s not the stereotypical live in the projects, don’t care about your kids, on drugs or dealing drugs, go to a scary crime-filled school, can’t walk down the street for fear of being killed, works at a minimum wage job, no teeth, gets pregnant on purpose to get more welfare and has no idea who the “baby daddy” is. She’s being abused and is controlled and can’t leave because she has no way to support herself and her children. Parts of this run into her story but she does debunk a lot of myths surrounding the typical African American single woman.

            First of all she has a decent job that pays well and she has some education. Although, her neighborhood is a little rough, she lives in a pretty decent place and can provide more than the basics for her children. She works hard too, which debunks that myth because it shows that she’s not another “welfare” mother living off the system and too lazy to get a job. Barbara very much cares for her children and supervises them and wants them to get a good education. In fact, she regularly checks with the teachers and school counselors and she drives miles out of her to get her son to a school that has a good reputation.

            The biggest thing that stands out to me is that she has a support system that many women that are single are not that lucky to have. She has family around and also a group of friends that regularly do things together and have known each other for years. She also is very cautious in her relationship with Marvin, she doesn't want him to use her or to treat her badly. Although, she has some challenges in her life, like her son getting his girlfriend pregnant, it goes to show that we can’t always judge a book by its cover and most myths can be debunked flat on their faces.

 *Another view: Bill O'Reilly's at it again!

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/oreilly-single-black-moms-have-devastated-millions-of-children-and-led-to-disaster/politics/2013/07/24/71617#.UnV0o_nOnlR

 

           

Week 9 Blog Post: What about the “Founding Mothers?”  Maegan Green

            The thing that struck me the most about this podcast is that in while we are all grateful for our founding fathers; but where are the “founding mothers?” You know the saying that behind every good man is a good woman. Who were the mom’s that raised these men to be so great and have such great morals and principles? The mother’s that are behind the scenes working tirelessly day in and day out should deserve some credit too. Linda Curbert at a commencement ceremony stated that, “You fair ones; America is in your hands.” It is up to women to marry good men that are supportive and have the same morals and values that we do, and that we want to pass onto future generations.

            Motherhood took on different roles in the 1900’s and the role is constantly changing. With the absence of the father away working, moms took on both the role of mother and father and had to try to do her best at both. There were more rights for women as well during this era and some wanted to pursue their education or work, and didn’t want to be so oppressed.

            I think we all “take a piece of mother when we leave home,” because home is where mom is and where we learn what we need to know to be out on our own. Every Mother’s Day I have to admit I cry and feel so guilty. I wonder what I could have done differently with my children and for my children, especially when I was single. I always buy my mom a nice gift and celebrate her success as a mother, but don’t really want to celebrate my successes. Last year my kids chipped in to buy me a massage gift certificate and I lived it and enjoyed every second of it. I finally was able to let go of my mistakes and enjoy the day and appreciate my own mother, as well as the “founding mothers” of our country.

            

Week 8 Blog Post: Frontline: Abortion Clinic     Maegan Green

            There were a few things that struck me as I watched this documentary and truthfully I found it difficult to watch an abortion and it made me cringe to watch the girl in so much pain and heartache as she went through this ordeal. I feel she was not properly educated on the whole process and she was torn about her decision.  Physically it was hard to watch, but emotionally I felt sorry for her and wanted someone to stop her from making such a life-altering decision. It struck me that they were alone and generally didn’t have any parental support or anyone with them to support their decision.

            Another thing that struck me was the preacher that was outside trying to prevent the girl’s from getting the abortions and educating them that there were resources out there for them and they didn’t have to go through with it. One of the girl’s mentioned that she was afraid of what would happen when the state funding ran out and she was on her own without any help. I can see her point, having been a single mother myself. I don’t personally agree with abortion but I could see the predicament that some of these girls faced. The nurse’s in the video actually did take the time to explain the procedure and tried to be sensitive to the girl’s needs, although I don’t agree with their jobs in assisting with an abortion, under the circumstances they were at least sensitive towards them.

             When the preacher said, “What are you going to do with your baby? Because it is already a baby.”  That struck me hard and the I think the couple too because it made them think about the fetus as a real person and not just some object growing inside of her. He tried to explain that the abortion wasn’t the only option out there and that there was help with the other options too. It’s a tough issue that probably will not go away and will always be controversial but I feel there needs to be better sex education in the schools and parents need to address these issues with their children and try to help them through the difficult teen years and these tough decisions they need to make.

                      Mirror Mirror On The Wall...Who's The Fairest Of Them All?


     We are surrounded by mirrors; in the bathroom, in our rooms, at work, at the department store, for decoration or for a purpose they are everywhere. They rule our lives, we use them to get ready in the morning, we have to check our outfits to make sure they look good in them, we check our makeup in them, we even check our reflection in the windows as we pass by or in a water pool,we can't help but look. Why are we so obsessed, is it a part of our lives and we can't help it, or we are obsessed with ourselves and narcissistic? Everyday people use them constantly but in the documentary it represents something more, outward beauty and obsession with it, pressure to look perfect and be thin, to judge only on outward appearances, not inward beauty. It represents the pressures we feel from our parents to be better, to do better, from our teachers, from our employers, from our friends and even strangers, and from a model scout.
     Who do we blame for this pressure? The media? Magazine covers? Fashion shows? Social media like Face book and Twitter? Store Mannequins ? The makers of Barbie Dolls? Movie stars? Athletes? Or just our society in general? It's difficult just to blame it on one thing, it seems to encompass a variety of factors. In the documentary there was an enormous amount of pressure on these girls to be "perfect" and to stay thin and beautiful. They were taken advantage of and for what? They received no monetary reward or even any sense of self-satisfaction. It was for the gain of the model scouts and the photographers only. Adults taking advantage of children. It took away their childhood and their innocence and placed the value of the mirror above the value of the who the girl's really are from the inside out not the outside in.
     There was no happy ending like maybe in Snow White and other fairy tales. The tale just goes on and on and we don't know what happens next.

Eleanor Roosevelt, the longest-serving First Lady of the United States, was born on this day in 1884. She has been most remembered for her social justice efforts, having spent much of her life advancing the rights of women and minorities. Roosevelt was an ardent supporter of civil rights, calling out her husband's New Deal programs for discriminating against African Americans and opposing FDR's Executive Order 9066, which forced Japanese Americans into internment camps after the attack on Pearl Harbor. She also advocated for more women in the workplace and urged women to vote as a bloc.

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/news/56963037-78/women-mormon-church-priesthood.html.csp

http://worldnews.nbcnews.com/_news/2013/10/05/20803178-painless-death-or-precipitous-cliff-transsexual-chooses-euthanasia-after-failed-operation?lite
This is sad to me and kind of crazy too that they allow people to die like this!

                                                     Week 5: Blog Post 

• The name of my campaign is: Embrace the "Softer" Side of You...
• The take home message will be: That men can tap into their softer side and still be masculine in a sexy, and thoughtful way. 
• Differs: It will differ from the women's campaign in that it will show images of men doing things that will shatter the image of men having to be angry and mean in order to be masculine. It will show images of a father bathing his baby with Dove, a father coaching his son's baseball team and cleaning the mud off his uniform, a husband coming home from work early and making his wife a romantic dinner and then running her a bath with Dove...All images of tapping into a more sensitive, softer side of men, yet portraying that this can be sexy and appreciated by women.
• Similar: In that it will help men to have a better self-image and know that being masculine doesn't always translate to being mean or angry or selfish, but that there are other images of masculinity that are sexy and fresh and bring out the "Softer" Side of You...
• Such campaigns don't seem to exist for men because it would break the stereotypes that we normally think of when we think of the masculinity of men. I think there needs to be more because it can show men that women aren't necessarily looking for someone that is masculine in a negative way, it can be a very positive attribute for men to possess as well.

http://www.kutv.com/news/top-stories/stories/vid_7074.shtml
Interesting but not great for the women of Utah, maybe Mormon feminists should be all over this instead of whether or not they can wear pants to church, LOL!

http://abcnews.go.com/US/transgender-teen-named-homecoming-queen/story?id=20328965

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-09-17/poverty-in-u-s-remains-high-with-incomes-stagnant-census-says.html
Interesting article about poverty in the U.S. and why are we spending so much money and resources abroad when we can't take care of our own at home? Something to ponder...Congress and the President should take a field trip to the homeless shelters and that might open up their eyes...

  

Week's 3 & 4 Blog Post...

One . . .
By Sharon Hwang Colligan
1. ONE
Well
the straights talk of
heterosexual thrusting as if it were
the only real
form of
sexual fulfillment and
the straights tense if I touch them
and
the gays make jokes about “breeders”
and
fall silent if I mention my (male)
lover
I look for books on bisexuality but
They are all about married men or
Have titles like “two lives to lead” –
Well I am NOT a man and will
never
Lead two lives I am one woman
ONE ONE ONE
I thought Gay Rights meant being
able
to love who I love
2. YOU SEE
I am white Chinese
I am bisexual Lesbian
3. MY FATHER
is Polish and Irish and German
long blended in America
My mother is the child of
two brave Chinese who
survived
in an alien and hating land
to raise bright an dbeautiful
middle-class
daughters
who no longer speak Chinese
who work to succeed
to pass
White racism against my yellow
family and self is a crime the
criminals
are of my own white
family, my own pale skin color
4. WE LOVED
Though she and I separated I
vowed never to forget nor
deny the fires she ignited in my body
& soul
I chose at 17 to
claim
the word  Dyke to commit my fate
to that of the lesbians
when the witch hunters came they
would have to
come for me too
even if by that time I had married
him
none of the coming-out stories
or other writings I devoured
Seventeen alone and bisexual
never once
validated my reality never once
offered a story
of a relationship
neither abusive nor boring
with a male lover
My new &fragile lesbian

**My response to this poem is that she conveys a lot of sadness and despair and that she feels very misunderstood. She is confused about where she belongs being a Chinese-American lesbian and feminist. I think she feels that this is a category that others cannot relate too and she is very lonely. I think she is almost embarrassed of who she is and feels she has let down her family, but longs to be accepted by someone, by society. My personal feeling is that I don't understand this way of life or being either because it's very foreign to me. I try to be accepting and understanding of others that are different or think differently than myself, but this is a category I'm just beginning to study and try to understand better. I think that each of us at some point in our lives can relate to these feelings and insecurities and the feeling that we don't belong anywhere.
Even as a white, middle-class, LDS, girl growing up I had a lot of insecurities and there were many times I felt worthless and alone and like I didn't belong. I was extremely shy and it has taken me years to accept myself and feel worthwhile and important, it's a work in progress. My wish for our world would be that we could be more tolerant and understanding of others and even if we can't understand them or relate to them, that we can at least treat them as fellow human beings on this journey of life. Trying to find some common ground with each person we come in contact with.

http://fox13now.com/2013/09/16/brotherly-love-boy-prays-writes-santa-to-help-bullied-sister/
SAD! There are all forms of discrimination, this breaks my heart!

http://www.ksl.com/?nid=1070&sid=26446161
Interesting about Steve Young and his wife, what do you guys think?

http://www.foxnews.com/entertainment/2013/09/11/miss-kansas-is-deer-hunting-tattoo-wearing-seargent-in-us-army/

How cool is she? :)

http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865586359/Woman-behind-An-Ordinary-Hero-inspires-students-across-the-state.html
This is inspiring~

SUSAN B. ANTHONY PICTURES...

Post #2

            

"Cautious, careful people always casting about to preserve their reputation or social standards never can bring about reform. Those who are really in earnest are willing to be anything or nothing in the world's estimation, and publicly and privately, in season and out, avow their sympathies with despised ideas and their advocates, and bear the consequences." —Susan B. Anthony

            This quote resonates with me because of the greatness of Susan B. Anthony’s life and the profound effect she made in the women rights movement, was way ahead of her time. Her ability to stand up for what she felt was right and her belief that women should be treated equally to men and have all the same rights and privileges, made a difference in all women’s lives. She felt it was important enough to risk her reputation in public and to dedicate her life to the cause of women’s suffrage, privately as well. She also campaigned for the abolition of slavery, the right for women to own their own property and retain their earnings, and she advocated for women's labor organizations. In 1900, Anthony persuaded the University of Rochester to admit women.

            I know that her actions and sense of justice, forced her to face many negative consequences throughout her life. She was infamous for paving the way for generations of women to come. She gave women courage and hope and the ability to feel that they were worthwhile and that their actions could make a difference in the world.

           

The "Who Needs Feminism?" project was started by students at Duke University who were frustrated with the popular misconceptions surrounding the feminist movement. As they write on their site, "We feel that until the denigration surrounding feminism and women's issues is alleviated, it will be hard to achieve total gender equality, both statistically and socially." They asked people to submit their own reasons as to why feminism is needed and, to the organizers' delight, they discovered that the submissions they received gave "better answers than we could have ever imagined!" 

To browse through the project submissions, some of which contain strong language, visit their Tumblr page at http://whoneedsfeminism.tumblr.com/

For stories for young readers of both real-life and fictional of girls and women confronting gender discrimination and prejudice, visit our "Gender Discrimination" section at http://www.amightygirl.com/books/social-issues/prejudice-discrimination?cat=69

http://www.today.com/moms/last-lego-creates-female-scientist-minifigure-8C11083650

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/lifestyle/2013/09/goldieblox-helping-to-build-a-generation-of-female-engineers
When Debbie Sterling found out that just 11% of engineers are women, she was determined to change that. She started her own line of toys to inspire young girls to not only play with dollhouses but to build them. Inspiring! 

Dalai Lama

It’s in our interest to take care of others. Self-centredness is opposed to basic human nature. In our own interest as human beings we need to pay attention to our inner values. Sometimes people think compassion is only of help to others, while we get no benefit. This is a mistake. When you concern yourself with others, you naturally develop a sense of self-confidence. To help others takes courage and inner strength.♥

After the fact, I saw a few spelling errors, etc., it was late when I typed it out thinking it was due on Sunday, not Saturday. So, I meant "own jobs" and anti-Mormons. LOL! There were a couple more points I would have added too, but it was supposed to be 1 page long.

What is Feminism?

My own personal definition of feminism is, “Women that are actively involved in bringing women’s rights issues to the forefront of our society and finding ways to equalize the female gender in our culture today.” I feel the women’s movement first started with women been given the right to vote and gaining some equality with the men of that time period. They probably didn't know at the time that they would affect whole generations of women for years to come, and that they were the beginning of something that was life-changing that would revolutionize our society in the years to come.

            The 1950’s is often portrayed as the “perfect family” era and we think of I love Lucy and everyone eating dinner together and discussing their day and dad gets home from work and mom gives him a foot rub. The children are all well-behaved and have good manners and would never dare talk back to their parents. In a class I took last semester this image was shattered into tiny, little pieces when I read about the way that many women and children were poorly treated and   the amount of depression and mental disorders that existed and the abuse that occurred. Domestic violence and child abuse were rampant issues and child labor laws existed, but were not really enforced. There were even women who went so far as to prostitute themselves out for extra money. Does this sound like the perfect family or society to you? Me neither. As women, we have come a long way since then in changing stereotypes and in changing some of the expected roles that women have been in for years.

            Fast forward to the twentieth century and we have seen more women entering the work place and more men as stay-at-home dads. When I worked at Wal-Mart a few years ago, I remember there being a large number of African Americans that had come to Utah to work and were all training with us. The rumors got around that the only reason they worked there was because the company protocol was to hire a certain number of women, a certain number of African American’s, a certain number of men, etc. It turned out that after awhile they had just up and disappeared, and we heard they were suing the company for thousands of dollars based on claims of racial discrimination, and gender discrimination, poor working conditions, and so on. We were all afraid of losing our won jobs and didn't want to get involved, except for a few protesters outside of the store.

             Feminism also conjures of images to me of protesters and activists outside the State Capitol or outside of Temple Square, and it all seems a little extreme, even though the homosexuals, the animal rights activists, the non-Mormons, the anti-abortionist groups, and the anti-war activists all take their turns protesting. I picture a bunch of women holding signs and chanting. In talking to my mom, I thought she brought up a good, valid point though that, “Isn't it a good thing that someone sticks up for their rights and fights for the issues that affect all women? Isn't it time that men and women are equal in the workplace and everywhere, after all this isn’t the 50’s anymore?!” Well, yes, mom, I think it is.

            

http://fox13now.com/2013/08/30/group-of-mormon-feminists-push-to-be-part-of-priesthood-meeting-at-general-conference/
Interesting!

http://www.sltrib.com/sltrib/blogsfaithblog/56789850-180/byu-married-hudson-mormon.html.csp
"No married woman with small children has ever, ever been hired in a tenure-track appointment in the College of Religious Education at BYU. . ."

"Ironically, a married woman with small children could work as a secretary in the department, Hudson writes, "and that has certainly happened many times over the years. But you could never work as a tenure-track professor." . . ."

*At least it look like a step in the right direction...BYU, BYU, BYU, LOL!

Bullying Prevention Program

http://www.ksl.com/?sid=26616269&nid=148&title=elementary-students-to-win-new-shoes-by-stopping-bullies&fm=home_page&s_cid=queue-15
I love this article and think that all schools could benefit from programs like this. It's great that they are starting this at an elementary school level. Bullying is such a huge issue in our schools right now, there was an article on KSL a few months ago about a 13 year old boy that was being bullied and he committed suicide right outside the school. Sad that it has to come to that. Education and prevention are keys to preventing bullying, and why not make it fun and give the kids some incentive?? :)