Category: Gender studies

Hi, I have an asisgemnnt diue tonigh that is on th esie side but do to finals I dont think I’ll beable to finish it. I was wodnering of you could watch this film and respons to the questions. I woudl also prefer soemnoen who is into social justice or is just pretty knowledgeble in the gender and queer studies. 
https://digital.osl.state.or.us/islandora/object/osl:989442

Assignment #1: Self-Reflection (10% of final grade)
In the first Module of the term, I will encourage you to consider our own relationship with Women’s Studies. You will write a critical analysis of your interactions with gender throughout your life and how you think they are connected to what we will learn in class. You can use the available Guiding Questions as a starting point for your essay – you are not expected to answer all of the questions, this is simply a resource for you to start reflecting on gender. In this assignment, we will use our lived experiences to theorize gender. 
Guiding Questions:
What are some of your own experiences with gender and identity? How do you understand gender? Have you ever systematically considered how you developed your gender identity? Do you think your own identity influenced how you understand gender? 
What are some of the meanings you and the people around you have assigned to your gender? What kind of external messages or gender cues have you received throughout your life? 
What messages do you send to others regarding what it means to be a man or a woman?
Have you ever considered how gender intersects with religion, class, age, and race?  
Growing up, what kind of “roles” were you expected to perform because of your gender? Did you know that gender had something to do with that? Did you ever notice a difference between what was expected of you and other people around you from a different gender? 
When did you start understanding inequality? What about oppression? Why do you think that is the case? 
Did you have a big “eureka” moment that shifted the way you think about gender and identity? When was that? Why at that moment? 
Did you have people around you that pushed you to think differently about gender and identity? Do you think they did that intentionally? How influential were they in your uprising? 
Have binary gender or sex-based terms (man/woman, male/female) limited your identity and/or discussions with others? How? 
How has your schooling played into your understanding of what it means to be a man, woman, transgender person, or otherwise non-binary individual?
Have you ever been ridiculed or denied an opportunity for doing or saying something that others didn’t consider “masculine” or “feminine” enough? How did that make you feel? How did you react? How did it affect your life beyond that single incident?
Have you ever ridiculed someone else for doing something you didn’t consider “masculine” or “feminine” enough? 
Has your understanding of gender identity limited your ability to listen to others?

You will submit two reading responses across the semester. The expected word count of these responses is 750-1000 words. In this assignment you are encouraged to primarily focus on 1 reading. The goal of this assignment is to deeply engage with the main arguments of the reading and discuss the significance to the field of queer and trans studies and/or to consider how the concepts and ideas can be applied to a specific example, case study, or recent event.
reading: Chapter two “What’s wrong with normal?”
in The trouble with normal : sex, politics and the ethics of queer life by Warner, Michael, 1958- authorNew YorkFree Press199941 – 81
Reading Response #1 Prompt:
Select one reading and reflect on how the author thinks about the potential and/or limitations of queer and trans studies. Here are some questions to consider: What kind of story do they tell about queer and trans studies’ past, present, and future. What are their thoughts about queer and trans politics at the time of their writing? What kinds of subject, histories, and social movements do these authors engage in and how does that shape their arguments?
In your response you can include more than 1 reading but it is not required. The main goal of this assignment is to deeply engage with 1 reading.

Consider how Hector Tobar’s research and interviews into the meaning/import of “Latino” (or Hispanic) identity in the U.S. can show both: a) the “cultural imperial” pressures and policies that lead to the identity construction here (and thus the need for critique/rejection of certain public and cultural elements); b) the potential for differing groups/individuals to come to embrace or reframe their location in relation to “American Imperialism” in a positive, creative,  “cultural revolutionary” ways. {Note the concepts/comparisons in Young “Scaling of Bodies” used here}

Discuss how Mills’s point/s about the “cognitive” dimension of white supremacy show the blocks/difficulties in bridging (through public debate and policy) group divides (antagonisms) and establishing common/shared justice (against coercion and violence), and how this outlook parallels, but distinguishes, from Marx’s “opposition theory” emphasis on “class” divides in his political-economic critique. Last, consider how such “opposition”/critical theories focus on social, group dynamics, more than a relation between liberal, individual debating opponents, and shows the limits on only an emphasis on individual freedoms, agency, and rights.

Put together a presentation on a gendered health issue from
the news media. This assignment involves finding a news article or video,
creating a presentation.
The first step is to locate a news media article or video
that focuses on a health issue that can be examined from a feminist
perspective. The news media source must be publicly available online.
1.     
Once you have selected
your news story, you must put together a ten-minute presentation summarizing
the article, framing the health issue through an intersectional, feminist lens and
situating yourself in relation to the topic.
2.    
Use PowerPoint slideshow
program. Your slideshow should include approximately five to seven slides,
including a cover slide and a reference list slide. All references and
citations must conform to APA style.
Slideshow Content
Slide 1: Presentation info.
Slide 2: Summary of the news source. Be sure to include
what the issue is, where it is happening, who is impacted, and how the issue is
covered in the article. This element will answer topics such as “who,” “what,”
“when,” “where,” and “why” as they are available in the chosen news media
source.
Slides 3–4: Tell your audience, 1) What is the health issue
being discussed in your source? 2) How is gender discussed in your source?
and 3) Are there any gaps in your source’s coverage of the issue (perhaps gaps
that an intersectional analysis might reveal)? Include citations in your slides
and a reference list slide at the conclusion of your slide deck.
Slide 5: Situate yourself in relation to the issue and the
subjects of the story. This will include consideration of how intersecting
systems of oppression shape experiences of the health issue being discussed, as
well as how you relate to these systems and to the health issue being
considered. For example, are you a member of the group being discussed? Do you
have experience with the health issue being discussed?
Last slide: Reference list.

Write a 1000-word essay telling me what you learned this term. Include specifics from the course materials. Try and think in terms of ideas, themes, theories, and concepts, using specific references to and from the course materials. In short, what was most compelling, exciting, engaging about the ideas we covered this semester?
Must be:
include at least 4 of the 5 modules
submit as a Word document ONLY
single-spaced
12-point font, 1″ margins
grammatically correct
do not pad the margins or the header. Put your name in the upper right hand corner of the page.
Here is my previous discussion post from the class
🌌MODULE #1: Being & Becoming Human (what I wrote): 
The human conscience and identity encounter challenges as the lines between humans and animals and machines become increasingly connected. Darwin explores the parallels between human and animal evolution with natural selection, “… female birds, by selecting, during thousands of generations, the most melodious or beautiful males, according to their standard of beauty” (Darwin, 1859) as humans historically favored desirable traits. However, the animalistic comparison, “To say a very close relative [Bonobo] to us is female-dominated, sounded unlikely. It was disturbing for some people. There was resistance’ (Seigel, p. 46), exemplifying the discomfort and resistance from society when norms are challenged. As the reliance on technology increases, “… we are all chimeras theorized and fabricated hybrids of machine and organism; in short, we are cyborgs” (Haraway, 150). The fusion with technology brings into question our authenticity and humanity. While platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, TikTok, and online classes sprout worldwide communication and knowledge. The platforms navigate society in the wrong direction by slowly stripping humans away from authentic connections. 
🏳️‍🌈MODULE #2: Gender Scripts & Storytelling (what I wrote): 
The narrative of becoming “a woman” in the 21st-century America is integrated with the traditional narrative of feminity enforced in daily life from childhood to adulthood. These narratives reinforce gender roles, as exemplified in Snow White tale, ” ‘If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything you want.’ ” (Grimm). The emphasis on domestic duties correlates to societal expectations for women to play the caregiver role in exchange for the protection and comfort provided by men. Furthermore, these narratives sustain feminity by portraying beauty as the ultimate reward for women, exemplified by Snow White’s awaking from a coma in a coffin to the prince’s stating, ” ‘I love you more than anything else in the world. Come with me to my father’s castle. You shall become my wife.’ ” (Grimm). The narrative reinforces that a woman’s worth is intertwined with her physical appearance, creating unrealistic beauty standards for young girls. Additionally, a child playing Snow White, ” ‘[Daisy is] Snow White,’ he explained ‘She ate the poison apple and now we’re trying to find the prince to wake her.’ ” (Orenstein, pg. 12), shows how the narratives fuel these stereotypes of feminity. The child, Daisy, eagerly awaits her own “Love’s First Kiss” (Orenstein), stimulating the idea of feminity to be rescued by a man. 
Silko’s essay “Language and Literature from Pueblo Indian Perspective” reveals the importance of storytelling within the Pueblo culture. Stories are a”language” (Silko, pg. 50) within the Pueblo community to “… the origin story constructs our identity—with this story, we know who we are. We are the Lagunas. This is where we are from” (Silko, 51), which cultivates an essential take on identity, community, and cultural continuity with a never-ending story. The theory from Publeo culture is depicted in Silko’s short story “Yellow Woman,” where the main character, a young Native American woman, in a journey with a man named Silva ,indulging in a relationship with the man. The Yellow Woman challenges the “normal” identity for feminity by in taking part in the journey into the unknown with a mysterious man who represents freedom and danger. The story interwines traditional and contemporary styles, inviting readers to explore their own identities within the broader context of society. 
In “Paris is Burning,” the documentary provides an exploration of the underground ball culture of the NYC Q+ community, where individuals defy heteronormativity through powerful runway performances. The film highlights the complexity of gender identity, emphasizing that “identifying a person’s gender is far more complex than most people imagine” (Baird, pg. 119) because, scientifically, no one is a hundred percent female or male. The way society continues homonormativity is highlighted in Professor Davis’ lecture with binary categories, for example, a bathroom sign showing there are only two genders, marginalizing those who do not fall in “normal.” However, the “Paris is Burning” participants boldly defy these norms, asserting their identities beyond conventional labels. Their performances serve not only as acts of self-expression but also as a powerful resistance against societal constraints. Reflecting on these themes prompts us to embrace gender fluidity, recognize human identity’s diversity and complexity, and strive for a more inclusive society. 
👑MODULE #4: Affairs of State (what I wrote): 
The links between watching films, being watched/surveilled, and being a gendered body in the world are vividly depicted in the movie “Rear Window.” Through the perspective of the main character, Jeff, viewers are drawn into the act of observation, actively participating in the viewing experience. This dynamic is exemplified when Jeff is called out for monitoring the lives of others. Furthermore, the film uniquely portrays Jeff as the subject and object of surveillance, challenging traditional gender norms. Laura Mulvey’s assertion highlights this departure from the norm, “The image of women as (passive) raw materials for the (active) gaze of man takes the argument further into the structure of representation…” (Mulvey, pg. 67), allowing male characters to be both active and passive roles in the gaze. Additionally, the power dynamics at play show Michel Foucault’s concept of the panopticon, as Jeff is demonstrating “visible and unverifiable” (Foucault, 2000) control over what is seen and unseen, creating a sense of visibility and invisibility that reinforces his authority over the neighborhood. 
The connections between these readings and films, with a focus on the environment, food chains, and gender. Environmental racism impacts “people of color and low-income people… situated near sources of contamination and away from clean water, air, and soil…” (Covert, 2016), This leads to situations where residents live near heavily polluted industries. The systemic inequalities from the power above allow us to see the idea of “force and liberty of each man” (Rousseau, 1762), the obligation of the state to protect marginalized groups with a lack of resources. The ties between food chains, environment, and gender are highlighted in Locavores, Feminism, and the Question of Meat journal, “The release of methane gasses from feedlots has an impact on climate change greater than all transportation.” (Rudy, pg. 28). The combat to these slaughterhouses and feedlots are using Locavores, which “… requires us to shift these subsidies away from unsustainable monocultural operations and toward integrated closed system small farms.” (Rudy, 34). 
✊🏾 MODULE #5: Revolution (what I wrote): 
“Persepolis” and “The Burning Times” vividly depict how society enforces traditional gender roles, upholds the gender binary, and employs cultural surveillance for social control. In “Persepolis,” In Iran, Marjane faces the challenge of opposing the strict gender norms enforced by the repressive authoritarian regime. All women are required to wear a complete veil, and Marji is frequently cautioned that her veil must cover more. She is told, “The veil stands for freedom. A decent woman shelters herself from men’s eyes. A woman who shows herself will burn in hell.” (Persepolis, 2007); women are taught to be submissive and lack sexual desire or else face punishment in hell, reinforcing gender role by the act of surveillance from authorities. This surveillance extends beyond Iran; in France, her female landlord accuses her of being a prostitute due to her clothing, highlighting gender norms are everywhere. “The Burning Times” documentary highlights how powerful women were labeled as witches, which not only restricted their authority but also forced them into domestic roles. The Inquisition regulated women by accusing midwives of harming the Catholic faith by easing the pain of birth and interfering with God’s will through birth control and abortion. A new law was implemented that required physicians to have a university degree to practice but only allowed men to do so, which reinforced patriarchal dynamics and resulted in the burning of powerful women as “witches.” Both films reveal how patriarchal societies use surveillance to maintain control and perpetuate inequality, punishing those who defy traditional gender norms. 

General Requirements:
The research paper must be 12-15 pages, typed, double-spaced, plus a works cited page, MLA documentation style.  Prior to submitting the final draft, you are required to submit the research materials as outlined on the point record sheet on the appropriate due dates. The research paper must demonstrate your ability to evaluate and incorporate research material into your own writing, as well as demonstrate critical thinking about the topic
Specific Requirements:
9 minimum Sources:
4 periodicals (including 3 scholarly, peer-reviewed journals and 1 general periodical)
2 books (eBooks are acceptable)
1 website (not wikipedia)
1 interview (one you conduct)
1 optional source ( periodical, book, podcast, TED Talk, etc.)

In “The Uses of Anger” Audre Lorde writes “For it is not the anger of Black women which is dripping down over this globe like a diseased liquid. It is not my anger that launches rockets, spends over sixty thousand dollars a second on missiles and other agents of war and death, slaughters children in cities, stockpiles nerve gas and chemical bombs, sodomizes our daughters and our earth. It is not the anger of Black women which corrodes into blind, dehumanizing power, bent upon the annihilation of us all unless we meet it with what we have, our power to examine and to redefine the terms upon which we will live and work; our power to envision and to reconstruct, anger by painful anger, stone upon heavy stone, a future of pollinating difference and the earth to support our choices. ”
You have an option to either write 7 page paper discussing your vision of utopia or working on a creative academic project described below. 
A creative academic project.
What is a creative academic project? You will mix and merge your academic skills with your imagination. How you express the imaginative part is up to you – you can create short story, music, drawing, painting, collage, video, sculpture, dance and anything else that you feel inspired to do. 
Both options:
Imagine the new world Lorde suggests we create. What does this world look like? What can we do to get there? What are the alternatives? What is the world we live in now and why does it need to be envision something different? To put it differently you are asked to describe your own utopia.  You can choose to do this as a team project with someone else. If you are doing it with other people make sure to tell me – you will need to increase the number of sources, issues you address and length of the project. 
What you are expectedt to submit – Bio, Explaining the issue you want addressed, Creative representation of your perfect world with the focus on the issue you selected, Reference page. 
Steps to complete the final:
Brainstorming – answering questions what are some key problems society faces today. Choose three you would like to address in this project. 
Creating a time line for yourself 
Researching one issue and creating a reference list. You should have a minimum of 3 references. 
Decide on art form(s) you plan to use 
Outline your project – a draft will be due before the final so that I can give you feedback. If you submit you can earn an extra credit.
Write your own bio to go with it – the draft is due before but you can edit and submit the correct version before the final. If you submit you can earn an extra credit.
Create art work to go with the text.
Write the text (7 and 8 can be happening at the same time)
I WOULD LIKE THE TOPIC TO BE WOMAN IN THE WORKPLACE

Women in Culture: An Intersectional Anthology”
Critical reflection related to each week’s assigned content and lecture. The goal is to thoughtfully and critically engage with the course content. For each reflection, please emphasize the definitions and significance of key concepts presented in the content, including compelling quotes that stood out to you. These reflections are meant to help you synthesize your ideas about our readings and lectures and help you practice the critical thinking and analytical skills that you’ll demonstrate with your final paper/project. Some ideas to write about include:
Theoretical questions raised by the author/creator that stood out to you
What the author/creator made you think/feel and why
What you agree or disagree with and why
READ THE FOLLOWING: Each reflection should be between 1 pages long, single-spaced
* Each reflection should be between 1-3 pages long, single-spaced
*Use only: the textbook, article, documentary, and lecture slides as sources.
*Try to cite all of the textbook readings
*   READ THE LECTURE SLIDES
*    APPLY THE READINGS AND THE LECTURES, EXPLAIN WHAT IT WAS ABOUT
** LOOK AT THE SAMPLE REFLECTION AS A GUIDELINE ON HOW TO WRITE THE PAPER
Textbook Citation: Scott, Bonnie, K. et al. Women in Culture: An Intersectional Anthology for Gender and Women’s Studies. Available from: VitalSource Bookshelf, (2nd Edition). Wiley Global Research (STMS), 2016.
**I have attached screenshots of the pages of the book.
Documentary: Dolores 
https://video.alexanderstreet.com/embed/dolores