Pregnancy discrimination

According to the statutes under the federal Pregnancy Discrimination Act, employers must treat women affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions in the same manner as other employees or applicants with the same skills or limitations. As long as a woman is able to perform the essential functions of a job, an employer can't fire, refuse to hire, or deny a promotion to her because of a pregnancy-related condition. Furthermore, if she's willing and able to work, she can't be forced to take her pregnancy leave early. In general, pregnant women must be treated in the same way as any other temporarily disabled employee. This may mean employers must provide modified tasks, alternative assignments, or disability leave when a pregnant woman is temporarily unable to perform her job. Employers must also hold open a job for a pregnant woman the same length of time jobs are held open for employees on sick or disability leave, as well as provide the same level of medical benefits. In addition to the Pregnancy Discrimination Act, pregnant women may also have rights under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act as well as under individual state or local laws. If you think that you're the victim of pregnancy discrimination, you can file a complaint with the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission.

The Associate( Must See Movie)

Laurel Ayres is the smart and single woman trying to make it up the Wall Street corporate ladder, until one day she finds out that she is passed over for a promotion because she is a woman. Unable to face the fact that her less smart and sexist male protege (Frank) has now become her boss, she quits and tries to start up her own company only to find out that the male dominated world of Wall Street is not interested in taking an African American woman seriously, and thus is forced to create a fictional white man (Robert S. Cutty) in order to be judged on her own merits. Ayres financial wisdom is joined by the intelligent and computer-savvy secretary Sally Dugan who also was not properly recognized for her talents, and together they are able to become the most successful independent stock brokers in the world while helping a struggling high tech computer company stay afloat.

Laurel Ayres talks business at a party.

However, the ruse eventually runs into problems, as Cutty is still getting credit for Ayres great ideas, and competing firms and tabloid journalists are willing to do anything in order to bring the wealthy and elusive Cutty into the public and on their side. Thus Ayres is forced to get her gay best friend (who works at a nightclub as a female impersonator) to create an effective disguise in the mould of Marlon Brando to try and fool the naysayers; when that fails, she and Dugan decide to kill Cutty only to be charged with his murder. Frank uncovers the ruse and pretends that he is now the front man to world famous Cutty.

The film ends with Ayers donning the Cutty disguise one last time to attend a meeting of the exclusive gentlemen's club to accept Cutty's awards and unmasking herself in order to teach the male dominated industry the evils of racial and sexual discrimination. Ayers is finally given credit for her work and creates a huge business empire with her friends at the helm.

oh....and I think any person who touches a child like that should and will burn in hell

A little bit about all we've discussed lately

I haven't blogged in awhile. First I want to bring up one small point about walking to the car alone. I don't think it matters completely what your sex is. I think that men have just as much of a reason to be as careful as women. Sure they don't always have to be worried about being rapped but what about being robbed? Or being shot just because? Or even car-jacked? If someone wants a car or some money and they have a gun, I highly doubt that they are going to care what you sex is. If anything it's going to come down to appearance. Does this person look like they are well off? Women do however have that extra precaution of rap. Also they have less means to protect themselves. This is why I am all for self-defense classes and being extra careful at night. At work no one is allowed to leave by themselves after dark. Not even guys. I also carry mace and my keys laced in my fingers. It may seem silly to be on high alert all the time but I would rather be cautious and alive then carefree and dead. I think men should be just as alert as women. Anyone can become a victim.
Second I love talking about media influences on gender. It is so true and we know it but we eat it up anyhow. Why? Because it's common and accepted. I loved that book about the paperbag princess. I thought that was hilarious. However, you have to think about how many parents would really buy that for their children. I probably would because I think fairytales and romance movies in general are so unrealistic. Also I love shows like Sex and the City. Yes, they are still out looking for relationships but it's not the most important thing in their life. There is more content about jobs and family life and that it is possible to have a life after 35 when you are still not married. And of course they are still looking for relationships that work because who really wants to be alone forever? How realistic is that? But romance movies and TV shows suck for the most part. Disney movies are the worst. That's where it all starts. "What if prince charming had never shown up? Would Snow White have gotten up, gotten a job with a health care package and a baby from her local sperm bank?" Oh man, that quote is kind of depressing and funny at the same time.

A Late thank you

This is a few days late but I haven't had a chance to get on here. I would like to thank Dr. U and her courageous sister for being so open and honest with something that is so hard to be honest about. It was definitely a class perioud I will never forget, and in my four years of college i don't think I have had a class that I have ever felt so emotional about, and learned so much as well. This was en eye opener, and she nor Pam didn't have to do that at all but they chose to in order to help us and maybe let us educate others as well. I told my mom about it later that night and she was affected, as well as my little sister who I told later. So thank you again for being so honest and sharing that with us, it is something I will always remember.

11/19

Today in class we discussed gender and the media. I took a class this summer that was called women and minorities in the media. We looked at both gender and minorities in advertising, tv, movies, and mucis. One thing that was discussed was how men are portrayed as being masculine and put together. I think that has changed in more recent sitcoms. There are shows like, everybody loves raymond, King of Queens, and Yes dear where the husbands are portrayed as bumbling fathers; which I am not sure is much better. You see more and more the intelligence of fathers being portrayed negatively. I think there needs to be more shows about the average father, not one that is perfect but that does not have to depend on the woman for everything and that does not have questionable intelligence.

11/17

I would also like to thank Dr. Le Claire for being so open today in class and tell your sister Pam thank you sooo much for opening herslef to us, people that she has never met. I deeply feel conmcerned that abuse happens to more and more people and that it happens to more and more children. I am concerned that if people do not start educating themselves on this issue and taking action that this vicious cycle will just keep going. I am terrified to think about one day having kids and someone taking away their innocence and putting them through something that they never have to go through.

First I want to thank Pam...

and Dr. Le Claire for being so "naked" today! and then I wanted to say it here because I wasn't ready to in class.

Then I wanted to talk about the thing Pamela said today about when she was first raped that forever more you feel like predators seek you out like you have a big scarlet "S" on you that stands for "SLUT" that everyone can see. When I was young I had very bad things happen to me by some horrible people and I didn't know why these things kept happening to me.

It was years later when I heard it that there is indeed something about you that predators can sense on you and that made sense to me. Unfortunately they didn't tell me how I could undo it so that I can have normal relationships. When she talked about the addictions and the promiscuity and the self mutilations I was checking off a list in my head! To this DAY I have not and cannot keep a relationship going. I'll either sabotage it or something. Like I don't deserve good things.

Also like Pam I don't have a good relationship with my parents and early on I figured I just like to be by myself whenever family is concerned.

This is ironic that we had this happen today because I just got finished writing in my journal about how I'm going to start dealing with my life in little increments and start dealing with myself on a day to day basis because everything I'm dealing with gets too overwhelming! I also figured out that the reason I can't handle one of my addictions is because I guess deep down I think I should punish myself like I'm bad or something.

Execution for child rape?

A lawmaker recently returned from a tour of duty in Iraq is anticipating more combat over his effort to impose the death penalty on those who brutally rape children 12 and younger.

It would join first-degree murder, kidnapping resulting in death and treason as the only crimes punishable by death in Colorado.

The U.S. Supreme Court in 1977 ruled the death penalty is cruel and unusual punishment for convicted rapists but left the window open for states to impose the ultimate punishment on those who brutally rape children.

It was said in class yesterday that women are restricted by the fear we have to do things like walk to your car alone at night.  

I personally dont get scared doing things like that, but I see why many women do.  Because people have these ideas that women should be scared, it really does place huge restrictions on us, and I dont like it one bit when I think about it that way!

My ex- bf use to get mad at me if I ever left a bar to walk to my car by myself or anything like that.  It really would piss me off, because yea I guess something can happen, but im not going to live my life taking every precaution.  That issue of him being protective really put some unwanted restrictions on me.  Its not fair because he doesn't know how it feels to be labeled as the damsel in distress who can walk to her car!!

Reasons for Assault

A good friend of mine, we'll call her Monica, was raped a couple years ago. She was stopped at a gas station late at night after a concert. He snuck into her car, then came at her with a knife and made her drive away. After he finished everything, she asked him why he did it. I can't remember everything he said but I know a big part of it was that his mother had recently died and that he was not ok from that. Monica lost her mother a few years before this incident as well. She said "well my mom died too." He then responded with "Well I wouldn't have done this to you if I knew that."

She immediately went to the police. After she reported it and gave a description, five more girls came forward, saying they were attacked by someone with a similar description and at the same place or close by.

I don't think Monica or any of those girls were at fault by any means. People should be able to stop at a gas station without some jackass getting in the car and nearly killing them. Losing a family member is no excuse to hurt a complete stranger. Karma is a bitch, and it came to him. I seem to recall he was found in Mexico and was severely beat by the mexican police. Serves him right...

11/12

Today in class a topic came up that I am sure every girl can relate to. The topic is being yelled or commented at by construction workers. I do not know how many times this has happened. I think that if more women would say something when this happens that maybe the guys would get a hint that women do not like this. When I was in highschool I stopped by the gas station before school to get a drink and this guy sitting in the abck of a truck started making comments. I turned around and told him that I was only 16 yrs old and how would he like it if his daughter was getting hit on by a dirty old man. Needless to say he did not say anything to me as I left the store. Another thing about this topic is that sometimes people in power demonstrate this type behavior and the person does not know how to react. Again, when I was in highschool I was at the gas station, this time getting gas, and a cop drove up along side of me car said " Hey, I like your license plate holder". Ok, I had a convertible and the license plate holder said "On hot days I go topless", but I was 16 and I thought it was fun! But this is not the most disturbing part, after the cop drove off he went to talk to a state trooper and the next thing I know the state trooper is staring at me. I just felt very uncomfortable. Most people would say that I was asking for it because my license plate holder was drawing attention to me, but I put it on there because I though it was fun and it was my first car and I wanted to make it pretty. I do not think that in any way was i asking to get hit on.

North Country

I have seen his movie before and understood what the movie was about and what she was fighting for. But watching it in class really opened my eyes to the small details, like in the bosses office at the mine he had a calendar with a half naked girl and her legs were wide open. I mean those kind of things I didn't see the first time I watch it. I found my self tearing up at the same parts that I teared up when I watched it the first time. This movie is very emotional and gets the idea and point across very well.
I also thought it was funny that she asked why no one picked on Gloria. The men may not have done the disgusting things to Gloria that they did to the other women but she faced her own struggles inside the Union meetings. When they brushed off all her ideas and opinions and made jokes about it. Gloria didn't have the same power as the men and was out numbered.

GREAT MOVIE and I enjoyed watching it very much. This is an extreme version of what is still going on in the work force today. For and example: I worked as a cocktail waitress for 2 weeks, basically worked the training. It was at the Sports Bar Legends in Austin and my ass got grabbed a few times and the men actually dropped the glasses on purpose so I would have to bend over and clean them up. I got called honey, sugar lips, miss thang, darling, and many other things that were degrading to me. Sexual harassment and thinking of women on a lower level is still prevalent in today's society yet it is not as blatantly obvious as it was in this movie. (Men get sexually harassed as well)

Male Generic Language

I have a teacher that noticed he kept saying "you guys" when he talked to us. He said he recognized that you guys doesn't refer to females, so he decided to start saying "you students." He corrected himself several times that particular day, saying "you g, you students." Now he's back to the "you guys." It doesn't offend me at all when people say that. I thought it was funny that he said students instead...it just doesn't sound right. I applaud his recognition but, either way, it made me laugh.

11/3

Today in class we watched the movie North Country. I have never seen this movie before and I am shocked at what she had to go through. It is hard to believe that women were treated so badly, but then i realize that this still happens today and that women are not the only ones that get harrassed at work. I just cant wait to finish the movie on wednesday.

Dating your close friends.

I have never dated any of my close friends because I was always afraid that if I did, it not workout and we would never be friends again or have a good relationship. I seen many of my friends in high school date their close friends and it was a disaster. My senior year in high school people started thinking that my best friend Jonathan and I liked each other, and so everyone started pressuring us to get together. I did not like him that way so we never got together. I knew that things would not work out between us and so I avoided that situation and we are still best friends today. I always told myself that "I rather have this great friendship than ruin it when I knew I did not feel that way about him."

The Door Test

The Door Test is when a guy locks both doors when he gets out the car. He opens the door for the young lady and walks around the back of the car to look in the back window to see if she unlocks his door before he gets to it. If the lady doesnt unlock his door, then he is suppose to dump her because she is a selfish broad. Granted most people have power locks now a days, so there is no need to unlock the door. So how can a guy know if a girl is really the one?