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!!