Torresj21's Blog

Blog # 17 Cyberspace

torresj21 — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 13:11:46 +0000

I agree with these articles about the internet causing more harm than good. Yes, in a way the world-wide web has expanded the frontiers and people may have more opportunities to succeed through the internet however, there are many evil that exist in the internet. The same way that the internet allows easier access for people with good intentions, it allows for people with bad intentions to post up what they want. When reading about the Filipinas and how their bodies are being exploited and sold through the internet i began to think about a documentary that i saw on tv about the trafficking of women. Many times the people who were selling the women or selling their sexual favors did so on a popular website Craig’s List. It left me completely shocked that the internet has become just one more medium by which people exploit others. What is more is that, as the readings state, the internet is not genderless as many think. Women are the internet are still being put beneath men because they are seen as sexual objects. Whenever one goes on the internet there is always ads and pop ups that show women haf naked and willing to give any kind of pleasure to men. Furthermore, type in something incorrectly in the internet and there is a chance that a [porn site will appear. The internet give uncontrolled power to people who should not have it. By doing so, the information found on the internet can be inappropriate, dangerous, and degrading.

Blog # 16 Early Sexual Abuse and Prostitution

torresj21 — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 05:30:04 +0000

I found these readings very interesting. It helped to clarify some of the reasons behind prostitution of women. I think that prostitution is more of an indirect result of child sexual abuse rather than a direct result. I find this to be true because, as the article states, early sexual abuses may lead to the girl running away from the house and having not only to seek means by which to support herself, but also, leads to her engaging in activities which put her at a risk of drifting into prostitution and other deviant behaviors. To me, it is a sad cycle that these poor women are being put into because of unfortunate situations they have to endure in their homes. they seek to remove themselves from that place and end up in what may be a worse scenario. They may get into a group of people who do drugs and then becomes hooked on a drug. That leads to the girl having to employ extreme means to maintain here addiction, including prostitution. Once she is in the hands of a pimp, her safety is less secured. She is likely to be beaten by him and even raped. What is more, is that while she is selling her body she can be victimized by a client. So, sexual abuse in many cases sets up the girl to be in a continuous cycle of sexual exploitation and victimization. In order to help these women, there should be more programs that reach out to help these young women and if sexual abuse is present not placing her back in that enviornment that will lead her to run away again.

Blog # 15: Work and Women

torresj21 — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 05:23:05 +0000

I think that these readings were somewhat similar to the previous readings. Money and the work that came from the lack of it is a central theme. These readings however focused more on the effect it had women which the other readings did not. When reading about the conditions of work in the maquiladoras in Mexico, I thought a lot about the condition of the factories in the U.S during the 1800′s when monopolized industries. It is sad that people could be so power-hungry that they would allow such exploitation of other humans. I think that it is even more unfair that while, in the U.S, so much progress has been made toward protecting workers, such horrid conditions are allowed to persist in poorer countries. I think that the U.S government should take more responsibilities in the conditions of its foreign powers. Yet, i know that many Americans, including myself, would suffer because the items we buy will be a lot more expensive if they are produced in the U.S. I consider myself and everyone else who would put the suffering of millions of workers around the world aside for our own materialistic benefit to be selfish. While we enjoy our name brand clothes for cheap prices, women in other countries are being exploited and paid as littles as $4 for an entire work day.

Another interesting aspect that caught my attention was the fact that the sex workers in Japan were sending money back to Thailand to buy western style houses, cars, etc. in their homeland. In the lecture of why people migrate Ana Garcia also touched upon this topic and made a very good point in saying that this money is actually a waste. Many of these workers come from poor rural areas where there are obviously many needs. Therefore, why should they spend so much money on wasteful consumption instead of investing the money they send in project s that would better their communities? This makes me think of a term we are currently discussing in my writing class, transculturation. The lower group takes aspects from the dominant group and brings it into their own lives. These women are imitating the Western style of life even though they cannot actually afford it. I think that a reason why these women may spend their money on these consumptions is that they work so hard and they wish to feel that their hard work is paying off because they can live like the wealthier countries do.

Blog#14 Displacement and Migration

torresj21 — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 02:50:40 +0000

These readings brought up two interesting topics: forced migration and the effect it has on women. What i found interesting are the different factors that result and people migrating. Outside influences and globalization have a great deal to do with it. International trade and business cause for exploitation of the people of the country in which the international factories are located. This causes economic hardships for these people which, in turns makes them migrate, seeking a better life chances, as the reading states. This ties in to the current issue with the Mexican maquiladoras (US owned factories). I attended the Why We Migrate lecture by Ana Garcia and she elaborated on the economic hardships that international trade causes on the natives of the country. The trade agreement made in 1994 has led to a lot of the indigenous people living in extreme poverty. For them, an 8-hour work day only earns them $4. Therefore, over 2 million Mexicans have risked their live trying to cross both the northern and southern borders looking for economic relief. This situation is familiar to the situation that Wal-Mart has created in China. Big international businesses have used globalization to make profit for themselves while leaving the other country’s workers as basically slaves.The displacement and migration of Vietnamese people was in part because of the U.S intervention in Viet nam. Again, more powerful outside forces intervene in peoples lives, and not necessarily for the better.

The other interesting point is that the effect migration has in women is not focused on. I found it odd that Ana did not mention specifically the effect that migration has had on her and other Mexican women considering that she is a female. As the book says, labor migration today is painted as an apparently sexless immigrant. I think that this is, in part, because the international business do not see gender as this class focuses on. When it comes to money and profit, both males and females are seen as money-makers. Yes, indeed, within each group of exploited workers one might see gender division but for the most part these very low workers are all the same. This indifference can also be a result of the people being exploited being the lowest class people in the country. For example, Ana talked about the displacement of the countryside indigenous people. These groups are the most exploited people.

I think that these displacement and migration issues are issues that should be better taken care of by the international communities since they are the ones that cause these problems. If they have enough power to go in and control other peoples, they definitely have the power to protect those in need.

Blog # 13 Women and Traveling

torresj21 — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 13:29:42 +0000

These readings made me think a lot about the way the males in my family are, that is they fit perfectly into this idea that men should go out of the home because it is the manly thing to do while, women must stay home. I never realized this until now but, this is the way my household as always functioned. My brothers were allowed to go out with ease to wherever they pleased. On the other hand, I must stay in my house unless i was accompanied by one of my brothers somewhere. I always thought that this was because i was the youngest one but this reading got me thinking: are the males in my family sexist? I would like to say that the answer is no but, there are many similarities between the beliefs expressed by males in these readings and that f my father. For example, it says that women should never leave their home because it is un womanly to go far away from home. My father fought with all his might so that i would not move out of his house. He said that the girl is not supposed to leave her house until she is married, there was no need to go live away at college. Meanwhile, when my brother decided he wanted to join the army , it was something to be proud of. His son would be part of something big and he would get to go to different places around the country for training, as well as other parts of the world. I think that it is highly unfair that women have to be tied down to their homes while men get to enjoy the world. Women hae proven to be strong individuals and with this should come the right to travel freely the way men do. I do not thing that it should hurt her respectability because more often than npot women know how to behave themselves more appropriately than men.

Blog #12 Playing Unfair

torresj21 — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 04:17:10 +0000

These set of articles confused me. While i understand each individually, I could not find the connection among them. I think that the theme that is shown throughout the readings is how higher authorities make things unfair for those below them. For example, in the reading about the ideal body for women, it is media and society that tell women what it is they should look like. It says that women should be skinny, shaved, resembling a teenager. It is interesting that a woman should resemble a stage in life where vulnerability is at it highest. Futhermore, women should not be muscular because it is not feminine. To me, this means that the higher authority, men, put out this image of what women should look like so that the men’s position is not threatened. The wanting to fit that ideal body than may lead to crazy diets which connects with the article about malnutrition in women. Women are also malnourished because they must feed men, boys, then themselves. The higher authorities keep women in their “place” by leaving them fragile and feeling that they do not look like what they should. Women have to constantly fight with and punish their bodies for not fitting what is seen as the “ideal” woman body.

This theme is also seen in the other articles such as the one which talks about how the petition through the internet to save the woman in Nigeria because the higher authorities did not like the outside intervention. I think that the fact that people where trying to get help for this woman might actually lead to her execution is crazy. I think that the authorities in Nigeria would order her killing in order to show that their ruling should not be something to be played around with. In that way the people are kept in fear which gets them to do what those in higher positions want.

In the end, my point is that those in higher powers exert their power in order to maintain it by weakening the vulnerable ones in society.

Blog # 11 : How to tell your Friends from Arabs

torresj21 — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 23:46:46 +0000

This article left me shocked. I could not believe that this was actually published in a magazine. It was published to make Asian women feel better about themselves. But, i do not think that this is the way to do so. The article was extremely racist and very stereotypical. They categorized a whole group of people by certain characteristics that many of the Arab people might not even share. For example, the fact that the magazine stated that South Asian people where a lot friendlier and smile more than Arabs. I think that this characteristic is depending on individuals, not a group of people as a whole. The thing that shocked me the most about this article was that it connected terrorist acts and extremism to the kinds of food that Arabs eat: dry and tasteless. I think this is a very ignorant comment to make because personalities have nothing to do with it. It was like if i was to say that i dont like the way curry smells, which is true, then i can go and make the conclusion that since South Asians cook with this they have stinky personality. I have an arab friend and although her physical characteristics are similar to those described here she is nothing like what they say and even though i am not Arab i feel appalled that such a thing can be printed and distributed.

Reading this reminded me of one of the one of the first readings that said there are more differences between the people of the same group than there are between individuals of different groups. I think that the author of this magazine should be informed of that because this article as racist and inaccurate. She is trying to post the confidence of the Asian women by slamming that of the Arab women. She is doing no better than the people who say Arabs and South Asian are all the same.

Blog # 10 Teen Magazines

torresj21 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 02:21:24 +0000

I found this article extremely interesting. It made me think about teen magazines in a whole new way. I personally do not read such magazines because i feel that i do not connect with them. That is to say that im not crazy about trying to become a model trying to have a glamorous life-style, or at least trying to look like some of the hottest celebrities around. But as i read the article, i realized just how big of an impact media has on gender construction, especially of young teen girls. These magazines are loaded with a trillion different ways to be “girly” to look pretty, to be what is seen as feminine. It is surprising that these magazines only encourage careers in modeling and acting. But then, i began to think if it is men who are behind the magazines, wouldnt they want to train girls to aspire in such careers. I think that one of the reasons this may occur is that it will be less competition for men in other careers. This might not normally would not occur to someone because we think that major inequalities between males and female are gone today. However, after what we have talked about in the class of male dominance and power= knowledge, i think that it is very possible that the aim of these magazine is to mold the young girls into what males want. That is to say, pretty women who will not aspire to take over what may be seen as “male” jobs. I think that this is way these magazines are targeted specifically to teenage girls because as the article states, these young girls are trying to find who they really are. I think of these magazines as brainwashing the girls because they see over and over the ways that they should look, dress, and act.

Another thing that i would like to point out about these teen magazines is how they may cause more damage than good. They exclude many people from what are seen as the “ideal” teenage girl. For example, they are mostly filled with skinny girls. Therefore, girl who do not look like those in the magazines have a hard time believing they are beautiful the way they are which leads to things such as eating disorders. Futhermore, they imply that stardom is rather easy to obtain when, in actuality, very few make it in those careers. This leads to disappointment later on in a girl’s life. I think that these magazines should embrace individuality and show that everyone is beautiful. Furthermore, it should show that women can be successful in other careers that involve more brainpower than beauty.

Blog# 8 Masculinity & Sexual Violence

torresj21 — Tue, 13 Oct 2009 03:00:05 +0000

This reading brought out a few different emotions in me. For one I felt angry that any one would think that masculinity meant that they should have so much power over someone as to sexually abuse them. I think that sexual assault is the most cowardly and unmanly thing to do. But, I also felt kind of sorry for these two boys because they had a lot of pressure from not only their family but school as well. They could not live up to what society and people thought being “masculine” meant. For example, they did not have the muscle tone that “men” should have. Furthermore, they could not interact with the opposite sex as “men” should be able to. I think that these factors do play a major part in the mental health of not only men but, in women as well. For instance, women in society have to live up to being thin and being able to flirt with guys. I think that this is a problem in society because there are standards that not everyone can live up to. Everyone should be able to go to school or out into public without being afraid that they will be bullied and teased for their appearance. I do not think that masculinity should be based on only physical characteristics. For example, why is it that in order to be masculine a male as to be aggressive and solve problems by violence? Why cant masculinity be associated with men acting as gentlemen and being more understanding and welcoming? I believe that if these factors were to be included in the standards by which people define masculinity there would be a lot fewer violent incidence.

When it comes to sexual abuse being associated with teenagers not being able to fit in with masculinity I do not think that this is any excuse to commit such horrid acts. For example, John says that he abused the younger boy because that is what his stepfather did and said that was what love was. However, John did not like what was happening to him therefore, he should have thought about it more before he actually committed that act on someone else. He knew the pain and suffering that was inflicted on him by the sexual abuse of his stepfather and i think that he was seeking revenge but, on the wrong people. Sam on the other hand wasn’t sexually abused and abused the little girls so that he could feel powerful and manly yet, how could someone feel manly when they know that the person they are abusing has no interest in them. In conclusion, while I do think that societal pressures do affect the mental health of individuals, I do not think that that is any excuse to abuse anyone else.

Blog# 8: International Feminist Activism

torresj21 — Wed, 07 Oct 2009 20:23:42 +0000

The central idea of these readings is feminism on international levels. It talks about how different feminist groups from different nations communicate and unite. The question then is: what are the advantages and disadvantages that come along with these coalitions? I think there are numerous advantages to these cross-border coalitions beginning with that they can help the feminist movements in different places be more effective. Globalization and new technologies play major roles in these linkages. Due to globalization powerful nations go into weaker nations to exploit there workers and resources. With this exploitation comes further oppression of the women in those nations. Communicating through international women coalitions can then help better the situation for these unfortunate women. It helps because the women who live in the nation which has gone in to exploit the women workers can be informed of the conditions and then fight for more protection of the women in the weaker nations. New technologies help because they allow for easier communication between the different groups of women who are essentially advocating for the same thing, women’s rights. Another advantage of the new technologies and cross-border coalitions is that the movements can get ideas from the other groups on effective methods of fighting for their cause. Furthermore, the coalitions unite women who might otherwise feel like they are alone. For example, the international network Women Living Under Muslim Laws. This organization helps bring together women who live in different Muslim communities and who are affected by the Muslims Laws. While the communities in which the women live vary greatly from each other these women are brought together to assume greater control and knowledge of decisions in their own lives.

While there are many advantages to these coalitions, there are also many disadvantages. One of the main disadvantages is that women living in different nations live under different cultures and customs. Therefore, while all may be advocating for more rights for women there might be differences in the levels of freedom being fought for. A good example is the debate over the veil. While many Western women believe that making Muslim women wear the veil further deepens their seclusion, many of the Muslim women felt that they had to defend Islam and their beliefs. So, while women of one part of the world are trying to gain certain rights for women, some of these women do not have a problem with that aspect of their lives and feel the need to defend themselves and their believes from the rest of the world. Another problem with these international coalitions is that many times they leave out the third-world countries. These countries do not have the money or technology to be able to communicate with the feminist movements outside of their region. Also, most of the times, third-world country governments have a tight grasp on what is let to be known to its citizens and women especially. Therefore, these women do not have the knowledge it takes to fight for their rights. Then, the problem of women of first-world countries being more concerned with their own rights and problems and excluding women of the third-world countries from their movements arises. For example as feminist scholar Winnie Woodhull points out, “at their worst, third wavers proffer glib commentaries (or “rants)” on the concerns and desires of young women in the West, as if no other woman existed (or mattered).” To some feminist things such as their own sexual pleasure are more important than the oppression that women in many countries suffer.