Reading Reflection Eight

“With the exception of fashion modeling and prostitution, men in traditionally female occupations traditionally out earn women.” (Newman 302)

This chapter concerned inequalities in economics and work, but the section that caught my interest was the part on gender and the workplace, specifically gender discrimination in the workplace. It is no secret that for as long as women have been working men have been making more money. However I didn’t realize the extent to which this happened. First off, the jobs that are primarily assumed to be women’s jobs, such as teaching, nursing, etc. are all low paying jobs. It is well known that teachers do not make a very significant salary, although I could not tell you why, considering teaching is one of the most important professions in America. It makes me furious when I compare a teacher’s measly salary to that of a professional athlete, who makes millions for playing a game. And wouldn’t you know that professional athletics is a men’s field?

Although all of these inequalities are completely unfair, I was somewhat aware of them. I have heard the term class ceiling before, and I know that women make roughly 25% less than men for the same jobs. However, I was outraged to hear that even in primarily female occupations, such as receptionists and librarians; men still make more money, and are more highly valued than women. It makes me furious to hear that in law firms women are undervalued even with the same level of education and seniority, especially because I want to go into that field. How does it make sense that simply because I am female I deserve less credit and money even with just as much work as a man? Are genitals that important to a law firm?

I really don’t understand how this still occurs even with the percentages of women in the workforce and the amount of gender discrimination law suits that go on today. Why does it still happen? Why are men so much more valued than women? I have always heard that it is because women take maternity leave, and can’t work too much because of their kids. I think it is time that we change the family dynamic in order to make it more equal for women. Although men cannot give birth, Newman writes that women still do twice as much housework as men, even when they work longer hours then men. We need to un-condition America to think that a woman’s place is at home, when so many of us plan to join the workforce.

Observation Journal #4

I was flipping through the channels the other night, watching TV, when I stopped on the show “Mind of Mencia”. The show stars Carlos Mencia and he does skits and stand up comedy and things like that. People seem to think he’s pretty funny, but I really don’t understand his appeal. First of all, all his material is made up of racist and sexist jokes. Carlos Mencia is a Mexican American, but since he makes fun of Mexicans in his comedy he seems to think that it is ok to make fun of every other group, including whites, blacks, gays, lesbians, Italians, Asians, and more. He even makes fun of people who are mentally retarded.
I don’t really think comedians who target different ethnic groups to be funny. I think it’s a cheap and easy way to get people to laugh. All Mencia does is make fun of people through stereotypes. Every joke he has ever used has been said before, because he just plays off of stereotypes that different racial and ethnic groups hold. I think making fun of people through stereotypes is first of all wrong because many times the stereotype is not true, and it’s not imaginative or original. Carlos Mencia is not the only comedian guilty of this, but I think he is the most well known. Watch his show for a half hour and you will see him target every minority and majority group you could think of, although watching his show for a full half hour could be considered torture.
Carlos Mencia’s jokes and the jokes of other comedians who do the same thing he does only sustains inequality by making people think that believing stereotypes and repeating them for a laugh are alright, but its not. Im sure that people are offended all the time at Mencia’s show, I know I have been. I know that I will never watch his show again because it only supports what he does, and I don’t agree with him or his ideas at all.

Reading Reflection Seven

“Rape was considered a crime against men, or more accurately, against men’s property.” (Newman 259)

The section on rape in this chapter made me furious. Whenever rape statistics and studies on rape or reported I become furious. That all women must live with the threat of rape in the back of their minds makes me furious. When I go to the grocery store, when I walk back to my car from work, and especially when I go out on the weekends the fact that I could be raped always lurks somewhere in the back of my mind. From the time I was about 12 years old and still to this day I have been trained in ways to prevent rape. Newman lists many of them on page 262, and notes how all of those measures are ways in which women can prevent being raped. Rarely are there measures to be taken for men. It is even more frustrating that the United States is one of the more sympathetic countries when it comes to rape victims.

This chapter made me realize how our world still needs to progress when it comes to women, and rape. The fact that women are blamed and sometimes even killed for being rape victims is appalling. Newman explains in the quote I chose that rape has long been considered a crime against men because families and husbands are both dishonored when their women become “tainted” and they are also humiliated that they could not protect the women they fee responsible for. Even in the United States “rape victims must prove their innocence, rather than the state having to prove the guilt of the defendant” (261). As a woman I will always support the woman’s side of the argument, and I do not agree with the way rape victims are often put on trial, this chapter did challenge my beliefs because I do understand that in convictions where a person could go to jail for years and years that it is important to make sure the defendant is really guilty. However, I don’t think it is fair that a victims’ pasts and relationships with their rapists are put on trial, or that women can be blamed because of her behavior.

As far as my behavior goes, it won’t change, because I still need to take precautions when it comes to rape. However, reading this chapter, especially the sections on different cultures and their views on rape made me want to get involved with rape crisis outreach programs both in the US and possibly elsewhere. I also think that both men and women need to become more educated when it comes to rape.

Reading Reflection Six

"Working class and poor people must receive less preventative health care than wealthy people and often must endure inadequate treatment in crowded public clinics.” (Newman, 190).

This chapter began with an anecdote from Newman about a trip he took to Thailand and a visit he had to make to a hospital. He expected to have to wait in line for hours because of all the people he saw in front of him in line, but because he was American and the hospital staff knew he would be able to pay, and most likely pay in cash he was rushed in and received some of the most personal care he had ever received at a hospital. This story clearly shows how not only in America, but all over the world the health care you receive is dependent on the amount of money you have.

Personally, the entire healthcare system both here and in Thailand makes me furious. Healthcare, at least in my eyes, is one of the things that should be provided if you cannot afford it. It is ridiculous to me that people go without medical attention because they don’t have the money to pay, and it happens all the time all over the world. I cannot understand how a government could be aware of the issues with healthcare and still not do anything to help.

I am from Massachusetts and recently they passed a law that says it is illegal to not have health insurance. Until your 18 your parents take care of your health, and if you go to college you are all set, but many of my friends got jobs right after high school, and they cannot afford health insurance. The new law completely screwed anyone who gets out of high school, is looking for a job, must say their expenses, and health insurance is required. The whole system makes me furious.

Newman clearly pointed out how the rich receive better healthcare simply because they are wealthy. He and I are in agreement that it is not fair and something needs to change. Although I was aware of the issues with insurance and healthcare in America, and I knew that all over the world people were not receiving the care required I never gave it much thought because it did not affect me. I would really like to see something change in this area, because I can’t see it remaining the same.

Observation Journal #4

I have beun to notice that a lot of men still have issues with male dominance over women, even in this day and age. I hear jokes about women belonging in the kitchen and things like that, and usually i laugh these off because i know that they are jokes and i dont take people who say things like that seriously, because i thought they were kidding. However, recently it seems that sometimes people may day they are kidding, but they sound like they mean it.

For example, last semester i was at a party on st, patricks day, and some guy came up to me and commented on how big my boobs were. I was pretty offended that someone would come out and day something so personal and rude, and he went on to offend me even more. He began saying that i went to champlain because i was an idiot, and he knew i was an idiot because i have a large chest. I was furious. Not only is what he said untrue, i considered it sexual harasment. I was so mad that I left the party and didnt return.

The whole situtation made me realize that men still discriminate women, maybe not as much as they may have 50 years ago, but it still occurs just the same. This situation shows that we, as a cultute, have still maintained a state of inequality. Obviously something needs to be done, preferably in the media where women are portrayed as sex objects. Shows like "Girls Next Door" only reinforce these stereotypes and make women look bad. You would think that in the 21st century we would be more progressive than we are.

Reading Reflection Five

“Around the world , discrimination- especially violent ethno-racial discrimination- is the rule, not the exception.” (Newman 178)

In this chapter Newman begins to discuss inequalities, and the affect they have on our society, and societies around the world. One of the sections was about global ethnic violence. My first reaction to this section was surprise. Although on some level I knew that ethno-racial violence occurred around the world, not just in our country, I had never really given it much thought because it doesn’t directly affect me, the way racism in the U.S. does. When violence against different racial groups occurs here it’s scary because we are supposed to be such a progressive country, and yet we still have these issues. I think I associate ethno-racial violence as problem for third world countries and underdeveloped nations, although I’m not sure why.

After reading this piece and learning more about ethno-racial violence, I really want begin researching it more, so I can further understand it. I think it’s really important to be aware of what goes on around the world. Although Newman’s book discussed a few examples of this violence occurring around the world, it really didn’t explain why this violence occurs, or how long it has been going on. I would really like to know more on this subject. Newman didn’t really challenge a belief on this matter, because I don’t know much on the subject to begin with. However, because of this article I want to learn more and that will shape more beliefs.

Reading Reflection Four

“Gender structures every organization and shapes every interaction in society, often in ways we are not consciously aware of.” (Newman, 115)

I really enjoyed this chapter from Newman’s book. I thought learning about learning was really interesting, especially when discussing social identities. I am taking an adolescent psychology class, and a lot of the things discussed about child rearing, and how kids learn have been discussed in that class as well. I especially liked the section about “learning genders”. This section discussed where children learn about their gender, how it affects their behavior, and briefly looked at biological and environmental factors that determine how children learn their gender.

Newman opens this chapter with an anecdote about a couple he was friends with and their attempt at raising their children without gender roles, and how even without this pressure their son would play games considered masculine and their daughter would play with little girls and play games considered feminine. This would suggest that a lot of behavior that children express is not completely determined by parents. I completely agree with this view, and I always have. I think that how parents raise their children affects how children will act and the choices they make, but most of the time children act based on their own beliefs and wishes, rather than on their parents. For example, my friend was raised as a conservative Christian by her parents, who always stressed the importance of abstinence until marriage, but my friend did not hold that same personal belief. She felt sex before marriage was alright if she felt ready, and acted upon her own beliefs, which differed from those of her parents, even though her parents had raised her on their own beliefs her entire life. I think the same goes for gender roles, where children will act more on their own thoughts and societies’ thoughts, rather than just their parent’s beliefs.

This reading did challenge some of my views as well. I always thought that because gender roles have changed so little over such a long period of time that they must be biological traits engrained in our genes. However, Margaret Mead’s studies on other cultures prove that this is not necessarily true. In some places men will portray traits traditionally considered feminine, and women will express traditionally masculine behavior. These studies seemed fascinating to me, and I would definitely like to learn more about them. They show that although genetics may play a role in determining gender roles, society may have an even larger part in deciding our behaviors.