wgs 180: Gendered lives
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SYLLABUS:
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REQUIRED TEXTS:
PAGE FOR QUIZZES:
I developed a number of quizzes based on your readings. We will used them as I deem appropriate. To access them I will provide you with a code. Go to http://www.quia.com/pages/yriverozaritzky/page20
- Gibaldi, Joseph. MLA Handbook for Writers of Research Papers. 7th Edition. New York: The Modern Language Association of America, 2009. Print. (ISBN: 978- 1603290241)
- Ibsen, Henrik. A Doll's House. Clayton: Prestwick House, 2005. Print. (ISBN: 978-1-58049-598-1)
- Lee, Janet and Susan M. Shaw. Women's Voices. Feminist Visions. 6th Edition. New York: McGraw-Hill, 2014. Print (ISBN: 978-0078027000).
- ARTICLES: Please go to Blackboard to access these readings.
PAGE FOR QUIZZES:
I developed a number of quizzes based on your readings. We will used them as I deem appropriate. To access them I will provide you with a code. Go to http://www.quia.com/pages/yriverozaritzky/page20
CORE TOPICS TO COVER IN THIS CLASS:
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1. EARLY SOCIALIZATION - FAIRY TALES
Our education on how to be girls and boys started early in life, not with a class, but with fairy tales. These stories repeatedly reinforce behavioral patterns that in some cases become values and shape expectations in the adult life. Although story lines have changed lately (Brave, Frozen), there is still room for improvement in how they portray female characters. Useful Links: SurLaLune. Traditional fairy tales and their similar versions around the world. A Study of Fairy Tales by Laura F. Kready. "The ‘Cinderella Effect’ Is No Fairy Tale" by Martin Daly and Margo Wilson. "Fairy Tales are Grimm" by Dina Jose. Rejected Princesses a project covering real women's stories. |
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2. WOMEN'S MOVEMENTS
In this section we are going to cover the three waves of women's rights movements in the United States.
There are so many misconceptions about feminism. One reason is because people are misinformed about the different types of feminism. One woman may agree with one type and completely disagree with another. Come to class and see which one is a good fit for you. |
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Useful Links:
The Fight for Women's Suffrage. By the History Channel, excellent.
Women's Leadership in American History. By City University of New York.
Women's History in the U.S.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000. By Thomas Dublin.
The Fight for Women's Suffrage. By the History Channel, excellent.
Women's Leadership in American History. By City University of New York.
Women's History in the U.S.
Women and Social Movements in the United States, 1600-2000. By Thomas Dublin.
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3. THE INTERSECTIONS OF GENDER, RACE AND CLASS
If being a woman conditions the types of opportunities and privileges one can have, other elements also factor into the equation. Race, class, and immigration status also contribute (or not) to what opportunities a person can have. How these variables affect the individual is something we are going to discuss in class. Useful Links: What is Affirmative Action? Ten Myth about Affirmative Action. |
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4. SEX VS. GENDER
"It's a boy!" "It's a girl!" "It's a...?" Not all babies are alike, so what to do when one is different? It's very common for some people to confuse sex and gender, but they are not the same things; also, there are more than only XX and XY combinations. In this section we will explore these differences. Useful Links: The How and Why of Sex Differences by Michael Mills. Two Sexes Are Not Enough by NOVA. Middle Sexes - Redefining He and She. (Movie) |
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5. THE CONSTRUCTION OF MASCULINITY
"Boys don't cry!" Who said so? Like women, men are expected to conduct themselves in a certain way. How they dress, respond to pressure, deal with physical tasks ("manly work"), like and practice sports and behave with women are learned social behaviors that vary from group to group. If you are a male student, are you ready to challenge one of those expected behaviors? Useful Links: Fighting Boys and Fantasy Play: The construction of masculinity in the early years of school by Ellen Jordan. The Construction of Masculinity within Boys’ Physical Education by Andrew Parker. Fathers Who Are Redefining Manhood by Ama Yawson. |
The New American Man Doesn't Look Like His Father by NPR Staff.
Tony Porter: A Call to Men a TED talk. |
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6. CONTEMPORARY ISSUES:
a. The Female Body and the Media If I were to ask you now what your weight is, would you be able to tell me? Most women would. We live in a "count your calories" world and sometimes not for the right reasons. Not everybody can be a size 0 or 2, but there is pressure to be thin, young, and pretty. What if you aren't? In this section, we are going to discuss how media influences the way we see ourselves and what we can do to fight that influence. Useful Links: National Eating Disorder Association (NEDA). |
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Female Body Image and the Mass Media: Perspectives on How Women Internalize the Ideal Beauty Standard by Kasey L. Serdar.
Feminist Frequency a blog maintained by Anita Sarkeesian.
Feminist Frequency a blog maintained by Anita Sarkeesian.
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b. Gendered Constructions of Love, Marriage and the Family
According to the old school, the father is the breadwinner and the mother has to be in charge of the house and children. In many cases, these expectations continue to exist, but those roles have changed recently. Now both parents tend to work outside the home, some share household responsibilities; we find single-parent homes and even stay-at-home fathers. How does society confront these changes? How do families deal with these adjustments? Useful Links: |
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The Performance of Desire: Gender and Sexual Negotiation in Long-Term Marriages by Sinikka Elliott and Debra Umberson.
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c. Health and Security
Anyone can be a victim of domestic violence: women, men, and children. It can happen between "friends," while dating or in a marriage. In any case, the harm generally comes from someone the victim knows or is intimate with and the outcomes vary from angry outbursts to yelling to physical violence to murder. How does one recognize the signs of an abusive relationship before it escalates? How does one break the cycle of violence? Where can one look for help? Useful Links: Crisis Line and Safe House of Central Georgia (Macon) Signs of abuse (Very helpful, but not exhaustive) Laws on violence against women Healthy relationships Why We Stayed. Domestic Violence Help: Restraining Orders and Other Legal Options. Do not want your phone anymore? Donate it and help. |
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d. Motherhood and Reproduction
In the old days, nuclear families tended to be very large. A woman knew that once she married, her duty was to bring children into the family. Having numerous children was part of the family economy in the countryside since labor came directly from each member (and fewer people attended college). Nowadays, this is not the situation; the number of children can potentially harm a family's economy and its members' opportunities: women have the chance to work at home or outside of it and also can decide when and how many children to have. Let's explore this situation and the very controversial debate between pro-life and pro-choice, and, while we're at it, let's talk about "pro-education." |
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Useful Links:
Notinhershoes.org
Birth Control Methods. (From abstinence to sterilization for women and men)
Quiz: What birth control best fits you?
Notinhershoes.org
Birth Control Methods. (From abstinence to sterilization for women and men)
Quiz: What birth control best fits you?
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e. Women and Politics
What is meant by "The Personal is Political?" There are so many decisions taken by others that affects our lives and sometimes we don't know it. In the women's movements section, we saw how hard it was for women to gain the right to vote. That privilege allows women's voices to be heard, allows them to appoint politicians who represent their points of view, or even be that politician. Learn more about the impact women can have and even consider becoming an activist for a cause. Useful Links: Women in Congress. "The Personal is Political." By Carol Hanisch. "The Revolution for Women in Law and Public Policy." By Jo Freeman. |
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7. FEMINISM AND RELIGION
Some people tend to believe that if you are a feminist you cannot be religious--that is not exactly true. Religion shapes the lives of people, and some of these belief systems empower women, while others don't. For example, among the many Christian denominations various interpretations of Biblical passages have being used to exalt women or to oppress them, often giving men authority and forcing women into inferior positions. The role of women in religion varies among religions and over time. We'll be discussing these issues in class. Useful Links: Articles on Women and Religion (Some links are broken but it is a good list) |
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