Blog 4

I'm really interested in taking the Body Image course and the Women Creating Social Change class here at OU. I think I would benefit from the Body Image class in many ways. I want to be able to understand why women (including me), are so obsessed with how they look, how we as a society got to this point, and what we can do to promote change. I think the Women Creating Social Change class would be empowering and I would like to learn about more ways that I as a women can make the world a better place. I'm studying to become a speech-language pathologist and although it is a predominately female field I know I will come in contact with male doctors, co-workers, and even clients. I do not think that my particular profession has a history of having problems with sexism but I'm sure I will find myself in several sexist situations. I have been a waitress for the past 5 years and have definitely been treated differently because of my sex. I have been harassed and objectified many times. Waitresses are often encouraged to flaunt "what they've got" which I find demeaning and insulting.

Respond to the Readings:

Chapter 4 in the F-Word discussed the top ten social issues for women today. The issues in the top ten were not surprising at all but I was a little surprised at the order. I think that societal and media images of women should be closer to the top because virtually everyone is influenced by them and almost all the other issues are influenced by them too. I think that the balance section of this chapter was great. I feel like the women who do it all should deserve more support and respect from everyone. In the FIFE readings feminist theory and offering womens studies courses in colleges was the focus. Feminist theory is important to explain sexist thinking, and by introducing it to the academic world by making womens studies courses available in college (which is a good thing in one sense), has unintentionally shut everyone else out. Education about feminism needs to be available to everyone.