Friday, November 28, 2008

Week #10 Porn & Slashers

Wow - I really don't like this assignment! I hate slasher movies and porn! I won't give any money to the producers of that stuff so I decided to write from memory. My abusive ex-husband had a porn fetish and I believe it definitely impacted his behavior toward me. I remember a scene from a film he had that had a guy sitting in an old fashioned type carriage like the kind that we see people in the movies riding around Central Park in. Four women clad only in leather harnesses would come and "hitch" themselves up to the front of the carriage and pull it around a courtyard like they were the horses. He had a little leather whip and he would snap it at them. It makes me nauseous just writing about it! I don't know if there are people who watch this kind of stuff and then behave in loving ways in their relationships. I only know that he watched and it definitely affected him. He was sexually abusive and degrading.
My boyfriend now is as disgusted by porn as I am and he is considerate, affectionate, and tender. So - this is my real-life experience. I won't go into the details here but if anyone is feeling degraded in their relationship I am comfortable talking about it and would be happy to chat. Feel free to e-mail me directly. Sandi

Week #9 - Bring a man to class

I really enjoyed bring a man to class day. I was pleasantly surprised that my son was interested in contributing to the discussion after the film. I thought he might be more uncomfortable. He even related some of the material to how watching some of the images he grew up with has affected him. I was surprised that his girlfriend actually felt more defensive about the content than he did. She felt that the movie was "pretty hard" on men. I have to wonder how the abuse that she witnessed in her family growing up has impacted her perception. In our discussion afterward, she seemed to feel that as long as men were not physically assaulting women then they were allowed to whatever other behavior they might engage in. My son and I spoke about this in private and I was really happy that he was not swayed by her. I was afraid that he might jump on this chance to "let himself off the hook" for using his privileged status to work for equal rights. Instead, he said "she's just not there yet mom - she'll get there. She wants to be taken care of because she isn't confident she can do it on her own and so she doesn't want to make waves. I won't do it though - she'll have to learn to be independent before I'll get any further involved. She's really alot stronger than she thinks she is." YAHOO!!! - sorry - a little mom moment! Sandi

Thursday, November 27, 2008

Week 9; Bring a Man to class day

I really enjoyed having as Erin said, a bunch of new faces and minds within our class and wished that we only had more time to process the topic, and give more insight into a role that men can take within society in regards to the prevention and awareness of violence against women. I know that personally the man that I brought to class really felt impacted by the discussion and the video, claiming that he really never thought about why some men are the way they are. This was a really great way to build an even stronger relationship with this person in regards to what he can do to support the ideas of feminism and support those tough conversations that he has with men on a daily basis, conversations that really go unnoticed at times, but really are the root to a lot of the degradation that women received on a daily basis. We processed after the class for a little while as well, and I believe his understanding of the violence that happens to women, and the ground work (violent video games, the media etc...) that has a great part in the formation of the violence acted towards women, has become in the forefront of his mind. I really appreciate all the men that came to class, and even the women/men who brought them there. It is really difficult on both halves to be as vulnerable to receive such knowledge, as to give. This class is amazing !!!

Tuesday, November 25, 2008

Homework week 9 & 10

Bring a man to class day: I believe that bring a man to class when very well. I know that personally it was nice to see new faces and hear new thought about the subject. I feel that the audience was very receptive to what was being presented to them, they didnt seem to be on defense either. I did see some individual get bored with the film, one actually fell asleep. I think that for next year you might think about watching a shorter film or doing more interactive things. Am idea might be to have IN HER SHOES to come in and do the walk through for the men, i know we all enjoyed that.

Media assignment: For this assignment i watch a slasher film. I decided on this not because i didnt want to watch porn but because it was movie night anyways. For this i rented House of Wax which featured Paris Hilton. This movie is about a group of young kids who go on a road trip and happen to run into a wax museum. What they dont realize is that the wax figures are actually really people. What i found interesting about this movie is that unlike psycho the killer didnt just target women, and the women were not an object of sex. Yes the women were dressed sexy at the time of the killing but they were not an object of sexual aggression. Although there were men we were targeted they were usually kill in order to get to the women, and their significance was little compared to that of the women.

Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Week 8 Homework

There was a statement that stood out to me is that I believe would be good to point out on bring a man to class day. The statement describes rape culture as "how men who rape are not simply a handful of 'sick' or deviant individuals. They are instead the products of a culture that glorifies and sexualizes female subservience and submission" pg. 149.  I think this would be a good statement to discuss because it shows how the popular culture looks at women and how men react to this. Culture and society plays a large role in how men view women and I think we need to point this out to the men in our culture so that they are aware of this. 

Homework 8

pg. 135: "Even though FBI statistics clearly indicate that most men who assault women attach those within their own racial group, a culturally prevalent message to white women says otherwise. white girls learn from an early age that it is not their own white boyfriends and husbands who present the greatest risk to their safety. the real danger lurks with dark-skinned predators." I think this is an important quote because it is VERY true. Being a young white female, I was always taught that the danger lurks out there somewhere with the "other." Growing up in a mostly African American and Hispanic area, I was never allowed outside without an adult, and I was hardly able to drive around alone at night until I was older. It is as very true stereotype, but we need to change it, for the sake of violence against women. the need to know that all men, especially the ones that they date, are the ones that could hurt them the most.

This also having to do with the media image of the "rapist" pg. 149: "...the mythic image of the rapist as a masked man who hides in bushes and waits to leap out and attack women continues to resonate powerfully, because while this image strikes fear in the hearts of millions of women and girls every day-- it is also oddly reassuring for both women and men." When I first read this sentence, I immediately was able to relate to it. All my friends and I are extremely cautious when walking alone, especially at night. We all carry mace and have our keys out just in case someone jumps out and attacks us while walking home from an evening class. We do this because we have been told to. We feel that men have to walk us home, to protect us. How did it get this way? Can we change how we work by changing the face of our attackers?

Monday, November 17, 2008

HW Due Week 8

I don't even know where to begin, there is so much good stuff here! My first choice is a bit long, and maybe not too universal, but it really stood out to me:

I once heard a batterer-intervention counselor explain that you cannot take at face value a man's statement that he "lost control" and struck his wife. You have to probe deeper. The exchange might look something like this: (Dialogue, see page 88. Ends with, "I wouldn't do anything like that in front of the kids.) As this typical interview demonstrates, many men will initially say they acted violently because the could not control their raging emotions, but under questioning will admit that even in their heightened state of anger, they were able to make a series of rational decisions... ETC, we've all read it. Stop at end of paragraph: If they were truly out of control, could they make those distinctions?

My second choice for a passage (I'm really shooting for different, here, if you couldn't tell), is a part of the "Author's Note on the Title." Starting at "2)" on page 4. For space, I won't write it here. I just like that this part goes over pretty explicitly the ironies of what it means to be a "real" or ""macho"" man.

~Channing

Week 8; Reading Analysis

I feel that the whole topic on the "Bystander" would be very influential for the men that come to our class. I know that the individual that I have sought out to join our class period, would greatly benefit from such a topic, for I feel that the "Bystander" is what most to all men play a role as, in some part of their lives. I believe that once we address such a topic and bring an awareness to their roles in society, I feel this will build a better connection to men as a contribution to violence against women, and not just a problem that "we" women, have.

The one issue that I really want to talk about during our class period is on pg. 127;under the "He must be Gay"... "Men who challenge other men's sexism are sure to face questions about their heterosexuality"... I feel that this is a really important subject to bring up, in regards to the fact that I have conversation after conversation in regards to protecting against homosexual remarks against others and in the fight to protect individuals who self-identify within the LGBT community on my floor. I see men constantly in the fight for their masculinity and "man-hood" and more importantly this is at the expense of others, which is the true problem.

Another issue that I think would be important to discuss is a man's role in our sexual society. I feel that men play a key role in how society views sex, and sexuality. I feel that taking about the porn industry, prostitution and the general view of women as sex objects, would be a very interesting topic to discuss. "The idea that consumers of porn can masturbate and have orgasms to that kind of treatment of women and not have it affect their attutudes toward the women and girls in their lives is more a fantasy than anything the most creative porn writers can conjure up."(pg. 186; anti-sexist men and the porn wars). I think that bringing to attention, and recognizing that women are degraded within the porn industry and sex as a society, would be very beneficial in the understanding of men and their role in the fight of violence against women.

Week 8 Assignment

Chapter 9 p. 149

"They [men] are instead the products of a culture that glorifies and sexualizes female subservience and submission. Rape must be understood not as an aberration in such a cultural environment but as simply the extreme end on a continuum of  behaviors. [...] Most men would rather not think about how they participate in a culture that actively promotes- or at the very least- sexual violence." 
I like this quote because it shows that Jackson Katz is not trying to blame all men for rape, but that society is responsible. Society teaches men that rap is just an average part of our society.

Chapter 6 p. 91
"One consequence of this failure is that there is little discussion in media-or anywhere else-about why so many American men and boys rape, batter, sexually abuse, and sexually harass women and girls. Mainstream commentary about gender violence-and other forms of interpersonal violence-is remarkably degendered." 
I think it is important to take note of how the media degenders issues of violence against women. These article remove the blame and focus from the men involved, especially middle and upper class white males. 

Week 8 Assignment

"Finally, many men participate--in peer cultures and as consumers--in what feminists have described as a "rape and battering culture." They laugh at sexist jokes, go out with guys to strip clubs, and consume misogynistic pornography. So even though most men are not perpetrators, they nonetheless contribute to--and derive pleasure from--a sexist culture climate where women are put down and sexually degraded. Thus they have little motivation to examine it critically, and a lot of incentive to look away." pg. 20 This impacted me because it shows that it is not always big, obvious events (such as a man hitting a woman in public) that should get other men's attention to the issue of stopping violence against women. It starts with the little things, and the need for men to become aware of what they say and do with other men and women and how laughing at the joke that degrades women is contributing to this culture our society has.

"Everything that happens to women happens to men, too." pg. 18
This statement impacted me right from the beginning. This quote sums up the book overall and is just powerful without really having to explain. It shows the importance of men knowing that they need to recognize violence against women and how it is not just a "women's issue" but that they are effected too.

Week 8 Quotes

My most influential quote is from the chapter Bystanders.

"Because most men see gender violence as an individual problem, they figure all that is required of them is to keep a check on their own behavior." pg.114

I think this rings sooo true to a lot of men and it's important to debunk that myth for our sake and others sake.

My other key quote is to explain to them what a bystander really is.

"... A bystander refers to someone who is not directly involved as a perpetrator or a victim of an act of harassment or violence, but is indirectly involved as a friend or a family member. A bystander can also be a member of a group, team, workplace or any social unit. The aim in focusing on bystanders is to empower them to speak up- and not to be silent and complicit-in the face of abusive behavior." pg. 116

This is key in explaining what your right is as human and that theses actions you take are not only for your benefit but for others too. In addition, there are numerous venues that the person can be a bystander.

Donella Daggett

Sunday, November 16, 2008

“Since domestic violence and sexual violence are largely learned behaviors, it is important to reach boys before they learn to abuse girls. And since these types of violence are so closely linked to men’s believe about what it means to be a man, it is important to provide boys with alternative ideas about manhood to counterbalance all of the hyper masculine postured and misogyny they encounter in their peer cultures and the media.” This impacted me because I feel that abuse is not an innate trait, its not something you are born with but something you learn. Society is at large part responsible for this. I feel that we need to address this to our males so they know where its produced.

“A recent poll conducted by Lifetime Television found that 57% of men age sixteen to twenty-four believed gender violence is an “extremely serious” problem.” "A 2000 poll conducted by the Family Violence Prevention Fund found that one-quarter of men would do more about the issue if they were asked.” I feel we need to address this because men obviously dont know what to do to help us out. Since we have them with us for an hour we can tell them how to help. They will also get the idea of what the statistic are. I hate using stats but everyone can then understand them.

Friday, November 14, 2008

Week 8 Homework

I had such a hard time limiting my quotes to two because I have the majority of the book highlighted! But here are some...

pg.92-"The ultimate responsibility for the perpetration of violence lies not with the victims but with the perpetrators. Stated another way: domestic  and sexual violence are serious problems not because so many women experience them but because so many men perpetrate or tolerate them". This quote really impacted me because it sends a strong message that we shouldn't just be concerned because there are a lot of victims, but because there are so many men out there who are being violent with women and the twisted part is, they think it is normal and ok. 

pg. 229-"The crime of domestic violence is not simply caused by men's poor anger management skills. Instead, it is the product of a belief system-itself deeply rooted in male dominance-whose central tenet is that men should be in control in a relationship, their needs should come first, and if force is necessary to gain the woman's compliance, then that is just an unpleasant fact of life. Similarly, one of the most important theoretical insights of the rape crisis movement is that rape is not about a man's inability to control his sexual desire; it is more about his need to conquer and posses another person". I found this statement powerful because so many people think that rape has to do with sexual desire rather than about power and control. This plays into victim blaming as well. They think because a woman is dressed a certain way when she was raped means she was asking for it. Men can control themselves and rape is not about sexual desire. 

I also found these quotes moving as well and they speak for themselves:
pg.20-"What is perhaps even more disturbing is that in this culture, many people see gender violence as a problem of sick and damaged individuals, and not as a social phenomenon that's causes and solutions lie in much larger social forces".
pg.28-"Their violence says something about us."
pg. 18-"Everything that happens to women happens to men too."

Week #8 Homework

It is hard to pick just one short thing that I believe is not to "preachy" but I think the following section gets straight to what I consider to be the "heart" of the problem and sums it up in a clear and concise fashion:

(p.33) A substantial portion of the population - including many young Americans who consider themselves world weary and media savvy--remains unconscious and unaware of systematic causes of interpersonal violence. Another young mother murdered as her little children scream in the next room? What a shame. Another college student raped in her dorm room? It's not safe anywhere anymore. Another prominent athelete arrested for beating his wife? What's wrong with guys, anyway? Feminists have mainatained for years that all of these phenomena are linked, that in fact they are inevitable byproducts of women's subordinate social position. They are not just a collection of unrelated acts. ..............If there is any hope of dramatically reducing the high levels of men's violence to which we have become accustomed, we are going to have to find a way to look beyond individual perpetrators and their problems to the culture that produces them........It is a lot easier to focus on the external enemies (like terrorism), however elusive, than it is to look inward.

Sandi

Tuesday, November 11, 2008

HW Week 6 - Slightly Different

Hello all,

I was looking forward to doing the homework assignment involving writing a letter to the editor. However, I am a firm believer that it is pretty pointless to do so unless it comes very quickly after the original article. Unfortunately, I was distracted on the days surrounding the article, and therefore did not get a chance to write a letter quickly. This is not an excuse, I instead spent that time (and more time) doing some other political writing, and that is what I would like to share with you.

I am a member of DeviantArt, an online community for artists and art lovers. Another member whose art I appreciate posted a journal entry where he talked about how he "literally threw up" upon hearing that Obama was elected president. I decided to respond to this and other comments he made, and we got into a long yet civil discussion about politics, specifically about health care. I realize this isn't what was assigned, but I feel it is related, and I believe I made some good points in my arguments.

So you know I'm not blowing smoke up your behinds, you can read the dialogue here. Scroll down until you see the first comment from username "sixstringninja." - That's me. We continue for another page I think.

I don't necessarily expect equal credit for this, but it was an interesting argument that took up a lot of my time, that I feel was necessary to have. This was my bit of activism. Enjoy.

~Channing

Week 6 Bring a Man to Class Day Ideas

I was hoping that we got to explain to the participants the continuum of violence. Like we had discussed in class last week it was important for us to give them a clear and accurate picture of how exactly there aren't just extreme cases that they all stem from somewhere, whether that be stalking or verbal abuse. I think that the idea I gave about the posters was something that will really give them a clear picture of how the continuum is linked together. We could have the partuicipants break into groups and all give examples of stalking incidences, verbal abuse and then have them try to assemble themselves in order of extreme violence to not as extreme. I think the point we will be trying to convey is that it is a series of events that lead up to the extreme act of violence and that they can play a key role in making the "big and small" issues their business.

Donella Daggett

HW 7

To the Editor of the Barometer,

I am writing to you as a concerned OSU student, who is disturbed by the way you reported the "alleged" rape last week. The way the article was written was disappointing and angering to me. The most angering part of the first article was that the "alleged" victim was blamed, in the quote from the fraternity president, by saying that she shouldn't have been there in the first place and that she, too, was drunk. Instead of using the articles written about this case to blame the "alleged" victim, use it to educate the OSU population about drinking and violence and how they go hand in hand. Inform readers that drunk sex is NOT consensual, by law. Use your power to inform, not blame and advocate for the dude how ended up in jail and expelled from OSU because he "allegedly" violated a young woman's personal space. INFORM! Don't blame!

Sincerely,
Concerned Beaver

Monday, November 10, 2008

Week 7 Letter to the Editor

To Whom it May Concern "Allegedly,"

I was writing in response to the article that was published last week about the "alleged rape that occurred on Halloween. In reading the article I was a bit taken back by the outlandish comments regarding the response from the president of the fraternity when stating that, "she shouldn't have been there, she wasn't on the list." The first problem with even putting this response in the newspaper is the assumption that if she was on the list then she was "allegedly" signing up to be raped. This is a fundamental problem in how you reported on this article. The second thing that was disturbing about the article was the fact that you clearly reported on the fact that alcohol was furnished to a minor but made no clear mention that that was alleged or that anything was wrong. I feel like you have excused behavior from a male who is a "prominent pre-civil engineering student" and have put stigma that it is in turn the woman's fault for even being there. You have clearly reported on this as if she had "no right to be there." It is the key principle of a newspaper to write on issues that matter to the Oregon State community, yet you have failed to give as objective of an opinion as possible. I hope you take the time to review your skewed opinion on the "alleged" rape.

Sincerely, Donella Daggett

Letter

Dear Editor,

I did not agree with how you reported the story, "OSU student held on charges of rape". First of all, the title itself is not suggestive of what gender the student is although most assume it is a male. Stating the gender helps people understand that men are the ones that rape women. Stating "OSU student" is gender neutral. You should have stated,"Male OSU student". Secondly, in the article you used a quote that I found offensive. The president of Phi Kappa Psi stated how the woman "shouldn't have been there". I think using this quote sends a clear message to many males and females that women are at fault for getting raped. This implies that it was her fault for getting raped in the first place. Victim blaming is not something a neutral newspaper is suppose to do. 
Also you state and use quotations that the woman was "forcibly raped". Is this implying that you are accusing her of being a willing participant in her rape or that you are just using her words? Also, you use the word "alleged". This implies that she could have been lying or you are thinking that she regretted her one night stand the next day.  I think proper reporting would be seen as more respectable in the future. Many people are affected by rape and the people who seem to support it.
Sincerely, 
Heather

Week 7 HW

Letter to the Editor,

We are writing in regards to your article published last week, “OSU Student Held on charges of rape.” First we would like you to take a closer look at the use of quotes made by the president of the Phi Kappa Psi fraternity. We feel that his statements are irrelevant to the incident. He first says that both the victim and Sako were drunk, which does not pertain to the rape. Whether they were drunk or not does not excuse any behavior, no still means no and being drunk is not an excuse. If we are going to use drinking as an excuse, legally the victim can drink, Sako cannot; which is another issue altogether. The president is then quoted using the excuse, she was not on the guest list. This statement is completely unrelated, either way she was at the party and reported being attacked. Secondly using the word alleged several times through out the articles makes the victim seem like a liar.  The statement of her being a non-OSU student is unrelated and takes the focus away from Oregon State. Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely.

Melissa Gonzalez and Karen LeDuff

Homework wk7

Dear Editor,

I am writing in response to your article "OSU Student Held on Charges of Rape." After reading this I was very taken back at by the way in which this article was written. First of all the title of this is very gender neutral. By not telling the audience right off whom was involved and how they were involved you are falling into the trap of a gender neutral society. You are assuming a "man" raped a "woman" because this is what society tells you to assume what happened.  I was also curious as to why you mentioned the major of the young man. How does this have to do with whether he raped this young woman or not? By expressing that he was a "pre-construction engineering management" major it says that he is going to be a prominent member of society where he has a potential to hold a higher status in society.  The word alleged was used in this article in respect to the rape. I understand that one is innocent until proven guilty and I respect that but by using the word alleged you are implying that the woman is lying and are not respecting the victim in this situation. Everyone's side must be heard and in this article the young man's side is portrayed but you are hearing nothing about the young woman's side. The last point I am going to bring up is when it was said that she was not on the list for the party and "shouldn't have been there." This statement in other words says that if she was never there than this would not have happened to and puts the blame on the victim entirely saying it was her fault that she was raped.  I do not believe that this was the proper way to go about writing this article and I hope in the future the attention will be paid to the content and how this information might be portrayed. Everyone deserves to be respected. 
Sincerely,
Danielle

Dear "Alleged" Editor

Dear Alleged Editor,
First off I'd like to draw your attention to the head-line to my letter, "Dear Alleged Editor", how would you like it, that within some aspect of your life, within your everyday choices/status' and decisions, you were considered "Alleged" a false or presumed to be fake? I would really like you to consider this in the future when writing about such a topic, for as we all do instinctively (as humans) is become weak and more out of control in regards to such a label, and within this case, become much more aware that the survivor is not the victim, but perhaps a liar. Also in stating such facts, I found that the time taken in to consider the status of the perpetrator and the President to Phi Kappa Psi, both receiving notorious note to their status' within the OSU society and the support that is given to the perpetrator, helped push aside the "survivor" who is discredited as a "Non-OSU" student, with no support or backing to her. Invited or not, that is not what the fight is here, sober or not, no one has the right to push sex onto anyone, and even right up until the point of penetration and after, each and every individual has the right to say and control of what is being done to their body.
I appreciate the time given to writing this article, but am willing to share some support for a better understanding of the effects of writing the article (as you have) and the effects of getting and giving the support that the survivor needs, even if the term has to be "alleged"
Respectfully,
Careful to words
Miranda

Saturday, November 8, 2008

Week 7

Dear Editor,

After reading your article "OSU student held on charges of rape", I am writing to express my disappointment. By using a gender neutral title and ommitting the fact that it was a "man" who was accused of raping a "woman" you reinforce the societal mandate against actually speaking the truth about the vast majority of rape cases. If we can't talk about it, how can we hope to bring an end to the violence against women?
While I certainly agree that this young man deserves his right be innocent until proven guilty, I also believe that this young woman deserves to be believed. I don't see the two as mutually exclusive. It is possible for us to treat both parties with compassion and respect without casting shadow. I don't feel your article accomplished this for a two reasons:
1) You mention that the young woman was not on the guest list and "shouldn't have been there." Whether it is intended or not, this casts a shadow of blame on the victim. Did she deserve to be raped for crashing a party?!?
2) You mention that the major of the student is "pre-construction engineering management" - a position that typically holds some power and prestige. How is this relevant to whether or not he raped this young woman?!?
Thank you for your consideration of these matters.
Sandi Mickey

Thursday, November 6, 2008

Dear Editor,

I would like to thank your staff for writing a very gender neutral article concerning the rape of a young girls at the Phi Kappa Psi house on Halloween evening. In our society we tend to focus on the victims and the allegedality. The focus of this article was mainly on the perpetrator Sako and not on the female, i really appreciated that.

I am a friend of Christopher Gerritz and i fell that you portrayed his character 100%. Instead of blaming him for allowing this to happen you gave him to opportunity to explain his thoughts and ideas without placement of personal opinion.

I am also thankful for the fact that you did not focus on if it was alleged or not. You stated the facts without using that words alleged. Great job!

Tuesday, November 4, 2008

HW Assn: Bring a Man to Class Day

So, I know this is a bit late, and redundant... but I'd like the credit...

My basic idea for Bring a Man to Class Day is that we approach these brave men from a platform that is on their level. Like I've talked about many times, in educating others about this subject, we walk a fine line between our ultimate goals, and our presentation. I'll illustrate what I mean by example: I won't vote for an independent candidate, even if I agree more with their values. I accept that they will not win, and it will take a few (or more) democratic presidencies before I country will be in a position that will accept an independent candidate. We have to take small steps.

And with that, let me say... YAHHHH YAH HIP HIP HOORAY OBAMA!!!!!!! OMG!!!!! SWEETNESS!!!!! *Does Happy Dance*

Ahem. Back to topic. We have to approach our guests in a way that doesn't make them defensive, or shut down mentally. We can't start preaching overly "feministically," though this is what we want. For now, our goal has to be drawing them in, "recruiting, " if you will. This is why I think we should start with Katz - his video approaches men and says, "this is why you should give a darn."

I know this all seems kind of backwards, but we don't want to scare this people away. My other idea was in defining and explaining sexual terrorism, like with that activity Katz does. Men, what do you do, then women... etc. Anyways, we went over all this in class.

PS. I have a few songs I want to add to Sara's list, but since I just saw them this weekend, I suggest everyone listen to Metallica's "The Day That Never Comes."

~Channing

Week 6 Assignment

For bring a man to class day I think we should demonstrate how the media removes blame from white male perpetrators and places the focus on the female victim. I think that the best way to do this is to analyze newspaper articles similar to the one we did in class today. We also did a this activity in one of the first classes, where we compared the language used in an article about a rape to one about a robbery. Analyzing the language makes us realize how consistently the media helps to keep these problems women's issues. This allows men to either continue harming women or be bystanders, rather then forcing them to help support women. 

Renee's websites

http://www.indianlaw.org/node/270

http://www1.umn.edu/humanrts/CERDConcludingComments2008.pdf, paragraphs 26-29.

Here's another one about the rape

This one is from the Barometer and I don't like how the president of the frat said the girl shouldn't have been there...

Monday, November 3, 2008

OSU Student Charged With Rape

Since we are in a class about violence against women, and during our last class we had a brief discussion about Halloween, I figured that this would be appropriate to share with the class. This is an article that my boyfriend found, and I was INSTANTLY appalled, since it is so close to home, but then while doing the readings, I realized that it shouldn't come as a shock. Something needs to be done.

OSU Rape

Homework Week 6

I would love to read outloud some parts out of our book, The Macho Paradox or find a film that is more recent than the one we viewed in class. I think it is important when the men come to class to hit upon a lot of the points Kratz made in Chapter 9 and 10. Pornography is so prevelent and seen as normal and I want the men to see how objectify porn is. Is there a video that we can watch that hits upon these points?
I also like the exercise of listing what men and women do to protect themselves. I think a lot of men do not realize what lengths women go to protect themselves from violence. I know I have been mentioning what length women go to a lot but I think it would be an eye-opening exercise for the men to hear what we go through on a daily basis.

Ideas for "Bring a Man to Class" day

I think that preparing our men before bringing them to the classroom. I think it's a good idea to remind them that our classroom is a place where we as a class are open and respectful to each other.

After that, I think that summing up what we have been discussing in class might impact the men as it has impacted us. I, myself, have been very impacted and become more aware about issues surrounding violence against women. Just spreading the word to others in my life has also gotten them to become more aware and in tune to these issues. It will be good for the men to be exposed so that they too can understand what we have come to understand.

Homework WK6

For the bring a man to class day,  I too have been having a hard time finding someone who wants to commit to the full three hours. I also think because of it being a women's study class they feel as though they are going to be targeted  and feel intimidated by the situation. I think the tough guise video would be a good intro into what we might be talking about with them. I think that this class might be very intimidating for a lot of guys to walk into. I do not think that we should point any fingers or single out the men in any way because I do not think that would be an effective way to get them to listen. I think if we inform them of the facts and keep it neutral that they will not feel singled out and guilty as if they have done something wrong. 

Homework week 6

I agree with Sandi that it is hard to find people who can schedule that much time to come in. And I'm sure that it is intimidating to think of being trapped with us dangerous feminists for three whole hours. I suggest that we spend one hour specifically engaging with our guests and spend the other two doing class work during which our visitors are welcome to stay and learn with us. I think that we should mention the "nice guy" type of rapist, what a guy can do to support someone who is a survivor and the continuum of violence.

Making the best of time.

I suppose for bring a man day we should show the tough guy video and the video on the women who rebounded from demestic violence. From my own personal experience watching these videos they would impact some of these gentleman. The documentary that Jackson Katz made I thought hit many levels on why we men think about being a man. The discriptions of the past action movies and the showing how the heros guns kept on getting bigger. The way men are not suppose to show emottion, and that we had to be tough. Then the video displayed what men could be and what they can bring as a new diffinition on being a man.

The second video could show these male visitors the impact of violence toward women. Additionaly the movie can show the strength that these women had and I belive that who ever would see this movie would respect that. I know I did, seeing what some of these women went through and how they overcomed such evil was amazing and inspiring. I believe who ever see this movie would feel the same. As a 28 year male my perspective has changed due to seeing these movies.

Andres Estrada.

Sunday, November 2, 2008

Homework Week 6

I think for our "Bring A Man To Class Day, " we should inform guys on what to do in situations when women are not in a position to make their own choices (under the influence, being abused, etc.) and how the cause of violence against women is not just women's issue, but men's as well. I think to just inform them and open their minds as to why they should be invovled in this cause and how they could help out would be a good thing to discuss in class that day.

Homework Wk6

I have asked three men so far to join me for the "bring a man to class day" and all three have declined. One can't get out of work but the reason the other two gave was that the class is nearly three hours long and they were not comfortable with that. I think this is a valid point. These men are uncomfortable with the idea and what they perceive the environment will be like already so nearly three hours is further intimidating. I wonder if we might shorten this class period and make up the extra time on another day?
Other than that, I have noticed that my sons, ages 18 and 20 have been shocked and surprised by some of the material I shared with them. They both confess that they had not stopped to think that there were no battered women's shelters or that marital rape was not illegal just a short time ago. These things have always existed in their lifetimes. Also, they think that I'm a minority as a feminist because I am "normal" while "other" feminists are the stereotypical big, hairy, overbearing, and rude people. I would like for them, as well as our other guests, to understand the kinds of things feminists have worked for in the past so they can appreciate their contribution to human rights overall and maybe understand a little bit of the very justified anger.

Sandi